Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she might consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 677, which recognizes the creation of the recently formed partnership between NASCAR and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. This partnership is aimed at increasing the number and quality of job opportunities for African American students in the NASCAR workforce, as well as other related fields, including automotive engineering and technology, automotive safety, sports marketing and other automotive industry areas. This year, 2006, marks NASCAR's 57th year of racing. Sadly, during its 57 years, NASCAR has had just five black drivers to ever compete in a Cup Series race. In 1963, Wendell Scott finished 10th or better in the points standings three times, and came away with the victory. However, Scott did not receive his trophy until a month after the fact. Second place finisher Buck Baker, who was white, was awarded the trophy in fear of fan uproar. Today, nearly 45 years later, the number of black NASCAR fans have increased, but minority drivers and automotive technicians are still nearly nonexistent. According to an ESPN poll, approximately 6.6 million NASCAR fans are black, yet no black driver has competed at the Cup Series level since Willie T. Ribbs ran three races 20 years ago. The on-track program is not NASCAR's only effort at diversifying the predominately white sport. NASCAR offers awards, diversity scholarships to minority undergraduate and graduate students attending HBCUs. The scholarship program is in its sixth year, and the NASCAR diversity internship program is in its seventh year. The internship program is a 10-week paid summer internship that introduces minority students to NASCAR and various career opportunities throughout the industry. Many of the summer interns have graduated and are currently pursuing engineering and sports management careers. As the automotive industry grows and becomes more technologically demanding in the coming decades, this partnership between NASCAR and Historically Black Colleges and Universities will become increasingly vital. Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution and urge my colleagues to do so. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa) for yielding me time, and I want to extend serious, serious commendations to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) for his introduction of this resolution, for his keen insight and the opportunity to note progress in our country. Forty years ago, on March 19, 1966, the Texas Western basketball team, the Miners, defeated the University of Kentucky at Cole Field House in College Park, Maryland, to win the NCAA basketball championship. This victory marked the first time that an all-black starting lineup appeared in a major championship athletic contest. Often regarded as the Brown v. Board of Education of sports, the Miners' victory over the heavily favored Wildcats ushered college basketball specifically, and sports more generally, into the civil rights movement. Prior to this event, athletics remained largely insulated from the civil rights swell. This bill recognizes the historic accomplishment of Coach Don Haskins and the 12 players from the 1966 team. These players deserve recognition today, and two of the gentlemen are close neighbors to my congressional district, Orsten Artis and Harry Flournoy, both from Gary, Indiana. These men finished the basketball season with an impressive 28-1 record. Ultimately, Coach Haskins led the Miners to 33 winning seasons and 21 post-season appearances. This resolution recognizes the incredible effect that the 1966 NCAA basketball championship of Texas Western, now the University of Texas at El Paso, had on promoting diversity in sports and accelerating racial integration in college sports. I am pleased to support this resolution and urge its passage.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, every February, Americans celebrate Black History Month. This tribute dates back to 1926 and is credited to a Harvard scholar named Carter G. Woodson. The son of former slaves, Woodson dedicated his life to ensuring that black history was accurately documented and disseminated. In an effort to bring national attention to the contributions of black Americans, Woodson organized the first annual Negro History Week in 1926. He chose the second week of February in honor of the birthdays of pivotal black supporters Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. From Jackie Robinson to Tiger Woods, Harriet Tubman to Barack Obama, Black History Month pays tribute to inspirational African Americans from the past, as well as those who will continue to make history well into the future. For 1 month, people of African descent in America are recognized for their contributions. The irony of recognizing and paying tribute to people of African descent in America is that we are recognizing all people of the Earth. Africa represents all people of the world. Every person born since creation, every person alive today, and every person born in the future was, is, and will be of African descent. The gift Africa has provided the world is humanity and civilization. Be that as it may, Black History has been presented and accepted as a fragmented afterthought. It is celebrated for 1 month and/or mentioned with a couple of lines in a text or Social Studies course outline. In most instances, the references begin with slavery and end with the Civil Rights Era and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A question I ask high school students is, ``What were slaves before they became slaves?'' Their response, 90 percent of the time, is ``nothing.'' It appears many of our youth believe their ancestors fell out of the sky as slaves. Black History is world history. Old and new research on Africa and its place in human history has proved that Africa is the birthplace of mankind and was, for many centuries, in the forefront of human progress. African or Black History must be looked at anew and seen in its relationship to world history as only the history of the first and second rise of Europe. Yet, the history of Africa was already old when Europe was born. Until quite recently, it was rather generally assumed, even among well-educated persons in the West, that the continent of Africa was a great expanse of land, mostly jungle, inhabited by savages and fierce beasts. It was not realized that great civilizations could have existed there, or that great kings could have ruled there in might and wisdom over vast empires. Today, many of us, as the descendants of queens and kings of Africa, refuse to identify with the Motherland of all people. We begin with 1619 and slavery. We identify with 370 years of physical and mental bondage as opposed to three thousands years of uninterrupted civilizations. Our story is everyone's story. Our story begins with the worshipping of one God, builders of the pyramids, and builders of the first cities and universities. To reverse our fall from being builders of pyramids to project dwellers; to reverse our fall from being controllers of our own destiny to caretakers of someone else's destiny; and to reverse our unraveling as a whole people will necessitate knowing who we are and what we represent. Our future as a people, community, and world is related to the past. Back to the future--Black History not for a month, but for a lifetime!

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I would yield myself such time as I might consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join with my musician colleague from Nevada in support and in consideration of this resolution. I want to thank my colleagues from Michigan and Washington for their leadership in bringing this resolution that pays tribute to the renowned Shirley Horn to the floor today. Mr. Conyers and Ms. Norton introduced this resolution to honor Ms. Horn after she passed away on October 20, 2005. Mr. Speaker, there are jazz singers who go for the bangs and booms of rhythm and speed. And then there is Shirley Horn, who took it slow. She moseyed along the piano keys, gently stepping and loving the ivories with her fingers. Her raspy voice and her way with the grand piano made her legendary. Shirley Horn was born on May 1, 1934, in Washington, DC. She tinkled the keys of the piano ever since she was 4 years old with encouragement from her mother, who dreamed of her daughter being a black classical pianist. Discovered by Miles Davis when she was just a teenager singing in a bar in Washington, DC, she was admired by jazz greats. She won a Grammy award in 1999, her first win after nine nominations. She also was inducted into the Lionel Hampton Jazz Hall of Fame in 1996. Ms. Horn did not reach stardom until she was well into her fifties. She put off her performing in clubs in D.C. in order to raise her daughter. She made certain that she balanced performing and raising her family. Later in life, she continued to share her music, even though she had many health barriers to overcome. Nevertheless, she persevered. For example, even after having her foot amputated due to complications with diabetes, she still played her music even though it was difficult for her to use the pedals on the piano. Ms. Horn once said, and I quote, ``I have to do it. I think when I was born, it's like God said, `Music!' and that was it. All my life, that's all I knew. It's in me, it's jammed up, and it's got to come out.'' She let her great raspy voice fill our ears, and she let us sit and listen to her slow leisurely stroll along the 88 keys of the grand piano. Generations to come will listen to her music, appreciate the ability of her voice to communicate deep intimacy, set to just the right tempo, and honor her great accomplishments as a jazz legend and as a black woman. Mr. Speaker, music is an international language. Those who are gifted to convey it can communicate with individuals from every spectre of life, individuals from many different countries, individuals who speak different languages and understand different dialects. That is the value of the musician, and that has been the value of Shirley Horn.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, a Chicago Sun Times article today reveals that fighting among girls in schools is up. As a matter of fact, fights involving girls are up 31 percent, assaults are up 18 percent, and battery is up 15 percent. So far this school year, 529 girls in the Chicago schools have been written up for fighting in incident reports to the district's bureau of safety and security. While girls have been steadily catching up to boys in violence rates in the past 25 years, there are few programs to address this great need. As we go into budget talks and budget negotiations, let us be mindful of this need and allocate resources to stem this tide of growing violence among girls.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. As a member of the Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the consideration of S. 1989, legislation naming a postal facility in Cranston, Rhode Island, after Holly A. Charette. This measure, sponsored by Senator Jack Reed, was introduced on November 10, 2005, and unanimously reported by our committee on February 1, 2006. A 2001 graduate of Cranston High School East in Cranston, Rhode Island, Holly Charette was a cheerleader, athlete and active student in high school. A year later she enlisted in the United States Marines, where she was assigned to Headquarters Battalion, Second Marine Division, Second Marine Expeditionary Force. She held an administrative position, keeping records and delivering mail to fellow soldiers. Sadly, she was killed on June 23, 2005, when her convoy was ambushed by a suicide bomber as it departed from Fallujah. Lance Corporal Holly Charette, who was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, will be remembered as a fine marine and soldier, someone who dearly wanted a career in the U.S. Postal Service when she completed her tour of duty. A soldier in Operation Iraqi Freedom, she enjoyed delivering mail to her fellow soldiers and fighting for her country. I commend my colleague, Senator Reed, for seeking to honor her sacrifice by naming a post office in her hometown. Mr. Speaker, I think it is so important in reality that we take note of this very young person who had a serious sense of duty and sense of commitment, even to the extent of saying that when I leave I want to continue to serve my country in one way. And one way that I can do that is to make sure that the communication continues, that the letters and parcels and packages that people use to communicate with each other are in fact delivered? I do not think one can give any more than giving their life in service to others and in service to humanity. I am very pleased to urge swift passage of S. 1989 and commend both gentlemen from Rhode Island for their introduction of it.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Government Reform Committee, I am pleased to join my colleague in the consideration of H.R. 4152, legislation naming a postal facility in Clinton, Massachusetts, after Raymond Salmon. This measure, sponsored by Representative James McGovern of Massachusetts, was unanimously reported by our committee on November 16, 2005. H.R. 4152 has the support and cosponsorship of the entire Massachusetts delegation. Mr. Salmon, a native of Massachusetts, was a graduate of Clinton public schools, Saint Michael's College in Vermont and Suffolk University Law School. He was a congressional staffer who worked for former representative Phillip Philbin from 1950 to 1970. He was a veteran and an attorney seriously and actively involved in many aspects of community life in the neighborhood and community where he lived. He gave a great deal of himself for the benefit of others with consistency and regularity. I am pleased, Mr. Speaker, to urge the swift passage of this bill.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.) Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the resolution to recognize the goals and ideas of a Day of Hearts, and I commend the gentleman from Georgia for making use of Valentine's Day as a way of highlighting and bringing awareness to one of our major health problems and health issues. Every year, eight out of every 1,000 children are born with some form of congenital heart defect, or CHD. CHDs are the number one killer of infants in the United States, and while treatment is available for many of these defects, a number of them are not treatable. Sadly, too, many families lack the resources necessary to obtain proper treatment for even the most common and easily treatable defects. Because CHDs are long-term or often lifelong afflictions, the life of a child who survives a CHD is made more difficult by restricted behavior and the laborious effort needed to carry out the daily tasks of life. A Day of Hearts is an international effort to raise awareness of this all-too-common problem. CHD lacks the visibility of some of the diseases we all know well, yet the effects are no less tragic. Much progress needs to be made in fighting the disease and in finding and funding facilities that are dedicated to cutting-edge research related to all aspects of CHDs, especially factors that contribute to their occurrence. In addition, developing countries are far behind the developing world in treating CHDs. Defects that are easily treatable here in the United States can be killers in those countries, and our sense of humanity can no longer tolerate easily preventible deaths from CHDs. Mr. Speaker, February 14 is a day that many people around the world associate with love and companionship, and the enduring symbol of Valentine's Day is the heart. I can think of no day more appropriately tailored towards raising the public's awareness of CHDs than Valentine's Day. Therefore, I join in support of this important resolution and call upon all of my colleagues to support this effort so that hopefully we will generate the kind of awareness and the kind of resources that are necessary to fight this tragic and debilitating illness. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, this weekend I had the fortune to attend a funeral in a small rural town in the southeast corner of Arkansas of a gentleman who was 101 years old. But the people in that town were all excited and happy because one of our Members, Congressman Mike Ross, had named the Post Office in that town after this gentleman, Mr. Willie Vaughn, who had worked and been there almost a hundred years. I commend our colleague, Representative Mike Ross, for making a lot of people in Southeast Arkansas very happy.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I suspect that we have exhausted our requests for time, but let me just say that I am pleased to join with both these gentlemen from the State of Arkansas in supporting this legislation. As a former resident of the State of Arkansas, I thought I knew about its history, but this is one that had actually escaped me. I did not know that Hattie Wyatt Caraway was the first woman elected to the United States Senate. I did not know that Arkansas had been the recipient of that act and of that action, and I certainly want to join with my colleagues in suggesting that it is indeed fitting and proper that we name the post office at Jonesboro, Arkansas, after Senator Hattie Caraway. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder).

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as he might consume to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Berry), the sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I will simply reiterate my congratulations to both Seattle and to Pittsburgh and suggest that next year I hope to see the Chicago Bears here. But if not, then we congratulate these two outstanding teams. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. On February 5, 2006, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the odds as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win ``one for the thumb'' by becoming only the third team in National Football League history to take a fifth Super Bowl championship home to its fans. The greatest tribute to possibly the most loyal fans in professional football is a franchise and owners who have great respect for the hometown. The Rooney family has owned the Steelers from the beginning and is respected throughout professional football as being among the most honorable, ethical, and successful owners in the history of the game. It is no surprise that the Steelers are one of the most beloved sporting franchises in the country, and you would be hard pressed to find a community in this vast land that does not claim at least a few avid Steelers fans. Despite the support of the fans and the Rooney family, the Steelers' eventual Super Bowl championship was far from a foregone conclusion. Going into their December 11 game against Chicago, the Steelers were faced with the reality that they would have to win their four remaining games to have any chance of making the playoffs. Coach Bill Cowher inspired his players to win those four games and to win three more games on the road to the Super Bowl. Of course, all Chicagoans were disheartened when the Chicago Bears gave them the impetus that they needed to be successful. These victories were not only impressive; they were achieved as the team traveled the most difficult road any team has traveled to a Super Bowl championship in the 40-year history of the championship game. When the team arrived in Detroit, the Steelers still had to contend with the best team in the National Football Conference, the Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks came into the game with the most prolific offense in the NFL. They scored the most points during the regular season and featured the NFL's Most Valuable Player as their starting running back. Despite these challenges and many predictions to the contrary, the Steelers walked away champions and the first sixth-seeded team to win the Super Bowl. They add this Super Bowl victory to the many great moments that have made up the storied 73-year history of the Steelers franchise. I certainly take this opportunity to congratulate the Pittsburgh Steelers on their against-all-odds accomplishment and Super Bowl victory. I encourage the House to adopt H. Res. 670. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to an avid patron of the game, the gentleman from American Samoa (Mr. Faleomavaega). (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I have always been told that budgets are a way of reflecting priorities. And if that is the case, then the budget documents that I have seen are indeed frightening. The proposed budget I have seen will serve to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, cut vital health services for people who need them the most, and increase the cost of higher education. I had hoped that the budget this year was going to be something different, but I am afraid it is the same old soup warmed over, the same old lemon with a new twist, and same old trickle-down theory of economics. I hope that we will tear it apart and send it back.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, last month, America witnessed the tragedy of the Sago and Aracoma Alma mine deaths. We saw terrible things happen to good people, and the Nation was saddened by the events that unfolded. I join with my colleagues in honoring these hard-working Americans who died or were injured while laboring to support their families. We also recognize the individuals who worked so hard to save them. Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends, family, and neighbors of each of the, miners affected.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me this time, and I rise to recognize the contributions of Catholic schools to Chicago and to the Nation. Children all across America have benefited from Catholic education. I applaud these schools for their long commitment to education, to a value system and character development, and to developing the kind of lifestyles that students as well as adults need to seek. There are almost 8,000 Catholic schools nationwide. Illinois is one of the 10 States with the highest enrollment of Catholic students, with over 181,000 students in 538 schools in the State. In Chicago, as in other urban areas, Catholic schools play an important role in providing quality academic training for children and youth. Indeed, the archdiocese of Chicago is the second largest Catholic school system in the Nation. There are 34 outstanding Catholic schools in my congressional district, and I recognize all of them as being outstanding, as a matter of fact, some of the very best schools in the Nation, such as Saint Ignatius Prep, known nationally as an outstanding school. But all of them are outstanding schools. They do an exceptional job. Catholic schools, however, like all other components of education, Mr. Speaker, are facing difficult times. And almost every time I meet with residents and students and staff, we are all trying to figure out how do we keep the resources available to keep these educational institutions intact. So I would hope that as the year goes on and as we discuss and debate education, that we will find ways to put as much resources into education as we possibly can, knowing that the investment will pay off in the end. Again, I salute the Catholic schools for their outstanding contributions, and I would like to recite for the Record those in my district, which are as follows: Chicago Jesuit Academy, Divine Infant Jesus School, Divine Providence School, St. Bernardine School, St. Edmund School, St. Jerome School, St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Elizabeth School, St. Helen School, Children of Peace School, Santa Lucia School, St. Pius V School, St. Therese School, Visitation School, St. Domitilla School, Ascension School, St. Giles School, St. Luke School. St. Vincent Ferrer School, Old St. Mary's, St. Angela School, St. Malachy School, St. Nicholas Cathedral, San Miguel-Comer Campus, Frances Xavier Warde, Our Lady of the Westside, St. Catherine/St. Lucy, Immaculate Conception School, Archbishop Quigley Preparatory, Fenwick High School, Holy Trinity High School, St. Ignatius College Prep., St. Joseph High School, Trinity High School.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Davis).