Donna Christensen

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak out of order for 5 minutes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend Members of the Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific Islander caucuses met in Chicago to review the status of health in communities of color there and discuss policy and legislative remedies. On the weekend before that, the Congressional Black Caucus held a brain trust, held similar meetings in Cleveland, Ohio. Both meetings, like the ones we have held in L.A., Miami, Newark, Charleston, and the U.S. Virgin Island were opportunities to talk to our wider constituencies, particularly people of color in this country, about their health care, or lack of it, their needs and what they think we, their Members of Congress and our colleagues, should be doing about it. Mr. Speaker, all of the places we visited are communities in which African Americans in particular, but all people of color, suffer disproportionately from disease and disabilities and die prematurely from preventable causes in numbers which are far in excess of our white counterparts. They are the health disparities that we have repeatedly come to the floor to talk about. Some examples are as follows: American Indian/ Alaskan natives have diabetes rates that are nearly three times higher than the overall rate. The death rate from asthma is more than three times higher among African Americans than among whites. The infant mortality rate for African Americans and American Indian and Alaskan Natives are more than two times higher. Latino women who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer or lung cancer were diagnosed in later stages and had lower survival rates than white women with the same conditions. Vietnamese women have cervical cancer death rates that are almost five times higher, and people of color make up almost three-fourths of all new AIDS cases. In our discussions on these and other realities of health care in our country, what our community said to us was affirming, but it was also frustrating, affirming because their comments, complaints and recommendations told us that our agendas are on target, but frustrating because we have not been able to get this or the other body to make these needs the high priority they ought to be. What is even more distressing is that what is on the health care agenda of this Congress would instead reduce access and increase gaps in health, and because of this, increase the cost of health care for everyone. We, people of color, are already over half of the uninsured. Medicaid cuts will further reduce access to quality medical services; so we will continue to get to the system sicker, requiring more expensive care. Association health plans, like the misguided health savings account, work best for the healthy, which because of centuries of neglect, minority communities are not. Worst of all, the association health plans remove these plans from State laws that protect our access to an adequate level of benefits and our ability to seek redress if denied. The only place fairness can be found in the bill is in its name. What our communities have told us they need are adequate coverage, expanding Medicaid. Just to cover 200 percent of poverty would make a major difference. They also want help to overcome the language barriers, and they want language services paid for, and not by the physicians and centers that provide our care. They want health care providers to reflect the diverse Nation we have become, providers on all levels who know, understand and speak the same language they do. They want comprehensive care and more emphasis on prevention and health maintenance for the diseases that disable and kill us in disproportionate, preventable numbers. They want a more effective office of minority health, office of civil rights, and Indian health service; and they want the health facilities that take care of us to stay open and be better funded. They also said they want resources and the technical assistance to be provided to our communities and our indigenous organization, not to groups from the outside who then come in and try to provide what only we ourselves can do effectively. They want all of the agencies of government that impact our communities, and thus our health, to work together. I want to take this opportunity to thank the hundreds of people who came out to meet with us, our sponsors that are too many to name, and our hosts, Case Western Reserve and the University of Illinois at Chicago schools of medicine. We of the Asian Pacific, Hispanic, Native American, and Black caucuses have listened. And this week we stand ready to provide the vehicle that responds to this important and large segment of the American population. The health of all Americans and the strength of our Nation depend on fairness in health care services and equality and health status for all of its people no matter their race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion or national background, sexual identification or geography. Mr. Speaker, I am calling on all of my colleagues to provide the health leadership this country really needs to unite and not divide us as the bills that will be on the floor this week will do, and to support a better America, a stronger America, and the America our Founders envisioned by supporting the Health Care Equality and Accountability Legislation, or the Heal America Act, when it is introduced later this week.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a native son of the Virgin Islands, affectionately known as ``The Bull from Annaly,'' the Honorable Frits E. Lawaetz, who passed away early this month. Senator Lawaetz was a true legend in our Caribbean American territory as a successful rancher, businessman, legislator, community leader, churchman and family man. Born in Little La Grange, St. Croix on October 5, 1907, Senator Lawaetz was the son of Carl and Marie Lawaetz. A tall and imposing figure who was larger than life, Senator Lawaetz was fluent in English, Danish, Spanish and ``Crucian.'' He was educated in Denmark and apprenticed to Danish farms until his return to St. Croix in 1925. He worked in various roles in the sugar industry as a cowboy and a manager in St. Croix at the La Grange Sugar Factory and in Puerto Rico at the United Puerto Rico Sugar Company. Mr. Speaker, In 1940, Senator Lawaetz became the General Manager of Estate Annaly, owned by the late Ward Canady. There, he developed the largest private agricultural concern in the Virgin Islands with a 400- acre sugar cane farm and a 1500-head cattle ranch. He was instrumental in developing the famous ``Senepol'' brand of cattle, a world recognized sturdy breed of cattle in 1954. He began an export business, exporting bulls throughout the Caribbean, helping to improve the regional stock. In partnership with Canady and his eldest son Hans, Senator Lawaetz founded Annaly Farms in 1964. He formed the Virgin Islands Senepol Breed Association in 1977 and served on its board until 1988 when headquarters for the association moved to the United States and became the Senepol Cattle Breeders Association with 500 breeders worldwide. The association now exports cattle, semen and embryos of the hardy breed to Australia, Africa and the Far East. The Breeders Association has honored Senator Lawaetz by naming its highest award the Frits Eduard Lawaetz Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. Speaker, an avid sportsman, Senator Lawaetz founded the Annaly Athletics in the 1950s, which sent seven local athletes on to play professional baseball, including major leaguers Joe Christopher (Mets) Julio Navarro (Tigers) and Elmo Plaskett (Pirates). Serving for 20 years in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands, Senator Lawaetz was first elected in 1954 under the new Organic Act. He served from 1955 to 1970 and then again from 1974 to 1979, before retiring at the age of 71. He was known as the ``People's Senator'' and is still the longest serving senator from St. Croix. Married to childhood sweetheart, Bodil Tornoe for 63 years until her death in 1999, Lawaetz had three sons, Hans, Bent and Frits (deceased) who followed his footsteps in agriculture and community service. Mr. Speaker, Senator Lawaetz received many honors and commendations in his distinguished life including being named to the order of the Commander of the Danneborg bestowed on him by the Queen of Denmark who he hosted on her visit to the Virgin Islands in May, 1976. He was named to the ``Personalities of the Caribbean'', the International Guide to Who's Who in the West Indies, Who's Who in American Politics, Who's Who in the South and South West and the Notable American Award. He served as a Delegate to the 1980 Democratic Presidential Convention. In 1982, the Lagoon Street Homes in Frederiksted were named in his honor in recognition of his efforts in their establishment and for his many years of dedication to the people of the Virgin Islands. Senator Lawaetz also received the Distinguished Service Award from the Virgin Islands Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, the Outstanding Service Award from the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Frederiksted, and he was appointed by the Danish Council Blak of the Virgin Islands as Honorable Trustee of Danish Cemeteries on St. Croix. In 2000, a book on his life, entitled ``The Bull From Annaly'' was written by Priscilla Watkins. Mr. Speaker, until recently, Senator Lawaetz could be seen at every significant community activity. He will be missed by many. I will personally miss his words of advice, or praise or caution, whichever he felt was needed and which was always generously given. His memory will always loom large in my mind and in that of the entire Territory. His many contributions will endure as a lasting legacy for the benefit of many generations to come. One can truly say that the Virgin Islands is a better place because he passed this way. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my family, staff and the entire Virgin Islands community I extend condolences to his family and friends and our enduring gratitude for his service to the U.S. Virgin Islands, Denmark and the United States of America.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 71, expressing the sense of Congress that there should be established a Caribbean-American Heritage Month and urge my colleagues to support its adoption. As a Caribbean-American myself, it gives me great pride to have been an original cosponsor of this resolution as well as to see it on the verge of passage in the House. Mr. Speaker, the contributions of the people and islands of the Caribbean in the fields of sports, entertainment, politics and culture in the 20th century alone more than makes this resolution worthwhile. In the fight for emancipation and liberation, my fellow Virgin Islander Edward Blyden, along with George Padmore, Marcus Garvey and Claude McKay were among the first West Indian Americans to become well known and well respected in the African American's struggle for racial equality. Other famous West Indian Americans include former U.S. Representative Shirley Chisholm; Franklin Thomas, former head of the Ford Foundation; Federal Judge Constance Baker Motley, the first black woman appointed to the Federal Judiciary; activists Stokely Carmichael--Kwarne Toure-- Roy Innis, Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan; world renowned actor Sidney Poitier; civil rights activist and singer, Harry Belafonte; Earl Greaves, philanthropist, businessman and publisher of Black Enterprise; and now Colin Powell the first black U.S. Secretary of State, have all made impressive contributions on behalf of African Americans. Mr. Speaker, the small nations of the Caribbean wield a cultural influence that has spread to the remote comers of the world. Our culture, notably the music--calypso, reggae, Afro-Cuban and their derivatives--which was created by-and-Iarge by a people who long considered themselves marginalized, has spread far and wide and enjoys unheard of popularity today. But more than just our musical influence, Nobel prizes for literature have gone to poets St. Jean Perse of Guadeloupe and Derek Walcott of St. Lucia from among a number of highly regarded Caribbean writers. Moreover, internationally admired painters Wifredo Lam of Cuba and Leroy Clarke of Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti's ``naive'' artists took inspiration from a complex cosmology born from West African religions and Christianity. And Trinidad and Tobago's carnival was the basis for the breathtaking costumed parades designed by Peter Minshall of Guyana and Trinidad for the Barcelona, Atlanta and Salt Lake City Olympics. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed fitting and proper that we honor the contributions of the people of the Caribbean to our history and culture. Indeed, if providence had not made it possible for our founding father Alexander Hamilton to travel to New York from my home island of St. Croix to further his education, we might not be celebrating the founding of this Nation next week and instead have remained a colony of the United Kingdom even today. I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of H. Con. Res. 71.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, this bill not only undermines our Nation's greatest resources, our people, but as a document, it is not worthy of what this country stands for. As a matter of fact, when I look at it, I just do not know what the Nation stands for. It obviously does not stand, this bill says that it does not stand for equal and the best health care for every American when we look at the cuts in programs that provide needed services, maternal and child health, sickle cell programs, the HCAP program, rural health program, community health centers, and the failure to extend full Medicaid to the territories. It also says that the country does not believe that in this increasingly diverse country, that our residents should be able to communicate with their health care provider. The health profession programs that are key to eliminating health care disparities are decimated, an 84 percent cut. That is scholarships, loan repayments, and outreach programs. It appears that they do not accept that the African American community, which is so devastated by HIV/AIDS, has to have adequate resources itself to reverse its toll, and that AIDS patients across this country need adequate ADAP funding to get the treatment they need. This budget does not care, obviously, that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This country, it says that this country would rather neglect prevention and early care in favor of high-tech, more expensive payments that come too little too late, if at all, to the poor, the rural, and the people of color to make a difference. This bill would make this country one that prefers to have the poor and the middle-class citizens bear every burden, from war to environmental pollution and to illness, just so that its richest people can get richer. On behalf of my constituents and people of color across this country, I say we reject the crumbs from the tables of the rich. We want what we deserve: good health, a decent education, and the opportunity for a good job with a living wage. This bill sends the wrong message. The culture of life that we hear so much about, apparently, this bill does not want it extended past birth. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, to do whatever we can to block the tax cuts, and to take our country back. I say, let us really fund our culture of life. Let us fund those programs that are being eliminated from sickle cell, from training, and maternal and child health and, all of the programs that keep our communities healthy. Let us really fund the culture of life by rejecting tax cuts in favor of sharing the burdens and the bounty of this country, by investing in our people and their health, and really have a budget that supports life.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, this LHHS appropriation bill not only undermines what would otherwise be our nations greatest resource, its people, but as a document is not worthy of what I believe this country stands for. As a matter of fact, as I look at what the Republican leadership lays out in this budget, I just don't know any more what we as a Nation stand for. We obviously don't stand for equal and the best health care for every American, when you look at the imposition of an 11.9% cut in the programs of the Health Resources and Services Administration and the elimination of Sickle Cell programs, Universal Newborn Hearing, and Emergency Medical Services for Children. We also don't believe that in this increasingly diverse country that our residents should be able to communicate fully with their healthcare provider--the health professions programs that are key to eliminating health care disparities are decimated. It appears we don't understand or don't care that the African American community which is so devastated by HIV/AIDS has to have the resources itself to reverse its toll. And we obviously don't care that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This country would rather neglect prevention and early care in favor of the high tech, more expensive treatments that come too little and too late if at all to the poor, the rural, the people of color to make a significant difference. But that is fully in keeping with why we are where we are in this bill in the first place. This is a country that prefers to have the poor and the middle class citizens bear every burden from war to illness to environmental pollution, just so the richest people in this country can get richer. What have we come to? We reject the crumbs from the table of the rich. We want what we deserve, good health a decent education and the opportunity for a good job with a living wage. Apparently the White house and the Republican leadership which has pushed this appropriation to the floor doesn't think so. The culture of life they talk about apparently does not extend past birth. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this, to do whatever we can to block the tax cuts and to take our country back. Let's really fund a culture of life by rejecting the tax cuts in favor of sharing the burdens and the bounty, and really have a budget that supports life.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to commend Ranking Member Velazquez for her continued commitment to working on behalf of small businesses and once again bringing legislation to the House floor to save the 7(a) loan program. Mr. Chairman, this year as in last year, the administration has requested zero funding for the premier lending program for the Small Business Administration. The 7(a) loan program has been systematically dismantled by the Administration. By eliminating funding, the program now runs only on the fees. charged to small businesses and lenders-- which make the program inherently unstable. The recent changes have created a less stable program and increased its lending fees. Since the fee increase, small business lending declined every quarter for a total of more than half a billion dollars so far this year. The 7(a) loan program has been a worthwhile program, particularly to women-owned business. Women-owned businesses are just as financially strong and creditworthy as the average US firm and deserve more options to raise capital. These companies have similar performance on bill payment and several levels of credit risk, and are just as likely to remain in business--yet they still fail to receive the capital needed to grow. In FY 2004, the 7(a) loan program provided more than 15,000 loans to women-owned businesses totaling nearly $2 billion. A vote for Velazquez amendment would help guarantee that the 7(a) loan program would remain affordable for small businesses. Last year, the House overwhelmingly voted on a similar amendment to provide funding for this program. I urge my colleagues to once again support this amendment to rectify a wrong, and ensure that small businesses can still benefit from the program.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1812, the Patient Navigator, Outreach, and Chronic Disease Prevention Act of 2005. I applaud my colleague, friend and chair of the Democratic Caucus, Congressman Robert Menendez of New Jersey for introducing this bill and getting it to the floor today. I also want to thank Chairman Barton and Ranking member Dingell for their support of measure. As you know, Madam Speaker, I have come to this floor on numerous occasions call attention to the racial and ethnic health disparities in this Nation. For years, research has told us that minorities and low- income populations are the least likely to receive the health care they need to live a long, healthy life. There are many barriers to access which go beyond just the complex nature of the system. While I am pleased that today we have a bill that will begin to break down these barriers, and open up access to healthcare for many who might otherwise be left out, I would have to say though that I am deeply disappointed that the Committee did not see it fit to include some of the provisions that specifically addressed the additional barriers that people of racial and ethnic minority populations face, such as those related to language and unique cultural factors. Considering that people of this color bear such a disproportionate share of ill health and premature death, and that our lack of access contributes greatly to the skyrocketing cost of health care, it would have seemed to me to be only natural that a bill such as this would have sought to include the extra provisions that would ensure that every American would have the extra help, according to their need to get the health care services they need. Nevertheless the bill we are passing today while greatly modified meets an important need and I join the many organizations which support it in asking my colleagues to pass this bill, and then continue to work with Democrats and the minority caucuses to address all of the other deficiencies in the health care system that keep wellness out of the reach of people of color in this country. The bill before us provides that navigators will be available to help patients make their way through the health care system--whether it's translating technical medical terminology, making sense of their insurance, making appointments for referral screenings, following up to make sure the patient keeps that appointment, or even accompanying a patient to a referral appointment. Madam Speaker, I also want to acknowledge that the original concept for the legislation comes from Dr. Harold Freeman's ``navigator'' program, which he created while he was Director of Surgery at Harlem Hospital. It is our hope that Dr. Freeman's navigator concept and its laser shape focus on comprehensive modeling of prevention services will eventually be fully translated in legislative terms. I would also want at this time to recognize Brenda Pillars, the chief of staff to Congressman Towns who labored hard on this bill and who passed away last evening. Her passion for the health of all Americans but particularly the African American community, and her work in this body will be missed but long be remembered. In closing, Madam Speaker, I also want to thank Karissa Willhite of Mr. Menendez's office and John Ford and Cheryl Jaeger of the Energy and Commerce Committee along with other staff that enabled this bill to come to the floor. I urge my colleagues to vote for its adoption.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2520, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005. The gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton), the gentleman from Michigan (Ranking Member Dingell), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis) are to be applauded for their leadership and the bipartisan way in which they worked to craft this bill and bring it to the floor today. I have come to this floor on numerous occasions to remind my colleagues about the health care crisis taking place in minority communities. I am proud to say that while this bill is important to saving the lives of all Americans, it also has the potential to eliminate the disparity in pain management and treatment of chronic diseases, and inherited ones, like sickle cell anemia in minorities. In September of last year, I hosted one of the first briefings on Capitol Hill about the importance of cord blood. As discussed then, with additional umbilical cord blood units added to the registry, more Americans, and minorities in particular, who would otherwise not be able to locate a suitably matched, adult transplant donor, will be able to find successful treatment and, thus, hope. With the addition of a possible 150,000 more cord blood units, we will be able to potentially match up to 95 percent of Americans. Earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine recommended that cord blood donors be provided with clear information about their options, including a balanced perspective on the different options of banking. The bill directs the Secretary to guarantee that education. But, Mr. Speaker, we need not only cord blood, but adult and embryonic stem cells as well to provide the full complement of this lifesaving therapy. As this chart shows, unlike human embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and stem cells from umbilical cord blood cannot continually reproduce themselves and are unable to form diverse, nonblood cell types. The cord blood stem cells are an important tool for medicine, as I have said before, especially in the treatment of blood diseases; but they are not, they are not a substitute for embryonic stem cells. We need both. So I strongly urge support for H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Enhancement bill of 2005, and I urge the President to sign both bills into law. That bill was introduced by the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) and the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), and I commend them for their work as well. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 810 would allow important research on embryonic stem cells to continue. Many of the initial lines have been contaminated and cannot be used. Further, the bill includes strong safeguards to protect life and against abuse. I urge my colleagues to support these bills and to join me in urging the President to sign both bills. Through the enactment of H.R. 2520 and H.R. 810, we can provide this lifesaving therapy to many who otherwise may not have any other option to improve or extend their lives. They and their families are depending on us.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mrs. CHRISTENSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, the majority has already explained the purpose of H.R. 606, which was introduced by my colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey). Angel Island is a nationally significant resource, as evidenced by its previous designation as a national historic landmark. Angel Island tells an important historical story about immigration into the western United States; how entry was offered to some, but denied to others under the discriminatory practices of that day. The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) is to be commended for her leadership on H.R. 606. She has a bipartisan coalition of support for her initiative, including California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many individuals and organizations have come to recognize the importance of a Federal-State-private partnership in the preservation and interpretation of this important aspect of our Nation's history. Mr. Speaker, we support H.R. 606 as a means to help preserve the rich history of the Angel Island Immigration Station and urge its adoption by the House today. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this is important legislation for Nevada that will hopefully alleviate some public safety concerns regarding helicopter overflights. As a result, we do not oppose H.R. 849. In addition to her other colleagues in Nevada, the Nevada delegation, the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Berkley) is to be commended for her tireless efforts on behalf of this legislation. She continues to be a forceful advocate for managing the explosive growth of her communities effectively and responsibly. Of course, the distinguished Senate Minority Leader has been a powerful advocate for this legislation, and I know the delegation and the people of Nevada appreciate his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of this legislation is to correct an error in the 1964 public land withdrawal that created the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge in California. H.R. 1101 is identical to legislation passed by the House during the 107th and 108th Congresses, and we have no objection to this noncontroversial bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, today when civil liberties are under attack, and anti-poverty, anti-immigrant, anti-affirmative action, conservative ideology dictates everything from science to whether social safety nets will continue to exist; we cannot afford to lose the protection of a fair and impartial court. When minorities and otherwise powerless groups had no other protection of our rights, the courts have been the only refuge and remedy. As we commemorate the 51st Anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education, we are reminded of the importance of those who are nominated to the judiciary system. Brown vs. the Board of Education was a landmark decision, whose intention is still being fulfilled. One test that we can use as the Senate comes to the brink of disaster, over the final remaining seven judges, is whether based on their past decisions and behavior on the bench, would we have had such a landmark decision such as ``Brown'' had they been on the bench in 1954. I think we can say not! Federal judges are immensely powerful--all cases raising constitutional issues, including school prayer, abortion, and freedom of speech are heard before a single federal judge at the trial level and a panel of federal judges on appeal. All judges are expected to follow the law, not their personal convictions, but one can get a sense of how a judge thinks by looking at previous rulings as well as writings and comments. The nominees at issue are radical conservatives whose views are far to the right of the mainstream on issues such as abortion, the environment, and the worker protection. And their terms are not two, four or six years. Should they be confirmed, we would be subject to their dangerous judicial activism for life. That is why the threshold must be high and their judicial history weighed heavily against the values of this country upon which our Constitution was founded.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Thompson substitute, and I commend him for his leadership and hard work in crafting this amendment, which fills many of the security gaps we were not able to do in the underlying bill. I also congratulate our chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), for fulfilling his promise to establish an annual legislative review of the Department and for his leadership. Mr. Chairman, included in the Thompson substitute is an amendment I sponsored during the markup to provide for a border patrol unit in the Virgin Islands, a number one priority of all law enforcement in my district, the single most important missing ingredient in the defense of the territory, and one more weak link in the protection of our Nation. With over 175 miles of unprotected and open borders, the Virgin Islands is increasingly becoming a gateway of choice to the U.S. for human smugglers. Because of the lack of such a unit, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, our local police, Fish and Wildlife, and the National Park Service have to utilize their stretched resources and personnel to respond and to assist. I want to thank Chairman Cox for including language in the report to have the Department station some of the additional border patrol units in the Virgin Islands and for also including tribal coordination in the Office of State and Local Coordination in recognition of the sovereign nature of the tribal nations. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1817 is a good bill; but, nonetheless, the substitute makes significant improvements in many areas, and I urge my colleagues to support the Thompson substitute. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Thompson Substitute and I urge my colleagues to support its adoption. I commend the gentleman from Mississippi for his hard work in crafting an amendment which seeks to fill many of the security gaps that were not able to be addressed in the underlying bill. I want to begin though, Mr. Chairman, by congratulating the Chairman of the Home- land Security, my friend Chris Cox for fulfilling his promise to establish an annual legislative review of the Department of Homeland Security. It has been an honor and a distinct pleasure to serve with Chairman Cox, first as a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security in the last Congress and again in this Congress on the permanent Committee. Over the past nearly two and a half years, our committee has traveled across the country meeting with the men and women on the front lines of defending our homeland. The bill before us today as well as the Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act which we debated and passed last week are largely the product of those efforts. Included in the Thompson substitute, Mr. Chairman, is an amendment I sponsored during the markup of H.R. 1817 in committee, to provide for a border patrol unit in the Virgin Islands--the number one priority of all of the law enforcement first responders in my district and the single most important missing ingredient in the defense of the Territory and yet another weak link in the protection of our Nation. With over 175 miles of unprotected and open borders, the Virgin Islands is today the gateway to the U.S. and our Nation's southern most border. It is also increasingly becoming the gateway of choice to the U.S. for human smugglers. Since 1998 hundreds of Chinese nationals have entered the U.S. Virgin Islands, but there are many more from other countries of the Caribbean and South America and the Middle East as well. Those dropping the aliens ashore have identified the Virgin Islands as an area from which illegals can try to travel undetected to the U.S. mainland. In fact, the Coast Guard, this past February 29th, detained 72 illegal immigrants on St. Thomas. Because of the lack of a Border Patrol Unit in the territory other federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have to spend a significant amount of man-hours apprehending, processing, detaining and watching aliens in custody. ICE has to use between 6 and 8 agents in every landing of 12 to 15 aliens. At a rate of on average 3 to 4 landing per month more than 80 hours are spent processing these aliens. Time which could be used to investigate conspiracies, smuggling organizations and dismantling rings. In addition, our local Police Department, Fish and Wildlife, and the National Park Service also have to utilize their stretched resources and personnel to respond and assist. Mr. Chairman, having a Border Patrol Unit assigned to the Virgin Islands would also enable us to deal with the other serious problem we face which is drug smuggling. ICE has identified several trafficking organizations that use the USVI to conduct drug smuggling operations, with marihuana, cocaine and heroin being shipped to the territory on a weekly basis. And we know, Mr. Chairman, of the connection and relationship between drugs and terrorism. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Cox for agreeing to include language in the report of H.R. 1817, to encourage DHS to station some of the additional 2000 Boarder Patrol agents called for in the bill in the Virgin Islands. I also want to thank him for amending the title of the Office of State and Local Coordination to the Office of State, Local and Tribal Coordination in response to another amendment I offered in committee in recognition of the sovereign nature of our Tribal Nations. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 1817 is a good bill. I am proud to have been a part of its development as a member of the Homeland Security Committee. I would nonetheless urge my colleagues to support the substitute offered by Ranking Member Bennie Thompson because it makes significant improvements in key areas including fulfilling our commitments in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism prevention, as well as new security measures for rail and public transit biometrics and other screening measures. I urge my colleagues to support the Thompson substitute.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the principal, Ms. Jeanette Smith-Barry, and her team of dedicated individuals at the Charlotte Amalie High School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on the occasion of their re-accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Their tireless efforts, hard work, dedication and faith have paid off and will truly make a difference in the future of our youth and of our Territory. At a time when school districts around the country are faced with budget cuts and higher standards, our schools have to do more with less. The school's accreditation team comprised of administrators, parents, community and business leaders set a goal of obtaining re- accreditation by graduation date 2005 and achieved it. Charlotte Amalie High School (CAHS) is the first of four public high schools in the U.S. Virgin Islands to regain the accreditation that was lost in 2002. Now their students will be able to compete as equals for college and university entrance as well as entry into the U.S. Air Force which will not consider any student from an unaccredited school. Mr. Speaker, this year's graduation which will take place on June 5, 2005 will be a doubly joyous and celebratory occasion for the CAHS Class of 2005 who will receive their diplomas and also be able to finally and proudly say once again that they they received them from an accredited high school. It is in appreciation of their efforts that I use this opportunity to commend the CAHS students, faculty, parents, administration, and their private sector supporters for their successful efforts in developing and executing a successful strategy for regaining accreditation. They are an example to all of us who strive to improve our community. I am proud of their success and wish the entire CAHS family and the Class of 2005 continued success as they continue to ``Excel Always.''

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the hard working and dedicated team at Ivanna Eudora Kean High School in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on regaining their accreditation status from the Middle State Association of Colleges and Schools. This has been a difficult year for the school in many respects, but strong leadership and team work have pulled them through. On Friday, May 13th, the principal of the high school, Sharon McCollum-Rogers, received word that the high school was re-accredited, which is a vindication of the principled but difficult stands they have taken together. At a time when school districts around the country are faced with budget cuts and higher standards, our schools have to do more with less, the school's accreditation team comprised of administrators, parents, community and business leaders set a goal of accomplishing this task by graduation date 2005 and have pulled off a minor miracle. Mr. Speaker, this year's graduation is a doubly joyous and celebratory occasion for Eudora Kean High School. In June, the graduating class will not only be able to proudly say that they have received their diplomas, but they can also once again say that they have received them from an accredited high school. I applaud and commend the Eudora Kean High School students, faculty, parents, administration, and their private sector supporters for their unwavering efforts in developing and executing a successful strategy for regaining accreditation. I am proud of their success and wish the Eudora Kean High School family and 2005 graduates continued success as they continue to ``Strive for Success.''

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 938, to establish the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I am particularly pleased that Title 2 of the bill includes legislation I sponsored in the last Congress and again in this Congress to provide for a study of the suitability and feasibility of establishing my home island of St. Croix as a National Heritage Area was also included in this package. I want to begin by thanking Chairman Richard Pombo and Ranking Member Nick Rahall for their support in including my bill in H.R. 938. Mr. Speaker, I can think of no more fitting place that should be studied for possible designation as a national Heritage Area than my home island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The island of St. Croix has a long, distinguished, and varied history, including being the site where Christopher Columbus first stepped onto what is now American soil. There is significant interest in preserving and enhancing the natural, historical and cultural resources of the island on a cooperative basis and such a study would provide guidance on how we can best achieve those purposes. Even though each one of the four major islands of the U.S. Islands Virgin Islands can make a good case for designation as a National Heritage Area, the island of St. Croix with its two historic towns-- Christiansted built in 1734 and Frederiksted built in 1752--is richly blessed with all of the attributes that would justify this designation. The towns historic architecture matured over a 100-year period. The town of Christiansted is one of the finest examples of Danish architectural designs in this hemisphere. Its history can be traced back some 4,000 years to 2500 B.C. It is also the place where one of our founding fathers and first Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, lived and worked during his formative years. In 1493, Columbus arrived at what is now the Salt River National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve, making it the only site under the American flag where his men went ashore, as well as the first recorded hostile encounter between Europeans and Native Americans. Frederiksted has the distinction of having been the first jurisdiction to have raised its flag in salute of the new Republic of the U.S.A., and indeed the first designed flag was done by a resident of that Island. Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on about the many unique and significant features of the island of St. Croix, but in the interest of time I would say that this is the third time that we would have passed this bill in the House and sent it to the other body and I hope that the third time will be the charm. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 938.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to join my fellow committee members of the Committee on Homeland Security in strong support of H.R. 1544, the Faster and Smarter Funding For the First Responders Act of 2005. This bipartisan legislation was unanimously supported at both the subcommittee and full committee levels of the Committee on Homeland Security. The chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), and the gentleman from Mississippi (Ranking Member Thompson) should receive high praise, as they have on the floor already this morning, for the skillful manner in which they worked so swiftly to shepherd this important bill through our committee and to the floor of the House. Over the past 2 years, the committee has traveled around the country to listen to the first responders. We used the information garnered from these meetings as a guide in developing the first piece of legislation. H.R. 1544 seeks to remedy the problems first responders face because of a lack of guidance and standards, the need for flexibility in how they can use first responder funding, as well as just getting the money to them in the first place. It also provides a vehicle for ongoing first responder participation and planning and updating essential capabilities with the department and responds to the issue of how grants will be distributed and on what basis. My own district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, came under scrutiny this year, particularly because of poor funding levels. When one assesses vulnerability and risk, as this bill lays out very clearly as the basis for distribution of level funding for the first time, my district would still be fairly treated and receive the funding that they need. And, importantly, H.R. 1544 will provide monitoring of the use of the funds provided for under this bill, through an office of the comptroller, which responds to the rightful concerns of the appropriators. Mr. Chairman, most importantly, H.R. 1544 implements relevant 9/11 Commission recommendations to allocate Federal homeland security funds to first responders based on risk rather than political formulas. In doing so, we not only do what is right, but we honor the sacrifice of those who were killed and their families; and this is a bill we can all be proud of. I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Waters/Scott amendment to H.R. 1279, the Gang Deterrence and Community Protection Act of 2005. If the Waters/Scott amendment is defeated I would urge my colleagues to oppose the underlying bill because it broadens the definition of gangs and metes out even harsher punishments for offenses that already have very long sentences. Mr. Chairman, the Scott/Waters amendment strikes those sections of the bill which set mandatory minimum sentences. I agree with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, (NAACP) who propose that by increasing the number of crimes that have mandatory minimum sentences, and stiffening those sentences, the bill will exacerbate the already troubling and offensive racial disparities in the criminal justice system. According to Families Against Mandatory Minimums, such ``sentences are bad regardless of the crime because they prevent judges from making distinctions between defendants and sentencing them according to their culpability. Instead, mandatory minimums impose one-size-fits-all sentencing, which guarantees injustices'' In my district the US Virgin Islands we are in the midst of gang violence amongst our young males. Over the years, through various preventative programs within our law enforcement community and amongst private organizations, we have seen a difference in behavior within our teen population as it pertains to conflict resolution. Prevention is truly the best cure in this situation not inflexible mandatory minimum sentences I urge my colleagues to support the Waters/Scott amendment.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 142 to support the goals and ideals of `Rotary International Day' and to celebrate and honor Rotary International on the occasion of its centennial anniversary. Rotary began in my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands with what was called non-district clubs. The first non-district club to receive a charter was The Rotary Club of St. Thomas in 1957, followed by The Rotary Club of St. Croix in 1958 and from their inception they emphasized their commitment of Service Above Self. Rotary West of St. Croix for example has provided (5) $1,000 scholarship for graduating seniors from St. Croix high schools for over 25 years. They have also donated over 350 wheelchairs to residents of St. Croix and Haiti, and provided over 3 trailers loads of dry goods to the residents of Grenada in the wake of the disaster they suffered last year. Just this past March, they presented a $10,000 check to Juan Luis Hospital to help the facility purchase an EEG machine. On St. Thomas, three 2004 graduates of the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School were given full four-year scholarship awards to attend the University of the Virgin Islands, thanks to Rotary Club of St. Thomas East. St. Thomas' Rotary East works closely with students at Eudora Kean, its adopted school, year-round and at the end of the year it awards up to four scholarships to deserving graduates. With Rotary International in its 100th year, each club is mandated to create a special project. For its Centennial project, Rotary East created a tropical arboretum with the help of Kean students, planting 100 trees on the school's campus concentrating on native species, such as pink cedar and sea grape trees. Madam Speaker, I am pleased that Rotary International and the U.S. Coalition for the Eradication of Polio have chosen to recognize me as a 2003 Rotary ``Congressional Champion of Polio Eradication. The drive to eradicate polio has been one of the largest private-public sector initiatives ever organized. Rotary International has been working since 1985 to help eradicate polio from the world and it is now possible. They have mobilized tens of thousands of Rotarians to work together with their national ministries of health, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, and with health providers at the grassroots level in thousands of communities. By the time polio has been eradicated, Rotary International will have expended more than $500 million of its own money on the effort. I am pleased to support H. Res. 142 and applaud Rotary International for all of their good work in service to their community. I urge my colleagues to support passage of the resolution.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Delta M. Dorsch on attaining her ninetieth birthday. Ms. Dorsch is one of the outstanding educators of the Virgin Islands educational system, and a ``Tradition Bearer'' of our oral cultural ``Anansi'' stories, which is a continuation of the African oral tradition. Ms. Dorsch was born and raised on the island of St. Croix, where she received her elementary and secondary education in the local public school system. Ms. Dorsch traveled to the U.S. mainland to further her education and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Education at Central Michigan University. Before returning home she received her graduate and post graduate degrees at New York University and Columbia Universities respectively, with an emphasis in Supervision and Administration of Schools, and also studied International Education at the University of London in England and at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. Delta Dorsch served for more than thirty-eight (38) years as a teacher in the Virgin Islands school system and in a supervisory capacity as Deputy Commissioner for Curriculum and Instruction. She was also an Instructor of Elementary Education in both undergraduate and graduate programs at the University of the Virgin Islands; and was Chairman of the Board of Directors for the St. Dunstan's Episcopal School. In addition to addressing educational components in her various positions, she also used them to stress the importance of preserving our traditional values and cultural heritage to parents, teachers and students. This dedication to duty and approach to life combined in having Ms. Dorsch as the recipient of numerous service awards from civic and community organizations. The most noteworthy to her was having the Elena Christian Junior High School's Honor Society named in her honor. The Anansi stories, part of the African oral tradition, have been an integral part of Virgin Islands culture and tradition for centuries. These stories were told around campfires in slave quarters and later on, in yards and villages, by giving insects and animals human qualities to weave an interesting story that always had a moral ending. The stories have always been enjoyed by our youngsters, the moral lessons staying with them throughout their lives, and unfolding as morals tend to do, when we experience the lessons of life. This was an aspect of our folktale culture and tradition that was on the verge of extinction. The fact that they are still a vibrant part of our culture today is due to the efforts of Delta Dorsch in keeping them alive. In recognition for preserving this part of our culture and tradition, Delta Dorsch was among the Tradition Bearers from the Virgin Islands that participated in the Smithsonian Institution's Senegal Folk Life Festival that was held here on the Mall in Washington, D.C. in 1990. This event enabled her to proudly communicate our tradition and culture to many visitors from around the world that attended the Festival. Ms. Dorsch's recent contribution to Virgin Islands History was authoring the book ``The Role of the Storyteller in the Preservation of Virgin Islands Culture'' and its accompanying video. There is an old adage that behind every great man there stands a woman. This was proven true in the marriage between Delta and Frederick D. Dorsch. Mr. Dorsch served and enriched our Virgin Islands community in many capacities: Humanist, Educator, Dramatist, Civic Enthusiast, School Superintendent of the Virgin Islands, and as Chairman and Member of the Virgin Islands Municipal Council. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I salute Delta M. Jackson Dorsch on attaining her ninetieth birthday, for her dedicated service to the United States Virgin Islands as an Educator and Preservationist of our Tradition and Culture.