Danny Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Brown versus Board of Education. Mr. Speaker, I believe century that is now ending began with a proclamation by W.E.B. Du Bois ``The problem of the twentieth century is the problem of the color line.'' I believe many people would not dispute this. As I stand before this body in honor of the 45th anniversary of Brown versus Board of Education, I have been constantly reminded of what Mr. Dubois meant. The haunting acts of church burnings, police brutality, and the grave disparities in criminal executions have made it hard to forget. As a result, some people feel the policies that were put into place to solve the race problem have failed. I believe they have failed not as a result of flawed policies, rather it is the individuals who implement them that are flawed. For instance, common sense dictates that when one third of young African American males are either in prison, on parole or under correctional supervision, liberty's blind justice has been distributed with one open eye. We must remind ourselves that America will not prosper if a large segment of population sees that they have no stake in it. In 1954, the Supreme Court understood this and corrected the horrid decisions of 1896 when Plessy versus Fergusion was written. However, in the aftermath of that decision, the progress of America has slowed largely because some individuals feel we no longer need to provide resources and support to help people help themselves. This is nothing new. Frederick Douglass, years ago warned Congress of the potential for what he called the ``de facto re-enslavement of African Americans.'' He, said, ``Should the South's antebellum political system remain intact America will indirectly renslave African Americans. Recognizing this injustice, Douglass further urged Congress to pass a civil-rights amendment affirming the equality of blacks and whites in the United States. Douglass recognized then, what as we recognize today that this country must bear the responsibility to actively change the structures that constrain Aftican Americans. Mr. Speaker I and the other members here today understand, like Douglass, the necessity of government backed decisions to help encourage the will of America to respond positively to the structures that constrain African American. This resolution does just that. I agree Congress must recognize the historical significance of the Supreme Court's unanimous decision in Brown versus Board of Education. This is why I have joined In signing this important resolution and urge all members to do the same.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word. I rise in support of the gentlewoman of California's amendment to H.R. 1555. This Amendment prohibits the CIA and other intelligence agencies from participating in the manufacture, purchase, sale, transport, or distribution of illegal drugs. Let us not forget the history of the CIA and the suggestion that they have been involved in this behavior in the past. We must take action to rid the CIA and other intelligence agencies of any suggestion or taint of wrong doing and address the primary issue of drugs in America. Drugs, in America, take a huge toll year in and year out. They move like a thief in the night and steal our children, our fathers, our mothers, and destroy families and lives. This problem plays itself out every day in my Congressional District. I walk the streets of Chicago's Westside and see the devastation and destruction that drugs leave in their wake. I see children with no parents and parents who mourn the loss of their children, all too soon, and no one can forget a visit to Cook County Hospital and seeing the torturous pain of seeing a baby born addicted to drugs. With these images burning in my mind, I know we must do everything in our power to rectify this situation. In the past week, the media has reported the deaths of two celebrities from drugs, one of whom was a professional athlete in the prime of his life using drugs for the first time. These recent examples illustrate the deadly effect these nefarious substances have on people. We must understand no one is safe from this problem, this national problem. My support of this amendment means that we must be clear in our image and the messages that we send by stating the manufacture, sale, transport, or distribution of illegal drugs is unacceptable at any level of the government. All law enforcement and defense must adhere to certain simple principles. The CIA and NSA (National Security Agency) are no different from the Chicago Police Department or the Illinois State Police or the U.S. Marshals. All must understand that the trafficking of drugs is not acceptable, we must restore faith and confidence in America's enforcement branches, and if intelligence agencies engage in such behavior they must understand the consequences of this behavior. I can think of no better way to restore our confidence in the CIA and NSA than by supporting this amendment. It expresses, in clear and concise terms, what we, as representatives of the people, believe is right. That no intelligence agency shall, under any circumstances, engage in any behavior that facilitates the traffic of drugs.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, a few days ago the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) and I participated in a discussion relative to fraternity and sorority hazing and their overall value to society, especially in the African community. I think we both agreed that physical violence, mental abuse and degradation have no place in a civilized world and certainly should not be used as part of an intake process for new members of any organization or group. However, in my estimate, fraternities and sororities continue to play valuable roles and have contributed greatly to improving the quality of life for African Americans in particular and for society as a whole. In my own fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, I think of the contributions of individuals like Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, Dr. John Hope Franklin, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, Dr. Charles Wesley, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes and countless others whose contributions are legendary. I also think of the contributions of brothers that we seldom hear of, like a member of my local chapter, Mu Mu Lambda, brother Jadonal E. Ford, who recently passed away. Jadonal E. Ford, or Jay as we called him, was born in Lakeview, South Carolina, in 1935. He graduated from Columbus High School in Lakeview in 1952, earned a Bachelors degree from Virginia State University in 1956, served in the United States Army until 1959 and received his Master's degree in social work at Boston University in 1961. Mr. Ford began his professional career as a psychiatric social worker at Cleveland State Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, prior to moving to Chicago in 1963 to become program administrator at the Chicago Youth Centers. From 1963 until 1971, he served as program director at United Cerebral Palsy in greater Chicago and from 1971 until 1973 as administrator at comprehensive care centers in Chicago. In 1973, Jay Ford began work at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and remained there until his death. He began in the Foster Care Department and by 1993 was appointed Senior Associate Division Manager for Nonresidential Services for children and youth. Jay Ford was an outstanding professional in his chosen field of work, but it was in his volunteer activities, especially through the Mu Mu Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, that he truly excelled. He was instrumental in designing, orchestrating and implementing several programs for African American youth, especially males, on the local, State and national levels. Warren G. Smith, a fraternity brother and friend of Jay's, made this observation. Jay was a take-charge, get-the-job-done, very responsive fraternity brother. He made things happen and created an environment where everyone could succeed. He mentored hundreds of fraternity brothers and high school students. He was indeed a role model and someone everyone wanted to emulate. For 10 years, Warren continued, Jay chaired the Beautillion, a scholarship fund-raiser for high school students who are college bound. Each year, this event has raised approximately $150,000 and presented to society 20 young men ready for college as well as presenting scholarships to these students and others. Jay was a member of Catholic Charities USA, the National Association of Social Workers, the National Association of Black Social Workers, the National Black Child Development Institute, the Academy of Certified Social Workers, the Childcare Association of Illinois and the Catholic Conference of Illinois. He was a co-founder, charter member, and former president of Virginia State University's Chicago Area Alumni Organization. Other organizations include the Henry Booth House Board of Directors, the Black Infant Task Force, the Chicago Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, State of Illinois Foster Care, the Adoption Task Force, the Adoption Advisory Council, the Child Care Association, the African American Round Table, the Association of Directors, the Minority Recruitment Committee, and the Dean's Search Committee, both at Loyola School of Social Work. Mr. Ford was a member of the Congregational Church of Park Manor, and served as chairman of its Board of World Missions. He was Mu Mu Lambda's Man of the Year several times, Illinois State Alumni Brother of the Year, Midwest Region Brother of the Year, and as Kenneth Watkins, president of Mu Mu Lambda, said, ``Jay Ford truly understood the Alpha motto: First of all; Servants of all; We shall transcend all.'' There was relevance in Jay Ford and there is still relevance in fraternities and sororities.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, leadership can be defined in many ways: the position or office of a leader, capacity or ability to lead, giving guidance and/or direction. The definition which I like best is that leadership is the ability to get others to do what you want them to do but because they want to do it. Such has been the life and such is the legacy left by the Reverend Clarence E. Stowers, Sr., former pastor of the Mars Hill Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago who recently passed away. Reverend Stowers grew up in Mason, Tennessee, married his childhood sweetheart, Miss Margaret Malone Stowers, and they were blessed to produce five children, one of whom has succeeded him, the Reverend Clarence E. Stowers, Jr., who is now pastor of Mars Hill. In 1963, Reverend Stowers and 17 members of his family, friends and associates founded the Mars Hill Church and located it at 3311 West Roosevelt Road. However, within 2 years, the church outgrew that facility and relocated to a larger one at 2809 West Harrison Street. Twelve years later, the church acquired its current facility at 5916-22 West Lake Street, a massive structure which seats over 2,000 parishioners, houses their own elementary school and space for other programs and activities. As Reverend Stowers' congregation grew, so did he. He earned both his Bachelors and Master of Arts degrees in religion and theology from the Chicago Baptist Institute and Trinity Evangelical Seminary. Reverend Stowers recognized that being involved beyond the sanctuary of his church was vitally important to his ministry. Therefore, he helped to organize and served as President of the Illinois Baptist State Convention for 8 years. He also served as Recording Secretary of the National Missionary Baptist State Convention of America, President of the West Side Ministers' Conference and the Religious Council on Urban Affairs. Reverend Stowers had a powerful preaching style and delivered messages not only throughout America but also preached in Israel, Jordan, Egypt and in Rome, Italy. He was actively involved in his local community and hosted many of the large rallies during the Harold Washington political era in Chicago history. He led Mars Hill in the development of its own school, the Musical Acres Resort in Adams, Wisconsin, a housing development of new homes near the church, and the establishment of a health ministry where people learn how to care for themselves and to make the most effective use of health resources within their community. Mrs. Margaret Stowers, Reverend Clarence Stowers, Jr., Sharron Lynn, Robin Denise, Shawinette Michelle and Marcie, as well as the entire Mars Hill family can take pride in the leadership and accomplishments of their pastor, husband, father, friend, mentor and leader, the Reverend Clarence Edward Stowers, Sr. His work stands as a living testament, and his legacy shall continue through the life and works of those whom he has left behind.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Obey substitute because it is the responsible thing to do. The substitute keeps our promise towards peace in Kosovo, $175 million for emergency food assistance, America's military personnel by providing the $1.9 billion pay raise, U.S. farmers that have been hurt by falling crop prices, the new King of Jordan, King Abdullah, the people that were affected by Hurricanes Mitch and Georges in the Caribbean and Central America last fall and eliminates much of the unrequested funding. Mr. Chairman, this substitute keeps the promise of where our priorities ought to be in the Supplemental and is fiscally responsible. The Appropriations Committee-reported bill provides a total of $12.9 billion--more than double the Administration's request. These increases beyond the request contain spending for items that are neither connected to the Kosovo operations nor emergencies as defined by the Budget Act. Moreover, much of the $1 billion for military construction above the request are for proposals that the Administration says may not begin construction for several years and many of which are not even included in the long range plan of the Defense Department. Maybe someone could tell me why my colleagues across the aisle who repeatedly criticize members of my party for so-called spending, spending, spending . . . the same members who voted against the air war in Yugoslavia . . . why they would vote for this massive increase in the defense budget. Thus, I strongly support the Obey substitute and I urge my colleagues to do the right thing, the responsible thing--vote for the Obey amendment.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise against the Coburn amendment. I rise against this amendment because any cut in domestic programs is wrong--including the proposed 2 percent cut for Community Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, Indian Health Facilities, Indian Health Services, and Veterans' Medical Care. The priorities of this amendment are misplaced. This amendment that seeks to take an across-the-board swipe against the challenges that working families and/or the struggling poor face in consequential areas such as job training, education, health care and affordable housing is morally wrong. Our nation is a nation divided when it comes to healthcare. There are those with access and those without. And as you know, the poor are less likely to have access to care. African Americans, Latinos and other minority groups are less likely to have access to care. That is why I believe that community and migrant health centers are so vital. Until we can have a national health care plan, health centers provide the gap for those that do not have access to coverage. Mr. Chairman, non-defense discretionary spending for FY2000 is approximately $40 billion less than provided for in 1999. Given the human needs in my district where the median income is $25,250, I cannot support another cut. I cannot support this amendment and I urge my colleagues not to support it because it does nothing to lend a helping hand to those people in America who are hungry, who are out of a job, who are ill or who need a roof over their head. The solution to our problems cannot be solved by taking from someone in need in order to help someone else.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, 150 years ago in 1849, Oak Park, Illinois was just 10 years old, with a total population of less than 500 people. There were no streets lined with Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. There was no elevated train system for rapid transit to the City of Chicago. There was no light bulb, no telephone or automobile. No one had heard of the computer, Internet, or e-mail. In 1849, township as a local form of government was established in Illinois, and since then, voters in 85 of Illinois' 102 counties have benefited from this most intimate form of government. Today, Oak Park is a thriving community of more than 53,000 people, known for its architectural heritage. Within its 4.5 square miles lives a diverse mix of people with different cultures, races and ethnicities, professions, lifestyles, religions, ages and incomes. Primarily a residential community bordering the city of Chicago, Oak Park is the birthplace and childhood home of novelist Ernest Hemingway. An annual festival has traditionally been held to celebrate his July birth date. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright lived in Oak Park from 1889 to 1909, and 25 buildings in the village were designed by him, including his first public building, Unity Temple, a Unitarian Universalist church. His restored home and studio is open for daily hours, and there are many architecturally significant homes ranging from Victorian to prairie style in the village's two historic districts. Other famous Oak Parkers include Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan; Dr. Percy B. Julian, an outstanding African American chemist whose research led to the development of cortisone; Joseph Kerwin, an astronaut on the first NASA Skylab team; Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's; and Marjorie Judith Vincent, the 1991 Miss America. Oak Park is also home to former president of the Illinois Senate and recently appointed chairman of the Illinois Board of Higher Education, the honorable Phillip Rock. The Oak Park River Forest High School is recognized as one of the best public high schools in the Nation, Fenwick is an outstanding Catholic school, and the city is currently involved in the redevelopment of downtown Oak Park with new retail anchors and an intermodal transportation facility. In 1968, the village board approved one of the Nation's first local fair housing ordinances outlawing discrimination. In 1973, the board approved its first Oak Park diversity statement; and, in 1976, Oak Park was designated an all-American city. One thing that has not changed in Oak Park during the past 150 years is the person-to-person service provided by township officials and township government in Illinois. When Illinois voters chose township government, they chose the oldest form of government on the North American continent. The Pilgrims brought the concept of township government with them when they landed on the eastern seaboard in 1636. More than a century before the Revolutionary War, townships were giving communities a local and independent voice in matters of government and order. Today, as we prepare to move into the 21st century, government in Illinois still thrives. More than 8 million Illinoisans are served by the 1,433 townships in the State. This year, on April 3rd, townships held their annual meetings, which is unique to this form of government, where any citizen can step up to the plate and voice any concern that they have about the government. In this regard, townships are truly the government closest to the people they govern as they continue to provide functions and services which are vitally important. I take this moment after 150 years to commend and congratulate the people of Oak Park, Illinois, for demonstrating that democracy can be made real and that township government can in fact and does in fact work.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues in support of H. Res. 156, a resolution to honor not only the work of the Honorable Reverend Jesse Jackson but also the work of the entire delegation who traveled with him against insurmountable odds and came back victorious. Especially would I like to single out the work of our colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rod Blagojevich), and the Reverend James Meeks, whom I happen to know and have a tremendous amount of respect for. I think, once again, Reverend Jackson has demonstrated his astuteness, his ability, his agility. Some of us thought maybe Reverend Jackson was getting a little bit older, and somebody else said, no, Jesse is not getting older, he is just getting better. And so he has gotten better, he is better, and we commend and congratulate him once again on a tremendous piece of humanitarian work for all of the world to see.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Campbell resolution. As I stand here today, it pains me deeply to know that right now there are over 500,000 innocent victims from Kosovo who are running for their lives. These men, women and children have been driven out of their homes and villages, have been subjected to organized assaults, brutal rapes, and even assassinations. Some are living in makeshift camps, sheltered only by blankets and plastic covering. Some even hide and wait in the forests. Many of their villages have been burned. These victims have been terrorized and seen death in the worst extreme. They are experiencing hunger, sickness, cold temperatures and terror on many fronts. Some have seen their loved ones viciously executed. We cannot allow this horror to continue for these innocent people, without trying to stop it. Let me be clear: I strongly believe that any kind of physical confrontation is troublesome and undesirable. However, to simply stand by, after one has exhausted diplomatic solutions, is even more unbearable. We have been as reasonable as we can possibly be with the Milosevic regime, yet he continues these atrocities and continues to launch a well-executed ethnic cleansing campaign and continues to commit genocide upon the men and women and children of Kosovo. I have been told that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and there can be no justice in America as long as there is injustice in Kosovo. We have no alternative, we have no recourse, we have no choice, except to demonstrate that we believe in peace, and, not only do we believe in it, but we will work for it. Therefore, I oppose the Campbell resolution, and urge that we vote against it.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, as a member of this body, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Earth Day. We have made great strides in elevating the protection and knowledge of our treasured natural resources. Mr. Speaker, Earth Day matters. It raises the awareness of Americans and is a catalyst for positive change. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gathered to celebrate the preservation of our environment and to focus on the work that is left to be done. Earth Day has always been a day to celebrate the environment and our natural heritage. It has also served to mark the importance of environmental protection and responsible living. Earth Day has been a catalyst for the enactment of some of our nation's most important laws. Laws such as the Clean Air Act of 1970; The Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Act and the Community Right-to- Know laws. These laws have enabled regulatory agencies to better understand what, where, and when pollutants enter our environment. I am proud of my strong environmental voting record. I strongly support H.R. 525, the Defense of the Environments Act. I challenge my colleagues to work towards its passage. I can think of no better way to commemorate the importance of Earth Day than to pass this comprehensive bill. I am also proud to support H.R. 960, Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1999. If passed, this bill would ensure the recovery of our Nation's declining biological diversity; reaffirm and strengthen this Nation's commitment to protect wildlife; safeguard our children's economic and ecological future; and provide assurances to local governments, communities, and individuals in their planning and economic development efforts. Earth Day must also serve as a reminder that even today, we still have a need for improvement. People in our poorest communities are struggling for environmental justice. They continue to struggle for their civil and human rights here and abroad. From Louisiana's ``Cancer Alley'' to Native American reservations' nuclear problems, and from the plight of the people living along the border in the Maquilidora region to Chicago's West and South Side, millions of Americans live in housing and surrounded by physical environments that are over-burdened with environmental problems from hazardous waste, toxins and dioxins, incinerators, petrochemical plants, lead contamination, polluted air and unsafe water. These factors continue to pose a real and grave threat to our nation's public health. Environmental Justice matters. We must begin to eliminate the mentality that our nation's poorest communities can be used as dumping grounds for our industrial achievements. We must begin to look at the issues of unequal distribution and disproportional impacts on minorities, as well as the problems of green space and living standards. Low income communities must not bear the brunt of selective environmental standards. Today we must mark a new dedication towards bringing a more proper balance to the widening gap between rich and poor community standards. I also want to speak briefly about our commitments to the international community. It is clear today, maybe more so than in 1970, that there is a global connection through the environment. Since the formation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1949 and the more recent meeting of the Kyoto convention, we have begun the needed international monitoring and protection of our environment on a global scale. We now must begin to realize the responsibility we have in providing under developed nation with the environmental technology that will allow them to grow as they move towards a more industrialized society. So today as we mark the 29th anniversary of the first Earth Day, I am reminded that although we in the United States have made major improvements in the last 20 years, we have a way to go and look forward toward this improvement. We must also strive as global citizens toward safer drinking water and cleaner air at home and abroad. In closing, I leave you with this thought, it is not a question of whether we can afford to protect the environment, rather it is a question of whether we can afford not to.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks sat down for justice, sat down for righteousness, and then she would not get up when faced with tyranny and oppression. In this immortal act, refusing to give her seat to a white man, she inspired the oppressed masses of minorities in America to reach for what America owed them. Ms. Parks also inspired a modern American myth that has allowed generations of children to aim higher, to reach for something better, and to believe that justice is possible for all people. This myth allows children and grown folk to believe that, maybe, all men are created equally. This woman inspired children from Soweto to Tibet, from Turkey to Columbia, and she still inspires children from Harlem to Watts, from Austin to Minneapolis, and from Chicago's west side to the south side and up to the north side. Martin Luther King, Jr., while standing on the Mall of America in our Nation's Capitol said, ``We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt . . . So we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and security of justice.'' Now we, as Members of Congress, we are voting to cash a check and give a poor black woman from Montgomery, Alabama, a Congressional Gold Medal. Because she helped America realize that injustice permeated the land, realize that African-Americans would no longer accept the repeated abuse and inequity that went with their supposed life. Because she helped a nation realize we can only be as great as our most oppressed citizens. Because she was a catalyst for the greatest civil rights change in this Nation's history. In the later years, the struggle progressed and spread this great nation, those who followed her path of civil disobedience while fighting for justice looked to her for strength and for inspiration. If Rosa Parks could go to jail for justice then so could they, and the jails across the southern States filled to the bursting point with people demanding equality. By awarding this medal today we bestow a rightful honor owed, an honor required, and an honor that is overdue. It is high time we added Rosa Parks to the Pantheon of American heroes along Robert Kennedy, George Washington, and Nelson Mandela and this medal does just that. By awarding this medal we let the world know the bank of justice and righteousness is no longer returning checks to African-Americans marked as ``insufficient funds,'' but we are on the road to distributing the dividends of justice and equality for all.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained in the district and as a result missed rollcall votes 78-85. If I had been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 78; ``aye'' on rollcall 79; ``aye'' on rollcall 80; ``aye'' on rollcall 81; ``aye'' on rollcall 82; ``aye'' on rollcall 83; ``nay'' on rollcall 84; and ``nay'' on rollcall 85.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 68 because it is a magician's trick. It tricks the American people into believing that the Republican budget plan is good for retirees; good for baby boomers and the solvency of Social Security; and good for our working families. Mr. Speaker, their plan is smoke-and-mirrors. Their plan is full of short-term, feel-good, pretax day ``fuzzy- wuzzies.'' However, I submit that we need to be making investments toward America's future, not siphoning off the surplus. I am opposed to such trickery. Mr. Speaker, their plan uses irresponsible tax cuts for the next 10 years as opposed to investing in our economic future. Their plan ignores the challenges that working families and/or the struggling poor face in consequential areas such as job training, education, health care, and affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, this conference report sets nondefense discretionary spending for FY 2000 at $43.7 billion less than provided for in 1999. Where do our priorities lie? This budget sounds like a dream, a nightmare for those who are most vulnerable--$2.5 billion less in budget authority for community and regional development; $800 million less for health programs; $4.1 billion less in low-income programs; and finally $13.7 billion more in budget authority for defense spending in FY 2000. This budget does not reflect the needs of my district where the median income is $25,250. This budget cuts the heart out of senior citizens with the $9 billion Medicare cuts and puts health care at risk for millions with the $1.2 billion cut in Medicaid. Mr. Speaker, only as this process moves into appropriation reality will the American people understand the basic unfairness, the cold- heartedness which lie at the base of these numbers presented here today. I end with a quote by the great Franklin Delano Roosevelt to remind my colleagues of achieving a great society in a true democracy. True individual freedom cannot exist without economic security and independence. People who are hungry and out of a job are the stuff of which dictatorships are made.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Maloney amendment and in opposition to H.R. 472, for three basic reasons. First of all, the director of the Census Bureau testified before the Subcommittee on Census that this bill in its current form, if passed, would put at risk the accuracy of the 2000 census. This bill not only puts at risk the accuracy of the census count but it adds additional time which further delays taking the census. Secondly, I oppose this bill because I have heard from local governments, such as the Cook County Board in Illinois and others, who have complained that local census review did not work well in 1990 and will not work well today. Even the U.S. Conference of Mayors has stated that a lengthy 1990 style local review will do little to address the persistent undercount problem. This bill is a wolf masquerading in sheep's clothing. It looks good, it sounds good and can even make us feel good. But it really is no good and could even bite. In fact, it is not timely, nor is it cost efficient. It simply serves the goal of tying the hands of professionals at the Census Bureau. Finally, I oppose this bill because it duplicates what the Census Bureau is already doing. The Census Bureau is already involving local governments in the process on the front end as opposed to the back end through a process known as pre-census review. I urge that we listen to the wisdom of Dr. Barbara Bryant, who served as Census Bureau Director under the Bush administration in 1990, when she said that post-census local review was a failure. I urge that we listen to the wisdom of Dr. Ken Prewitt, who has said that this bill could derail the accuracy of the census. I urge that we listen to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and others who agree that this bill will do little to address the undercount. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I urge that we listen to the wisdom of the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) who has amended this bill so that we can make sure that we get about the business of counting the people.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Clay motion to instruct. Mr. Speaker, the Ed-Flex bill in its current form lacks the efficiency and accountability needed to protect what took two decades to correct. Mr. Speaker, America understands that all students benefit where there is an appropriate ratio of students to teachers. Therefore, I echo America's call and ask that this Congress support initiatives to reduce class size by providing 100,000 new, qualified teachers. I believe we can do both, support class size reduction, IDEA, and support local control of education. Some of my colleagues suggest we should just vote for the Ed-Flex bill and decide on the other matters during other discussions. But as I listen to the debate here we are not talking about one bill or one instance, we are deciding the direction this nation will follow for the next millennia. I am aware of the attempt to cut funding from K-12 programs to pay for the recommended increase in IDEA. Let's not disguise these attempts by suggesting we should only deal with what is in front of us. Mr. Speaker we must debate these issues now because we may never have another chance. I submit that this bill will affect all programs that I support. Programs like IDEA, Title I, help for disadvantaged students, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities, Technology for Education programs, Innovative Education Strategies (Title VI), Emergency Immigrant Education, and the Perkins Vocational Education Act. Let's not play politics. Let's get together and include a real bill for our children. I urge all members not to support this bill and support the Clay motion to instruct.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I rise in favor of the Spratt alternative and in opposition to the Republican budget resolution. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Spratt Alternative and in opposition to the budget resolution before us because I call it the Fable of three evils. This budget will continue and even accelerate trends away from a progressive tax system. We rely more and more on payroll and property taxes and are less dependent on a progressive income tax. This budget offers tax relief for the rich and uncertainty for everyone else. Secondly, only as this process moves into appropriation reality will the American people understand the basic unfairness, the cold- heartedness which lie at the base of these numbers presented here today. This budget calls for $200 billion dollars in discretionary cuts in future years. Imagine what this could mean for veterans, senior citizens, children, schools and hospitals. Thirdly, this budget is built on forecasts which may or may not become real. The Congressional Budget office warns that if economic conditions change, the budget deficit or surplus projections could be off by more than $85 billion dollars and become a political football. This budget does not reflect the needs of my district where the median income is $25,250. This budget cuts the heart out of senior citizens with the $9 billion Medicare cuts and puts healthcare at risk for millions with the $1.2 billion cut in Medicaid. I fully support a pay raise for our soldiers in the military; solvency for the social security trust fund; food stamps for elderly immigrants, medicaid for children, pregnant women and legal immigrants with disabilities. Therefore, I support the Spratt Alternative and urge its passage.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, given the fact that this is indeed Women's History Month, I would just include the names of some of the outstanding women who have served with distinction in my community, the community where I live, people like Ms. Mamie Bone, Ms. Devira Beverly, Martha Marshall, Cora Moore, Mildred Dennis, Mary Alice (Ma) Henry, Ida Mae (Ma) Fletcher, Julia Fairfax, Earline Lindsey, Nancy Jefferson, Rosie Lee Betts, Nola Bright, Dr. Claudio O'Quinn, Ms. Rachel Ridley, Artensa Randolph, Dr. Lucy Chapelle. I would mentioned one other woman, two others, who have had tremendous impacts on my life--a woman, Mrs. Beadie King, who was the teacher in the first school that I attended which was a one-room schoolhouse where Ms. Beadie King taught eight grades plus what we call the little primer and the big primer at the same time. Many of the things that I know and learned, many of the values, many of the attributes that I think that I have developed have actually come from the teachings of Mrs. Beadie King. And so I pay tribute to her as an outstanding educator. The other woman, Mrs. Mazie L. Davis, my mother, who probably more than any other single person contributed to my development, because it was she and my father who basically suggested to me that life has the potential of being for each one of us whatever it is that we would determine to make life.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I certainly want to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) for giving us the opportunity to have a moment.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I also want to echo the sentiments of those who have already praised the outstanding leadership that she provided on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in this important special order, which I suggest is dedicated to democracy, fairness, equity, and representation for all of the people in this Nation. The issue, obviously, to which I am referring is the year 2000 census. As a member of the Subcommittee on the Census, I submit that this is one of the most important issues of this Congress. This is not a new issue. In fact, it dates back some 2000 years, when a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that a census must be taken of all the inhabited earth. Also, it is written in the Book of Numbers that the Lord God spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai and told him to take a census of the sons of Israel. And of course if it was today, he would have said the sons and daughters of Israel. It was just that important 2000 years ago, and certainly it is that important today. Since 1790, during the first census there was a significant undercount, especially among the poor and disenfranchised, and of course we have heard how African Americans were counted as only three- fifths of a person. Now, here we are 200 years later, in the 1990s, and it is estimated that the census missed over 8 million people. Most of those not counted were poor people living in inner cities and rural communities, African Americans, Latinos, immigrants, and children. The City of Chicago, my city, had an undercount of about 2.4 percent, and the African American undercount in that city was between 5 and 6 percent. Obviously, we cannot afford to have a count in the year 2000 that does not include every American citizen. Too much is at stake. The census count determines who receives billions of Federal dollars. Every year census information directs an estimated $170 billion in Federal spending. Census data helps determine where the money goes for better roads, transit systems, schools, senior citizens' centers, health care facilities, programs for Head Start, school lunches. In addition to money, representation is at stake, and in a democracy representation is just as important as the money. Congress, State legislatures, city councils, county boards, and other political subdivisions are redrawn as a result of the census count. There are some in this body and some in this country who would deny representation and resources to millions of citizens in the name of maintaining the status quo. It is unfortunate that we might ever consider a bill that purports to move us in the direction of a more accurate census when we know that that bill will do just the opposite. I urge my colleagues not to play games with people's representation and resources. One begins to wonder whether initiatives counterproductive to an accurate census are part of a larger plan to delay, distort and ultimately destroy the accuracy of the 2000 census. Under the Census Bureau's plan, everybody counts. All Americans would be included in the census. If we keep taking the census the old way, we will obviously miss millions of people, which would cause one to wonder if we have learned anything since 1790. Our scientific information dictates that we use proven scientific efforts to maximize the accuracy of the census. All of the experts know that it is what works. Mr. Speaker, as we move to the actuality of census taking, there are bills that have been put before us supposedly designed to improve accuracy. But in reality, it seems to me that what we are doing is putting partisan politics ahead of the people and fair representation. It is my position that you can take all of these bills, apply them on top of a flawed census plan, and you end up with a flawed census. It is like saying that you really cannot get blood out of a turnip. You can take it and dice it and splice it. You can puree it and saute it, you can skew it, you can stew it, but you still will end up with turnip juice. I am afraid that that is how we are going to end up. If we do not use the most scientific method to count all of the people, I am afraid that we are going to miss people and rather than an accurate census, turnip juice will be the result of our efforts. I thank the gentlewoman and again commend her for her outstanding leadership.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to talk about human rights. Not only in Cuba, but also in this country. I believe in civil rights for all people, here and abroad. However, I want to caution my Colleagues who have come to this floor today to ``Condemn Castro's Cuba'' for his human rights record and remind my colleagues that we have yet to pass a resolution on the human rights of those victims of police brutality. I ask my colleagues why it is so easy to ``beat up'' on Cuba and yet at the same time grant mainland China most favored nation status. There is no doubt that Cuba needs improvement in realizing economic, social, civic, political and cultural rights. However, I remind my colleagues of the phrase, ``those who live in glass houses . . . '' Furthermore, I ask my colleagues how this condemning resolution and how American hostility will actually help Cuba realize a better human rights record. How does that embargo assist Castro in realizing civil liberties of its citizens? For the record, I want to make it clear that Human Rights Violations in this country are just as threatening to democracy as those in Cuba or anyplace else on the face of the earth.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the thousands of hard working men, women and their families who have lost their jobs due to a practice some refer to as ``steel dumping'' and their families. Mr. Speaker, America's steel companies and America's steel workers are the best in the world. Given a level playing field, there is no foreign company that can compete with them. In the past year, three steel mills have filed for bankruptcy and over 10,000 workers have been laid off. Mr. Speaker, this is 10,000 too many. If these imports continue, what does that mean for the families of these workers? What does that mean for the tens of thousands of jobs of those employed by the steel industry? We cannot--and we must not--turn our backs on American steel companies, American Steel workers and the communities they support. The American steel industry and its workers are in a severe crisis, and as representatives of these workers, I urge my colleagues to vote yes on HR 975 and reduce the importing of steel.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, the Urbana High School Concert Choir is scheduled to appear in Rome, Italy during this week of March 12 through March 19 as a representative of the State of Illinois in an American Celebration of Music in Italy 1999. The Urbana High School Concert Choir is under the directorship of Mr. Willie T. Summerville who hails from Crossett, Arkansas, attended the T. W. Daniels High School, Arkansas AM&N College at Pine Bluff, and earned a master's degree in music education from the University of Illinois at Champaign. The choir will sing during the mass on the 16th of March in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. They will sing one selection at the beginning while the priests enter, one selection during the offertory, two selections during communion, and one selection at the end of the mass. Mr. Summerville and his 40 Urbana High School advanced concert choir members are to be commended and congratulated for being among the best in the world. But all of the Champaign-Urbana community are to be commended for their spirit of generosity and cooperation in contributing the $70,000 needed for the group to make the trip. The choir was selected on the basis of recommendations from State music officials, past accomplishments and superior ratings. All of the $70,000 came from donations, many as tributes to Willie T. Summerville, an outstanding teacher for more than 30 years. This letter, which I will read, contained the first $1,000 contribution and says it all. To Mr. Summerville: Twenty-nine years ago, in the fall of 1969, I was a student in Mrs. Bryan's sixth grade class at Robeson Elementary School in Champaign, Illinois. In September of that year my father was killed as a result of injuries he sustained in a brutal beating that took place at Par 3 Golf Course. As you can imagine, it was a very difficult time for me. I found few things capable of lifting my spirits back then. Fortunately, the one exception was you, your music class and the time spent in the Robeson Chorus. I can still remember walking into your music class. You greeted many of us with the silly names that you had made up for us. Music class was always an enjoyable, fun time. We traveled to many countries, many cultures and many people thanks to you and your piano. You taught us about racial equality and racial harmony. I still remember the words to the songs you taught us, like Marching to Pretoria, Walk on By and Good Old Days, to name just a few. On a more personal level, for a boy who had just lost his father, you served as a male mentor and for the time we were together helped to fill some of the void left behind. Even outside the classroom, you were an influence in my life. As you may recall, I learned to play trumpet from the band teacher, Phil Garringer, and at his insistence participated in two statewide annual solo music competitions. You were my accompanist for both of those contests, and each time I took home medals. But you were more than an accompanist. You were my coach, my conscience and the driving force behind my success in those contests. You taught me that you play like you practice. You taught me about goals and challenged me to set high standards for performance. You taught me how to work to achieve them. Most of all you taught me to believe in myself at a time when my confidence was shaken. In so many ways, you helped to shape my life and teach me lessons that I still use and practice today. In short, you touched my life. I am so pleased to learn that you are still shaping and touching young lives. A trip to Rome for your students will no doubt be a life-changing experience for many of them. They will never be the same again for having gone to Italy or for having had you as their teacher. I am thankful that it is finally my turn to help you, and in a very small way repay you for all that you have done for me. I have no doubt that you will succeed in raising the funds you need for the trip. To you and your students, I say learn and enjoy. And thanks again for the memories and lessons on life. Tim Miller, Vice President, General Counsel, Crane Plastics. Again I say congratulations to the Urbana High School Concert Choir, to the Champaign-Urbana community, and all of those who made this opportunity possible for 40 outstanding young people to make a trip that they otherwise never would have experienced. Again I say congratulations to my cousin, Willie Summerville and his wife Valeria, both outstanding teachers, outstanding parents, parents of the year, humanitarians, and I say thanks to you for looking out for the young people from Chicago who come to Champaign-Urbana to attend the University of Illinois. I am certain that Moses and Lenora Summerville are proud of your work and the impact that you have had on the lives of others. Again, congratulations to you, all of the people of Champaign-Urbana, and certainly to the 40 outstanding young people who will get the opportunity to sing at St. Peter's Basilica.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Flexibility and accountability must go hand in hand.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Kildee-Miller amendment, and I do so because I believe that we must try and create equal educational opportunity. We must try and make education available for all of the Nation's children, no matter where they live, no matter where they come from, and no matter who they are. Mr. Chairman, 80 percent of the schools in the City of Chicago's public school system receive and use title I funds to support the educational needs of disadvantaged children. This means that 80 percent of the schools in the Chicago public school system have over 50 percent of their children from low-income families. We have a responsibility to ensure that these children, that each and every one of them have the greatest amount of educational opportunity that we can provide from all levels of government, whether it be State, local or Federal. That is why I cannot support the Ed-Flex bill as it is. Ed-Flex in its current form lacks the efficiency and accountability needed to protect what took decades to correct. The Ed-Flex bill will allow local school authorities to redirect funds from special educational programs as well as dismantle professional development for teachers. In fact, this bill may exempt schools and districts from complying with Federal standards that have been set for student performance. I am aware, Mr. Chairman, that there have been 12 demonstration programs, and yes, my State, the State of Illinois, is one of them. However, these States have not been totally examined. Therefore, I am not sure that all the potential implications of a nationwide expansion are really known. Mr. Chairman, it is the responsibility of this Congress as we approach a new millennium to ensure that our Nation's children are educated with whatever resources are needed. And so I call upon us to build a new era of equality for all Americans, an era where African Americans, Latinos, poor children, Native Americans and other minorities who have long lived with the highest poverty schools and in the highest poverty communities will have guaranteed access to resources to try and catch up, to try and come from behind, to try and realize the potential that they have, to try and know that before resources that perhaps are not as greatly needed are put in other places and in other areas, that they would have access to those resources. And so I appreciate the concept of flexibility. I appreciate the latitude that teachers, principals, and administrators need in order to do the work that they have set out to do. But I do not believe at this time that we can risk these greatly needed resources missing their mark. Therefore, I would urge all of us to vote in favor of the Kildee- Miller amendment.

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.