Donna Christensen

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam 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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, this legislation would bring some 8,700 acres of land into Federal trust status for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians outside of the regulatory framework established for bringing Indian land into trust. It is important for the tribe to have this land put into trust status in order to continue their economic development plans. The Bureau of Indian affairs has indicated that it will take at least a year for them to process the land in accordance with the land-into- trust regulations. As we hear from numerous tribes, this would have a detrimental effect on the tribe's current and future economic development and expansion. The administration supports this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support it as well.

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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Dr. Walter W. Shervington, a noted psychiatrist and a hero of health care, for dedicating his life to the needs of both the communities in which he lived and worked and the Nation. Dr. Shervington received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. His distinctive medical career involved active participation in numerous professional associations, which included the Black Psychiatrists of America, the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, the American Psychiatric Association and the American College of Psychiatrists. In February of this year, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of a new U.S. Olympic Committee, with oversight of drug screening for U.S. athletes participating in the Olympics. In August of 1999 he was sworn into office as the 99th President of the National Medical Association (NMA). The NMA is a professional, scientific and educational organization that represents the interests of more than Twenty Five Thousand (25,000) African American physicians and the patients that they serve. It is an organization that is dedicated to establishing parity in medicine and the elimination of health disparities. Dr. Shervington's three decade tenure with the NMA is a legacy of service, dedicated commitment, accomplishment and reflects the multiple and diverse positions that he held. He served as Chairman of the Section on Psychiatry and Behavioral Science; Delegate, Secretary, Vice Speaker and Speaker of the House of Delegates; Chairman of the Board, Vice President and President-Elect, before being sworn into office as President during the Association's 104th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly. His term as President brought national attention to the negative impact of Managed Care on African Americans, issues of parity and the access of African American patients to HIV/AIDS treatment. His expertise in the field of psychiatry enabled him to write and lecture extensively on mental health and the impact of HIV/AIDS on the African American community. He served as principal investigator and co- principal investigator on several HIV/AIDS projects and participated in the New Orleans Regional AIDS Planning Council, while being a member of the National AIDS Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Until his death he served as Chief Executive Officer of the New Orleans Adolescent Hospital, a psychiatric hospital for children and adolescents serving the Greater New Orleans area. He formerly served as Medical Regional Director for the Office of Mental Health in the Louisiana Department of health and Hospitals. In 1992 he was appointed Assistant Secretary, Office of Mental Health, by Governor Edwin Edwards of Louisiana and was also an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Louisiana State University School of Medicine. His death on April 15, 2000, ended the illustrious performance of an individual's contributions to various communities and the field of medicine. On behalf of the Congress of the United States of America, I salute Dr. Walter W. Shervington for his dedicated service to his country, his profession and especially the African American community. I thank his wife Denise and daughters Shanga and Iman for sharing him with us.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in enthusiastic support of S. 1402, the Veterans and Dependents Millennium Education Act of 2000 which would increase the amount of educational assistance to veterans under the Montgomery GI Bill. This is a bipartisan bill that is long over due and I complement Veterans Committee Chairman Stump and Ranking Democrat Evans for their leadership in bringing it to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, we continue to fail our veterans in repaying them for their service to their country. We send them off to fight in our defense and yet when they return we break many of the promises that were made to them. This bill is a start in the right direction in reversing this trend. We owe our veterans much more than we have been giving them. If it becomes law, the Veterans and Dependents Millennium Education Act, would increase the current Montgomery GI Bill benefit from $536 to $600 a month on October 1, 2000 for full time students and to $720 on October 1, 2000. There would also be proportional increases for part- time students, as well. The bill would also increase survivors' and dependents' educational assistance benefits for full-time students from $485 to $600 a month starting October 1, 2000 and to $720 a month on October 1, 2000. It would also permit the award of survivors' and dependents' educational assistance payments to be retroactive to the date of the service- connected death or award of 100 percent disability rating. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the many Virgin Islands veterans being able to take advantage of the increased benefits offered by this bill to further their education. In today's world where a high premium is placed on our workforce being highly skilled, this bill makes such training and higher education more affordable to our veterans.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 30 seconds. Madam Speaker, as we rise to recognize and thank the officers who have given their lives in service to this community, I also want to join my colleagues in offering my sincerest condolences to our colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) on the personal tragedy that he and his family have experienced this weekend.

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

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased also to rise in support of this resolution, which expresses the sense of the House that law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty should be honored, their dedication and sacrifice recognized, and their service to the Nation remembered. I want to commend the prime sponsors, my colleagues, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ramstad). Mr. Speaker, Federal, State and local police officers perform a great service for our communities. All too often they literally are the last thread between us and the forces of violence and chaos. We ask a great deal of the officers who protect us. We ask them to defend our homes and families, to patrol our roads and highways and to bring justice to criminals and murderers who would otherwise wreak havoc in our society. We ask a great deal from these brave officers and they seldom fail us. For this we owe the Nation's police officers our deepest gratitude and our strong support. President John F. Kennedy once remarked, ``A man does what he must, in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures. And that is the basis of all human morality.'' This quote is truly fitting of our Nation's slain officers, who truly uphold this lofty standard. As responsible defenders of our country, they bravely protect our citizens from mortal danger, and, in some cases, it has cost these noble officers their very lives. There are very few communities that have not been touched by the senseless death of a police officer. Fittingly, I would like to acknowledge the courage and the dedication that these slain officers exemplified throughout their careers. This resolution before us seeks to honor the memories of these brave men who served their country with the utmost dignity. I strongly believe that whenever an officer is killed in the line of duty, the pall of sorrow falls upon our great Nation. Today we pause to remember our heroes whose lives were prematurely ended. In 1999, some 151 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty. For instance, Officer Tiffany Hickey, who tragically passed away while attempting to pull over a civilian for speeding and running a red light. All of 20 years old, Officer Hickey was only with the police force for a brief month before she left us. Nevertheless, her passing symbolizes the risk of all of our officers and the risks that they encounter in the service that they provide to our communities. These stories are repeated here in the Nation's capital and in cities around this Nation. In my own district, although we have been fortunate not to have lost officers in the line of duty in the past year, I pause to recognize Randy Stevens and Steven Hodge, who were killed in recent years and for whom wreaths were laid in the Virgin Islands today. On behalf of all my colleagues, I commend these and all brave officers for paying the ultimate sacrifice and for their efforts at protecting our communities. In addition, Mr. Speaker, it is also fitting that as we pause to remember our Nation's fallen officers that we also remember the two Capitol Hill Police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty just last year. Officer Chestnut and Officer Gibson protected the very core of our American society and our belief in the preservation of life. We will always remember these brave officers. In closing, I would like to offer my utmost sympathy and that of my colleagues to the families and friends of our fallen heroes who have gathered today in Washington, D.C., and to the family and friends who were unable to commute as we honor the memories of their loved ones. Again, I urge my colleagues to continue ensuring the memory of these courageous officers by supporting this House Resolution. God bless them all, and God bless America. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3519, the World Bank AIDS Marshall Plan Trust Fund Act. I want to commend the bill's prime sponsors, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), chairman of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) for their efforts in bringing this important and vitally needed bill to the floor today. I want to particularly recognize and thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) for her leadership in fighting HIV and AIDS in people of color globally and on all fronts. Mr. Speaker, the enormity of the deadly impact of AIDS on the people and countries of Africa has been at crisis proportions for a long time and has long called us to act. Since the onset of the epidemic, more than 11 million Africans have died from AIDS, representing more than 70 percent of AIDS death world wide. Although we have made small steps in the recent past today, we begin to respond more appropriately. In addition to this measure, I applaud President Clinton for his recognition of AIDS as a national security threat and a doubling of his budget request to prevent the spread of HIV around the world. The bill before us today will bolster this effort, and that of private pharmaceutical companies such as Glaxo-Welcome, Bristol Myers- Squibb, Boeringher Ingelheim, Hoffman-LaRoche, and Merck & Co., and others who have also pledged to join this effort by helping to ensure that the Federal Government commits to addressing this issue over the next several years. Out of compassion for our fellow human beings, and in recognition of our compelling economic and humanitarian interests in combatting infectious disease in developing countries around the world, although it falls short of what we had hoped for, I urge my colleagues to support passage of this bill.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 701, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act. This is truly a historic moment, for this Congress, all of us, have a unique and singular opportunity to restore and safeguard our country's natural legacy. I also must first applaud the chief architects of the bill, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller). Not always of like minds, they came together on this measure because they both recognize the significant need for providing substantial and reliable funding for our Nation's resources. I can also safely say that it is not often that the committee presents strong bipartisan support for a conservation bill, as we have in this case. H.R. 701 enjoys wide support also from all 54 governors, and it has been cosponsored by a majority of Republicans and Democrats. Of course, any good bill must also have its opponents, and there are also disparate groups, such as the Sierra Club and anti-conservation groups, that have become strange bedfellows in their opposition. But most importantly, the people of this country, including those in my district, want this bill. Two years ago, both our committee, as well as its Senate counterpart, held oversight hearings on the lack of funding since fiscal year 1995 for State grants. In my district, despite our local government's best efforts with limited resources, our local parks continue to be in very serious disrepair and our young people lack adequate recreational space. As a strong believer in recreational programs as a way to channel the youth of our country into positive activities and in safe and well-kept parks as a way to bring communities together, I am especially pleased, therefore, that this bill would dramatically increase Federal spending on outdoor recreation facilities through the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program. Today, we can change the years of neglect, preserve important natural resources, and utilize them to improve the fitness and uplift the spirit of our people and revive the village that is America. Mr. Chairman, I am very hopeful about the prospects of this bill before us today, and I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage. We have been disappointed that over the past several years no funds have been appropriated for the UPARR program. Two years ago, both this committee as well as its Senate counterpart, held oversight hearings on the lack of funding, since fiscal year 1995, for state grants. In my district, despite our local government's best efforts with limited resources, our local parks continue to be in very serious disrepair and our young people lack adequate recreational space. As a strong believer in recreation programs as a way to channel the youth of our country into positive, healthy, constructive and nurturing activities, and in safe and well kept parks as a way to bring communities together, I am especially pleased, therefore, that H.R. 701 would dramatically increase federal spending on outdoor-recreation facilities through the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR). Today we can change the years of neglect, preserve important natural resources and utilize them to improve the fitness and uplifts the spirit of our constituents and revive the village that is America. I am very hopeful about the prospects of the bill before us today and I urge all my colleagues to support its passage.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 434, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. Today, in the Africa and Caribbean Trade Bills, this body has the potential to make a great contribution not only to the people and the countries of Africa and the Caribbean, but for those of us right here in our own country. These bills have been a long time coming, but I am pleased to join my colleagues in strongly supporting them. As you know, I am not only a proud person of African descent, but my district is a part of the English speaking Caribbean. Although the Virgin Islands is part of the United States, and some of the issues we hoped to have addressed within the body of this legislation are not included, the benefits that the increased trade will bring to the region will benefit us as well. I want to take this opportunity to applaud Congressman Rangel and Congressman Crane for their hard work, persistence and diligence in bringing these bills to the floor today. I ask all of my colleagues to fully support H.R. 434 and vote yes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I, too, rise in strong support of the Pelosi amendment, which would add vital drug prevention and treatment dollars to the emergency supplemental budget. I cannot remember how long this war against drugs has been going on, but it has been a long, long time. And despite some reports to the contrary, in too many places in this country, we are losing. I do not necessarily have a problem with appropriations to fight drugs in Colombia or anywhere else and to address the need for increased interdiction. But to do this alone is to employ the same one- sided, near- and short-sighted approach that has not worked through all the plans and in all the years that we have been trying to stem the tide of drugs and stop the scourge of drugs in this country. Mr. Chairman, I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with leaders in my part of the world, the Caribbean, on many occasions, and in almost every instance, the issue of drug transshipment and urgings for them to keep their commitment strong in addressing it is always an important part of the conversation. Do you know what they say to us? They assure us of their commitment. They do not want what the transshipment does to their countries, and they do not want the risks it presents to their people. They want to stop the flow of drugs in and through their countries. But they also say to us that the greatest obstacle to stopping the flow is the ready and the large market for the product. It is simple economics, supply being developed to meet a sustained and increasing demand. And I support the Pelosi amendment, because it is only through addressing demand, as well as interdiction, that we will ever win this ongoing war. I support this amendment for an even more important reason, because we have not adequately addressed poverty, failing schools, poor or no housing and other critical issues facing communities around this country, especially communities of color, drugs; and because of them, HIV and AIDS have taken hold of these communities and threaten to drain the very life blood from our neighborhoods. In those communities, people want to rid themselves of the illness of addiction. They want treatment, and parents want to help to keep their growing children from being consumed by drugs and AIDS, but they cannot get into treatment. And the programs to help our kids and divert our children's energies into positive ways are just not available. The Pelosi amendment would change that, and that is why I support it. We need to provide funding not just to rid our communities and the country of drug-related crime, but we need it to heal those who have fallen prey to addiction to illicit drugs. And we need it to heal our communities and to make them whole. I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), for her leadership. And I thank all of the others who have spoken in favor of this amendment and in favor of the many in this country who need our voices to speak out on their behalf. I urge the rest of my colleagues to support the Pelosi amendment and to vote yes.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Chairman, the health budget is a critical piece of our overall budget and agenda. It is defined by the glaring disparities in health status that exist for the African American community. HIV and AIDS have been our focus, but we also die from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, stroke, and other diseases in numbers greater than all other minority groups combined. Mr. Chairman, this is an emergency. Specifically, this budget will include a minimum of $500 million for the CBC Minority HIV/AIDS initiative. In addition to continuing the programs already started, the increase will allow us to address HIV and AIDS in correctional facilities, increase funding to more vulnerable groups, increase prevention and treatment activities for sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse, expand research, increase Medicaid funding, bring our programs to smaller cities and rural areas, and greatly increase the technical assistance that will enable our community-based organizations to take advantage of this important resource. In the broader area of disparities, we will fund an expansion of the racial and ethnic approach to community health programs, to expand it beyond the existing 32 communities and enhance funding to the health careers opportunities program and National Health Service Corps to do better outreach and provide scholarships for young people of color to enter health profession schools. We would fully fund, also, the provisions of H.R. 1860, 2391, and 3250. Mr. Chairman, with regard to our children, the CBC funds the continuation and strengthening of the Healthy Start program in communities of color and also provides for increased child care at $917 million. Mr. Chairman, the elimination of health disparities in African American communities and other communities of color is one of the most important challenges facing this country. For the sake of all of those who have been left behind in past centuries and for the sake of a fairer and healthier Nation, I ask my colleagues to support the CBC budget. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Clyburn for yielding me this time to present the CBC Health Budget. This is a critical piece of the overall Budget and Agenda. Our health is the necessary underpinning of everything else we aspire to accomplish to make our communities whole, and prepared to meet the challenges of the new Century and the Coming millennium. What defines our Health Agenda and thus this budget are the glaring disparities in health status, and services that exist for the African American community and other communities of color. HIV and AIDS has been our focus, and rightfully so because of our overwhelmingly disproportionate numbers, and the devastation it has wrought in our communities. But we also die and are disabled in far greater proportion than our representation in the population from heart disease, cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, stroke and other diseases in numbers greater than all other minority groups combined. Our budget not only includes funding to address prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS and related illnesses, and continue and expands capacity building within communities of color in this country for this disease, it will extend this effort to the international community. Beyond this it will better address some of the glaring infrastructure deficiencies that have caused the epidemic to take root, and the other diseases to have such adverse impact, severely reducing our life expectancy, in our communities in the first place. Mr. Chairman, responding to our health needs is nothing less than an emergency, and a matter of national security. We ask our colleagues to consider the CBC request in that light. More specifically, this budget will include a minimum of $500 million for the CBC Minority HIV/AIDS initiative. In addition to continuing the programs already started, the increase will allow us to address HIV and AIDS in correctional facilities, increase funding to more vulnerable and at-risk groups, such as women and youth, increase prevention and treatment activities for Syphilis, other sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse which contribute greatly to this crisis, expand research, increase Medicaid funding to provide treatment at the earlier stages of HIV infection, bring our programs to smaller cities and rural areas, and greatly increase the technical assistance that limited many of our community based organizations from taking advantage of these important resources. In the broader area of the disparities, we are asking for $162.3 million for REACH--Racial and Ethnic Approach to Community Health--to expand this program beyond the now 32 communities who have been provided the resources to improve their health outcomes. The CBC Budget will also enhance funding for the Health Careers Opportunities Program, and National Health Service Corps to do better outreach and provide scholarships for young people of color to enter health profession schools. We would fully fund the provisions of H.R. 1860, H.R. 2391, and H.R. 3250, to increase access for providers and patients of color into managed care, address the need for data, and diversity training in the health professions, and elevate the Office of Minority Health Research at NIH to a center. Mr. Chairman, in all this, we have grave concern for the welfare of our children, and are committed to giving them the best possible start in life. The CBC Budget therefore funds the continuation and strengthening of Healthy Start in communities of color and other disadvantaged communities, in the amount of $130 million. This measure also provides, among other things, for increased child care. In this regard our request is above that of the Department, at $917 million. Our communities are at great risk. The elimination of health disparities in African American communities and other communities of color is one of the most important challenges facing this country. For the sake of all of those who have been left behind in past centuries, and for the sake of a fairer and healthier nation, I ask my colleagues to support the CBC budget.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague, and I thank him for yielding to me. I wanted to just talk a bit first about some of the women in medicine. As my colleague knows, I have the privilege of being the first woman physician in the U.S. Congress. And I am very grateful to my constituents of the U.S. Virgin Islands for voting me into this position and allowing me to have that honor.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I think that is the purpose of Black History Month and what we are doing tonight, to hold up for our children some of the people who have excelled in science, many against great odds and through great obstacles. As you said, it is important to look back and realize that we are here and have achieved because of our parents, that we stand on the shoulders of all of those who came before, and that we must provide the shoulders for those who are coming along behind us. It is a very important message.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. But before I even begin to talk about the women, I want to spend the first few moments to brag a little bit on behalf of my constituents that, indeed, the first African American physician to serve in the U.S. Congress was also from the Virgin Islands, and that was Doctor, Governor, and Congressman Melvin H. Evans, who served from 1978 to 1980 before becoming ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago. Although women of African descent have been providing health care in our communities in this country from times of slavery, it was not until 1864 that Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first woman to be awarded a doctorate of medicine in the United States. She was a graduate of Female Medical College. Dr. Rebecca Cole was the first black woman to graduate from Women's Medical College and, by most accounts, the second black woman physician in the United States. She worked for a time with Elizabeth Blackwell, who was the first white female physician in this country. Dr. Cole was soon followed by Susan Smith McKinney Steward and Sarah Loguen Fraser. Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward graduated from New York Medical College in 1870 and was the first woman doctor of African descent in New York State and went on to be co-founder of the Women's Hospital and Infirmary in Brooklyn. Sarah Loguen Fraser, who in 1876 received her MD from Syracuse University College of Medicine, was also one of the early African American women in medicine in this country. There are so many outstanding women in medicine, not all of whom are doctors, and let me just tell you of a few more of them from the 19th century before talking about some of the outstanding women of this century. The first African American woman to earn a doctor of dental surgery degree in 1890 was Dr. Ida Gray Nelson Rollins, who was a graduate of the University of Michigan Dental School; and she practiced in Cincinnati and in the hometown of my colleague in Chicago. Mary Eliza Mahoney is reported to have been the first black professionally trained nurse in the United States. Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, she was employed as a maid at the local hospital before entering her training. In addition to Ms. Mahoney's notable activism within the field of nursing, she was also a fervent supporter of women's suffrage and is said to have been one of the first black women in Boston to have registered to vote. I am a member, too, of the National Medical Association, as my colleagues know, and it has had several outstanding female presidents. The first was Dr. Edith Irby Jones, who was the first African American to enter the University of Arkansas School of Medicine. She graduated from that institution with an M.D. in 1952 and served as the National Medical Association president in 1985. Dr. Irby Jones was later followed by Dr. Vivian Pinn in 1989. In that year, the board was also chaired by a woman, Dr. Yvonne Chris Veal of New York, who later went on to be the first woman to serve in both capacities when she became president of the NMA in 1995. Dr. Vivian Pinn was also the first permanent director of the Office of Research on Women's Health at the National Institutes of Health, where she still serves in that capacity. In 1991, Dr. Alma Rose George of Michigan became the third woman to head this prestigious organization, which represents the African American medical community. Two other of the many notable black women physicians are Dr. Joycelynn Elders, who served as U.S. Surgeon General from September 1993 to December 1994. Her mission was and still is to change America's thinking about health by emphasizing prevention. She initiated programs to combat youth smoking and teen pregnancy, as well as to increase childhood immunizations. She advocates public health over private profits and health care reform, openness over censorship and sex education, and rehabilitation over incarceration in the war against drugs. Another outstanding woman physician is Dr. Mae Jamison, who was the first African American woman to participate in the space mission aboard the 50th space shuttle flight in 1992. She continues to share her knowledge through speaking engagements and teaching at the university level. These individuals are representative of the many women and men as well who have served our communities in the 50 States and the Territories and contributed to the improved health of African Americans and all people of color, indeed of all Americans. They are the reason that I and many of my colleagues have been able to practice medicine today. As we proceed into the 21st century, we should no longer have the first African American or the first female for any position. Despite the strides that these women and others have made, unfortunately, though, there is still much work to be done. I salute all of those who have paved the way for today's and tomorrow's practitioners of medicine and thank them for opening the doors of opportunity for all of us. This year's theme is Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges for the 21st Century. As we face this new century, there are many challenges for us in health and science. We in the Congressional Black Caucus, together with community and faith-based organizations and leaders around this country, are poised to meet those challenges, drawing on the rich legacy that inspires us and compelled by the disparities in health that still confront us and call us to action.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, my colleague just pointed out one of the great challenges that face us for this century, educating more of our daughters and sons and bringing them into the health professions. I guess I would have to start back in the schools that they attend. As my colleague knows, in many of the inner cities and in many of our rural areas schools are in disrepair, they are unsafe, they are ill- equipped, and they are short on staff, as well. So the preparation that our children receive as they go through elementary and secondary school leaves a lot to be desired, and it starts at that level. Of course, we are now faced with propositions that have closed the door of medical schools to many African Americans and other students of color who desire to enter the medical profession, and that is taking a serious total on the numbers as we were beginning to strive to make some headway there. And really it is more even than just the educating of our young people into the field of medicine. Because there is an increasing body of knowledge now that demonstrates that when patients are under the care of a physician or a health provider of the same or similar racial, ethnic, or cultural background that a better doctor- patient relationship is established and out of that better relationship come better patient outcomes and, therefore, better health. We have as a major challenge of this century to eliminate the disparities in health care and heart disease and diabetes and cancer and the diseases that kill African Americans and other people of color in excess numbers. That relationship is critical to that.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, if I might say, I want to just applaud both the National Black Nurses Association as well as the National Medical Association that has been fighting this battle for many, many years and continues to. The National Black Nurses were on the Hill just a few weeks ago, and one of their major focuses is on bringing more of our young men and women into the nursing profession.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleague talked about this as it pertains to allied health professionals. It is an area that is often overlooked. But the physicians and the nurses need the full team in the health care field to bring our patients, who, as I said, are suffering in larger numbers than any other population from diseases like stroke, where speech therapy and occupational therapy, physical therapy is critical to their recovery.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I think that is a challenge that is being faced across the country for our African American hospitals and hospitals that serve African American communities and the poorer communities across the country. In many of our districts that are represented by the Congressional Black Caucus, hospitals are closing every year.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the gentleman. We have made some strides. We have increased portability; we have extended health insurance to children who were previously uninsured. We are continuing to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program and Medicaid. But those are just steps on the way to the ultimate goal, which must be universal health insurance. The gentleman talks about the historically black colleges and universities that have medical schools. They need resources. When he talks about some of the political activity that has to take place, we need to work very diligently to make sure that our medical schools that primarily are African American-serving as well as the Hispanic-serving institutions and the Native American-serving institutions have the resources they need because the education of people of color to serve communities of color because we know of the effectiveness of the relationships that are formed there are critical to eliminating the disparities in health and elevating the health status for the entire country.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I agree that we have many budding and potential scientists, inventors, great doctors and health professionals in our community that just need the opportunity. I am also thinking that through some of our education initiatives this year that will help to open the doors for them to become those inventors, those physicians, those scientists.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Or in the Virgin Islands.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3201, the Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site Study Act, and I commend my friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), for introducing this bill. I also thank my chairman, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), and the ranking member, for their support in bringing the bill to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves James and Eliza Woodson of Buckingham County, Virginia, dedicated his life to the study and history of African American life and culture. As we heard, he received his A.B. and M.A. degrees from the University of Chicago in 1908 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1912, following W.E.B. DuBois as the second African American to receive a doctorate from Harvard. His teaching and travels abroad, including a year of study in Asia and Europe, as well as a semester at the Sorbonne, gave him a mastery of several languages. His distinguished career as an educator included serving as the supervisor of schools in the Philippines, dean of the Schools of Liberal Arts at Howard University and West Virginia State College. In 1915, he founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History because of what he saw as the great need to educate the American public about the contributions of black Americans in the formation of the Nation's history and culture. It is because of the efforts of Dr. Woodson that Black History Month is celebrated across the country today. Mr. Speaker, I could go on to recount many more of the accomplishments and contributions that Dr. Woodson made during his lifetime; but we have heard many of them, and we will hear others listed by those who make remarks in support of this bill today. It is entirely fitting, though, as the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) has pointed out, that we honor this great American, particularly during Black History Month, by having the National Park Service study the feasibility and suitability of designating his home on Ninth Street here in Washington, D.C. as a national historic site. I understand that the National Park Service is strongly supportive of this study, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN

Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill to help to revitalize the charter boat industry in my district by giving charter boat operators the ability to compete against their competitors in the neighboring non-U.S. jurisdictions. In the almost three years that I have served as the elected representative of the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the House of Representatives, there have been few other issues that have generated more passion and concern among the Virgin Islands business community than this one. Mr. Speaker, the Passenger Vessel Safety Act, which was enacted on December 20, 1993, made several changes to the laws for passenger vessels. One such change, which required uninspected vessels weighing less than 100 gross tons to carry not more than 6 passengers, has had a significant negative impact on the charter boat industry, as well as the overall economy of my district. The limitation of only six passengers for uninspected vessels has resulted in virtually all vessels, which are able to carry more than 6 passengers, leaving U.S. Virgin Islands waters and relocating to the nearby British Virgin Islands. According to Virgin Islands charter boat industry officials, approximately one third of all charters on crewed yachts carry more than six passengers and less than twelve. Just about all of this type of business has relocated to other areas, primarily the British Virgin Islands which is located only 12 miles from St. Thomas. Additionally, it is estimated that each charter yacht and their clientele spend over $500,000 annually. Because the international standards for the inspection of passenger vessels only apply to vessels that carry more than 12 passengers, foreign registered vessels cannot comply with U.S. laws and enter U.S.V.I. waters carrying more than six passengers. Guests who might otherwise enjoy visiting the U.S.V.I. while chartering in the BVI are not able to visit us if their charter numbers more than six passengers. Mr. Speaker, enactment of this bill is important to the Virgin Islands because of its potential to help revitalize our currently stagnant economy. As recently as 1988, U.S.V.I. marine businesses generated more than $85 million in revenue. But that figure has dropped to less than $15 million today, because of the decline in the industry due to the change in law. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill which is vitally important to the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands, due to its heavy dependence on tourism.