Raúl Grijalva

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to commend a group of students from my district for their civic engagement. Along with their teacher, these 23 students developed a proposal for curbing bullying in Arizona schools. This proposal was taken up in the Arizona State legislature with bipartisan support. The bill was introduced by Representative Phil Lopez and Representative Linda Gray, and has already passed the Education Committee and has garnered the support of Gov. Janet Napolitano. If passed, the bill would require that school boards adopt and enforce procedures that prohibit the harassment, bullying and intimidation of pupils. Using the skill of civic engagement, taught through Project Citizen, these students have made a positive impact in their community, and serve as role models for their peers. Project Citizen is a curricular program for middle school students that promotes competent and responsible participation in local and State government. The program helps young people learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy. The Project Citizen program is administered by the Center for Civic Education with the assistance of the National Conference of State Legislatures. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Education by act of Congress. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the contribution of these students and applaud their efforts to be actively involved in efforts to improve their community. On behalf of the schools and children of Arizona I would like to thank the following students for their admirable interest in civic engagement. I hope their enthusiasm for government is shared among their peers. Marina Ardt, Eva Baisan, Edward Barnes, Amanda Belt, Katie Brown, Audrey Bustamante, Nicholas Franco, Taiya Gehrels, Brianna Herreras- Crouse, Shelby Kline, Katie Knight, Mounir Koussa, Alison Lambert, Ben Langworthy, Pricilla Martinez, Dillon McCallum, Dylan Monke, Danny O'Sullivan, Johnny Police, Joy Ratanavongsa, Tanisha Sosa, John Taylor, Jessica Willy, and their teacher, Cheri Bludau of the Mansfeld Middle School of Tucson. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to submit the attached article from the Tucson Citizen recognizing the valiant efforts of these young adults. Kids' Assignment Turns Heads at State Level Here is a brief primer on the workings of the Arizona Legislature from an expert who has learned how to write a bill, have it introduced by a lawmaker, then watched it advance through the Legislature: ``It is a very long process,'' explained Tashina Sosa. ``It's like a never-ending thriller book.'' Thriller book? Perhaps. Horror story? More often. But who am I to argue with an insider--someone who has seen firsthand the laborious and languorous way that the Legislature goes about its work. There are several thousand professional lobbyists at work in Phoenix right now who are being paid well--very well--to get their employers' messages to lawmakers. Tashina Sosa isn't one of them, although it is quite likely that she will be more successful than most of those professionals. Sosa is a freshman at Tucson High Magnet School. And work that she and her classmates started last year when they were enrolled at Mansfeld Middle School may soon result in a law. This law, unlike many of those passed by legislators, actually makes sense and actually is needed. It would require each school district to enact an anti-bullying policy. Sosa and 23 other Mansfeld students were enrolled last year in a law-related education class taught by Cheri Bludau. Part of the class was a project called We the People-Project Citizen, a national program that promotes student participation in government. After discussing several ideas and conducting research on matters ripe for change, the students settled on the issue of bullying, Bludau said. But there were some concerns. Some students feared the topic may be too ``childlike'' and of little interest to the Legislature, Bludau said. Others were afraid that a law would be meaningless--that bullying was not something that could be stopped with legislation. But the research was persuasive. Studies found that bullying is one of the most underrated and serious problems in schools. Students involved in murders in school and students who commit suicide are far more likely to be victims of bullies than the average student is. Education and federal officials estimate that nationwide, 160,000 students miss school every day because they fear being bullied. ``A majority of adults see it as a right of passage,'' Bludau said, ``but the students know it is impacting their lives.'' Using laws written in other states as a starting point, Bludau's class wrote a bill it hoped to have introduced in the Legislature. Class members took the bill to Project Citizen's state competition last year and won first place. They then submitted it for national competition and earned a ``superior'' rating--the highest award. Last summer, Bludau e-mailed a copy of the proposed bill to Gov. Janet Napolitano. Within 45 minutes, Napolitano wrote back, saying she would be very much behind it. Thus emboldened, the students went hunting for a legislator who would introduce the bill--and they found support from state Rep. Phil Lopes, a Tucson Democrat. He liked the bill, but because he is a member of the minority party, he needed help from a Republican. Rep. Linda Gray, a Glendale Republican and chair of the House Education Committee, signed on. The bill was formally introduced and assigned a number and title: ``HB2533--Schools; policies; bullying'' and scheduled for a hearing and debate last week before the Education Committee. The students were scheduled to go to Phoenix to testify in support of their bill--but they were foiled by another state issue. It was time for them to take part of the mandated AIMS test. Nonetheless, the bill easily passed the committee. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee today. Lopes is optimistic that it will eventually pass both houses and be signed into law by Napolitano. ``The kids did all the work,'' Lopes said. ``It's just incredible. I knew nothing about the substance of the topic. But I saw what they had done and said, `My God, we've got to help them out.' '' Sosa is excited that her class's work may soon be memorialized in state law. And so is her classmate, Mounir Koussa, also now a freshman at Tucson High. ``It's good for me to know that a student can make a difference in society,'' Koussa said. It has taken almost two months for the bill to make it to this point in the legislative process, and Bludau still can't quite believe her students have been so successful. ``Way back in January, little did we know that we could have this kind of impact on the state of Arizona,'' she said. ``I'm very proud of my students, as you can tell.'' Cheri Bludau's students have completed their assignment. Now legislators must complete theirs.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for yielding. I appreciate the opportunity. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on this Earth Day to comment that while our Nation is distracted by war and terrorism, the Bush administration has systematically and methodically been dismantling our most fundamental public health laws such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act; but the people of America and in my community, in addition to wanting peace and security in the world, also want a clean and healthy environment for themselves and for their children to live in. On this Earth Day we state clearly, and I want to repeat, we state clearly that Americans want and deserve clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and natural places to experience. We want our most special lands like our national parks to be cared for so they can be enjoyed by future generations as we do today. But the test results are in, and it is official. The George W. Bush Presidency is the worst environmental Presidency in the history of this country. From our urban areas to our national forests, the Bush administration is sacrificing our health, our environment for the benefit of corporations. Communities of color continue to suffer disproportionately from Bush's policy to lower air and water quality standards and to gut funding for Super Fund cleanup programs, which impact communities across this country. Our constituents are eating mercury-tainted fish, drinking lead- tainted water, living near toxic contamination sites. Our national parks are deteriorating. Our national forests and public lands are being opened up for polluting uses like oil and gas development, mining, and logging. Meanwhile, the administration disputes that global warming exists and refuses to take steps to address this growing and imminent threat. This administration is, to say the least, industry-friendly. But we also want one that is Earth friendly. We do not have to sacrifice our economic future for a healthy environment. We can have both a healthy economy and a healthy environment. We Democrats in Congress are fighting for our environment. My colleagues have fought to keep oil drilling out of the Arctic, to ensure that polluters clean up their messes, to prevent our forests from being clear cut for profit, to keep our air and water clean. We have called for comprehensive and sensible energy policy that does not reward the polluting industries with massive subsidies, but enhances opportunities for renewable energy sources. As we reflect on the Earth's environment on Earth Day, let us not forget that we have only one Earth to live on. Let us keep our environment and our families healthy by fighting for the protection of our air, water, and land. America's environmental laws have succeeded in improving people's health and lives. Let us continue that legacy by protecting what we have gained and enhancing what we still need to gain. On this Earth Day, at stake for all Americans is the very essence of what makes us unique as a country and as a people: our land, our people, and our public places. At stake is our public health. At stake is the protection of our natural resources. At stake is a legacy that we all share in, a shared legacy and responsibility about protecting our environment and protecting the health of our people. The record of the Bush administration on rollbacks of protections and giveaways to special interests is a destruction of that very essence and that legacy. I think the people of America deserve much more. They deserve a country that values its people, protects its environment, and assures that we protect the very essence of what makes us different as a country.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, today we must take a moment to commemorate the life and legacy of a national leader Cesar Estrada Chavez. It is an honor for me to have this opportunity to discuss the life of this man. Cesar E Chavez was born and died in the district that I represent, in Yuma and San Luis, Arizona. Today would have been his 77th birthday. The celebration of his life is a legacy that he leaves with us; however, upholding a chronological, biographical statement of the life of Cesar E Chavez would not embrace the essence of what he stood for in life or the expectations and opportunities he left for others. I stand before you to honor a man, not for what material wealth he accumulated or positions he held, rather for his pursuit for justice. For me to make Cesar E Chavez bigger than life and to describe him as a hero would be offensive to him. He was a man that did not want to be bigger than life. He was human and stayed that way but his beliefs and way of life are the future and the legacy that he left all of us to uphold. Cesar E Chavez, cofounder, along with Dolores Huerta, of the United Farm Workers' Union, initiated a historic struggle for labor unions, grassroot efforts, and mobilization to show power of the people. The United Farm Workers' Union and the tactics that Cesar E Chavez incorporated for justice changed the face of activism and consumerism. His non-violence and popular education approach made the country recognize that renouncing a system of injustice was the right of all Americans. He reminded us then, and now, of our role to seek humanity and justice; and to be aware of our decisions in life from minor accountability, like where to buy basic home products, to protecting our soldiers and looking for effective non-violence approaches as an alternative to war. Through the influence of Cesar E Chavez and the UFW, the face of labor unions in this country was changed. The awareness of strikes, went beyond the bargaining table for basic rights such as just pay and benefits. Strikes become a responsibility for all consumers to demand justice and peace of mind to the consumer and the employer that the employee was respected in all aspects. The union struggle also became more inclusive in fighting for justice in this country, going beyond the calls for labor rights to include human rights, immigrant rights, and civil rights. Labor unions across the country are currently among the leaders of creating coalitions and developing the grass roots community to strengthen representation for all Americans. The concept of grass roots and the belief in the power of the people was strengthened through the works of Cesar E Chavez. The leading energy/influence in providing a voice for the masses was simply stated in three words iSi, se puede!, which roughly translates to yes, it can be done. A simple phrase that Cesar E Chavez coined, but like his life and legacy a powerful action that cannot be measured. This assurance in people and the ability of communities and movements resonates throughout our great Nation today. iSi, se puede! is an attitude and way of life for change, hope, and our constituency, especially our youth. Cesar E Chavez, although a Latino, did not limit the group he strived for to an ethnicity. He understood the need to be inclusive in his service to others in the plight for justice. The legacy he leaves us is to uphold his approach to life and to educate our youth for future generations on his teachings of non-violence, justice, and equity for all. I challenge my colleagues to remember Cesar E Chavez not only for his history, but also for his approach to life and the example he left us.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to take a moment to commemorate and celebrate the life of Cesar Chavez, a life that was a life with inspiration to all of us in this country because it meant the very best for all of us. Cesar Chavez had a vision for this country, and his legacy is a living legacy because of that vision; and the realization of that vision continues to be a work in progress and a work that we must all undertake. His vision was about inclusion, that all of us in this country deserve a place at the table and deserve to be treated with respect and with the humanity we all deserve. His vision was about fairness. This country is about all people regardless of who they are, where they came from, what they look like, what language they speak, that we all be treated fairly and equally. And his vision was the dignity of each person, that we are all entitled, all born with a dignity and a self-respect that merits the rest of us living to that legacy. And that is the living legacy of Cesar Chavez, and we commemorate his life today as a legacy that we must all continue to strive for and to make a reality in this country.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Boehner, Mr. Castle, Mr. Miller, and Ms. Woolsey for working on this reauthorization in a bipartisan fashion. I am very pleased to see a number of provisions in this bill that will help the Hispanic community, and specifically the migrant and seasonal farm working community to access the services they are entitled to. The average farm worker earns just $7,500 a year--leaving most of their families well below poverty level. The hardships that the children in these families face are only amplified by their migratory lifestyle. Their parents, who are poor, uneducated, and often with limited literacy in their native language, face many barriers in helping their children apply for services every time they move. These are the families that put food on our tables and these barriers are leaving their own children hungry. It is our responsibility to help them overcome these barriers because all children suffering from poverty deserve a nutritious lunch through this program. This bill includes a number of provisions that will help these eligible children gain access to free or reduced price lunches. It requires that materials sent to the parents be in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, in a language that the parents can understand. By dismantling literacy and language barriers many more eligible families will be able to access information and be empowered to better make sound choices regarding healthful diet and lifestyle. Significant improvements have been made to the certification and verification process. Children will now be certified for one full year--helping migrant children in maintaining access through the school year, wherever they are. It will extend automatic eligibility to children who qualify for migrant educational services under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It allows for the direct certification of such children if they are identified by the district's migrant education coordinator. Schools will have the option to verify income data through Medicaid and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, FDPIR, in addition to TNF and Food Stamps. Schools will have the option of substituting applications under criteria established by the Secretary when they have independent knowledge that the household selected for verification is eligible, and they know that certain barriers will prevent them from responding. In addition to improvements to the certification and verification process, the bill encourages schools to consider the needs of ethnic minorities, who are at higher risk for obesity and diabetes, in the development of their nutrition education programs. These program improvements are significant, and as indicated in the bill title, they will certainly improve the program as well as increase the program's integrity. I recently decided to become a cosponsor of this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage. Again, I would like to thank the leaders of the Committee on Education and the Workforce for considering these provisions a priority and for moving forward in a cooperative and bipartisan fashion during this reauthorization. Additionally, I would like to thank Mr. Ehlers for his commitment to migrant children during this reauthorization. I would also like to thank the staff on both sides of the aisle for their persistence and dedication to working cooperatively during this reauthorization. I urge my colleagues to support this reauthorization bill.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Albert M. Elias for 50 years of service to organized labor and to the progressive political community in Tucson and Pima County as a member of International Typographical Union/Communications Workers of America Local 7026. Albert M. Elias represents the highest ideals of the labor movement. While others talk about the need for a strong labor movement to protect and enhance the lives of working people, Albert, for more than 50 years, has worked to advance these goals. While others have talked about how Pima County and southern Arizona need progressive political success to empower the ordinary and disadvantaged among us, Albert has worked long hours helping politicians and movements advocate on behalf of these people. Using the printing skills he has honed for most of his life, the knowledge he has gained over more than five decades of how the printed word can help realize worthy goals, and the personal contacts his honesty, integrity and goodwill have forged, Albert has achieved much and has helped others achieve even more in advancing political movements, and the labor movement in particular. Albert, 75, a fourth-generation Tucson native, joined the International Typographical Union of his maternal grandfather Francisco S. Moreno in January 1954 and committed himself to a career in the printing trade. Albert believed that union membership would improve the professional quality of his work as a printer, and enable him to develop meaningful, long-term relationships in his community that would benefit himself and his family, as well as his union brothers and sisters. Union membership, he believed, also would provide him with better income and with vacations and holidays off to spend quality time with his family. It was Albert's goal to provide his children with the wherewithal to excel in education through high school and go on to college if they desired. Time proved Albert to be correct. All three of the children of he and his wife Viola Baine are college graduates who are serving others in pursuit of their careers. Their eldest, Ana Elias Terry, has a master's degree from the University of Arizona and has worked as a bilingual speech therapist for Tucson Unified School District for 22 years. Son Albert is also a University of Arizona graduate and has been an urban planner for almost 20 years with the City of Tucson, where he is now the planning director. Son Richard parlayed his University of Arizona degree into winning election to the Pima County Board of Supervisors and becoming its vice chair. Albert and his sister Aida Elias, the children of Alberto Spring Elias and Ermelinda Moreno Elias, always have lived their lives as Christians and are dedicated to their religious faith. Albert has maintained an active lifetime role in his Roman Catholic parish, based at St. Augustine's Cathedral in downtown Tucson. He served for many years as a member of its Parish Council. Albert's interest in the printing trade goes back to his childhood in the 1930s. His grandfather Moreno had begun publishing the Spanish- language El Tucsonense weekly newspaper as a member of the Typographical Union in 1915, but he died an early death in 1929. El Tucsonense continued publication under ownership of his wife, Rosa E. Moreno, and with the help of her five children--Ermelinda, Gilberto, Federico, Arturo and Elias. Before Albert's 10th birthday he was delivering El Tucsonense by bicycle to the Latino barrios that dominated much of downtown Tucson. He worked his way into the print shop during his years at Tucson High School to be a ``printer's devil,'' sweeping the floors, cleaning presses, and remelting the lead used to make ingots for the shop's linotype machines. After graduating from Tucson High School in January 1947, Albert went to the Frank Wiggins Trade School in Los Angeles to learn more about printing. After completing those studies in 1948, Albert went to work in the print shop that published El Tucsonense, now being run by his uncle Arturo Moreno. That ended in late 1951 when Albert was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served in the infantry for two years before being honorably discharged. After his discharge, Albert returned to Tucson. But instead of rejoining El Tucsonense, Albert sought membership in the Typographical Union as a journeyman, skipping apprenticeship because of his experience. His skills earned him a position as a linotype operator in early 1954 with the Tucson daily newspapers, The Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen. A bitter and ultimately unsuccessful Typographical Union strike at the Star-Citizen in 1966, over job-depleting automation and the companies' rejection of the union's demand for a pension plan, ended Albert's 12-year stint with the daily newspapers. Fortuitously for Albert, El Tucsonense was in the process of folding and he and a partner, Oscar Araiza, bought his uncle's printing shop. Araiza retired in 1991 and Albert has run Old Pueblo Printers alone since then. Upon taking control of the business in 1966, Albert and his partner began doing printing work for Tucson-area labor union locals and Democratic Party candidates for political office. One of the first campaigns for which Albert's shop printed the political literature was one of the late U.S. Representative Morris K. Udall's bids for office. Udall continued to use his services after that, as did Robert Kennedy for his assassination-truncated 1968 presidential campaign. Albert printed campaign materials for Raul Castro, who was elected as the first Latino governor of Arizona; for Ed Pastor, who was elected as the first Latino congressman from Arizona; and for longtime Pima County Supervisors Sam Lena and Dan Eckstrom. I, too, came to Albert for my printing needs when I first launched what became a 12-year stint on the Tucson Unified School District Board. I continued to use Albert's services through 13 years on the Pima County Board of Supervisors and, finally, on my 2002 bid for Congress. During his career, Albert supported labor leader Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers, he supported the efforts of local Latino activists to get their fair share of federal funds to improve the homes and neighborhoods of their people, and he supported a landmark lawsuit forcing Tucson Unified School District to desegregate its schools. Albert always has been, and still is, fighting battles against those who seek to use their financial influence to their own advantage--and at the expense of ordinary working people. Albert M. Elias deserves special recognition, honor and respect for his five decades of union membership--and for his meritorious achievements during that time on behalf of working people and the less fortunate of Pima County and Southern Arizona.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, violence against women is a serious problem in this country. One in three women will experience physical assault in her lifetime, with even greater risks for pregnant women. Women carrying unintended pregnancies are two to four times more likely to experience abuse. Murder is the leading cause of death for pregnant women. An average of three women are killed every day by their husband or boyfriend. Women who experience domestic violence are more likely to delay prenatal care; 4.5 million women in America are assaulted every year. These figures are staggering and serious, but the bill under consideration today, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, does not take the risks women face seriously. This bill completely disregards women as the primary victim of violence. You cannot harm a fetus without causing physical harm to a pregnant woman first. If this body wanted to consider violence against women, pregnant or not, seriously, I have a few alternate suggestions. We could provide adequate funds for the Violence Against Women Act so that no woman seeking help will ever be turned away from a shelter. We should insure that victims of domestic violence have equal access to programs funded under the Victims of Crime Act. Additionally we should provide women with access to contraceptive services, to thereby preventing unintended pregnancies that make them more susceptible to these dangerous situations. All the title X funded clinics in my district, including Pima County Health Department Clinics, screen all women for domestic violence, provide appropriate counseling services, and refer women to local domestic violence agencies for additional services. They even provide small information cards in the private bathrooms that are designed for women to place in their shoes if they are at the clinic with an abusive partner. Title X clinics are one of our most valuable resources in reaching uninsured women who are victims of domestic violence. Unfortunately these programs are drastically under funded. If this Congress really would like to reach women in need, they would make funding for this program a priority. This bill is not a real solution. This bill only applies to cases of assault that occur under Federal jurisdiction. Between 1994 and 2000, only 130 Federal cases involved Federal domestic violence statutes. The public's broad support for preventing and prosecuting assault on women is being exploited for political purposes. This is an antiwoman bill. It disregards the woman's role in the pregnancy, and allows the law to ignore any harm inflicted upon her. I urge my colleagues to support the Lofgren substitute which offers real solutions and real penalties for tragic violence against women, and oppose final passage of this misguided bill.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Black History Month. Black History Month was established in 1926 to pay tribute to the many African-Americans and other people of African descent for their myriad of contributions to human civilization. It is important to remember that during the years of 1619 and 1926 African- Americans received no recognition of their achievements that are inseparable from our lives. Under President Woodrow Wilson's tutelage, the ``Negro History Week'' was created to promulgate the African-American achievements through sets of colloquiums, lectures, and exhibitions. It was to give a balanced view of all the people that contributed to the improvements of the Western society. Since then, the government has extended the longevity of the celebration to a month in order to provide a more extensive, global recognition and educational opportunity. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling in the case of Brown versus the Board of Education, which established that every child deserves an education that is equal and substantive. This case changed the way African-American children were educated and was a catalyst that promoted change in the areas of voting, housing, and social justice. In my home state of Arizona, before the year 1909, Arizona's schools were not segregated. However, during that year, Arizona's General Assembly passed legislation requiring African-American children to attend all black schools and be taught by black educators for the first eight years of their schooling. The first Tucson Unified Arizona District school to engage in segregation was the Paul Lawrence Dunbar School, named after a notable African-American poet. Through the collaboration of zealous teachers and caring parents, the students were able to receive a good education despite the school's inadequacies. In 1951, Tucson Unified School District freely decided to integrate the school system, and in 1952 the school was renamed John Spring. The school closed in 1978. To preserve the school, the Dunbar Coalition, a community organization, bought the property from Tucson Unified School District in 1995. The coalition is currently refurbishing the school and transforming it into an African-American Museum and Cultural Center. The school now serves as a venue for community events, and will be having a hearing on May 8th, 2004 to discuss the 50th anniversary of the Brown versus the Board of Education. Over 100 years ago, this building represented the inequities African-American children faced within the education system; it now symbolizes the injustices that are still present in the education system. Black History Month, along with other celebrations, holidays and laws, has recognized the discrimination, harassment and abuse that blacks have endured. It showcases how far we have progressed, as well as reminds us that our goal in reaching true equality has not yet been completely fulfilled. Black History Month is a tool that educates and teaches the community on the African-American experience and struggle. During this month, we acknowledge the many national African-American trailblazers such as, W.E.B. Dubois, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas, Malcolm X, and Hiram Revels and Shirley Chisholm, the first African-Americans elected to the U.S. Congress. Through these individuals and the dedication and hard work of countless others we, as Americans, are more tolerant, patient and accepting of others. We benefit from their legacies not in February alone, but every day. It is important that minority groups work collectively to ensure civil rights are sustained and each person is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve, regardless of the color of their skin or ethnic background. It is my goal to build strong alliances and coalitions among all minority communities to work collectively toward reaching true equality. I am very proud to have the opportunity to stand on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to help celebrate Black History Month. This is the time when we must commemorate and celebrate the lives of the many African-Americans that have made historic contributions in the areas of academics, politics, science/technology, and social justice. Their struggles and their triumphs are engraved in our everyday life and it is essential that we celebrate all of their accomplishments.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of true champions. I am proud to report that on Saturday. December 6th, 2003, the Sunnyside High School football team of Tucson, Arizona once again brought home the Class 4A State Title. For the second time in three years, the Blue Devils showcased to the state of Arizona their unmatched talent, heart, and dedication. In a 21-13 victory over Glendale Cactus, Sunnyside overcame a roster depleted by injury and what the papers called ``undersized'' players. Mr. Speaker, it's true that the Blue Devils have linemen whose physical stature is smaller than the average. But, as was proved in this past weekend's state championship game, physical size doesn't matter when you have the drive and the hunger for victory that these players do. Under bright stadium lights, under tremendous pressure and expectation, and with a defensive line outweighed by an average of 70 pounds, the Sunnyside Blue Devils came home victorious. I commend these students and their coaching staff. Their fine efforts have made my hometown, and moreover, my alma mater proud. I wish them the best as they enjoy their victory and begin to look toward next year's winning season.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation to improve the health of racial and ethnic minorities in our Nation, the Healthcare Equality and Accountability Act of 2003. This act will offer Congress the opportunity to begin to close the health care divide and disparity that exists between Americans, a divide that cannot be ignored nor should it be tolerated. The irrefutable facts will be presented today for all of us to see. This disparity is real and this divide exists. To ignore these facts is tantamount to perpetuating the dual system of health care in our country, separate and unequal, a dual system that too often denies to communities of color, Latinos, Native Americans, African Americans, and Asian Pacific Islanders, the health care access and quality that most Americans enjoy. This pattern of exclusion of people from quality health care is morally wrong and is a significant deterrent to the overall progress of our Nation. Mr. Speaker, this legislation to address racial and ethnic health disparities in this country would do the following: it would set the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities as a goal. The elimination of racial and health disparities can and should be a goal for all Americans. The health of all our communities is enhanced when we work to close the health care divide. It would expand the health care safety net. The lack of health insurance and access to health services result in significant decline of the health status within racial and ethnic minorities communities in this country. The availability, quality, and affordability of health care coverage options and to provide meaningful access to health services must be expanded in cooperation with health care providers and employers in order to successfully address the divide of racial and ethnic health communities and their delivery of health services. The other point that is, I think, very important for us to consider is that ensuring health care access is in compliance with the civil rights law. Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and its subsequent amendments provide crucial rights to individuals with limited English proficiency to access federally conducted and supported programs and activities. Limited English proficiency persons should not be inhibited from accessing vital health care services paid by them and their families in their tax dollars. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in endorsing this important bill. An action by Congress long overdue, if we have the will and resources to pursue international adventures--then we should have the same resolve here at home.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of the Filner motion to instruct. The issue of proper regulation of oil and gas companies with regard to clean water is a very real and serious concern for the people of Southern Arizona that I represent. On July 30 of this year, as an example, an 8-inch high pressure gasoline pipeline operated by Kinder Morgan, Incorporated on the west side of Tucson, Arizona, ruptured. Ten thousand gallons of gasoline were sprayed 50 feet in the air dousing five homes under construction, which later had to be demolished. Hazardous fumes were created 250 yards away from occupied homes. In the aftermath, there were reports of ground water contamination resulting from the rupture and possibly from the reconstruction efforts. Initial reports varied, some indicating serious contamination. More recent reports seem to show contamination may have been ongoing for some time and only came to light due to the investigation of the rupture. Safety inspection reports dating back to 1995, and as far back as 1988, indicated potential problems for a rupture, but yet this information was never made available to the public or to their elected officials. To address this problem, I have asked the EPA to conduct an independent assessment of the degree of contamination and the risks for residents. If the Filner motion is not passed, this type of oversight and enforcement would be seriously compromised. The people in my district have a terrible wealth of experience with ground water contamination. A plume of TCE created the most serious of many Superfund sites in my district. This pollution has created a legacy of illness and death across the south and west sides of Tucson. I am told it continues to grow every day. The gas and oil industries facilities covered by this exemption tend to be located in lower-income, minority and poor neighborhoods. Companies, of course, seek to limit their legal liabilities by placing these facilities near populations without the money to litigate or the strong political representation. Then the companies come back to us and ask for more legal protection, as they have in this amendment, and for our complicity in this injustice. The bill before us would expand an exemption that should never have been passed in the first place. It is absurd that we would be debating whether to increase pollution by giving legal immunity to corporate polluters. How can a Member of Congress seriously argue that we should allow more pollution in our ground water, rivers and streams? The issue is clear: Do we want to maintain our standards of clean water or do we want to expand existing loopholes that allow even greater environmental injustices to occur with our complicity? I urge my colleagues to protect human health, protect our children, and our precious and increasingly fragile natural legacy by voting yes on the Filner motion to instruct. House of Representatives, Washington, DC, October 24, 2003. Hon. Marianne Horinko, Acting Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. Wayne Nastri, Regional Administrator, Hawthorne Street, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9, San Francisco, CA. Dear Ms. Horinko and Mr. Nastri: I am writing regarding the recent gasoline pipeline rupture in Tucson, Arizona. This disaster is of extremely grave concern to me and to the constituents I represent in Arizona. On July 30, the pipeline, owned and operated by Kinder Morgan, Inc., ruptured, spraying 10,000 gallons of gasoline onto homes in Tucson. This event subjected my constituents to serious environmental, health and safety risks. Thankfully, no one was injured in the rupture. Now that the immediate danger of the rupture has passed, however, residents are enduring the impacts of the pipeline's reconstruction and potential realignment. Neither the public nor elected officials knew the extent of the safety risks associated with the pipeline. Our preliminary information indicates that the pipeline may have failed safety inspections from 1995 on; however, this information was not made public, nor made available to elected officials or emergency personnel. This information is very disturbing in light of the extreme risks involved with the transportation of highly flammable materials. In the aftermath of the rupture, there have been reports of groundwater contamination as a result of the pipeline rupture and/or reconstruction efforts. Reports on the issue have varied: some indicating a dangerous contamination, and some not. In light of this discrepancy, and a great deal of anxiety on the part of residents of Tucson, I request that you immediately commence an independent assessment of the situation in order to ensure that the citizens of Tucson and southern Arizona are safe from any unnecessary risks of the rupture itself and impending reconstruction. It is absolutely crucial that citizens of Southern Arizona know the full extent of the danger and risks associated with this rupture and reconstruction efforts. It is the EPA's responsibility to ensure that our citizens are protected from environmental contamination. Please inform my staff member, Rachel Kondor, at (202) 225-2435, as to the steps you plan to take with regard to this issue. Sincerely, Raul M. Grijalva, Member of Congress.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hinojosa), who is also chair of the Education Task Force for the Congressional Hispanic Conference. (Mr. HINOJOSA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished ranking member from the committee for yielding me this time, and I want to thank the chairman as well. I rise again before my colleagues today to express my opposition to the Republican plan to destroy Head Start and in support of the substitute. Head Start, a successful Federal program for nearly 40 years, has never been a partisan issue. This year, though, my Republican colleagues have hijacked the issue and it now risks becoming the victim of a social political agenda, nothing to do with education. Head Start has become part of the plan to eliminate social programs from Federal responsibility. This cynical ``not my problem, let 'em eat cake'' agenda ignores our shared responsibility for poor children in this country. Yes, a shared responsibility to these children, a shared responsibility to fight poverty, and a shared responsibility to provide equal opportunity to all children regardless of their parents income. Mr. Chairman, it is simply irresponsible to neglect these children when we can do so much to help them. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2210 and ``yes'' on the substitute.

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to provide a ray of hope to thousands upon thousands of the poorest of the poor, the children of migrant and farm worker families. The child in this picture is eligible for migrant and seasonal Head Start services, yet he wanders in a field in North Carolina with his parents while they work all day. He is exposed to pesticides, hazardous equipment, extreme heat, and other health dangers. The sad part of this situation is that he is not alone. Over 130,000 children are in the exact same situation in the richest country in the world. These children are neglected because Congress has chosen not to provide the funds to give them services. If you have not seen these children, you have seen their families' hard work. Every day you see their hard work on your dinner table, in your restaurants, and in your grocery stores. With just 19 percent of migrant children being served, this program is so drastically underfunded that providing new money is the only clear and real solution. Republicans are rearranging the money in Head Start, claiming that they are providing relief to these children. This is simply untrue. Strategies that steal from Peter to pay Paul are unfair. Only 2,200 of the 130,000 neglected children will be served with this new funding scheme, and it ignores the Native American children all together. There are deadly weapons in this Nation: ignorance, intolerance, injustice, neglect, and denial of opportunity. These children are the victims. These are weapons we can find and we can destroy, and this is your opportunity. Let us extend to these children the American Dream. Let these children who are the sons and daughters of farm workers feel that they too have a stake in this country. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to use their consciences and support the motion to recommit and vote ``no'' on final passage. It is time we start speaking for children that have no voice in this House. The children of farm workers deserve our support and our care. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis), a great advocate for education and a former member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. (Ms. SOLIS asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep, deep disappointment in the Republican proposal to dismantle Head Start. Head Start has been an historic, powerful tool in ending poverty in this country, and we heard about passion earlier today, but when we profess our passion, it should not be about empty rhetoric. It should be about real compassion, real care and real resources for children. I am very proud of my Democratic colleagues' persistent attempts to improve this disastrous bill. Yet of the 25 Democratic amendments submitted to the Committee on Rules only two were made in order. Receiving a rewritten bill in the middle of the night last night, many of us have not had sufficient time to review the changes. From what I can see, though, this is essentially the same bill, causing lasting damage to a widely successful program like Head Start. The bill offers no accountability. The bill repeals long-standing civil rights protections on employment discrimination; and my colleagues have addressed many of the other issues that are wrong with this bill. I want to concentrate on one aspect. The most troubling part of this forum from my perspective is the weak attempt by the Republicans to provide a funding increase for migrant and seasonal Head Start. Before these changes, the bill would have provided between $8.5 and $17 million additional funds to migrant and seasonal Head Start. This new bill creates a provision that guarantees $17 million to this program. While this looks like an improvement, it actually only guarantees one-quarter of 1 percent of the total appropriation for eligible children of migrant and seasonal farm-working families. This modification would only extend services to 2,200 of the 130,000 eligible children that are currently neglected. This is a so-called improvement? It is a slap in the face to these children and their families. Mr. Speaker, these children deserve equal resources. They deserve our attention and they deserve to be treated equitably in this legislation.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote for the Udall amendment and also to thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for this very thoughtful amendment that continues the protection of our national forests. The national forests are owned by all the citizens of the United States. Our forests provide places for families to camp, hike, fish, and mountain bike. They are increasingly under demand for recreation as our cities grow and open space is at a premium. Forests provide not only recreational opportunities but also clean water for cities and habitat for wildlife. Because Americans enjoy forests so much for all their values, they also want to participate in the planning for their management. They want to have a voice in determining that forests are available for recreation, that habitat is provided for wildlife, and that everyone is accommodated. For decades citizens have participated in forest planning, and forests are better for it. But the Bush administration would prefer the citizens stay out of the process, making it easier for big timber companies to log and mining companies to drill. This is wrong. The Bush administration's regulations are giving away environmental protection and public participation in the name of helping the timber industry and others to get what they want first, but they do not own the forests. The American people own the forests. The administration's regulations are a bad deal for the environment, a bad deal for citizens; and I would urge people to vote ``yes'' on the gentleman from New Mexico's (Mr. Udall) amendment to suspend full funding for the new Bush administration's regulations on forest management.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the Taylor amendment and in strong support of the gentleman from Colorado's (Mr. Udall) amendment on the issue of revised statute 2477. Arizona's spectacular public lands are renowned throughout the country, if not the world. They contain many of our Nation's most beautiful landscapes, and every year Arizona's deserts, canyons, and mountains are enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors from around the globe. But Arizona's natural areas are fragile. They are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of off-road vehicles, sprawl, timber cutting, mining, overgrazing, and other activities. My home State ranks third in the Nation for imperiled wildlife, with 63 species listed as endangered or threatened. The amendment I urge the Members to support today would prevent the public and private lands in Arizona from being terribly harmed. This amendment would stop the Secretary of the Interior from implementing her ``Disclaimer of Interest.'' The Members may have heard of one of the places which will be severely damaged by the Secretary's disclaimer, Grand Canyon National Park. It is a treasure not only to Arizona but to the citizens of the entire United States. The map I have brought today with me represents only one area that would be permanently harmed by the Secretary's disclaimer. In 1997, the Park Service warned Congress that the park and its surrounding wilderness were under serious threat. The map shows hundreds of potential rights of way that might be claimed across the north rim of the Grand Canyon, an area that the Park Service is currently protecting. We in the West have been living with the consequences of RS 2477 for over 100 years. I strongly support the Udall amendment, which would prevent any funds from being spent by the Interior to process 2477 claims until Congress determines what approaches we should take with regard to these claims. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Udall amendment and in opposition of the Taylor amendment.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take my time out of order.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the comments that my colleague, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez), just finished. Today I would like to deal with one specific aspect of H.R. 2210 dealing with Head Start and that specific aspect has to do with an effort that this House must undertake to provide true relief to the impoverished children of migrant and seasonal farm working families. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs successfully provide the infants and children of migrants and seasonal workers in this country with educational and health related services. These services and these support services provided by Migrant and Seasonal Head Start keep children out of the fields where they are exposed to pesticides, hazardous equipment, extreme heat and other related health dangers. Unfortunately, a severe funding shortfall leaves more than 80 percent of these eligible children without these vital services and protection. According to the study published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs serve just 19 percent of eligible migrant and seasonal children. By comparison, the regional Head Start programs serve approximately 60 percent of their eligible population. This shortfall leaves 130,000 children of migrant and seasonal workers and their families out of any opportunity in a Head Start program. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs serve both infants and toddlers. Early Head Start funds are only available to full-year programs and thus leave the migrant and seasonal programs to provide full-day services to both infants and toddlers without the benefit of extra program funds or technical assistance funds. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start is already spreading its funds thin in order to sustain these programs and serve these very needy kids. Migrant and seasonal programs are funded out of a 13 percent set- aside in the Head Start annual appropriations along with Indian Head Start, children with disabilities, training and technical assistance, program review, and research and demonstrations. Over the last 8 years, Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs have consistently received 4 percent or less of the Head Start annual appropriations. The Republican Head Start bill now includes an amendment that claims to assist migrant and seasonal children. This addition, however, would take money away from popular training and technical assistance programs and provide only a marginal increase in funds to these needy children, less than a 1 percent increase in funding to address the needs of over 130,000 children that are neglected by this bill. Moreover, this formula provides no guaranteed funding to eligible migrant and seasonal children. It is a year-to-year gimmick, and what we need and these children need is a real and reliable increase in resources and a revenue source for these services. Based on current program funding, it would cost almost an additional $750 million to achieve near parity between Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and regional Head Start. Completely closing this funding gap between Migrant and Seasonal Head Start and regional Head Start may be unrealistic in the near future, but the recommendations are designed to move the programs toward parity by making a modest increase in funding for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs and Indian Head Start programs. Today, before the Committee on Rules, I proposed an amendment that would help solve this problem in a substantial way. My proposal would increase funds sufficient to provide services to an additional 10,000 children of migrant and seasonal working families. The proposal would also stabilize funding for Migrant and Seasonal Head Start with the floor of 5 percent of the total appropriation. This amendment was drafted in such a way that it would have no negative effect on any other Head Start program. It would not take resources from any other community or any other program in Head Start. Though migrant and seasonal families are seemingly an invisible population, a population that puts food on our tables, a population that many times does not have the political attention or the voice in this House, they deserve equal access to the social services we provide other children suffering from poverty. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to listen to their consciences and join in my attempts to provide this relief to a neglected population in this country, a population of children that is left behind, continues to be left behind; and we have a historic opportunity to include them with the rest of the children of this country.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 660.

Mr. GRIJALVA

Mr. GRIJALVA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Miller-DeFazio substitute, H.R. 1261. I do so because I think we need a positive vision, and that positive vision is the Miller-DeFazio substitute. Protecting homes and keeping people safe must be the top priority of wildfire policy. Forest Service researchers believe making homes firewise and creating defensible space near communities is the best way to achieve this goal, one that could be realized within a short period of time. Advocating for fuel reduction treatments to be focused on community protection zones does not mean the rest of the forest is left to burn. Restoration treatments focused on prescribed burning and small diameter thinning must proceed in the forest dependent on frequent fires, such as the Ponderosa Pine. More than 50 southwest conservation organizations have been calling for precisely this type of action since 1996. With continuing droughts and tight budgets, focusing on the community is the most effective, common-sense approach. The Miller-DeFazio substitute is the definitive middle ground and is the only option that addresses hazardous fuels reduction and community protections. H.R. 1261, the Miller-DeFazio substitute, protects old-growth forests, promotes thinning from below, guarantees due process, protects the NEPA review process, and, in complete contrast to H.R. 1904, actually provides guaranteed funding directly to communities, States, and tribal governments for protection of their people, their homes, and their businesses. This is an effective solution before us today, and I ask, no, indeed I implore, that we vote for the solution in the Miller-DeFazio substitute.