Sanford Bishop

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding the time. I rise today in support of H. Res. 352, a resolution remembering and honoring the march on Washington of August 28, 1963. Let me first thank the Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who have worked together in the best spirit of bipartisanship in order to bring this important resolution to the floor of the House in short order: the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Tom Davis), chairman; and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman), the ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform; the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the majority whip; the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), the Democratic whip; the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), Democratic leader; and the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert). I would also like to recognize from our staffs Howard Moon, Jerry Hart, Kyle Nevins, Seth Webb, Rob Cogorno, Tania Shand, Keith Ausbrook and Phil Barnett for their attention to this important resolution in working together to move it through committee and to the floor expeditiously. Mr. Speaker, in the spring and the summer of 1963, 100 years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the ``big six'' civil rights leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., James Farmer, Whitney Young, Roy Wilkins, A. Philip Randolph and our esteemed colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), now a Member of Congress, convened to plan a peaceful mass protest against the racial and civil rights injustices that were widespread at that time. This historic event, the largest U.S. demonstration ever assembled to that point, featured Dr. King's famous and historic ``I Have a Dream'' speech, which challenged Americans to answer the call of the United States Constitution: I have a dream that one day this Nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: that all men are created equal. These words helped to spark and fuel the movement that transformed the state of race relations and civil rights in America forever. How did it all begin? In response to the blatant discrimination that had become a constant hardship in the lives of African American workers, A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, was the first to call for a march on Washington back in 1941. Twenty-plus years later, the event was planned in direct response to the tragic events of the spring and summer of 1963 in which more than 20,000 U.S. citizens were arrested and detained while nonviolently protesting notable injustices, including police dogs attacking peaceful demonstrators in Birmingham, the tragic assassinations of civil rights activists, the lack of congressional support for President Kennedy's civil rights bill that aimed to end discrimination against African Americans in the workplace, voting booths and schools and all other public domains. As a direct result of the march, Dr. King's historic speech and the movement, they spawned the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 came to fruition, effectively ending segregation and ensuring voting rights for all Americans. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act outlawing discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, interstate commerce, all of these were expanded later as a result of the march to include protections for women against discrimination and for the disabled. So we come together today, 40 years later, to celebrate freedom, to celebrate justice, to celebrate equality for all Americans for which this historic march was indeed a catalyst. Some call it an accident. Others call it fate. Some call it the human hand, some the hand of God. Which it is I will not argue, but something strange, something inexplicable, something mysterious, something almost miraculous happened on that day when Dr. King was able to stand before thousands and thousands and to articulate the aims and the aspirations of the masses, not just in these United States, but all across the world in their quest for freedom. Something happened and today we are grateful because we all are the beneficiaries of what happened that fateful day. Yes, some call it an accident. Others fate, some the hand of God, others the hand of man. Which it is I will not argue, but I will say that on this day, this Congress, in the form of this resolution, has an opportunity to say thank you, thank you to Dr. King, thank you to James Farmer, to Whitney Young, to Roy Wilkins, to A. Philip Randolph, and to our good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) and all who participated in this monumental and historic event for blazing a trail of freedom and equal rights under the law that lives on today and hopefully will live on even better tomorrow. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., ``Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our Nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.'' Thank God, Mr. Speaker, for that call to conscience, to morality and to action for America and the world that we benefit from today. I urge my colleagues to stand with me in support of this resolution.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 2861, VA, HUD and Independent Agencies. As a member of the Subcommittee that oversees the VA, HUD appropriations, we are all in agreement that this bill leaves a lot to be desired. However, I applaud the Chair, Mr. James T. Walsh and the Ranking Member, Mr. Alan B. Mollohan for their leadership in moving this measure to the floor for a vote. I also want to thank Mr. Obey for his leadership in the Appropriation process and for raising so many concerns that we all have regarding funding cuts in programs in this bill and in other areas. He has so poignantly made it clear to all parties involved that ``the tax cuts fostered by the Bush administration are swallowing up a huge share of the available money.'' Mr. Chairman, I support this bill because of my deep concerns for the veterans in the 2nd District of Georgia and across the country, the needy and poor that live in substandard housing, and for all those who are affected by the downturn of the economy. I concur with some of my colleagues that some of the programs are woefully under-funded. However, I believe we must pass this bill to avoid any further delays in stimulating the economy. This bill provides $137,500,000 for economic development initiatives. We began the 108th Congress at FY02 funding levels. Many of the FY03 Appropriations bills were not passed until February of this year. We must not bog down this process any further. My constituents and others around the country are hurting. We must move this bill through the House in hopes of working out some of the major differences in Conference. H.R. 2861 provides for $90 billion in discretionary funds for the Veterans Affairs and, the Housing and Urban Development departments and other independent agencies for fiscal 2004. This bill also includes $27.2 billion in fiscal 2004, an increase of $1.4 billion. The largest component of the VA total is $15.8 billion ``for medical services for veterans with service-connected health needs.'' Further, H.R. 2861 provides funding in fiscal 2004 for NASA in the amount of $15.5 billion; $5.6 billion for the National Science Foundation, a $329 million increase over fiscal 2003; $8 billion for the Environmental Protection Agency, which is $375 million above the President's request but $74 million below 2003; $37 billion for HUD, which is $942 million above last year and $98 million over the President's request; $480 million for the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is $96 million above last year and $118 million below the President's request. This funding level will be able to sustain 55,000 volunteers, and increase of 5,000 and $60 million for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I also applaud both Mr. Walsh and Mr. Mollohan for recognizing the need to maintain the HOPE VI program. The allocation of $50,000,000 is not nearly enough to meet the needs of many of the severely distressed public housing facilities in my district and others alike. However, the committee has recognized the need to continue the program and went on record as willing to work with HUD in order to improve the overall performance and operation of the program. The Committee's recommendation to zero out the Samaritan Housing Initiative, that provides assistance to the homeless community, was very alarming to many of the advocates in the housing community. Again, I am hopeful this issue will be addressed at the Conference level. The Committee has made a valiant attempt to increase the funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Committee allocated $5,639,070,000 to NSF to enhance its national policy on science, and to support basic research for research and education. Further, H.R. 2861 provides for other allocations such as: One VA Enterprise Architecture in the Veterans Administration budget, public Housing Operating Fund, HOPWA, Rural Housing and Economic Development; Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities; Community Development Fund, CDBG; Community Development Block Grant-Formula grants; Habitat for Humanity capacity building; Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Brownfield Redevelopment; HOME Program; HOME/CHDO Technical Assistance; Homeless Program; Housing for the Disabled; Rental Housing Assistance; Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; Community Development Financial Institutions; Corporation for National and Community Service; STAG--State and Tribal Assistance Grants; Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP); HBCU- UP and the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. Finally, H.R. 2861 provides for the establishment of a new provision in the Veterans' Budget to establish a $250 enrollment fee for priority 7 and 8 veterans (those veterans who are not service connected or not impoverished). This level is nearly identical to the annual enrollment fee charged to TRICARE retirees. This new provision increases the co- pay on prescription drugs from $7 to $15 for a 30-day supply of pharmaceuticals prescribed for non-service connected conditions. Mr. Chairman, I have some real concerns about the ability of some veterans to pay the $250 enrollment fee and the increased fees for co- pay on prescription drugs, I am also hopeful that further consideration will be given to this issue at the Conference Committee level.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings), the chairman, and the members of committee for the sensitivity and the concern that we are now paying to the issue of diversity. For some time now this committee has been wrestling with the idea of diversity going back to former chairman Lou Stokes, former ranking member Julian Dixon. In my service on the committee for 6 years up until this term of Congress we have repeatedly been concerned. And I believe that the director has made it clear that diversity, cultural diversity, lingual diversity is a matter of good business sense for the intelligence community. We all wish that we had been a little more sensitive and a little more knowledgeable prior to 9-11. But this I think is an opportunity now for us to get it right. And the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) has done an excellent job in helping us to think out of the box by requiring the director to carry out this pilot test project to evaluate innovative alternative methods for recruiting and hiring and retaining members of the intelligence community with a diverse background. Let me take this opportunity to mention just one member of the African American community who is completing 30 years of service to both the military and the intelligence community, and that is Mr. Garnett Stowe who has retired as chief of staff of the National Reconnaissance Office. Mr. Stowe made tremendous contributions in his own right as a member of the intelligence community, but he too was very sensitive. And he took the time to come with the Congressional Black Caucus last year to appear on a panel that we had dealing with this issue of diversity in diplomatic and intelligence matters. He has made a tremendous contribution to our country, to the free world through his 30 years of service; and I certainly would like to take this opportunity as we debate this bill to congratulate him on a career of great service and wish him well in the future. With that, I would just like to associate myself with all of the remarks that have been said in a positive way in support of the Hastings amendment. I worked very hard when I was on the committee. I am delighted that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) and the other members of the committee are continuing this work because it is one on which we must be vigilant. We cannot afford to give it up. We have got to get it done, and we have got to do it until we get it right. And I want to commend the committee and commend my colleagues for a job well done. Hopefully, we can complete this and get on the road to having the best real-time intelligence for our policymakers and our war fighters based on the most broad net of collection devices and individuals.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman very much.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I stand again to address this House and to express my sorrow at the passing of my friend, a great man, Maynard Holbrook Jackson. Longfellow wrote: ``Lives of great men all remind us, We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us, Footprints on the sands of time.'' Yes, Maynard has left great footprints. He left footprints as he left high school at 15 years of age to attend Morehouse College as an early admissions student, when he graduated from Morehouse College with a degree and went on to North Carolina Central University Law School, where he earned a law degree at a very early age. He had a deep baritone voice which he honed singing in the Morehouse College Glee Club. When he graduated from law school, he put that voice to work as a lawyer with the Emory Neighborhood Law Office practicing legal aid. Maynard was a very, very astute and committed lawyer to the poor. He represented the poor in Atlanta when they were evicted, when they were hounded by debt collectors. He represented them when they had family problems, domestic problems. He handled divorce cases. I followed him at the Emory Neighborhood Law Office, and I inherited a number of his cases as he moved on to leave even greater footprints. When he went to the City of Atlanta and became Vice Mayor, inspiring all of us at what this young man could do in terms of leadership for his city, he left footprints there, and it was just a matter of time before he was drafted to make the run for Mayor, and Mayor he was, Mayor of the City of Atlanta where he transformed Atlanta into a world class, world renowned city. He instituted affirmative action with city contracting. He proved that minorities and women could and would under his watch participate as partners in building Atlanta to greatness. He developed a national demonstration project in his methods of implementing affirmative action in Atlanta which was followed across the country as other mayors and other cities began to follow the example and the road map that Maynard Jackson left, the footprints that he left there in the sands of time. He was a leader in so many respects. He founded the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, which was an organization that helped to bring leadership and to strengthen all of the black elected officials in Georgia and, again, allowed Georgia to lead the Nation in growing a crop of African American elected officials so that he could put flesh and put life into the Voting Rights Act that was brought into being by the civil rights movements out of Atlanta and across the country. He was one who could be said to have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was from a well-to-do, upper middle class African American family. He was a son of a Baptist preacher, the grandson of one of the icons of Georgia history, John Wesley Dobbs, grand master of the Prince Hall Masons of Georgia, a leader in his own right in political undertakings throughout the State. He was the nephew of Mattiwilda Dobbs, opera singer, one of the few African American opera singers in the 1950s. He was a mentor, a bond attorney. He was a friend to so many, a helpful person. He helped young individuals who were interested in going into business or who were interested in running for office. He exemplified all that was good. Yes, he was a great man, not because of the titles he carried, not because of the degrees that he had earned, the businesses that he started. He was great because he measured by the true standard of greatness set by Jesus, who said he who is great among you shall be your servant and who is the greatest shall be servant unto all. Maynard Holbrook Johnson measured up. He was indeed greet. We mourn his loss. We thank God and we thank his family that he came this way, that he helped make this world a little more of hope, a little less of fear and certainly much, much better because he traveled here.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep regret that I must announce that this morning Maynard Holbrook Jackson, former Mayor of the City of Atlanta, a very prominent American, passed away. He was a great Georgian, a great American, and we will mourn his loss. Shakespeare wrote, ``All the world's a stage and all the men and women many players. Each has its entrance and its exit. One man in his time may play many parts.'' So it is with Maynard Jackson. Born in Texas, spending most of his life in Georgia, a lawyer, a father, a mayor extraordinaire, founder of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, a very, very important historic figure in political annals for African Americans and for Americans. It is with deep regret that we mourn his passing. We will on tomorrow night have a special order so that we can pay due homage to a great American whom we loved so very much.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for the passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution 43, the resolution that expresses the Congress's support for the Habitat For Humanity and the good work this great organization does for American families throughout the Nation. I am proud to say that this wonderful institution was born in Americus, GA, within the district that I am so privileged to represent. Since its inception, this model of compassion and commitment to humanity has spawned similar groups, and has changed the way many Americans view the problem of homelessness and derelict housing. At this very moment somewhere in America, a home is being built by the Habitat For Humanity. The number of volunteers now exceeds 200,000 and is growing. More than 100,000 homes have been built and renovated, and more are being completed across the country at a rate of 1,000 per month. But we can do even more. This resolution encourages Members of Congress to participate in ``Congress Building America'' events with local Habitat For Humanity affiliates in their home districts that will continue and increase the homebuilding effort all across America. Mr. Speaker, Habitat For Humanity works. What seemed like a dream to those who had the vision in Americus so many years ago, is now becoming a reality. Decent housing for every American--thanks to Habitat For Humanity, this is an idea whose time has come.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 195, I was unavoidably detained and was unable to register my vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, last summer, we all watched millions of acres of forestland burn up in wildfires; thousands of animals, including threatened and endangered species, killed or displaced; and, worst of all, dedicated firefighters losing their lives trying to extinguish these out-of-control blazes. These tragedies were compounded by the knowledge that these fires were preventable and resulted from misguided forest management policies designed with good intentions but leading to disastrous results. While the most devastating fires occurred in the West, all parts of the country, including Georgia and the Southeast, are at risk. Moreover, millions of additional acres are destroyed or threatened by insect infestations each year, both on private and public forestlands. In Georgia, the Southern pine beetle has ravaged many forestlands, and in other parts of the South this insect damage is occurring at an alarming pace. It threatens to destroy the forests with less fanfare than a wildfire but with the same devastating result. This needless destruction can be prevented with additional research and active forest management. I support H.R. 1904 as a way to move towards the prevention of unnecessary forest fires and insect infestations. This legislation would assist our public land managers by allowing for the reduction of excessive fuels on the forest floors that are turning our lands into tinder boxes. It would also assist the Forest Service and our land-grant universities and colleges with needed research dollars into insect infestations and ways to turn this research into practical applications. The bill would also help protect other forestlands through the Watershed Assistance program, designed to assist landowners in protecting critical watershed areas, and the Healthy Forests Reserve Program, developed to rehabilitate degraded forest ecosystems through the use of conservation plans. It even advances the use of renewable fuels by providing grants for the use of biomass for energy production. Mr. Speaker, with the help of H.R. 1904, hopefully we will see less damage from wildfires and insect infestations in the future. It is time to start preventing these massive wildfires, instead of simply reacting to them once they have already started burning. The legislation is good for Georgia, good for the South, and good for the forestlands of America. I urge the passage of this much-needed legislation.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this fiscally irresponsible conference report. I believe in tax relief for all Americans, and I supported the President's tax relief package, but this budget comes to us late this evening and it contains a 10-year $1.2 trillion tax cut that we simply cannot afford. It is particularly disturbing because of the war in Iraq, the global war on terror, and in the midst of a full-blown recession, all of which have very serious consequences on the financial solvency of our Nation for the next generation. This budget adds gasoline to the fiscal fire that is burning out of control with no end in sight. Do not take my word for it, because more than 400 economists concur that this budget stifles economic growth and will cause greater deficits, increase job losses, and will make a harsh, harsh climate for businesses. I strongly urge my colleagues to stand up for Americans and for our children who are sure to pay the tab laid before us this evening. Vote ``no'' on this conference report. Vote for something that is fiscally responsible, not this irresponsible garbage.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of our country's truly great institutions of higher learning, Albany State University--which this year is celebrating its 100th birthday. Albany State, located in Albany, Georgia in the heart of our state's Second Congressional District, opened its doors in 1903 as a privately funded institution as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute, serving young African American men and women in an area where few educational opportunities were then available. Today, the university, now a part of the state system, serves an increasingly diverse student body while continuing to fulfill its historic mission in reaching out to our region's underserved populations. Albany State's first job is to provide an excellent education to its students, offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees and a variety of non-degree educational programs. But Albany State also does much more. This highly committed, creative, vibrant educational complex has made, and is making, a major contribution to the growth of the whole community and region through its research, outreach and public service activities. The history of Albany State is one of steady growth and success. In the early years, the school provided much needed teacher and vocational training. In 1917, the school became a two-year state- supported college with a new name, the Georgia Normal and Agricultural College, with programs in teaching and agriculture. In 1943, the growing institution again acquired a new name, Albany State College. Over he ensuing years, Albany State added more and more undergraduate and eventually graduate degrees, and university status was granted in 1996. Albany State has been blessed with outstanding leadership. Dr. Joseph Winthrop Holley was the first President, and he served in that capacity for 40 years. He was succeeded by Dr. Aaron Brown; Dr. William H. Dennis; Dr. Thomas Miller Jenkins; Dr. Charles L. Hayes, and Dr. Billy C. Black. Albany State's current president is among the country's leading educational figures, Dr. Portia Holmes Shields, whose sister is our own Eleanor Holmes Norton. Mr. Speaker, I would like to place in the Record part of Albany State's Centennial Resolution, which says: Whereas, Albany State University's tradition of excellence has been the result of dedicated service by faculty, staff, students and community; Whereas, Albany State University is a progressive institution fostering the growth and development of the region, state and nation through teaching, research, creative expression and public service; Whereas, Albany State University embraces the concept of `students first' as a core institutional value, promotes global learning, and is committed to educational excellence with special emphasis on the underserved while continuing to serve the educational needs of an increasingly diverse student population; Whereas, Albany State University celebrates throughout the year of our Lord two thousand and three the centennial theme, ``A Glorious Past to Cherish, An Infinite Future to Fulfill''; Whereas, Albany State University is recognized for its unwavering commitment to graduating empowered leaders, building better communities and making the difference. Now therefore be it resolved That April 4, 2003 is recognized as Albany State University Day in the City of Albany in recognition of the Centennial Founders Day celebration of Albany State University. Happy Birthday, Albany State!

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Blue Dog budget, a fair and balanced alternative to the harsh and misguided priorities of the Republican budget. The Blue Dog budget is fiscally responsible, combining spending restraint and budget enforcement to balance the budget and set us on a path to growth. The Blue Dog budget is balanced, protects Social Security, contains less debt than the Republican budget, and includes a reserve fund for the war in Iraq. Make no mistake about it, the Blue Dog budget gives Americans more than the Republican budget, and it does so responsibly. It gives $10.4 billion more for discretionary programs in fiscal year 2004; $130 billion more for non-Medicare health care programs, primarily Medicaid; $30 billion more for education and training programs; more agriculture spending for commodity programs, conservation, crop insurance and nutrition programs; and $24 billion more for veterans programs than the Republican budget. All this with reasonable and fair tax cuts that cost only half as much as the Republican budget. For example, it speeds up the child tax credit, eliminates the marriage penalty, exempts $6 million per couple from the death tax, delays cuts for the two highest tax brackets. The Blue Dog budget helps Americans with substantially less debt than the Republican budget without the deep cuts in important programs that help Americans and strengthen our position in these uncertain economic times. I urge Members to support the Blue Dog budget. It is a better budget. Reject the Republican budget. It is not good for America, and it is especially not good for America today in these uncertain economic times.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, by learning about the good and the bad things that happened in our past, we gain a deeper understanding about how to correct the bad and preserve and strengthen the good. That is why the study of history is important. It tells us about the past and it guides us to a better future, for he who understands his past controls his future. Black History Month is important for just this reason. I commend the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and the members of the Congressional Black Caucus for arranging tonight's Special Order, and I thank all of our colleagues for their support and for their participation. At a time when our country is intensely focused on national security, I will talk about some of the many African American contributions to our Nation's safety and well-being. Many have lost their lives in combat. They are part of a long tradition of service and sacrifice. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) pointed out, that goes back to the Revolutionary War when more than 5,000 blacks served on the front lines. By World War II, with black leaders calling on black citizens to fight fascism abroad and racism at home, more than a fifth of our men and women in uniform were, in fact, African American. Today, more than ever, blacks are at the forefront of defending the Nation, from the lower ranks to the top echelons of military leadership. One of the trailblazers was Henry O. Flipper, the first black graduate of West Point. Henry Flipper was born in Thomasville in an area of southwest Georgia that I now have the privilege of representing. Although he was born into slavery and had little opportunity to acquire a formal education, his brilliance, his courage, and steadfast forbearance enabled him to secure an appointment to West Point and to graduate with distinction after years of mistreatment and ostracism. Although he had an exemplary record on the western frontier while serving as the only black among the Army's 2,100 officers, he was unjustly dismissed from the military. Nothing stopped him, however. He went on to have an illustrious career as an engineer, a surveyor, a government official, playing a significant role in the development of the oil industry, the railroads, and the Nation's expansion in those formative years. At the time of his death in Atlanta in 1940, he was a forgotten man. But in later years, he has been remembered with memorials at West Point, in Thomasville, Georgia, ceremonies at the Pentagon and at the White House as someone who resourcefully and bravely paved the way for others. Lieutenant Flipper served at the time of the legendary Buffalo Soldiers, the thousands of black cavalrymen who were deployed in the West for some 20 years to protect settlers, escort wagon trains, assist homesteaders in remote areas, even carrying the mail when no one else would, playing an invaluable role in our Nation's growth and development in the late 19th century. These young men, mostly in their early 20s, came from many States in the aftermath of the Civil War, who endured harsh and often dangerous conditions in the performance of their duty and they were greatly relied upon. There are countless stories, like the time 34 Buffalo Soldiers came to the rescue of a railroad camp which was under attack by a Cheyenne war party during the Indian wars. The soldiers broke through an encirclement of more than 100 warriors and successfully defended the workers, who were all saved. Many were seriously injured, one fatally. But, as always, they did their duty bravely. Many of the senior military leaders who were still in office when the Tuskegee Airmen were formed in 1941 would have been familiar with the story of the Buffalo Soldiers and their record of service. Certainly the Buffalo Soldiers helped pave the way. The military was still segregated at the outbreak of World War II, and the all-black fighter group that was activated at the Tuskegee Army Airfield had to deal with racism and prejudice every day. But the commitment of the pilots and the crews and the support personnel never wavered. They steadfastly went about their duties, about their business, and eventually flew scores of combat missions in Italy and other areas of Europe. They fought heroically, though some were lost. They proved to be tremendously effective in bringing down hundreds of enemy planes and providing support for ground troops advancing in Germany. Today, we express the thanks of a grateful Nation to the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of all races and creeds and ethnic backgrounds whose service and sacrifice have kept us free and kept us strong for more than 2 centuries, and to those on the home front who also fought to make freedom available for all. Today, we also pay tribute to those thousands of African Americans who are now engaged in protecting our national security here in the homeland and those deployed around the world. God bless you, and may God continue to bless your service to America.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Madam Speaker, through this resolution we express our deepest gratitude to those who endured the cruel conditions as POWs in Vietnam, to their families who suffered at home, and to the sacrifice of every American who defends our freedom. Our congressional colleagues, the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Peterson; Senator John McCain of Arizona; and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson) spent bitter years in the Hanoi Hilton in Vietnam. In my area of southwest Georgia, the Andersonville Historic Site where the Nation's Prisoner of War Museum and memorial are located tell the story intensely of the suffering and the limitless courage of our prisoners of war throughout history. One of my boyhood friends was a fighter pilot lost for 30 years on a combat mission in Vietnam whose remains were just recently found. One of my constituents was a soldier serving on the joint task force in Southeast Asia who lost his life last year in an air crash during a search mission. I knew these wonderful young men personally, and I know what their families went through. Madam Speaker, this resolution pledging never to rest until we have a full accounting for every American lost in action honors the services and the sacrifices that literally made America the home of the free, the land of the brave. Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand here today to give tribute to our colleague, Sam Johnson, and others and all Americans who have served as prisoners of war and to also salute ex-prisoners of war who worked so hard to dedicate the memorial in Andersonville to the cause that our men and women sacrificed for as prisoners of war. I thank them for this honor. I thank them for what they do and the sacrifices they have made.

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, people in Georgia's Second District tell me they felt a deep personal loss when they learned about the fate of Columbia and her crew of seven. From what I've read and observed on television, this is the way people felt throughout the country and around the world--not only in India and Israel where two of the crew members were from, but also in places that have no direct connection with the international space program. People, everywhere, felt as if they had lost members of their own family. And, of course, we did. Although those of us who serve together in Congress may not always want to claim each other as relatives, we are, in fact, all part of one family--as American citizens . . . and as children of God. The Columbia was on a scientific mission. The magnificent men and women who flew in her risked their lives to explore the unknown and expand the boundaries of understanding. Their cause was the cause of humanity. As we mourn their loss, let us pledge to keep their cause alive. Mr. HOBSON, Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution to express my sincere condolences to the families of the crew members of the Space Shuttle Columbia. It is with great sorrow that the U.S. House of Representatives is considering this resolution. It is rare that the United States, as a whole, experiences such a sense of loss, and I have not personally known it since the events of September 11. There is not one American who has not been affected by this sad and terrible accident. This tragic loss does not, however, end with the United States. With a diverse crew aboard the shuttle, this loss is truly being felt around the world. Last Saturday morning as I began my day as routine as anyone else in America, seven brave astronauts began their triumphant return home from space. Their mission had been one of scientific research and experimentation, and had been highly successful. So many missions before them had ventured into the great mystery known as space, and helped put the United States at the cutting edge of space exploration. Most have returned to us safely. In the coming weeks, NASA and a team of investigators will determine exactly what happened last Saturday morning, and why Columbia did not return safely. We will go back to space. Every time a shuttle mission launches into space, everyone aboard the orbiter knows they are putting themselves into harms way, and have chosen one of the most dangerous professions known. While we have been visiting space for several decades, and safety has always been our number one priority, each astronaut knows the dangers associated. It is now times to reassess our safety measures, insure that never happens again, and press forward with our manned space flight program as those seven brave souls would want us to do. This tragedy has so profoundly impacted our public consciousness because space travel resonates with the human desire to move forward and to learn more about our existence and our place in the universe. The men and women of the space shuttle Columbia were pioneers just like the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Wright Brothers, the expedition to the North and South Poles, the Apollo Moon landings and other great exploits in human exploration and discovery. We will always mourn the loss of the crew of the shuttle Columbia but we will never give up our quest for knowledge. Mr. Speaker, I join today with my colleagues, the families and friends of all those in the NASA family, and people across the globe in support of this resolution.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, when Dr. Jeanne Laveta Noble passed away on October 17, 2002, in New York City, the state of Georgia--and especially the city of Albany and the southwest Georgia region where she was born and raised--lost one of our great native citizens. While Dr. Noble always remained close to her home town, returning often to visit with friends and family, she made contributions that were national and even international in scope as a noted educator, a fighter for human rights and against poverty, a scholar and writer who published three books and countless articles, an Emmy Award-winning media commentator, and a Presidential appointee in three Administrations. Dr. Noble was the eldest child of Floyd G. and Aurelia P. Noble of Albany, Georgia. She earned her undergraduate, Masters and doctoral degrees from Howard University and Columbia University, and completed further studies at the University of Birmingham in England. She first taught Albany State University, and later served as dean of students at Langston University in Oklahoma, as the first black woman to serve as a tenured professor at New York University, and as professor emeritus of the graduate school at the City University of New York. She was named by President Johnson to head the Women's Job Corps of the President's Task Force on the War Against Poverty, and served on commissions named by President Nixon and President Ford. In addition to her prolife writing, she moderated and co-wrote an acclaimed show called ``The Learing Experience.'' Dr. Noble was involved in many civic and charitable activities, including serving as the 12th national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, the 200,000-member public service sorority that supports education, provides scholarships, boosts programs for young people, and promotes economic opportunities for all. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Noble's devotion to education and her service to humanity inspired everyone who knew her or knew about her. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and many friends.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report, but before I get started I want to express my own personal gratitude to the leadership of this committee, and most especially to the leadership of our ranking member, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), for the hard work she has done in leading the Democrats on this committee and the contributions that she has made to the committee as a whole. I believe very strongly that her leadership has worked through the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to make the world and our country a little more of hope, a little less of fear and a little better because she traveled here, and we are very grateful for her leadership and we will miss her very much. Although she has gone on to more responsibility and we expect equally great things from her there, I do want to say that we certainly are appreciative of her hard work, and we will miss her, and it has meant a tremendous amount to our country and our intelligence community. The committee worked hard to provide the resources that our military forces and our intelligence community require to prevail in the war on terrorism and to safeguard all of our other national security interests. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) and the ranking member, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), my counterpart on the Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) and all of the other committee members deserve great credit for this important bipartisan authorization act. In addition, this conference report adds substantial funds to the budget of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency to enable NIMA to award a contract for a major modernization program. I remain very concerned that the administration failed to budget enough funds for this effort despite the large budget increases following September 11. The capabilities that this modernization effort will provide are essential for the kind of flexible military operations on display in Afghanistan. When our bill was being debated in the House earlier this year, I indicated my concern about the Department of Defense's apparent neglect of the communications and exploitation infrastructure needed to support the large fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles that the Department intends to procure over the next several years. These drones performed magnificently in Afghanistan, but this potential will never be realized without a larger investment in the means to get the data back from the aircraft and get it exploited. I had hoped the administration would signal its intention to fix these problems, but this has not happened. Congress must address this matter next year if the administration fails to do so in the fiscal year 2004 budget request. This conference report also requires that some changes and initiatives be undertaken to correct problems with respect to the sharing of information within and between the intelligence and law enforcement communities. There is more work to be done in this area, but the direction in this conference report, if implemented faithfully, should help. We understand the importance of protecting sources and methods, but believe that this can be done within a much more expansive information-sharing paradigm. Finally, I wanted to speak to the implementation of the proposed compensation reform plan. Section 402 of the bill is similar to section 402 of the House bill. The Senate amendment had no similar provision. Section 402 delays implementation of the Central Intelligence Agency's proposed compensation reform plan until February 1, 2004. Prior to that date, the director of Central Intelligence may conduct a pilot project to assess the efficacy and fairness of a revised personnel compensation plan and report to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 45 days after completion of the pilot project. Section 402 includes a sense of the Congress that an employee personnel evaluation mechanism with evaluation training for managers and employees of the CIA and the National Security Agency should be phased in first and then followed by introduction of a new compensation plan. Mr. Speaker, this was a concern that was raised by the employees that has contributed to a great deal of consternation and perhaps some problems that we might anticipate if it were implemented, and I am happy that the conference report reflects the concerns raised on this issue, and that we will first, before having an en mass, grand-scale implementation, first have the pilot program instituted so any kinks or problems can be worked out. With that, I think it is a good conference report. I think we have done good work, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, today the Members of this body are called to face an awesome challenge and a very perplexing dilemma. We must decide whether or not to authorize the President to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq. The measure requires that before military action is begun or as soon thereafter as feasible, but not later than 48 hours, the President must report to Congress that all diplomatic efforts to protect the security of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq or to enforce all relevant U.N. resolutions regarding Iraq have been exhausted. The resolution also requires that the President must report to the Congress that military action against Iraq is consistent with our continued actions against international terrorists, including those responsible for 9/11. The resolution states that it is consistent with the War Powers Act and constitutes specific authorization within the meaning of the War Powers Act. It states that Congress supports the President's efforts to strictly enforce through the United Nations Security Council all relevant Security Council resolutions applicable to Iraq and encourages him in those efforts, supports his efforts to obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion, noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all of the relevant Security Council resolutions. It requires the President at least once every 60 days to report to the Congress on the matters relevant to this resolution, including the use of force and on efforts to support Iraq's transition to democracy after Saddam Hussein is gone. I intend to support the resolution. It is a fact, Mr. Speaker, that Saddam Hussein has produced thousands of tons of chemical agents and used them against Iran and 40 Iraqi villages. He has rebuilt facilities that were used to manufacture chemical and biological weapons in violation of the truce that ended the Persian Gulf War. He possesses ballistic missiles with a range great enough to strike Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey and other nations in the region, where more than 135,000 American civilians and service personnel now live and work. He has a fleet of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to disperse chemical and biological weapons across broad areas. It would not take sophisticated delivery systems to deliver these chemical and biological agents to harm the 135,000 Americans I have cited. We do not know the extent of his nuclear weapons development since he threw out the inspectors 4 years ago, but we do know he was just months away from success; and in spite of U.N. prohibitions, he has continued his quest. He has had 4 years of unrestricted freedom to pursue his nasty goals. We know that, as good as our intelligence community is, 9/11 and numerous inquiries thereafter have proven that our intelligence community is not perfect. We need unfettered, unrestricted international inspections to get accurate information on compliance or noncompliance. History is replete with evidence that, without a show of force, Saddam will not respond. I believe that empowering the President to use Armed Forces to assure that Saddam has no weapons of mass destruction to threaten the lives of American civilians and service members and innocent neighbors or to give terrorists, this will give Secretary Powell the strength that he needs to get a strong U.N. resolution. When he goes to the Security Council, he needs to be carrying a big stick, speaking with unquestioned resolve of the Congress and the American people. I do not take lightly the risks that our sons and daughters will be sent into harm's way. I do not take lightly the unprecedented probability of unilateral action by the United States, but we live in a new and different and dangerous time, and the threat of weapons of mass destruction demand that we take unprecedented actions to protect America, her people and civilized nations from the death and destruction of a Saddam Hussein. Mr. Speaker, I support the adoption of the resolution. I support the Spratt substitute, but there must be verification, there must be inspections; and the time to assure the safety of Americans, and the safety of the world, is now.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to me. I thank the committee for their strong support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this bill is designed to increase the size of the Andersonville National Historic Site in Andersonville, Georgia, which is the site of America's only official National Prisoner of War Museum, exhibit, and the Andersonville National POW Cemetery. It is necessary to expand the size because it is statutorily limited. In order to make the road safer and provide for better security, the Friends of Andersonville, a 501(c)(3) corporation, purchased the land and wishes to donate it. With this legislation, it can receive the land. The land can be made safer, and the Prisoners of War and America's people can properly recognize and commend the work of our POWs.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Turner amendment, which is a reasoned, bipartisan alternative to an irresponsible liability provision in the bill. There currently exists a myriad of new and undeployed technologies which are needed now to protect America from the threat of nuclear, biological, chemical and other terrorist threats. However, under current law, many of the technologies may never be deployed because they cannot be insured under our current legal liability structure. Section 753 of the bill addresses this problem, but it is extremely misguided and irresponsible. Under the bill, victims who are injured cannot sue for personal injuries because the corporate wrong-doer enjoys total immunity from lawsuits by any kind of wrongdoing, including willful and malicious corporate misconduct under the so-called government contractor defense. Mr. Chairman, this is wrong. It is unAmerican. It is overkill. It is throwing the baby out with the bath water. The Turner amendment is narrowly tailored to address this issue. It allows the new Department of Homeland Security and other agencies that are responsible for homeland security the discretion to indemnify providers of anti- terrorist technology from liability above and beyond the coverage that they are able to obtain in the private marketplace. This approach is modeled after successful indemnification laws which are targeted and fiscally responsible. Mr. Chairman, the Turner amendment gives America the technologies that we need to remain secure while guaranteeing the victims' rights that they deserve and are entitled to under the law. It is the right thing to do, and I strongly urge Members to support it.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I yield 7 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), who is a very hard- working member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3\1/4\ minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security. (Ms. HARMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, in my view, few things could contribute more to enhancing the mission success in the intelligence community than increasing diversity in the workforce. When he was on the committee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) was a leader working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes), me, along with several others, to encourage efforts by the agencies to place a priority on hiring people with diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. It is a tribute to his commitment that despite his absence from the committee the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) continues to work hard on this important issue. With hiring being accelerated in the intelligence agencies, now is the time to make significant progress on the diversity issues by making full use of existing recruitment programs targeted on minorities, and by developing creative new ones, I am confident that such progress can be made. The gentleman from Florida's (Mr. Hastings) amendments expressing the sense of Congress on diversity and in the intelligence community and requiring an annual report on hiring and retention of minority employees will contribute to this end. I commend him for this work and I urge that the amendments be adopted.