Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good friend and constituent Joe LaMantia, Jr., for being named the 2004 Border Texan of the Year. This is an honor given only to those whose record of service in south Texas is a model for all Americans. The award is given in conjunction with Hidalgo County's annual Border Fest, a heritage and cultural festival that celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of south Texas. I can think of no one more deserving of this award than Joe LaMantia, Jr. Joe is a first-generation American with deep roots in South Texas. Following in his father's footsteps, Joe began his successful agricultural career in south Texas in Carrizo Springs. His agriculture operation consisted of pecan orchards, vegetables, and a cow-calf operation, plus a vegetable and fruit farm operation in Mexico and Chile. In 1965, he moved his family to the Rio Grande Valley to continue their agricultural business. Due to the unpredictability of agriculture, the LaMantias made a transition into the beer distribution business as wholesalers of Anheuser-Busch products. That was the beginning of the LaMantia family- owned and operated business of L&F Distributors. The company began in 1977 in McAllen, Texas, with 11 employees. I witnessed a fast learning curve by the LaMantias. Today, L&F Distributors has grown to employ over 600 individuals in 22 counties in the great State of Texas. Despite the demands of a growing and successful business, Joe has dedicated himself to improving the quality of life in his community. In 1974, Joe was appointed by Governor Dolph Brisco to the board of the Texas Department of Corrections. He was reappointed in 1983 by Governor Mark White, and served as the vice chair for over 10 years. During his tenure, Joe saw firsthand the problems facing the Texas border region, specifically poverty, crime and high unemployment. He recognized that education was the key to improving these challenges faced by the community. A champion of educational opportunity, Joe established one of the first scholarships for women athletes at the University of Texas Pan American, the Ann LaMantia Anheuser-Busch Outstanding Woman Athlete Scholarship. The scholarship was named in honor of his wife of 30 years, Ann LaMantia, who passed away in 1983. Ann LaMantia served on the board of regents at Pan American University and, like her husband, was committed to higher education for the students of south Texas. Since her passing, the LaMantias have continued to be dedicated to providing college scholarship opportunities for local students. Under Joe's leadership, L&F Distributors formed a partnership with the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in 1994 and in 8 years has raised over $5 million and awarded over 2,600 scholarships to students in south Texas. In 2002, L&F Distributors was recognized by the national organization as the largest contributing Anheuser Busch distributor to the HSF. That same year, the LaMantias created a local educational nonprofit organization, the South Texas Academic Rising Scholars (STARS) Foundation, which provides scholarship awards to students in south Texas to attend the college of their choice. Joe serves as the founder and chairman of the board of directors, and in less than 17 months STARS has managed to raise over $2 million for south Texas students and has become the premier scholarship foundation in south Texas. Mr. Speaker, this successful scholarship program has doubled the number of students who can have access to higher education. Joe, Jr. and his wife, Derrelene, have seven children and 26 grandchildren and consider their close-knit family their greatest asset. Joe is one of the hardest working entrepreneurs in south Texas. He is honest and a man of integrity, and I am proud to call him my friend. He truly deserves to be the Border Texan of the Year. I urge my colleagues to join me in commending Joe LaMantia, Jr. for his tireless efforts on behalf of children and in congratulating him on receiving this prestigious award.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the teachers in the State of Texas in strong opposition to this legislation. H.R. 743 turns a 1-day loophole, which was a minor inconvenience, into a 5-year career deterrent. My office is flooded with letters from justifiably concerned teachers that do not want to be forced out of the classroom even one day earlier than when they are ready. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know if the supporters of this bill are aware of the teaching shortage crippling our education system. Clearly they are not or they would not support the legislation before us today. They would not force teachers in Texas and Georgia to choose between retirement benefits and a career educating our children. If my colleagues were aware of these critical shortages, they would have surely stripped this provision from the legislation when they had an opportunity to do so almost a year ago. If they were aware of the growing teacher-student ratios in public schools, they would definitely honor our teachers with the retirement benefits they deserve by repealing the WEP and GPO. It could easily be done by passing H.R. 594. This bill, with 285 bipartisan cosponsors, would end this inequity not only for Texas teachers but for government employees throughout the country. In 2002, 376,000 public servants had their Social Security spousal benefits affected by the GPO. Forty percent of these were widows and widowers, and 73 percent were women. These are hardworking people who are relying on full spousal benefits to live comfortably in their retirement. Many learn of the GPO when it is too late to change their retirement plans. Yesterday, my office had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Carolyn Martin, a school librarian at Gregory-Portland High School in the coastal bend of Texas. Mrs. Martin was understandably concerned about her own future, but much more focused on the future of a teacher at her school who recently lost her husband over the holidays. This teacher has two children in college and, if H.R. 743 passes, will not be able to collect her widow's benefits under Social Security if she wants to stay in the classroom. Mrs. Martin characterized the issue best. She said, ``Social Security is the difference between a minimal standard of living and a dog-food diet in retirement.'' She was outraged, as am I, and again I quote, that ``millionaires can collect Social Security in this country but not Texas teachers.'' Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to consider the consequences of this vote today. Vote against H.R. 743.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maryln Lee McAdam, a friend and advocate and a national leader. Quietly, behind the scenes, seeking no recognition or glory for herself, Maryln fought day in and day out for educational opportunities for all of America's young people, especially for the children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. Her guidance and counsel were invaluable to many of us. The Hispanic community and the education community have had no greater friend than Maryln McAdam. Maryln led a truly remarkable life. She approached life with the unshakable belief that any obstacle could be overcome. As a young girl, she was struck with polio. Although she spent most of her life in a wheelchair, no one who knew Maryln would describe her as confined to that chair. She was amazing. Maryln graduated in the top of her class in high school, in college and also in graduate school. Although her academic field of expertise was chemistry, she was drawn to a different specialty, political science. As with her academic pursuits, Maryln excelled. She joined Paul Simon's campaign team for his successful run for the House of Representatives and then served on his legislative staff. She then moved to Congressman Bill Ford's team on the House postsecondary education subcommittee. Everywhere she went she made her mark. No one understood and loved politics and people as well as Maryln. After she left the Hill, Maryln established her own business. She continued her work in postsecondary education and was one of the most respected experts on Federal higher education policy. But Maryln was so much more than that. She dedicated her resources, her energy and expertise to ensuring that the most disadvantaged children in America, the children of migrant and seasonal farm workers, had a voice in Washington, D.C. She single-handedly made sure that every Washington policymaker in Congress and in the White House understood and appreciated the value of Federal programs for migrant children, programs such as the High School Equivalency Program and the College Assistance Migrant Program, the Migrant Education Program and the Migrant Vocational Rehabilitation Program. As an advocate for migrant children, Maryln became an important voice for education in the Hispanic community. For many years she served as co-chair of the Hispanic Education Coalition. More importantly, she served as a mentor to all of us who are involved in improving education for Hispanic Americans. Maryln was truly generous. She, like a good steward, gave freely of her time, her money and her knowledge to all of us who shared her commitment to young people. During my first term of Congress, Maryln's counsel and wisdom helped me as a freshman legislator deliver for the Hispanic community during the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Hispanic-serving institutions across the country owe her a debt of gratitude. Maryln was direct and honest. She could be trusted implicitly. When one asked for her analysis, assessment or advice, they got a straight answer, always polite, always diplomatic, not always what they wanted to hear but to the point and spin free. We could certainly use more of that in our Nation's capital. A few weeks ago, we lost Maryln Lee McAdam. She has left us with a legacy of service, dedication and a love for her country and the democratic process. In conclusion, I want to say that she was a leader and a patriot in the truest sense of these words. It was my privilege to know her and work with her; and I will miss her counsel, her enthusiasm and her friendship. I hope that we will carry on with the same integrity, tenacity and optimism that she demonstrated each and every day of her life so that all our young people are able to realize the American dream. May she rest in peace.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall No. 12.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the gentleman who just spoke from the State of Ohio knows that an estimated 57,000 residents in his State are likely to exhaust their State unemployment insurance compensation, leaving them and their families without a paycheck or benefits. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Miller amendment. Before Christmas 2003, this Congress adjourned without providing any relief for the more than 2 million workers whose unemployment benefits have or will soon expire. In my home State of Texas, during the next 6 months, over 125,000 workers will lose these critical benefits and have no means by which to support their families. The number of unemployed Texans expected to exhaust their regular benefits without being able to receive further assistance will be the second highest on record for the months of January through June 2004. These workers do not want government handouts. They simply want a job. But since there are 2.4 million fewer jobs to be had because of the failed economic policies of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, the least we can do is provide these workers some financial assistance to tide them over until the promised job growth occurs. American workers deserve the security of knowing that these important unemployment benefits will be available to them and their families through the rest of this year. I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and support the Miller amendment.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 12, H. Res. 507, had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report to accompany the Fair and Accurate Transactions Act of 2003. And I congratulate the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), and all the committee staff for the wonderful work they did in completing this conference report. This conference report will strengthen the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I am proud to have been an original co-sponsor of this legislation, to have supported it in committee, and to have voted in favor of it on the House floor. Let me take this opportunity to thank the conferees for including in the financial literacy provision of the legislation language that will allow the financial literacy commission the bill creates to take any action to develop and promote financial literacy and educational materials in languages other than English. This will apply to the hot line, Web site, and educational materials the commission produces or recommends. It is imperative that financial literacy materials be created and disseminated in languages other than English to recognize the diversity of our great Nation. I especially want to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), for his assistance with this language and Jaime Lizarraga of his staff. Rest assured that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Hispanic community appreciate your efforts and the language you inserted into the conference report. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report to accompany The Fair and Accurate Transactions Act of 2003. I congratulate Chairman Oxley and Ranking Member Frank, Subcommittee Chairman Bachus and Ranking Member Sanders and all the House and Senate conferees on completing this conference report. This conference report will strengthen the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. I am proud to have been an original cosponsor of this legislation, to have supported it in Committee and to have voted in favor of it on the House floor. I want to read at this time a portion of a letter Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan sent to me dated February 28, 2003. Chairman Greenspan was responding to a question I submitted to him in writing asking what would happen to the U.S. economy if the exceptions to the Fair Credit Reporting Act were allowed to expire after January 1, 2004. In his letter, Chairman Greenspan warned that: ``Limits on the flow of information among financial market participants, or increased costs resulting form restrictions that differ based on geography, may lead to an increase in the price or a reduction in the availability of credit, as well as a reduction in the optimal sharing of risk and reward.'' I am very pleased that this conference report heeded Chairman Greenspan's warning, and I believe that its passage will help our struggling economy to improve. Let me take this opportunity to thank the conferees for including in the financial literacy provision of the legislation language that will allow the Financial Literacy Commission the bill creates to ``take any action to develop and promote financial literacy and education materials in languages other than English.'' This will apply to the hotline, website, and educational materials the Commission produces or recommends. It is imperative that financial literacy materials be created and disseminated in languages other than English to recognize the diversity of our great nation. I especially want to thank Ranking Member Frank for his assistance with this language and Jaime Lizarraga of his staff. Rest assured that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Hispanic community appreciate your efforts and the language you inserted into the conference report.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski) for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for their leadership in moving this issue forward. I also acknowledge and credit the good work of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Baker) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kanjorski). I rise in support of H.R. 2420, the Mutual Fund Integrity and Fee Transparency Act of 2003. I agreed to cosponsor this legislation which emphasizes integrity and values in the securities industry. I will vote for this bill today. However, I want the House and Senate to continue to modify its content because the mutual fund issues at hand continue to evolve. Congress needs to ensure that the final bill sent to President Bush for his signature reflects appropriate solutions to real problems so that mutual funds shareholders will benefit from it. At present we are caught in the middle of regulatory one-upsmanship which is creating an interesting situation for Congress. Although some people in the mutual funds industry certainly make themselves easy targets, press accounts of the problem have helped inflame the situation, as have the very public battles between two regulators responsible for oversight of the mutual funds industry. Mutual funds such as Putnam have violated certain laws and regulations. However, in just 6 weeks that same fund is in the process of cleaning house, has settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission, put strict compliance measures in place as part of that settlement, and is now run by a man some consider to be one of the most ethical men in the financial services industry. At the end of the day, the overall mutual funds industry restitution may be $50 to $100 per affected share holder. We need to remember that the majority of mutual funds shareholders are not affected by the recent developments in this market and the guilty parties are rightfully being fined and punished under existing laws, not laws that have yet to be passed. Market forces are at work. Mr. Speaker, the public perception of good funds versus bad funds will shape success for the mutual funds companies. Although I have cosponsored this legislation, and will vote for it today, I want to stress how important it is that we proceed very carefully with this legislation and any legislation that changes the regulation of the mutual funds industry.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker I rise today to acknowledge the importance of breast cancer awareness. This year in the U.S. alone, more than 200,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and over 40,000 will die from this devastating disease. Every 3 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and every 13 minutes a women dies from this disease. We know that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Mammography screening remains the best tool available to detect breast cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages. The death rate from breast cancer among women in the U.S. has been decreasing by about 2 percent annually during the past decade, suggesting that public awareness, early detection, and improved therapies are having an impact on the disease. In the past 20 years, the percentage of women in the U.S. receiving mammograms has grown from 13 percent to 60 percent--a significant difference. But we still have a long way to go. Mortality rates in some minority populations have not declined at the same rate as it has in other populations, and we must ensure that all Americans, regardless of race or ethnicity, have access to quality breast health and breast cancer care. We must continue to fund the programs that enable progress in winning the war on breast cancer, prioritize increased NIH funding, move the reauthorization of the Mammography Quality Standards Act through conference intact, and take action on the 10+ pieces of legislation that have been introduced during the 108th Congress to better the lives of breast cancer victims and survivors, fund research and promote awareness. The 72 people that will be diagnosed with breast cancer today are counting on us.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 576, 577, 578 and 579.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I agree with much of what the gentleman from California pointed out. I want to summarize my comments and say that this bill provides for the extension and expansion of a program to verify if employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. But we have Representatives on both sides of the aisle who oppose this bill because it expands this current pilot program to all 50 States, when today the pilot program is currently covering only six States. That includes California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, and Nebraska. They are the ones who have these pilot programs. This legislation would allow all the States then to have access to what is existent right now in the database. Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2359. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2359, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003. While proponents of this bill claim it is a simple extension of the basic pilot program for employment eligibility verification, this bill actually comes dangerously close to threatening the privacy of U.S. citizens and noncitizens alike. H.R. 2359 would permit any government agency to use the basic pilot confirmation system to check the immigration or citizenship status of U.S. citizens and immigrants who come within their purview. This would include those who seek drivers' licenses, it would include professional licenses, or any person who is subject to an inquiry of a Federal, State, or local government agency. My own home State of Texas is one of the sites for the current pilot program. Although the program was set up with the best of intentions, a recent independent study conducted for the U.S. Department of Justice concluded that the basic pilot program is not ready for larger scale implementation at this time. The study identified problems such as inaccurate and outdated immigration databases. It brought out the civil rights violations by employers and insufficient privacy protections. Although the program is not supposed to be used as a prescreening mechanism before employment is offered, many employers are basing hiring decisions on these checks. As a result, eligible workers are being denied employment opportunities because an outdated database says they are not eligible to work. The study concluded that these problems could become insurmountable if the program were to be expanded dramatically in scope. Despite the findings of this study, this bill would expand a flawed program to every State of the Union. I can only conclude that this legislation is a veiled attempt to put in place the mechanism for eventual adoption of a controversial national identification program. The expansion of the pilot program would effectively create a single database, with no privacy protections, that would make it much easier for the government to track its own citizens. Madam Speaker, it leads me to believe that such a vast invasion of a citizen's privacy must be carefully examined and debated by Congress. However, this broad expansion of government power has been attached to a seemingly benign program extension circumventing any committee hearings or subcommittee markup. We all agree that we need to find ways to ensure employers hire workers that are legally authorized to work in the United States; however, the Basic Pilot Extension Act does nothing to take us closer to this goal. Instead, this legislation expands a currently imperfect program and creates a new and controversial identification database that could threaten the privacy of all U.S. citizens and immigrants. I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 2359. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) just said that this bill does not create a new database, and I disagree with the gentleman. I disagree with the gentleman, and for the first time since I have been in Congress do I agree with the organizations called Americans for Tax Reform and the American Conservative Union. In their report to H.R. 2359, they say that the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003, that the undersigned organizations write to ask Members to vote against H.R. 2359 because this bill puts in place the mechanism for eventual adoption of a national identification system. They say, perhaps more importantly, section 3 of this proposed bill establishes the precursor of a national identification system by amalgamating data of citizens and immigrants into what is effectively a single database that would be used for multiple purposes. It is quite interesting if it is not going to do what the gentleman says, why they do not just put it through the regular process and let the committees debate it and discuss it and vote on it in committee instead of attaching it to another bill. All of this to say that it is alarming to see what is being done here by a group that is circumventing the process that has worked here for years and years in the House of Representatives. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

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

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of in support of H.R. 3076, the Graduate Opportunities in Higher Education Act. I would like to commend our subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra); the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner); and our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for the way they have managed this process, enabling us to bring this bipartisan measure to the House floor today. This bill reauthorizes Title VII of the Higher Education Act. Although it only represents a small percentage of the Federal investment in higher education, it is a critical investment. This education legislation reaffirms the Federal interest in promoting access to advanced and professional degrees, as well as assisting colleges and universities in meeting the needs of the growing number of students with disabilities who aspire to earn college degrees. This legislation make important improvements to our graduate education programs. If we are to reach our goal of ensuring that there is a highly-qualified teacher in every classroom, we must address our teacher preparation pipeline in its entirety. In No Child Left Behind we addressed the need for professional development and mentoring for teachers already in our schools. In the Ready to Teach Act, we worked on improving the preparation of new teachers. And now, in the Graduate Opportunities in Higher Education Act, we are going to address faculty shortages in our colleges of education, especially in the fields of math, science, special education, and teaching of limited English proficiency students to ensure that our teacher colleges have the well-prepared faculty to prepare new teachers and conduct the scientifically-based research that will be used to inform instruction in classrooms across the whole country. This is an important addition to the Higher Education Act, and I thank the chairman for working with us to include it in this bill. I am also pleased that this bill reauthorizes and makes improvements to the Thurgood Marshall Legal Educational Opportunity Program, demonstration projects to ensure that students with disabilities receive a quality higher education and the funds for the improvement of postsecondary education. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the staff on both sides of the aisle on a job well-done in preparing this legislation. In particular, I would like to recognize the work of Alison Ream for the majority, and I would like to recognize Mr. Ricardo Martinez for this side of the aisle. Again, thank the chairman for working to bring forward a bill that we can all support. Mr. Speaker, I reserves the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also express my appreciation for the way in which the gentleman conducted the hearing that we had here in Washington, wherein you brought in experts to show us the great demand that there is for programs and for classes and the shortage that we have of faculty, prepared faculty, in the colleges and universities. And the gentleman responded so quickly to be able to bring that then to our subcommittee, pass it unanimously, and now bring it to the House floor. So this will make all those deans, who came all the way to Washington to testify before us, extremely happy, as it makes me, and I am sure that many of those in higher education are going to be elated that this finally has passed.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne), a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

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

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise today in support of H.R. 3077, the International Studies in Higher Education Act. International education is increasingly important in today's world. We are part of a global economy, and our fortunes are directly tied to the fortunes of other nations. As a global community, we must face many shared challenges: Protecting the earth's natural resources, meeting our energy needs, feeding the growing world population, eradicating diseases, protecting human rights, and ensuring that all people have the opportunity to reach their full potential through education and meaningful work. We must build our Nation's capacity to operate in this global environment. As our challenges in Iraq demonstrate, lack of understanding of other people's culture and language can have deadly consequences. All of our young people, from elementary school through the university, must be exposed to the world at large. We must encourage and value multilingualism. That is why I am very pleased that we are considering H.R. 3077, which reauthorizes the International Studies Program in Higher Education Act. I would like to thank our subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), and our ranking minority member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for working to produce a bill that deserves bipartisan support. This bill reauthorizes our international education programs, the international and foreign language studies programs, the business and international education programs, and also the International Institute for Public Policy. These are the core international education programs that have served our Nation very well for many years. The legislation makes some needed improvements to these programs. It will ease the financial burdens that may discourage needy institutions, such as Hispanic-serving institutions, HSIs; it will benefit Historic Black Colleges and Universities, HBCUs; and it will also benefit tribally-controlled colleges and universities from participating in the programs by allowing the Secretary of Education to reduce the matching requirement on a case-by-case basis. It also encourages institutions to work in partnerships with minority-serving institutions in the international business programs. Mr. Speaker, these are steps in the right direction. We must ensure that our national efforts in international education reflect the increasingly diverse population here at home in the United States. Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with us to clarify the role and the responsibilities of the new advisory board. The International Advisory Board will make recommendations to improve the international education programs under title VI. It will not interfere with curriculum nor with academic freedom. Mr. Speaker, our professional staff on the committee have once again done an excellent job in preparing this legislation for our consideration. I would like to recognize the efforts of Alison Ream for the majority and Mr. Ricardo Martinez on our side of the aisle. I urge my colleagues to support this education legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for H.R. 2535, the Economic Development Administration Reauthorization. In my congressional district, under the leadership of Pedro Garza, the Austin regional director, EDA has been a strong partner in helping my rural and urban communities in a variety of ways. EDA grants have helped my small rural towns build wastewater facilities and other infrastructure projects. With EDA grants, South Texas Community College has built an allied health center that is training hundreds of new nurses and health professionals. These students will have the opportunity to work in a high-paying career and alleviate the nursing shortage that is plaguing the entire State of Texas. EDA funding helped us complete a new pediatric speciality clinic in one of the poorest counties in the nation. An EDA planning grant is currently helping the Delta Region of Hidalgo County develop an economic development plan that will lead the region into a new era of economic growth. Whenever we have called on Mr. Garza, he has been there to help us to the best of his ability. I want to thank him for all he has done for the 15th Congressional District of Texas. The EDA model of leveraging public and private sector investment is a proven success. Every $1 million in EDA investment helps rural and urban communities leverage $10.8 million in private-sector investments. We need to encourage this type of success in other Federal programs. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2535 and allow EDA to continue its mission of helping our rural and urban communities grow.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, as the Hispanic Heritage Celebration--2003 draws to a close, I rise to pay tribute to Oyster Bilingual Elementary School, a pearl right here in the Nation's Capital. For over 30 years, Oyster School has proudly served the Hispanic community in Washington, DC. The Oyster School, named after former D.C. Public Schools Superintendent, James F. Oyster, first opened its doors in the 1920's. By 1970, the Oyster School was home to many immigrant families from Central America who began to settle in the Adams Morgan neighborhood in the District of Columbia. These new parents along with community activists pushed for the creation of a bilingual program, one that would best instruct their children, whose first language was Spanish. In the spring of 1971, the D.C. Public School Board approved a two- way bilingual program at the Oyster School. From the beginning, the Oyster School program was a partnership effort. In addition to support from D.C. Public Schools, Oyster Bilingual Elementary School received Federal funding and a grant from the Ford Foundation for teacher training, curriculum development, and program evaluation. As a result, a generation before the ``No Child Left Behind Act'' weaved ``scientifically-based research'' into the education lexicon, Oyster School put into place a scientifically-based model for teaching children to achieve to high standards in two languages--Spanish and English. At the Oyster Bilingual Elementary School, approximately half the students speak Spanish as their first language and half the students speak English. Students come from diverse ethnic and socio-economic groups. This year, 35 percent of Oyster's students are eligible for free or reduced- price lunch. All students are expected to master the D.C. Public Schools content in both languages. Oyster students measure up and test well in both languages, consistently placing Oyster Bilingual Elementary School in the top ten of the over 100 elementary schools in the District of Columbia. The Oyster Bilingual Elementary School is a model for the Nation. It has received numerous accolades, including a citation for excellence from the U.S. Department of Education and an Exemplary School Award from the National Association for Bilingual Education. Perhaps a more significant measure of the value of the Oyster Bilingual Elementary School experience is the fact that until D.C. Public Schools introduced a lottery system for admission, hundreds of parents would camp out for days in order to get a coveted ``first come, first serve'' slot at the school. Oyster Bilingual Elementary School has fostered a sense of community and shared values between the immigrant community and the largely upper-middle class residents of the Woodley Park neighborhood. When the school faced closure in the early 1990's because of its dilapidated facilities, the community rallied and formed the 21st century school fund. Through this community-public-private partnership, the financing was made available to build the first new school building in the District of Columbia in 20 years--a beautiful new facility that will serve both the growing Hispanic community and the D.C. community at large. Oyster Bilingual Elementary School's long-term success is a product of community involvement and public-private partnerships. The school has produced many distinguished alumni who serve as role models and continue to serve the Hispanic community in our nation's capital. Among them are: Mirna Amaya, a child development specialist who works at Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care in D.C.; Nathanial Beers, a doctor at Children's Hospital Medical Center; Olga Artiga, a kindergarten teacher at Oyster. Her sister Connie Artiga Oliver runs the after-school care program at Oyster; and Cecilia Arce, a library assistant and a parent of three children at Oyster. As Oyster Bilingual Elementary School begins to serve a new generation of students I commend it for staying true to its mission, which states: ``We believe that native Spanish-speaking children will learn to perform better in English in an environment that respects their native language and provides continued growth in their native language. In addition, we believe that the education of English speaking children will be enriched by achieving competency in a second language at an age when achieving such competency is easiest.'' Mr. Speaker, the administration at Oyster School is fulfilling this mission and I urge my colleagues in Congress to commend them for their efforts.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and colleague from the great State of Tennessee for yielding time. Mr. Chairman, I wish to echo the accolades given to leaders on both sides of the aisle who made it possible to get H.R. 1474 to this point in the process. In particular I wish to acknowledge and thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Oxley) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for the conference report to accompany H.R. 1474, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act. I cosponsored virtually identical legislation last Congress, and I am glad to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 1474 this year and to support this conference report. Under current law, a bank may clear checks electronically only if it has entered into an agreement with another bank. H.R. 1474 would facilitate the use of check truncation by removing this requirement. This legislation authorizes, but does not mandate, banks to create an electronic image of a check, which can then be sent to another bank, eliminating the physical transfer of the original check. Recognizing that not all banks have the ability to send electronic transmission of a check, the conference report on H.R. 1474 authorizes the creation of substitute checks for payment. This substitute check would be used in place of the original paper check, and it would be a negotiable instrument. Banks that create an electronic check will be able to create a substitute check and use that for presentment to a bank that has not upgraded its system to accept electronic checks. This conference report recognizes that there are several levels of consumer protections already. However, the bill would establish warranty and indemnification provisions to protect against any losses involved with the use of substitute checks. A consumer could make a written claim for recredit within 40 days of the date of receiving a periodic statement or the date the substitute check is made available to the customer, whichever date is later. The customer could also submit a warranty claim on the substitute check if the production of the original check or better copy of the original check is necessary to determine the validity of a disputed claim. To its credit, the conference report on H.R. 1474 would require banks to provide to existing customers and to new account holders a brief notice about the use of substitute checks and a description of the consumer's right to recredit for improper payment. Mr. Speaker, there are many more provisions of this conference report that I support and could discuss, but will refrain from doing so at this time.