Elijah Cummings

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I also want to commend the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent) for introducing this very, very important resolution. Today we honor 2 true sportsmen, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Last week Mark McGwire tied, and then broke, Roger Maris's 61st single-season home run record, making him the new major league leader, with 62 home runs. On Sunday, Sammy Sosa hit his 62nd home run, matching McGwire and helping to propel his team to victory in a crucial game against the Brewers. Last year, this Congress honored the lifetime achievements of another great baseball player: Jackie Robinson. Mr. Robinson would be proud to see how McGwire and Sosa have embraced and supported each other in the race to break Maris's record. McGwire and Sosa are making history, and they are doing it with respect for each other and with dignity and integrity. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 520 honors Mark McGwire for breaking the record for the most home runs in a season, and among other things, serving as a true role model for young people. But not only is he a role model for young people, but it has been well stated in the media that he gives somewhere in the area of $1 million per year to lift up children and to make their lives better, and for this we applaud him. As baseball regains its popularity and more young people flock to ball fields across America, it is important that our major league players set an example of hard work, sacrifice, dignity and respect for oneself and one's other players. Mark McGwire exemplifies all of these. Parents can speak of McGwire as not only a great ball player, but as a good man. After breaking Roger Maris's record, McGwire took time to acknowledge the Maris family who were sitting in the stands and hugged and lifted up his own son on the baseball field. Those two things, I think, sent a true message to all of us in America, and that is to never forget from whence we came and never forget those who came before us. Those were moments that all Americans could be proud of. McGwire's contributions to baseball have been memorialized in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The ball that McGwire hit his season record 62nd home run, his bat and his St. Louis Cardinals uniform are on display for current and future generations to see. Fathers and sons and daughters who journey to Cooperstown will be able to share a historic moment, a moment that will be further commemorated with this resolution in his honor. What he has done has left a spark in all Americans and has left a very, very, very important memory so that we might cherish it for our entire lifetimes. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, congratulations to all the winners of the 1998 John N. Sturdivant National Partnership Award. It is appropriate that this award has been renamed for John N. Sturdivant, the late national President of the American Federation of Government Employees, and a leader in forging labor-management relationships between his union and the Federal government. I am proud to say that one of the recipients of the Sturdivant Award, the Social Security Administration (SSA), is located in Baltimore, MD. SSA and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) have forged labor-management partnerships that have created an environment where unfair labor practices are becoming the exception rather than the rule. The Social Security Administration is being recognized for promoting and nurturing labor-management relationships. As a result, SSA has seen a decline in unfair labor practice complaints filed by the union; saving the government in litigation costs and hundreds of hours of lost productivity. This is the same agency that has been criticized for abusing the use of ``official time.'' However, the very use of official time by SSA employees enabled them to work with SSA management to produce innovative proposals that improve customer service. The Democrats have fought many attempts by a Republican-led Congress to do away with official time. As Ranking Member of the Civil Service Subcommittee, I recently waged war against a Republican proposal to undermine the use of official because it was nothing more than a back door attempt to destroy federal employee unions. SSA has responded to its critics by showing that when labor and management work together, not only do the employees benefit, but so do the American taxpayers.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding to me, and for raising this issue. I was listening to the gentleman, and I just wanted to add a few things. I represent the Seventh Congressional District of Maryland, which is basically Baltimore city. Of course, we are predominantly an African American district. One of the things that has been at the forefront of my agenda is dealing with prostate cancer, because it is not unusual for me to go to the bank, for example, on weekends, and run into African American men, as the gentleman just talked about, who either are about to go through some type of procedure for prostate cancer, or who have been diagnosed recently, or have had the procedure. I just wanted to thank the gentleman for raising the issue. A lot of this is about early detection, as I heard the gentleman talk about it a little earlier. Certainly we have in our district, in my district, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and we have some of the finest physicians in the area of dealing with prostate cancer. I just wanted to thank the gentleman, to take a moment to thank the gentleman for raising this issue, because it is a very, very important issue. I see so many African American men who die, and if they had only gotten the appropriate detection types of examinations and whatever. A lot of it, I think, does go to diet. Dr. Schwartz of Johns Hopkins has often talked about that. I think we could save a lot of lives there. I just wanted to again express my appreciation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill. There are many reasons for my opposition to this bill. First and foremost, is the atrocity of this body's inability to pass the Mollohan amendment to restore full funding for a fair and accurate census. At this time, however, I would like to address a matter which has not been discussed on the floor: The dramatic reduction in funding in the bill for the Small Business Administration. The bill reduces funding for the Small Business Administration's regular operating expenses by 27 percent, or $75 million less than the President's request. The Committee directs that reductions should come from ``overhead'' functions and primarily headquarters staff. According to the SBA, this reduction ``would literally shut down the Agency.'' The cut is so extreme that, if enacted, it would result in the elimination of more than 1,200 Federal employees, or 40 percent of SBA's workforce. But the situation gets worse! The Committee Report language on the funding cuts prohibits staff reductions from SBA district offices. However, of the approximately 3,000 Federal employees of the SBA, 2,000 are located in district offices. In other words, even if the SBA eliminated every employee in its DC headquarters, it would still not generate the savings required under the legislation! Thus, whether intended or not, this appropriations bill will de-fund the SBA. Mr. Speaker, the many programs operated by the SBA are critical to the people of my district and I am sure, to those of every Member of this Congress. The SBA helps to ensure that America's small business opportunities are available to the majority of Americans. America's 22 million small businesses employ more than 50 percent of the private work force, generate more than half of the nation's gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs. In Maryland, SBA programs to encourage the establishment and growth of small businesses have proven invaluable: In 1997, through its 7(a) program, the SBA made over 750 loans to Maryland small businesses, totaling over $145,000. The SBA's Small Business Investment Company program financed over $19 million for Maryland small businesses in 1997, and The SBA microloan program in Maryland financed over $190,000 for African American small businesses and $160,000 to 100% women-owned small businesses in 1997. I hope that the Appropriations Committee did not actually intend to de-fund this vital agency and that this funding situation will be addressed in conference committee. In addition to my concerns regarding the general operating budget, I am deeply troubled by the low funding levels for several key SBA programs. Two of these programs, the National Women's Business Council and the Women's Development Projects, have been addressed by my colleagues Representatives Millender-McDonald and Sanders in two amendments which receive my full support. I thank my colleagues for their efforts. However, there are at least two additional programs that were under- funded in this bill that are of particular concern to me and my constituents: The 7(j) Minority Enterprise Development program, for which the President requested $9.5 million, was provided just $2.6 million; and The HUB Zone program, enacted last year, for which the President requested $4 million, was provided only $2 million. Just two weeks ago in Baltimore, Aida Alvarez, Administrator of the SBA, signed an agreement with the Maryland Minority Contractors Association reaffirming SBA's commitment to double the number of SBA- guaranteed loans to African Americans. Alvarez joined Allan Stephenson, Baltimore SBA District Director, and Arnold Jolivet, President of the Maryland Minority Contractors Association in Baltimore, in the signing of a partnership agreement between the two groups. The agreement represents each organization's commitment to work together to increase the participation of Maryland's minority contractors in SBA's financial and technical assistance programs. I ask my colleagues, what purpose does it serve for SBA to promise to work more closely with the people of my district if there is no money in the programs for which my constituents apply? Additionally, Baltimore is the home of dozens of HUB Zones or ``Historically Under-utilized Business Zones.'' The HUB Zone Empowerment Contracting Program was enacted into law as part of the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 1997. The program encourages economic development in distressed communities through establishment of preferences for award of Federal contracts to small businesses located in these areas. Such a program has immense potential to aid the residents of my district--both business owners and the employees they hire. I would hate to think that after my colleagues demonstrated their wisdom in enacting the HUB Zone legislation, that just one year later they would provide inadequate funding to fully enact the program. My constituents contact my office daily to learn of SBA programs that can assist them in their attempts to gain financial self-sufficiency and independence. I urge the conference committee to fully fund both the Minority Enterprise Development and the HUB Zone Programs. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what the Republican majority meant to accomplish when it so dramatically under-funded the SBA and restricted those funds in a manner that would cause the elimination of virtually the entire SBA headquarters' staff. I therefore urge the members of the conference committee to act with a clear head and a clear conscience when they consider restoring full funding to the SBA.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, as Congress moves towards consideration of this year's foreign operations budget, I would like to draw your attention to a highly successful international development program that benefits from federal funding dollars and which operates out of my district in Baltimore: Catholic Relief Services (CRS). CRS is the official overseas relief and development agency of the Catholic Church in the United States. CRS assists persons on the basis of need, not creed, race or nationality. Its first mission provided food and shelter for World War II refugees. In the 1960s, while continuing to respond to emergencies, the agency began to look for ways to help the poor overcome poverty, particularly in newly independent and developing countries. Emphasis shifted to the promotion of new farming techniques, loans for small business, and health and water projects. The projects were designed to provide hope and dignity by allowing the poor to determine their own future and rise out of poverty. As the agency looks to the millennium with programs operating throughout the developing world, peace-building and reconciliation, gender responsive programs, the development and strengthening of civil society are active parts of its work in the promotion of social justice in the countries in which it works. The policies and programs of the agency reflect a philosophy of working in ways that maximize and optimize the resources, expertise and talent that may be brought to bear on the solution of the problems of the poor and disenfranchised. CRS has programs focusing on education, emergency assistance, enterprise development, food security, health, human rights, peace- building and reconciliation and welfare. Long-term solutions to the problems of injustice and underdevelopment are fostered by over 2,000 development and reconstruction projects. These projects promote food security through production, access and utilization; improve health care; develop water/sanitation systems; address deforestation problems; enable poor women to start small businesses; stabilize the environment; create village banks, and provide vocational/agricultural/health care training. Integration of these strategies in all CRS programs operating in potential conflict areas is a major thrust for the agency. In the CRS sponsored Small Enterprise Development programs, for example, nearly 90 percent of the entrepreneurs participating in these programs are women. These programs foster financial independence and sustainable development at the grassroots level. CRS involves the beneficiaries in the operation of the program. Participants manage the loan portfolio and ensure savings are accrued and invested. For most, it is the first chance to participate on an equal footing with men in their societies. While the obvious beneficiaries of these programs are the women entrepreneurs, beneficiaries also include the next generation. CRS has found that women who participate in the program spend a portion of their earnings on the health and education of their children--needs that otherwise would not have been met. Therefore, for example, girls who would not have attended school are now students. The benefits of literacy as a determinate of good health, income and agricultural productivity have been proven time and time again around the world. The benefits for the women of the future are innumerable. Another value of this program is the savings generated. CRS has helped entrepreneurs participating in these programs to save an average of more than $250 per person. In countries where people live on $1 day, this is the difference between surviving a crop failure, drought or flood or becoming a refugee in search of relief aid. The Small Enterprise Development program is but one excellent example of the programs sponsored by CRS around the world with the help of our federal funding. I ask my colleagues to please remember CRS, its programs and its dedicated headquarters staff working in my district, when they vote on international development funding in the foreign operations spending bill in September.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, last night I voted against the Hefley Amendment. As Ranking member of the Subcommittee on Civil Service, I strongly opposed the Hefley amendment because I believe that no employee, federal or otherwise, should be subjected to employment discrimination. Executive Order 13087, signed by President Clinton on May 28th, creates no new rights, it merely codifies existing non-discrimination policies already in force in every Federal department and agency throughout the executive branch. The Executive Order simply says that supervisors in the Federal government may not consider race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, in hiring, firing or promotion decisions. It states a fair and reasonable policy with which no true believer in our nation's founding principle of equal justice under law could disagree. The Hefley Amendment would prohibit the expenditure of funds to implement the Executive Order. By doing so, it sends the wrong message. It signals that it is permissible to discriminate based on sexual orientation. I find this particularly inappropriate for the Federal government which should be doing everything possible to discourage all forms of discrimination. Last fall, at my request, the Subcommittee on Civil Service held a series of hearings on employment discrimination in the Federal workplace. During these hearings, the current evidence of discriminatory conduct in the Federal workplace was overwhelming. I asked the General Accounting Office (GAO) to look into this matter, and in a report issued last month GAO found that the number of Federal employee discrimination complaints has risen sharply over the past few years. Clearly, more must be done to stamp out discrimination. What the Helfey amendment does is promote it.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I have listened to this debate, and I will tell the Members it really upsets me. I go to the funerals. I see the shrivelled up bodies in the caskets. I see the people suffering. I see my people dying over and over and over again. Members can cite any study they want to cite. Come to Baltimore, which has a similar program as this one. We are saving lives. It is real simple to sit here and say that these programs should not exist. This is life and death, life and death. So over and over and over again, I hear the arguments. But let me tell the Members something. In Baltimore, there is reduction of HIV because of these programs; in Baltimore, reduction of drug use because of these programs; in Baltimore, reduction of crime because of these programs. It is very simple. Members can cite anything they want to cite. The reason why I am so upset about it is because, like I said, I go to the funerals. I watch them die. I see the babies in the hospital as they cry out. So I say to the Members, I beg them that as this debate goes forward, understand that there are people who are dying. All of the amendments that we have had so far will not save lives, but this one, this amendment, if it goes through, will kill people. That is a fact.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the chairman of the subcommittee, and I were able to work in a bipartisan way to bring this bill to the floor for a vote today. This legislation addresses a problem that he and I made a top priority for this session of Congress. It establishes a comprehensive framework to make whole those employees who were placed in the wrong retirement system by the Federal Government. Few things in life are more important to a working person than having an adequate and secure retirement plan in place to provide for their future or that of their spouse. When a worker's retirement security is jeopardized by an employer's administrative error, tremendous emotional and financial pain can result unless a remedy is available that ensures its prompt and fair correction and avoids economic harm. At the hearings on this matter last summer before the Subcommittee on Civil Service, we heard the testimony of four employees who had been the victims of enrollment errors made by their employing agencies. In each case the employee was initially placed in the Civil Service Retirement System, then years later informed that they should have been in the Federal Employees Retirement System, better known as FERS. Afforded no recourse or options, these employees were dumped into FERS and confronted with the need to make thousands of dollars of retroactive payments into a newly established Thrift Savings account. Hundreds of other fellow employees have found themselves in the same situation over the past 10 years. Most have been forced to rearrange their lives and financial plans to rectify a problem not of their own making. Many without financial means have had to work beyond their planned retirement dates to build a full annuity. At least one had to sell his home to raise funds to make his thrift account whole. Our committee, our subcommittee, heard them, we felt their pain, and we assured them that we would act. This situation was intolerable, and all of us felt the same way on our subcommittee. We made a very strong promise, which we have kept to those witnesses who shared their tragic stories at that hearing that day, that we would find a remedy. I believe that with the enactment of H.R. 3249, a solution will finally be at hand. The Federal Retirement Coverage Corrections Act would essentially permit those who have been the victims of an enrollment error to remain in the retirement system they were mistakenly placed in or to be covered by the system they should have been in. It would also hold the government financially responsible for making whole an affected employee's Thrift Savings Account. Together, these provisions will end the harm now being done by the existing rules governing the correction of these errors. In constructing this legislation, the chairman of the subcommittee sought to achieve accountability by holding those agencies guilty of making enrollment errors responsible for the cost of their corrections, and I applaud him for that. While I agree that accountability is a worthy goal, I, nevertheless, have been troubled that the resulting budgetary pressure could lead some agencies to initiate unplanned layoffs. I told the chairman I did not want our efforts to help out one group of employees while making victims of another. Because he was willing to work with me on this matter, we have been able to reach a compromise that achieves what each of us wanted: Simply, accountability and job security. Reductions in force to pay expenses associated with the implementation of this act would be prohibited. Agencies would be required to realize any savings necessary to avoid RIFs through attrition and limitations on hiring. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of our subcommittee for bringing this important bill before the committee. My thanks to all of my colleagues on the Subcommittee on Civil Service for their steadfast commitment to addressing the problems caused by retirement coverage errors, and for you unanimously supporting the bill at the subcommittee's markup. Finally, my thanks to our staff and that of the Office of Legislative Counsel for their tireless work in crafting H.R. 3249. All of their efforts were essential to what we have accomplished here today. H.R. 3249 is a lengthy and complex bill which has evolved a great deal since our drafting began last fall. The subcommittee's work in this regard has benefitted considerably from the input of the Office of Personnel Management, the Social Security Administration, and the staffs of several other congressional committees. I very much appreciated all of their comments and suggestions. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton] of our subcommittee and the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Forward] who worked very hard to make sure that this legislation was as good as it is. I also would like to reiterate the fact that we did work in a bipartisan way and it shows. This effort and the effort of our Subcommittee on Civil Service shows what good things can happen when we join hands and work together to lift up the lives of Americans and all people of the world. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the education savings account proposal. Ninety percent of America's children receive a public school education. This proposal is a slap in the face to America's already struggling school systems. If this measure is adopted, resources will be siphoned away from an already financially needy education system. It does nothing to strengthen one of our most cherished American institutions, public education. How then can we in good faith suggest a measure to the American public that would primarily benefit wealthy families? Instead, I urge my colleagues to join the effort to build and modernize our public school buildings and administrations. Instead, let us provide funding for local school districts to hire 100,000 new and qualified teachers to reduce class size. Instead, let us initiate comprehensive reform through the creation of Education Opportunity Zones in both urban and rural areas. Instead, let us expand access to after-school initiatives through the ``21st Century Community Learning Center Program.'' Mr. Speaker, the agenda proposed by my Republican colleagues is long on promise and short on substance.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution to condemn the brutal murder of James Byrd in Jasper, Texas. This cruel and evil act is a shocking reminder to all Americans, regardless of race, that the threat of racial violence is alive and well in this country. James Byrd was a 49-year-old father of three children. He was attacked by men who have espoused white supremacist motives for the killing. This man accepted a ride and lost his life. He was dragged behind a pick-up truck for nearly 3 miles. His head and arms were torn from his body. Lynching in 1998 in any part of this country is totally unacceptable. Many may view this as an isolated incident. I am afraid to tell the Members, it is not. Similar acts have been committed in the State of Virginia and my home State of Maryland within the past 12 months. I call for a united, strong, and clear message from this body that this type of hateful and sick behavior will be dealt a swift and just blow.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, diabetes is a disease of national impact. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are an estimated 15.7 million people who suffer from this disease. The frightening fact is that there are over 5 million people that have it and are unaware of it. Medical technology has not yet discovered a way to prevent this disorder. Only treatment is available. It is known as the silent killer because it seldom gives any warning of its presence. Many people are unaware that they have diabetes until they suffer from one of its life- threatening complications, blindness, kidney disease, nerve disease, amputations, heart disease and stroke. The African-American community is nearly twice as likely to suffer from this disorder that can cause the body to not produce enough insulin or not properly use it. Over 2.3 million African-Americans have been diagnosed and over half are unaware that they have this silent and deadly disorder. I urge this Congress to reduce the number of Americans suffering from diabetes and increase funding for biomedical research.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall number 163, my vote on H. Res. 440, I was unavoidably detained and missed the vote. Had I been present, I would have voted in favor of the resolution.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of Public Service Recognition Week, and I salute the public servants whose hard work and determination have markedly improved the way government does business. Each May, the President's Council on Management Improvement, and the Public Employees Roundtable, launch activities in cities across our nation which highlight excellence in public service at the federal, state, and local government levels. The organization hosts agency exhibits and demonstrations that educate the public about the array of programs and services that public employees provide to the American people. Activities in my district were kicked off last Friday by the Baltimore Federal Executive Board which held its 31st Annual Excellence in Federal Career Awards program at Martin's West in Woodlawn. Thirty- six agencies submitted a total of 199 nominations for the Board's consideration. Among the 16 first place Gold Award winners were: Lieutenant Colonel David Mansfield, a Logistics Management Officer with the Maryland Air National Guard who was recognized as an outstanding supervisor; Ann Grieb, a computer specialist at the Coast Guard Engineering Logistics Center who was recognized as an outstanding specialist; and Serafin Rivera, a machinist with the Corps of Engineers who was recognized as outstanding in trades and crafts. Mr. Speaker, while I only have enough time to recognize a few of the winners, I believe that each award recipient and each person nominated deserve our appreciation. This past Monday, the Public Employees Roundtable held a ceremony here on Capitol Hill and presented its ``Breakfast of Champions'' award to representatives of exceptional programs at each level of government. The 1998 award winner at the Federal level was New York/New Jersey Veterans Integrated Service Network Consortium on Homeless Veterans. Other programs receiving special recognition this year were the City of Richmond, Virginia Fire Department; Immigrant Visa Unit, U.S. Embassy Moscow; and the Los Angeles County, California Consolidated Criminal History Reporting System. Beginning today, May 7th, and continuing through Sunday, May 10th, over two dozen federal agencies and employee organizations will have exhibits set up in large tents on the National Mall at 3rd and Independence Avenues. The public is invited to come out to learn more about the functions of these agencies and the services that each provide. There will also be a job fair and a science fair. Some of our military bands and other groups will provide entertainment during this family oriented event. Mr. Speaker, Public Service Recognition Week offers all Americans, especially young people the opportunity to learn and get excited about a career in public service. It also provides the opportunity to thank those who serve us daily for their efforts. I believe that public service should be valued and respected by all Americans, and the activities occurring this week across the nation prove why.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, as I listened to all of the discussions, I must say that I became a bit upset. I live in a drug- infested area. I live about 45 miles away from here. And we have a needle exchange program. A few years ago, when the Maryland Legislature considered needle exchange, we had a lot of people who were very much opposed to it, but it passed for Baltimore City. And 4 years later, after working with the needle exchange program, our legislature came back and, by a wide margin, approved it again. The reason why they have approved it was several reasons. Number one: Johns Hopkins University conducted a study of our needle exchange program and found that there was indeed a reduction in AIDS cases, and they also found that there was no increase in crime. They found that there was a reduction in crime, as a matter of fact; and they also found that there was no increase in drug addiction. And that is very, very significant. As a matter of fact, in Baltimore communities are asking that needle exchange come to their communities because of the fact that they have noted that there has been a reduction in crime. I do not know how many Members of this House have ever seen anyone dying from AIDS. It is a very, very painful disease, and it is a slow and debilitating disease. The fact still remains that the science is on this side. And so, it is very important that we address this issue and not go for this particular piece of legislation. This piece of legislation stops the Federal Government from preventing AIDS. So I say to my colleagues, I ask the Members of this House to look at Baltimore City. They do not have to go to Vancouver. Baltimore is 45 miles away. The number one research institution in the world has already studied this issue and says that needle exchange works.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to this resolution. I had an opportunity back on December 21 to visit Bosnia with the President. I, like the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor), was very skeptical when I went. But after being there for a very short period of time and after we landed, to see thousands and thousands of Bosnians standing up with signs, having stood up all night in the cold, saying, thank you for giving us our lives for Christmas, thank you for saving our lives, thank you for giving us an opportunity to live, it made me look at this from a whole different perspective. I do not question the intentions of the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell). I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. But I question whether the timing of the resolution, if this is the right timing. When I talked to those young people just as the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) did, over and over again I heard them say that we are so proud that we are here and we are doing something to make a difference. Eight thousand people, saving a country from a holocaust, and that was very, very significant to me. When we met with the various leaders of Bosnia, they, too, expressed the same appreciation. My question merely goes to the whole timing of this. I do not want to say to those young people at this point, send any kind of signal that we are not 100 percent behind them. But the thing that touched me probably more than anything else was when I asked a young man from Alabama, a young soldier, ``Why is it so important that you are here?'' He pulled out a little piece of paper, and he scribbled Reverend Martin Niemollar's words, and it said, ``When Hitler attacked the Jews, I was not a Jew; therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, I was not a Catholic; and, therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the unions and industrialists, I was not a member of the unions; and I was not concerned. Then, Hitler attacked me and the Protestant Church; and there was nobody left to be concerned.'' I urge all Members of the House to vote against this resolution.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall number 50, my vote on the bill, H.R. 2883, the Government Performance Results Act amendments was not recorded, as there was a computer malfunction in the recording device. Today, I was present for all recorded votes in the House. Had the computer accurately recorded my vote, it would have been a ``no'' vote on final passage. I ask for unanimous consent that my statement appear in the Record immediately following that rollcall vote.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters). Historically, small businesses, especially those owned by people of color and women, have not fully enjoyed the benefits of uniform trade agreements negotiated by the United States. I believe that the Waters amendment will allow small businesses, especially those found within inner-city communities, to gain access to the opportunities of uniform trade agreements. Mr. Chairman, I support the gentlewoman's second amendment, which ensures that the Development Fund of Africa will not be reduced below $700 million. Finally, I support the gentlewoman's third amendment, which will limit the mandate for each participating country to comply with all stated requirements of section 4(a).

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1432, the African Growth and Opportunity Act. As our Nation enjoys a booming economy, lower unemployment and lower inflation, many countries in sub- Saharan Africa cannot afford medicine to treat their own children or buy nourishing food to satisfy their hunger. Today, by voting for this bill, the United States Congress and America will give sub-Sahara Africa a chance to prosper. This bill is not perfect. However, I believe it is a positive start to increasing investment in sub-Sahara Africa. Mr. Chairman, when I visited the countries of Ghana and Zambia in December, I saw firsthand the existing economic crisis. Infrastructure is extremely limited, health care facilities cannot keep up with the cases of chronic illnesses. In Zambia, we have 3.5 million children with no free public education. In Zambia, nearly 650,000 children are orphaned because their parents have died from AIDS. It is because of increased commerce and economic opportunity that sub-Saharan countries can begin to address these concerns. In 1996, U.S. imports from the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa totaled $15.2 billion. However, U.S. trade with the Nation of Japan alone totaled just above $200 billion. We see the inequity and we see the devastation of the absence of economic opportunity. Mr. Chairman, I urge every Member of this Congress to support this legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from North Carolina for yielding me the time. I rise today in opposition to this resolution which will add barriers to the free exercise of voting for many Americans. The fundamental right to vote is the foundation on which our democracy is based. The right to vote was directly attributable to the American Revolution, enactment of the 15th amendment, women's suffrage and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In the segregated South, poll taxes and literacy tests were used as weapons against the right to vote. Now, more than 120 years later, 28 years after enactment of the 15th amendment and 3 years after enactment of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we are considering legislation that could once again inhibit the right to vote. H.R. 1428 would give wide discretion to State and local officials to deny legalized citizens, presumed to be illegal immigrants, the right to register to vote. This is a bad piece of legislation.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York very much for yielding. I want to, first of all, compliment the gentleman. I was listening to him a few minutes ago as he talked about education. I also heard him talk about our distinguished colleague, Congressman Ron Dellums; and I just, when I look at the gentleman's career and I look at that of Ron Dellums' and I look at other congressmen and women who came before I did, it is sort of a sad day to see him go. And I know the gentleman from New York feels the same way. But as I listen to the gentleman's comments, and I listen to others, there is one element that I wanted to add, tack on to it, and I really appreciate the gentleman giving me this opportunity. When I was a student at Howard University here in Washington, Ron Dellums was one of my heroes. We were at Howard protesting all kinds of things, and a lot of us saw government as not something we wanted to get into. We felt that it would be very difficult to go into government and not have to sacrifice our feelings, our concerns and our convictions. Ron Dellums was someone who was a hero for us. When we saw this man come into the Congress, a man who stood tall, who refused to bow to anything that was not consistent with his conscience, it made us feel good. He also, as the gentleman well knows, is a man who is, like the gentleman from New York, consistently pursuing excellence, always standing up for what he believes in, always synchronizing his conduct with his conscience. So, Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to take this moment to not only compliment the gentleman from New York for all that he has been doing, and he has been certainly a tremendous leader in the area of education. I have long followed his career, and I want to thank the gentleman for constantly pounding the podium, constantly standing up for children and constantly making the case known about African-American people as they struggle through very difficult times. I was pleased to hear the gentleman talk about the exhibit, because that is very important, too. As was said a little bit earlier, we have to make sure that all Americans know the story of African-Americans and know the story of all the people and what part they played in creating this country. So I take this moment not only to salute Ron Dellums, but I also salute the gentleman from New York. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, the proposal that we are considering today will help bring improved services and benefits to the many Blue Cross/ Blue Shield subscribers in my district in Baltimore and to many of the constituents of representatives from suburban Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. I commend the gentleman from Virginia and the gentle lady from the District of Columbia for their leadership in this area. A merger between the National Capital Area Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Maryland Blue Cross/Blue Shield will create a 3 billion-a-year nonprofit company--providing health care coverage to 25 percent of the 8 million residents of Maryland, the District, and the Northern Virginia suburbs and employ 5,000 people. Just as importantly, my constituents in Baltimore that are enrolled in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plan will receive tangible results from the merger. It will increase competition, which will result in better service, more options and access to a larger number of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies at a lower cost for its customers. The passage of this bill is essential to giving my constituents in Baltimore, and the constituents of the members of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. the type of comprehensive, quality health care they deserve. I am glad to know that we in Congress are doing all that we can to give health care providers greater flexibility to meet our constituents health care needs. Again, I congratulate the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Davis] for introducing this meaningful legislation and for working with the minority in such a bipartisan fashion.

Mr. CUMMINGS

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Mica, and I, along with all the other members of the Subcommittee on Civil Service were able to work together to develop this legislation which will implement some of the excellent recommendations we received from witnesses at our oversight hearing on the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance program, known as FEGLI. This bill will result in far better life insurance coverage being made available to Federal employees. By directing OPM to provide us with draft legislative proposals for group universal life, group variable life, and accidental death and dismemberment insurance coverage within 6 months, our subcommittee will be in a far better position to act expeditiously should OPM's upcoming employee survey document that there is substantial interest in purchasing these options. By giving enrollees the opportunity to continue the full extent of their life insurance coverage after they reach age 65, we will be providing a measure of comfort and convenience to many who would still have a desire to provide for the security of their loved ones. They will no longer have to seek out a new insurance company from which to purchase life insurance, something often very difficult and expensive to do at the late stage in life, at age 65. I offered an amendment to H.R. 2675 during our subcommittee's markup of the bill which added a provision that would enable enrollees to purchase an increased amount of insurance coverage for their spouse and dependent children. Through the cooperation of Mr. Mica and all the Members on both sides of the aisle, we were able to successfully pass this amendment. Clearly, the present levels of coverage available, $5,000 for one spouse and $2,500 for each child, is very inadequate. It neither compensates for the loss nor covers average burial expenses. The bill makes it possible to obtain coverage up to five times the current limits. The fact is that by doing what we have been able to do, I think it makes a very, very significant difference and it says to our Federal employees that we do care very much about them and their loved ones. To the gentleman from Florida, I express my appreciation, and to all the members of the committee, because it is a fact that we did work together in a bipartisan manner, and if we can continue to do that throughout this House, I think that we will see a lot of great legislation coming forward such as this legislation. Mr. Speaker, once again I believe that we have a good bipartisan bill before us. I strongly urge all Members to give their support. This is a very good piece of legislation. It does in fact lift up our Federal employees and make their lives better and the lives of their families. I urge all Members of the House to support this legislation. 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 commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Horn] for bringing before the House this bill to amend the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949. The gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney], the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information and Technology, has been detained in her district and asked me to manage this bill, which I gladly do. The Committee on Government Reform and Oversight has jurisdiction over the Federal Property Act. It has a long history of overseeing its proper implementation. Under the Federal Property Act, State and local governments may acquire real estate that the Federal Government no longer needs. The Federal Property Act currently allows such surplus Federal property to be transferred to State and local governments at discounts of up to 100 percent of fair market value for certain public benefit purposes. Current public benefit discount uses include public health or educational uses, public parks or recreational areas, historic monuments, correctional institutions, port facilities, public airports and wildlife conservation. The original version of H.R. 404 would have added to that list ``law enforcement or public safety purposes.'' Legitimate concern was expressed at our hearing on this legislation over the vagueness of the phrase ``public safety purposes.'' During our committee's consideration of the bill, this problem was corrected by submitting ``fire fighting and rescue purposes'' for ``public safety purposes.'' We also deleted an unnecessary retroactive provision. I support both of these changes. The manager's amendment to H.R. 404 before us today also restricts the use of this new public benefit discount to property that was originally part of a military installation which has been closed or realigned under a base closure statute. This was done because of budgetary concerns with the bill as it passed committee. I support H.R. 404, as amended. Law enforcement and fire and rescue purposes are legitimate reasons for State and local governments to acquire surplus Federal property at a discount. I also want to thank the majority for working with the minority to come up with a very, very good bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.