Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor and pay tribute to a great American, my good friend, the late Dr. Milton Wilson from Houston, Texas. Dr. Wilson passed away on September 2, 2003. I hope my colleagues will join me in extending deepest sympathies to his family as they mourn this great loss. Although Dr. Wilson will be sorely missed, his family can take comfort in remembering his numerous accomplishments and the incredible legacy he left behind. Dr. Milton Wilson was born July 20, 1915, in Paducah, Kentucky. His father was a Pullman car porter, and both his mother and grandmother were public school teachers. His parents instilled in him a strong work ethic and a love for education that stayed with him throughout his life. After graduating from Lincoln High School in Paducah, Kentucky, Milton Wilson went on to earn a bachelor's degree from West Virginia State College and later earned a master's degree, as well as a doctorate degree in business administration from Indiana University at Bloomington. In later years, he returned to teach at Indiana University as a professor of accounting. His commitment to his students and his dedication to teaching earned him Indiana University's Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Wilson continued his very distinguished career as head of the Department of Accounting at Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia, through 1944. At the request of President Dent of Dillard University, Dr. Wilson moved to New Orleans to head the university's business department until 1949. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Wilson moved to my home State of Texas, and in 1952 became the first African American Certified Public Accountant in Texas. The President of Texas Southern University invited him to establish a Department of Business Administration, which later became the School of Business Administration, with Dr. Wilson serving as its first dean. Under Dean Wilson's leadership, TSU became the first school of business in Houston to gain accreditation by the American Assembly of College Schools of Business. Because of trailblazing work, Dr. Wilson became nationally known as the dean of predominantly black business schools in this country. It was while he headed the TSU School of Business Administration that I first came to know Dr. Milton Wilson, his first wife Zelda, and his family. Mrs. Wilson, who passed away in 2001, was a beautiful, gracious and hospitable lady who always made me feel welcome in her home. I will always remember listening to her own stories and experiences, both challenging and rewarding. His son, Milton Wilson, Jr., followed in his father's footsteps and has been honored many times in the Federal Government's Senior Executive Service, serving for the Small Business Administration. I am proud to recognize him as one of my best friends during the last 25 years. Not content to rest on his laurels at TSU, Dr. Wilson also served as a visiting professor at both Harvard and the University of Chicago. He shared his expertise as a valued consultant for a number of Federal agencies. As adviser to the Ford Foundation, in conjunction with Indiana University, he led a project that resulted in the successful establishment of the Institute of Business Administration in Dacca, Pakistan. Dr. Wilson remained at TSU until 1970, when President Cheek of Howard University called him and offered him a new opportunity. President Cheek requested that he establish the Howard University School of Business and Public Administration. Dr. Wilson accepted this challenge. Through his efforts, Howard University became the first school in the Washington area to gain AACSB accreditation, first for its bachelor degree program and, ultimately for its accounting program. Madam Speaker, Dr. Wilson believed anything was possible. He never gave up and fought to make every institution of higher learning at which he served the best it could be. His students received the educational tools they needed to become prominent and successful business people, professionals and elected officials. Throughout his life, Dr. Wilson received countless honors, awards and recognitions, including the Henry B. Gonzalez Latino Leadership Award, named in honor of our colleague, the late Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez. This citation for meritorious service is presented to those who have worked selflessly, often without recognition, and made contributions both in the Hispanic community and the broader society as well. Dr. Wilson was chosen to receive this award because he embodied a giving, sharing spirit and made a lasting contribution to our nation through education. Upon retiring from TSU in 1990, Dr. Wilson was honored by the Texas House of Representatives for his distinguished serviced in his community, business, government and academia. Dr. Wilson is survived by his second wife, Imelda Pradia Wilson and three children: Rhea Ann Fairley, Zelda Jefferson Young, and Milton Wilson, Jr.; his sister, Jessie W. Wilson; and five grand-children: Gladys Zelda Fairley, Paul Milton Fairley, Milton Wilson III, Marcus James Wilson, and Wendell Mosley. Dr. Milton Wilson was a true American pioneer. His efforts and his accomplishments will long be remembered. I ask all Members of Congress to join me in commending the late Dr. Milton Wilson for his exceptional career and contributions to our Nation and in extending our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the National Book Festival sponsored by the Library of Congress and First Lady Laura Bush, I rise today to honor three distinguished Latino Writers. Jose-Luis Orozco is in many respects a multi-cultural teacher and musician and is recognized across the country for his contributions to bilingual education and literacy. His recordings and books share and transmit Latin American traditions and culture to millions of children. As a children's author, songwriter, performing artist, he has recorded 13 volumes of Lirica Infantil, Latin American Children's Music. He has also written two award winning books, De Colores and Other Latin American Folks Songs for Children (Dutton 1994) and Diez Deditos, Ten Little Fingers. (Dutton 1997). Mr. Orozco was born in Mexico City. At the age of ten he traveled the world with the Mexico City Boys Choir. In 1970 after graduating from Mexico City School of Music, he moved to the United States. Initially, on a two week visit, Orozco permanently stayed and completed his master's degree in Multi-cultural Education from the University of California, Berkeley. Jose-Luis Orozco continues to perform for children around the country at concert halls, libraries, and schools. He is a recognized expert in children music is a featured speaker and presenter at numerous educational conferences for teachers, parents, and librarians. Mr. Orozco is a valued resource for all who seek to use music as a multi- cultural learning tool. His passion and dedication to multi cultural education through music has impacted countless of individuals throughout the country. Pam Munoz Ryan is the author of the novel Esperanza Rising, winner of the Pura Belpre Medal, a the Jane Addams Peace Award, and the American Library Associations' Top Ten Books for Young Adults and the Americas Award. In addition, her novel Riding Freedom has also gained wide recognition winning the Willa Cather Award and the California Young Readers Medal. Pam Munoz Ryan is also recognized for her picture books for young and older readers, such as the award winning Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride and also her work, When Marian Sang, is a recipient of the American Library Association's Sibert Honor, including the National Council of Teachers in English's Orbits Pictus Award. Pam Munoz Ryan was born and raised in California in the San Joaquin Valley. She is the oldest of three sisters. She grew up surrounded by her aunts, uncles, and grandparents. During her childhood many hours were spent at the local library where her love of literature was cultivated. After receiving her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from San Diego State University, she became a teacher, an administrator, and after the encouragement from a friend a writer. Through her life's passion, as writer Pam Munoz Ryan has touched many lives. Judith Ortiz Cofer is an English and Creative Writing Franklin Professor at University of Georgia. A native of Puerto Rico, her lectures center on biculturalism and the creative processes. She is driven by a deep belief in freedom of expression and the necessity to disseminate the literature and art of the many people contributing to the culture of the United States. Her literary work is respected through the country being awarded The Anisfield Wolf Award for The Latin Deli, a collection of essays, short fiction, and poetry. In addition, she was awarded the first Pura Belpre Medal by Reforma of the American Library Association (1996) for her book, An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio, which also garnered the American Library Association Best book of the Year 1995-96. She also is the author of Line in the Sun, a novel, a collection of personal essay and short stories, and her work Silent Dancing was awarded a PEN/Martha Albarnd Special citation for nonfiction. Judith Ortiz Cofer has been awarded several fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Witter Bynner Foundation For Poetry. In 1998 Judith Ortiz Cofer was awarded Paterson Book Prize for her work, The Year of Our Revolution: New and Selected Stories and Poems at Passaic County Community College; additionally, she was the recipient of Christ Janner Award in Creative Research from the University of Georgia. The Rockefeller Foundation also awarded her residency at the Bellagio, Italy Conference Center in 1999. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and The National Book Festival, I hope we take time to recognize the contributions of these and many other fine Hispanic authors. America's people come from rich and diverse cultural backgrounds. Literature is at the root of America's culture. These three authors have added tremendously to our diverse American cultural fabric

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, for 109 days now, we have demanded fairness for the 6.5 million families that were denied their equitable share of the child tax credit provisions in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. These families, headed by workers who pay taxes from their paychecks and on their purchases as well as paying property taxes and excise taxes, represent 12 million children. Those families include rural families. The 12 million children are more than half of the sons and daughters of rural farmers and farm workers. They are one out of every four children of nurses and nurses' aids. They are more than half of the children of janitors, maids, and cooks. The children left out are one in ten children of teachers and teachers' aids. More than 120,000 of these children are the dependents of active military personnel. Just as we must not leave children behind in the classroom, we cannot ignore working families and their children when the Treasury Department mails out checks. We have said it again and again and again: Tax relief for families should be fair and equitable. We must come together and provide a refundable credit to demonstrate our commitments to all working families. Mr. Speaker, I support the Davis motion to instruct, and I urge everyone else to vote in favor of this motion.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of this debate on H.R. 13, I wish to commend my friend and colleague, the chairman of our Subcommittee on Select Education of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), for the work that we have been able to do in our committee in a bipartisan manner. I look forward to working on many other bills that he and I have discussed as we move along this year and go into the second half on the 108th Congress. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 13, the Museum and Library Services Act of 2003. I would like to say to the over 117,000 libraries and to more than 16,000 museums nationwide, you have a real friend and champion in the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Education. I also commend the chairman and the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for their leadership in producing this bipartisan legislation. This bill not only has strong bipartisan support, it also has broad support from the library and the museum community throughout the country. I am proud that with this bill we are reaffirming our national commitment to the institutions that provide access to information and technology for many in our community who would not otherwise have access to this wealth of information. Through this legislation, we are demonstrating to the Nation that we value the key institutions that preserve and promote our cultural heritage. The Museum and Library Services Act strengthens the Federal support for museum and library programs. It reauthorizes the Library Services and Technology Act, raising the authorization level to $232 million and increasing the minimum State allotment to $680,000. These grants can be used for expanding services, for learning and access to informational and educational resources in a variety of formats, for providing electronic and other linkages among and between all types of libraries and for targeting services to people of diverse geographic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. This legislation also reauthorizes the Museum Services Act to encourage and support museums in carrying out their public service, educational and leadership roles as stewards of the cultural, historic, natural and scientific heritage of the United States of America. This part of the legislation increased the authorization of this important program to $38.6 million for fiscal year 2004. Mr. Speaker, in my congressional district this program has provided invaluable support to the International Museum of Art and Sciences in my McAllen, as well as to the Donna Hooks Fletcher Historical Museum in Donna; and there are many others that have benefitted as well. As a result of this program these museums will strengthen their conservation programs and increase their base of support in their community. Also, H.R. 13 incorporates the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act introduced by my good friend and colleague, the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum). This act increases the indemnity coverage to $600 million per exhibition. I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for her work on this important issue. Finally, I would like to commend the committee staff for their excellent work on this bill. In particular, I commend Rich Stombres and Rebecca Hunt of the majority staff for their efforts on this bill. I also wish to applaud the hard work of our Democratic committee staff, Ricardo Martinez and Cheryl Johnson. This was a job well done. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise as an original cosponsor in strong support of H. Res. 368, introduced by the Committee on Small Business chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo). This legislation honors the Small Business Administration on the occasion of its 50th anniversary and designates this week as National Small Business Week. In 1953, the SBA was created to champion the interests of the Nation's entrepreneurs for the benefit of all Americans. Our Nation's economy is built on and draws its strength from the creativity and entrepreneurship of its people. Over 25 million small businesses employ more than half of all private sector employees. They pay 44.5 percent of the total United States private payroll. They generate 60 to 80 percent of all new jobs annually. Small businesses are, in fact, the engine of this Nation's economy, as was said earlier by the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez). I worked with my father in south Texas to build a small business in my district that today employs over 300 people. The SBA played a key role in this company's development by assisting my family in growing this business during the last 54 years. Presently, Ms. Sylvia Zamponi, the district director for the SBA in the Lower Rio Grande Valley District, is providing similar assistance to my constituents. I want to commend her for all her efforts on behalf of the small business owners in my congressional district. I also want to express my appreciation for all of the efforts of the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Manzullo) to support small businesses and to improve their situation, particularly the manufacturing sector in the United States that currently is in a crisis with the dramatic loss of manufacturing jobs. To help address this crisis, the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Manzullo) organized the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus, which I have joined, to preserve manufacturing jobs in America. The caucus will not only educate Washington on the importance of manufacturing in America, but it will work to enact policies to stem job losses and to put people back to work, including in south Texas and throughout the country. I also commend the ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), for taking appropriate actions to ensure that SBA continues to perform effectively the mission Congress gave it over 50 years ago. Mr. Speaker, again, I congratulate the SBA on its 50th anniversary and hope that the current administration will continue to fully fund SBA so it may continue to assist entrepreneurs throughout this country.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of cancer patients in my district. I would like the conferees working to craft a final Medicare prescription drug benefit to know what the cancer community in the 15th District of Texas is saying. Mr. Speaker, the cancer community is united in saying that the deep cancer care cuts, in the form of reductions in reimbursements to community-based clinics for cancer drugs, will catastrophically dismantle the cancer care delivery system we have built in this country. If passed, the cancer community fears these cuts will turn back the clock on cancer care at least 30 years: Community-based cancer centers nationwide, where 80 percent of patients receive treatment, will be forced to stop seeing Medicare patients or close their doors all together. This will force cancer patients back into hospitals or large academic cancer clinics--and those institutions have said they cannot handle the influx of patients. Patients in rural America--like in parts of my South Texas District-- will be severely burdened as they will have to travel great distances to receive care. Family members and friends who would have to accompany a loved one on those long trips, would face the economic burden of missing work as well as the psychological hurdle of helping someone through treatment, if this bill passes in its current form. These cancer cuts will not only affect today's treatments, but tomorrow's medical cures. That's because more than 60 percent of clinical trials of promising cancer treatments occur in the community- based setting. Without community treatment centers to provide care, patient access to clinical trials--and the hope they represent--would be significantly curtailed. These cuts appeared at a critical time in the war against cancer. Just last month the National Cancer Institute reported that mortality rates from the four most common types of cancer--breast, colorectal, lung and prostate--appear to have declined. That marks eight years in a row that cancer deaths have declined. But even with that good news, we still face many challenges in the War on Cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 1-in-2 men and 1-in-3 women will be diagnosed with cancer at some time in their lives. And an estimated 60 percent of new cancer cases are predicted in people aged 65 years and older. Prescription drug coverage is a noble cause, and one which I hope we can provide to seniors. But we cannot provide seniors drug coverage on the backs of cancer patients--many of whom are fighting for their lives. Seniors deserve a Medicare prescription drug bill, not a $16 billion cancer care cut.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, today is Patriot Day, so designated by a law enacted by this Congress in October 2001, that calls on the people of the United States to observe a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives that terrible day. It is a day of national prayer and mourning, a day to honor memories of the 3,016 men, women, and children who perished on September 11, 2001. In my south Texas congressional district, numerous cities, schools, and civic organizations are holding ceremonies today. I want to especially mention a few events like those being held at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School in Beeville VFW Post 9170, as well as in the Staff Sergeant Ernesto Garcia American Legion Post 633 in Mathis, Texas. In that moment of silence, we remember all of those who perished and pray for their families and loved ones who endure the pain and loss of that tragic day. We honor especially the heroic sacrifices of our firefighters, police and rescue personnel, military servicemembers, and the courageous passengers on Flight 93 who saved hundreds of more lives by stopping that fourth plane which crashed in Pennsylvania. They are the true heroes and patriots. And so are the tens of millions of Americans who on that day answered their Nation's calls by contributing to relief efforts and helping those in need. As we commemorate the terrorist attack on America 2 years ago, we also reaffirm our resolve as a Nation to fight the scourge of international terrorism, to destroy the abilities of al Qaeda to mount deadly attacks against innocent civilians in the United States, the Middle East, and beyond. Achieving that goal will require the concerted effort of all civilized nations. Even as we pay tribute to our troops defending our freedoms abroad, we applaud the President for turning to the United Nations to help in the major effort that lies ahead in rebuilding Iraq. In the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, Congress responded with unprecedented unity and speed. We authorized the President to use all necessary force to destroy the al Qaeda network and the Taliban government that provided it safe harbor in Afghanistan. We enacted legislation to strengthen our homeland security. New laws overhauled our airport security system, fortified our boarders, and provided our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with new tools to track down terrorists at home and abroad. And we worked together with the President to establish the Department of Homeland Security. But much more remains to be done to secure our homeland to make Americans safer and more secure. Providing for the common defense as set forth in the preamble to the Constitution is our first responsibility as Members of Congress. We need to improve the protection of our borders by hiring more border patrol agents and inspectors and by employing technology to monitor every mile of our borders around the clock. We also need more extensive security protections for our commercial ports, and we need to provide our first responders with the equipment and training they need to respond to another terrorist attack. As we remember 9/11, we also recognize that some positive things have come out of this tragedy. All across America we see a renewed sense of community, a feeling of patriotism and greater appreciation for the freedoms and the liberty that make our country great. In the aftermath of September 11, a Newsweek poll found that fully 78 percent of the public felt more patriotism and love of country. It is estimated that more than half of American households proudly display the flag on their homes or automobiles compared to 15 percent before September 11. A recent CNN-USA Today poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans, 70 percent, are extremely proud to be an American. They are proud of what our country stands for and proud to live in the greatest democracy in the history of the world. Mr. Speaker, let us hope that this renewed sense of patriotism, of fellowship with our local communities, of compassion for those in need, and respect for those who protect and defend us will strengthen, comfort, and sustain us in the great struggle that lies ahead.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I am an original cosponsor of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, and I support it strongly. H.R. 2622, known as the FACT Act, provides for a strong national credit system. It preserves consumers access to affordable credit, enhances consumer protections, and will ensure that Hispanics will continue to have access to credit. From the beginning of this process, my new Democrat colleagues and I have been deeply involved in crafting this bipartisan bill, which passed the Committee on Financial Services by a 61 to 3 vote. The bill preserves the continuity of our credit system and includes comprehensive identity theft, dispute resolution, and credit report accuracy provisions that will increase and strengthen people's control over their own financial records. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing white collar crimes in the United States, especially in my State of Texas. This legislation, H.R. 2622, will help reduce those crimes and help the victims of identity theft regain their identity and restore their credit. The FACT Act addresses all these important issues and more. It will benefit consumers in our economy, and it will help improve financial literacy in the United States. I commend my Republican colleagues, especially the chairman, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley), and the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus), for working with us in a bipartisan manner to develop this legislation. I also applaud the ranking member, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), and another ranking member, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), for guiding us through this process. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I want to give special thanks to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Hooley), the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore), and the other 10 new Democrats who worked so diligently to compromise and help us forge this bipartisan compromise. I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation, H.R. 2622.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by my colleague and friend from the District of Columbia, Mrs. Eleanor Holmes Norton. We must strike the voucher provisions from the D.C. Appropriations bill. This body has held a number of votes on vouchers on a national level. We have rejected them every time because we know that vouchers for private schools for a few children will not fulfill our responsibility to provide a quality education for all children. This bill will only allow 2 percent of the children in the District to take advantage of the program. The other 98 percent will remain in the public school system, which will not be held harmless in funding if enrollments drop. In this bill we are not really even helping a few children. The money available per student is far short of the average cost of private school tuition in the District of Columbia. That means the families who can already afford to send their children to private school will do so, but low-income children will be forced to remain in inadequately funded public schools. In addition, private schools have no obligation to accept special needs or minority students, nor are they required to follow the guidelines of the No Child Left Behind Act or the Individuals With Disabilities Act. It is the height of arrogance that this body would seek to impose on the District of Columbia something that we have rejected for the rest of the nation. I urge my colleagues to reject any attempt to privatize public education in the District of Columbia.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule and urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) may offer his amendment to add $100 million for the AmeriCorps program. The deep cuts this AmeriCorps program is facing will severely undermine the progress we have made in expanding opportunities for national service. The program cuts will close 40 out of 90 centers that run the Teach for America program. These programs all over the country have already run out of money. Many of them will not recover. In my own home State of Texas, we will lose at least 800 teaching volunteers, many who have committed to teach children in the Rio Grande Valley. We have an acute shortage of teachers, and we cannot afford the loss. The Senate has stepped up and signaled its commitment to these programs, but the House has dragged its feet on restoring the funds for this critical program. The AmeriCorps program has come to embody what is best in America, the desire to make a difference in local communities. All of this will be jeopardized if we do not find a way to provide the funding for our young teachers; men and women are only receiving a small stipend to help them pay their living expenses. Yes, our children throughout the country benefit from these AmeriCorps teachers. Vote ``no'' to defeat the previous question so we can keep the spirit of service alive in America. Fight to restore the $100 million needed to keep the AmeriCorps program alive and working well. Do that today.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this bill. The majority has placed divisive and damaging provisions in the legislation. They propose to begin the dismantling of Head Start through a block grant to the States. The majority has also proposed to allow discrimination in hiring of teachers that educate our youngest citizens. And I ask the Members, what kind of head start in life could that be? In the few moments given me to debate, allow me to inform the Members about migrant Head Start children. In the case of perhaps our neediest children, the sons and daughters of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the majority in the Committee on Education and the Workforce has offered crumbs. Only 19 percent of these eligible migrant children are served now, compared to the 60 percent for the regular Head Start program nationally. The majority bill will move that figure by only 1 percentage point to approximately 20 percent. Furthermore, their meager authorization funding level will ensure that a larger percentage of children will never be served and helped to be school-ready in the foreseeable future. For farmworker families, access to Head Start is more than a school readiness issue. It is a public health and safety issue. The Republican bill provides no new money to close this access gap for the migrant children, and I have to emphasize that the only way to close this gap is to substantially increase our investment in Head Start. It does not have to be this way. Head Start has a 35-year history of bipartisan cooperation. Until that happens, I urge Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2210. I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will come back to the table and work with us to write a bill that will be worthy of our children, our future. Until that happens, I urge Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2210.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this Grijalva motion to recommit. Migrant children whose parents do the most backbreaking work in the Nation in order to put food on our tables deserve better than crumbs when it comes to early childhood education. I would especially like to recognize the leadership that my colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva), has shown on this issue. Migrant children have no better friend than this gentleman from Arizona. We began the reauthorization process thinking we could come to a bipartisan solution to the access gap in Head Start programs for the children of migrant and seasonal farm workers. But the majority has steadfastly refused to provide the financial resources needed to expand the program. Their bill will only increase the migrant Head Start children from 19 percent served to 20 percent. When these families do not have access to the program, parents have no alternative but to take their children to the fields, or perhaps leave them unattended in the labor camp. We are fooling ourselves if we think that we can provide Head Start services to the 80 percent of children we have left behind. Vote ``yes'' on the motion to recommit.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this rule on H.R. 2210. The bill, which the majority has brought to the floor, is not a good-faith effort to reauthorize the Nation's premier early childhood education program, the only program that exists to serve some of the most deprived children. Instead, the majority has stifled serious debate on areas of need within the Head Start program. They have refused to significantly increase the funding resources for this vital program. The majority say they are for improving the quality of Head Start and access to Head Start, but only, only if it does not cost money. Once again, poor children and families are left off of the majority's list of priorities. Under this restrictive rule, the majority refuses to debate many of the critical amendments by Members on this side of the aisle. Because of the majority, we will not debate how to help Head Start teachers earn their B.A. degrees or how to increase their wages. We will not debate how to expand Head Start to all eligible children. We will not debate the appropriate use of assessments in the education of our youngest children. I had offered an amendment to increase funding for Early Head Start and improve its services for limited-English-proficient families. The majority refused to allow me. Early Head Start currently reaches only 3 percent of the eligible families. Access to this program for Hispanic and limited-English-proficient families falls below these dismal national figures. In the entire State of Texas, the second most populous State in the Nation, only 2,500 infants and toddlers are being served. The need is great, yet my proposed amendment will never get a vote on the House Floor. I urge my colleagues to defeat this unfair rule.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I had an event in my congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 397.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, this week we will consider legislation that is of critical importance to our Nation's future, the reauthorization of Head Start. This legislation is a top priority for me and for all of my colleagues in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Asian-Pacific American Caucus. Today, Hispanics are the largest minority group in the United States. However, the Hispanic community has the lowest level of educational attainment of any community in the Nation. This educational attainment, this attainment gap, starts from early childhood where Hispanics are less likely to participate in preschool programs, opening an achievement gap even before the first day of kindergarten begins. The gap expands through elementary school, where Hispanic students are more likely to be held back; increases in high school where they are more likely to drop out; and continues to widen in college where they are less likely to attend a 4-year college and less likely to obtain a college degree. The upcoming reauthorization of the premier early childhood education program, Head Start, presents us with an opportunity to close that gap for Hispanic and low-income children. This should be a time of hope and optimism for our community. Sadly, it is just the opposite. The majority's plans for the Head Start program are a great source of anxiety for the Hispanic community. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a recent article dated July 14, 2003, from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram entitled, ``Hispanics Worry About Head Start Proposal.'' For over 35 years, the Head Start program has enjoyed great success in meeting the comprehensive development needs of low-income children. Head Start programs achieve school readiness for these children through a holistic approach and intense parental involvement. The range and intensity of services is assured because of national program standards. Sending the program to the States would fatally undermine these national standards, jeopardizing access to the comprehensive services that make Head Start effective in serving low-income children and their families. Yet that is just what the administration proposed and the Republicans in Congress intend to do. The Republican proposal to block-grant Head Start will do nothing to strengthen the program for the growing numbers of limited English proficient, LEP, children in communities across the Nation. As we have seen with the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, States look to the Federal Government for assistance and guidance in providing services to these populations. When Federal assistance is not forthcoming, the children suffer. Instead of looking for ways to divest themselves of responsibility for Head Start, the administration and the Congress should put Head Start on a path to full funding. Currently Head Start only serves 60 percent of the eligible population in our country. Migrant and seasonal Head Start programs only reach 19 percent of the eligible children; and, listen to this, Early Head Start only reaches 3 percent of the eligible children. As a Nation, we must do better. Every child in America, no matter their race or the income level of their parents, should have the same opportunity to obtain a quality education and reach their full potential. We have the opportunity to do this, reach their full potential, in the Head Start reauthorization bill. Unfortunately, however, the legislation we will debate this week falls far short of that mark. In closing, I want to say that I hope my colleagues will defeat H.R. 2210 and send the bill back to the committee for more work. We can do better. And for the sake of needy children all across the country, we must do better. [From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 14, 2003] Hispanics Worry About Head Start Proposal (By Gustavo Reveles Acosta) Fort Worth.--The already low number of Hispanic children served by the federal Head Start program could diminish even more if the changes proposed by the Bush administration come through, several Hispanic advocate groups said. Hispanic advocates are calling President Bush's call to overhaul Head Start by creating eight state-operated programs ``a blow'' to providing service to low-income Hispanic children. ``Ours are some of the most vulnerable kids. Head Start gives them an opportunity to be introduced to English, books and ongoing health care,'' said Manda Lopez, executive director of the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association, which advocates for the children of migrant farmworkers, who are mostly Hispanics. Lopez, and groups such as the National Council of La Raza and the National Head Start Association, argue that handing over the 38-year-old program to the states will reduce funding for local grantees, diminish the quality of services and erase most of the tough oversight that is enforced under the federal program. The reduced funding will further underserve the Hispanic population, Hispanic groups contend. The National Council of La Raza, which will consider the Head Start issue during its national conference in Austin next week, believes that Hispanic children in areas with traditionally strong Hispanic populations are better served. But it is in communities with emerging populations of Hispanics that the most help is needed. ``States like California and Texas do much better than states like South Carolina that are barely seeing their Latino population grow,'' said Raul Gonzalez, a senior education analyst with NCLR. ``Given recent statistics, the next generation of kids participating in Head Start will be largely Latino, and we need to identify places where we can better serve them.'' According to figures from the National Association of Head Starts, 33 percent of the nearly 1 million children in Head Start are Hispanic. The group's figures also show that only 23 percent of the eligible Hispanic population is being served. In Tarrant County, 45 percent of the 2,500 children in the program are Hispanic. The nonprofit group in charge of Head Start in the county, Child Care Associates, doesn't have any figures on the number of eligible Hispanic children in Tarrant County, but it estimates that about 11,500 eligible children currently go unserved. ``We are a minority majority community, and issues affecting the Latino population are definitely going to affect the children that we serve,'' said John A. Whitcamp, president of Child Care Associates. ``We are nowhere near the level that we need to be. And this bill is doing nothing to change that.'' Although Whitcamp said his centers are well-equipped and staffed to meet the needs of Hispanics, advocates say that many centers shy away from expanding their service to Spanish-speaking minorities for three main reasons: The overall underfunding of the program. In areas where Hispanic populations have just recently emerged, providers think it is too expensive to hire the bilingual instructors and buy the culturally representative material that may be needed to serve Hispanic children. The federal government's lack of enforcement to confirm that the racial and ethnic makeup of Head Start participation matches that of the community. Even though Angelica Jones' 6-year-old son attended Head Start two years ago and her younger daughter has been eligible to do so as well, she is patiently waiting for a spot in the program. ``I think I got lucky the last time because I got in with no problems,'' said Jones, a stay-at-home mom who visited several north Fort Worth Head Start centers for availability earlier this week. ``I know there's a long waiting list and there are several of us who go to different [centers] to check for any spots every week.'' NCLR, Gonzalez's group, hasn't officially opposed Bush's proposed changes. And although he said the bill doesn't outline a specific plan to increase Hispanic participation ``by even one child,'' he welcomes some of the recommendations. ``The bill is by no means a perfect bill, but does allow for better assessment of communities that make sure the people in most need are the ones being served,'' he said. Gonzalez said that assessment could increase Hispanic participation in areas with large or emerging Hispanic populations like Fort Worth. Still, Whitcamp said that in the long run, the bill would hinder services in Fort Worth because the state would use some of its monies to help other state-funded children programs like CHIPS, that are struggling for a budget. Handing over Head Start control to the states would further diminish funds by creating an additional filter of overhead costs, said Whitcamp, who oversees 40 centers throughout the county. ``We have been making the argument about our kids being underserved for years,'' Lopez said. ``This is not a new issue for us.''

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Hostettler-Gallegly amendment. It is a thinly veiled attack on the consular ID card that has been used by the Embassy of Mexico for over 130 years, sometimes referred to as the Matricula Consular card. Contrary to what the Hostettler-Gallegly amendment contends, Mexico and other foreign governments have been issuing consular identification cards to foreign nationals in the United States following precisely the guidelines established by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. This amendment would constitute a violation of that convention. Under that convention, consular function is established as ``performing any other functions entrusted to a consular post which are not prohibited by the laws and regulations of the receiving state.'' There is no U.S. Federal law which forbids the issuance of consular ID cards. In fact, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under section 326 of the PATRIOT Act that would allow the financial institutions to accept consular ID cards as valid forms of ID for the purpose of opening accounts. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Hostettler/Gallegly amendment. It is a thinly veiled attack on the Consular ID Card that has been issued by the Embassy of Mexico for over 131 years, sometimes referred to as the Matricula Consular card. Contrary to what the Hostettler-Gallegly amendment contends, Mexico and other foreign governments have been issuing consular identification cards to foreign nationals in the United States following precisely the guidelines established by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. This amendment would constitute a violation of that convention. Under that convention, consular function is established as ``performing any other functions entrusted to a consular post which are not prohibited by the laws and regulations of the receiving State.'' There is no U.S. Federal law which forbids the issuance of Consular ID cards. In fact, the Treasury Department has issued regulations under Section 326 of the PATRIOT Act that would allow financial institutions to accept Consular ID cards as valid forms of ID for the purpose of opening accounts. More than 100 financial institutions accept these cards as valid forms of ID. Police Departments across the United States praise the use of these cards, because they enable them to identify foreign nationals. The State Department adamantly opposes this amendment because an Interagency Working Group is already working to address the issue of Consular ID cards. Consequently, this amendment prejudges the outcome of the Interagency Working Group's efforts. The State Department also has reciprocity concerns. The U.S. does, in certain instances, issue Consular ID cards to American nationals overseas. The State Department fears reciprocal retaliation from overseas if the amendment were to pass. These Consular ID cards are simply identification cards. They do not legalize the status of any immigrant. They cannot be used to obtain any immigration or citizenship benefits such as work authorization or to obtain public benefits. Their continued use, with consultations between the U.S. and Mexican governments, will foster greater transparency and increase security in the United States. For these reasons and many others, I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, we will never be able to close the achievement gap in education with the funding levels we see in this appropriations bill. I applaud the efforts of the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Committee and Subcommittee. They truly have done the best they could with the funds they were allotted. Sadly, the majority and the administration have decided to allocate our federal resources elsewhere. They have chosen to squander the national surplus on tax breaks for the very wealthy. These tax breaks have been so important to them, that they have been willing to drive the nation into unprecedented debt to pay for them. Meanwhile, Hispanic children are told that there is not enough money for their education. The Census Bureau just confirmed that Hispanics are the largest minority group in America. Hispanics are also fueling the growth of America's workforce, accounting for one of every three new workers hired and are projected to be one of every two new workers by 2025. Yet, Hispanics continue to have the lowest levels of education attainment of any group in the country. If we do not invest in advanced education and training for this emerging population, we put our Nation's economic foundation at risk. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where I chair the Education Task Force, focuses on a group of Federal education programs that are critical to the Hispanic community. These include Titles I and III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, migrant education programs, dropout prevention, HEP and CAMP, TRIO, GEAR UP, Hispanic-serving institutions and adult english as a second language. We call these programs the Hispanic Education Action Plan. Unfortunately, the bill before us falls far short of the funding levels we need for these programs. I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are making teacher preparation the first order of business for the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Teachers are the common thread running through all of our education efforts. Quality teaching is essential if we are to fulfill our promise to leave no child behind. Head Start, IDEA, bilingual education, adult education, and higher education, all depend on high quality instruction by well-prepared teachers. I support loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 for math, science, and special education teachers. However, I believe the scope of this bill is too narrow. It does not address other equally pressing priorities, such as early childhood education or the growing need for teachers for an expanding population of limited English proficient children. During committee consideration, my colleagues and I attempted to expand the loan forgiveness programs, but we lost every amendment on a party-line vote. We were told by the other side that increasing loan forgiveness for bilingual teachers and Head Start teachers was a worthwhile Federal investment, but they said because we have limited resources, we have to make choices. I'm all for making choices; that's what we're here to do. Making choices means setting priorities. The Hispanic community, and the low- income community are asking us: When are our children going to be considered a priority? Through the No Child Left Behind Act, we require that schools across the country close the achievement gap between limited English proficient children and their peers. This is absolutely the right thing to do. Unfortunately, there are not enough teachers to do the job. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are approximately 4.5 million limited English proficient children in our schools, and the number is growing. Sadly, only 12.5 percent of the teachers who have these LEP students in their classrooms have had 8 or more hours of preparation in the last 3 years on how to teach students who are limited English proficient. It is unfortunate that the majority has insisted on a budget and a series of tax cuts that have drained the treasury and knocked Hispanic and LEP children from the priority list. My hope is that we will put resources behind all the good intentions of this legislation.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I believe that H.R. 221 is a step in the right direction. It builds on the improvements made to teacher preparation programs in the 1998 amendments to the Higher Education Act and provides a much needed focus on preparing a diverse teacher corps so that America's teachers reflect the students in America's classrooms. To improve student achievement, schools of education must graduate teacher candidates that are prepared to teach our Nation's increasingly diverse K-12 student population. About 42 percent of all public schools in the United States have no minority teachers even though minority students make up more than a third of enrollment in U.S. public schools. Minority teachers make up just 13.5 percent of all teachers. By the early 21st century, the percentage of minority teachers is expected to shrink to an all-time low or 5 percent. While 41 percent of American students will be minorities. Furthermore, some 2.4 million teachers will be needed in the next 11 years because of teacher attrition and retirement as well as increased student enrollment. Improving minority teacher recruitment will help our Nation meet the challenge of addressing this severe nationwide teacher shortage. Minority-serving institutions are uniquely equipped to help us address these shortages. The Centers of Excellence established in this legislation could provide much needed assistance so that these institutions can increase the number of highly qualified teachers they produce. However, this can only happen if the resources are made available. Unfortunately the majority and the Administration have elected to allocate our resources elsewhere--mainly to tax breaks for the elite-- the wealthiest individuals in our nation. It is my sincere hope that we will provide the funding for all of these programs that we say are critical to the education of our children. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and to make a stand for the necessary investment in education.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Republican prescription drug bill. For years, our seniors have been begging for help to obtain affordable prescription drugs. Unfortunately, however, the bill before us today gives relief not to our vulnerable seniors, but to the large drug companies. It forces Medicare patients into multiple private drug plans and out of Medicare. It undercuts seniors' collective purchasing power and enables the drug industry to maintain its unjustifiably high prices. Seniors who live in rural and undeserved areas will find themselves without any coverage because insurance companies will not be required to serve them and are given no incentives to provide coverage. Because of a large coverage gap, over half of all seniors will still be required to pay thousands of dollars a year for prescription drugs as well as the program premiums. Hidden in this bill is also another provision that will change the way cancer patients are treated and subject them to delays and reduced access to care. By contrast, the Democratic plan offered by Mr. Rangel would provide voluntary prescription drug coverage for all Medicare beneficiaries. The plan curbs drug costs by allowing this Secretary to use the collective bargaining power of Medicare's 40 million beneficiaries to negotiate lower drug prices. I urge my colleagues to oppose the sham Republican proposal and support the Rangel substitute that provides real benefit to our Nation's seniors.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 660, the Small Business Health Fairness Act. Like many of my colleagues, I have heard from numerous industry groups, health plans, medical associations, and, most importantly, my constituents on whether or not AHPs are the best solution to address the growing number of uninsured in our Nation. I am particularly concerned about finding workable solutions for small business employers. Like many of my colleagues, my district in south Texas is built on the foundation of small businesses. They employ a large percentage of the workforce in the Rio Grande Valley. Most employers are faced with difficult choices on how to offer loyal employees the benefit they deserve or risk losing them to larger companies in larger cities. The high cost of health insurance is extremely burdensome for these small firms, and that is why we are here today. H.R. 660 is a well-intended bill. Many of the 41 million Americans without health insurance are employed by small businesses. If Congress can find a way to help these employers provide health insurance for their workforce, we will be well on our way to reducing the number of uninsured in this country. But in my view, AHPs are not the way to do it. AHPs will offer minimal coverage, sufficient only for the young and the healthy. Our workforce will have none of the protections that State benefit mandates offer. They will have no assurance against fraud or premium inflation and no assurance that Federal oversight by the Department of Labor will even be conducive to fair handling of disputes. AHPs create an entirely new health care crisis, with 8.5 million newly underinsured Americans. As a member of a heavily Hispanic border district, I am particularly concerned about what this will mean for the diagnosis and the treatment of diabetes, a disease that strikes many of my Hispanic constituents. Mr. Speaker, over 11 million Americans have diagnosed diabetes, while another 6 million have diabetes but don't know it. Diabetes hits minority populations especially hard. Untreated, this disease leads to end-stage renal failure, blindness, amputations and over 200,000 deaths annually. However, it has been demonstrated that appropriate use of diabetes medications, equipment, supplies, and education can dramatically reduce the incidence and impact of complications associated with diabetes. President Bush surely knew this when he was Governor of Texas and signed into law the diabetes coverage mandated currently in effect in Texas. My principal concern is that the AHP legislation before us today preempts the State benefit mandates in Texas and 45 other States, your home States, for coverage of diabetes supplies and education. The amendment that the gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Kildee and I offered, unsuccessfully, in committee would have corrected this dangerous omission. We also tried, again without success, to have the amendment made in order during floor consideration. By refusing to include a requirement that AHPs adhere to State coverage laws associated with diabetes, we will be leaving millions of people with diabetes to fend for themselves. It is not a matter of cost effectiveness; it is a matter of right and wrong. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic substitute offers small business employers and their workers a fair alternative. It establishes a small employer health benefit plan with minimum coverage similar to the Blue Cross/Blue Shield standard plan. I urge my colleagues to support the Kind-Andrews substitute, and if that substitute is defeated, to vote against H.R. 660.

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. 276, 277, and 278.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I commend the committee leadership in both Chambers for bringing forth this agreement, which represents a bipartisan, bicameral effort to protect children. As with the Amber Alert legislation, and the Runaway, Homeless and Missing Children Protection Act that passed the House earlier this year, this legislation shows that we are unified in our desire to protect young people who are in danger. I am proud to be a part of this effort. I won't repeat all the technical aspects of the bill, but this effort will focus on the prevention and treatment of child abuse by authorizing grants to States to help with the functions of the child protection system. It also provides authority for research and demonstration projects, enhances investigations and prosecutions of maltreatment, and provides grants for local community-based programs. I am pleased that we were able to include in the final agreement demonstration programs to assist children who witness domestic violence as well as an Internet enhancement of the domestic violence hotline. There is no more important task before this Congress than to protect the most vulnerable of our Nation's children. I only hope that our commitment to children will extend beyond rhetoric to the resources needed to fully fund these and other programs for children. Unfortunately, help for poor, disadvantaged children has taken a backseat to tax breaks for the wealthy. We are sending a clear message to our young people, not only will we leave you behind, we will also leave you the bill. I firmly urge all my colleagues to support the final conference agreement. When the time comes, I also urge you to support the resources necessary to protect, defend, and educate our children.