Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My respect for the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary is immense, and he has thrust all of these hearings and all that were in committee where 40 Members of the Committee on the Judiciary had an opportunity to participate. What we are talking about is today, 35 Members of the House of Representatives, 35 amendments are not being permitted today. So I guess the 40-plus people are the ones who are representing the near 395, 40-plus none for the American people. That would be what I would put on the table from the minority side. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), our newcomer, who is making her first statement as a Committee on Rules member. (Ms. MATSUI asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Speaker. What was the objection about?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield for the purposes of making a privileged motion to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to my good friend, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, but I am confused by the Chair's ruling. Parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker I am pleased to yield for a unanimous consent request to my good friend, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt) from the Judiciary Committee, who had the opportunity to participate in some of those hearings, and is the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. (Mr. WATT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, even though there is only 1 hour debate, a unanimous consent request by a Member that is not objected to is not permitted for extension of time?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the ranking member of the Committee on Rules, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. SLAUGHTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), for a unanimous consent request. (Mr. PAYNE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for a unanimous consent request. (Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield for a unanimous consent request to my friend, the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson). (Ms. CARSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for a unanimous consent request. (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, in 2001, the National Commission on Federal Election Reform released its report highlighting a variety of reforms that need to occur in our country's faltering election system. While I did not agree with all of the Commission's views, I did agree with the report's recommendation to establish a federal holiday on Election Day. Today, my good friend from California, Representative Honda, and I are taking the Commission's recommendation one step further and introducing the Election Weekend Act of 2005. Our bill changes our nation's Election Day from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November to the first consecutive Saturday and Sunday in November. Furthermore, it expresses the sense of Congress that private sector employers provide their employees with one day off during Election Weekend to allow them ample opportunity and time to cast their ballot without having to leave work. Each Election Day, employees are faced with the difficult task of balancing their work schedules with their family responsibilities, while trying to fInd time to make it to the polls. Our bill recognizes the undue amount of pressure Americans face when trying to participate in the democratic process. It acknowledges the fact that a great deal of Americans are unable to leave their jobs in the middle of the day and vote because our elections occur on a Tuesday, a day when almost all Americans are working. As more and more Americans enter the workforce, the choice they are forced to make between working or voting has resulted in decreased voter turnout. Turnout is even smaller in low and middle income communities where individuals do not enjoy the luxury of taking a three hour lunch to eat and vote. For many, the hour they lose in wages when they go to the polls may mean the difference between paying the bills or fInding themselves out on the street. It is irresponsible of us to continue forcing Americans to choose between a paycheck, family time, or democracy. It is the Constitutional privilege of every American to vote. In moving our nation's Election Day to the first full weekend in November and extending it from one day to two days, we recognize the responsibility that we have to our constituents and our democratic heritage. We should be doing everything we can to protect the integrity of our election system by not only encouraging Americans to vote, but making it more convenient for them to do so.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Mr. Ulysses Bradshaw Kinsey, who died on April 2, 2005. Mr. Kinsey, known as U.B. to all who loved and respected him, was born on June 27, 1918 in Fort White, Florida, one of ten children of Henry and Cora Kinsey. The family moved to Palm Beach County when Mr. Kinsey was just eight years old. Throughout his life, he was proud of the fact that, although he grew up in segregated times, he never drank from ``Colored'' water fountains. Barred by law from attending the University of Florida, he could not pursue his dream of becoming an attorney. Instead, he attended Florida A&M and became a teacher. After graduation, he returned to Palm Beach County and was hired by his alma mater, Industrial High School, where he taught nearly every subject. At that time, starting white teachers were paid $50 more per month than their black counterparts. One month after starting, U.B. Kinsey and others challenged the school board over this policy. Future U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall argued their case, and they won. After their own victory, Mr. Kinsey and his fellow teachers began battling for the rights of black students. During World War II, black children were schooled only seven months a year, so they could provide cheap labor the rest of the time harvesting crops for local farmers. U.B. Kinsey and his colleagues won that battle, too, and black children were returned to a nine-month schedule. He went on to become assistant principal at Industrial High and, later, the first principal of Palmview Elementary. Along the way, Mr. Kinsey established a scholarship fund that annually provides three promising students from low-income families $1,000 each to attend college. Over the next half-century, about 30,000 children passed through the doors of Palmview Elementary. The school was later re-named U.B. Kinsey/Palmview in his honor. At one point in his career, U.B. Kinsey was offered the opportunity to become an assistant superintendent of schools in charge of busing. He turned down the offer because he refused to take part in the busing of black children to white schools far from their neighborhoods. In the 1980s, as drug dealing became a problem near his school, Mr. Kinsey confronted many of the dealers and, out of respect for their former teacher, they stayed away from U.B. Kinsey Elementary. After retiring in 1989, he co-founded a non-profit development company that secured funding to build a low-income housing development near his school. These are just a few of the remarkable accomplishments of Ulysses Bradshaw Kinsey. Generations of African-American children have benefited from the battles he fought and won to ensure that they got a proper education. His efforts are directly responsible for the graduation and ascension to higher education of countless black young people. His many victories that advanced the cause of civil rights in general earned him the gratitude of African-American citizens throughout Palm Beach County. U.B. Kinsey was a beloved friend of mine. His stature in the education of Palm Beach County's children may be matched, but it will never be exceeded. This very fine gentleman, a truly great American, will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support of Federal and State funded in-home care for the elderly. This legislation highlights the inadequacies seniors face with electing in- home care. By increasing financial assistance for in-home care, establishing fee payment guidelines, implementing better schooling for in-home aides, and assembling a supervisory board of care givers, we can help ensure the quality of care elderly receive in-home is as adequate as hospitalized attention. Mr. Speaker, this is an important resolution for three crucial reasons. First, it endorses the efforts of the elderly to remain independent and sustain their viability during the last years of their life. Supporting studies show that seniors who receive in-home care have greater life expectancies than seniors who are moved from everything that is familiar to them and placed in nursing homes. Second, this resolution promotes the expansion of employment opportunities in the nursing and in-home care industries. By implementing government funded in-home care to equal that of nursing home care, more seniors will elect to be nursed at home, which in turn increases job opportunities. Finally, this resolution encourages the establishment of better treatment and guidelines for students and schools who train certified nurse assistants and home health aides. Through adoption of uniformly high standards, we can ensure our seniors have access to qualified professionals when selecting in-home care. Each of these important ambitions are achievable through raising the quality of in-home care. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. As Members of Congress, we have a great opportunity to make a positive impact on this issue, an issue that is of concern to many of our grandparents, parents, and will be of concern to us. I look forward to working with my colleagues and moving this resolution forward.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to His Holiness Pope John Paul II, who embodied the message of peace and compassion. John Paul II was a man of God and a missionary of faith. He led the Catholic Church through an eventful and revolutionary quarter century in the world, inspiring hundreds of millions of people in dozens of countries to throw the yoke of dictatorship and oppression, His Holiness' motivation and ethical leadership were guiding lights in a time that struggled with darkness. His vision will, very simply, be missed. To be Pope is to not only lead the Catholic Church, but to lead the world. Pope John Paul II was an ardent protector of global human rights. His stubborn opposition to the world's dictatorships ushered in profound movements of change. At the same time, His Holiness also deeply believed in the importance of forgiveness, as he demonstrated when he forgave his would-be assassin. His courageous efforts to repair the long, tumultuous relationship between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people opened a meaningful dialogue that will continue for decades. Mr. Speaker, I will always remember meeting the Pope in 2003, and, in fact, I have in the center of my office wall the picture taken of the two of us in the Vatican. As I shook his hand, I deeply appreciated and admired the fact that His Holiness cared not for the color of my skin or my faith. He was a messenger of peace above all. He preached about the culture of life, the culture of faith, and the brotherhood of all mankind. He led by example and his strength was evident, even in his final days. I share the Pope's insistence that peace and compassion can overcome the influence of evil in the world. The global community must continue to take up this message. Action is the only way to apply the teachings we acquire in life, and so I call on all individuals to live with compassion for your brothers and sisters, just as the Pope did throughout his life. He will truly be missed.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today we mark the passing of William Lehman, retired Member of this august body and exemplary human being. Mr. Lehman was born in Selma, Alabama on October 5, 1913. His reputation for honesty was developed early in life when he moved to Miami and opened a used car business. Television viewers got to know ``Alabama Bill'' through his commercial advertising. Auto buyers in Dade County quickly realized that he always treated his customers fairly. In the early 1960s, he began teaching English literature in Dade County public schools, where he was highly valued and greatly respected by his colleagues and his students. Building on his success as an educator, he was elected to the school board in 1966 and became its chairman in 1970. In 1972, Bill ran for Congress in the newly created 13th District, winning easily. From then until his retirement in 1992, he was a tireless advocate for the citizens of northeast Dade County. He quickly rose to a position of prominence in the House of Representatives, becoming chairman of the Appropriations Committee's subcommittee that oversaw highways, seaports and mass transit systems. Public transit was always important to Bill Lehman, as he knew it was a lifeline to employment, grocery shopping, doctor visits and other necessary services for poor and working class citizens. In addition to normal Congressional business, Mr. Lehman's career in the House of Representatives was noted for many remarkable deeds. Among those were his trips to Cuba and Argentina to secure the release of political prisoners and the brave venture of smuggling an artificial heart valve into the Soviet Union to save the life of a critically ill woman. Throughout his career in Congress, Bill Lehman was known as an ``unbending liberal.'' This is one of many characteristics that endeared him to me. He was a friend of more than thirty years, a mentor and a very important role model. By his very nature, he was a constant source of inspiration and encouragement to people who work every day to make our world a better place. Florida, America, and the world have lost a giant with the passing of William Lehman. To paraphrase another famous American political leader known for his honesty, Abraham Lincoln, the world will greatly note and long remember the life of Bill Lehman. May he rest in peace.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 384, a bill extending the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group for two years. This crucial legislation amends the Japanese Imperial Government Disclosure Act of 2000 to extend from four to six years the existence of the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group. H.R. 842 extends by two years this worthy working group, which was originally created by Congress through Public Law 105-246 in 1998. The group is made up of government agency representatives who are directed to oversee the declassification of U.S. Government records that contain information about Nazi war crimes. Such information includes trafficking of assets seized by the Nazis and post-war communications between U.S. Government and former Nazi officials, unless declassification would unduly violate personal privacy or harm national security or foreign policy interests. The law also allowed for expedited processing of Freedom of Information, requests made by survivors of the Holocaust. On December 6, 2000, as part of the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2001, Congress changed the group's name to the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group. This action expanded the mission of the group to include the declassification of U.S. Government records related to World War II-era war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial government. Mr. Speaker, the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group is a valuable effort that informs the American people of the actions of their government while balancing the protection of legitimate national secrets. I support this noble effort so that we can continue to confront this dark chapter in American History. The vicious and barbaric war crimes committed by the Nazis, and the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Government during World War II, were some of the worse criminal acts of the 20th century. Both of these historical crimes against humanity must be studied and chronicled in their entirety. The acts of barbarism and genocide committed by the German Nazi and Japanese Imperial governments should never be forgotten. Therefore, it is up to the elected representatives of the American people to ensure that the United States Government complies completely with the Nazi War Crimes and Japanese Imperial Government Records Interagency Working Group and makes accessible all information that is allowable by law. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to oppose the Republican majority's ill-sighted budget resolution. This budget goes beyond bad all the way to dangerous. It's dangerous for our country, and it's dangerous for Florida. This budget cuts the COPS program by 96 percent, a program which has put over 7,000 police officers on Florida streets. Their budget cuts more than $40 million from homeland security formula grants in the state of Florida alone. The President is clearly unaware there is more to defending our homeland than invading foreign countries. But the addled decision-making in the Republican budget doesn't stop there. The Majority is proposing to decimate countless invaluable social welfare programs from Medicaid to Head Start and Even Start. It cuts almost $200 million in funding for Florida housing, employment counseling, transitional assistance, and small business loans. This budget also includes significant cuts to veterans' health care. What a great message to send to our troops: Thanks for serving your country, but now you're on your own. The Republican budget also fails our nation's youth. The budget cuts TRIO funding by over $700,000 in my district, and over $10 million just in the state of Florida. These costs will result in a loss of over 11,000 students to the TRIO program in the state of Florida. Without these programs, these students will not make it to college. This is not a prediction, it's a fact. I meet with representatives from various organizations in my district every day. Yesterday, I met with 31 people from different types of organizations. Every one of them told me their programs are being cut, and they don't know how they are going to survive because it is going to affect their programs ranging from children to the elderly to people without housing. I've met with local officials telling me the same thing. These budget cuts are forcing them to seek alternative means of revenue. In other words, taxes. I don't know if citizens will be taxed here in Washington or in Ft. Pierce or Riviera Beach, but somewhere along the line we are going to have to learn to share the responsibility for giving our communities the support they need. Where will all this money supposedly trimmed from the national budget go? Well, clearly not to balance the budget or solve the federal deficit crisis. The Republican budget will result in a spending deficit of $376 billion in 2006 alone. Unbelievably, this figure does not include the costs of several ill-conceived Republican initiatives such as the costs of privatizing social security or the President's war in Iraq. We have all heard President Bush tout his grand scheme to privatize social security, yet not only has he put forth no coherent plan to do so, but he has failed to include the financial requirements of such a plan. Vice President Cheney has suggested ``transition costs'' of up to $2 trillion or more. How can this cost not be included in any budget proposal? But there are alternatives. Both the Congressional Black Caucus and Representative Spratt have suggested sane alternatives to the Republican madness. Both of these budgets represent an approach to meeting the needs of regular Americans while maintaining the fiscal responsibility this nation needs. Mr. Chairman, I was going to stand here and tell you that the Republicans are balancing the budget on the backs of the poor, but they are not balancing this budget on anyone's backs because this budget doesn't reach that far! The people that are hurt by this budget are not only the poor but the average American. As Members of Congress, we have a solemn responsibility to protect the welfare of all our nation's citizens, and the Republican budget fails to meet that responsibility. I urge my colleagues to oppose this damaging and devastating attack on the social welfare of this country masquerading as a budget.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with Representatives Rehberg, Herseth, and Osborne to introduce the National Drought Preparedness Act. The companion to our bill is will also be introduced in the other body by Senators Pete Domenici and Max Baucus in the near future. In 1998, Congress passed legislation creating the National Drought Policy Commission. The Commission was tasked with the responsibility to examine current U.S. policy on drought. To summarize the Commission's fifty-page report in a few short words, ``The U.S. does not have a policy on drought.'' I wish I had just made a joke. The fact that we don't have a drought policy, however, is a joke--and not a good one at that. Drought is not just an agriculture issue, nor is it only a water management issue. When droughts occur, forest fires erupt, small businesses close, crop yields decrease, and in many instances, people die. In my home state of Florida, we are always taking steps to mitigate the affects of hurricanes and floods--regardless of what season it is. In the Midwest, similar efforts are made to plan for tornadoes, and in the West, the same could be said for wildfire prevention and earthquakes. It is time for America to move away from the costly, ad-hoc, and response-oriented approach to drought, and toward a more pro-active approach that focuses on preparation and planning. Coordination between federal, state, and local governments, in addition to watershed groups, farmers and ranchers, and resource dependent businesses, is the only way we will successfully curb the effects of drought before we find ourselves in one. The bill we are introducing today provides a new focus on an otherwise often ignored natural disaster. Our bill accomplishes four major goals. First, the bill begins to move the country away from the costly, ad- hoc, and response-oriented approach to drought, and toward a more pro- active approach focused on preparation and planning. The new national policy will provide the tools and focus for Federal, State, tribal and local governments to address the diverse impacts and costs caused by drought. Second, the bill will improve the delivery of Federal drought programs. To ensure improved program delivery, integration and leadership, the National Drought Preparedness Act establishes the National Drought Council under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture. The Council will provide the coordinating and integrating function for the more than 80 federal drought programs currently in existence. Third, the bill establishes new tools for drought preparedness planning. Building on current water policy, the Drought Council will assist states, local governments, tribes, and other entities in the development and implementation of drought preparedness plans. The bill does not mandate state and local planning, but is intended to facilitate the development and implementation of drought plans through the establishment of a Drought Assistance Fund. Importantly, the bill also preserves state authority over water allocation. Fourth, the bill improves our forecasting and monitoring abilities. Under our legislation, the Drought Council will facilitate the development of the National Integrated Drought Information System in order to improve the characterization of current drought conditions and the forecasting of future droughts, as well as provide a better basis to trigger federal drought assistance. Mr. Speaker, the creation of a coordinated and comprehensive National Drought Council will provide efficient and time sensitive coordination between federal agencies in preparing for and responding to droughts, as well as assisting Congress in identifying our immediate and long term needs in providing drought relief. I am looking forward to working with my colleagues and moving this bill forward. Americans are hurting throughout this country today because of water shortages and prolonged droughts. Congress must act immediately, and time is of the essence. I ask my colleagues to support this bill, and I urge the House leadership to bring this bill to the floor for its swift consideration.