Jim Clyburn

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great statesman, a tremendous public servant and a good friend. Senator John W. Drummond will retire this year after serving in the South Carolina General Assembly since 1965. His leadership will certainly be missed. John W. Drummond was born in Greenwood, South Carolina, on September 29, 1919, to mill worker parents. He was the fourth of seven children growing up a deeply religious, working-class family, whose values shaped the man John was to become. As a young man, John's family moved to the town of Ninety Six, where he attended school until he graduated in 1937. With few options available to him, John decided to join the military. He joined the 263rd South Carolina Coast Artillery Regiment, the equivalent of today's National Guard, and was stationed in Charleston. By early 1941, John earned the rank of Sergeant and he enjoyed military life. Everything changed with the bombing of Pearl Harbor later that year. John's regiment was federalized, and he was eager to see action in the war. He took a paratroopers exam at the Citadel, hoping to change his military assignment and get closer to the action. John scored so well, he was encouraged to become a pilot and was sent to Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio for training. The skills he demonstrated in flight training school led instructors to send John to Tallahassee to become a bomber pilot. After training, he was inducted into the 405th Bomber Group Unit of the 510th Fighter Squadron. His skill as a bomber pilot earned him the nickname ``Ace.'' In September 1943, John's squadron was transferred from Florida back to his home State of South Carolina and an air base in Walterboro. His return home got John into some hot water. While out on a training mission, John buzzed his hometown of Ninety Six. This forbidden practice earned him a demotion in rank to 2nd Lieutenant and a winter of sleeping out in a pup tent. Finally in March 1944, the 510th received its orders to report to Christchurch, England, to begin its service on the war front. By May, John was flying reconnaissance and combat missions over the German- occupied Normandy area of France. He rose to the rank of Captain and was a fighter commander. On D-Day, June 6, 1944, John was in the midst of the invasion protecting the ships that were attacking the beaches of Normandy. On July 29, 1944, John's plane was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire, and he managed to escape the burning plane, although his parachute didn't open fully due to his close proximity to the ground. Although injured, John rolled into the bushes, but was soon captured by German soldiers. He became a POW and was sent to a camp in Germany where he remained in horrid conditions until May 13, 1945. When he returned to the United States after his liberation, John spent time recovering in a military hospital from severe malnutrition and other ailments related to his time in the POW camp. Upon his return to Ninety Six, John made good on a promise he had made to himself to woo and marry an acquaintance, Holly Self, affectionately known as Ms. Holly. The two married on June 12, 1947, and had three sons. In 1946, John was officially discharged from the Air Force. He decided to go into business for himself, and opened a donut shop--the Golden Ring Bakery. He owned, managed and did all the work himself with the help of just one employee until 1954. John then accepted an offer from his father-in-law to become a manager at Greenwood Petroleum Company. He showed a real talent for the oil business, growing and expanding its operations. Later he inherited Greenwood Petroleum and began Drummond Oil Company, making both very successful businesses. On June 6, 1964, John announced his candidacy for the South Carolina House of Representatives. He won his first election, and took his seat in the General Assembly in January 1965. He immediately caught the attention of the very powerful Speaker of the House, Sol Blatt, and he became one of ``Sol's boys,'' which provided him invaluable tutelage and political opportunities. Just two years later, John challenged the incumbent Senator from Greenwood over the issue of who should provide power to their rural county. He, with the help of his ally Duke Power, won that contest, and in January 1967, John became a South Carolina State Senator representing Greenwood. Senator Drummond came into office with high ideals and a mind to shake up the status quo. His first effort was an attempt to eliminate the seniority system which controlled the Senate. His bold move was quickly thwarted by the Senate President Pro Tempore Edgar Brown. During his 43 years in the General Assembly, Senator Drummond made education his top priority. He was a staunch supporter of the Education Finance Act of 1977, the Education Improvement Act of 1984, and the Education Accountability Act of 1998. He was also a strong advocate for the Home Rule Act of 1976, which allowed counties and municipalities more autonomy. Senator Drummond has always been a proponent of more transparency in government. It was appropriate that his first committee chairmanship was of the Senate Ethics Committee. Under his leadership, the Senate passed the South Carolina Ethics Act of 1975, which established the State Ethics Commission with oversight over financial disclosure, campaign disclosure and conduct of elected officials. He was also a leading voice to expand the Commission's authority with the passage of the Ethics Reform Act of 1991, following the Operation Lost Trust scandal. Senator Drummond was also a key player in the restructuring of State government. He served on the Commission on Government Restructuring, which made numerous recommendations that were enacted into law in 1993. In order to ensure passage of these reforms, Senator Drummond used his role as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to threaten to withhold the budget until the government restructuring package was approved. His political maneuvering paid off, and the Restructuring Act of 1993 passed with bipartisan support. In 1996, Senator Drummond became the Senate President Pro Tempore, a title which he earned through the seniority system he had sought to dismantle as a young, independent-minded Freshman Senator. Although his rogue tendencies mellowed over time, Senator Drummond's effectiveness grew. In 2001, he became President Pro Tempore Emeritus when the Republicans took control of the Senate, but he didn't succumb to the pressure to switch parties as so many of his colleagues had. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me today in celebrating the extraordinary career and life of South Carolina Senator John Drummond, who I am proud to call one of my best friends in South Carolina politics and government. He is a true public servant, from his courageous service in World War II to his uncompromising representation in the South Carolina General Assembly. He has always remained true to the values instilled him growing up in the small community of Ninety Six. His tremendous legacy is one that honors his humble beginnings and speaks highly of his personal integrity. I commend John Drummond for his statesmanship and his numerous contributions to South Carolina and the Nation. I am proud to call him a friend.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to mark 40 years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In doing so, I would like to submit for the Record a statement from Ralph B. Everett, President and CEO of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. The Joint Center is one of the nation's premier research and public policy institutions and the only one whose work focuses primarily on issues of particular concern to African Americans and other people of color. ``While the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. evokes deeply troubling memories, it also serves as an important milestone in assessing the progress this nation has made and how far we must yet go to transform America in the way that Dr. King envisioned. For many people, the passing of four decades has not diminished the memory of how difficult and uncertain those times were. In my hometown of Orangeburg, South Carolina, the tragic and untimely death of Dr. King intensified the sense of despair and unease that many of us already felt after the February 8, 1968, shooting by law enforcement officers of three unarmed students, including my high school classmate Delano Middleton, during a protest at South Carolina State College against a segregated bowling alley. This became known as the Orangeburg Massacre. In those dark days we wondered, how would the dream survive without Dr. King to lead us toward the Promised Land? But history records that sadness and anxiety gave way to determination and action. Dr. King's spirit continued to guide the movement as African Americans began to concentrate on the everyday task of translating hard won rights into representation and influence in our system of governance in order to secure justice under the law, greater opportunity and an America that lives up to its historic promise. The Joint Center was founded for this purpose and played a critical role in the ensuing progress. Today, we honor Dr. King for his bequest of a legacy and a dream that did not die with him, but rather has served as a lodestar for all that has been accomplished since the tragic day of his assassination. We also recognize there is much to be done--just as Dr. King did when, in the wake of historic gains in civil and voting rights, he sought to direct our attention to the need for fundamental changes in the political and economic life of the nation, so that justice could truly prevail and opportunity could flow to every American. On this day and in his memory, let us commemorate Dr. King's vision and, at the same time, invigorate ourselves with resolve and forbearance to make his dream a reality from sea to shining sea.'' Madam Speaker, I ask you to join Ralph B. Everett, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and me in honoring the great legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As we celebrate the life of Dr. King, I hope that we will be reminded to never be silent in the face of injustices and inequities. I hope we will stand, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood, for what is right, and just for all.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by Mr. Carson. Congressman Carson's amendment rightfully recognizes that the HIV/AIDS epidemic is proliferating at an alarming rate around the globe, particularly in Africa. This amendment establishes a cooperative framework in which AIDS researchers in Africa can collaborate with American medical experts, including researchers at historically black colleges and universities, on the best ways to treat and prevent the spread of this devastating infectious disease. I commend and thank the gentleman from Indiana for offering this worthwhile amendment. I encourage my colleagues to support this amendment and the underlying bill.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Ethel M. Henderson Taylor, on the occasion of her retirement after 58 years in broadcasting. Ethel Taylor's 58 years in broadcasting, 51 years in public education and a lifetime of community service is a testament to her commitment to excellence and her personal belief that service to others is the key to happiness in life. Dr. Ethel Taylor is the first female African-American radio announcer in South Carolina. Her voice was the first one heard on Columbia's heritage radio station WOIC--where she served in multiple capacities for 44 years. Mrs. Taylor then joined the staff of Glory Communications' WFMV/95.3 where she has hosted Golden Gospel Memories for the past 14 years. Ethel Taylor used her barrier breaking achievement with WOIC in the 1950s, to connect WOIC with its African-American listeners and the community at large. She quickly made headway in the African American community with her weekly Saturday morning show A Date with Ethel. The program drew hundreds of listeners through its skillful mix of soulful music, highlights of community events, and its warm down-home feel that listeners could connect to throughout the midlands. Throughout her career, Dr. Taylor received numerous awards for her broadcast and community accomplishments. A native of Laurens, SC, Ethel Taylor brings great pride to my home state. She is a 1946 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Benedict College, taught english in the Richland County Public School system for 30 years, earned her masters of education degree in english from the University of South Carolina, and now serves as assistant professor of english at Benedict College. Throughout these years, she served on numerous faculty and community boards in many roles of leadership. Along the way, Mrs. Taylor and her deceased husband, John B. Taylor, raised nine children. She is a grandmother of 15 and great-grandmother to 4. Mrs. Taylor celebrates her 85th birthday on March 27, 2008. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring the great lifetime achievements of Mrs. Taylor. Today. her retirement from broadcasting only means that Dr. Ethel M. Henderson Taylor is poised to write another chapter in her phenomenal story of service to God, her family and community. I wish her continued success and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend, a dedicated staff member and a tremendous South Carolinian, Isaac W. ``Ike'' Williams, Sr. Ike passed away February 15, 2008, and this significant loss has been felt deeply by his family, his friends, his community and his State. Ike was born in the Union Heights neighborhood of Charleston, the son of the late Reverend Willie Williams and Inez Williams Brown. He grew up in a large family with ten brothers and sisters, and attended Charleston County public schools. In 1967, Ike received a bachelor's degree in professional biology from South Carolina State College. During his senior year at S.C. State, he was a leader in organizing student protests, which ultimately led to the removal and replacement of the president of the university and improved overall conditions at the school. After graduating he was commissioned through the Army ROTC in Army Air Defense in 1967, and served on active duty in the United States and Korea from 1967-1969. He was active as a youth in the N.A.A.C.P. and was president of the South Carolina Conference Youth Division from 1963-1967. Ike also served as chairman of the N.A.A.C.P. National Youth Work Committee from 1966 to 1976. As a student leader, Ike led efforts in Charleston, Orangeburg and statewide to open public accommodations to African Americans. He actively participated in sit-ins, kneel-ins, walk-ins, and pray-ins, and was subsequently jailed over 17 times. He also organized communities all over South Carolina during voter registration efforts prior to the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In 1969, Ike was hired as Field Director of the South Carolina N.A.A.C.P., a position he held until 1983. He is noted for accomplishing several landmark achievements during this period. He filed reapportionment lawsuits to eliminate multi-member districts in the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate, organized the first efforts to make Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday a legal holiday in South Carolina, and he drew public attention to inadequate, low- income housing in South Carolina. Ike also facilitated investigations to end police use of excessive force, as well as mobilized citizens in Bowman and St. Matthews to improve their local educational systems and gain election to their local school boards. In addition, Ike expanded the fundraising ability of the South Carolina Conference of Branches N.A.A.C.P. by creating the Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, a vehicle that raises several hundred thousand dollars annually. During this time, he also became one of the founders and organizers of the South Carolina United Citizens Party. Ike always credited his civil rights involvement to his sister, Mildred, his father, Mrs. Mary Lee Davis and Reverend I. DeQuincy Newman. From 1983-1992, Mr. Williams worked as a consultant to many businesses and corporations in South Carolina, and served as an Associate Publisher for the South Carolinian, a monthly news magazine. He also worked as an advertising consultant for the South Carolina Black Media group. In 1992, Ike and William DeLoach spearheaded my successful campaign to become the first African American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina since post-Reconstruction. He joined my Congressional staff after the campaign and served as District Aide for 15 years. For his lifetime of service, Ike received numerous awards from the N.A.A.C.P., many social and civic organizations, and was named to Who's Who in America. He was dedicated to community service and served on the I. DeQuincy Newman Foundation at the University of South Carolina. He was Chairman of the E.A.R. Montgomery Foundation, Chairman of the Board of Richland Primary Healthcare Association, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Trio Program at the University of South Carolina. Ike was a member of First Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He was a Prince Hall Free and Accepted Mason and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Ike leaves a host of friends and relatives to mourn his memory, including his wife the former Evelyn Tobin of Columbia, and three children: Dechancela Evette, Isaac, Jr. and Shelley Nicole. Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Ike Williams. He was a man of deep faith, who always lived by the admonition in the Book of James that it is not enough to tell those in need to go in faith. Ike was a man that black, white, young, old, weak and strong sought out in their time of need, and he tried to never leave anyone wanting. Although his presence will be sorely missed, his legacy lives on the countless people he touched over the years, and I am thankful to be counted in that number.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act. Chairman Miller and his staff are to be commended for putting together a bill that will aid thousands of needy students. Mr. Chairman, this legislation will ease the financial burdens being placed on working families paying high costs for post-secondary education. Passage of this bill will make post-secondary education more attainable and affordable for all Americans. H.R. 4137 allows students to receive Pell Grants year-round. This bill also provides incentives to those colleges and universities that work to limit their tuition increases. As a proud graduate of South Carolina State University, a historically black university in South Carolina, Orangeburg, I am pleased to see that this legislation enhances the HBCU Capital Financing Program's lending and eligibility criteria. And in light of the hardships suffered by those students who had their schools destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, this legislation establishes a program to help schools rebuild in the event of a natural disaster. This education package also helps colleges implement enhanced campus safety and disaster readiness plans. Our Nation's continued prosperity is dependent upon the investment that we make in securing the futures of our children and grandchildren. This legislation will help to maintain America's strong global standing by providing our students the tools and resources they need to be competitive in a transnational economy. I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you very much, Mr. Rangel, for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this economic stimulus package, and I commend the House leadership on both sides of the aisle for their efforts in quickly getting this important legislation to the floor. And while the deal may not be perfect--very few, if any, are--it will go a long way towards stimulating our economy while helping many Americans struggling to make ends meet. Mr. Speaker, these are turbulent times for many working families: unemployment numbers are up, and the housing market is down; energy costs are rising, and stock values are falling. In short, Mr. Speaker, our economy is underperforming, and the American people are looking to us for leadership. This measure seeks to stimulate growth by helping businesses and workers. It extends tax rebates to 117 million families and offers write-offs to small businesses to assist them in the creation of much- needed jobs. This legislation serves as an important first step towards moving our economy in a new direction. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation. The American people are looking for a new direction, and this legislation provides just that.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3963, the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Madam Speaker, hardworking American families are struggling and in dire need of assistance. I can think of no better way to help them than by providing health insurance coverage for their precious young ones. I find it shameful and downright neglectful for President Bush and congressional Republicans to turn their backs on hardworking American families by refusing to support this reauthorization bill. As we speak, the Governor of South Carolina is proposing to cut the Children's Health Insurance Program in spite of the fact that last year the legislature overrode his veto of similar legislation. He wants to deny health care coverage to an additional 70,000 low- and middle- income children in order to cut the State's income tax on a few of South Carolina's wealthiest families. We all know, Madam Speaker, that when children are uninsured minor health problems can become serious and chronic health problems. Those children often end up in emergency rooms, and that means that State residents with insurance ultimately will pay in higher medical costs, higher deductibles, and higher co-pays for their own care. This contributes to a less efficient, more expensive health care system for all. I implore my colleagues to do as my State's legislators have done in a bipartisan way and override this veto. In doing so, you are taking a stand for our children and the preservation of our public health systems.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor one of South Carolina's own, Sylvia Pressley Woods, affectionately known as the ``Queen of Soul Food.'' In August of 1962, Sylvia put her charismatic personality to the test and purchased the restaurant, which then was only a small luncheonette, from her own boss. Almost 50 years later, Sylvia's has become the landmark of 126th St. and Lenox Avenue and the one place where everyone knows they can get a taste of authentic Southern Soul food. The restaurant also serves to remind the community's residents that hard work, determination, and love of family can lead to success. Sylvia's Restaurant, a Harlem soul-food landmark, attracts busloads of tourists from all over the United States and around the world. Sylvia's is a frequent stop for celebrities and politicians. With the launch of a line of prepared supermarket foods, the empire of restaurateur Sylvia Woods has expanded to touch the culinary lives of people all over the country. Woods herself has a remarkable story that encapsulates much of 20th- century African-American history. She was born Sylvia Pressley in Hemingway, South Carolina, on February 2, 1926. Her father, Van Pressley, died three days after she was born from the after effects of chemical-weapons injuries he sustained while fighting in World War I. When she was three her mother departed for New York City in search of a chance to make money that would put her family on a solid financial footing. Woods recalled with affection the warmth and closeness of her rural southern community. Nevertheless, she has painful memories. ``I didn't like any part of farm life,'' she told Nation's Restaurant News. ``I didn't understand why people would not let me drink out of the same water fountain, but they would trust me to cook for them and to take care of their dearest things, their babies.'' Her grandfather was hanged after being wrongly accused of participating in a grocery-store robbery when her mother was just an infant. Sylvia Woods worked in a Queens hat factory for a time, as well, but a turning point came in 1954 when a cousin told Woods that she planned to quit her job at a lunch counter at 126th Street and Lenox Avenue, around the corner from the famed Apollo Theater and within walking distance of the Woods's 131st Street apartment. Woods, who had rarely even seen the inside of a restaurant, took the job with trepidation and without any thought of ever running one herself. But she impressed the owner, a fellow South Carolinian, with her energy. When he ran into financial trouble with an investment in a black resort in upstate New York, he offered to sell her the restaurant. After her mother took out a $20,000 loan backed by her family farm, Sylvia Woods became the owner of Johnson's Luncheonette in 1962. With four children, Van, Bedelia, Kenneth, and Crizette, born between 1949 and 1967, Woods had little time to think of expansion, but Sylvia's became known far and wide for its fried chicken, collard greens, peach pies, and other soul-food standards. The restaurant moved two doors down from its original location in 1968 and gradually grew to occupy most of the Harlem block on which it rests. Sylvia's now can seat 450 and boasts a next-door catering operation. Diners suggested that Sylvia's open new branches in other cities, but Woods and her son, Van decided on a different course--one inspired by the customers who would come in at holiday time with empty jars and ask whether they could buy Sylvia's barbecue sauce. Launched in 1992 and featuring a picture of Woods herself on the label, the Sylvia's Queen of Soul Food line of canned and bottled foods impressed Pathmark supermarket CEO Jim Donald. He told Crain's New York Business that ``Sylvia and Van Woods run their company with their heart and soul.'' Sylvia's hot sauces, candied yams, mustard greens, kidney beans, and 13 other items are available in supermarkets nationwide. Sylvia's Soul Food cookbook was also published in 1992. It was followed in 1999 by the more extensive Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook, which included Woods's personal reminiscences and numerous family photographs along with recipes gathered in a giant South Carolina family cook-off. The good reputation of the ``Sylvia's'' name has put Sylvia Woods's cookery on a path to growth, with the restaurant's many admirers hoping to get in on the action. Additional full-service restaurants are planned for the future, increasing the Sylvia's stable of 200 employees and bringing the soul-food creations of Hemingway, South Carolina, to even more American diners. With all four Woods children involved with the business, it represents a family tradition of the best--and tastiest--kind. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring South Carolina's own, mother, restaurateur and enterprising businesswoman, Mrs. Sylvia Woods.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you, Mr. Meeks. Let me close my 5 minutes, Madam Speaker, by reiterating something that I think all of us ought to think about. Sylvia Pressley Woods' father died when she was 3 days old. He died from the effects of chemical weapons that he had encountered in World War I. Her grandfather was hanged when her mother was a little child. But all of that experience helped to toughen her and make her the outstanding entrepreneur that she is today. On February 2, she turns 82 years old, but she gets up every morning and still goes to that restaurant. She is a great woman.

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I would like to now yield to one who has lost his way and will refind it tonight, the Honorable Gregory Meeks from the Sixth District of New York.

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of South Carolina's own, Sylvia Pressley Woods, affectionately known as the ``Queen of Soul Food.'' In August of 1962, Sylvia put her charismatic personality to the test by purchasing a restaurant, which at the time was only a small luncheonette, from her boss. Almost 50 years later, Sylvia's, as she named it, has become a landmark at 126th Street and Lenox Avenue, and a place where everyone knows they can get a taste of authentic southern soul food cuisine. The restaurant also serves to remind the community's residents that hard work, determination, and love of family can lead to success. Madam Speaker, Woods herself has a remarkable story that encapsulates much of the 20th century African-American history. She was born Sylvia Pressley on February 2, 1926, in Hemingway, South Carolina, a small rural town which I proudly represent in this august body. On December 22, next week, many of her friends will gather at Sanders Point near Santee, South Carolina, to celebrate the holidays with Sylvia. Tonight, I am being joined by members of the New York delegation in honoring a loving mother, an astute restaurateur, an enterprising businesswoman, and an outstanding South Carolinian, Mrs. Sylvia Pressley Woods. With that, Madam Speaker, I would like to yield to the dean of the New York delegation, the Honorable Charles Rangel.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Leslie A. Lewis. Mr. Lewis is being honored at a testimonial banquet on Saturday, November 17, 2007, for the many contributions that he has made to the Masonic Family, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the city of Boston. Mr. Lewis served our great Nation with honor and distinction as a member of the United States Air Force for 4 years before being honorably discharged in 1968. Since 1972, this great public servant has worked as a law enforcement official with the Trial Courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In conjunction with his numerous civic duties, Mr. Lewis has played an active and vital role with the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons. In 1991, he was elevated to the last degree in Masonry and is the president of the Levi H. Morris Class. On December 11, 2005, Mr. Lewis was elected as the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Integrity, honor, and trustworthiness are but a few of the many illustrious words that have been used to describe the outstanding character of Leslie A. Lewis. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Lewis for his selfless community service and gracious contributions to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the recipients of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Mu Nu Chapter's Academic Leadership Award and R.W. Snowden Scholarship Award. On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, the recipients of these awards were acknowledged for their outstanding achievements at an Omega Psi Phi Fraternity awards reception in Silver Spring, Maryland. The awards reception was held in recognition of Omega Psi Phi's 2007 Annual Achievement Week Observance. The concept for Omega Psi Phi's observance of Annual Achievement Week dates back to 1920. Omega Psi Phi's Annual Achievement Week Observance provides this storied association with the opportunity to recognize the notable achievements of African-Americans. The recipients of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. Mu Nu Chapter's Academic Leadership Award and R.W. Snowden Scholarship Award are: Tyler Jackson, Andrew Clarke, Stefon D. Thompson, Dorian Calhoun, Ian Francis, Biruk Kifle, Alex D. Weaver, Zachary Graves, Joseph Belachew, Zachary Etheridge, Hizkias Neway, Ryan Spriggs, Ayodeji Obayomi, Deonte Williams, Chigozie Mbanaso, Benjamin Warner, Matteo Bellistri, Asante Hatcher, Natneal Gugsa, Roberto Marwanga, Samuel Berhe, Bradley C. Smith, Phillip Jenkins, Stephan Mulrain, Emiola Oriola, Jr., Robel Berhe, Patrick Owusu, Jonmarc Winfield, Adrian Stoute, Chase Barnes, Theo Josephs, Brandon Griffin, and Stewart Cornelius. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring these recipients for their selfless community service and tremendous academic achievements.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I want to thank Chairman Miller for yielding the time to me, and I want to thank Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairman Miller, Messrs. McKeon and Keller, Leader Boehner, Minority Whip Blunt and all the other committee members on both sides of the aisle for bringing the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Capital Financing Improvement Act to the floor, and I rise in strong support of this legislation. As a proud graduate of an HBCU, South Carolina State University, I understand the important role that HBCUs play in the development of our country. It is essential that this congressional body do all that we can to support these institutions and the students they serve. Our Nation's historically black colleges and universities have produced some of America's brightest stars and most principled leaders, many of whom serve in this body. I requested the introduction of this bill because many of the builders and buildings and facilities at some of these fine colleges and universities are deteriorating as we speak. This bill goes a long way toward making it possible for many of these schools to refurbish their infrastructure and to better serve the needs of their faculties and student bodies. This legislation provides increased lending authority for bonds issued to support capital financing projects at HBCUs. Funds authorized through this bill will be used for the repair, renovation and the construction of facilities used for instruction, research and housing. Mr. Speaker, institutions of higher learning are only as good as what they produce, and, in my opinion, no other set of institutions has a more impressive alumni role than our Nation's HBCUs. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the chairman for yielding me the time. I want to thank Chairman Scott and especially Congressman Danny Davis for not giving up on this legislation. We have been here for approximately 6 years now, Mr. Speaker; and if we are ever going to make progress in the crime that is crippling our communities, we cannot give up on any human being, because it is not enough to say we are just going to lock up every offender and throw away the key. Such narrow-mindedness does nothing to prevent our vulnerable youth from being indefinitely trapped in our Nation's correctional system. In order to stop crime, Mr. Speaker, we have to eliminate the criminal mindset. And we help to eliminate this mindset by offering alternatives for the offenders in their lives of crime. We do this by enrolling them in programs that provide them with an education, help them find employment, and remind them constantly of the consequences of antisocial behavior. I am happy to say that the Second Chance Act does all of this. It reaches out to offenders by increasing their access to vocational education. It also goes a long ways in helping many of our juvenile offenders understand the dangers associated with crime and providing them with counseling services. Many of the individuals currently incarcerated in this country are young, nonviolent, first-time offenders who made stupid mistakes. These kids should not be denied the opportunity to reposition their paths in a more stable and law-abiding direction. This bill makes tremendous strides in protecting the public and rehabilitating offenders, and I urge my colleagues to vote for its passage.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Let me thank Congresswoman Slaughter for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to come to the floor today to speak about an issue that seems to have occupied the time of some of my colleagues this morning and that led to a particular story in one of the publications here on the Hill this morning. It has a headline that is about one of the earmarks in this bill, and let me point to it. It very clearly states, I think it's on page 78, that a $3 million request is being made for the First Tee program. It's found on page 78. Now, in accordance with the rules of the House, this request was made by me and my name is attached to it because I'm very, very proud of it. What I'm not proud of, however, is the headline that has been published this morning saying that a ``South Carolina Golf Center Nabs a $3 Million Earmark.'' That is utterly untrue. This $3 million request is so that we can put on military bases the program called First Tee. This program will be there for the children of the men and women, many of whom find themselves in harm's way, so their children that they leave back here on military bases all over this country, some on military bases in foreign countries, their children will have the opportunity to participate in a nationwide character-building program which happens to use as one of its core components the game of golf, a game that has been made very, very popular by a young man of color, who has made this a sport that young, low-income children and children of color have finally become enamored of. I just want to make sure that these children who live on these military bases will have the same access to this program that they have to softball, to swimming pools, to basketball that we fund in the appropriations bills every year. We put these programs on these military installations, and we say, softball, swimming, basketball, reserved for you all. So I just want to say that I cannot prevent headline writers. I used to be in this business. I was in the newspaper business, and I know why we write headlines. Not one dime of this request will go to any civilian facility in South Carolina or anywhere else in the United States of America. Every single dime of this is to be spent on defense facilities to the benefit of those children whose mothers and fathers are off defending our way of life, so that their children can have the same kind of opportunities that our children have. And I find it a little bit insulting that we say we are going to reserve this kind of activity for the elite and not make it available to the children of the men and women who are preserving our way of life. There's something about this. We know who is fighting this war. Rural, low-income families are carrying the burden of this war, and I think we've got a responsibility here to say to their children, we're going to treat you the same way we treat the kids downtown. And the kids in downtown, in Sumter, in my hometown, if they can have a First Tee program, I want those kids at Shaw Air Force Base 10 miles away to have that same kind of program. I want those kids at Charleston Air Force Base, while their families are off, that's where they're all leaving from, that base, to go off to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq. They're leaving their children there. I want their children to have the same opportunities on that base as kids have downtown Charleston. And for us to single this out and write a headline like this, not one dime goes to this center, and they know it.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank the chairman for yielding to me, and I thank the other side for allowing me this minute. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Peru Free Trade Agreement. This may come as a surprise to many of my colleagues, because I have seldom supported our previous trade agreements that have come before this body. My reasons have been quite simple. I have considered most of the trade deals that have been offered to this body to be unfair to my constituents and many communities in my region of the country. But I want to thank the drafters of this legislation for bringing a bill to the floor that I consider to be fair. This bill addresses critical environmental and labor concerns that are very important to me and my constituents. This bill will help farmers in my district and all across this country compete in the global marketplace. Because of the size and the diversity of this body, it is not an easy task to bring legislation to the floor that pleases everyone. Trade bills are almost certain to engender disagreements among our Members. As I mentioned earlier, I have found many shortcomings with previous trade initiatives that have come before this floor. This bill, however, charts a new direction in trade legislation and should serve as a template for those of us to use in moving our trade policies in a more worker friendly and environmentally protective direction. We have come a long ways with our trade policies in recent years, and we may still have a long ways to go before we are able to consistently get trade bills that are as good as I would like. But it is important that this new Congress continue working to bring trade bills to the floor that are fair. This bill is a fair bill, and I encourage my colleagues to support it.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding me time. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Employment Non- Discrimination Act. As a former civil rights activist in South Carolina who has been incarcerated a number of times for advocating equal treatment for all, I have come to find that our Nation's civil rights issues are in fact human rights issues. Whether you are talking about allowing people of color to sit and eat at lunch counters or about ensuring that gay and lesbian Americans can freely go to work and earn a living without fear of being discriminated against, you are talking about basic human rights. Madam Chairman, before I came to Congress, I spent 18 years as South Carolina's human affairs commissioner. In that position, I came to find that bigotry and homophobia are sentiments that should never be allowed to permeate the American workplace. Such intolerance does nothing but take us back to a dark moment in our Nation's history that most of us never want to revisit. I implore my friends on the other side of the aisle to stop misconstruing this issue as a marriage issue. This is an employment issue, not a marriage issue. And this bill does nothing to infringe on the institution of marriage which I have cherished for more than 46 years. By passing this bill, Members of the House go on record as wanting to end discrimination in the workplace and not allowing its ugly face to persist. I urge my colleagues to bring fairness to the American workplace and support this important legislation.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. I thank my colleague for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, this resolution memorializes and commemorates the lives of seven students from the University of South Carolina and Clemson University who perished in last week's tragic beach house fire in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. I proudly represent the University of South Carolina, and I rise to thank the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for its prompt action on this resolution and to once again extend my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those University of South Carolina and Clemson students who we lost in this unfortunate event. They should all know that we will continue to keep them and their loved ones in our prayers as they mourn their tremendous loss. There's little that we cherish more than seeing our children and grandchildren go off to school seeking to acquire the knowledge and skills that they will need to pursue their dreams and aspirations. It is an incredible feeling. And to have that promise cut short in such a dramatic and tragic way is probably more than anyone who has not had the experience can possibly imagine. As we mourn with the University of South Carolina and Clemson University communities at this solemn time, we should all take some solace in knowing that these young people represented the best of our hopes and dreams for the future. Through their extracurricular activities and academic successes, they served as strong role models for future generations and as sources of pride for their families and friends. It is only fitting that we honor them for being the bright beacons of light that they were and that their loved ones will always remember them as being. No words or sympathetic sentiments will ever undo the tragic loss endured by the University of South Carolina and Clemson communities. However, by passing this resolution, it is my hope that these communities understand that this congressional body stands in unison in offering our prayers and condolences. May God bless all those affected by this tragedy.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Water Resources Development Act. The benefits that this bill provides are not only long overdue, but much needed by communities all across our great Nation. The importance of this bill is highlighted throughout my congressional district and this country. Part of my district has been labeled by some as a ``corridor of shame,'' communities bisected by Interstate 95. This region of South Carolina has some of the most serious health problems to be found anywhere in this country. I have consulted the experts trying to ascertain why these health disparities exist in my district. And they have said that the problems originate in the water that my constituents are drinking. In fact, they tell me that at the turn of the last century, the life expectancy in this country was less than 50 years. At the turn of this century, life expectancy has reached over 70 years. They say that this extension of life is directly attributed to the water that my constituents or the people in this country drink. And beyond the health issue, this is also a safety and natural disaster issue. This bill authorizes funds for our coastal communities throughout the country that are susceptible to hurricanes and flooding. This legislation also reaffirms this Congress's commitment to helping our brothers and sisters who had their lives shattered by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This bill authorizes close to $2 billion for coastal restoration initiatives along the gulf coast. So I encourage my colleagues to vote to override this veto because in doing so, you are safeguarding the health and physical well-being of millions of Americans.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that I come after the gentleman from Missouri, because before leaving home down in South Carolina this morning, I went to dedicate a water project in a part of my State where they have a real problem with potable water, and extensive health problems as well. During that ceremony, it was asked of me what kind of guarantee that I have that this water project would be seen to fruition. This morning we were dedicating the first phase. There are two others. In answering the question, I referred to the greatest of all books, the Bible. I referred to the Book of Hebrew, the 11th chapter. I call that the faith chapter of the Bible. I quoted Hebrew 11.1: Faith, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. I quoted that because in our work here, much of the time, though we don't view our work as being grounded in the Bible, we often strike out on faith. We have a little idea sometimes of exactly where any issue is going. I do believe that as we carry out our duties and responsibilities to the people of this great Nation, sometimes we ought to pause and give credence to where that emanates from. So I am pleased that my good friend from Illinois asked me to come down tonight and to join in this special order commemorating the Bible during National Bible Week. When I was growing up, my father, who was a fundamentalist minister, never asked me to read the Bible, never instructed me to do so. He just told me every morning at the breakfast table to recite a Bible verse. Now, it would be a little difficult to do that without reading the Bible. He made sure that we didn't do the same one twice. Daddy set down the rule. He took Jesus' whip off the table. So it was very, very important for me to read the Bible daily. He also had a second rule, and that is that every night before retiring to bed, we had to share with our parents, or one of them, some current event. He would often have ways of showing us how that particular event that we may have shared was grounded in the Good Book. So long before I became House Majority Whip, I assumed the leadership of the Democrats' Faith Working Group. For the last 3 years now, Mr. Speaker, it has been my great joy to work with the members of our caucus, trying to get our membership comfortable with the fact that our work here is in fact faith-based. If you doubt it, then I ask all of my colleagues to just take a look at my favorite book of the Bible, the Book of James. It has got nothing to do with my name, though that would not be a bad thing. It's a very short book, but it tells us a lot about our responsibility. There, in the second chapter of James, we are all instructed that if your brother or sister comes to you hungry and naked, it is not enough to tell them to go in faith; you feed them and you clothe them. That is what this Congress is all about. This Congress is about doing those things that are necessary to make sure that our constituents and make sure that our citizens are fed that need to be fed or clothed that need to be clothed. I do believe if James were writing his epistle today, he would also tell us it is also important to house them when they need shelter.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the South Carolina State University Bulldog football team. This season the Bulldogs celebrate 100 years of play on the gridiron, and what a tremendous century it has been. In 1907, what was then South Carolina State Agricultural and Mechanical College played its first game against Georgia State in Savannah. Just 3 years later, SC State became a charter member of the Georgia (GA)-South Carolina (SC) Athletic Association, which eventually changed its name to the South Atlantic Association. In 1919, South Carolina State College won its first GA-SC Intercollegiate Association Championship. The Bulldogs were on their way to building a tremendous legacy. Just 4 years later in 1923, SC State lost an important rivalry game with Tuskegee College, 13-6, in Orangeburg. However, the loss fueled the fire in the Bulldogs, and they went on 4 years later to a perfect 7-0 conference record and to capture their second South Atlantic Conference title. That season the team racked up six shutouts and lost only one game. This began the Bulldogs' reputation as a powerhouse in the South Atlantic Conference. Oliver C. Dawson was named the Bulldogs' head football coach in 1937, marking the beginning of a new era. Coach Dawson was a beloved leader on campus--teaching classes and coaching multiple sports. During his tenure, the football team took a 2-year hiatus due to World War II, but they came back full of passion. In 1947, they went undefeated in regular season play and took on Shaw University for the Black National Championship in Washington, DC. Although SC State lost that game 8-0, the Bulldogs showed the tenacity for which they have become famous. Coach Dawson left such a legacy at SC State that the current football stadium bears his name. Many trying years followed the 1947 successful season. The team struggled to regain its elite status, and then in 1965 tragedy struck. Player John Devlin of Greenwood was stricken while on the field and died. This sudden loss of a player and teammate revived the Bulldog spirit and the team went on to an 8-1-0 record that season under the leadership of Coach Oree Banks. Devlin's #31 jersey became the first ever retired in SC State athletic history. That same season, several Bulldog players received All-Conference honors, and Coach Banks was named SIAC and NAIA District 6 Coach of the Year. In 1970, SC State President Maceo Nance led the school to become a charter member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). This transition was followed by the need to find a new head football coach. In 1973, SC State tapped alumnus Willie Jeffries to lead the Bulldogs. Prior to Coach Jeffries' arrival, the Bulldogs had posted a dismal 1-9 season. He followed that with a 7-3-1 record, which was just the beginning of a tremendous era in Bulldog football history. Under Coach Jeffries, the SC State Bulldogs built a record of 50-13-4 in just six seasons, and won its first of eleven MEAC titles. In 1976, the team captured its first Black National Championship in a 26-10 win over Norfolk State. Due to his great success, other football programs sought Coach Jeffries' leadership. In 1978, he left to make history as the first African American head coach at a majority white university at Wichita State. The Bulldogs rallied under the helm of its former Assistant Coach Bill Davis, who led SC State to its second National Black Championship, and the first of two straight invitations to the prestigious Division IAAA playoffs. Coach Davis led the Bulldogs to dominate the MEAC in the 1980s with back-to-back, 10-game seasons in 1980 and 1981. Coach Davis was succeeded by Dennis Thomas in 1985, who coached the Bulldogs for three seasons. Then in 1989, the Bulldogs' favorite son, Willie Jeffries, returned as head coach. In his second stint, Coach Jeffries produced seven winning teams. In 1994, he led the Bulldogs to a 10-2 season, again winning the MEAC championship. Coach Jeffries ended his career as the Bulldogs head football coach in 2002, and he was succeeded by another SC State alumnus. Coach Buddy Pough left his assistant coaching job at the University of South Carolina to return to Orangeburg to lead the team he loved. His passion for the team and the players showed, as he orchestrated a new era of Bulldog dominance. In 2004, SC State compiled a 9-2 record and the Bulldogs once again were at the top of the MEAC conference. That season, the team ranked number two in the final polls of both the Sheridan Broadcasting Network and the American Sports Wire. They earned a Top 25 Division I-AA poll ranking from both the Sports Network and USA Today/ESPN. Today, Buddy Pough continues to lead the Bulldogs with the same tenacity. The South Carolina State Bulldog football team has compiled a vibrant 100-year history. Over the century, the Bulldogs have won eleven MEAC titles. They have three National Black Championships in 1976, 1981, and 1994, and earned NCAA Division I-AA berths in 1981 and 1982. Three of its players have been enshrined in the prestigious Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio--Marion Motley (Cleveland Browns, 1965), David ``Deacon'' Jones (Los Angeles Rams, 1980) and Harry Carson (New York Giants, 2006). In addition to retiring #31 John Devlin's jersey, four other Bulldog standouts have had their jerseys retired--#66 Deacon Jones, #75 Harry Carson, #90 Donnie Shell, and #94 Robert Porcher. Madam Speaker, I invite you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the extraordinary 100-year history of the South Carolina State University football team. As an SC State alumnus and football fan who spent my entire life enjoying the talented and tenacious Bulldog teams, I commend the coaches and players who have contributed to this program's tremendous success. Go Bulldogs!

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to memorialize the lives of Justin Anderson, Travis Cale, Lauren Mahon, Cassidy Pendley, William Rhea, Allison Walden, all students at the University of South Carolina, which I proudly represent here in this body, and Emily Yelton, a student of Clemson University. Madam Speaker, when young men and women go off to pursue an education, their families hope for them a bright future and a long life. All seven of these young men and women lost their lives in a fire this weekend and I join with those that I represent at the University of South Carolina in offering condolences to these families. And I also say to the families of Clemson University, our heart goes out to all of them. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and this body join me in a moment of silence in memory of these young people.