Emanuel Cleaver

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I would like to express appreciation to the gentleman from New Jersey for his very eloquent and passionate words concerning something that I am angry about. Madam Speaker, I have grandsons who are growing up now in this country who I do not want to be negatively impressed by these kinds of stereotypes. I do not want my children or my children's children or anyone's children to be subjected to this kind of insult. This is outrageous. Madam Speaker, this is not just a caricature. For many people around the world it is a belief, and those of us who are sensitive and those of us who are impacted would like to erase this as a belief. Some day, caricatures like this will not matter. We will have dealt finally with this bogeyman race. But this is not that day. Some day, Little Black Sambo will not matter. We will look back and laugh at it. But today is not that day. A recent appointee to the D.C. Circuit has said that using the ``N'' word, even in a workplace when discrimination is also an issue, is protected speech. I think that is very dangerous. Now, some day, using the ``N'' word will not matter. But today is not that day. Some day, the president of Mexico will be outraged that something like this ever took place. But this is not that day. Some day, a call for racial sensitivity in this body will not be needed. But today is not that day. Some day, the country of Mexico will have a President who respects the citizens of the entire world. But, sadly, Madam Speaker, today is not that day.

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

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I have introduced H. Res. 347, a resolution that condemns Mexico for printing and distributing blatantly racist postage stamps; and I am, along with many others, urging Mexican President Vicente Fox to immediately cease printing and distributing the postage stamps and recall from circulation those postage stamps currently on the market. Madam Speaker, Mexican-Americans and African-Americans have fought for decades to eliminate and erase racial stereotypes and depictions that dominated all forms of media in the early 20th century. On June 29, 2005, the government of Mexico issued a series of five postage stamps commemorating and celebrating Memin Pinguin, a comic book character created in the 1940s who was depicted as a dark-skinned Jim Crow era cartoon. And while this character is depicted as a black child with dark skin and greatly exaggerated lips, similar Jim Crow memorabilia referred to when I was a boy as Pickaninny and his mother Mammy were all over this country. Due to a rise in sensitivity, those things have pretty much been removed from sight. But this particular comic book series is interesting because it is now current. Memin Pinguin is a character who is taunted by white colleagues for his appearance, his speech and mannerisms. The Mexican postal service has authorized the issuance of 750,000 of the stamps which may be used in the Mexican domestic market and the international market. Civil rights organizations such as the National Council of La Raza, I am proud to say; the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the NAACP, I am proud to say; the National Urban League; and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition have denounced the racist postage stamp series. I would also say, Madam Speaker, that the Hispanic Caucus of our Congress has also condemned these stamps. This insult comes on the heels of Mexican President Vicente Fox's quote last month as saying the Mexican citizens in this country will work on jobs that even blacks don't want. Ultimately, he apologized for making that statement, but, Madam Speaker, he is sticking by the stamps, even though the President of the United States of America, George Bush, has also condemned the stamps. This resolution is aimed at getting the people of Mexico, if not the president, to demand that this kind of thing be stopped. Ancestors of Mexican blacks entered that country centuries ago through the Caribbean port city of Veracruz, and they were slave laborers. They worked in the sugar fields of Mexico. Today, the population of blacks living in Mexico is about 1 million; that is 1 million out of 105 million people. And so they have a small population. But no person of color can appreciate what they have done. Madam Speaker, the stamps are insulting hopefully to all people of good will but certainly to people of color. Memin Pinguin is depicted as a part man, part monkey or chimpanzee. This character is presented as some stupid half-animal, half-human person out of the jungles, and it is very difficult for me to find this amusing in any way. It is this kind of cultural terrorism that has done damage to the psyche of little children of color for decades and decades. There is not a single parent who should feel good about their child growing up looking at this kind of image of themselves, because this damages their somebody-ness. Madam Speaker, there are five stamps in this series, and each one, if you look at them as they have been released, becomes progressively more insulting, until the last stamp has Memin standing in front of his mother, Aunt Jemima, with a towel in her hand. And she too is looked at, at least projected as a half-woman, half-ape. With her towel in her hand, she is half bending, and this kind of insult to people of color seems to happen in Mexico with increased intensity. Mexican President Fox stated that the stamp is an image in a comic book, and he said that he has watched this character since infancy, he says, and I quote, It is cherished here in Mexico; the other minorities or the Afro-Americans or Latins, I would suggest to them first, read the magazine. Madam Speaker, I do not need to read the magazine. In my city, in Kansas City, some of the Native Americans spoke to me during my term as mayor, saying that the tomahawk chop used at the Chiefs football games was insulting to them. I had done the tomahawk chop at the games when the Chiefs scored and did it without any regard to anybody or anything. But I did not realize that it was insulting to some of the Native Americans, and eventually, I said to them, if it is insulting to you, I will stop doing it. I will encourage others with whom I come in contact to stop doing it. The one thing I did not say to him is, you should not be upset. If I have a toothache, I do not want a dentist to tell me you should not hurt. If I hurt, I hurt. And if people respect me, if people have any sensitivity at all, they will say, he hurts, therefore, I will not contribute further to his pain. This, Madam Speaker, is hurtful. It is damaging, and the more it continues, the more young kids are going to be hurt. My hope, even my prayer, is that the day will soon pass when this kind of thing will be something we talk about in the ugly and distant past, something that we do not have to worry about dealing with now. This is 2005. This is the kind of thing that many African-Americans experienced living in the South when they had lawn jockeys out on the greenery in front of large plantations. No one would have thought just a short while ago that, in 2005, this kind of thing would still be around, this kind of thing would still stare us in the face to insult us and to do further damage to our children. To date, 750,000 of these stamps have been purchased. That racial stereotype will now appear on letters going both inside Mexico and around the world. This is a total lack of respect for people of color. I am also pleased that the Congressional Black Caucus has released a statement. The chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, U.S. Representative Melvin Watt from North Carolina, released the following statement: The members of the Congressional Black Caucus find the stamps insensitive, racist and an insult to people everywhere, and we call on President Vicente Fox to recall the stamps immediately and to issue an apology to all people of African descent. The stamps are offensive and perpetuate a negative stereotype of people of Africa. Again, we call on President Fox to repudiate the issuance of these stamps and to announce his commitment to address the problem of racism, yes, even in Mexico. Madam Speaker, growing up, I had to deal with this on a daily basis. Bug-eyed, big-lipped, half-human, half-chimpanzee hybrids were portrayed all around us, and there was nothing we could do except to take it. It was an insult for me to grow up having a teacher read Little Black Sambo. The only book with people who looked like me when I was growing up was Little Black Sambo, and the only thing he did of substance was to eat a lot of pancakes. I hope people understand that they are hurting other human creatures. This should not take place in the 21st century. As President Fox is justifying what has been done, I would like to remind him that, not long ago, in fact, it was in 1969, there was a Frito Bandito cartoon character that hit the airwaves here in the United States. And he was used to advertise some corn chips. But Frito Bandito was pulled off the air when Mexicans protested, when they came to the conclusion that this was an insult portraying all of them as some little shady Mexican character who was actually a thief, bandito. But the good news is that the Frito Lay corn chip company did pull the ad. And so there is at least a precedent for pulling back when people find out they are hurting other people. Madam Speaker, my request again is for all the Members of this great body to join in being a sponsor of this resolution to help denounce something that is wrong, to show that all the people of this Nation, black, white and brown, are united in their attempt to eliminate stereotypes. It would be a powerful, powerful move by this Congress if all of us joined forces to condemn this. I am also pleased to say, Madam Speaker, that there are a number of Republicans who have also come in along with a number of Democrats and, as I have said earlier, the President of the United States has condemned this, the minority leader and the minority whip are also condemning what they consider to be something that is degrading and demeaning, not just to people of color but to the people of the world. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne).

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, later today, the House will consider the Transportation, Treasury, HUD, the Judiciary, District of Columbia, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2006. While I commend the Committee on Appropriations for rejecting the President's Strengthening America's Communities Initiative, which would have transferred the Community Development Block Grant from HUD to the Department of Commerce for consolidation of 17 other programs, I am concerned with the gross underfunding of HUD programs in this bill. The good and decent people around this Nation need to know that the Department of Housing and Urban Development's programs are primarily designed to address the housing and community development needs of disadvantaged communities. Unfortunately, the House bill slashed its funding for a number of vital Federal programs that have been central to the revitalization efforts underway in our Nation's cities, including Kansas City, Lee's Summit, and Independence, Missouri. The bill proposes to fund CDBG at $250 million below fiscal year 2005 levels and provide zero funding for important programs such as section 108 loans, Youthbuild, Brownfields, Hope VI, and Empowerment Zones. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in opposing these cuts. While we have all heard the Administration tout national homeownership rates, it is confusing because the House majority has proposed cutting programs that are designed to increase the homeownership rates for lower-income and minority households. These actions demonstrate that some in this legislative body seem more interested in securing tax breaks for the wealthiest 2 percent than they are in closing the homeownership gap or the creation of affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in opposing these cuts.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, June 28, 2005, I was detained and unable to cast my vote on H.R. 458, the Military Personnel Financial Services Protection Act. This important legislation will protect military services members from the sale of questionable financial products, curb abusive sales practices on military installations, and ensure regulatory oversight of financial services sales on military installations. Had I been present, I would have supported passage of the bill and would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall 324. In addition, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall 325.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, for years, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has provided countless Americans of all ages with high- quality, innovative programming. But today, House Republicans have renewed their efforts against public broadcasting by reducing funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by $100 million. That is a 25 percent reduction in funding and would have a devastating effect on public television and public radio. If enacted, public broadcasting stations in Kansas City, Missouri serving my Congressional District would stand to lose over half a million dollars. As a former radio talk show host on KCUR, the Kansas City affiliate of National Public Radio, I understand the importance of public broadcasting. These days, commercial television and radio provides us with more information about the runaway bride than the runaway budget, and more about the Desperate Housewives than the desperate lives of those whose Medicaid has been cut. Public broadcasting has, for over 40 years, provided the American people with the type of excellent educational, cultural and news programming that is rarely found on television. Whose children didn't grow up watching Big Bird, Arthur, or Clifford? We cannot afford to lose this important national resource. So today, I will vote in favor of the Obey-Lowey-Leach amendment to restore the $100 million that was cut from public broadcasting. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the bill.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. CLEAVER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I ask how much time remains.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, let me begin by thanking the gentlemen from Virginia and West Virginia. They have both been very easy to work with. Mr. Chairman, the amendment I am offering with my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), is a very simple amendment. It would simply prohibit any funds appropriated under the bill from being used to carry out an A-76 privatization review of 25 employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Logistics Supply Center, known as the NLSC, in Kansas City, Missouri. Our amendment does not require Members to vote on the A-76 issue overall; rather, it simply asks that our colleagues take a stand against this particular A-76 review. The NLSC's A-76 was begun in order to achieve a quota established by OMB that Congress subsequently prohibited. That fact was outlined in a June 2002 NOAA memorandum. No other rationale other than this quota was given to justify targeting the NLSC for an A-76 review. Even after OMB repudiated privatization quotas, the NLSC A-76 went forward. Additionally, the review seemingly ignores the inherently competitive nature of the NLSC. There is no requirement that any agency use this service; rather, agencies decide on their own whether or not to use the NLSC. The NLSC competes every day to sell its services to agencies. It has been the recipient of multiple service awards, and it has reduced its response time to 2 days and raised its accuracy rates to 99 percent. Finally, let me just say that the trouble that I have with this, that I hope every Member of Congress will have, is that we have spent over $1 million hiring consultants to study 25 employees. That turns out to be $41,000 per employee, more than many of them earn. In April of this year, I, along with the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton), Senators Bond and Talent, wrote the Department of Commerce urging Secretary Gutierrez to bring this privatization review to an end. However, despite this bipartisan support and the clear reasons for stopping this review, the Department of Commerce moved ahead. Let me be clear, Mr. Chairman. This amendment does not address even slightly the overall issue of contracting out Federal jobs. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment, and express appreciation to both gentlemen from Virginia, and look forward to working with them.

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton).

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan).

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend Doctor Nelson ``Fuzzy'' Thompson, a minister, humanitarian and a political activist whose legacy continues to enrich the lives of all Kansas Citians. After 14 years of service, on June 5, 2005, Rev. Thompson retired from his pastoral helm at Mason Memorial United Methodist Church, which is the cause of recognition and celebration of the dedication that he exudes in all aspects of service to the Kansas City community. Rev. Thompson's reputation as a community leader extends beyond the local or national level, but is inclusive of the international community. He was one of 22 U.S. ministers that traveled to South Africa on a fact finding educational exchange, at the request of Bishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and the South African Council of Churches. ``Fuzzy,'' as he is affectionately known, was one of three U.S. ministers to conduct Easter services for U.S. hostages held in Tehran, Iran in 1980. He was also one of 17 U.S. ministers and activists who served as official observers for the first election ever held in South Africa that allowed the right to vote to all races. He said it was a humbling experience seeing people lining up the night before and standing in line for blocks in order to exercise their right to vote for the first time. Since 1984, Rev. Thompson has been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. He served as Regional Coordinator of Rev. Jesse Jackson's 1984 Presidential campaign and as the Missouri State Coordinator of the Jackson Campaign in 1988. ``Fuzzy'' is currently President of the Kansas City Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He has served on the boards of Freedom Incorporated as Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Black Adoption Program and Services, Human Rights Commission of Kansas City, Missouri, and Northwest Political Faction. He has been involved in helping to solve the problems of young adults, especially in the areas of education and unemployment. He held the position of Executive Director of the Martin Luther King Urban Center for 30 years. Rev. Thompson graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and received a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry at St. Paul School of Theology. He has been married 39 years to Cheryl (Love) Thompson. His mother, Marvia Thompson, was a founding member of the St. James United Methodist which I pastor. In 2003, we joined Rev. Thompson to celebrate and mourn her death and life. He baptized my youngest son, Evan, and he has been a friend and a confidant to me for more than 30 years. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to the Rev. Nelson ``Fuzzy'' Thompson for his relentless efforts in extending service not only within the areas surrounding Kansas City, Missouri and the United States, but for his contributions to the global community. I urge my colleagues to please join me in congratulating ``Fuzzy'' on his retirement as Pastor of Mason Memorial United Methodist Church, for we know that he has not retired from the ministry nor from the community, because God's work is never done.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Rastislav Kacer, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States and welcome him to the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri. Ambassador Kacer has the distinct honor of representing one of America's closest allies. This new democracy dates back to 1993 when Slovakia peacefully seceded from Czechoslovakia in what has become known as the ``Velvet Divorce.'' Since the beginning of the war in Iraq, the Slovak Republic has fought by our side, joining the United States under flags of red, white and blue. Ambassador Kacer's legacy is entrenched in his efforts to promote the Slovak Republic's stature in the world and at home. He served as Director General of the Division of International Organizations and Security Policy at the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As State Secretary with the Ministry of Defense, he was instrumental in obtaining full membership for the Slovak Republic in NATO and the European Union. He was appointed Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States in July 2003 and on September 8, 2003 was named Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Republic to the United States of America. During his first visit to the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri, the Ambassador will participate in the 20th Anniversary of the Sugar Creek Slavic Festival promoting our country's rich Slavic heritage. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the rich traditions and cultural customs of the beautiful mountainous region now known as the Slovak Republic. The festival will feature ethnic dancing, including the polka, folk singing, and Slovakian music. The Ambassador's agenda includes meetings with civic, business and community leaders, fostering new partnerships and renewing old initiatives. They will explore trade and cultural exchange between the heartland of the United States and the geographic heart of Europe, the Slovak Republic. Mr. Speaker, please join with me in expressing our appreciation to Ambassador Rastislav Kacer and the Slovak Republic. This new democratic republic has gained world-wide stature through membership in NATO and continues to grow in world recognition as they preserve their identity through culture and heritage. In Sugar Creek, and all around Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, Slovakian immigrants celebrate their roots with new generations, linking America's heartland to the heart of Europe. By preserving our past, we will foster an understanding for the future. I ask my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute to the Slovak Republic and its Ambassador, Rastislav Kacer.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City. Founded in 1977 by 25 Hispanic business leaders, the Chamber was the first physical office of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Since its inception, the Chamber has worked towards the development of its members, and worked to develop strong business relationships between Hispanic and non-Hispanic businesses in Kansas City. As one of the principal advocates for Hispanic businesses in the City, the Chamber provides an invaluable resource as it helps local businesses build capacity and develop business skills. Their programming includes the how-tos of business planning, advertising, sales and marketing, procurement and certification. In today's competitive business environment, their work is more important that ever. Today, the Chamber represents the interests of twelve-hundred Hispanic-owned businesses in Metropolitan Kansas City and currently has five-hundred members, having grown by three-hundred percent in the last three years. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, and I ask my colleagues to join me today in paying tribute to this historic organization.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, as Americans, we continually strive toward progress. Today we find at our disposal a tool for healing that is unlike any the world has previously known, a tool with the potential to cure our most terrible diseases and ease the suffering of over a half million Americans in my State alone. Our Nation is blessed with the greatest minds and resources on the planet. My district, Missouri five, there are two citizens, Jim and Virginia Stowers, who have dedicated their personal fortune of nearly $2 billion to conduct basic biomedical research and fight these diseases. The Stowers Institute employs brilliant researchers from more than 20 countries to use these tools to bridge the gap between diseases and cures. Across the United States, Americans are voicing their support for stem cell research. Poll after poll after poll shows that Americans, regardless of political affiliation or religion, support using stem cell research as a tool to fight diseases. As a fourth generation ordained minister, I am delighted to be able to support H.R. 810 to ease the suffering.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, in Missouri's 5th District there are two individuals, Jim and Virginia Stowers, who did not seek a Federal grant, but who used $2 billion of their own money to begin some very vital research. They founded the Stowers Institute. And the Stowers Institute employs brilliant researchers from more than 20 countries around the world, and they are working with the most advanced tools to answer the questions and build the bridges between diseases and cures. Our Nation is blessed with the greatest minds and researchers on this planet. But to whom much is given, much is required. And so, Mr. Speaker, this Nation has a wonderful opportunity right now to respond to the needs and the interests of its people. Two boys, twin boys were in bed. One fell out of the bed in the middle of the morning, and when the parents went in to see him and asked what happened, he said, as he looked up to the bed, I think I was sleeping too close to where I got in. And that is where we are, Mr. Speaker. Even after the President has spoken, we are, as a Nation, still sleeping too close to where we got in with regard to research on stem cells.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend Doctor Earl Abel, a remarkable and compassionate leader whose legacy has touched so many Kansas Citians. After an extended illness, Reverend Abel passed on May 17, 2005. His is a deep loss felt by his family, his church congregation, the greater Kansas City community, the State of Missouri, and most assuredly, our nation. Reverend Abel will long be remembered for his social activism and advocacy on behalf of those individuals suffering from poverty, homelessness, and injustice. He fought for the common person and his influence was far reaching, both inside and outside the African American community. His calling brought him to organize and pastor the Palestine Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ in January, 1959. His initial congregation consisted of 11 members. His present church membership is in excess of 2,000 members. In this era where the term ``faith based initiative'' is a buzzword on Capitol Hill, Reverend Abel was one who took this phrase to heart, and applied it in the Kansas City community long before it was a politically popular phrase. It has been said that economic development is the last frontier of the civil rights movement. Reverend Abel was quoted in the Kansas City Star, our local newspaper, as saying, ``The black churches put ourselves in this role, because we felt the community needed development, and there was nobody to develop it. We're a church, and part of our mission is to try to provide what the community needs.'' In providing the community's needs, he championed the building of Palestine Camp, a $5 million youth summer camp. He also built two housing complexes which house 118 senior citizens called Palestine Gardens, and a $2.5 million activity center. Rev. Abel attended the University of Kansas and received his Doctorate of Divinity from Western Baptist Bible College. He was appointed by Governor Mel Carnahan to the Appellate Judicial Commission at a time when there were few minority or women representatives amongst the 39 judges on the Missouri Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. There are now nine female judges and five African American judges on those benches, including the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, Justice Ronnie L. White. In 2002, he was vice chairman of a successful public safety sales tax campaign, which provided for new and renovated police facilities, replacement of aging ambulances, new tornado sirens, and other public safety capital improvements. In May 2003, Reverend Abel was appointed to the advisory board for U. S. Senator Christopher Bond's ``Kansas City Engine for Economic Development Fund.'' He most recently served as Chaplain for the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department and has served as past President of the Baptist Ministers Union of Kansas City, the Kansas City Council on Crime Prevention, and was twice appointed to the Kansas City Human Relations Commission. He served on Boards of the Heart of America United Way, the Local Investment Commission (LINC), Douglass National Bank, and was an Early Childhood Commission member for the Missouri Department of Social Services. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing our heartfelt sympathy to his wife, Hazel Lair Abel, his children, Carol and Rick, his five grandchildren, and his many relatives and friends. I urge my colleagues to please join me in conveying our gratitude to his family for sharing this great man with us, and to accept our condolences for their tremendous loss. He was an inspiration to us all.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that Highway 13 Missouri River Bridge has been named for my good friend, and fellow Missourian, The Honorable Ike Skelton. The dedication ceremony took place on May 14, 2005, in Lexington, Missouri, Mr. Skelton's hometown. I know that all the Members of the House will join me in congratulating Mr. Skelton on this honor. Mr. Skelton's remarks at the event are set forth as follows: Thank you so much, Joe Aull, for your generous introduction. Members of the Missouri General Assembly, Ray and Lafayette County neighbors, and my fellow Missourians. Today, we dedicate an engineering feat--the magnificent new bridge across the wide Missouri. What an opportunity to kindle pride in our community and pride in our state. This is truly a moment to remember. Anyone who lives around here or who travels along this portion of Highway 13 can testify that for years people have asked, ``when are we going to get a new bridge?'' More recently the question has changed to, ``when is that new bridge going to open?'' So believe me, I think it is impossible to exaggerate what a very happy day this is for those who have waited so long for this day to arrive. According to the Roman orator Cicero, the greatest of all virtues is gratitude. And, I want to express my gratitude to my neighbors, the members of the Highway 13 Missouri River Bridge Dedication Steering Committee, the members of the Missouri Department of Transportation, and the members of Missouri's General Assembly for the naming of this bridge. Most of all, I am grateful to my wife, Susie, for her tireless support that allows me to carry out my public service. I must add that I am pleased that so many of my high school graduating class are with us today. I acknowledge this honor with a deep sense of humility. Representing Missourians is such a privilege, as I have had a love affair with the State of Missouri all my life. Suffice it to say that I will endeavor, in the days and years ahead, to merit this high honor. This day opens a notable chapter in the history of Ray and Lafayette Counties, and in the history of our State. The taxpayers generously paid for the bridge and the surrounding roads, with the politicians and government officials setting aside the money--almost $53 million in Federal and State funds for the bridge itself. But the achievement lies in the skill of the designers, engineers, and laborers whose work translated our dream of a new bridge into reality, providing us with a safe way to travel and taking us into the future, across the wide Missouri. But because this is such a momentous day, it is appropriate to look back and reflect on the previous chapters of our history that led us to this place today. This is a bridge over truly historic waters--the wide Missouri. The river is central to the history of those who have lived in this region. The Indians who lived along its banks inspired the river's name. The word ``Missouri'' is believed to have derived from the Indian word for ``canoe'', and the Missouri Tribe were known as the ``people of the wooden canoe.'' French trappers encountered the Missouri Indians in the late 1600s in present day Saline County. Another native group, the Little Osage, lived in this area during the 1700s. Scholars say that both tribes used the river for transportation and trade with the Europeans. In addition to the heritage of the Indians who made their home along the river, the legacy of the French trappers endures. The names the French gave to the tributaries that flow into the Missouri River still adorn our maps: Tabeau Creek, the Lamine River, Chouteau Creek, and the Moreau River. After the fledgling United States of America purchased the Louisiana territory, Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery traveled these waters, following the river across the continent. In fact, our new bridge is quite near the spot in present-day Ray County where Lewis and Clark's party of explorers made camp in June 1804. Fifteen years later in 1819, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expedition to explore the Missouri River and its tributaries demonstrated the potential usefulness of the river for the movement of goods, settlers, and troops. It also led to the Corps' assignment to tame the river for navigation, removing the treacherous snags that endangered boats and steamboats. The Missouri artist George Caleb Bingham immortalized the jolly flatboatmen who plied the waters of this river as the frontier opened in the early to mid-1800s. The flatboatmen were known for their songs, their chanties, including the beautiful and haunting American folk song, Shenandoah. The now-familiar boatmen's song, which told of a trader who loved the daughter of Indian Chief Shenandoah, made its way down the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers to the American clipper ships, and thus around the world. In the years to come, steamboats made the river their home. From about 1819 to 1881, steamboats paddled the river, taking settlers west and carrying trade goods and merchandise. Lexington became a major steamboat port, where manufactured goods from St. Louis and other points east were unloaded, and raw materials were loaded to travel down river. Local shores witnessed one of the darkest days of the steamboat era when the steamboat Saluda called on the Port of Lexington in 1852. Encountering problems with the river's current and heavy running ice, the Saluda's boilers exploded and more than 200 passengers and crew perished. During the War Between the States, steamboats carried troops and acted as armed transports, patrolling the river for Confederates attempting to cross the wide Missouri. In the days before a bridge crossed the wide Missouri here, ferries enjoyed brisk business. The first ferry was established in 1819 by Lexington's founder, Gilead Rupe. Both the steamboat and the ferry operations lost customers as railroads began to lay their tracks throughout the west, but the ferry business held on, providing river crossing services until the opening of the bridge in 1925. Attempts to bridge the river between Lafayette and Ray Counties were made in 1889 and 1894, before what we now call the ``old bridge'' was built across the wide Missouri. Construction began in 1922, and the bridge opened on November 25, 1925. Even today, we can relate to the excitement and the anticipation of those citizens who were anxious to use the bridge for the first time. As we dedicate the new bridge, we open a new chapter of our history on the Missouri River. For almost 80 years, the old bridge has served us faithfully. But after decades of service, it didn't take an engineer to spot serious problems. With portions of the old bridge floor falling through, and the crumbling of the sides, and the rusting of the superstructure, many have feared that our continued use of the old bridge was an invitation to tragedy. The new bridge comes none too soon. The safety factor is the most immediate benefit of the new bridge for those who cross the wide Missouri at this point. Countless drivers have suffered from white knuckles on the steering wheel every time they crossed the old span. Safety comes first, but we cannot underestimate how important modem and well-maintained roadways are for local economic development. A bridge that meets modem standards will enable companies and manufacturers to deliver and receive the goods they need to conduct business. It will allow farmers to safely transport agricultural goods. It will allow residents and visitors alike to travel freely and frequently. This bridge symbolizes progress and that essential quality of American optimism: faith in the future; belief in ongoing prosperity; and our continuing effort to improve our country that has allowed America to prosper. For thousands of years, the river has been witness to history. The new bridge will bear witness as those who cross the wide Missouri follow this road and add new chapters to the history of America. Today, we celebrate. This achievement is a milestone for our state of Missouri. When you cross the bridge over the Missouri River, look down, and in your mind's eye, imagine the boatmen of the early 1800s as they pole their flatboats down the river toward the Port of St. Louis. And, if you listen intently, you will hear them singing that chanty of the day-- Shenandoah, I long to hear you, Away, you rolling river, Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you, Away, I'm bound away, 'Cross the wide Missouri.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 259. I recently introduced this resolution to condemn the presence of racially restrictive covenants in housing documents. Mr. Speaker, during the early 20th century, racially restrictive covenants were used in housing documents such as plats, deeds, and homeowner association bylaws to prevent racial, ethnic, and religious minorities from renting or buying property. While they are now illegal and technically unenforceable, most were never removed from housing documents. In my district alone, one survey identified more than 1,200 documents that still contain discriminatory language. In many jurisdictions, the process of removing racially restrictive covenants is administratively burdensome, time consuming and costly. This resolution urges States to adopt legislation similar to California and commends the Missouri State Senate for passing a bill that streamlines the process for removing these relics of the Jim Crow era. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 259 and join me in condemning racially restrictive covenants.

Mr. CLEAVER

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, we should always be cautious in this quest for absolute power here in Washington. This was not the vision of our Founding Fathers. Today, we are dealing with a manufactured judicial crisis. Since President George Bush took office, the Senate has confirmed a whopping 208 of his judicial nominations and turned back only 10. That, my friends, is a 95 percent confirmation rate. That rating is the highest approval rating of any President in modern times, including Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Thanks to these confirmations, the President presides over the lowest court vacancy rate since Ronald Reagan was President. Congratulations, Mr. President. Instead of accepting that success and avoiding further divisiveness and partisanship here in Washington, my hope is that our President will not add to the current bitterness here and around the Nation by resubmitting the names of rejected nominees again this year.