Wm. Clay

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation for its commitment to providing academically average youth in St. Louis with the opportunity to attain a valuable college education. Since 1998, the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation has striven to even the educational playing field by giving generously to hard-working students. The Foundation is sending a clear, unmistakable message to urban youth that someone does care about them by believing in them and financially supporting their goals of attaining a valuable college degree. Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I recognize the St. Louis Gateway Classic Sports Foundation today before Congress. The Foundation was recently honored in an article published in the Baltimore Sun. I would like to share this article with my colleagues which further details its dedication to providing a vital contribution to our youth by helping to produce an educated society. [From the Baltimore Sun, Nov. 9, 2003] Black Scholarship Program Helps ``People in the Middle''; Mo. Foundation Rewards the Academically Average (By Mike Bowler) Don't even dare dream about college, a guidance counselor warned Leonard Woodson. With your mediocre academic record, you'll be lucky to survive high school. The counselor was wrong. It took Woodson an extra semester, but next month he'll graduate from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo., with a B average--and no college debt. All his costs were covered by a St. Louis foundation that rewards academically average students in financial need. ``It took me two hours to do what my fellow students could do in an hour, but I learned to survive in the world,'' says Woodson, 22. Unable to keep up taking notes, he recorded lectures and played them back in his dorm room. Woodson is one of about 50 graduates of St. Louis-area high schools who have received full scholarships to historically black colleges and universities since 1998. The foundation raises the money, in part, by sponsoring an annual football ``classic'' between black college teams, devoting the proceeds to scholarships and other charities. ``Average kids don't get a chance because everybody gives to the cream of the crop,'' says Earl Wilson Jr., a retired IBM executive who established the foundation a decade ago. ``It's our way of giving back to the community.'' Wilson, 71, began his IBM career as one of the company's first black salesmen. He says he understands students in the middle. ``Myself and many of my colleagues were average students or worse,'' he says. ``People at the extremes get help. People in the middle don't.'' Lawrence A. Davis Jr., chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, whose Golden Lions play in the annual fall classic, agrees. ``The world is run by average people,'' he says. ``We reward people who can run fast, jump high and throw balls through holes. The least we can do is help those who might not be academic stars but who are willing to work hard.'' ``It's the trickle-up theory,'' says Sylvester Brown Jr., a columnist for the St. Louis PostDispatch. Brown defends Wilson against charges from another St. Louis writer that he's ``creating dumbness'' by so generously supporting less- than-stellar scholars. ``I'd much rather see Earl spend $10,000 on one scholarship than give $1,000 scholarships to 10 students,'' says Brown. ``What he's saying by doing it this way is that we have enough faith in you to support you for four years. You have no financial worries. All you have to do is focus on being great.'' The foundation distributes application forms to high school guidance counselors, and uses radio and print advertising to get the word out. Winners are chosen by a committee of educators and others who review the applications and interview applicants. ``I stay completely out of the selection process,'' says Wilson. Sixteen recipients are currently attending college through the program. Since the foundation began giving scholarships 5 years ago, the champion recipient is Dedree Smart, 23, who went to Howard University in Washington. ``I have been so blessed,'' she says. ``There's no way I could have afforded Howard. I didn't have to worry about anything financially, so I could concentrate on my grades. I went from a low B average in high school to graduating magna cum laude.'' Smart earned her degree last year and is back in Missouri, working as special events coordinator for the State's public university system. ``I am so elated, so grateful and so proud of my baby,'' says her mother, Delores Smart. Wilson says the foundation carefully monitors the scholarship program. ``The ones who finish college almost always get better grades'' than they did in high school, he says. ``These are the late bloomers,'' says Irving Clay, 78, a former city alderman who sits on the foundation's board. ``I and Earl, we grew up in tenements about 10 blocks from here. We all know what it's like to struggle. We know late bloomers.'' But the scholarship program has had its failures and setbacks. About 40 percent of recipients have washed out, and since Smart's graduation, the foundation has dropped Howard and Virginia's Hampton University because of their high, private-college tuition. Then, too, some scholarship recipients ``haven't so much as said thank you,'' Wilson says. ``That's a real disappointment.'' He expects them to send him an invitation when they graduate, and he wants all recipients--and their parents--to sell tickets to the annual classic. In addition to the football game, which Wilson estimates has generated $3.5 million in 10 years, the foundation raises money through charity golf and high school basketball events. Last year, it opened a $2.8 million sports complex near downtown St. Louis that includes a computer laboratory for after-school tutoring and a ``Walk of Fame'' featuring prominent local African-Americans. About 20 percent of foundation revenue comes from corporate sponsors such as Anheuser-Busch Inc., whose brand name Budweiser is attached to the football game. ``We raise 80 percent ourselves,'' Wilson says. ``That's extremely high for a foundation like this. We are all about self-help. We don't want anyone interfering with our independence.'' That attitude has rankled some in the St. Louis business community, says Brown, the newspaper columnist. ``Earl doesn't go begging in the business community, and that rubs some people the wrong way. He says [racial] integration is a wonderful thing, but we have to take care of our own. That's his integrity. Every year, he beats his head against the wall trying to fill the [Edward Jones] dome, every year he doesn't do it, and every year he smiles and says we'll do it next year.'' St. Louis' only historically black institution, Harris- Stowe State College, doesn't have a football program, so the Gateway Classic turns to regional schools for the annual competition. In recent years, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, about seven hours away by car, has become a permanent contestant, its opponents rotating among Kentucky State University and others. The Classic weekend features band competitions, street parties and lunches with African-American sports figures. ``It's all generated by Earl,'' says Julius Dix, 74, a retired St. Louis school administrator who sits on the selection committee. ``He's a born salesman. He could sell you anything.'' Davis, the UAPB chancellor, says the annual event is ``really great for our university. We bring in hundreds for the game. It's great visibility for us and our students. It's like a second homecoming.'' Several Gateway scholarship students have enrolled at Pine Bluff, including two with the title Miss Gateway Classic. These are young women who prevail in a pageant after their junior year in high school and preside as Miss Gateway Classic as seniors, making appearances around St. Louis at foundation-sponsored events. The pageant is partly a beauty contest [with evening gowns but not bathing suits] and partly a contest of brains and poise, says Janell Wallace, the 2002 winner, who is attending Pine Bluff on a $40,000 Gateway Classic scholarship. ``I had to write an essay and answer questions on current events. I had to learn etiquette and how to walk and speak publicly and keep calm. That's helped a lot here,'' she says. For Wallace, 18, who had never been away from St. Louis for more than two weeks, college has been ``awesome and at times scary,'' she says. ``Everything seems a lot bigger. Even the bugs are bigger. I never killed bugs; that's what you have a daddy for.'' But classes at UAPB are smaller, she says, than they were at Hazelwood Central High. In the first couple of months of school she has become active in student government. She plays softball, and she has joined the modeling squad, a group that puts on fashion shows. ``There were a couple of times I wanted to give up and go home,'' she says. ``But I'm beginning to feel complete now. I never felt that way in high school.''

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to my parents, William ``Bill'' and Carol Clay, on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. As many of you know, my father, former Congressman Bill Clay, represented the 1st Congressional District of Missouri in this body for 32 years. My parents were married on October 10, 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri. Their life together has been built upon a solid foundation of love, mutual respect, honor and dedication. Over the years they have worked very hard to be responsible parents to their three children, while at the same time toiling tirelessly to provide service to the ``larger'' family of constituents in St. Louis and beyond. My father served in elective office for over 40 years and my mother stood by his side every step of the way. From their attempt to desegregate the public swimming pool at Fort McClellan in Alabama, to the marches and protests for employment opportunities at the Jefferson Bank and Trust Company and Howard Johnson's Restaurant in St. Louis, my parents were at the forefront of the struggle for justice and equality from the very early years of their marriage. On one occasion, my father spent 118 days in jail as a result of protesting injustice. During that period, my mother would take us regularly to the jail house to see him, so that we would understand what he was doing and why. My parents instilled a deep sense of commitment to fighting injustice and righting wrongs within my sisters and me at an early age. One of my fondest memories was in January 1969 when my father was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Following his lead, as we normally would, my sisters and I raised our right hands in an effort to take the oath of office with him. At that time, we could not have foreseen an even prouder moment for our family when, 32 years later I had the privilege and honor of being sworn in as a Member of this esteemed body. As I was taking the oath of office, I looked over to my father and noticed a tear fall from his eye while my mother stood beside him, misty-eyed as well. Throughout his long and distinguished career, my father has been a trailblazer, a pacesetter, an innovator and a fearless leader. At the same time, my mother has been the advocate, the nurturer, the rock solid supporter and the foundation of the Clay family. I take pleasure in reflecting upon all of the wonderful lessons and guidance they have given my sisters and me over the years. They taught us the importance of family commitment, being patient and respecting the opinions of others. They also taught us to always be prepared and look at life from a practical point of view. Their contributions to our community and our Nation are enormous. In addition, their strong commitment to the education of young people is exemplary. Together they have helped raise over $3 million in college scholarships for minority students through their efforts with the William L. Clay Scholarship and Research Fund. This Fund was founded by my father and the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses organization, of which my mother was a cofounder. My sisters, Vicki Clay Jackson, Michelle Clay Rorie, and I will honor Bill and Carol in celebration of their golden wedding anniversary on Saturday, October 11, 2003. We are being assisted in this momentous undertaking by all five of Bill and Carol Clay's grandchildren--Angela Clay, Michael Alexis, H. Clay Rorie, Carol W. Clay and William L. Clay, III. Family, life-long friends and colleagues from throughout the Nation will be joining us on that marvelous occasion to extend thanks and appreciation for their love, guidance and friendship. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues extend a well-deserved and heartfelt round of congratulations to Bill and Carol Clay as they celebrate 50 years of love and devotion to one another and to the Clay family.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad for being awarded the 2003 Excellence in Communications Award by the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists. Winning the News Analysis category, Ahmad was essentially recognized for his outstanding ability to provide fair and effective coverage of local events. Ahmad has an exceptional skill of covering issues of importance to the African-American community in metropolitan St. Louis. In addition to his unwavering commitment to expanding the positive image of African-Americans in the media, Ahmad has selflessly dedicated time for community service. He has volunteered 20 years with the minority journalism workshop. Ahmad has influentially shaped the careers of minority youth interested in journalism. Through this free workshop, he has introduced many high school students and college freshmen to the world of communications. Mr. Speaker. It is with great privilege that I recognize Ishmael- Lateef Ahmad today before Congress. Receiving this honorable award and his commitment to efficiently educating the next generation of journalists, makes him more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Ishmael-Lateef Ahmad.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Wiley Price for being awarded the 2003 Excellence in Communications Award by the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists. Winning the Photojournalism award for the News, Features and Sports categories, Price was honorably recognized for his outstanding ability to capture photographs that speak to the masses. In a world where a photograph has more impact than the story of a thousand words, Price has exceptionally conveyed messages of importance to the African-American community in metropolitan St. Louis. Impressively, Price exhibits his dedication to increasing the positive image of African-Americans in the media by unselfishly donating his time teaching minority youth the importance of Photojournalism. He has volunteered twenty years with the Minority Journalism workshop. Price has influentially shaped the careers of minority youth interested in Photojournalism. Through this free workshop, he has taught many high school students and college freshmen how to take photographs that tell stories which need no explanation. Mr. Speaker. It is with great honor that I recognize Wiley Price before the U.S. House of Representatives. Receiving this esteemed award and his unwavering commitment to educating the next generation of Photojournalists, makes him more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Wiley Price.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I rise in support of the Norton amendment, and I strongly oppose private school vouchers. No matter the location, the type of program or the amount, vouchers are a bad idea for our children. The Committee on Government Reform approved this amendment by a one-vote, razor-thin margin. Both Republicans and Democrats voted against the D.C. voucher, and I thank my colleagues for their opposition to D.C. vouchers. Serious concerns were raised about this amendment during committee consideration. I share those concerns and believe it is important that this information be shared with the public. We know that vouchers drain millions from public education. Any extra money should be invested into D.C. public schools and other public schools nationwide that deserve the majority of our children. Investing in public schools helps us hire more highly-qualified teachers, purchase supplies and books, and repair our schools. Vouchers are not the solution. Vouchers eliminate public oversight for taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, as illustrated in Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Florida's voucher programs, vouchers eliminate public oversight, public accountability and have led to cases of fraud and fiscal mismanagement. Vouchers contradict the accountability reform required by the No Child Left Behind, such as the hiring of highly-qualified teachers and the annual testing and public reporting on student performance. These standards are not required by private schools that accept federally funded vouchers, creating a double standard regarding Federal funding and education. I would be glad to hear from proponents of vouchers to tell us why we should not have accountability when public dollars follow these children to private institutions. I would love to hear from the other side to tell us why we should not have better accountability. I offered an amendment in the Committee on Government Reform in good faith, asking that the same standards that apply to all of our public schools also apply to these vouchers. I would love to hear their response. I urge my colleagues to respect the right of D.C. residents to make decisions of their own in their city. The majority of D.C. elected officials and residents oppose vouchers. The official position of the D.C. school board and city council is to oppose vouchers. If the residents of the District of Columbia wanted vouchers in D.C., their local governance, the school board or city council could create such a program. Some in this body have suggested that D.C. residents need our permission or Federal money to create a voucher program. That simply is not true. D.C. residents do not need the permission of this Congress. Nor do they need the Federal purse to create a program. D.C. residents just do not want vouchers.

Mr. CLAY. No, there are not. No, there are not. Now, we discussed this when Secretary Paige came to the committee, and he suggested that we do strengthen the language in the bill to have real accountability.

Mr. CLAY. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I might respond that we also need accountability of public dollars. When those dollars follow those children to those private institutions, we should also hold them accountable and have benchmarks. Show us where test scores have improved, show us where reading levels have gone up, show us where dropout rates have been lower. That is the kind of accountability I am suggesting.

Mr. CLAY. I yield to the gentleman from Arizona.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my joy over the 5-4 ruling by the United States Supreme Court that favors affirmative action based on race. It is the right decision at the right time. The Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action is a just, fair decision in a society where racial disparity continues to feed problems rooted in racial injustice. It is the right decision at the right time. On Monday, the Supreme Court announced its ruling in a case where white applicants sued the University of Michigan law school, alleging the use of race was an illegal quota system. The case, Grutter v. Michigan, has been called the most important civil rights case in 25 years because it challenged the use of racial preferences in school admissions. While we lost on points, or a point system used to help minorities compete for slots, the decision by the high court affirms the United States Constitution on the side of balancing the scales of fairness, not on the side of continuing the unfairness built into a system that allows the racially privileged to continue their reign. The white ruling class in America was built in large part on slavery and its aftermath--slave wages, and as long as America depends on the beneficence of gatekeepers who are insensitive to the history of this nation and the long-term effects of American apartheid, then the problem of racial disparity will continue. Affirmative action is one tool that can help make-up for years of deprivation by helping people of color hurdle racial pitfalls in less time than would normally take many more generations to remove,'' he said. To wait for the goodness of human nature to rise to the top and result in racial fairness, is not judicious governance. It took the courts to help undo segregation and it will take the courts to help maintain justice. Sometimes only laws compel people to do the right thing. Without compulsion, many people of all races will submit to whatever decisions that favors them, even decisions made at the expense of weaker, less fortunate, powerless people. Good law creates balance and for these times, affirmative action is good law. It addresses the needs of a disparaged group that has been historically discriminated against based on race. To overlook that reality is to impose a new form of segregation. According to Pete Williams, NBC news correspondent for MSNBC News, the 5-4 ruling that favored the university's law school, noted that ``race can be one of many factors that colleges consider when selecting their students, while, at the same time, knocking down a similar lawsuit over the university's undergraduate program.'' An Associated Press summary said the two split decisions means ``minority applicants may be given an edge when applying for admissions to universities, but limited how much a factor race can play in the selection of students. The high court struck down a point system used by the University of Michigan, but did not go as far as opponents of affirmative action had wanted. The court approved a separate program used at the University of Michigan law school that gives race less prominence in the admissions decision-making process.'' In April, I noted that affirmative action today really means affirmative access for minorities, a group of Americans that was systemically denied access to education and society in general, for hundreds of years. What I don't think some people realize is that affirmative action is not new. While affirmative action seems like something out of the ordinary, historically, it is not new. Segregation was affirmative action for whites. And when it comes to getting into college, there is affirmative action (even quotas) for athletes, intellectuals, artists and the children of the rich, just to name a few categories. Only when minorities were added to the list of beneficiaries has affirmative action become a problem.'' Former U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley noted in mid-2002 that a study published by the Educational Testing Service, entitled ``Crossing the Great Divide,'' stated that by the year 2015 the nation's college campuses will be missing 250,000 African Americans and 550,000 Hispanic undergraduates, ``because we did not prepare them to do college-level work. (If) the economy continues to demand ever-higher skills for good jobs, minorities will have to run faster just to stay in place.'' Mr. Speaker, we know we cannot easily legislate away racism in the heart and minds of people. However, you can legislate and interpret in the courts, a road map that bypasses individual racism and institutionalizes opportunity and affirmative access, for all. Racism in America does not exist in isolation. It's systemic existence calls for affirmative action regarding race if we are to keep the doors open for those who were once summarily denied entrance to a chance to live better lives.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose H.R. 1115 and in support of the Democratic substitute. There is no fairness in this so-called Class Action Fairness Act. This bill amounts to a sweeping Federal takeover of State class action lawsuits. Instead of improving the class action litigation process, this bill guarantees that those victims of discrimination of corrupt corporate practices will be forced to wait for years for any hope of justice. H.R. 1115 alters the constitutional distribution of judicial power by moving State class action suits into the Federal court system. This bill undermines State rights and jeopardizes civil rights. Adding cases to the already clogged Federal court system will delay hearings for all class action cases and cause those civil rights class action cases that truly belong in the Federal courts to await behind cases that should be heard in the State court. This misnamed bill is opposed by both Federal and State judges. It is opposed by consumer groups. It is opposed by civil rights groups. It is opposed by environmental groups. But predictably it is supported and endorsed by the big corporations. I urge my colleagues to adopt the Democratic substitute.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Audrey Ferguson, a teacher at the Laclede Elementary School in the St. Louis Public School system and winner of the 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year Award. Ms. Ferguson is the first teacher from the St. Louis Public Schools to win Missouri's Teacher of the Year Award since its inception 50 years ago. Ms. Ferguson has been teaching for 32 years and has held her current post at Laclede Elementary School for 26 years. Also, it should be noted that this year Laclede Elementary School received the distinction of being named a Gold Star School, making it one of the top 15 elementary schools in the state of Missouri. So you see, success at the school is more than personal, it is systemic. Ms. Ferguson's major subject area is mathematics, in grades 1-5. Also, she is certified to teach English and social studies and has certifications for teaching students with learning disabilities, students who are mentally handicapped and students with behavior disorders. When Ms. Ferguson was 9 years old she was sent to a reading clinic to assist her with her difficulty in reading. In four years she transformed herself from a non-reading student into one who was well on her way to becoming an honor roll student. She chose to follow in the footsteps of the teachers in the reading clinic and became an educator in order to do for others what they had done for her. In her own words, ``Teachers have been given the awesome responsibility of preparing the Nation's leaders of tomorrow. Teachers must know that they are the gatekeepers of opportunity for millions of children. `` We have the power to open doors that lead to great futures and we have the power to cut off access to the pathways that lead to the top,'' she said. Ms. Ferguson has received numerous awards--the ``Parent of the Year Award'' from INROADS, St. Louis in 1994; she is listed in the Marquis' Who's Who of American Women, 21st Edition; and was also among the ``100 Women Children's Advocate for 2001'' produced by the Annie Malone Children's Home. In December of 1981, she published a method of mathematical instruction in the NCTM Arithmetic Teacher's Journal called the ``Stored Ten'' method. Laclede teachers have used her method for many years since. In addition to her work for the school, Ms. Ferguson has been an involved member of the community. She served as president for the INROADS PSG for one year as well as a membership chairperson for several years; volunteers annually for the United Negro College Fund Walk; and worked on community partnerships such as the ``Laclede Book Buddy Program,'' the ``Laclede Parent Partners Program,'' the ``Laclede Parent Day Trip Program,'' and the ``Laclede Community/School Garden Project.'' Clearly, Ms. Ferguson has acted with great determination in uniting school and community. Also, Ms. Ferguson has been involved in many workshops and conferences aimed at improving the quality of education, including but not limited to: The Successful Schools Information and Planning Meetings, the MAP Math Training Meetings and the NCTM Conference and the Title I Conference. As evidence of her unrelenting pursuit of education, she recently received District Recognition for improving Math MAP Scores. From her beginnings as a student in need of extra help to her current status as a devoted life-long educator, Ms. Ferguson has earned the Teacher of the Year Award through hard work and determination. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Ms. Audrey Ferguson and thanking her for her devotion to the children of the St. Louis Public school system and the children of America.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Melvina Conley, a former employee of the St. Louis Circuit Court, Clerk's Office, who realized the value of old lawsuits filed by slaves seeking their freedom, and worked diligently for many years to protect and preserve the documents, now known as the ``Freedom Suits.'' A collection of lawsuits filed in St. Louis by slaves of African descent, who were seeking their freedom, have become the focus of a restoration project by the clerk of the St. Louis Circuit Court. Working with the Court in the state of Missouri and Washington University. This is a great find for St. Louis, a treasure within our own midst. I'm excited that we have a national gift, a part of our history, to share with the world. So far, at least 281 lawsuits, along with the historic Dred Scott lawsuit (which figured prominently in the start of the Civil War), have been selected for preservation and placed on display on the web site maintained by Washington University at www.stlcourtrecords.wustl.edu. Called the St. Louis Circuit Court Historical Records Project, the site includes details of the lawsuits--who filed, against whom, when and where--and a copy of the actual handwritten document. Lawsuits also included allegations of trespass, assault and battery, false imprisonment, as well as petition affirming status as a free man. Found among approximately four million pages of aging court records dating back to 1782, the nearly 300 ``freedom suits'' (filed between 1806 and 1865) were found covered with coal dust, in the labyrinth of the St. Louis Circuit Court system. As early as 1807, under Missouri territorial statutes, persons held in wrongful servitude could sue for freedom if they had evidence of wrongful enslavement. The territorial statute was codified in Missouri State law in 1824 and remained in effect until after the Civil War. Most people using this law to obtain their freedom were enslaved Africans. Since their cases were all brought for the same reason, to obtain the basic right to freedom, collectively, historians refer to the cases as ``freedom suits.'' In an effort to protect the ``freedom suits'' and the hundreds of thousands of other old cases from decay, rats and other plagues, courthouse officials began removing them from vulnerable ``off-site'' storerooms to a more secure archive in the main Courthouse and the Old Globe-Democrat Building on Tucker Boulevard. In September 1999, St. Louis Circuit Court Clerk Mariano V. Favazza invited the Missouri State Archives, a division of Missouri's Office of Secretary of State, to initiate a project to preserve and make accessible the historical records. So extensive were the files, a cut-off date of before 1875 was used for the project. The court was founded in 1804. The freedom suits brought by Dred Scott and his wife, Harriet, in 1846, became the first cases to go online in January 2001, attracting nearly a million information requests from visitors from around the world in their first year on the web. That fall, the American Culture Studies Program in Arts & Sciences agreed to expand this initiative by digitizing additional cases and creating a web-based search tool. While I thank everyone involved with the project for finding the documents and preserving them, Mr. Speaker, I especially want to make a special tribute to Ms. Melvina Conley, as Preserver of the ``Freedom Suits.'' A 33-year employee of the St. Louis Circuit Clerk's Office--from 1969 to 2001--Ms. Conley spent many years working as a data entry clerk. In 1978, she began working in a second-floor office in the old and dusty archive section of the courthouse, where she commenced a search for the legendary ``Freedom Suits'' or ``Slave Cases.'' Because of her interest in history, Mrs. Conley was willing to do a job that others did not want to do. Sifting through the old files was literally a dirty business that few wanted. At the time, the famous Dred Scott case was protected in a vault in the courthouse and she knew Dred Scott was not the first case filed and that there were probably many others. In 1979 she commenced a search of the archive's 444 drawers for suits. The first suit she found was of a mother and her two sons, ages 5 and 2. The mother had filed suit--and lost--to keep her young sons from being ``hired out.'' ``I thought I had died and gone to heaven,'' Ms. Conley says now, describing how she felt at the time of the find. Preserving the ``Freedom Suits'' in boxes, Ms. Conley became an unofficial historian, archivist and preserver of history in her duties as a data entry clerk. In 1999 when Circuit Clerk Favazza joined forces with city, state and federal agencies to preserve the files, Ms. Conley became a key instrument in helping to make that transition, as well, having helped to carefully preserve the Dred Scott suit and hundreds of other ``Freedom Suits'' for posterity in her adopted home. Born in Charleston, Mo., Ms. Conley attended Cote Brilliante Grade School, and graduated from Sumner High School in 1957. After high school she married John Conley who became a politician and served St. Louis and Missouri as a committeeman and a state representative. They have five children, four stepchildren, 16 grandchildren and one great grandchild. In 2001 Ms. Conley retired from her job as an Accountant 1, Supervisor, in the St. Louis Circuit Court. Joining me in recognizing Melvina Conley's dedication to the nurturing of the ``Freedom Suits'' and the continued nurturing and care of the files by the St. Louis Circuit Court, is U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, of California and a St. Louis native. Recently, the Honorable Ms. Waters and I visited the archive located in the old Globe-Democrat Building, in the 700 block of N. Tucker Blvd., to meet with city, state and university officials. During our visit we were welcomed enthusiastically by Mr. Michael Everman, CA and Field Archivist, Local Records Program with the Missouri State Archives; and State Archivist Dr. Kenneth Winn. Ms. Waters said she first learned about the project from a Los Angeles Times article and made arrangements to visit the archive. Both she and I were told by Favazza that ``HBO and Hollywood producers'' have made inquiries to his office about the lawsuits. ``The connection for me between St. Louis and Hollywood is just absolute,'' Ms. Waters said. Honorable Speaker, I want to find the funds needed to ensure permanent protection for the documents and to keep them safe for future generations. This is just the beginning. I know I can count on my colleague, Maxine Waters, to help get national exposure. It is the history of our country, which originated in St. Louis. It makes you proud of their actions--if you can find a silver lining in slavery. You have to preserve your history or you will be doomed to repeat it.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor SSM Health Care, the first health care organization in the country to be named a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winner. As a 2002 award recipient of the prestigious award, SSM was recently honored, along with two other recipients--Motorola, for manufacturing; and Branch-Smith Printing Division, for small business--during a ceremony in Alexandria, VA in May, 2003. Named for the late Commerce Secretary in the Reagan Cabinet, the award is given by the U.S. Department of Commerce and as you know, is the top honor a U.S. company can receive for quality management and quality achievement in the categories of manufacturing, service, small business, education and health care. Normally presented by the President of the United States, this year Vice President Dick Cheney did the honors. In a message from President George W. Bush, the Chief Executive said: ``As we embrace new opportunities and face new challenges, these organizations are setting an example of quality and excellence that helps strengthen our Nation and points the way to a brighter, more prosperous future for all.'' In his remarks, Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans noted that SSM, which is sponsored by the St. Louis-based Franciscan Sisters of Mary, is a role model of world-class excellence and has achieved extraordinary results. ``The men and women of this organization represent the highest ethical standards in public responsibility and corporate stewardship,'' Evans said. ``I am particularly pleased to join the President in announcing a first-time winner for health care. The three 2002 Baldrige Award winners are role models of world-class excellence, and they have achieved extraordinary results.'' Dick Davidson, President of The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, also joined in praise of SSM. ``The clearest path to success for any organization is the one that embraces quality principles and the continuous improvement that they can unlock,'' Davidson said. ``The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award highlights those organizations in business, health care and education that have followed this path and, in doing so, have set the standard for excellence in quality processes and results. The Foundation salutes the recipients of the 2002 Award and is pleased to continue its support of the Award.'' Sister Mary Jean Ryan, President and CEO of SSM, and Sister Jacqueline Motzel, SSM Chairperson, received the award. Sister Ryan said: ``This Award is a wonderful recognition of the excellent performance of our employees and physicians and of their strong commitment to their mission--to reveal the healing presence of God through our exceptional health care services.'' In competing for the award, SSM staff submitted a 50-page application and last October were subjected to comprehensive site visits at the corporate office and its facilities in four states. The visits took place at all hours of the day, and were meant to clarify and verify information included in the application. Baldrige examiners spoke with more than 800 employees and physicians, systemwide, and measured performance in seven areas: leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resources focus, process management and business results. An example of the SSM success model is its employees. Comprised of a workforce of 82 percent women employees, among the hospitals many achievements has been to reduce employee turnover from a rate of 21 percent in 1999 to 13 percent in 2002. Mr. Speaker, I am especially proud of SSM Health Care for receiving this honor. A not-for-profit Catholic health care system, it provides primary, secondary and tertiary health care services by way of 21 acute care hospitals and three nursing homes in four states--Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin and Oklahoma--which it owns or manages. Nearly 5000 affiliated physicians and 22,200 employees work together to provide a wide range of services, including: inpatient, outpatient, emergency, ambulatory, physician practices, residential and skilled nursing. The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was created to provide the private sector a means of accomplishing better employee relations, higher productivity, greater customer satisfaction, increased market share and improved operating performance. As a recipient of this most prestigious award, SSM Health Care joins the company of other winners, including: Boeing Airlift and Tanker Programs, Merrill Lynch Credit Corp., Xerox Business Services, AT&T Consumer Communications Services, Eastman Chemical Co., the Ritz- Carlton Hotel, Express Corp., Cadillac Motor Car Division, Motorola Inc., and Westinghouse Electric Corp. In addition to winning a Baldrige Award, SSM Health Care is also the 2003 Missouri Industry of the Year, in the large company classification. That award, sponsored by the Associated Industries of Missouri and the Mid-Missouri Business Journal, annually recognizes the best and brightest Missouri businesses that are working to make Missouri a better place to live and work. Also, SSM Health Care was a Missouri Quality Award recipient in 1999. Through a series of 2003 Baldrige Sharing Dates--June 18, August 20, October 23 and December 18--the SSM staff is sharing its winning techniques with other executives from all industries to learn first- hand from the top SSM leaders. I urge any organization on a quest for success to consider looking at the SSM Health Care model. It has proven its success, not only to its patients, its staff and St. Louis, but also to the nation. In an April 9 column by Washington Post reporter David S. Broder noted SSM's success, something which ``Congress and the press were too busy with other things to notice.'' Calling SSM ``A Beacon for Better Health Care,'' Broder observed how SSM was proving that good medicine is also an economic asset and how Sister Ryan began as a nurse and rose into management. In his remarks, Broder offered this quote: ``We are living proof that health care in the United States is capable of improving, despite many predictions to the contrary. We are proof that large and complex health care organizations can push themselves to step out of their comfort zones to exceptional results. And the more of us that commit to performance excellence, the greater will be our ability to deliver health care breathtakingly better than it's ever been done before. The nation deserves no less.'' ``Those words,'' Broder said, ``and the performance behind them, deserve more attention than Washington gave them last week.'' Today, Mr. Speaker, let us add our voices to the celebration of a successful health care system. At a time when hospitals are closing in vast numbers and the high cost of malpractice insurance is causing many physicians to limit their practices, we have found a health care system that works. The choice is ours. We can heal the health care delivery problem in this nation or we can let it overwhelm and consume us, to the detriment of us all. SSM is a model for success. Today, in Congress, let us register a much-deserved celebration of that fact.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor excellence personified by a public school in my district--Commons Lane Elementary School, in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. In April the school was named 1 of 15 elementary schools in the State of Missouri to receive the ``Gold Star'' award for academic excellence. I proudly enter their name into the Congressional Record as part of a national celebration of their achievement. The feat by Commons Lane was one of three schools in my District so honored. Some 35 public schools competed for the awards, for the 2002- 2003 academic year. Chosen by a panel of school administrators and other educators from across the State, all applications were evaluated and winners were selected during the month of April. The 15 schools were formally honored May 7 at a forum in Jefferson City, MO, the State Capital. To be eligible for the award, schools had to meet academic performance criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education for the ``No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools'' program. Established in 1991, the Gold Star Schools program is sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with financial support from State Farm Insurance Companies, Inc. In the program, elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternating years. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that success in education can be achieved at all levels, and sometimes where it is least expected. As we celebrate 15 Gold Star schools in the State of Missouri, with 3 in my district alone, I also hope and plan for the day that the majority of schools in the State achieve ``Gold Star'' status and we can happily raise the academic bar again, for the next generation of students. If the students of today are a barometer, then the students of the future will most assuredly defy the odds against them and take their place in the modern world as well-educated leaders and decision-makers solving future problems. As leaders in government, it is our responsibility to provide them the tools, the gifted teachers and the inspiration to achieve against great odds for even greater successes.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor excellence personified by a public school in my District--Conway Elementary School, in the Ladue School District. In April the school was named one of 15 elementary schools in the State of Missouri to receive the ``Gold Star'' award for academic excellence. I proudly enter their name into the Congressional Record as part of a national celebration of their achievement. The feat by staff and students at Conway Elementary School was one of three schools in my District so honored. Some thirty-five public schools competed for the awards, for the 2002-2003 academic year. Chosen by a panel of school administrators and other educators from across the state, all applications were evaluated and winners were selected during the month of April. The 15 schools were formally honored May 7 at a forum in Jefferson City, Mo., the State Capital. To be eligible for the award, schools had to meet academic performance criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education for the ``No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools'' program. Established in 1991, the Gold Star Schools program is sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with financial support from State Farm Insurance Companies, Inc. In the program, elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternating years. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that success in education can be achieved at all levels, and sometimes where it is least expected. As we celebrate 15 Gold Star schools in the state of Missouri, with three in my district alone, I also hope and plan for the day that the majority of schools in the state achieve ``Gold Star'' status. If that happens, we can happily raise the academic bar again, for the next generation of students. If the students of today are a barometer, then the students of the future will most assuredly defy the odds against them and take their place in the modern world as well-educated leaders and decision-makers solving future problems. As leaders in government, it is our responsibility to provide them the tools, the gifted teachers and the inspiration to achieve against great odds for even greater successes.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor excellence personified by a public school in my district--Pierre Laclede Elementary School, in the St. Louis Public Schools District. In April the school was named one of 15 elementary schools in the State of Missouri to receive the ``Gold Star'' award for academic excellence. I proudly enter their name into the Congressional Record as part of a national celebration of their achievement. The feat by staff and students at Pierre Laclede Elementary School was one of three schools in my district so honored. Some 35 public schools competed for the awards, for the 2002-2003 academic year. Chosen by a panel of school administrators and other educators from across the State, all applications were evaluated and winners were selected during the month of April. The 15 schools were formally honored May 7 at a forum in Jefferson City, MO, the State capital. To be eligible for the award, schools had to meet academic performance criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education for the ``No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools'' program. Established in 1991, the Gold Star Schools program is sponsored by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with financial support from State Farm Insurance Companies, Inc. In the program, elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternating years. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that success in education can be achieved at all levels, and sometimes where it is least expected. As we celebrate 15 Gold Star schools in the State of Missouri, with three in my district alone, I also hope and plan for the day that the majority of schools in the State achieve ``Gold Star'' status and we can happily raise the academic bar again, for the next generation of students. If the students of today are a barometer, then the students of the future will most assuredly defy the odds against them and take their place in the modern world as well-educated leaders and decisionmakers solving future problems. As leaders in government, it is our responsibility to provide them the tools, the gifted teachers and the inspiration to achieve against great odds for even greater successes.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor excellence personified by Kennard Classical Junior Academy, in the St. Louis Public Schools District. In April the school was named one of 15 elementary schools in the State of Missouri to receive the ``Gold Star'' award for academic excellence. I proudly enter their name into the Congressional Record as part of a national celebration of their achievement. The feat by staff and students at Kennard Classical Junior Academy is top flight, considering that some 35 highly competitive public schools competed for the awards, for the 2002-2003 academic year. Chosen by a panel of school administrators and other educators from across the state, all applications were evaluated and winners were selected during the month of April. The 15 schools were formally honored May 7 at a forum in Jefferson City, MO, the State Capital. To be eligible for the award, schools had to meet academic performance criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education for the ``No Child Left Behind--Blue Ribbon Schools'' program. Established in 1991, the Gold Star Schools program is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, with financial support from State Farm Insurance Companies, Inc. In the program, elementary and secondary schools are recognized in alternating years. Mr. Speaker, there is something extra special about Kennard Classical Junior Academy. While the school sits in South St. Louis, in the neighboring 3rd Congressional District, I readily share my joy in this achievement because my daughter, Carol, is a student at Kennard and shares in her school's success as well. Mr. Speaker, I submit to you that success in education can be achieved at all levels, and sometimes where it is least expected. As we celebrate 15 Gold Star schools in the state of Missouri, with three in my district alone, I also hope and plan for the day that the majority of schools in the state achieve ``Gold Star'' status. At that time we can happily raise the academic bar again, for the next generation of students. If the students of today are a barometer, then the students of the future will most assuredly defy the odds against them and take their place in the modern world as well-educated leaders and decision-makers solving future problems. As leaders in government, it is our responsibility to provide them the tools, the gifted teachers and the inspiration to achieve against great odds for even greater successes.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, tonight we look back nearly a half century to the 1954 case to Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka and the impact on this Nation. The Supreme Court took a bold step at that time to right the wrongs and correct years of injustice. The court stepped out of the box to do what was right. Even so, in Missouri the city of St. Louis and county schools continued to defy the high Court as a large segment of children continued to attend segregated schools and receive an inferior education. Regrettably, it took a local court case in the 1970s to desegregate St. Louis city and county public schools. On a personal note, my family was subjected to the sordid history of segregated schools. My grandmother, Luella Hyatt, was born in suburban Black Jack, Missouri, in the early 1900s and was denied access to schools there. She was forced to move to St. Louis City to attend school with other African Americans. Segregated schools were tragic and the ramifications of children receiving an inferior education put them at an economic and social disadvantage, from their receiving outdated hand-me-down books from white children, to their lowly social standing overall. It cannot be said enough that children of color suffer greatly. In that context Brown v. Board of Education was a remedy to right a grievous wrong. Today as we look back and then turn again towards the future, I am dismayed. I am not dismayed at how Americans have continued to undo past wrongs. Nor am I dismayed at the shoulders on which I stand and what they tried to accomplish. Integration in the context of their times had its merits. What dismays me is that any lessons we can learn from the past appear to be lost on this generation of leaders. And for that I feel we must find a fix. In retrospect, a lot of things have happened in education since the 1950s. The nobility of true integration was not accomplished and a new form of segregation has taken the place of the old. Yet, while Brown v. Board of Education was certainly about education, it was about much more. It was part of a long chain of events which each successive generation took a turn to right wrong and chip away at racism and segregation. Now it is our turn to try and attain that elusive ideal of one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. I am a product of public school. I have always been in support of public education. A public education has served my wife, Ivy, and I, as well as my daughter, Carol, who also attends a public elementary school in the city of St. Louis; and, in fact, her school, Kennard Classical Junior Academy, was one of 15 schools in the State of Missouri recently given the distinction of a gold star status. So not all public education is problematic. Both St. Louis and Missouri have a lot of relevant educational history. For example, the St. Louis public schools opened the Nation's first kindergarten. And in the 1840s it was illegal for African Americans to read and write. First Baptist Church Pastor John Berry Meachum took matters into his own hands. Mr. Meachum opened the Freedom School on a barge in the Mississippi River which was Federally owned and thus out of the reach of State law. And at the college level, a 1938 Missouri case, Missouri ex rel Gaines v. Canada, found that the University of Missouri by denying a black student administrations to its law school, though it did create a separate black law school in a building housing a movie theater and a hotel, created an unfair privilege for white students that did not extend to similarly qualified African American students. Mr. Speaker, like a strait jacket, segregation debilitated this Nation for generations. But the victory of Brown v. Board of Education was not happenstance. It was the result of a well-thought-out strategy by a progressive people trying to build a progressive Nation. Comprised of a combination of five lawsuits from around the Nation, Brown v. Board was argued using expert witnesses to show the psychological and sociological damage of inferiority done to black children as a result of segregation. Convinced separate but equal violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the high Court would ban segregation in public schools. As we all know, desegregation was not immediate, easy, nor complete. In a separate decision known as Brown II in 1955, the Court set desegregation guidelines. But without deadlines, only the infamous ``with all deliberate speed'' in the opinion, segregation lingered and segregationist met integration with violence and hatred. With integration, some whites fled to the suburbs creating de facto segregation in urban schools. And as the urban core deteriorated by the outflow of population and businesses, the urban schools have essentially become second class schools, separate and unequal, despite the law. In closing, I want to thank the leadership in the Congressional Black Caucus for scheduling this time to mark the anniversary of a major milestone. Certainly the shortcomings of the last half century were no fault of Brown v. Board of Education. Certainly it was not the children who dutifully woke up every morning and attended classes in schools provided by governments throughout this Nation. And most certainly it is not the poor and economically impoverished Americans trying to feed those children every day and trusting that one day their lives would be better for them and their children. The children have not failed. Those in government who build, staff and fund this Nation's schools have collectively failed the children. When government officials spend more to incarcerate than to educate, it sends the wrong message to our youths. When government blames the victims of racism, economic oppression, and cultural bias and punishes them through denial, sanctions and promises left unfilled, then there is no wonder the youth of this Nation have rebelled en masse against education, a law-abiding life-style, and unfulfilled promises. Such reality today is as important as Brown v. Board of Education was to this Nation then. The abiding purpose of government is to promote stability in our communities and to care for those who cannot care for themselves. The rich will always take care of themselves and many send their children to private schools run by people they have a voice in choosing and in facilities they help build. The common everyday citizen lacks that luxury. With many of our public school systems in disarray, teachers spending more time trying to maintain order and not teach, for millions of American children the future is not bright. Again, it is not because of Brown v. Board of Education; rather, it is systemic failure of government to care about educating our children. God forbid that another generation of Americans indigenous to this Nation remain undereducated, underserved and in poverty. That was the real point, the real goal of Brown v. Board of Education. And that age- old dream of future generations of equally educated American children building a Nation capable of overcoming the burden of a segregated divisive America has yet to come true. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, of course, it reminds me of an article I read yesterday about the gentleman my colleague is about to introduce that his staff shared with us about his father, and I do not want to take his thunder, but it talked about how his father was denied a college degree from a divinity college in South Carolina because he could not obtain a high school diploma because the State law in South Carolina in the 1940s was that no African American children could go beyond the seventh grade, and that tells me something about the ramifications which I never lived through full-blown segregation, but it certainly tells me about the ramifications of segregation and about how we are to address righting that wrong. So it brought tears to my eyes.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise as a sponsor of H.R. 1596, a bill to honor the memory of U.S. Postal Service employee Timothy Michael Gaffney, and would like to thank the membership of the entire Missouri delegation for their cosponsorship on this measure. Mr. Gaffney, while a manager at the Overland Post Office for 2 short years, made a huge impact on the employees there. In the words of one co-worker, Leslie Beck, ``He was a personable manager who managed with a huge heart. He continued to help his employees with their personal problems, such as death of elderly parents. We had an employee pass away with cancer, another employee's wife who passed away with cancer at age 49, and yet another employee's daughter who passed away at age 10 with a brain tumor. This was all in the year 2002. It was a very emotional year for all of us, but he was there as support to all of us. ``Then Tim's passing in December 2002 was devastating to all of us. We are working through our grief by planting a tree, purchasing a nice bench and putting it in a peaceful area at the Post Office, and purchasing a memorial plaque for Tim. We have raised almost $600 from just our employees for these projects. We have not asked for or would take money from anywhere else. This had to be all from just us. We are his `Postal Family'. He was there for us, and we are there for him.'' Madam Speaker, renaming the Overland Post Office in honor of Mr. Gaffney would appear to be a fitting reminder of his role and dedication to the community. I would be remiss if I did not share the full scope of Mr. Gaffney's life both on the job and in his private life. Born on October 30, 1948, Mr. Gaffney was the son of Joseph and Lorayne Gaffney, both deceased as well. A sister Jill Delonjay, and a brother, Mark Gaffney, both live in the St. Louis area, as does a nephew, Tom Harris, who also works for the U.S. Postal Service. Divorced, Mr. Gaffney had no children. As a youngster, he attended Buder Elementary School and Christian Brothers College High School. It was shortly after high school graduation that he began working part-time at a local Post Office in the St. Louis area. In 1972, Mr. Gaffney received a teaching degree from the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Also, he served proudly and honorably in the Missouri Army National Guard from 1970 to 1976. He remained active in alumni activities at the Christian Brothers College High School and an avid golfer; he supported the school's charitable golf tournaments, as well as being a great supporter of CBC's football team. Mr. Gaffney showered other organizations with his support, including the Backstoppers and their support for firefighters and police officers. Working with the Combined Federal Campaign in the Postal Service, Mr. Gaffney helped the Overland Station rank number 5 in the St. Louis area for donations to charities. It was very important to him to support charities. Finally, a big Rams football fan, he was a season ticket holder. I urge Members to support this measure in tribute to a man whose life meant so much to his co-workers and his community. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Betty Jean Kerr, as 2003 marks her 25th year of service as C.E.O. of People's Health Centers (PHC) in St. Louis. Kerr has been passionately devoted to providing quality health care to the medically underserved and uninsured. Strongly believing that everyone deserves quality health care, Kerr has dedicated her tenure with PHC to ensuring that primary care and prevention services are efficiently provided at these community health centers, regardless of a patient's socioeconomic status. Kerr's extraordinary leadership is exemplified by the strong foundation she has laid and the recognized growth within PHC. PHC was a three-year-old free clinic with only one location when Kerr became CEO. Under her guidance, she has been essentially instrumental in making PHC a sprawling community of apartments for the elderly, housing for persons with disabilities, social security services, primary health care, dental services, a pharmacy, affordable homes, and small businesses. Kerr has been remarkably persistent in reaching beyond traditional methods of making quality health care services accessible to everyone. In an effort to provide increased access to health in conjunction with health center locations, she has created school-based sites. Her staff is in all St. Louis Public middle schools, three high schools, private schools, and soon to be in the large school districts in North County. In addition to developing sustained partnerships with patients to manage improving their health, Kerr has maintained and required a high level of expectations for health care practitioners serving minority populations in low-income neighborhoods throughout St. Louis. Setting high standards and goals for PHC, she continues to work with the board on strategic planning decisions that will reduce health disparities within St. Louis. Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I recognize Betty Jean Kerr today before Congress. This dynamic woman strongly believes that every citizen has the right to a long and healthy life. In addition to her steadfast commitment to guaranteeing accessible primary care and preventative health care services, Kerr has a vision of expanding the number of health care center locations throughout the St. Louis community. It is with great honor that I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Betty Jean Kerr.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and commend her for taking this time in a special order on such a timely matter, while our troops are in the deserts of Afghanistan and Iraq fighting for their lives and while this administration is attempting to cut the budget of the VA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my opposition to cuts in benefits due our Nation's veterans. I urge my Republican colleagues to reconsider the drastic cuts made to the Department of Veterans Affairs. I oppose these cuts, this mistreatment, and believe our Nation's heroes deserve better. I sincerely urge my colleagues and all Americans to consider just what a vote to reduce the budget to our veterans, both on and off the battlefield, really means. Today, I submit, there is politics and then there is the presumption of politics; there is patriotism, and then there is the presumption of patriotism; there is support for our troops, and there is the presumption of support for our troops, all the contradictions involving the politics of war and peace. The notion of who is a true patriot and who is not and the welfare of our troops in combat all have been played out recently in this very Chamber. For my part, I have opposed the war, supported our troops in combat, and now stand to support our troops upon their return. For those who follow my votes, they may be confused. Do not be, because certainly I am not. Recently, on March 20, 2003, I placed into the Congressional Record a statement that noted my long-standing opposition to the war in Iraq. Yet, with the fighting having begun, I offer my support and prayers for the men and women who, out of duty to their Nation, find themselves in harm's way. On top of this budget, the current administration has also submitted a budget to pay for the war we are currently engaged in. That supplemental budget request is for $75 billion to fight the war in Iraq for 6 months. With the prospect of a long and arduous campaign and occupation of Iraq, the costs will likely soar even higher. We have 2.3 million disabled veterans who demand our patriotism, just as we demanded theirs in time of war. I echo the appeal of honor and dignity made on March 17, 2003, by some of the veterans groups in response to the GOP budget. I quote: ``Is there no honor left in the hallowed halls of our government that you choose to dishonor the sacrifices of our Nation's heroes and rob our programs, health care, and disability compensation to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy? You will be reducing benefits and services for disabled vets at a time when thousands of our service members are in harm's way, fighting terrorists around the world, and thousands more of our sons and daughters are preparing for war against Iraq.'' Needless to say, the shooting war started in earnest 2 days later. I submit to Members, there is politics and then there is the presumption of politics; there is patriotism, and then there is the presumption of patriotism; and there is support for our troops, both on and off the battlefield, and there is the presumption of support for our troops. In a world where the cost of everything, even our Federal budget, is increasing at breakneck speed, does it make sense to cut benefits to the very people who we promised to take care of if they stood at a post and took care of us in some foreign land, often under an obscure objective that only our highest leaders know about and understand? In today's world, with the threat of international terrorism in our own backyard, war has come to us all. However, for those men and women who stand up, swear an oath of allegiance to defend our Nation at all costs, and do the bidding of Congress and our President, we are now being asked to turn our backs on them. How can Congress, in the span of a few days, vote support for the troops fighting in Iraq and then seriously consider revoking by nearly a billion dollars the benefits we promised our warriors past, present, and future for the sacrifices they have sworn and continue to swear to make for the good of our Nation. This is an insult. This is an abomination. We know it. America knows it, and our veterans know it. It is more patriotic to send our troops into battle with our congressional blessing but upon their return tell them their sacrifices are not deserving of benefits this Nation has traditionally offered those who risk injury, emotional stability and even their lives to keep this Nation secure. I urge Congress to reject any reduction in benefits to our fighting men and women and support the Democratic alternative. At a time of war and sacrifice by the men and women of our Armed Forces, Congress cannot and must not let these cuts stand. The alternative offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt), the ranking member of the House Committee on the Budget, provides for $1.1 billion in additional discretionary spending in FY 2004 and $17 billion more over the course of 10 years to the Veterans department budget. If we want their full measure on the battle fields, they deserve a full measure of benefits upon their return. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of the sad events leading up to this war, I have fought as a U.S. Congressman and with an enduring sense of duty and compassion for all Americans, to oppose a war that I believe is unjust and unnecessary at this time. Now that the fighting has begun and the brave men and women of our armed forces go forward into harm's way, we must honor their sacrifices and we humbly salute their service. As Americans we are united in prayers for their safe return. And we hope that a victory will lead us to a different era when violence will be replaced by a new vision of justice, tolerance, security and peace, for all people. As I support our troops' dedication to service and commitment to getting the job done with as little loss of life as possible, as a Congressman and as an American I remain convinced that diplomacy should always be primary and war secondary. Sometimes the course of history cannot be changed and nations on a collision course cannot be diverted from each other. This is one of those times. However, this too shall pass. As we look toward the future, as we pledge to help rebuild a post-war Iraq, I would sincerely urge the Bush Administration to also work to rebuild our relationship with the people and countries that comprise the United Nations. Already, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan is offering his hand in cooperation. Today, he said, ``Let us not dwell on the divisions of the past. Let us confront the harsh realities of the present, however harsh, and look for ways to forge stronger unity in the future. Also, he said, ``The peoples of the world . . . have made clear that . . . they want to see power harnessed to legitimacy. They want their leaders to come together, in the United Nations, to resolve the problems shared by all humanity,'' the Secretary-General said. And I agree. It is only through mutual respect and cooperation between nations that we can mount a sustained fight to end global acts of terrorism. And at the same time we must fully address those problems and political ideologies that breed terrorists so this problem will end. As the last remaining superpower on earth--a giant among nations--I believe we must err on the side of caution rather than risk undo injury to smaller nations that are hapless before the will of a giant, a superpower. Again, Mr. Speaker . . . now that the fighting has begun and the brave men and women of our armed forces go forward into harm's way, we must honor their sacrifices and we humbly salute their service. And as Americans we are united in prayers for their safe return. God bless all the people of this earth and may the peacemakers who emerge from this conflict carry the future, for the good of all humankind.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dorothy Swearengen Strong, a dynamic woman who had committed 45 years to advocating for the educational and developmental needs of African American children, especially in relation to mathematics. Making it a priority to equip at-risk youth with essential mathematics skills, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that all children are prepared to master standards-based mathematics and traditional basic skills simultaneously. She began teaching in 1958 and has remained true to her philosophy that all children can and must complete Algebra by the end of eighth grade, in addition to attaining four years of college preparatory math by the end of high school. Strong has diligently worked from her vision of high expectations, full access, quality instruction and high achievement for all students. Always innovatively finding new ways to educate. Strong is currently directing and piloting the BiMathematics Project. This program will connect multiple definitions of curriculum faced by school districts, high stakes assessment and key mathematics principles to restructure and consolidate the mathematics curriculum for grades K-12. The project includes extended professional development, parental and community involvement components. Impressively, Strong had developed and implemented several initiatives aimed at making math both exciting and educational for students. She has coordinated three major Mathematics and Science Motivational Projects with NASA that highlighted the achievements of African American astronauts. In an effort to increase academic achievement for inner-city students, she pioneered the MathCounts Competition, which celebrates their participation in statewide mathematics competitions. She strives to empower students to always be prepared, be active participants in today's society and become lifelong learners. Leading by example, Strong has devoted many hours as founder and past president to the Benjamin Banneker Association. This Association provides a forum for mathematics educators and mathematicians to discuss learning and teaching math with respect to African American children. She has also developed a series of Bible Mathematics books and a Mathematics Tutor Training Manual to help Black South African students prepare for their University Examination. Mr. Speaker. It is with great honor that I recognize Dr. Dorothy Swearengen Strong today before Congress. She has been referred to as the Mother of Modern Day Mathematics. Her outstanding leadership and commitment to efficiently educating students makes her more than worthy of receiving our recognition today. I urge that my colleagues join me in honoring this truly remarkable woman.

Mr. CLAY

Mr. CLAY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5. The bill does a disservice to the medical liability insurance problem. It fails to provide the necessary solutions which are needed to have a win/win situation for all concerned parties. Proposed legislative relief in the form of damage caps such as H.R. 5 may be construed as only a small portion of the remedy. Caps alone will not result in an immediate decrease in premiums. Malpractice suits take 3 to 8 years to come to trial. Current pending or filed suits will not be resolved for years. New caps on damages may not retroactively cover current suits. Therefore, premiums will not go down. This bill is silent on the issue of the insurance industry and the failed investments policies of that industry's past. The choice is simple: enact H.R. 5 and have a system that has a tremendous overhead and continues to cause a disservice, or have a true reform plan that gives an immediate reduction in cost.