Jim Clyburn

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman so much for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor tonight because I am a little bit concerned about where we are and how we got here. Over the next year, in fact, if I may, next May 17, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. That means that come Saturday we will celebrate the 49th anniversary. Over the next year we will hear a lot about Brown, and, in fact, on May 17, 50 years to the day of that decision, there will be a new park opened in Topeka, Kansas, to honor the case. I do not begrudge the people of Topeka, Kansas, for their new park, but I do have a real problem as a former history teacher with revisionism because Brown took on the name for some very unusual reasons. If we were to go by tradition and name cases based upon the alphabet, this case would have been called Belton, because the case coming out of Delaware, one of the five that led to Brown, was Belton against Gebhart. If the case had taken on the name of the first to file, it would have been called Briggs because Briggs v. Elliot, which started in South Carolina, was first filed on May 16, 1950. Nine months later, the Brown case was filed, February 28, 1951, and 3 months later, May 23, the Davis case in Virginia was filed, and somewhere between January and April of 1951, Bolling against Sharpe, the D.C. case, was filed. Mr. Speaker, I point this out tonight because the people of Clarendon County, South Carolina, that I am proud to represent here in this body, the birthplace of our current Chair's parents, both his mother and father were born in Clarendon County School District No. 1, where this case originated. So tonight I wanted to come to the floor to put on the record the exact history of Brown because so much is being said about this case, and very little of it is accurate. In a 1947 meeting on the campus of Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, Reverend J.A. DeLaine heard a speech challenging the ministers who were independent from the system to get involved in helping to right some of the wrongs that existed in our society. Reverend DeLaine left that campus that day and went back home to Summerton, South Carolina, where he began to meet with his church members, and in 1947, he asked the parents to petition the superintendent of schools to ask for a school bus. At that time parents were sending their kids to school having to walk 9 and 10 miles one way. They were denied a school bus, and so they pooled their resources and raised money to buy a used bus to transport their kids to school. Gas was expensive, and the bus was old, and it kept breaking down. So they went to a local farmer, Levi Pearson, and in 1948, Levi Pearson filed a lawsuit asking for his children, who at that time were walking 9 miles one way to school, to be provided transportation. We have got to understand that all the white kids in that county were riding school buses, but black kids were denied a school bus. The case was thrown out because Levi Pearson's farm was in both school districts, both the Manning school district and the Summerton school district, and on a technicality they decided that Levi Pearson's house was in the Manning school district and not the Summerton school district. So the case was thrown out. In 1949, Reverend DeLaine met with the NAACP and petitioned the all- white county school board to provide equality of education for their children. It, of course, was denied. So in October of that year, they all met in the home of Harry Briggs and his wife Eliza. Anybody that comes into my office today will see on my wall a great picture of Eliza Briggs. For as long as I serve in this august body, Mrs. Briggs' picture will have a prominent place on the wall of my office. Mr. Harry Briggs was an attendant at a filling station. He was fired from his job for signing the petition. They eventually moved to Florida where they lived out their productive lives, moving back to Clarendon County when they were no longer able to be productive. In 1950, the school board refused to respond to the petition, and then in February 1951, the State of South Carolina entered the case on behalf of the school board. So not only were these people denied by their county school board, but now they were being fought by their entire State mechanism. In 1951, the State of South Carolina decided that it would use all of its resources to preserve a separate but equal, inherently unequal, school district. In 1953, the Supreme Court heard arguments, and on May 17, 1954, 4 years and 1 day from the time the case was first filed in Summerton, South Carolina, these people got what they sought, and that was a decision by the United States Supreme Court that separate but equal was inherently unequal. I want to share with the folks who are looking in tonight a couple of statements from three descendants of these, I would call, brave, heroic people. They are all here in Washington today, and on yesterday here in Washington, here is what Harold Gibson had to say. He said that ``my mother and father was faced with a choice. Take your name off of the petition or be evicted from your home. They were evicted on Christmas Eve.'' Ms. Annie Gibson, Harold Gibson's mother, her picture is on the wall of my office, and it, too, will always be there for as long as I am here. Listen to what the DeLaine brothers had to say about their dad, J.A. DeLaine, whose father spearheaded the case: Our house was burned to the ground. Shots were fired into the new home into which we had moved. When my father fired back, local authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. For their safety, the family fled in 1955 to Buffalo, New York, and it was not until the year 2000, 25 years later, that the State of South Carolina dropped the charges against Reverend DeLaine. Now, it was 45 years later from the time of the charges, but 25 years after his death. I bring this out tonight because when I went to work for John West in 1971, John West, the Governor of South Carolina, received a letter from Reverend DeLaine. Reverend DeLaine wrote Governor West and said that he was getting up in years, his health was beginning to fail, and he wanted to come home to South Carolina to die. John West asked me to look into the case and to plan a homecoming for Reverend DeLaine. He wanted us to have a ceremony that would mark an end to this episode and to be a new beginning for the State of South Carolina. We could not bring Reverend DeLaine back home because there living in Clarendon County was one of the original people who swore out the warrant, and in spite of the Governor's pleadings, the law enforcement officers' pleadings, he refused to drop the case. So Reverend DeLaine came back as far as Charlotte, North Carolina, where he eventually died and is buried. Now, the case of Briggs. Listen to what Nathaniel Briggs, says: ``My father worked at a gas station. It was owned by the mayor of Summerton. He lost his job and my mother lost her job at the local hotel.'' Mr. Speaker, I want to close my comments by thanking our Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus for organizing this Special Order tonight, and to close on this note. As historic as this is, the fact of the matter is we have not gotten there yet. In fact, come August, the State of South Carolina will be hearing a case in the same courtroom where the Brown case started as Briggs against Elliott. In that courtroom, we will be listening to arguments over whether or not it is constitutional to still underfund school districts with high populations of black students. In South Carolina today, the law is that we in the State are required to provide a public education, but we are not required to provide an adequate education. And, therefore, schoolchildren in school districts with high black populations are not being funded to the same level as school kids in other districts. And I want to point out, as I close, the inequity. Today, in South Carolina, school districts with higher percentages of African American students have 313 fewer State and local dollars, fewer than students with school districts of low levels of African Americans. This inequity translates into a gap of $8,000 a year per classroom and more than $1 million a year per school. That tells the story. So though Brown is now 49 years old, equal educational opportunities have not come to Clarendon County or South Carolina yet. Hopefully, this case that will be heard in August will be decided before May 17, 2004, and decided by law and equity, so that, hopefully, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Brown, we can celebrate the beginning of equitable education for black people in Clarendon County, South Carolina, and our Nation. I thank the chairman for allowing me this time.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 170, 171, and 175, had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 172 and 176, had I been present, I would have voted, ``yea.''

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment. Yesterday, it was choice. Today, it is options. Tomorrow, there is no telling what we will call it. But by whatever name we may call it, however we may cloak it, this is about vouchers. I believe, Mr. Chairman, in innovations, but not innovations that supplant the due process clause of the United States Constitution. That is exactly what this amendment will accomplish. Let us take, for instance, just the issue of choice, if I might use that term today. I know that the proponents of this amendment talk all the time about providing choice for parents and teachers. This amendment provides little choice for parents and students, but provides the ultimate choice to schools and administrators. It allows these schools to cream, if I might use that term, off all of those children that may be a little bit disabled; but those children whose parents would like to have them participate who may be a little more disabled than the schools would like to tolerate, this amendment will allow those children to be rejected, and take away any choice or any option from those children to participate. So, Mr. Chairman, I believe that it is in the best interests of public education and choice for parents that we reject this amendment.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to a native South Carolinian and an outstanding member of our community, Colonel Walter L. Watson, Jr. For his more than 25 years of service to our country and to the field of Aerospace Science, the Columbia Housing Authority will induct Colonel Watson into its Wall of Fame on April 17, 2003. A native of Columbia, Colonel Watson attended public schools in Richland County School District One. Upon graduation from C.A. Johnson High School in 1967, Watson enrolled at Howard University where he would earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1971. In addition, he earned a commission through Reserve Officers Training Corps and entered the Air Force as an avionics maintenance officer. In 1973, Colonel Watson was selected for aviation training, beginning a career that would take him around the globe. His many assignments included flight instructor, flight commander in tactical fighter and strategic reconnaissance squadrons flying F-4C/D/E, F111 D and SR-71 aircraft. Colonel Watson was the first and only African American to qualify as a crewmember of the SR-71, a super secret aircraft that set altitude and speed records that still stand today. Holding a Masters Degree in Human Resource Management from Chapman College, Colonel Watson is also a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Humanitarian Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster. Colonel Watson's steadfast commitment to educating our youth is evidenced by his current position as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor for the C.A. Johnson High School Air Force Junior ROTC (AFJROTC) unit. Under his tutelage, the unit has experienced an increase of more than 8000 percent in funds for unit operations. Computer and technology assets have also increased by more than 700 percent. Colonel Watson was recently selected as an Outstanding Senior Aerospace Science Instructor during the 1997-98 and 2001-02 school years. He was also chosen as C.A. Johnson High School's Teacher of the Year in 1998-99. Mr. Speaker, I plan to be on hand for Mr. Watson's induction and ask you and my colleagues to join me in recognition of Colonel Watson's lifetime of high achievement. I congratulate him on his induction, and wish good luck and Godspeed to him and his family.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a native South Carolinian, a close personal friend, and exemplary public figure in the State of South Carolina and his community, Senator Kay Patterson. On April 17, 2003, the Columbia Housing Authority will honor Senator Patterson's lifetime of achievements by placing his likeness on its Wall of Fame. This recognition comes on the heels of BellSouth's recognition of his accomplishments by honoring him on its 2003 African American History Calendar. Born in Darlington County, SC, Senator Patterson was raised by his grandmothers, Meta B. Patterson and Emma Joseph. After graduation from Lincoln High School in Sumter, South Carolina, he enrolled at Claflin College for two years before leaving to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps and rose to the rank of buck-sergeant. Upon completing his military service, Senator Patterson returned to South Carolina and matriculated at Allen University where he earned a B.A. Degree in Social Sciences. Several years later, he would earn a Masters Degree in Education from South Carolina State University. Like myself, he started his professional career as a middle school teacher. His commitment to educating our youth provided the foundation for Senator Patterson's illustrious career. His 14 years of service as an educator at W.A. Perry Middle School, C.A. Johnson High School and Benedict College and 16 years as a UniServ Representative for the South Carolina Education Association are testimony of his willingness and tenaciousness on behalf of students and teachers. Senator Patterson began his successful odyssey toward high achievement as a politician in 1974, when he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. He would serve in the House until 1985, when he was elected to his current position in the South Carolina Senate. Renowned as a fiery and inspirational orator, Patterson has been a dynamic force in promoting change in his native state. He represents the constituents in Richland County Senate District 19 on the Senate's Banking & Insurance, Corrections & Penology, Education, Finance & Transportation Committees. In addition, Senator Patterson currently serves as Chairman of the Richland County Legislative Delegation. Among Senator Patterson's numerous civic activities are membership in the North Columbia Civic Club and life membership in the NAACP, and I am proud to claim him as my brother in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., to which he became a member while enrolled at Claflin. Senator Patterson was elected by the South Carolina House Education Committee to serve on the University of South Carolina's Board of Trustees in 1983. He was elected Chairman of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus in 1990, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from South Carolina State University in 2000. And on a personal note is Chair of Friends of Jim Clyburn, my political organization. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to have been asked to deliver the Keynote address at Kay's induction ceremony and ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Senator Patterson for a lifetime of lofty achievements. My most sincere congratulations go out to him for his endless accomplishments, and loyal and dedicated friendship.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a native South Carolinian and multi-talented dignitary in the entertainment industry, Angela L. Stone. By proudly representing her home state in her enormously successful recording career, Ms. Stone will be inducted to the Columbia Housing Authority's Wall of Fame on April 17, 2003. Like so many successful recording artists, Ms. Stone began her singing career in the church. At the age of 11, she performed her first gospel solo, ``The Harvest is Plentiful,'' at First Nazareth Baptist Church in Columbia. Recognizing his daughter's precocious ability, her father inspired his only child by taking her to gospel performances by the likes of the Singing Angels and the Gospel Keynotes. While starring as a basketball player at C.A. Johnson High School, Stone spent much of her spare time nurturing her artistic talents by writing poetry. Upon graduation, she turned down college basketball scholarship offers to pursue her passion and embarked upon a career in the music industry. Ms. Stone saved money to record her demo at a Columbia studio called PAW. Shortly thereafter, her self-taught keyboard skills along with her naturally melodious singing voice would quickly garner the attention of the music industry. Her professional career took off in the mid-80s when she joined the rap trio Sequence. After the group disbanded, she began collaborations with rap group Mantronix and rock singer Lenny Kravitz. She then formed the neo-soul trio Vertical Hold, who first reached the R&B charts in 1988 with ``Summertime.'' The group's 1993 single, ``Seems You're Much Too Busy'' reached number 17 on the charts. Ms. Stone signed a contract with Arista Records in 1997. While with Arista, she recorded her first album, Black Diamond, in 1999. The title of the album's first hit single was ``No More Rain (In This Cloud),'' was inspired by a phrase her father would use when Stone would ask for money: ``There's no more rain in this cloud.'' Several movie soundtracks feature Ms. Stone's talent. They include ``Disappearing Acts,'' ``Bamboozled'' and ``Love & Basketball.'' She released her second album, Mahogany Soul, in 2001. The album made Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 list of albums for that year. Ms. Stone was also a 2003 Grammy Nominee. Ms. Stone made her ``big screen'' debut in the movie Hot Chicks. She has recently completed filming of her second movie, The Fighting Temptations starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. She can currently be seen in Coca-Cola and Gap television commercials, and is preparing for her first appearance on Broadway in the musical, Chicago. Mr. Speaker, I plan to be present for Ms Stone's induction ceremony on Thursday April 17th, and ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Angela L. Stone for her achievements in the entertainment industry. Her status and visibility in music and film is worthy of much praise and pride from her family, friends, and all in her native state of South Carolina.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member, and I especially thank the ranking member for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, this bill honors the life and accomplishments of a consummate country doctor, the memory of a decorated Korean War veteran, the heroism of a courageous American, and the fearlessness of an outstanding South Carolinian, Dr. Roswell Nathaniel Beck, Sr. Dr. Beck was born in Georgetown, South Carolina. After completing high school, he left the safe confines of his home and matriculated at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he received a bachelor of arts degree. After completing his course work at Fisk, Dr. Beck attended Meharry Medical College where he received his medical degree. After finishing his medical residency requirements in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Beck returned to South Carolina in 1948 and began practicing in Florence. He took great pride in addressing the medical needs of his community. In 1951, Dr. Beck left South Carolina once again, but this time it was to answer the call of his country and serve in the Korean War. Dr. Beck performed valiantly in the medical corps and was awarded the Bronze Star for service in war. Upon his return to South Carolina, Dr. Beck sought to not only confront the physical ailments of his community but set his sights on the social malignancies that afflicted so many of his patients. Dr. Beck was courageously and very fearlessly thrust into the vortex of the civil rights activities in South Carolina. He served as the chairman of the Voter Education Project for the sixth congressional district, where he tirelessly promoted the importance and the need for citizens to register and vote. He organized the Florence Committee for Community Affairs and was instrumental in bringing the first Head Start program to Florence, South Carolina. In addition to his courageousness, Dr. Beck was fearlessly following his heart throughout his career. He also had a keen sense of history. Mr. Speaker, in 1972, when Shirley Chisholm made her courageous history-making run for the Presidency, the record will show that she received two delegate votes from South Carolina. Dr. Beck was one of them and I the other. During his distinguished career, Dr. Beck also served on the boards of the South Carolina Commission on Human Relations and the South Carolina Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the Medical University of South Carolina. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Richard W. Riley of South Carolina and named Medical Doctor of the Year by the intercounty Medical, Dental, and Pharmaceutical Association. Dr. Beck holds an esteemed place in the hearts of many South Carolinians. I am particularly proud of and owe a great deal of debt of gratitude to him. His work as a physician, humanitarian, community activist, and family man has touched the lives of multitudes. Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that I would be standing here today were it not for the courageousness and fearlessness of this man, who so many of us consider a hero. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Beck has received many recognitions and awards; and I am honored that this august body is about to bestow upon his memory and his family yet another. Mr. Speaker, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1901 West Evans Street in Florence, South Carolina, as the Roswell N. Beck Post Office Building is not only fitting but proper.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a native South Carolinian whose love of family and faith in God have blessed her with a rich and full life. On February 20, 2003, Mrs. Inez Williams Brown will celebrate her 90th birthday, and in marking this important occasion, I believe it is important to highlight a few of the contributions she has made. Mrs. Brown, the granddaughter of slaves, was born on the Blake Plantation in Colleton County. Her father, Burton, was the youngest of five children born to Sally Prince. At an early age, he married Mamie Daily, and they had five children. Inez, the youngest, was born on February 20, 1913. Before she reached her first birthday, Inez's mother died in childbirth. Her father attended South Carolina Normal Institute. He was an ordained Baptist minister and also taught school. Inez met and married Willie Williams, also a minister. They began their lives together in Hendersonville, South Carolina, and later spent four years in Georgia. They settled in Charleston, South Carolina in 1940. They had eleven children. After the death of Reverend Williams, Mrs. Williams raised 10 children by herself with the help of her eldest son, Alfred Williams and a brother-in-law, Elijah Williams. Her dedication to her family is reflective of the strong commitment exhibited by many African-American mothers. After all but two of her children were adults, Inez Williams married Mr. Ed Gadsden, who died two years later. And in 1981, she married Robert Brown, who passed away in 2000. Mrs. Brown's legacy is in the family she raised nearly on her own. Her eldest son, Alfred, is the Pastor of Canaan Baptist Church with a membership of over 800 parishioners. Mozell Myers is a retired schoolteacher, and a leader among ministers' wives in the A.M.E. Church. Luethel McNeil is an insurance professional and an ordained minister in New Jersey. Mildred Williams is a schoolteacher and writer in Oakland, California. Lelia Mae Daniels is in law enforcement in El Paso, Texas. Isaac ``Ike'' Williams, is a former S.C. Field Director of the N.A.A.C.P. and presently serves on my District Staff. Ike's twin, Rebecca Small, is a speech therapist in Newark, New Jersey. Bessie Simmons is an Executive Assistant and Director of Quality Assurance for Quovadx, Inc., an information technology provider for the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She is also an internationally renowned poet. Gloria Edwards is a retired secretary for pediatric clinics at MUSC. Susie Manning is Director of Adult Treatment Services for Richland County Behavioral Health Center of the Midlands, LRADAC. The youngest, Leon Williams, is a retired Warehouse Manager for the Columbia, South Carolina Housing Authority. Mrs. Brown has been active with the NAACP, the Senior Citizens program in Union Heights, and an avid Voter Education and Participation activist. She is the Mother of her church, Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, where she has been a member for over 60 years. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in saluting this great woman on her 90th birthday. Her unbounded love and extraordinary maternal sacrifice and dedication are legendary. This granddaughter of slaves has demonstrated with great fervor, her commitment to her family, her community and her God.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to celebrate a unique international exchange that continues to enrich this institution and The Other Body annually. Australia is half a world away from this chamber and my constituents in the Sixth Congressional District of South Carolina. Yet Australians and Americans are close international allies and, in many ways, exceptionally close cousins in our democratic institutions, in our multiculturalism, and in the value we place on friendship. Since 2000, a select handful of Australian university students have made the journey, at great personal expense, from Adelaide in South Australia to spend six-weeks full-time in very welcoming congressional offices. This year was my first such opportunity to host such an entrepreneurial student in Alison Cupper, who is originally from the neighboring Australian state of Victoria. Alison has been a tireless assistant since the moment she arrived. She is here to study, which she has done daily in her enthusiasm to learn all she can about the American system of government and in how even a brief visitor from overseas can help serve the people of South Carolina. Alison is by no means alone in this adventure. Whether it has been Grant Harvey-Mutton in the office of Senator Chuck Hagel, or Briony Whitehouse in the office of Sen. Christopher Dodd, or Tamara Gale with our colleague Alcee Hastings, or Joshua Bolton in the office of Jerry Nadler--each of the students has brightened our days with their curiosity, humanity, and the demeanor of the best tradition of polished diplomats. Both the U.S. and Australian governments have been strong supporters of this exchange, and rightly so. It is an effort I hope continues on a small staple of US-Australian relations. Late last month, Mr. Speaker, the Roll Call newspaper offered a small portrait of the program and its participants. I offer that text here to you and our colleagues so that we may all celebrate the value of this exchange, which is so delightfully focused on the students, and from which we can reinforce the values we hold dear about ourselves and about the world in which we live. Mr. Speaker, please join me and my colleagues in thanking everyone involved in creating and shepherding this internship program from its initial concept to the thriving institution it has become. They have done this nation and the Australian people numerous proud acts of public service, which I hope will continue for many years to come. [From Roll Call, Jan. 27, 2003] Far From Home; Australians Brave Snow, Strong Dollar for Internships (By Raya D. Widenoja) Coming to Washington is always an adventure, but just imagine coming from the other side of the world. Five students from Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, have, braving the elements for a back-stage look at American politics. ``It's just so bloody cold,'' commented Grant Harvey- Mutton, who recently left high summer in Adelaide to intern in Sen. Chuck Hagel's (R-Neb.) office on the 4-year-old program arranged by former Democratic Hill aide Eric Federing. Federing, who is now the director of business public policy and government affairs for KPMG, was motivated to start the program after traveling and lecturing in Australia. He runs the program on a pro bono basis with professor Don DeBats of Flinders' American studies department. ``The idea is to put good people in good places with good people,'' Federing says of his organizational philosophy. ``[The students] learn stuff by being here that they couldn't possibly know otherwise . . . and some have parlayed this experience into good jobs in the Australian government.'' Accompanying Harvey-Mutton are Joshua Balfour of Adelaide in Rep. Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) office; Alison Cupper of Mildura in Rep. James Clyburn's (D-S.C.) office; Tamera Gale of Yacka in Rep. Alcee Hastings' (D-Fla.) office; and Briony Whitehouse of Adelaide in Sen. Chris Dodd's (D-Conn.) office. Their internships will last until Feb. 14, with a reception in their honor at the Australian Embassy on Feb. 5. The program is as much about bridging the cultural gap between the United States and Australia as it is about politics, says Federing. Although the countries are very similar in some ways, he says what the Australians call ``the tyranny of distance'' encourages a mutual ignorance. The students haven't been here long--arriving on Christmas Day--but they already have interesting tidbits to share about the differences in political culture. ``I was surprised at how polite the Members are to each other [in the chamber ],'' said Balfour. Members of parliament in Australia are much more ``irreverent'' when they address one another, Federing explained, and their remarks are generally ``less scripted.'' Gale said one of the most interesting things she has noticed is the seating arrangement on the House floor. In Australia the two main parties literally ``face off'' in opposing rows, so it was odd for her to see the Members all facing the Speaker. Cupper, who studies law as well as international relations, said she was surprised to see how individualism manifests itself in U.S. culture and to observe the comparative weakness of organized labor movements. In Australia, one of the two main parties is called the Labor Party. The program has garnered high praise from its start. In March 2000, after the first students left, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) submitted remarks for the Congressional Record praising the program and her intern, Estee Fiebiger, who, among other things, helped Sanchez's office analyze human rights in Vietnam. Back in Australia, Fiebiger was inspired by her experience to start an internship program of her own in the Labor Party. According to Federing, at least twice as many Congressional offices have expressed interest in hosting the interns than are available. He is considering expanding the program, but despite growing interest among Flinders students--in part because even domestic political internships are uncommon in Australia--few students actually qualify so far. The students must major either in American studies or political science, but it's the program's cost that really narrows the field. The students' airfare and housing is subsidized, but their out-of-pocket expenses add up to about 8,000 Australian dollars, which translates into $4,500 for the six-week program. ``Interns would be beating down your door,'' Harvey-Mutton said, ``if it weren't for the cost.''

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 52) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a native South Carolinian and extraordinary young athlete, Mr. Jonathan Byrd. With his monumental victory at the Buick Challenge last year, Mr. Byrd became the first person to win on the PGA TOUR in his rookie year since Jose Coceres. Jonathan began the season ranked 404th by the Official World Golf Ranking and, by season's end, climbed to an amazing 72nd. Those achievements earned him the well-deserved title of PGA Rookie of the Year. Jonathan's path to athletic excellence began when he was still a toddler in his hometown of Elgin, S.C. His father, Jim Byrd and good friend and occasional golfing buddy of mine introduced Jonathan to the game of golf at the young age of three. Jonathan first began developing his skills using a 5-iron that was cut down until the grip nearly reached the hosel. He played his first nine holes when in the second grade finishing at 62, and he has only improved since. Mr. Byrd continued to hone his talent throughout adolescence and into early adulthood. He later won the Northeast Amateur and the Carolinas Amateur, was an All-American selection for three out of his four college years at Clemson University. He was a member of the 1999 Walker Cup Team. I have followed Jonathan's career and have had the pleasure of golfing with him in South Carolina. I can personally attest to his extraordinary talent and strength of character. His success is a reflection of the overwhelming support he has received from his family, his community, and supporters. Their investment and faith in him have been justly rewarded. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in applauding Mr. Byrd for his outstanding athletic achievements. His integrity and dedication to physical excellence, and mental toughness are inspiration to all. Mr. Byrd's talent will serve him, his friends and family for many years to come. I extend my most heartfelt congratulations to Jonathan Byrd for his accomplishments, and wish him good luck and Godspeed in all his future endeavors.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 22) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Democratic Caucus, I offer a privileged resolution (H. Res. 23) and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend Dr. William P. Diggs on the occasion of his 40th Anniversary as Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina. The celebrations will take place on October 26 and 27, 2002. Rev. Diggs was born in Columbia, SC and raised in Rock Hill, SC. He earned a B.A. degree from Morehouse College, a M.A. in Sociology from Atlanta University, a Master of Divinity from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, and a Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary. He is married to the former Clotilda Daniels, and they are the parents of two adult children, Mary Lynne and William, Jr. They have one grandson, William, III. Rev. Diggs has accomplished much as a leader in the Florence community. He is a Life Member of the NAACP and was the first organizer of and solicitor for the Pee Dee Area United Negro College Fund. He organized a federally operated credit union, which continues to operate today with assets of over one million dollars. As pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Rev. Diggs led the development of a preschool institution that is licensed by the state of South Carolina, administers a church sponsored after school tutoring program which could accommodate up to forty-five students, and led Trinity from an annual budget of twenty thousand dollars in 1962 to its current over-all annual budget of one-half million dollars. Over thirty thousand dollars of Trinity's annual budget is designated for education. Mr. Speaker, it is rare to find people who so unselfishly dedicate their time and energy to improving their community, as does Reverend William P. Diggs, and I ask you and my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to this outstanding leader, role model, and devoted Christian.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant and extraordinary law enforcement official, Israel Brooks, Jr., as he retires as the United States Marshal for the District of South Carolina. This Newberry County native started out his career serving his country in the United States Marine Corps. In this capacity he served a tour at the National Security Agency in the greater Washington area, and obtained a top-secret crypto clearance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This fueled his interest in pursuing a professional law enforcement career. After leaving the Corps, Israel joined the South Carolina Highway Patrol as a Patrolman in Beaufort County. This was particularly significant because he broke the color barrier in that organization. His enthusiasm and leadership led to a steady succession of promotions, ultimately culminating in his attaining the rank of Major, a position in which he assumed the administrative duties for the entire agency. Because of his exemplary service during his 27 years with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, my friend and colleague, Senator Fritz Hollings, nominated Israel as President Clinton's United States Marshal in South Carolina. He has served in this capacity with distinction since March 1994, even earning his agency the 1995 ``District of the Year'' award from the United States Marshals Service. Israel Brooks' career has been as distinguished as historic. He has received numerous awards for his achievements, and shares his message of success with young people of all ages. As he retires as United States Marshal for the District of South Carolina, I commend him for his dedicated service and the example he has set for future generations. Mr. Speaker, Israel Brooks Jr.'s contributions to South Carolina and the Nation are significant and deserving of high praise and I ask you and my colleagues to join me today in honoring him for the example he sets for all of us. I wish him continued success and Godspeed!

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a fellow South Carolinian and college classmate, Charles Rooney Miller, a good friend, a master teacher, and a survivor of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mr. Miller was born on August 11, 1939 in Clover, South Carolina in York County. He was the first of two children born to Andrew Charles Miller and Emily Lee (Allison) Miller. After his parents separated, he lived with his grandmother, aunts, uncles and other relatives--he was truly a community-raised child in a Christian environment. From a young age, he attended Clover Chapel Methodist Church Sunday Bible School and later joined Flat Rock Baptist Church where he was baptized. At the age of 11, he became the Sunday School Teacher for his age group. Mr. Miller was an excellent student throughout grammar school and high school. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in May of 1956 as Valedictorian of his class. From there he went to South Carolina State College (now University), where I had the pleasure of meeting him and beginning a life-long friendship. We were both active in the civil rights activities on campus and participated in a number of marches and other activities. Rooney graduated from SC State in 1962 and moved to Stamford, Connecticut where he was later joined by his wife and children. In Connecticut, Mr. Miller worked two jobs to support his family; at Chemtross, a film developing business, and at Stamford Chemicals, a dry cleaning production business, where his work is associated with the invention of a number of products that are still used in today's dry cleaning industry. Mr. Miller later became a teacher and worked for a short time in South Carolina, Stamford, and in the Norwalk, Connecticut Public School Systems. In 1968, Mr. Miller began a career with the New York City Department of Social Services and worked there until 1994 when he retired as a Supervisor with the Bureau of Social Services For Children. His retirement was not long and he returned to work in 1997 as a consultant with PSI International in Fairfax, Virginia and was assigned as a Conversion Specialist for his old office, the New York City Department of Social Services. He worked there until September 11, 2001. On the morning of September 11th, Mr. Miller arrived at work early and spoke to several colleagues on his floor. He thought about how much he enjoyed his post-retirement work as a consultant and his ability to set his own schedule. In the midst of his musings, he heard a loud noise but first thought the sound came from normal truck traffic outside. But this window-rattling occurrence was different. He was astonished when he went to the window and saw the World Trade Center tower on fire and a trail of fluid pouring down the side of the building with fire leaping behind it. He heard other loud explosions and co-workers on his floor began to scream, cry and pray. The radios began broadcasting reports of the fire but no one was sure what was happening. As Mr. Miller and his co-workers continued to watch the building burn he saw people jumping from the windows, some holding hands. They watched as the second plane crashed into the other tower. They knew then they were in the midst of a planned attack, and pandemonium broke out. Finally, they received instructions to leave their building and head down to the South Street Seaport where they thought it would be safer by the water. They were given surgical masks to cover their noses and mouths and instructed to put a moist towel under the mask to help prevent inhalation of smoke, chemicals and other foreign particles. They left the darkened building with smoke and objects flying through the air. As people were screaming and running out of the building, Miller was knocked to the ground and run over by several people before he could get back to his feet. He thought he would be okay once he caught his breath. He was eventually assisted by a worker from a nearby polling place and taken to a triage location. The medics realized that Miller was suffering from a heart attack and he was then rushed by ambulance to New York Hospital's downtown emergency room. He was hospitalized for five days and unable to contact his family. After subsequent angioplasty surgery and treatments for the back injury he received, he is now mending well. He's still active in his church, Cathedral Baptist, where he serves as Chairman of the Deacon's Board, Chairman of the Men's Department, Vice President of the Board of Directors, a teacher in the Bible Institute and the Adult Sunday School Class. He is also a member of South Carolina State University Alumni Chapter of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring Charles Rooney Miller, a man who's contributions to his community, his friends, and his family will leave lasting impressions on the numerous lives he has touched. As the Homecoming celebrations begin at our alma mater, South Carolina State University, I wish him continued success and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend and former schoolmate, Gilbert ``Gigi'' Zimmerman. Despite significant challenges, this extraordinary man is an award-winning community activist, scholar, educator and an advocate for the disadvantaged. I met Gigi when we were students at South Carolina State College (University) in Orangeburg. We were both active in the civil rights activities, often getting arrested together during sit-ins. He also found time to preserve the collective memory of those turbulent but heady days as the editor of our yearbook during his junior and senior years. He was one of the scholars among our group, earning a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. But he was not content to stop there. In 1970, Gigi received a prestigious Ford Foundation Fellowship in Leadership Development, and studied at the University of California at Santa Cruz under the mentorship of noted Sociologist, Dr. Herman Blake. That experience led him to earn a Master's Degree in Education Guidance and Counseling from South Carolina State. He then went on to round out his education with a Master's in Human Resources Management at Pepperdine University in California. Gigi is a former high school teacher, who now serves as an Adjunct Professor of Business Management at Limestone College. He is truly committed to helping shape the minds of future generations. He also serves as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Education. But his role as scholar and educator, are just a small part of this larger than life character. Gilbert Zimmerman is best known for his compassion for others and his dedication to improving the quality of life for the disadvantaged. He has worked primarily in the areas of community organization and development for very low-income citizens. Most of this community work experiences were gained from working with Mexican-Americans in depressed communities in California, Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina. Today he serves as the Director of Operations and Planning for the Beaufort-Jasper Economic Opportunity Commission. Gigi's contributions have been recognized locally and nationally. In 1982, Ronald Reagan appointed him to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He was reappointed by Governor Dick Riley in 1991, and served as Chairman from 1992-1996. He is a member and past President of the South Carolina Association of Human Service Agencies. As a young adult, Gigi was recognized as one of the ``Outstanding Young Men of America.'' He is a past recipient of the ``South Carolina Volunteer of the Year'' award by the Joint Action in Community Service. His community service activities include membership on the S.C. Low-Income Housing Coalition, the Port Royal Community Residence for the Developmentally Disabled Board, the Partners for Healthy Community Steering Committee, the Prudential Youth Leadership Institute Advisory Board, and the Executive Committee of the Burton-Dale-Beaufort NAACP Branch. All of this from a man whose stature among his peers is unequaled-- physically and emotionally. ``Gigi'' stands less than four feet tall, but I am proud to say I look up to him for the enormous courage he continuously demonstrates, and the tremendous accomplishments he has achieved. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me honoring Gilbert ``Gigi'' Zimmerman for the inspiring example he sets for all of us. I wish him continued success and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joe Christian, Jr., a classmate, good friend, great teacher and successful businessman who worked for twenty years as a leading Sales Representative with the Procter and Gamble sales organization. He is a highly skilled motivator and communicator with special strengths in public speaking, training and marketing. Mr. Christian is a native of Fairfield, Alabama near Birmingham and received his high school diploma from Fairfield Industrial High School in 1952. He served in the United States Air Force from 1953 until 1957 and received an Honorable Discharge from the Reserves in 1961. After his active military service, Mr. Christian received an Associate Business Degree from Lewis College of Business in Detroit, Michigan in 1959 and subsequently matriculated at South Carolina State College (University) where I had the pleasure of meeting him. We became fast friends and remain so today. After graduating from South Carolina State University in 1961 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, Mr. Christian began his professional career in 1962 as an Assistant Purchasing Agent at Tuskegee University in Alabama. After a year, he returned to South Carolina State University to serve as a Junior Accountant and Chief of Inventories and he stayed in that position until 1965. For the next four years, he worked at Savannah State College in Georgia where he served as the Director of Auxiliary Services and managed the College's physical plant (including dormitory equipment and renovation). He returned to Orangeburg in 1969 and served for a year as Business Manager of Claflin College where he managed a budget of $1 million and a physical plant of $3 million. He also supervised office managers in the College bookstore, dining hall and accounting offices. Mr. Christian decided to go back to school and earned a Master of Business Administration Degree from Clark-Atlanta University's School of Business in 1972. Armed with his MBA, Mr. Christian began a new phase of his career in the corporate sector that lasted twenty years. As a Sales Representative for Grocery Retail Operations at Proctor and Gamble, Mr. Christian was responsible for expanding the paper, bar soap, food and beverage divisions and for expanding markets for new products. He retired from Proctor and Gamble in 1991 and in 1992 returned to his teaching roots. For eight years, he served as an Adjunct Professor at Fayetteville State University's School of Business and Economics in North Carolina, and taught courses on American Capitalism, Retailing, Sales Management, and Principles of Marketing. Mr. Christian presently serves as a substitute teacher for the Wake County Public Schools in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mr. Christian is a member, deacon and Sunday school teacher at the Trinity Baptist Church. He has received numerous awards, including the Ford Foundation Fellowship Award, and the Distinguished Service Award from the Durham Sertoma Club. He is also a recipient of the Silver Citation from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me today in honoring Joe Christian, Jr., a man who has touched innumerable lives in his community in countless ways. As we celebrate Homecoming at our alma mater, South Carolina State University, I wish him continued success and Godspeed!

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from my home State for yielding me this time and for his leadership on this and many other issues in this body. Mr. Speaker, there is not a single Member of this body who does not believe Saddam Hussein is a tyrant who has murdered his own people, violated U.N. sanctions, and thumbed his nose at the world community. However, this body and our Nation are deeply divided as to the proper course of action at this juncture. My cosponsorship of the Spratt amendment reflects that uncertainty among my constituents. The American people and our allies around the world have placed calls to my office expressing overwhelming lack of support for preemptive military action. Shoot now and ask questions later has never been the American way and it should not be it now. It is an awesome responsibility to have the power to set events in motion that could forever alter another country, an entire region, not to mention our Nation's future relationships in the world community. We should not put the lives of our youth at risk and further fuel the fervor of terrorist actions against our homeland. We should not duck our responsibilities as Members of Congress. I believe this substitute is the best action to take at this particular juncture. Many of us lived through Vietnam and saw its wretched effects on our Nation. This is not the time to commit to an unpopular unilateral act of aggression, especially one with such great potential for devastating consequences. Mr. Speaker, just because we can do it does not mean we should.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Margaret Campbell of Horrell Hill, South Carolina, and a resident of the Sixth Congressional District, who is being honored with the 2002 Andrus Community Service Award by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Mrs. Campbell is one of only 53 award recipients nationwide selected for embodying AARP's slogan To Serve, and Not Be Served. This lively 76-year-old serves as the South Carolina AARP Associate State Coordinator for Community Operations, but her dedication goes far beyond the parameters of her job title. Mrs. Campbell has volunteered for AARP for more than a decade and travels across the state organizing chapters and exhibits. She presents programs on a variety of issues that affect older Americans, and is constantly gathering information to improve her expertise in all these areas. Her introduction to volunteering came while her husband was a patient at the Dom Veteran Administration Hospital in Columbia. Mrs. Campbell spent many hours assisting other patients there while her husband underwent dialysis. Her love of helping others blossomed into volunteer relationships with the National Federation of the Blind, local nursing homes and churches. When Mrs. Campbell has not committed her time to one of her many favorite causes, she can be found taking friends and neighbors to the doctor or shopping, sitting with shut-ins or visiting a friend in the hospital. Her devotion to those in need should be an inspiration to us all. “They think I have helped them, but they have it wrong, they have helped me much, much more.” Before volunteering became her calling, Mrs. Campbell served 27 years as a Dietitian Assistant at Lower Richland High School and the Midlands Center. Now widowed, she was the devoted wife of Thomas Campbell for 48 years and the mother of two. She is a member of Mt. Elon Baptist Church in Horrell Hill. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring Margaret Campbell for her selfless dedication to senior citizens across South Carolina. I commend her on receiving the Andrus Community Service Award, and wish her good luck and Godspeed.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time and for his kind words. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my gratitude to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich), and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) for the tremendous bipartisan support H.R. 1606 has received to date. I very much appreciate the opportunity to speak today on behalf of my legislation to extend authorization of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program. This is a day that has been several years in the making. As a former high school teacher, I have always possessed an acute appreciation for history and have enjoyed its study for many years. It was part of what motivated me to introduce legislation establishing the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, and I thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Graham) for joining me in support of that legislation which Congress authorized in the 1995 Omnibus Parks Act. It is also what motivated me to work to appropriate funds for a 3-year study of the Gullah culture along the sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia. This is a culture very unique and very much at threat of extinction. Hopefully this study will give us recommendations on how to preserve and interpret what most scholars say is the closest African roots of any native-born Americans. I have worked very closely for many years and on many issues with Dick Moe of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was overjoyed when the national trust, acting on the nomination of the Southeast Regional African American Preservation Alliance, listed the 103 HBCU campuses as a category on its 1998 list of the 11 most endangered historic sites in the country. I say these things to explain how important historic preservation is to me personally. But of all the things I have worked on in preservation, I am most proud of this HBCU historic preservation program. Many of these campuses today date back for a century or more. The history contained within the hallowed halls of these institutions is as rich and diverse as the students who passed through them. The HBCU historic preservation program has had a profound impact on three universities in South Carolina's sixth district. But I want to tell you what it meant to me as a student of history to see a treasure such as Arnett Hall on Allen University's campus in Columbia, South Carolina, saved from the brink of destruction. This structure, which had been boarded up for almost 40 years, was designed by an African American architect, built by the students themselves, and completed in June 1891. At the time we were authorizing the original $29 million for this program, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, our State's SHPO, listed Arnett Hall as the most endangered historic site in South Carolina. I am happy to report today the building has been saved, preserved to the Secretary of the Interior's standards, and shines as a beacon in that part of Columbia. The same is true for two other historic buildings in my district that have benefited from this program, Ministers Hall on Claflin University's campus in Orangeburg and Massachusetts Hall on the campus of Voorhees College in Denmark. In 1997, the Congressional Black Caucus requested the GAO conduct a study to determine the projected cost of preserving all threatened historic sites on the 103 HBCU campuses. I was asked to coordinate that study with the GAO. The study took one solid year to complete, but it was very comprehensive and very objective. The GAO identified 712 historic sites on those campuses with a projected preservation cost of $755 million. That is a lot of money, even in this town. But the need has been documented, and over time I believe the schools and this body will respond appropriately and adequately. The vast majority of these colleges have had a very difficult time raising the required dollar for dollar match which the previous legislation required. Consequently, many of them would like to have a grant. But I believe it is important for the schools themselves to feel vested in the project. So my bill requires a 30 percent match. The Park Service allows 70 percent of funding for planning and survey projects funded from the historic preservation fund, so there is a precedent for this ratio and it is a formula that is sorely needed. Mr. Speaker, this authorization will allow the campuses with structures identified for preservation to do strategic planning. If these schools were able to point to the Federal Government's commitment to cover 70 percent of the preservation costs, alumni and potential donors would be more amenable to contributing the matching funds for the projects. Mr. Speaker, should this bill become law, it will take many years and a strong commitment to meet the need the GAO has documented. But without this bill becoming law, we cannot even begin. Mr. Speaker, I know this body has shown strong support for preservation, and I pledge to do all I can for the historic preservation community. There is no issue regarding cultural or historic preservation that is more important to our Nation's fabric, the Congressional Black Caucus, and to me personally than H.R. 1606.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a longtime friend, Mr. Samuel J. Tenenbaum of Lexington, SC. On Wednesday, September 18, 2002, Mr. Tenenbaum will receive the Lifetime Achievement award in the area of philanthropy from the Columbia Urban League Guild. The Columbia Urban League is a non-profit organization that works for equal opportunity for everyone. The Columbia Urban League Guild is an affiliate and volunteer arm of the Columbia Urban League. The Lifetime Achievement Award is an award given to an individual who has made significant contributions to Columbia, the Midlands region, and the state. A 1961 graduate of Savannah Country Day School, Mr. Tenenbaum graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in History. He went on to do graduate studies in American Studies at the University of Minnesota. In 1967, he went to work in his family business, Chatham Steel Corporation, from which he retired in 2000 as Vice-President. An outstanding citizen of the State of South Carolina, Mr. Tenenbaum presently serves as chairman of the Alston Wilkes Foundation, trustee of both the Columbia Jewish Foundation and the Columbia Museum of Art, and chairman of the Alumni Advisory Committee to the Institute of Jewish Studies at Emory University. He is also a member of Habitat for Humanity, First Union Bank Advisory Board, The Richard W. Riley Institute of Furman University, and The Kosmos Club. I have had the pleasure of knowing Sam for longer than either of us care to remember. He has been a driving force behind the scenes in almost every major community initiative affecting the Columbia Metropolitan area. He puts his heart and soul into each and every endeavor whether it is raising money to replace a New York City fire truck lost on September 11th or building bridges between different racial and ethnic groups. Sam Tenenbaum is one of the most dedicated public servants I have ever known who prefers to stay out of the limelight and let his generous spirit speak for itself. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in commending Mr. Samuel Tenenbaum on his Lifetime Achievement recognition by the Columbia Urban League Guild. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honor.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Victoria Wright Hamilton, who will celebrate her 100th Birthday on September 12, 2002. Mrs. Hamilton, or ``Grandma Vic,'' as many affectionately know her, is a very remarkable woman in many ways. Born on September 12, 1902, in Alvin, S.C., Mrs. Hamilton has lived as an intricate part of the same community for a century. Although she only attended school up to the third grade, as did many women of color in that era, she is a very intelligent women who's knowledge cannot begin to be measured. In 1920, Mrs. Hamilton married Henry Hamilton and their union produced nine children: Williemena, Christine, Julius, Rayford, Leroy, Nathaniel, Henry Jr., Rosa Mae, and an infant who died shortly after birth. Mrs. Hamilton also raised her husband's half brother Edward Hamilton, as if he were her own son, always filling their lives with love and affection. Mrs. Hamilton is a very strong woman--in both mind and body. She has been a faithful member of Bethlehem Baptist Church throughout her life. In addition, she is also a dedicated member of the Christian Aid Society, and has been a member of the Laurel Hill Chapter #257, Order of the Eastern Star, for more than 41 years. As a young woman, Mrs. Hamilton worked long days in the fields of South Carolina picking cotton and plowing with oxen teams and mules. Even today, at the age of 100, she is still able to work in her garden to produce delicious fruits and vegetables. And, she never allows an opportunity to visit or help her friends or family pass her by. In her spare time, Mrs. Hamilton makes beautiful hand-sewn quilts that can be found in many homes from Jamestown, S.C. to various communities along Interstate 95 from Florida, to Maryland. Having made over 100 of these quilts as gifts to her many family members and friends, ``Grandma Vic'', who is a Mother, Grandmother, Great- Grandmother, and Great-Great-Grandmother, has spread and continues to spread tremendous love and affection to everyone with whom she comes in contact. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring an outstanding South Carolinian whose dedication to her family, and love for her fellow man are legendary. I wish her good luck and Godspeed, and a very Happy 100th Birthday.

Mr. CLYBURN

Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the State of South Carolina's 109th Governor, John Carl West, who I am honored to count among my dear friends and of whom I am proud to be a protege. Born on August 27, 1922, former Governor West will celebrate his 80th Birthday during the upcoming August recess. John C. West began his public service as a Member of the South Carolina Highway Commission from 1948--1952. In 1955, he was elected to the South Carolina State Senate from Kershaw County where he served for 11 years. His campaign was based entirely on the need for improved health care for the citizens of South Carolina. In his first statewide election in 1967, Governor West was elected Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina. He held this position until 1971, when he was elected South Carolina's 109th Governor. Constitutionally limited to one term, Governor West nevertheless made his mark on our State in ways that still benefit us today. Among his many legacies are the integration of the Governor's Executive staff, and creation of the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission, the State's fair employment, fair housing, and affirmative action agency. Both were firsts for a southern state. He also created the South Carolina Housing Finance Authority, which developed pioneering programs in affordable housing. After his distinguished service as Governor, he reentered the practice of law, but that was short lived. In 1977 President Jimmy Carter appointed him United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia. His distinguished service as an Ambassador stretched from 1977-1981. Mr. Speaker, on August 24, 2002, Governor West's wife Lois and their children have invited other family members and friends to join them in celebration of the Governor's 80th Birthday. My family and I look forward to joining them on that occasion, and I ask you and my colleagues to join me in wishing him good luck, Godspeed, and a very Happy 80th Birthday.