Corrine Brown

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to ask support for my amendment to allow Orlando International Airport and Miami International Airport to be named as two of the seven airports selected to implement a pilot program to screen airport workers who enter or reenter security airport space. My interest in this stems from a very serious security breach which occurred at the Orlando International Airport, OIA, earlier this year. On March 5, a Comair customer service employee boarded a Delta flight from Orlando International to San Juan, carrying 13 handguns, 1 assault weapon and 8 pounds of marijuana. Although passengers and flight crews are required to pass through screening to obtain access to gates, mechanics and other airline employees move through the airport without being screened. In fact, the men that were arrested had employee identification that allowed them to bypass screening altogether when they brought a duffel bag full of handguns into the airport. This serves as a perfect example of a striking gap in airline security, not only at OIA, but at airports nationwide. Moreover, given an employee was willing to take the risk of smuggling illegal weapons and drugs into a flight for a few thousand dollars, one would certainly imagine that it would be possible that the airline employee could be bribed by well-financed terrorists to obtain access to the airport infrastructure. In response to this incident, report language in the bill required a pilot program for seven airports nationwide to mandate the screening of all employees as prescribed in H.R. 1314. Of the seven airport pilot projects mentioned in the report language, my amendment would require that the Orlando International Airport and the Miami International Airport be named two of the designated programs. Miami International, in fact, already had a program in place, while Orlando International has undertaken a plan to screen 100 percent of all of its employees. Given the heavy international traffic at both of these airports, I strongly believe that they serve as perfect places to begin a program which eventually needs to be implemented at all airports nationwide. The reason I include Miami is because Miami can be used as a model, since the airport has had a program in place for nearly a decade and spends about $5 million per year for this type of security. The Miami program has reduced smuggling by all employees. Under this program, all airport and airline employees are screened, though not at the same area as the passengers or flight crews. The Miami program also includes a provision that allows screening to instantly send a suspect's image to a New York center that operates around-the-clock with a staff of former NYPD technicians. As you know, the State of Florida, in particular, thrives on tourism, which forms the backbone of the State economy. Obviously, those traveling in the State need to feel safe during their commute, and increasing and enforcing the security process for airline employees would serve as an important step toward achieving this goal. I realize it is necessary to withdraw this amendment, and I am willing to do so, but this is a very, very serious situation not just for Florida, but for the entire country. I want all of us to work together to ensure that our system does not allow these huge security gaps to continue. Point of Order

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to ensure that the assets, including electronic data files and biological specimens on all participants in the Air Force Health Study, are transferred to the Medical Follow-Up Agency from the Air Force Health Study and are maintained, managed, and made available as a resource for future research for the benefit of veterans and their families, and for other humanitarian purposes. This legislation is a companion to legislation introduced in the Senate by the Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman, Daniel Akaka. Operation Ranch Hand was the military code name for the spraying of herbicides from U. S. Air Force aircraft in Southeast Asia from 1962 through 1971. During this time, Ranch Hand sprayed about 19 million gallons of herbicide, 11 million of which consisted of Agent Orange. The spray fell mostly on the forests of South Vietnam, but some was used in Laos, and some killed crops to deprive Vietcong and North Vietnamese troops of food. In all, Ranch Hand sprayed herbicide over about 6 million acres. The Air Force Health Study (AFHS)--also known as the Ranch Hand Study--was initiated by the U.S. Air Force in 1979 to assess the possible health effects of military personnel's exposure to Agent Orange and other chemical defoliants sprayed during the Vietnam War, some of which contained dioxin. The initial physical examination and surveying of study subjects was conducted in 1982 and subsequent cycles were conducted in 1985, 1987, 1992, 1997, and 2002. The data from the physical examinations should not be lost, and in fact, should be available to researchers for the benefit of all. My bill is consistent with the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine's report on the disposition of the study. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I have never supported the war in Iraq. From the very outset of the conflict, I have stood as an ardent opponent of the war, and voted against the War Resolution, House Joint Resolution 114, which ``authorized the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq,'' when it came before the House of Representatives on October 8, 2002. I have argued from the beginning of this conflict that the President intentionally misled the American public by supplying them with spurious grounds for going to war. I cannot, in good conscience, return to my district over the Memorial Day recess having cast a vote to continue funding, and henceforth, provide financial support for the continuation of this horrible war. Moreover, the bill's lack of a timetable for troop withdrawal is not acceptable. This is a war without any end in sight, without any sort of deadlines or oversight, and the administration will continue to throw away billions and billions of dollars in this conflict if we cannot pass a bill with timelines or restrictions. Clearly, the November midterm elections demonstrated that the majority of the American public is bitterly opposed to the war in Iraq. Just today in fact, a New York Times/CBS poll showed that ``over 61 percent of Americans say that the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, while over 75 percent say that things [in Iraq] are going badly'' (New York Times, May 24, 2007). I stand with the American people today, and although I wholeheartedly support our troops, I cannot support a bill to continue funding a terrible war while the White House refuses to accede to readiness standards or any other measures that restrict their oil war in Iraq. It is estimated that we have already spent over a trillion dollars of taxpayer money in Iraq. This is funding which we could be using for social services for our own citizens. Indeed, important items like education, prescription drugs, health care and homeland security goes underfunded while a disastrous war, unwillingly being paid for by U.S. taxpayers, wages on. And yet the administration continues to request blank checks to be used at their discretion. A perfect example of this is the money sent over there in the period, between May 2003 and June 2004, when our military was carrying huge, wrapped stacks of $100 bills over to Iraq-- $12 billion total--in cash. This money was sent over there without oversight, without any sort of accountability, and many are now worried that the same insurgent groups that are battling against our troops may have bought their weapons with this money. And the argument put forward by the Bush administration for sending money over in this way was that Iraq was without a functioning banking system. This utterly ludicrous reasoning is nearly as preposterous as their lies and poor reasons for going to war in the first place, like scaring the American people into believing that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which, to this day, have not been discovered. President Bush has asked for a blank check and the American people have stamped his account ``insufficient funds.''

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. First of all, let me thank Chairman Filner for shepherding the bills that we have here on the floor, for bringing these bills to the floor on this date. Mr. Speaker, I have been on Veterans' Affairs for 15 years, and as we approach Memorial Day, we do it to honor our veterans. The entire time I have been proud to be on this committee, because it is what we do for our veterans. One of the things, Mr. Buyer, that I have enjoyed about serving on this committee is that it has always been bipartisan. We have always worked together for the veterans in this country, and we need to continue to do that. As we move into this Memorial Day, and I think about what I have to do next Monday, when I go home, to face those families, we need to be honoring them today here on the floor of the House of Representatives. If we have any personal matters, it needs to be taken up at that particular time and not here on the floor of the House of Representatives. Earlier today I had the privilege of joining the Congressional Women's Caucus at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery. Earlier today we honored four members of the United States Armed Forces, and it was my privilege to be there. The late Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, a key member in the Women's Caucus, was instrumental in organizing this year's celebration. It wasn't until 1971 that the last Monday in May became the official national holiday, as we know today, as Memorial Day. The day itself was born from the tragedy of the Civil War when soldiers and family members in the North and the South decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers. In 1868, seeking to formalize this touching tribute, General John Logan, Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order Number 11 designating May 30, 1868, as Decoration Day, for the purpose of laying flowers and decorating graves of those who died in the defense of their country, our great country. All together, these bills move benefits for veterans into the 21st century. From extending the eligible period for health care for combat service in the Persian Gulf to treating of trauma, brain injury, vocational rehabilitation benefits, chiropractic benefits and outreach activities at the VA, finally to deal with the final resting place for those who have sacrificed for the freedom of this Nation, these bills and this House honor our Nation's veterans. I support all of these bills, and I urge my colleagues to support them as well. Let us all honor the veterans who have done so much for us and these families as we go into Memorial Day. God bless America.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 1873--the Small Business Fairness in Contracting Act. The 10th Edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines fairness as being: impartial, honest; free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism. For too long small businesses have been overlooked, short changed and under-funded. For the first time in over a decade this House voted on a bill to open the $380 billion federal marketplace to small businesses across the country. Mr. Chairman, this bill will not only bring about strong economic growth but also create jobs. This bill does that by: Ensuring that new regulations and databases are added to encourage and promote fairness in the use of small businesses in government contracting; increasing the overall national goal of using contracts with small businesses; and increasing the goal for contracts with disadvantaged and women-owned businesses. These changes are vital to small businesses all over this country. For the past 6 years, the government has failed to meet its 23 percent small business contracting goal. This has cost small business $10 billion in lost contracting opportunities. In the 3rd district of Florida, small business owner Lisa Wolf of Wolf Technologies informed me that she faces many contracting problems and loss of business due to the bundling of small projects into large mega contracts. Ms. Wolf owns a geotechnical engineering firm and has gained a reputation for helping clients exceed their goals; she cannot effectively do this without small Federal contracts. Entrepreneurs and small businesses like Lisa Wolf's are key players in the economy of Florida. Florida has an estimated total of 1,837,800 small businesses and 29 percent of them are women-owned firms. According to the Florida Small Business Development Center: The stability and growth of Florida's economy depends largely on the vitality of our state's small businesses who are a diverse group of entrepreneurs and innovators. This large and growing group keeps the Florida economy productive. This bill ensures that more Federal contracts are available to small firms like Lisa's and also increases the procurement opportunities for the small, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses. Mr. Chairman, this bill is not only a great investment to my home State of Florida but most importantly to our nation's small businesses and I strongly support it.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 1700, the COPS Improvements Act. This program, begun under President Clinton, has invested over $12 billion to add officers to the Nation's streets and schools, enhance crime-fighting technology, support crime prevention initiatives, provide training and technical assistance, administer grant programs, and advance community policing. Since President Bush has taken office, he has done everything he could to cut or eliminate funding for this worthwhile program. In the Third District of Florida alone, over $89,420,196 in COPS grants were awarded to law enforcement agencies: COPS grants have funded 1,192 additional police officers and sheriffs deputies to engage in community policing activities, including crime prevention, in the 3rd District; 24 local and State law enforcement agencies in the 3rd District have directly benefited from funding made available through the COPS Office; $6,187,466 has been awarded to add 52 school resources officers to improve safety for students, teachers, and administrators in primary and secondary schools throughout the 3rd District; and $10,780,628 has been awarded for crime-fighting technologies. This funding has allowed officers to spend more time on the streets of the 3rd District of Florida fighting and preventing crime through timesaving technology, information-sharing systems, and improved communications equipment. My district is not alone. The COPS program has helped districts across the Nation by reducing crime and making communities safer for residents to live their lives. Earlier this session, I introduced a resolution urging increased funding for both the COPS program and the Weed and Seed program, which is an innovative, comprehensive, multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization. Both these programs go together--community policing and community revitalization. I am submitting for the record a letter from the city of Orlando in support of this bill. I urge support for the COPS program, safer communities and this bill. City of Orlando, Orlando, FL, May 15, 2007. Hon. Corrine Brown, U.S. Representative, Washington, DC. Dear Congresswoman Brown: I am writing on behalf of the City of Orlando to advise you of our strong support for H.R. 1700, the ``COPS Improvements Act of 2007''. In 1994, Congress established the Office for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and, in the decade that followed, our nation experienced a significant drop in crime rates. A large part of this success was the nation's commitment to community oriented policing, particularly it's hiring component, which helped get more officers on the beat. This approach was validated by a Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of the COPS program, which stated that: ``COPS-funded increases in sworn officers per capita were associated with declines in the rates of total index crimes, violent crimes, and property crime.'' Now, after years of historically low crime rates, we are seeing a disturbing new trend--a jump in violent crimes in our City as well as in many of our nation's large and medium- sized cities. Just as the decrease in crime was directly related to an increased focus on hiring law enforcement officers at the state and local level, the more recent increase in certain crimes can be directly related to the loss of Federal funds supporting state and local law enforcement. This legislation will reinstitute the COPS program--a program we all know to be effective--and is needed now more than ever. Specifically, this bill will establish the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services as a distinct entity within the U. S. Department of Justice and will reauthorize hiring programs for three specific purposes--community policing officers, local counterterrorism officers, and school resource officers. The bill also reauthorizes funds for technology grants and community prosecutors. The COPS program and the community policing approach are, and should continue to be, an important part of our national crime- fighting strategy. Your commitment to reducing crime and your recognition of the important role local law enforcement plays throughout the nation is commendable. Be assured that the City of Orlando will do our part in the fight against crime and, given the proper resources, we can keep Orlando one of the safest cities in the nation. Sincerely, Buddy Dyer, Mayor.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, due to unforeseen circumstances I failed to vote on rollcall No. 330, which provided for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support my amendment. This amendment would direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to consider the number of tourists who have visited an urban area in the 2 years preceding the year the Secretary awards Urban Area Security Initiative Grants. Urban Area Security Initiative Grants are designed to fund activities to prevent, protect against, and respond to terrorist attacks and catastrophic events in designated high-threat, high-risk urban areas. The Department of Homeland Security uses a number of factors to allocate funds and assess risks, including special events, theme parks and population. However, a critical element is missing from their list of factors. Homeland Security has yet to explicitly account for tourists as a risk factor when allocating Urban Area Security Initiative Grants. A recent Congressional Research Service report says due to the potential for mass casualty incidents and economic damage from terrorist attacks, tourist locations are at risk. In addition to the location of tourist destinations, the tourist population could possibly be at risk, too. Heavy tourist areas present a twofold incentive for terrorists: a high probability of a sizeable number of casualties and damage to the economy. A 2005 study by the Rand Corporation found that terrorists have an increased concentration on civilian targets and an ongoing emphasis on economic attacks. Most experts agree the evidence shows that terrorists are seeking to kill as many people as possible. The high number of tourists who are staying at any given time in tourist magnets such as Orlando or Miami significantly increases the potential consequence of an attack in those cities. Congress cannot let terrorists exploit this gap in our grant funding. In addition, the economic danger resulting from a terrorist attack on a tourist location is another incentive. Terrorist attacks depress consumer confidence and spending that hurts businesses, undermines investment and our overall economic condition. Congress must ensure that the Department of Homeland Security considers this incentive for terrorists when distributing Urban Area Security Initiative Grants. In past years, concerns were raised that the Department did not adequately account for the large tourist population in cities such as Las Vegas, Orlando and San Diego when they calculated the risk for our Nation's urban areas. In fact, in fiscal year 2006, Las Vegas and San Diego were left off the list of the top 35 cities that were eligible to receive grants under the UASI program. The Department of Homeland Security has been very secretive regarding how Urban Area Security Initiative Grants are allocated. A recent General Accountability Office report stated, ``DHS has not provided us documentation on what analyses were conducted, how they were conducted, how they were used and how they affected the final risk assessment scores and relative rankings.'' The Department of Homeland Security has made claims that they consider tourist populations, but the problem is Homeland Security has not been specific regarding risk assessment methods or providing Congress adequate information to prove that they have done so. Although the Department of Homeland Security made administrative changes to the fiscal year 2007 grant process to account for tourist populations, my amendment would clearly codify this change. I urge my colleagues to adopt this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. As chair of the Rail Subcommittee, we have done initial studies, and we have found that we are celebrating the anniversary of the bombing in Madrid, the bombing in London, the bombing in India, and yet the administration has not come forward with recommendations as to how to secure our rail system, how to implement a program to safeguard that we do not have this kind of attack on homeland security here in the United States. So I strongly support the amendment March 11th marked the third anniversary of the train bombings in Madrid, and we have seen terrorist attacks in London and India in each year since. Yet the Bush Administration and past Republican leadership has done little to protect our Nation's freight rail or the millions of passengers that use public transportation every day. The anniversary of this terrible tragedy again raises the serious question of whether we are prepared in this country for a similar attack. Sadly, that answer is a resounding NO. But with the passage of this legislation, we will start investing the money that is needed to safeguard our rail and transit infrastructure from those who wish us harm. The Federal Government has focused most of its attention on enhancing security in the airline industry and has largely ignored the needs of public transit agencies and railroads. Yet, worldwide, more terrorist attacks have occurred on transit and rail systems since 9/11 than on airlines. In 2006, we dedicated $4.7 billion to the airline industry for security, while 6,000 public transit agencies and one national passenger railroad, Amtrak, had to share a meager $136 million total for security upgrades. Nothing was provided to the 532 freight railroads for security upgrades. Fortunately for the traveling public, the legislation on the floor today will address the security challenges facing our Nation's transit and rail systems. This bill requires comprehensive security plans; strengthens whistleblower protections for workers; mandates security training; improves communication and intelligence sharing; authorizes a higher- level of grant funding for Amtrak, the freight railroads, and public transportation providers; and provides funding for life-safety improvements to the tunnels in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. Most importantly, it helps make sure our communities, our First Responders, and our transit and rail workers are safe and secure. And it does all of this through a coordinated effort between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation, the agency that has the expertise to deal with transportation safety issues. We are way behind many other countries in protecting our transit and rail systems, but with the new leadership in Congress and this comprehensive legislation, we have a plan that will protect millions of transit and rail passengers and the communities through which freight railroads operate from harm, while keeping the trains running on time. I encourage all my colleagues to do the right thing for your constituents and support this long overdue rail and transit security legislation.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have?

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield the remaining time to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Al Green).

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I am asking that the ranking member on the other side yield 1 minute to Ms. Berkley because I think I am out of time.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 28 seconds to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley).

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I would like to begin with a quote from Coretta Scott King: ``Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it in every generation.'' I rise today to talk about one of America's priorities in the emergency supplemental appropriations bill. And that is to fulfill the promise to help rebuild Louisiana and Mississippi from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In August of 2005, the American people saw something that was hard to believe. They saw a U.S. Government that was incompetent, a government that was inept and a government that didn't care about its own people. Unfortunately, 2 days ago, President Bush vetoed the emergency supplemental bill and showed the American people that things haven't changed. After the President vetoed the bill, he had the audacity to make the following statement: ``. . . the bill is loaded with billions of dollars in non-emergency spending that has nothing to do with fighting the war on terror. Congress should debate these spending measures on their own merits--and not as part of an emergency funding bill for our troops.'' Only two people in the country believe that we are winning the war in Iraq--they are President Bush and Vice-President Dick Cheney. The cheese stands alone. The $1.3 billion for east and west bank levee protection and coastal protections isn't pork. The $30 million for K-12 education assistance has been debated and has been deemed essential. The $25 million for Small Business Administration disaster loans will help rebuild. The $80 million for HUD rental assistance will bring people home. The $4.3 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants is an emergency for our fellow Americans in Louisiana and Mississippi who have been waiting 18 months for you to keep your promise to rebuild Louisiana and Mississippi. Mr. President, you were wrong to veto this bill. I have been to New Orleans seven times and I am going back in June. Sadly, every time I have been back it looks the same--like a war zone. It's unbelievable that 18 months have passed and the most basic human needs are not yet met; 18 months later and residents are not able to move back, there is still debris everywhere and people go without electricity; 18 months later and there are impassable roads, no clean running water, and not enough schools and teachers; 18 months later and no street signs, toxic fumes in the air and not enough police officers; 18 months later this is unacceptable. The President has been wrong about every major claim he has made, why should we believe anything he has to say now? The President said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and he was wrong. The President said al Qaeda was tied to Iraq, and he was wrong. The President said a liberated Iraq would bring stability to the region, and he was wrong. The President said we would be treated as liberators, and he was wrong. The President said oil revenues would pay for the war, and he was wrong. The President said ``Mission Accomplished,'' and he was wrong. The President was wrong to veto this bill. My colleagues on the other side made statements over and over again about how we should pass a ``clean'' supplemental bill. I would like to ask them what is wrong with giving the residents of Louisiana and Mississippi the money they deserve? I've been an elected official for 25 years and I've never seen a clean bill. It is clear to me from watching the Republicans that he who holds the gold holds the power. If the President or my Republican colleagues would have done their job 18 months ago, we wouldn't need to have these extra funds in the supplemental bill. It is shameful that the very people who write the checks and pay taxes in our cities are not getting the money they deserve. I remember the President's press conference in Jefferson Square in New Orleans and his promise to rebuild. His veto showed the America people, once again, that he has no intention of living up to that promise. The Democratic majority has done our job by passing this bill. Sadly, the residents of Louisiana and Mississippi will have to keep on waiting on you to remember your promise. The good citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi demand good government that is responsible and caring and walks the walk and not just talks to the talk.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin with a quote from Coretta Scott King: ``Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won. You earn it and win it every generation.'' I rise today to talk about one of America's priorities in the emergency supplemental appropriation bill, and that is to fulfill the promise to help rebuild Louisiana and Mississippi from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. In August of 2005, the American people saw something that was hard to believe. They saw a U.S. government that was incompetent, a government that was inept, and a government that did not care about its open people. Unfortunately, 2 days ago, President Bush vetoed the emergency supplemental bill and showed the American people that things haven't changed. After the President vetoed the bill, he had the audacity to make the following statement: `` . . . the bill is loaded with billions of dollars in non-emergency spending that has nothing to do with fighting the war on terror. Congress should debate these spending measures on their own merits--and not as a part of an emergency funding bill for our troops.'' Only two other people in the country believe that we are winning the war in Iraq, by the way. That's President Bush and Vice President Cheney. The cheese stands alone. The $1.3 billion for east and west bank levee protection and coastal protection isn't pork. The $30 million for K-12 education assistance has been debated and has been deemed essential. The $25 billion for small business disaster loans will help rebuild; the $80 million for HUD rental assistance will bring people back home; the $4.3 billion for FEMA disaster recovery grants is an emergency for our fellow Americans in Louisiana and Mississippi who have been waiting 18 months for you to keep your promise to rebuild Louisiana and Mississippi. Mr. President, you were wrong to veto this bill. I have been to New Orleans seven times and going back in June. Sadly, every time I look there, it look looks like a war zone. It is unbelievable that 18 months have passed and the most basic human needs have not yet been met; 18 months later, and residents are not able to move back. There is still debris everywhere, and people are without electricity 18 months later. The roads are not passable, no clean running water, not enough schools and teachers; 18 months later and no street signs, toxic fumes in the air and not enough police; 18 months later, this is unacceptable. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle made the statement over and over again about how we should pass a clean bill. Well, I have been elected 25 years, and I have never seen a clean bill yet. If the President or my Republican colleagues would have done their job 18 months ago, we wouldn't need to have these extra funds in the supplemental bill. It is shameful that the very people who write the checks and pay the taxes in our cities are not given the money they deserve. I remember the President's press conference in Jefferson Square in New Orleans and his promise to rebuild. His veto showed the American people once again that he has no intention of living up to his promise. The Democratic majority has done their job. They passed this bill. Sadly, the residents of Louisiana and Mississippi will have to keep waiting on you to remember your promise. The good citizens of Louisiana and Mississippi demand good government. This is responding to the caring, and it is also an example of not just talking the talk, but walking the walk.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I want to thank Chairman Oberstar for joining me in introducing the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007. This legislation is long overdue and will authorize safety programs in both passenger and freight rail that will protect passengers, workers, and the communities that our passenger and freight rails serve. It will also improve the safety of our rail infrastructure which will allow for the exceptional growth expected in both passenger and freight rail. This legislation will make major improvements in railroad safety by requiring the Department of Transportation to develop a long-term strategy for improving rail safety, authorizing funds for the purchase of track geometry vehicles and for the development of an underground and tunnel safety facility. The legislation strengthens hours-of-service by mandating consecutive hours of rest, eliminates limbo time, and requires fatigue management plans. It also strengthens whistleblower protections and imposes penalties for safety, hours-of-service, and accident reporting violations. The legislation also mandates the implementation of Positive Train Controls, improves warning systems in non-signaled territory, establishes minimum training standards, and recommends ways to mitigate health hazards. Congress last passed legislation to reauthorize the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in 1994. That authorization expired in 1998. Since that time, the railroad industry has changed dramatically. Economic growth and an increase in international trade have led to record traffic levels. At the same time, Amtrak and the commuter railroads-- which often operate on freight rail lines--are moving more passengers, which means that there is a lot of pressure on our rail system. This has a significant impact on worker and public safety. According to the FRA, train accidents have increased by 33 percent since 1994. Fatalities and injuries have also increased--from 12 fatalities and 262 injuries in 1994 to 33 fatalities and 734 injuries in 2005. Injuries hit an all-time high of 1,884 in 2002 due to the train accident in Minot, ND. According to the FRA, human factors are responsible for nearly 40 percent of all train accidents, and a new study confirms that fatigue plays a role in approximately one out of four of those accidents. Researchers analyzed the 30-day work schedules of locomotive crews preceding 1,400 train accidents and not surprisingly found a strong correlation between the crew's level of alertness and the likelihood that they would be involved in an accident. NTSB investigators have reached similar conclusions. The hours of service law, which was originally enacted in 1907 and substantially amended in 1969, is outdated. It deals only with acute fatigue, not cumulative fatigue. Since the rail industry is markedly different today compared to 40 or 100 years ago, there are some significant shortcomings in the law. For example, the law does not properly address ``limbo time,'' which is the time when a crew's working assignment is finished and they are waiting for transportation back to their homes. During limbo time, crewmembers are required to stay awake, alert, and able to respond to any situation, which means that crews can be on the job for as long as 15 or 20 hours at a time. Although the NTSB has repeatedly asked the FRA to make improvements to hours-of-service and address fatigue, the FRA seemingly does not have the regulatory authority to do so. The Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee has held numerous hearings on railroad safety, fatigue, and human factor accidents and has heard testimony from all the stakeholders and policy makers in the passenger and freight rail industry. I believe this legislation will help reduce accidents, improve rail safety, and improve the work environment for employees which will allow the passenger and freight rail industry to safely handle the future growth projected for both modes of transportation. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation and I urge its swift passage so that we can begin to implement these important safety measures immediately.

Ms. CORINNE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORINNE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise first of all to thank the 415 ``yes'' votes for the Florida Gators, and we will continue to work on the four present, teaching them good sportsmanship. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my University of Florida basketball team for winning back-to-back NCAA basketball championships. The Gators basketball team is the first to successfully defend their basketball championship since 1992. Go Gators. The Florida Gators teams that won those championships exhibit teamwork and sportsmanship rarely seen in college sports. This is the first time in the history that the exact same starting five was able to repeat the championship. No one left to be stars in the NBA. They came back to prove to the world that the University of Florida's win was no fluke, and the Florida Gators are a championship team that have made history. Let's talk history. The Gators' win was the first time in college sports history that identical match ups and the results were the same. Florida's Lee Humphrey also set the all-time NCAA tournament record for three-point field goals made with 47, and Florida's Corey Brewer was the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Coach Billy Donovan became the third-youngest coach at the age of 41 to win two titles. The Gators finished with a 10-game winning streak and haven't lost a post-season game in 18 tries, including sweeping the Southeastern Conference tournaments the last 2 years. Coach Billy Donovan should deserves credit for building the team from scratch and teaching the players how to win and how to act like champions. This success at Florida opens other opportunities, but he has chosen to remain a Florida Gator. Coach Donovan is truly a great coach and a great leader. To close, I would just like to say, it's great to be a Florida gator.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today in support of H. Res. 272, drafted by my colleague Representative Barbara Lee from California. I would like to thank her for her leadership on this issue in recognition of this important part of our shared history. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the end of the transatlantic slave trade. In 1807 the United Kingdom outlawed slavery recognizing that the African slave trade and all manner of dealing and trading in the purchase, sale, barter, or transfer of slaves from any part of the coast or countries of Africa was unlawful and thereby abolished. The transatlantic slave trade conducted the capture of Africans, mostly from West Africa, for the purpose of enslavement in the colonies that would become the United States, during the 15th and late 19th centuries. The Middle Passage was the forced migration through overseas transport of millions of Africans to the Americas, many of whom suffered abuses of rape and perished as a result of torture, malnutrition, disease and resistance in transit. Those who survived this perilous journey were sold into slavery. More than 12,000,000 Africans were transported in bondage from their African homelands to the Americas, and an estimated 1,200,000 men, women, and children born in the Americas were displaced in the forced migration that was the domestic slave trade. It is important to acknowledge that as a result of the slave trade approximately 80,000,000 to 150,000,000 persons of African descent live in Latin America and the Caribbean, making them the largest population of persons of African descent outside of Africa. The transatlantic slave trade is characterized as the largest forced migration in world history. The institution of slavery which enslaved Africans, their progeny and later generations for life was constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned by the Government of the United States from 1789 through 1865. Slavery in the United States during and after British colonial rule included the sale and acquisition of Africans as chattel property in interstate and intrastate commerce. However their presence in southern states posed a problem for representation when the Union solidified. The Great Compromise of 1787 declared that the enslaved Africans would be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation in the House of Representatives as not to give undue representation to southern states. The slavery that flourished in the United States constituted an immoral and inhumane dispossession of Africans' life, liberty, and citizenship rights and denied them the fruits of their own labor. The enslaved Africans in the colonies and the United States suffered psychological and physical abuse, destruction of their culture, language, religion, and families. I am disappointed that this body has been slow to act on the resolution denouncing slavery and offering an official apology to the descendants of slaves and the African American community. The 2001 World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance, held in Durban, South Africa, declared the slave trade and slavery a crime against humanity. The world recognizes the magnitude of this atrocity so why can't we make this simple step towards reconciliation? The slave trade and the legacy of slavery continue to have a profound impact on social and economic disparity, hatred, bias, racism and discrimination in the United States. I urge my colleagues to support this and other legislation that serves to educate and increase awareness of the history of the slave trade and its impact on American culture.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to indicate that I will be voting ``yes'' on H.R. 1905 and that I have supported it for 15 years, and I am very happy to be supporting the doing away with the disenfranchisement of the people of the District of Columbia. I want to thank the Gentlelady from the District of Columbia, Ms. Norton, Chairman Conyers, and the Gentleman from Virginia Mr. Davis for working very hard to bring the vote to the residents of the District of Columbia. I rise today in support of this legislation. This country's history is replete with certain groups being denied the right to vote. Being from Florida, I understand about disenfranchisement. It is something I fight against and oppose every day. Disenfranchisement did not end with the passage of the Voting Rights Act, and it will not end when the residents of the District of Columbia finally get the right to vote. It is a continual fight, needing eternal vigilance to protect. This bill will go a long way in righting the wrongs that have been perpetuated on the American people for too long. This bill ends the 206-year-old injustice of ``taxation without representation'' for over a half a million District residents. Residents of the District of Columbia serve in the military, pay billions of dollars in Federal taxes each year, serve on juries, and assume other responsibilities of U.S. citizenship. And yet, for over 200 years, they have been denied full voting representation in the Congress. The United States is the only democracy in the world that deprives the residents of its capital city full voting representation in the national legislature. Essentially, residents of every State have a vote regarding the laws that govern the District, while those living in the District itself do not. Support the right to vote. Support voting rights for the residents of the District of Columbia. Support H.R. 1905.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to extend my most sincere ``Congratulations'' to Mrs. M. Jean Butler on her retirement from JCB Construction, Incorporated. I wish to join with her many friends, family members and admirers in recognizing Mrs. Butler on this special occasion. The years of dedicated and productive service she has demonstrated have set a standard in the construction industry that will not soon be surpassed. In an industry dominated by men, Mrs. Butler established lCB Construction, Inc. to be the largest African American female owned firm in Central Florida. Expanding on a family legacy of entrepreneurship in the construction industry, Mrs. Butler has developed a reputation as a savvy businesswoman who's professional and quality work within the last 20 years have been modeled by other organizations. I commend her for her setting an example and remaining true to her vision. Mrs. Butler is the recipient of many honors and awards of which she is most deserving. She is a leader in this community who takes pride in giving back. Her wisdom and words of encouragement to everyone she encounters has endeared her to us all. It has been said, ``To whom much is given, much is required.'' I extend my best wishes for continued happiness and abundant blessings during her retirement. It is my tremendous honor to recognize Mrs. Butler for her years of service and for being a productive citizen in this community. Her valuable time, efforts and accomplishments are greatly appreciated and will never go unnoticed.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Madam Chairman, I rise in support of the Congressional Black Caucus Alternative Budget offered today. The CBC budget will change a 6 year Republican policy that I call Reverse Robin Hood, stealing from the poor to give to the rich. You might ask why the Democratic Budget, which I support, needs improvement. The Democratic Budget needs improvement because when America has a cold, African-Americans have pneumonia. The CBC budget reverses the deep cuts that have been made in the programs that serve the neediest Americans. Over a 5 year period, compared to the President's budget the CBC spends: $158 billion more on education, training, employment and social services; $101 billion more on healthcare; $19 billion more on community and regional development; $42 billion more on veterans benefits and services; $12 billion more on administration of justice; $21 billion more on homeland security; and $5.8 billion more on international affairs. Even after funding these priorities, the CBC alternative budget still manages to balance the budget in Fiscal Year 2012 and in fact, creates a surplus of $141 billion. As an African American woman who represents one of the poorest districts in the state of Florida, I am proud to say that the Congressional Black Caucus's Budget demonstrates that fiscal responsibility and spending on programs that are important to the African-American people are not mutually exclusive. I encourage all my colleagues to support the CBC Budget.

Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Democratic budget offered today. This budget is a stark contrast to the President's budget which proves to be entirely insufficient in meeting the needs of our Nation, and those of my constituents in the third district of Florida. A budget is about priorities, and the President's priorities are to ask our seniors, our students, our children, the middle class, and the working poor, to make fiscal sacrifices, while the rich count their money. As an African-American woman who represents one of the poorest districts in the state of Florida, I am proud to say that Democrats are fighting for a budget that reflects the values of America's working families. For the first time in 6 years, the congressional budget resolution will deliver fiscal responsibility, economic prosperity, a strong national defense, affordable health care and energy prices, and strong public schools. Let me give you some examples of the differences between the President's budget and the Democratic budget: The President's budget has deficits as far as the eye can see with an increase of $507 billion over the next 5 years. The House Democratic budget lowers the deficit in 2008 and balances the budget in 5 years. The President's budget cuts vital health care programs even when there are over 3 million Floridians without health insurance. The House Democratic budget puts children and families first by providing $50 billion to expand children's health insurance and creates a reserve fund that would allow Medicare improvements--such as increasing the reimbursement rate for physicians and improving the Medicare prescription drug program. The President's budget fails to protect Americans here at home by slashing funding for the COPS program by 94 percent. COPS is regarded as an overwhelming success and has funded more than 118,400 police officers and sheriffs deputies. The House Democratic budget provides more homeland security dollars to fund the 9/11 Commission's recommendations, reject the President's cuts to first responders, and adequately address port security needs. The President's budget forgets about the over 1.7 million veterans in Florida by cutting funds for their healthcare in 2009 and 2010 and imposing new health care fees on 1.3 million veterans. The House Democratic budget meets previously unmet needs for veterans by increasing funding for veterans' health care by $5.4 billion above current services. The President's budget gives no relief to Americans struggling with high energy costs. Florida low-income energy assistance was slashed by $6.5 million and gas prices have increased approximately 69 percent since 2001. The House Democratic Budget expands renewable energy and energy efficiency by stimulating the economy with investments in the farm economy and in research to develop clean, sustainable energy alternatives to help America achieve energy independence in 10 years. The President's budget betrays Florida's children by underfunding the No Child Left Behind Act for the 6th year. Nearly 160,000 children in Florida will go without promised help in reading and math. The House Democratic Budget has a $3 billion increase in funding for programs like No Child Left Behind, special education and aid to help students afford college. In closing, I would like to reiterate that Democrats are committed to a new direction for America in which the interests of hardworking Florida families take priority over the special interests. This budget delivers fiscal responsibility, economic prosperity, a strong national defense, access to healthcare and high-quality public schools for the people in my district and for Americans overall.