Elijah Cummings

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 10 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez) who is the sponsor of this bill.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time we have remaining?

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, as I listened to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), I could not help, Mr. Speaker, but think about my own life in South Baltimore and watching Roberto Clemente on television. I just want the gentleman from Illinois to know, Mr. Speaker, that he is absolutely right. Roberto Clemente was more than a hero to just the Puerto Rican community or Hispanic community, but he was a hero to all of us. When we look at what he accomplished in his life, he not only touched the Hispanic and Puerto Rican community, but he touched the world. He touched the world in a way that we could probably never do right by in these proceedings. Last but not least, I was also very moved, Mr. Speaker, by the comments of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), when he talked about the naming of a post office so that the children could have an opportunity to see that name on that post office. Many, many years from now, when that post office stands and that name is up there, it may be so long from now that somebody may say, well, who was that. The fact is that somebody will know who he was and will know that he came upon this Earth, he saw it, he looked and said, I can make a difference by simply being the best that I can be, working hard, and giving to mankind. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the gentleman for this bill. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the entire committee for making sure this bill got to the floor, and I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4831, to redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2339 North California Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Roberto Clemente Post Office'' was introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), my distinguished colleague and good friend, on July 12, 2000. The bill was amended on October 5, 2000 in the Committee on Government Reform to change the address designation from California Street to California Avenue. Mr. Roberto Walker Clemente was born in 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico and rose from an impoverished background in his hometown to become the star outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 to 1972. He helped the Pirates win two World Series in 1960 and 1971. Mr. Clemente was a four-time National League batting champion, was awarded 12 gold gloves, and was one of only 16 players to have 3,000 or more hits during their career. Mr. Roberto Clemente, a victim of dual discrimination for being black and Hispanic, died in 1972 in a plane crash delivering relief supplies to victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. This proud son of Puerto Rico was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. I urge my colleagues to vote for this measure, and I ask, Mr. Speaker, that we recognize the fact that Roberto Clemente was, not only a great baseball player, but he was a great role model and a great humanitarian. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) for his words. It is very heartening to know that the Lion's Club took this on as a project. I think it is very, very important in our society that we do everything in our power, Madam Speaker, to lift up our children. I have often said that they are the living messages we send to a future we may never see. I want to congratulate him for that. Madam Speaker, I just want to end with one of my favorite quotes from Madison, which was stated on June 8, 1789, when he said that all power is originally vested in and consequently derived from the people; that government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people, which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the right of acquiring and using property and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety; that the people have an indubitable, unalienable and indefeasible right to reform or change their government whenever it be found adverse and inadequate to the purposes of the institution. Madam Speaker, I would urge all of our colleagues to vote in favor of this very important resolution. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), for sponsoring H.R. 208. I am very pleased to say that I am a very proud cosponsor. Madam Speaker, this bill makes significant reforms in the Thrift Savings Plan. It contains proposals that were included in President Clinton's last two budget proposals. It would permit new Federal employees to begin contributing to their TSP immediately rather than waiting a year, as required under current law. It would also let Federal employees transfer balances from other tax-deferred savings plans, including private sector 401(k) accounts, to their TSP accounts. Early participation in the Federal Employees' Retirement System, especially in the TSP, is critical if an employee is going to maximize the amount of earnings saved for retirement. The Subcommittee on Civil Service has addressed the issue of protecting employees' retirement savings by moving legislation through Congress that would provide long-term care insurance as a benefit option for Federal employees and postal employees, as well as military personnel and retirees. The legislation, the Long Term Security Act, was signed into law by President Clinton last month. Baby-boomers are concerned about their retirement security, but are not saving adequately for their long-term care needs. H.R. 208 is one initiative that will help the Federal work force save money for their retirement. Senator Akaka's amendment to the House bill further strengthens the legislation by allowing the TSP to accept all of the types of rollover contributions that private sector 401(k) plans may now accept. In addition, the Senator's amendment would provide an offset for the legislation that will not divert money from the agency's hard-pressed salaries and expenses accounts. I am pleased again to be a cosponsor. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for her sponsorship. Madam Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), a member of the subcommittee. The Subcommittee on Civil Service is one that works very closely, and we have done some great work this year. The gentlewoman is one of the leaders on our subcommittee, and one who constantly reminds us of how important our civil servants are.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 9 minutes. Madam Speaker, I want to, first of all, thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) for what she just said. It reminds me that our subcommittee has worked very hard to stand up for our Federal employees, and we have had a tremendous sensitivity to their needs and their concerns. So often Federal employees are not given the credit for all the wonderful things that they do, and I have often said that they are the folks who keep government together. They are the oil that keeps the engine running. Without them, we would not be able to accomplish very much of anything in this country. With that, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Ms. Morella) again for her sensitivity, but we have been very fortunate to work in a bipartisan way. As the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) said, this is the way things should be done; just a common sense approach and encouraging people to save on their own. As we reach the waning days of this session, I want to take a moment, Madam Speaker, to thank the members of our committee, certainly the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hutchinson), and certainly the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough), our chairman, for all of the efforts that we have been able to pull together to create some very, very meaningful legislation. I think that it is safe to say, Madam Speaker, that we set some goals at the beginning of this term, and I think we fulfilled just about all of them; and this is a crowning piece of legislation, because, again, it is recognition for our Federal employees for what they do every day, every day to lift our Nation up, to make it the strongest Nation in the world and the greatest Nation in the world. With that, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 5229 was introduced by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston) on September 20, 2000. Mrs. Ruth Harris Coleman was a schoolteacher and one of the originators of Odum Day, which celebrated its 25th year on October 7 of this year. Mrs. Coleman was Odum Day director for 17 years. In 1983, she was the grand marshal of Odum's homecoming parade and in 1998 was named Odum's Citizen of the Year. She chaired the American Red Cross Drive in the Wayne County Chapter of AARP and was a member of the Wayne Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Ms. Coleman died in 1998. I have often said that when we take a moment, Madam Speaker, to name a post office after someone, it is not the deed that counts; but it is the memory of the fact that we are taking a moment to salute this schoolteacher and give her the recognition that she richly deserves says a lot. With that, Madam Speaker, I would urge the swift passage of this bill and ask all of our colleagues to vote in favor of it. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to first associate myself with the distinguished gentleman from Virginia's comments. I just want to quote a letter to W.T. Barry from President Madison dated August 4, 1822. It is one of my favorite quotes, Mr. Speaker, and I will end with this. He said: ``A popular government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.'' He goes on to say, ``Learned institutions ought to be favorite objects with every free people. They throw that light over the public mind which is the best security against crafty and dangerous encroachments on the public liberty.'' Mr. Speaker, I again thank everybody who had anything to do with bringing this resolution to this floor today. I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I first of all want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Bliley) for this resolution. I want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and I want to associate myself with his words that were just spoken. Mr. Speaker, James Madison, a young aristocrat who began his public career in public service at age 23, would become indelibly linked to three great works of American democracy: the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and the Bill of Rights. In 1776, Madison was a member of the Virginia constitutional committee, a body that drafted Virginia's first constitution and a bill of rights which later would become a model for the Bill of Rights appended to the United States Constitution. When Madison was elected to the United States House of Representatives, he became the primary author of the first 12 proposed amendments to the Constitution. Ten of these, the Bill of Rights, were adopted. At the Constitutional Convention, which opened on May 25, 1787, Madison set the tone by introducing a document he authored called ``The Virginia Plan.'' The plan called for a strong central government consisting of a supreme legislature, executive and judiciary. It provided for a national legislature consisting of two houses, one elected by the people and the other appointed by the first from a body of nominees submitted by State legislatures. Representation in these bodies would be based on the population of the States. It provided for an executive to be elected by this national legislature. The plan also defined a national judiciary and a council of revision charged with reviewing the constitutionality of legislation. As the driving force in the formation of the Constitution, James Madison organized the convention, set the agenda, and worked through many obstacles that threatened the process. The notes he took throughout the convention constitute this country's best and most complete record of the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Madison's notes, which comprise a third of the Federalist Papers, were published in the 1830s. As we honor James Madison today, we remember his role in the great debate on slavery. He openly acknowledged that slavery was a great evil, was a member of an antislavery society, and even authored a plan for the emancipation of slaves. Nevertheless, history documents that he continued to regard and hold slaves as property until his death. In fact, he himself said that slaves remain such in spite of the declarations that all men are born equally free. As I reflect on this serious dichotomy, I am mindful of a quote from Madison's 1810 State of the Union address that is applicable to our modern society. He stated that ``American citizens are instrumental in carrying on a traffic in enslaved Africans, equally in violation of the laws of humanity and in defiance of those of their own country. The same just and benevolent motives which produced interdiction in force against this criminal conduct will doubtless be felt by Congress in devising further means of suppressing the evil.'' It is my hope that 190 years later, this Congress heeds these words and makes a strong commitment to suppressing the evil of racism and prejudice against minorities that exists today. As this Congress labors through this week to complete its work on the many pending appropriations bills, I urge my colleagues to keep one of Madison's messages on public leadership in mind. Mr. Speaker, he said, ``The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men and women who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society.'' I believe that all of us who are elected, Mr. Speaker, to serve in the Congress come to serve the common good and hope that when we conclude this session it is reflected in the work we have done. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this very important and significant resolution. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to note the passing from this life on September 16 of a great American. I rise to pay homage to a man of peace, United States District Judge Joseph Clemens Howard, Sr. Judge Howard served the cause of justice for many years, first on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City, and later on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. Some may think it unusual that I characterize this man who was such a fierce and tenacious fighter for justice as a man of peace. We must never forget, however, what Dr. Martin Luther King taught this Nation when he said, ``Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is the presence of justice.'' All too often in this life, we fail to recognize, Mr. Speaker, the greatness of the people around us. Judge Joseph Howard was a man, however, whose elevated stature as a human being, whose intellectual capability and moral character, as well as physical presence, demanded recognition. As a consequence of that stature, Joe Howard was acknowledged in his own time as both a legal scholar and as a trailblazer for civil rights. President Jimmy Carter nominated Judge Howard to serve on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland in 1979. That action on the part of President Carter was an historic event. In recognition of Joe Howard's capabilities and proven accomplishments as a member of the Maryland judiciary, both Maryland Senator Charles Mathias and our Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes strongly supported Judge Howard's nomination. The Senate gave its advice and consent, and on October 25, 1979, Judge Joseph Howard was sworn in as the first African American to ever serve on Maryland's United States District court. No one who loves justice has ever had cause to regret this historic event. I have been taught that a true leader stands up for what is right, whatever adversity that may bring, hanging on to his principles until the rest of the world catches up. This is how I will always remember Judge Joseph Howard. He cleared the path and set the standards of excellence and principle for all of us who followed him into the law. Those of us who were blessed to know Judge Howard understand that the principles he fought to advance are far from being secured. We will carry on in the certain knowledge that a man who loved humanity has chartered our course and won the opening argument. Judge Howard used to remind us that justice must always seek to improve the human condition. He quoted Eleanor Roosevelt's words so often: Human rights must begin in small places close to home. They are the world of the individual person, where every man, woman and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity and equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Judge Howard understood the fundamental truth in Eleanor Roosevelt's words. That conviction was the source of his greatness. Judge Howard's funeral last Friday was one of those brief moments when everyone, both black and white, became one heart and one mind. Baltimore came together last Friday to pay respect to the life of a man who taught us lasting lessons about the seeds of justice within the human spirit. ``There was a fury about Judge Joseph Howard, a sense of justice that lay at the center of his soul,'' recalled District Court Chief Judge J. Frederick Motz. ``At the same time, he was a man of compassion to all, whatever their station in life.'' Maryland's Chief Judge, Robert Bell, concurred, observing, ``Joe Howard was a man who built bridges so that those who followed could cross to opportunity on the other side.'' What touched me most deeply, Mr. Speaker, though, was the honesty and the candor with which those of us who spoke addressed the struggles in Joe Howard's life. We talked openly about how in 1968 as a young man and Assistant State's Attorney, Joe Howard had gone against the legal establishment of that time, challenging racial disparities in sentencing and pushing for a higher level of equity. We remembered how the system attempted to punish Joe Howard's pursuit of justice during his campaign for a seat on the Supreme Bench. In a free society, the seeds of justice can take hold and grow only in the shared soil of our respect for ourselves and each other as human beings. So, my colleagues and friends, I rise not to mourn the death of Joseph Clemens Howard, but to celebrate the life of a man who exemplified ``equal justice under the law.'' To the beloved ones in Judge Howard's life, his wife, Gwendolyn Lynn Howard; his son, Joseph; his brother, Lawrence; and the entire Howard family, we simply say thank you for sharing with us the life of a great man. Judge Joseph Clemens Howard was beloved by all who loved justice, and he will be sorely missed.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is needed to help address the challenges posed in responding to emergencies and disasters, in particular, the wildfires that besieged our Western States. The effects of our brave Federal wildland firefighters and other disaster relief personnel are being undercut by personnel administration problems relating to compensation for overtime work. The overtime pay rate for employees covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is equal to one and one-half times their regular hourly rate of pay. For FLSA- exempt Federal employees, however, the overtime rate may not exceed one and one-half times the GS-10 step 1 rate. This legislation would address this problem in two ways. First, it assures that no Federal employee receives less than his or her normal rate of pay for overtime work. Second, it recognizes the special demands and difficult circumstances involving emergencies that threaten life or property by increasing the hourly overtime pay rate limitation from GS-10, step 1, to GS 12, step 1, for FLSA-exempt employees who perform overtime work in connection with such an emergency. The higher rates of overtime pay resulting from these changes will effectively address the daunting challenges faced by our Federal land management agencies in containing extremely large, and dangerous wildfires. This legislation builds upon and includes changes proposed in H.R. 1770, the ``Federal Employees' Overtime pay Limitation Amendments Act of 1999,'' which I introduced last session to correct longstanding FLSA-exempt overtime pay problems for Federal employees generally. Please join me by cosponsoring this legislation for federal managers and supervisors, emergency personnel, and their families. Text of bill follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the ``Federal Employees' Overtime Pay Limitation Amendments Act of 2000.,'' Sec. 2. (a) Title 5, United States Code is amended-- (1) in section 5542(a)-- (A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows: ``(2) For an employee whose basic pay is at a rate which exceeds the minimum rate of basic pay for GS-10 (including any applicable locality- based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law), the overtime hourly rate of pay is an amendment equal to the greater of-- ``(A) one and one-half times the minimum hourly rate of basic pay for GS-10 (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or ``(B) the hourly rate of basic pay of the employee (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law), and all that amount is premium pay.''; and (B) by amending paragraph (4) to read as follows; ``(4) Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), for any pay period during which an employee is engaged in work in connection with an emergency (including a wildfire emergency) that involves a direct threat to life or property, including work performed in the aftermath of such an emergency, the overtime hourly rate of pay is an amount equal to one and one-half times the hourly rate of basic pay of the employee, except that such overtime hourly rate of pay may not exceed the greater of-- ``(A) one and one-half times the minimum hourly rate of basic pay for GS-12 (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law but excluding any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or ``(B) the hourly rate of basic pay of the employee (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law), and all that amount is premium pay. A determination as to the existence and duration of such an emergency and its aftermath, and whether work is connected to it, shall be made at the discretion of the head of the agency (or his or her designee) in consultation with the director of the Office of Management and Budget.''; and (2) in section 5547-- (A) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: ``(a) An employee may be paid premium pay under sections 5542, 5545 (a), (b), and (c), 5545a, and 5546 (a) and (b) only to the extent that the payment does not cause the aggregate of basic pay and such premium pay for any pay period for such employee to exceed the greater of-- ``(1) the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or ``(2) the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule.''; (B) by amending subsection (b)(1) to read: ``(1) Subject to regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, the first sentence of subsection (a) shall not apply to an employee who is paid premium pay by reason of work in connection with an emergency as specified under section 5542(a)(4).''; (C) by amending subsection (b)(2) to read as follows: ``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), no employee referred to in such paragraph may be paid premium pay under the provisions of law cited in the first sentence of subsection (a) if, or to the extent that, the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay under those provisions for such employee would, in any calendar year, exceed the greater of-- ``(A) the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 in effect at the end of such calendar year (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or ``(B) the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule in effect at the end of such calendar year.''; (D) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: ``(c) The Office of Personnel Management may prescribe regulations governing the applicability of subsection (b) to employees who are in receipt of annual premium pay for standby duty or administratively uncontrollable overtime work under section 5545(c) or availability pay for criminal investigators under section 5545a.''; and (E) by adding at the end: ``(d) This section shall not apply to any employee of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Department of Defense who is paid premium pay under section 5546a.''. (b) The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the first day of the first pay period beginning on or after 120 days following the date of enactment of this Act.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), and I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh), our subcommittee chairman, and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), our ranking member of the Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on the Postal Service, for their support in bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I believe that persons who have made meaningful contributions to society should be recognized. The naming of a postal building in one's honor is truly a salute to the accomplishments and public service of an individual. H.R. 4451 designates the United States Post Office building located at 1001 Frederick Road in Baltimore, Maryland, as the Frederick L. Dewberry, Jr. Post Office Building. Frederick L. Dewberry, Jr., was born and raised in Baltimore City. He is a graduate of Loyola College and received a law degree from the University of Baltimore. A lieutenant in World War II, Dewberry served courageously in the United States Navy on small ships and destroyers in the Pacific Ocean. After returning from this war, Mr. Dewberry returned to Catonsville, Maryland, where he and his wife, Anne, raised their five children. The Baltimore County resident held the post of chairman of the Baltimore County Council from 1964 to 1966. He was also Baltimore county executive in 1974. From 1979 to 1984, he was the deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation; and he served as secretary of the Maryland Department of Licensing and Regulation from 1984 to 1986. In addition to his government service, he was also involved in health care, serving on the advisory board of St. Agnes Hospital for 20 years from 1970 to 1990. He also served as president of Blind Industries and Services of Maryland from 1986 to 1989 and held positions on the various boards and commissions far too numerous to mention at this time. Frederick Dewberry was a tremendous administrator. People loved to work for him because he was fair. He also used to tell his employees that he wanted no surprises and all work needed to be done above board. This philosophy stemmed from his days in the service. In the Navy, where he was given the name ``Ping,'' he was a sonar operator checking for submarines in the water. He served this country with valor and with the expectation that all work would be done with pride and excellence. In fact, his son, Delegate Tom Dewberry, who, by the way, is speaker pro tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, said that his father always told his brothers and his sister that ``if you do what is right, then you will be all right.'' He certainly lived by this motto. This veteran and public servant died on July 9, 1990. Service to the Nation and community is to be commended. Without such service, many would be left without a voice or advocate and our Nation would not be the world leader it is today. Citizens like Frederick Dewberry, who give such service by giving of their time and talents, should be saluted. I urge my colleagues to support this postal naming bill that salutes a person from my district who has spent his life giving service to others and lifting up his neighbors and lifting up his country. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for his comments, because his comments really go to the crux of why we are doing what we are doing. I think all of us, all of us in this Congress accept the fact that we have to do everything in our power to make sure children have an opportunity to grow up so that they can be the best that they can be. And when we think about something like health care, a child able to be taken care of if he has the measles or the mumps or has some kind of problem, health problem, just to know that that custodial parent is placed in a position where he or she can take that child to a health care provider and have that child taken care of is so very, very important. As the gentleman said, this bill may not reach the headlines of our papers; but I can tell my colleagues one thing, it will reach the headlines of a lot of families, a lot of custodial parents who merely want their children to be healthy. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this very important legislation. I again, thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella). I want to thank all of the members of our subcommittee for the bipartisan effort in our quest to uplift the children of our great Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I and the children who will receive health care under this bill, thank the gentleman from Indiana (Chairman Burton) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman); the ranking member, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scarborough); and also we extend our appreciation to the members of our Subcommittee on Civil Service, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Allen), who have affirmed their commitment to children by cosponsoring this legislation. H.R. 2842 also enjoys the support of Senator Levin who introduced the companion Senate bill, S. 1688, in the Senate. According to the 1990 United States Census, 78 percent of noncustodial parents had health coverage available through their employers, but only 23 percent had their children covered voluntarily. The legal right to health care was denied to children by absentee parents, even though they had the option to include them in their medical insurance plan for little or no cost. The Department of Agriculture estimates that in 1998, over 10 million children had no health care coverage. H.R. 2842 will allow the Federal agencies to join States and provide health insurance for children of its employees. The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 required States to enact legislation requiring employers to enroll a child in an employee's group health plan when a court orders the employee to provide health insurance for the child but the employee fails to do so. The Federal Employee Health Benefits Program law provided that a Federal employee may enroll in a FEHB Plan. The law does not allow an employing agency to elect coverage on the employee's behalf. Further, FEHB law generally preempts State law with regards to coverage and benefits; therefore, a Federal agency is unable to ensure that a child is covered in accordance with a court order. To correct this inequity, H.R. 2842, would enable the Federal Government to enroll an employee in his or her family in the FEHB program when a State court orders the employee to provide health insurance coverage for a child of the employee. If the affected employee is already enrolled for self-only coverage, the employing agency would be authorized to change the enrollment to self and family. If the affected employee is not enrolled in the FEHB Program, the employing agency would be required to enroll him or her under the standard option of the service benefit plan Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Finally, the employee would be barred from discontinuing the self and family enrollment as long as the court order remains in effect, the child meets the statutory definition of family member, and the employee cannot show that the child has other insurance. I am pleased that H.R. 2842 is supported by the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support. ACES is the largest child support organization dedicated to assisting disadvantaged families entitled to support. Mr. Speaker, someone once said that children are the living messages we send to a future we may never see, and when we think about what we are doing here, it is a very important deed providing children with health care coverage. I have often said it is not the deed, but it is the memory, and if we can have children that can gain health care when they need it and can look back on their lives and had access to doctors and could get well throughout their lives, I think they will be able to look back, not only on pleasant memories, but they will be able to look back on a healthy life. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and by doing so, we send a very powerful message to this future that we may never see. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), my distinguished colleague and one who has been at the forefront of issues regarding Federal employees and children. (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. I certainly agree with the gentleman on that one. That is why my daughter is a second-year student there at Howard.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to thank him for this special order tonight with regard to our Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. I also want to thank him as the former president of the State Senate in Maryland and now as a Member of this great body for all of the support he has given to our colleges in the State of Maryland and then of course to those throughout the United States as a Member of this body. Many might ask, what is an HBCU? To clarify, the Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964 whose principal mission was and is the education of black Americans. Earlier today, presidents, chancellors and representatives from HBCUs met with congressional leaders to identify opportunities to advance HBCUs. Throughout their history, HBCUs have served as emblems of excellence in higher education for African Americans. Often acclaimed ``the salvation of black folks,'' HBCUs have engraved in American history the opportunity for freedom through education. There are 117 HBCUs, a mix of 4-year colleges and universities, community and junior colleges, public and private institutions, and technical schools. The benefits of an educational experience at an HBCU are significant and cannot be duplicated. Students develop intellectually and build life skills and personal confidence about their identity, heritage and mission to society. Tonight, Madam Speaker, I would like to simply provide facts and figures that will give my colleagues an idea of how many lives have been impacted by HBCUs. Did you know that HBCUs have produced a large number of congressional representatives, State legislators, mayors, Federal and State judges, professors, teachers, doctors, lawyers, business leaders, activists, writers, musicians, actors, athletes and military leaders? Did you know that for more than 150 years HBCUs have enrolled less than 20 percent of African American undergraduates but, significantly, award one-third of all bachelor's degrees and a large number of the graduate and professional degrees? During the second session of the 101st Congress at a hearing before the House Committee on Education and Labor entitled ``Issues and Matters Pertaining to Historically Black Colleges and Universities,'' former Congressman and current president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, William Gray of Pennsylvania, said, ``HBCUs have performed a remarkable task, educating almost 40 percent of this country's black college graduates at either the graduate or undergraduate level, some 75 percent of all black Ph.D.s, 46 percent of all black business executives, 50 percent of all black engineers, 80 percent of all black Federal judges, and 85 percent of all black doctors.'' At that same hearing, U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, who was then serving as president of Meharry Medical College, stated that ``historically black health professional schools have trained an estimated 40 percent of this Nation's black dentists, 40 percent of black physicians, 50 percent of black pharmacists, 75 percent of the Nation's black veterinarians.'' Again, these statistics speak volumes for the value of HBCUs in providing an opportunity for African Americans to participate and make contributions in all walks of life. This record of outstanding achievement comes despite daunting challenges, including limited financial resources, as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) talked about just a moment ago. In fact, I must note that in comparison with other colleges and universities, HBCUs are often underfunded. However, these institutions have maintained their commitment to excellence in higher education. Locally, in my district of Baltimore, there are two HBCUs. Coppin State College has become a staple in the community, working with school children while also providing services to small businesses in cooperation with the Small Business Administration. It has also sponsored workshops, health fairs, concerts and other activities that enable the college to serve as a repository for African American culture. Coppin State also offers degree programs to prison inmates in urban and rural areas. This is just one example of an HBCU working to make their surrounding community more livable. As President Clinton once said, ``Historically Black Colleges and Universities continue to play a vital role by adding to the diversity and caliber of the Nation's higher education system. Furthermore, these institutions remind all Americans of our obligations to uphold the principles of justice and equality enshrined in our Constitution.'' I believe that the information I have provided here tonight supports this notion. I again thank the gentleman for the special order.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman McHugh) and certainly the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), the ranking member, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Barr), and to all those on the Subcommittee on Postal Service for their support in bringing this bill to the floor of the House. I believe that persons who have made meaningful contributions to society should be recognized. The naming of a postal building in one's honor is truly a salute to the accomplishments and public service of an individual. H.R. 4450 designates the United States Post Office building located at 900 East Fayette Street in Baltimore, Maryland, as the ``Judge Harry Augustus Cole Post Office Building.'' Judge Harry Augustus Cole was a man of many firsts. Judge Cole was the first African American assistant attorney general in Maryland, the first African American to be elected to the State Senate of Maryland, the first chairman of the Maryland Advisory Committee to the United States Civil Rights Commission, and the first African American to be named to Maryland's highest court, the Maryland Court of Appeals. Educated in Baltimore City Public Schools, Judge Cole graduated from Morgan State University in 1943. I might add that he later served as the chairman of the Board of Regents of that institution. While at Morgan, however, he served as the president of the student council and the founder and the first editor in chief of the Spokesman College Newspaper. A World War II veteran, Judge Cole graduated from the University of Maryland Law School, my alma mater, and practiced criminal and civil rights law for many years. He was a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, the oldest African American fraternity in the country. Unfortunately, he passed away on February 14, 1999. Harry Cole, who is one of my role models, is fondly remembered for his quick wit and sharp sense of humor. He was a man who always helped those in need and was always there for the indigent. He offered his services free of charge and was not looking for any kind of fame or thanks. Judge Cole extended his hand without ever seeking acknowledgment. I think it is time he is honored for the contributions he gave not only to the City of Baltimore, but to the State of Maryland and to this country. He was also a distinguished veteran and served proudly in our United States Army. He is survived by his wife, Doris, and his three daughters, Susan, Harriette and Stephanie. I urge my colleagues to support this postal naming bill that salutes a person from my district who was an outstanding veteran, an outstanding jurist, and spent his life providing service to others.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, as we consider the D.C. appropriations bill, let us not forget our ongoing battle with one of the deadliest diseases affecting more than 40 million persons worldwide: AIDS. In our Nation alone the number of new cases each year remains at 40,000, making this a leading cause of death. We have an obligation to act. We have seen substantial increases in Federal funding for research, education and treatment. The Congressional Black Caucus, working with the White House, secured $251 million in funds for programs in minority communities. Government-wide AIDS spending is estimated at $10 billion in fiscal year 2000. Progress has been made, but we must do more. Current research has determined that needle exchange programs, which I support, help curtail infection rates by more than 10 percent. This deadly infectious disease cannot be allowed to spread unchecked. Vote against amendments to the D.C. bill that threaten this principle.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4484, which names a post office after Everett Alvarez, was introduced by the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), my good friend and colleague, on May 17, 2000. Everett Alvarez was born in Salinas, California, in 1937. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master's degree in Operations Research and Systems Analysis, and a Juris Doctorate. After earning his bachelor's degree in 1960, he joined the United States Navy and was an officer. He was taken prisoner of war in August of 1964 and held captive in North Vietnam for 8\1/2\ years until the general release of prisoners in February of 1973. He served in program management at the Naval Air Systems Command in Washington, D.C. until his retirement in 1980. In 1981, he accepted an appointment as deputy director of the Peace Corps. President Reagan nominated him, and he was confirmed by the Senate, to be deputy administrator of the Veterans Administration in 1982. Mr. Alvarez is a recipient of numerous military declarations and civilian awards and serves on several boards of directors. The fact is that he is a military man and he has given so much to his country, and someone once said freedom is not free. The fact is that Mr. Alvarez took time out of his life to sacrifice so that we could all be free and enjoy the wonderful life that we enjoy in this country and around the world. Madam Speaker, I urge the adoption of H.R. 4484. I thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for recognizing this great Marylander. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I join the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) in thanking the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) for sponsoring H.R. 3454. Henry McNeal Turner was a well-known missionary pastor, evangelist, church administrator, Army chaplain, author of religious publications, and postmaster. He taught himself to read, and at the age of 19 he became a preacher in the African-American Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1863, he organized the first regiment of African-American troops. He became the first African-American Army chaplain, and then became a chaplain of the regular troops. He was elected to the Georgia State legislature in 1868. I guess it is easy for us to say that today, but when we think about the times back in 1868, for an African-American man to be elected to the State legislature is phenomenal. In 1869 he was appointed Postmaster of Macon, Georgia. He actively championed equal rights, and led missions to Sierra Leone, Liberia, and South Africa. So we pause here to honor him by naming this post office after him. I must say that it is so important that we do this, for he is a hero to so many people, and particularly to African-American people. Just the thought that this post office will be named after him, and children again will have to say, well, who was he, Henry McNeal Turner, I think somebody can turn around and say that he was a great man and accomplished a lot of great things in a very difficult time. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for this measure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4615, which names a post office after the Reverend J.C. Wade, was introduced by the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) on June 8, 2000. We thank him for doing that. Reverend James Commodore Wade was a noted pastor and a civic leader. He was born in Oklahoma in 1909. He served on the Mayor's Advisory Committee in Omaha, and organized the first Head Start program in Salem, Nebraska. He was a member of the Baptist Pastor's Conference and the Interdenominational Alliance. He served as a President of the New Era Baptist State Convention for 9 years, and also as a State Vice President to the National Baptist Convention for 9 years. I want to personally note as a member of that convention that I am very pleased to see that we are honoring him today. On the national level, he was a member of the National Baptist Convention, the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and the NAACP. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that you cannot judge a man by his station in life, but what he has done to get there. I listened to the words of my distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from Maryland, as she noted the fact that his parents died at an early age but yet he was able to overcome, and as a matter of fact, become a minister at a very early age. Again, on a personal note, as the son of two ministers, I can appreciate what we are doing here today. Just to know that this gentleman who hales from Oklahoma was able to and became a significant part of the National Baptist Convention says a whole lot. It is a very distinguished convention, and it is a very important one in our Nation. With that, Madam Speaker, I urge the swift adoption of this measure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, it certainly is appropriate that we honor Senator Broyhill. The comments that have been made today I am certain will go a long ways towards letting us know why Senator Broyhill meant so much to the great State of North Carolina, to this country and to the world. So we take this moment, Madam Speaker, this moment in time, to salute him by naming this post office after him. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4534, which names a post office after James T. Broyhill, was introduced by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Burr) on May 24, 2000. James T. Broyhill was born in Lenoir, North Carolina in 1927. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1950. He served as vice president of Broyhill Furniture Industries and was a member of the Lenoir Chamber of Commerce where he served as president for 2 years. In 1962, James Broyhill was elected to the United States House of Representatives where he served until 1986. He was the ranking member of the House Energy and Committee on Commerce for a number of years. Upon the death of Senator John East, Congressman Broyhill was appointed to the United States Senate by the governor. He subsequently lost in his election bid for the Senate seat and was appointed to serve as the chairman of the North Carolina Economic Development Board. He is currently retired and living in Winston Salem, North Carolina. I urge the swift adoption of this measure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.