Corrine Brown

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I yield as much time as she may consume to Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 211, a bill to support the goals and ideals of National Women's History Month. I would like to send a tribute out to all of the women trailblazers who have contributed so much to our country. And I think St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to remember them! I would like to begin by sending a very special thank you to former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder of Colorado; Congresswoman Carrie Meek of Florida; and Congresswoman Barbara Kennelly of Connecticut; and to some of the women Members who I had the honor to serve with in this body and recently passed: The Honorable Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of Ohio; The Honorable Julia Carson of Indiana; and the Honorable Juanita Millender-McDonald of California. I would also like to discuss a few of the women who served as mentors to me over the years. I remember growing up in Jacksonville, back in the civil rights era in the United States. And I knew I wanted to do something--get involved in something big--to make a difference. And I was inspired by a strong willed woman, Ms. Gwendelyn Sawyer Cherry, who would stop at nothing to change the terrible ills that our society, and in particular, African Americans, were facing in that time period. Ms. Sawyer Cherry was the first African-American woman to practice law in Dade County, Florida, and became one of the first nine attorneys who initially served at Legal Services in Greater Miami in 1966. She was elected as a state representative in 1970, becoming the first African-American woman to serve as a legislator for the State of Florida. She was elected to four terms and served until 1979. During her term, she introduced the Equal Rights Amendment in Florida, chaired the State of Florida's committee for International Woman's Year in 1978, and co-authored Portraits in Color. I thank you, Ms. Sawyer Cherry, for all you have done for our nation and for the state of Florida. And the last woman I would like to mention is a very near and dear friend of mine; an African American woman who served with me both in the Florida state legislature and came up to Washington with me in 1993. I am referring to, of course, Ms. Carrie Meek of Miami. The granddaughter of a slave and the daughter of former sharecroppers, she spent her childhood in segregated Tallahassee. She then went on to graduate from Florida A&M University in 1946, at a time when African Americans could not attend graduate school in Florida, so she was forced to travel North to continue her studies and ended up graduating from the University of Michigan. Ms. Meek went on to become a Florida state representative in 1979, and was the first African American female elected to the Florida State Senate in 1982. As a state senator, Meek served on the Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and her efforts in the Legislature also led to the construction of thousands of affordable rental housing units. In 1992, Congresswoman Carrie Meek was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 17th Congressional District. This made Ms. Meek, along with myself and Congressman Alcee Hastings, to serve as the first black lawmakers elected to represent Florida in Congress since Reconstruction. Upon taking office, Ms. Meek was faced the extreme task of helping her district recover from Hurricane Andrew's devastation, and her efforts helped to provide $100 million in federal assistance to rebuild Dade County. As a powerful and hard working Member of the appropriations committee, Congresswoman Meek became a leader on issues from economic development, to health care funding, to education and housing. She also passed legislation to improve Dade County's transit system, their airport and seaport; construct a new family and childcare center in North Dade County; and fund advanced aviation training programs at Miami-Dade Community College. In recent times, the Honorable Carrie Meek has worked to become a civil rights advocate for senior citizens in the Miami area, as well for the Haitian community in South Florida. In closing, I want to thank these pioneers, those who have led the way for our daughters today and in the future.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I rise to celebrate the life of former Secretary of Commerce Ron H. Brown, who was the first African American to hold that position, and the first African American to serve as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. I want to thank Chairman Rangel for bringing this resolution to the floor, designating the Federal building located at the United Nations Plaza in New York City as the ``Ron H. Brown United States Mission to the United Nations Building.'' At the time of his death in 1996, Mr. Brown was a figure of global importance and an advocate for American businesses at home and abroad. Through his example, Ron was a pioneer for many African Americans, and a role model, and was respected for his leadership, intelligence, and public service. Born in Washington, DC, on August 1, 1941, and raised in Harlem, New York, he spent most of his life working for the people of New York and the citizens of the United States. As Secretary, he circled the globe spreading goodwill with his enthusiasm. I remember traveling with Ron once to Africa as he was cultivating opportunities and markets for American products. It was on one of these trade missions that he died in a plane crash in war-torn Eastern Europe on April 3, 1996. Ron left behind a wife, Alma, two devoted children, Michael and Tracey, and a record of commitment to the job he loved. Since his death, Ron has been recognized with many awards and scholarships, including the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership and Responsibility, established by President William J. Clinton; the annual Ron H. Brown American Innovator Award, established by the U.S. Department of Commerce; and the largest ship in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fleet named in honor of his public service, the Ronald H. Brown. Please join me today in celebrating the life and service of one great American statesperson and pioneer, Mr. Ron H. Brown.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I met with the credit unions who have been working very hard and doing a real good job, but they are not included. They can't get any of the TARP money, so they are limited with their amount of participation. We are having a hard time getting banks to get them to do what we intended them to do. What is the possibility that we can also discuss how we can include credit unions in getting additional resources to help our constituents?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Thank you very much for the time, and I hope we can work to perfect this bill.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this rule. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill but with some reservations because I know that it's not a perfect bill, but it's a perfect beginning. I also have held numerous meetings in my district concerning foreclosure, and, you know, we need to assist people to avoid the foreclosure process. We have over 1,000 foreclosures a month in my district of Florida, and we need to include legal aid and other community organizations like Wealth Watchers and those that are helping families to avoid losing their homes in foreclosure. Mr. Hastings, I have a question that I want to ask. As we move forward, is there a possibility that we can work to include additional assistance for families so that they can avoid foreclosure? Some of the Members are telling people the problem is they're not getting good legal representation, and I think this is something that's missing in the bill. And what can we do to make sure when this bill leaves the House and the Senate and it goes to conference, that we can include additional assistance for families so they can avoid bankruptcy because there is a stigma attached to bankruptcy, and the banks don't have this stigma. And I am just concerned that people will have this stigma. What can we do to assist these families?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise during this Black History Month to congratulate Hons. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and Charles Rangel (D-NY) for joining me in convening the highly successful 20th Anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 38th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) held in Washington, DC. The 20th anniversary celebration covered three days of activities over September 24-26, 2008, with the collaboration of the African American Civil War Museum, the Vets Group and the National Association for Black Veterans. This was an important social, psychological and political achievement for the sustained work and growth of the Veterans Braintrust over more than twenty years. During that period the Veterans Braintrust has become the institutional memory for the Congressional Black Caucus on American veterans of African descent, much like the U.S. Naval Historical Center is for the Navy, and U.S. Army Center of Military History is for the Army. Thus, can justifiably be called the preeminent forum for debate, or discussion for public policy issues between veterans of African descent and government officials in the country. Second, the Braintrust deserves our special admiration for being the champion of diversity and inclusion for a much broader array of WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Persian Gulf and War on Terrorism constituencies; including our African veteran allies from abroad heretofore unrecognized and unrepresented. For example, the Ethiopian delegation that attended reminded us that Ethiopia fought by our side during the Korean Conflict; was the only African country never colonized, and led the way for the liberation of the rest of Africa. Equally important, the Veterans Braintrust long ago adopted the expanded definition of veteranhood to include: families and friends, in order to recognize the central importance of family and friends, particularly when any veteran goes into the hospital, and second, as an authentic voice for black veterans, their families, and communities nationwide. Yet, no less important, the 20th Anniversary took place during two of the most challenging moments in American history--America's worse economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 20s and 30s, and the sixth year of the war on terrorism, now the second longest war in American history, in which 4,000 soldiers have been killed, 30,000 wounded, and 14,000 seriously disabled. Hon. Charles Rangel (D-NY) opened the morning tribute session of the forum, which was dedicated to recognizing the contributions of our nation's African American veterans, by briefly explaining the economic crisis and its impact on us all. He also honored our invited guest speakers Hons. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), and John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI). Next he shared a small piece of his own story of returning from the Korean War (1952) as an Army Sergeant with a Bronze Star, four Battle Stars and a Purple Heart. But somehow forgot he was a high school drop- out and ended up pushing a clothing cart in New York City's garment district, before finally going to the VA to request assistance. More importantly, he pledged his undying support for the GI Bill, because, as he put it, ``the only difference between being a drop-out on Lenox Avenue and a chairman in Congress was the GI Bill!'' before turning over the reins to Ron Armstead, Executive Director of the Veterans Braintrust, who has been with us since the beginning in 1988. Ron promptly began by saying ``forums that begin with an invocation and end with a benediction are a blessed occasion,'' and invited Leon Bryant, Sr., Pastor of Capitol City SDA Church to give the invocation. Throughout the morning session more than 250 people were on hand as we paid special tribute to the courageous African American men and increasingly women of the military who dedicate their lives to preserving our precious freedom and continuing way of life. Our special guest, Emmy award nominee Actor John Amos, called the honor roll of black military units from the segregated World War II and Korean War eras to the integrated Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Remembering their selfless service and sacrifice to national defense throughout the entire 20th century, and returning home to join the fight for equal rights. Most importantly, we focused on the long legacy of service of those who undertake the armed defense of the scared principles of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights that all men (and now women) are created equal, have thus earned the right of every African American full citizenship through honorable military service, and as Dr. W.E.B. DuBois said in 1906, for ``all true Americans.'' Thus Congress, the Executive Branch, states, commonwealths, territories, counties, municipalities and communities across the land ought to be deeply indebted to these all too often forgotten warriors who fought the most bitter of ironies in America's history: for democratic ideals abroad while the practice of racial discrimination persisted at home. But as the historic inauguration of President Barack Obama proves, their hope, faith and loyalty have been vindicated. Seated on the dais were Anthony Brown, Lt. Governor from the state of Maryland, highest ranking black elected state official to serve in Iraq; Hon. Sanford Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and I, Senior Member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 38th Annual Legislative Conference and Veterans Braintrust Co-Convener; keynote speaker Secretary James Peake, MD, Department of Veterans Affairs; Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr., President & Founder of the Healing of the Nations Foundation of New York; special guest of honor Actor John Amos, Honorary Master Chief of the USCG and Navy, and New Jersey National Guardsman (best known for his role as Kunta Kinte on the hit CBS miniseries Roots, and NBC's Emmy award winning hit series, The West Wing, as Admiral Percy Fitzwallace, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff); Hon. Louis Stokes (D-OH) Retired Congressman and Past Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies, Past Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and WWII veteran, and Dr. Roscoe Brown, an original Tuskegee Airman and Congressional Gold Medal Recipient. The afternoon session consisted of a unique Stakeholders Roundtable Discussion on Veterans' Issues supported by the Hon. Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and his senior committee staff. The roundtable was moderated by Dr. William King, and featured the following subject matter experts and discussants: Dr. William Lawson, MD, Ph.D., Dr. Shirley Marks, MD, MPH, Dr. Lorraine Blackman, Ph.D., LCSW, Dr. Cedric Bright, MD, Dr. Reginald Wilson, Ph.D., Dr. Beverly Coleman Miller, MD, Dr. Donna Holland Barnes, Ph.D., Dr. Cheryl Royster Branker, Ed.D., Judge Robert Russell, Jr., Haywood Fennel, Sr., Sidney Lee, Maceo May, Amy Fairweather, Col. Ann Wright, USA, Ret., Sgt Natasha McKinnon & Jason Lindsay, disabled Iraqi veterans & students at North Carolina State University; SFC Vontella Fludd, USA, Ret., Two Tour Iraqi veteran and mother of two accompanied by First Sgt. Ronnie Robinson, USA, Ret. and Local Union Vice President, American Federation of Government Employees, along with committee staff members to address a lengthy list of black veterans issues and concerns. Additionally, special invitations were extended to the major veterans' service organizations to enhance ways of building closer relationships between them and minority veterans. Further, the VA provided us with case workers who were present to respond to questions from individuals in the audience. The roundtable discussion opened with brief presentations on PTSD and other health related issues such as VA health disparities, disability benefits difficulties, employment concerns and/or discrimination, post secondary education challenges and other issues of particular interest to black veterans. The outcome product was a video recording of the session, which in turn will be transcribed in order to produce a document, or written report for presentation back to Reps. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), and Rangel (D-NY) of the Veterans Braintrust, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Democratic leaders in the House, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and others recommending ways to address the unique needs of both Iraqi & Afghanistan returning soldiers, and their families, as well as African American, or black veterans and provide thoughtful proposals for legislation. Later that evening I hosted the 20th anniversary gala reception and awards ceremony at the Washington Grand Hyatt Hotel. Among those publicly recognized and acknowledged on this special occasion were Judge Robert Russell, Jr. who was presented the Citizens Beneficiary Award by the Mike Handy Foundation and Fund, for his unique Buffalo Veterans Court Treatment Program in the state of New York along with the U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute recognizing Frederick Gray, President of the Black Iwo Jima Veterans Group; Brig. Gen. Robert Cocroft, President and CEO of the Center for Veterans Issues; and Joseph Stevenson, a World War II veteran. Other 2008 Braintrust awardees included: Actor John Amos, Sgt. Nathaniel Bass, USA, Ret., Asa Gordon, Dr. Richard Danford, Jr., Ph.D., Dr. Edward Brown, Dr. Vincent Patton III, Maj. Gen. Rosetta Burke, NYANG, Ret., Thomas Jones, Sr., Christopher Moore, Dr. Charles Simmons, Howard Wright, Thomas Yarosz, Halley's Comet Foundation, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Tubman African American Museum, Smithsonian's National Museum for African American History and Culture, Parting Ways Historical Site, Sankofa Restoration Project, Myrl Billings Memorial Veterans Center, and Doubleback Productions. Finally singled out for special praise was the Association of the 2221 Negro Volunteers of World War II, who served in white Army infantry units during and after the Battle of Bulge. Afterward the private reception and awards ceremony was opened to the general public for a party with entertainment provided by Tori Robinson of Paris and Recording Artist Betty Wright. My special thanks go to Roslyn Burrough, Anthony Hawkins, Mae Campbell, Forest Farley, Jr., Dr. Frank Smith, Jr., Brigadier General Robert Cocroft, Joe Wynn, Jack Evans, Dr. Vince Patton III, Belinda Foster, Dr. Martel Teasley, Dr. Michael Kane, Dr. Cheryl Royster Branker, Karen Freeman Wilson, Carmen Wilson II, Lucretia McClenney, Thomas Harris, Pastor Leon Bryant, Sr., Maceo May, Jason Young, Clarence Slaughter, Jean Davis, David Thompson, Maj. Myles Caggins, USA, Tonya Collins, Medgar Evers College and Congressional staff members Emile Milne, Kenya Handy, Holly Biglow, Kiwanis Harvey Styles, Roshan Hodge, Lee Footer, Alexandra Ward, Sonya Passi, Jonathan Halpern, Edwin Larkins, Tony Buckles and Malcolm Shorter. May God continue to Bless America, and thank all veterans for their service.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Montford Point Marines, the first black Marines. As Marines, they fought the enemy, integrated the Armed Services and changed their country. On the land and on the sea, the Marines have led the way. At home, the fight was within the Corps, however, the Barriers soon fell because of a few good men. Today's generation of Marines serve in a fully integrated Corps where one-fifth of the strength of the Corps are African Americans. African- American officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates are spread throughout the Corps and their service often escapes special notice. The fact that there was a time when there were no Blacks allowed in the Marines should not be overlooked. At the urging of his wife, Eleanor, and threats by civil rights activist, A. Philip Randolph with a march on Washington, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 establishing the Fair Employment Practice Commission. The commission prohibited racial discrimination by any government agency. With the stroke of his pen on June 25, 1941, President Roosevelt's Executive Order allowed Blacks to serve as Marines and marked the beginning of the end of officially sanctioned segregation in America. On August 26, 1942 Howard P. Perry of Charlotte, North Carolina was the first African-American recruit to arrive at Montford Point. From August 1942 throughout the end of World War II, 20,000 black men were trained at Montford Point and inducted into the Marine Corps. Although black troops were trained to be Marines they were kept separate from the white troops. Even after they were shipped off to battle zones, they still served in exclusively all black units. African-Americans continued to serve in segregated units until the Fall of 1949 when an executive order from President Harry S. Truman established a policy of full integration. That same year, the first African American women, Annie E. Graham of Detroit, Michigan, Ann E. Lamb of New York City, and Annie L. Grimes of Chicago, Illinois, enlisted into the Marines, respectively. Madam Speaker, today I rise today to pay tribute to some of America's unsung heroes. To all of the Annie Grahams, Ann Lambs, Annie Grimes, Edgar Huffs, Frederick Branchs, Gilbert ``Hashmark'' Johnsons, James Ferrens, Frank Petersens, and Thomas McPhatters of this world, I say Thank you. Thank you for your service to our country and we will never forget your sacrifice.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, House Republicans refused, to a person, to support the economic course that President Obama's recovery plan offered. The Republican proposal is made up almost entirely of tax cuts for the wealthy and strips virtually all of the job-creation investments that was necessary to transform our economy for the future. Their alternative plan had no funds for American infrastructure needs, no investment in energy efficiency, and no protection for health care, no money for police officers and teachers and no food assistance for struggling families, and offered no chance for America to come out of this recession stronger and more able to compete economically. Mr. Speaker, when are House Republicans going to realize that you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. I just finished a 5-hour hearing where we had both passenger rail and freight rail in a hearing. And we have the second largest committee in infrastructure in the entire Congress because there is such an interest in passenger rail. My colleague, I got some breaking news for you. There is no form of transportation that pays for itself, none whatsoever, whether we are talking about rail, airlines or cars, none of it. We subsidize all of it. The chairman of the committee had recommended $5 billion for rail. This is a very bad idea. I'm encouraging all of my colleagues to vote ``no.'' Kill this bad idea before it multiplies.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my University of Florida football team for winning its second NCAA BCS championship bowl game in the last three seasons. Go Gators. I want to congratulate the University of Florida not only for being the best academic school, but also athletic school in the country. Their 24-14 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners showed off teamwork, sportsmanship, and one of the defense plays that I have seen. They held the team with the highest scoring offense to just 14 points. The Gators once again came back to prove that the University of Florida season was no fluke, and that the Florida Gators are again a championship team that made history. Congratulations to their great players and outstanding coach, Urban Meyer, for coaching a remarkable group of guys. Let's do a quick fact check. The Gators won their second national championship in the past 3 years and the third in the school's history. Florida is the fourth school in the modern era to win two outright national titles in 3 years. Florida finished the 2008 season with a 13-1 record, matching the single-season school record for wins. Tim Tebow became the fifth player since 1950 to win a Heisman Trophy and two national championships. The win makes Urban Meyer the fifth active coach with multiple national titles and the fifth coach since the AP poll began in 1936 to win two national championships in his first four seasons at a school. Tim Tebow, Florida's leader and quarterback, not only ran for 109 yards, but threw 18-for-30 and was flawless in the fourth quarter alone when it mattered the most and the pressure was on. Percy Harvin, whose gutsy play won him the game ball, came back from an ankle injury and dashed for 122 yards on only nine carries. And it was his 52-yard run down the stretch that set up Jonathan Phillips' 27- yard field goal early in the fourth quarter for a 17-14 lead, which the Gators never lost and never looked back. There has been some discussion in this body about having a national championship playoff. Let me be clear, we've had a playoff. And I hate to say it, that everything is just not all equal. We want to encourage all of our kids to participate in sports and activities because we know that it builds character, but it is clear that the Gators are superb to any other schools with the conferences that we play in. So, in closing, I want to leave you again with the Gators' chant that I just love: ``One, two, three, four, five, them there Gators don't take no jive.''

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chair, I want to thank Chairman Frank for his leadership in developing this bill. I appreciate the time you and your staff have spent on the issues important to the American people. You were instrumental in getting an amendment regarding tax credits in the manager's amendment. I want to speak on the situation today. I voted for TARP when it was brought up last year. I am extremely disappointed as to how the banking industry used the taxpayer funds. The way the administration disbursed the first half of the TARP funds was not in the interest of the American people. It was in the interest of those who caused this crisis in the first place. The investment bankers, and elite financiers in New York were the first in line to claim some money and then left nothing for the people holding the bag, the homeowners and the small businesspeople like those from my district in Florida. The administration moved from helping those who held mortgages that were in foreclosure to bailing out the large banks. These banks took that money and put it in their pockets. They paid their shareholders and continued to pay bonuses to their executives. The banks called in their loans and eliminated lines of credit. They bought other banks. They closed businesses and used every legal means to get as much money as they could. What the banking industry did was not our intent. The Europeans used the government money to help stimulate the economy. Every pound or euro given to banks was required to be loaned out. As opposed to the banks here who called in loans and did away with lines of credit. I would like to ask Chairman Frank a couple of questions at this time: ``Chairman Frank, I am very concerned the money we are authorizing for the TARP program will not make it to the American people and will not be used for what we are intending it to be used for. We need to get money to people for (1) to end the foreclosures, of which thousands a day are happening all over the country, (2) auto loans--people can't get credit to buy a car and (3) school loans--the banks are calling in the notes, prohibiting our young people from getting an education. The American people need this money. What protections have you included in the bill to ensure this happens?'' Second, I have a question regarding the re-appraisal of real estate collateral that is affecting the home builders in our country. I have an amendment in front of the rules committee which would permit lenders to extend or modify loan terms for home builders, so they could continue to pay interest without forcing them to pay large sums to the principal while in this economic crisis. I understand this issue is not covered by this bill. What assurances do I have that you will consider this issue in the future in your committee? Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for your explanations. In my district, along with most of the country, people cannot get the loans to consume, which is the basis for our economy. I am pleased you included these provisions in the bill, to help small businesses all over our country. Thank you for your hard work on this bill, to bring relief to those who are suffering from foreclosures and for your firm leadership on this issue for the many years you have served the people of Massachusetts and America. It is important the TARP funds being spent by the Administration be used for the benefit of the American people. From what I have seen, it does not.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. My second question regarding the re- appraisal of real estate collateral that has affected the home builders in our country. I have an amendment in front of the Rules Committee which will permit lenders to extend or modify loan terms for home builders, so that they could continue to pay interest, without forcing them to pay large sums of principal during this economic crisis. I understand this issue is not covered by the bill. What assurances do we have that we will address this issue in the future?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Once again, thank you so much for your leadership in this area.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. First of all, let me thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your leadership on this area. I voted for the TARP bill, and I've got to tell you I've been very disappointed in many areas; whether we're talking about student loans, the fact that thousands of people are losing their homes through foreclosure, or whether the automobile industry, they can't get money to buy a car. And so I want to know what safeguards do we have in this bill to make sure that the banks will do what we intended them to do. The Europeans did the same thing. They used their money to stimulate the economy, but yet, for every dollar they got, they had to lend it out.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Will that include credit unions?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a man who stood in the forefront of helping to propel his countrymen to a sense of moral and ethical courage through the giving and sharing of one's talents for the good of the society in which he lived On behalf of the people of the great State of Florida, I stand today to recognize the personal and professional accomplishments of a man who loved his country and his family, and gave unselfishly of his time and talents to make a better place for all. Mr. James Babatunde Adegboye, a great family man and a financial expert passed on November 26, 2008, at the University of Florida & Shands Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Adegboye studied accountancy in England in 1979, and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1981. For the love of his native land he turned down offers to work in England and went back to his native Nigeria to contribute to the development of the accounting profession in his country, at a time when the Government of Nigeria was clamoring for indigenous participation in the Nigerian economy. He worked in various firms to include Colgate Palmolive, Smurfit Cases, Associated Breweries, and West African Breweries as accountant and later as financial controller. These are companies that are either American firms or are affiliated with American firms. In 1988 he joined Hull Blyth Nigerian Limited, the parent company for Elder Dempster Shipping Agencies, African Steamship Company, and Blue Funnel Nigerian Limited. During his sojourn at the company, he developed the company's IT capabilities and facilities through the computerization of the invoicing processes, introduction of secured and efficient e-mail and container tracking applications. He also raised the company's staff pension funds. James Adegboye also served on the boards of various philanthropic organizations, and he provided scholarships for children of poor families. Mr. Adegboye was an extremely successful businessman and with his family, operated a family business named Jimland Investments Limited, with corporate headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria. Jimland Investments is a general trading company and business house offering substantial trading opportunities to local, regional, national, and international organizations on partnerships, consultancy, and joint ventures. James Adegboye will be missed not only by members of his family, but by many in the Nigerian community. He was a great humanitarian, and a role model for business and political leaders throughout the African continent. Mr. Adegboye is survived by his brother in the United States, Adekunle Sogbesan; two wives, Simisola Adegboye and Oluwatoyin Adegboye, as well as six children; Olajide, Mayaowa, Adekunle, Olawole, Yetunde, and Enitan Adegboye.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to and honor the life achievements of Mr. Alton Yates, a man of many talents and passions who, by his own convictions and beliefs in the dignity of human kind, paved the way for so many to achieve their goals, and influence the course of history. Alton Yates was born of modest yet proud means, the second of seven children, raised in the powerful and nurturing shadow of his father, a man of principles, character and determination. His father instilled in him the need to achieve beyond your born station in life, and by so doing help to sew in the fabric of humanity threads of decency, respect, and quest for the betterment of mankind. Alton Yates accomplished his earlier goals, and those of his father by making sure all that was available to him through education and interaction, he would absorb and be nurtured by this new found knowledge. Here is a man of unparalleled dedication and commitment. He is not only a pioneer in the early days of the space program and the civil rights movement, Alton Yates went on to a successful career in city government and business. He was a pioneer in the early days of the space program as a volunteer for a program that would test the effects of space flight on the human body. This was America's first efforts to put a man in space and to ensure that man could survive in space. Likewise, as we celebrate the historic inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States of America, this journey for him and all of us, including Alton Yates began before he was born. Alton Yates was there at the beginning. He sat down at lunch counters, time and time again, often suffering human indignity and physical abuse at the hands of those who would seek to deny him, and us, our piece of the American dream, simply, and only because of the color of one's skin. Alton Yates and others like him paved the way that has led to the election of an African-American President-Elect. Alton Yates never recoiled from the responsibility of family, community, and service to mankind. From the early days of segregation, to the chance to help establish this nation's space program, as an African-American, to his ability to serve and protect the ideals of equality and personal responsibility, we are indebted to Alton Yates for his courage and his belief in the sanctity and strength of the human spirit. We acknowledge his wife of 48 years, former Jacksonville City Councilwoman, Gwendolyn Yates for her individual achievements and the support she and family has given to Alton that has allowed him to soar to great heights, as a man, a husband, a father, a pioneer, and a civil rights leader and gentleman.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our Nation's workers. The workers who built this country following depression and war. I rise in support of this loan program for our Nation's automobile manufacturers. Just last Friday the Department of Labor reported that employers slashed 533,000 jobs in November: the most jobs lost in 34 years. As a percentage, this figure now jettisoned our Nation's unemployment rate to 6.7 percent; the largest one-month decline since December 1974. Overall, since the start of the current recession, the United States has shed 1.9 million jobs, 1.3 million of which has disappeared in the last 4 months. In the manufacturing sector, manufacturing jobs lost in November alone come to a total of 85,000. In fact, in the last 4 months we have witnessed the disappearance of 258,000 manufacturing jobs, and since the outset of the recession last December, over half a million (604,000) manufacturing jobs have been lost. So with regard to the question of whether or not to assist our Nation's domestic auto manufactures, given that the Big Three automakers generate one out of every 10 jobs in our Nation, merely letting these businesses go bankrupt is simply not an acceptable option. Indeed, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler account for roughly 70 percent of U.S. auto production and are estimated to support around 5 million jobs across all 50 states. And according to a report released last week by the Center for Automotive Research, the failure of even one U.S. automaker would mean the loss of millions of jobs and cost our economy hundreds of billions of dollars. Employment for millions of hard working Americans depends on a strong domestic auto industry. And nations throughout the world, such as Japan, South Korea, and France support their domestic auto industries, so we certainly would not be creating a precedent or an unfair playing field with respect to international trade. Indeed, President-elect Obama stated just last week that ``the auto industry is the backbone of American manufacturing and a critical part of our attempt to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. . . .'' Given that our government recently provided a tremendous amount of financial assistance ($700 billion) to sustain our country's financial sector, I believe that to provide assistance with strong federal oversight to our Nation's automakers is critical to our workforce.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, this communication is forwarded on behalf of the constituents of Congressional District Three and myself as we pay tribute to the life of Dr. Moustapha Diaby. We are all saddened by the loss of his presence in this life yet joyful that he has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Dr. Moustapha Diaby, a great humanitarian and family man, passed away on November 29th. Dr. Diaby served as the religious guide and President of the African Islamic Institution Presidium, and was a leading candidate for President of the Ivory Coast in elections which were to be scheduled later next year. Dr. Diaby was a Member of the Health Ministry of the Ivory Coast from 1981-1983 under then President Houphouet-Boigny, and was also a former counsel to both President Houphouet-Boigny and President Bedie. He was extremely well versed in Ivorian politics, and maintained close relations with members of a wide range of Ivorian political parties. A strong subscriber to the philosophy of former President Boigny, the founder of Ivorian independence from France, Dr. Diaby, like President Houphouet-Boigny, was an ardent proponent of tolerance and inclusion of all ethnic groups in the Ivory Coast, as well as the ideas of shared governance and the equitable distribution of resources throughout the country, irrespective of region or religious affiliation. During the political crisis in the Ivory Coast, wherein a Dutch multinational company, Trafigura, unloaded nearly 600 tons of petrochemical waste in the commercial capital, Abidjan (leading nearly 100,000 Ivorians to seek medical attention), Dr. Diaby utilized his international contacts and did everything within his power to assist those suffering the fallout of the illegal toxic dumping. His activities included working closely with the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States Congress, the U.S. Center for Disease Control, and numerous other international organizations, in an attempt to bring immediate relief to the victims. This included the donations of medical supplies and food to the people of the Ivory Coast suffering from the tragic incident. Dr. Diaby was also the recipient of the ``Peter the Great International Award'' for merits and peace in 2005 in Dubai, U.A.E., for his efforts in attempting to bring peace to the Ivory Coast. Dr. Diaby was also an extremely successful businessman, and, with his family, ran a family business by the name of Al-Salasa, with corporate headquarters in Dubai, UAE. Al Salasa is a general trading company and business house offering substantial trading opportunities to local, regional, national and international organizations on partnership, consultancy and joint venture basis. During the time Dr. Diaby spent overseas, he discussed governance in emerging African democracies, particularly in the Ivory Coast, economic development and international trade, and was an ardent advocate for a cessation of fighting in the Sudan. And as founder of the Moustapha Diaby Foundation, he worked tirelessly to raise funds for education and healthcare for children in the Ivory Coast and on the African continent. Dr. Diaby will be missed not only by members of his family, but by many in the Ivorian community. Dr. Diaby was a great humanitarian, and a role model for business and political leaders throughout the African continent. The Diaby family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, on November 13th at the Capitol in Washington DC, several Members of Congress and the Congressional Arts Caucus held an exhibition of the artwork of Professor Yuhua Wang and an official reception honoring her. The exhibition hall was crowded with people, including numerous officials and dignitaries. Many Members of Congress, council members of the District of Columbia, ambassadors, and diplomats came to appreciate the exhibits on display. They praised the beauty of the artwork as being beyond imagination and praised Dr. Wang for bringing the light of beautiful art into the Capitol. Even after the exhibition ended, there were still Members of Congress who came to the exhibition hoping to view Dr. Wang's works of art. Professor Wang personally attended the official reception in her honor. The hall was filled to capacity, making it a very grand occasion. Members of Congress and members of the Congressional Arts Caucus added their support by signing and presenting certificates of commendation. During the official reception, Members of Congress gave speeches expressing their respect for Professor Yuhua Wang. They praised Professor Wang for her outstanding contributions to world color painting, sculpture, oriental arts, and the development of cultural exchange. A Congressional Commendation stated that Professor Wang is a selfless person whose moral character is noble. It also stated that through her practice of Buddhism, she benefits humanity and all living beings. Members of Congress who initiated the exhibition proudly presented that Congressional Commendation to Professor Wang as a symbol of appreciation and gratitude for her service to America and humanity. The Mayor of Washington DC, Adrian M. Fenty, presented to Professor Wang a certificate welcoming the exhibition of her artwork in the Nation's Capital and welcoming her to visit the entire area of Washington DC. Members of Congress who initiated and held this art exhibition included Corrine Brown, Danny Davis, Eliot L. Engel, Adam Schiff, Neil Abercrombie, Chaka Fattah, David Wu, and others. The exhibition displayed four of Professor Wang's hand-sculpted faux coral painted in oil colors. Those works are entitled ``Glamour in Pink,'' ``Arching Branches,'' ``Parched Antiquity,'' and ``Cinnabar Nectar.'' Another exhibit is called ``Seventy-Seven Stones,'' which are exquisitely hand-sculpted and painted faux cobblestones. Additionally displayed were 10 ink-wash paintings called ``Spiritual Air,'' ``The Appeal of Lotuses,'' ``Two Chicks Under the Wool Tree,'' ``Ink Alone Excels Nature,'' ``Auspicious Atmosphere at the Lotus Pond,'' ``Light, Elegant Ink; Three Lovely Flowers,'' ``Yuhua,'' ``Lotus Fragrance Blown by the Wind,'' ``Golden Lotuses,'' and ``A Bit of Charming Autumn Scenery.'' The three oil paintings on exhibition were ``Flying Object in the Night,'' ``Heavenly World,'' and ``Exuberant Life.'' All of these exhibits were authentic, and most of them were chosen by International Arts Publishing to be included in the book World's Highest-Level Color Paintings and Ink-Wash Paintings--the Art of Professor Yuhua Wang. At the exhibition, news reporters asked Professor Yuhua Wang which one of the works of art that she created is her favorite. Her answer, which she gave without hesitation, has profound meaning. She said, ``Whichever work of art is everyone's favorite is my favorite work of art!'' Dr. Yuhua Wang was born in China and permanently resides in the U.S. She is currently a research professor at the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn University in Georgia. She has been highly commended by the president and vice-president of Auburn University and by the dean of the college where she is a visiting professor for her achievements in the study of colors. Professor Wang's hand-sculpted faux coral on which she painted oil colors are even more genuine-looking and more beautiful in form and color than real coral found at the bottom of the sea or on islands. Such works of art are many times more beautiful than natural coral and have become rare artistic treasures. It is no wonder that her art is regarded as ``treasures of the world.'' The cobblestones that Professor Yuhua Wang hand-sculpted from light- weight material and painted are exquisite and were made with meticulous attention to detail. These intriguingly and unpredictably varied faux cobblestones are not only genuine-looking, they are even more beautiful than real cobblestones. Their spots, streaks, watermarks, weathered appearance, reflecting light, and hues are all lifelike and exquisite. In all of their myriad variations, these cobblestones capture the spirit and form of real cobblestones yet surpass the beauty of natural ones. None of her cobblestones duplicates any other cobblestone in form, lines, color, or extent of weathered or aged appearance. Each cobblestone is in and of itself a meticulously and realistically painted work of art. Just like Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa and Vincent van Gogh's Sunflower Paintings, Dr. Wang's oil painting on these cobblestones has been called wondrous color application and the most superb art in the world. The ink and wash paintings of Professor Wang are boldly arranged yet lack the slightest trace of affectation. They have an air of ease and smoothness and convey a sense of complete naturalness. They express loftiness and broadmindedness and are imbued with deep charm and liveliness. Those works of art by Professor Wang can indeed be called ink and wash paintings of the highest order. The modern paintings of Dr. Wang have a unique style to them. Their lines flow smoothly and freely. Their diverse and unpredictable color combinations can express bold intensity, overflowing enthusiasm, traditional elegance, inspiring vitality, rustic charm, or majestic splendor. Those paintings are truly a feast for the eyes. Deeply embedded within them are feelings and wondrous skills. Her modern paintings are very sophisticated and should be carefully viewed. Actually, a magnifying glass would reveal that each of the many different parts that make up one of her modern paintings is a work of art in and of itself with its own unending appeal.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Master Wan Ko Yee, a permanent resident of the United States, on the occasion of the publication of HH Dorje Chang Buddha III, A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma, wherein Master Yee has been recognized within the traditions of his religion as the revered master and holy leader of Buddhism. Buddhism is the world's fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism, with over 6 million Buddhists in the United States and 360 million adherents of Buddhism world-wide. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha IlI, A Treasury of True Buddha-Dharma, is a book that contains testimonies and affirmations through written proclamations in accordance with Buddhist traditions in recognizing the primordial Dorje Chang Buddha. Copies of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, A Treasury of True Buddha- Dharma were presented to the Library of Congress at a special ceremony I attended with many other Members of Congress and Buddhist Dharma Kings and Rinpoches from around the world. The book was provided to every Member of Congress as a reference source and is being placed in all Buddhist Temples and public libraries by The International Buddhism Sangha Association, a nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Master Wan Ko Ye, who was born in Sichuan, China, is now a permanent resident of the United States and resides in California. Like many in the history of our country, he came with his wife and two children, to this land where there is greater opportunity and freedom to teach and practice religion. Master Yee, who is preparing to become a citizen of the United States, stated, ``The American people are kind and noble. People can freely believe in religion in the United States, a country that is spiritually wealthy, powerful and blessed.'' It is not my intention by this statement to endorse one religion or religious leader over another. Rather I rise to congratulate Master Yee for his many years of selflessly contributing to relieving the suffering of human beings, furthering world peace and promoting spiritual enlightenment through his teachings of Buddhism. I join his peers in recognizing Master Wan Ko Yee as the true incarnation of the primordial Buddha and commend him for his outstanding contributions to his community, his new country, his religion and all human beings throughout the world.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, on rollcall No. 642, had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall No. 643, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker and Members of the House, first of all I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for his leadership on this issue of transportation. He is truly the guru of transportation, and the country appreciates his leadership. And thanks to Ranking Members Mica and Shuster. I guess the pledge of serving in Congress is serving on transportation, because transportation is truly bipartisan. This is truly a monumental day for America, and I am so pleased to be a part of it. If you are worrying about energy prices and the economy, this bill is a one-two punch. Passenger and freight rail are energy efficient, providing good jobs that can't be shipped overseas and transporting thousands of people and tons of cargo each day in a safe and efficient manner, and all of this without drilling off the coast. Let me repeat. If you are worried about $4 and $5 gas prices, passenger and freight rail are energy efficient, provide good jobs that can't be shipped overseas and transport thousands of people and tons of cargo each day in a safe and efficient manner. Rising gas prices alone, with increased highway and airport congestion, have made intercity passenger rail more popular and necessary than ever. In fiscal year 2007, Amtrak carried more than 25.8 million passengers, the fifth straight fiscal year of record ridership. Like its ridership gains, Amtrak's fiscal performance has improved as well, posting approximately $1.5 billion in ticket sales. More than just a convenient way to travel, Amtrak is a greener mode of transportation. One full passenger train can take between 250 to 350 cars off the road. Rail travel is more energy efficient and uses less fuel than cars or airplanes. According to the U.S. Department of Energy data, Amtrak is 17 percent more efficient than domestic air travel and 21 percent more efficient than auto travel. Unfortunately, for many years Amtrak has been given just enough money each year to limp along, never getting the necessary funds to make serious improvements in the system. The high voltage electric system is over 70 years old, 65 percent of the bridges were built in the 1920s, and several tunnels that the trains go through every year were built in the 1800s. In 2005, Amtrak conducted a comprehensive review of its capital needs. The review determined that Amtrak should invest $4.2 billion to bring their infrastructure to a state of good repair. Today, with the backlog of major bridges and tunnel work, the necessary investment capital has approached an estimated $6 billion. As other countries continue to invest tens of billions of dollars each year in improving their passenger rail systems, we are falling further and further behind by deferring these much-needed improvements to our system. We must find a way to speed up Amtrak's backlog of repair work and bring its assets to a state of good repair. Then Amtrak can concentrate on increasing capacity, increasing speed, developing new facilities and planning for the future. These major infrastructure improvements are also necessary to improve the safety and security of the system and its passengers and workers. Amtrak has and will continue to play a critical role in evacuating and transporting citizens during national emergencies. Amtrak was the only mode of transportation out of New York following 9/11, and transported citizens and delivered vital supplies following Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately, it is also a prime target for those who wish to harm us, and we must provide resources to make the system less vulnerable. This legislation also includes vital railroad safety legislation that will improve the effectiveness of freight rail systems, and, most important, will help save the lives of rail employees and the people living in the communities they serve. Freight railroads are also energy efficient and have made major gains in fuel efficiency through training and improved locomotive technology. A single intermodal train can take up to 280 trucks off of our highways. Today, one gallon of diesel fuel can move a ton of freight an average of 414 miles, a 76 percent improvement since 1980. Since the beginning of the 110th Congress, the Railroad Subcommittee has held five hearings on rail safety, examined fatigue, human factors and rail accidents, and current Federal safety programs. In addition to the subcommittee's hearing, we met with all of our stakeholders, including labor, the railroads, government agencies and other interested parties to craft this legislation. The bill seeks to help prevent accidents caused by human factors, which account for 40 percent of all rail accidents, by strengthening the hours-of-service laws, decreasing limbo time, increasing worker training and qualifications, and implementing advanced safety technology. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to develop a long-term strategy for improving railroad safety at railroad crossings by improving visibility and making it easier to report problems.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this important legislation. You don't want to go back to your district and tell your constituents that you voted against energy efficient transportation and valid railroad safety. Vote ``yes,'' and we will move our Nation's rail system into the 21st century.