Rubén Hinojosa

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to honor Darrell Green. Mr. Green recently retired after 20 years, as a star cornerback, with the Washington Redskins. During that time he became one of the National Football League's all-time best, and most honored, players. As a native of Houston, Texas, Darrell Green began his athletic career at Jones High School. From 1978-1983, he attended Texas A&I University, which is now Texas A&M Kingsville and is located in the 15th district. There he was an Associated Press Little All-America and American Football Coaches Association All-America first-team honoree. Mr. Green was on the All-Lone Star Conference first team as a junior and senior and was selected as the Lone Star Conference's most valuable player in 1982. He was selected to the Lone Star Conference Team of the Decade for the 1980s. Much of Darrell Green's collegiate stardom came from his accomplishments not on the football field, but on the track, where his phenomenal speed as a sprinter made him one of the world's fastest runners. His mark in the 100-meter dash still stands as the all-time best in the Lone Star Conference. Mr. Green was named to the NCAA Division I All-America roster in 1981 and 1982, was on the NCAA Division II All-America team in five events in 1981 and 1982, was NAIA All-America in 1981 and 1982 in four events, and was named the most valuable track performer at the 1982 and 1983 Lone Star Conference Championships. He has been inducted into the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor and the Javelina Hall of Fame. In the spring of 1983, Darrell Green was a first-round draft choice of the Washington Redskins. During his first regular-season game with the Redskins, he electrified football fans everywhere when he crossed the field to chase down and tackle the legendary Dallas Cowboy running back, Tony Dorsett, preventing a sure touchdown. Similar exploits on the field that year earned him the title of NFL Rookie of the Year. Since then, he has been a seven-time All-Pro defensive back, four-time NFL Fastest Man honoree and two-time Super Bowl championship team member. Mr. Green holds a remarkable number of NFL and Redskins records, including first NFL player to make at least one interception in 19 consecutive seasons; first NFL player to return an interception for a touchdown at age 37; first NFL player to play cornerback at the age of 42; first Redskin to play 20 consecutive seasons, start in 254 games and play 279 games; first Redskin to have 54 interceptions; first Redskin to return a fumble 78 yards for a touchdown--the longest in Redskin history; and the first Redskin to return six interceptions for touchdowns in a season. Darrell Green has also been a shining star off the field through his dedicated efforts to help at-risk youth. In 1988, he founded the Darrell Green Youth Life Foundation, which opens doors of opportunity for neglected children living in unsafe environments. The mission was accomplished through community-based, value-driven learning centers operating in urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods throughout America. The first Darrell Green Youth Life Learning Center was established in 1993 and has grown to six operating centers in three states. For his extraordinary humanitarian endeavors, Green has received an honorary doctorate from Marymount University. He has also received honorary doctorate degrees from George Washington University and American University. Darrell currently serves on the board for the Baltimore-Washington 2012 Olympic Games bid, NFL/NFLPA Sept. 11 Relief Fund and the Loudon Education Foundation. He has received numerous awards and was recently inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues to join me in honoring my fellow Texan, Darrel Green, for his extraordinary accomplishments both on and off the football field. His alma mater, Texas A&M Kingsville, and I are justifiably proud not only of his fabulous football career, but of his long-standing commitment to help at-risk children reach their fullest potential and achieve their dreams.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my colleagues a remarkable organization in the 15th district of Texas that helps victims of domestic violence. In recognition of ``Stop Domestic Violence Week'', I would like to highlight the accomplishments of the organization ``Mujeres Unidas''--Women Together. Mujeres Unidas is a non-profit agency that is tirelessly dedicated to helping women overcome domestic violence. Through community education, housing assistance, legal advocacy, and other outreach programs, Mujeres Unidas is offering hope and an improved quality of life to women in South Texas who have suffered violence and abuse in their own homes. For many women, a program like Mujeres Unidas is the difference between a dangerous living environment that can result in serious injury or death, and a future filled with personal growth and independence. I would like to commend this extraordinary organization and thank them for their strong commitment to helping victims of domestic violence and for their Superior service to my district.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner).

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

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation that means so much to our Nation; and I, too, want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Boehner); our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); and my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Chairman Hoekstra), the chairman of the subcommittee, for their work in bringing this bill to the floor today. We have experienced an economic downturn over the past 2 years; and as a result, the continuing vitality of our museums is in question. Many have had to close their doors to the public, staff has been laid off, budgets for curriculum materials has been reduced, and the general public wonders about our national priorities. With our present economy, we have fewer contributions from corporations in support of vital library and museum functions. I support the reauthorization of the Museum and Library Services Act because all of us realize the vital importance of these institutions for our national fabric. The bill provides modest, but essential, support for museums of all sizes to help them continue their operations, ensure equity of access, and foster culture and education for all our people. In addition to operating expenses, the act elevates the role of these institutes of lifelong learning. Libraries are essential to parents and community organizations as they look for innovative ways to educate our children, our youth, and adults. The business community also has a big interest in excellent libraries, since the knowledge base for job creation, training programs and business development is a significant portion of library holdings. In the past 5 years, libraries and museums have received hundreds of millions of dollars under this act to address a wide range of needs, including assessment of museum operations, conservation projects, staff training, technology upgrades, electronic linkages, resource sharing, and outreach programs. I know that my own State of Texas has benefited from this act, and there is a project in Weslaco in my congressional district which is doing very good work with the resources provided by the Federal Government. As the need for lifelong learning becomes even greater in the coming decades, this act will become increasingly vital. We have before us a good example of Federal, State, and local partnerships that deserves our continuing support. I applaud the leadership for bringing this bill to the floor and urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 13. I also want to say that I look forward to working with our subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra), because there are many things on the Committee on Education and the Workforce that we need to address. I hope we can work together in calling hearings so that we can get the input from the community nationwide as our States are facing big deficits in their respective governments and legislatures. I know that access to higher education at the community colleges and universities is going to be a serious problem because of the cuts that they have to make. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to looking at that, and many other issues that are going to be very important to us here in our Nation's capital. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the outstanding gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens).

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 743. I do so, not because I oppose ending Social Security fraud and abuse, but because of a section that is damaging to state and municipal employees. Section 418 is bad for teachers, police officers, fire fighters and other state and local workers in Texas who receive government pensions that are currently being reduced because of the Government Pension Offset provision of the Social Security Act. Section 418 would require experienced public servants to quit their jobs prematurely and work for the private sector for the 5 years before they retire in order to avoid the offset. We all know that our Nation has a critical shortage of teachers and public safety personnel. This provision will only exacerbate the problem. The teachers of Texas have been writing and calling my office to protest this long-standing offset provision that is taking away Social Security benefits that they and their spouses have earned. At a time when federal and state budgets for education are being slashed, this is just one more slap in the face to those who are working hard to educate our children. We need to let them know that education is a national priority and that we value their dedication. Instead of this bill that will provide no relief for these hardworking public servants, I urge the majority to bring H.R. 594, introduced by Congressman McKeon and which I proudly co-sponsor, to the House floor for a vote. This legislation would repeal both the Government Pension Offset and the ``Windfall Elimination Provision'', another portion of the Social Security Act that is penalizing state and local government employees. I encourage my colleagues to move quickly to bring real relief to teachers and other public employees by considering H.R. 594 or failing that, by bringing H.R. 743 to the floor under regular order so that this damaging Section 418 provision can be removed. Our public servants deserves no less.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I had to travel to my congressional district for an important event on February 27, 2003. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcall Nos. 37 and 38, and ``no'' on rollcall No. 39.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I like and respect my friend and colleague from Ohio. I heard the gentlewoman from Ohio say that NADBank has too little to show, and my response to her is that those of us who live on the southwest border want to correct what is wrong with the NADBank in the way that it has operated and done so poorly in these last few years. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 254, the North American Development Bank reauthorization bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter) for all his hard work in shepherding this bill through the legislative process. I also want to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Oxley) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for their assistance in bringing this bill to the floor for consideration. As the Congressman from the 15th District of Texas, which includes the U.S./Mexico border region, my constituents are directly affected by the work of the North American Development Bank and are vitally interested in reforms badly needed that will improve the NADBank. I was born and raised in south Texas between Brownsville and Laredo. This region is the front door to Mexico. I have seen the skyrocketing 48 percent population increase from just 1990 to 2000. I have witnessed the huge export business between Texas and Mexico increase 202 percent from 1993 to 2000, and that increase has reached $68 million of exports in the year 2000. NADBank was originally passed in 1994 and enacted in 1995. It was created to gain congressional passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The bank was to be a working partner in helping border communities deal with water treatment facilities and environmental problems that would result from the increased trade that was expected. The bank's purpose was to help the border communities cope with the problems created by NAFTA. Unfortunately, despite large amounts of available capital, the bank has funded only a small number of infrastructure projects along the U.S./Mexico border because it was limited to offering only market-rate loans. The need along this southwest border is too great for the bank to have money sitting idle. H.R. 254 fixes the problem by allowing NADBank to offer low-interest loans and grants to border communities like the ones I represent to fund critical infrastructure projects so that we can have the quantity of water and quality of water that we need for the sustainable growth of our area. This authorization bill is not perfect. I assure my colleagues that if it improves the NADBank with the corrections that we make here, everyone will be very happy. In closing, I want to say that the bank has not worked well up until now, but I know that with these reforms it can live up to the promise. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 254.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to the attention of my colleagues the remarkably successful coaching career of Robert Capello, the long-time coach for Edcouch-Elsa High School in my congressional district. Coach Capello recently celebrated his 800th career victory, making him the only Hispanic high school basketball coach in the Nation with 800 victories. Even more remarkable, Coach Capello boasts a 69 percent victory percentage over his 36-year career at the helm of the Edcouch- Elsa Yellowjackets. His great success over the years is evidenced not only by that career victory milestone but by the many championships his teams have won. The Edcouch-Elsa Basketball Team has been District Champions for 11 of the past 19 years. They have played in the Texas State playoffs in 19 of the past 21 years. They are the first school in the Rio Grande Valley to send four players to the Texas High School Coaches Association South All Star games. Robert Capello is not only an excellent basketball coach, he has also been an extraordinary role model and mentor to hundreds of boys and girls who have graduated from Edcouch-Elsa High School over the years. He inspires his athletes to excel both on the court and in the classroom, and has encouraged all students at Edcouch-Elsa to reach their fullest potential by pursuing a college education. Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Coach Robert Capello for his 800th career basketball victory, and for his 36 years of inspirational leadership and caring commitment to the students of Edcouch-Elsa High School.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 4, the Personal Responsibility, Work and Family Protection Act. I opposed this bill last year when we had the same debate. Since then more workers have lost their jobs, more families have lost their homes, and more Americans are in need of Federal assistance. Jobs are scarce as businesses continue to fail. Instead of considering a new bill that reflects this new economic environment, the Republican leadership has brought to the floor the same inadequate bill from last year. Education and training should be the cornerstones upon which this legislation is written. We should be stressing basic literacy, English as a second language, GED completion, and on-the-job training, rather than cynically labeling them welfare scholarships. In my congressional district I have seen how education can bring economic prosperity to one of the poorest regions in the country. Our unemployment rates have dropped from over 20 percent to almost 10 percent, and we lead the State of Texas in job creation. I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican bill. It is the wrong bill at the wrong time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Manzullo) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for their leadership in the Committee on Small Business. I rise today in strong support of S. 141 as introduced by Senator Snowe and passed by the Senate. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, especially in times of financial crisis, and this bill is important because it would help to reduce the cost of small businesses throughout the United States. S. 141 would encourage the administration to use a 7(a) subsidy rate model that would more accurately reflect the true cost of the small business loan programs to the taxpayer. The current model has resulted in overcharges of $1.5 billion over the last 10 years, according to the GAO study. The measure authorizes the Office of Management and Budget to adopt a new econometric model for calculating the program subsidy rate. The change would enable the SBA to boost 7(a) lending authority from $4.8 billion to $8.2 billion for fiscal year 2003 by significantly reducing the 7(a) credit subsidy rate. The bill's projected impact on small business lending should result in near 21,000 more loans to small firms with a potential to support at least 103,000 new jobs. Moreover, implementing the new econometric model will not require any increase in Federal spending. Mr. Speaker, S. 141 simply requires SBA to use the new econometric model a year earlier than planned and thus enable small businesses to benefit from the lower subsidy rate immediately. The new model will reduce the cost to both the lender and the borrower. The change combined with reprogramming of unused STAR funds will yield a 7(a) program level of $9 million below the demand, but it is sufficient to lift the current administration-imposed cap that has hurt small businesses since October 2002. Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend Chairman Manzullo and Ranking member Nydic Velazquez for their leadership in the Small Business Committee! I rise today in strong support of S. 141, as introduced by Senator Snowe and passed by the Senate. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, especially in times of financial crisis, and this bill is important because it would help to reduce the costs to small businesses in the United States. S. 141 would encourage the Administration to use a 7(a) subsidy rate model that would more accurately reflect the true cost of the small business loan programs to the taxpayer. The current model has resulted in overcharges of $1.5 billion over the last 10 years, according to a GAO Study. The measure authorizes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to adopt a new econometric model for calculating the program's subsidy rate. The change would enable the SBA to boost 7(a) lending authority from $4.8 billion to $8.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2003 by significantly reducing the 7(a) credit subsidy rate. The bill's projected impact on small business lending should result in nearly 21,000 more loans to small firms--with the potential to support at least 103,690 new jobs. Moreover, implementing the new econometric model will not require any increase in federal spending. Currently, the 7(a) Program is operating at a reduced capacity from previous years, with the size of loans capped at $500,000. The shortfall in lending authority leaves many small firms nowhere to go for money to maintain or expand their operations in a slow economy. Each year, 40,000 or more small business concerns that cannot obtain comparable credit elsewhere turn to the 7(a) program for critically- needed financing. To combat this problem, the SBA contracted with the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) to construct an econometric model that considers additional factors with the goal of representing a more accurate cost. Developed by the SBA and the OMB, the econometric model will use far more comprehensive data about individual borrowers and loans when forecasting anticipated defaults and establishing loan reserves to cover them. SBA has finished the review and plans for the implementation of the new model in FY04. This delayed implementation would leave the current model in place for FY03. The difference in the two models is approximately 70 basis points, 1.07 v. 1.77, which is roughly a $1,000 difference annually per loan. Each year, the Office and Management and Budget (OMB) calculates the federal cost of guaranteeing small business loans administered by the Small Business Administration. Critics of the current method of calculating those costs argue that it does not take into account historical data and recent statutory and regulatory changes that have improved default rates and program performance. Critics therefore contend that the current federal cost, expressed in the form of a subsidy rate, is over-estimated, which, in turn, limits the amount of loans that can be guaranteed. Again, a recent General Accounting Office report supports this contention. S. 141 simply requires SBA to use the new econometric model a year earlier than planned and thus enables small businesses to benefit from the lower subsidy rate immediately. The new model will reduce the cost to both the lender and the borrower. The change, combined with reprogramming of unused STAR Funds, will yield a 7(a) program level of $9 billion below the demand, but it is sufficient to lift the current Administration imposed cap that has hurt small businesses since October of 2002. For these reasons, I rise in strong support of passage S. 141 and urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge an outstanding group of young scholars from my Congressional district. The McAllen Memorial High School Constitution team recently won the Texas state title at the ``We The People, The Citizen and the Constitution'' annual competition. Remarkably, this is the McAllen team's 10th State win in 13 years. They have also been successful nationally, finishing among the top ten finalists in 4 out of 10 appearances. I am proud to represent a community that produces students with such a passion for learning the democratic principles and foundation of our government. I congratulate the team members and their parents for this extraordinary achievement. I congratulate the team members and their parents for this extraordinary achievement. The members of the team are thirteen high school seniors; Erika Garcia, Brian Trautman, Victoria Montemayor, Allison Glass, Gregory Goldsmith, Danessa Litam, Gisela Medina, Edwin Monroy, Kelly Monroy, Jeffrey Murray, Steffy Phillip, Sabrina Tully, Brian Van Burkleo. Ms. LeAnna Morse coached the team. I wish these students success when they compete at the national competition in April, here in Washington, DC. In closing, I would like to share with my colleagues an article that ran in the McAllen Monitor highlighting the accomplishment of these young constitutional scholars. McAllen Constitution Team Wins 10th State Title (By Juan Ozuna) McAllen.--Hamilton, Madison and Franklin would be impressed with the McAllen Memorial High School Constitution team. The 13-member team comprised of high school seniors was named state champion in the We The People, The Citizen and the Constitution competition in Austin Jan. 4. It is the 10th time in 13 years the group has won the competition, sponsored by the State Bar of Texas. ``They really demonstrated an ability to think on their feet,'' said LeAnna Morse, a government teacher and the team's coach. ``I'm really proud of them.'' During the competition, each team is divided into groups of three. These trios each face a panel of attorneys, educators and community leaders and make a three-minute presentation on the Constitution. They answer questions asked by the panel of judges and are awarded points for their answers. ``This was a small team, so they had to carry extra weight, and they really rose to the occasion,'' Morse said. Teams usually have 15 members. To help train the group, Morse asked some friends and other community people to come in to the class to act as judges for her team. ``We'd have practices and invite attorneys and academics to judge them so they could have the full experience,'' Morse said. ``When you practice, you always try to anticipate what questions you'll be asked in the follow-up.'' Mick West, history coordinator for McAllen school district and a sponsor of the team, accompanied the students to the competition, which he said was extremely competitive. ``They did an outstanding job,'' he said. ``It was very close. They have a great reputation.'' Team member Erika Garcia said there was a lot of pressure on the students to perform well because of their reputation. ``It's good to know that we fulfilled that tradition one more year,'' Garcia said. ``Our sponsors have prepared us very well.'' Teammate Brain Trautman said he also felt the heat of the competition, calling the win ``a relief.'' ``I'm really excited,'' he said. ``I can't wait to go to nationals to compete.'' As the winning team, the McAllen Memorial High School students will be sent to Washington, D.C., in April to compete against the top team from each state. Though Morse's teams have seen top-10 finishes at the national level, the highest they ever placed is fourth. Though also excited about being able to attend the national Constitution competition, Victoria Montemayor said she would be more focused on the sights. ``I just want to see the actual documents,'' Montemayor said. ``I want to see the monuments, see all the places you see in the books.'' Other students on the team include Allison Glass, Gregory Goldsmith, Danessa Litam, Gisela Medina, Edwin Monroy, Kelly Monroy, Jeffrey Murray, Steffy Phillip, Sabrina Tully and Brian van Burkleo.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in expressing my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the seven Columbia astronauts who tragically lost their lives Saturday over the skies of Texas. This tragedy is a reminder of the risk involved in exploring the frontiers of space and furthering human knowledge. Every child, at one time or another, has dreamed of becoming an astronaut to explore distant planets and stars. Unfortunately, many children lose their dream as they grow up. These seven extraordinary people never lost that dream. They dedicated their lives to studies and training to develop the technical skills they needed to become an astronaut. I attended the memorial service yesterday in Houston, wanting to provide the astronauts' family members some comfort. They are all at different levels of grieving. Everyone spoke of the joy and pride the Columbia crew felt in being astronauts and their commitment to sharing their love of space exploration with the next generations. I admire them tremendously. I know firsthand how inspiring astronauts can be to children. This past fall I hosted the Hispanic Engineering and Science Technology Week in my congressional district. Over 17,000 students and teachers filled the baseball stadium of the University of Texas Pan-American. They listened to speeches about the importance of becoming proficient in science, math and technology in order to expand their career opportunities. But the highlight of the day was when former astronaut Alan Bean rose to speak. The students were transfixed as they listened to him talk about the wonders of space and its potential for mankind's future. The awed and excited expression on those faces as he fired their imaginations is something I will never forget. This is a legacy we must preserve. I urge my colleagues to continue their support for NASA and the dream for which these seven heroes gave their lives.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, as the 107th Congress comes to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to recognize my friend and colleague on the Education and Workforce Committee, Congressman Tim Roemer. Tim has decided to leave Congress to pursue other avenues of service, but I want to thank him for his dedication to the education of America's children. Tim was born and raised in Indiana and since 1990 he has ably represented the Third District. His constituents have recognized his outstanding service and in 1998 he was re-elected with the highest winning percentage for any Third District candidate in a quarter century. While in Congress, Tim has been a strong supporter of students, teachers and school officials. He exercised great leadership during the development of the landmark legislation, ``No Child Left Behind Act,'' our most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. His contribution will be felt by thousands of children throughout our country. As a Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition, of which I am a member, he has advocated for a fiscally responsible government that still compassionately meets the needs of individuals and institutions that require federal assistance. I regret that Tim will not be with us as we work next year to reauthorize the Higher Education Act and Head Start. His thoughtful insights and his commitment to educational opportunities for every child will be sorely missed. I am confident that he will continue to serve the interests of our country in whatever future endeavors he may pursue. My colleagues and I are losing a very articulate champion for the issues promoted by our Democratic Party, but we all wish the very best for him and his family. Indiana has been proud of her Native Son and we hope that the Great State of Indiana will send us another Democrat as gifted and committed as Tim Roemer.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was unavoidably detained in my Congressional District. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on rollcalls 464, 466 and 469. I would have voted ``no'' on rollcalls 465, 467, 468 and 470.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to House Joint Resolution 114, giving authorization for military force against Iraq. I am determined to convince my colleagues to pass the substitute amendment that will be offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt). I agree with my colleague that the resolution reported by the Committee on International Relations authorizing the use of force against Iraq is an amendment and an improvement over the original House draft; and, yes, I also agree with him that we must limit the broad authority it grants to our President. While no one in this House believes that Saddam Hussein should be allowed to develop weapons of mass destruction, my fellow colleagues should see the need to encourage the President to persist in his efforts to obtain Security Council approval for any action taken against Iraq. The President should also be required to seek a Security Council resolution mandating a new and tougher round of arms inspection. When the Gulf War ended, Iraq agreed to destroy all of its chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons; and, yes, Iraq should be held to that commitment. The safety of America and the world depends on Iraq's compliance with the United Nations resolutions. Because the Spratt substitute would call on the United Nations to approve the use of force, if necessary, to ensure that Iraq meets its obligations to disarm, the United Nations Security Council's approval of action in Iraq would provide several crucial benefits. It would encourage all allies to fall in line and support our efforts. It would allow moderate Arab states to use the council's approval as a guide to support our troops' presence in Iraq, consequently enhancing the chances of post- war democracy and economic success in Iraq. If Saddam Hussein's regime is toppled, a new government will have to be formed to revive Iraq's economy and bring together the various ethnic factions to form a viable government. Nation-building should be the work of the United Nations, not the U.S. military. As I have said, U.N. approval of our efforts would improve our ties with our allies, both European and Arab, and would likely lead to a fledgling, yet strong, democracy. If the United Nations decides not to impose additional sanctions or to cooperate, then America should take unilateral action against Iraq within the guidelines of the Constitution. Everyone in this Congress has sworn to uphold the Constitution. It was in 1787 that the founders of our country gave Congress, not the President, the power and the responsibility of declaring war and sending American troops oversees. The Spratt substitute would require the President to come to Congress and ask for the support through an expedited process after it is determined that the United Nations will not act. I think this is the appropriate manner in which to conduct such a serious endeavor as another war. We need to remind ourselves that we are not just entering and referring to a congressional resolution, we are talking about the potential loss of American troops and the lives of civilian Iraqis. Life is too precious a gift to grant such broad powers even to our President without a thorough discourse with the United Nations or with the United States Congress. I do not question our President's authority to protect our national security. I am asking that our President work through the United Nations and consult Congress prior to engaging in what will become a serious international conflict. In closing, over the last few weeks I have talked to many of my constituents from all walks of life: farmers, ranchers, veterans, educators, parents, students, doctors, businessmen, and businesswomen. I have listened carefully to all of their views and concerns; and as a result, I will vote against House Joint Resolution 114. I respectfully urge my colleagues to support the Spratt amendment.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great man, Mr. Guadalupe Cantu, who passed away on May 11, 2002 in McAllen, Texas, at the age of 79. I want to express my condolences to his wife, Elida, and his son and daughters, Alonzo, Elvia, and Hilda. Guadalupe Cantu was not famous. Outside of my Texas congressional district, very few people knew him. But to me, he epitomized what every man should strive to become. Guadalupe Cantu and his wife came to this country in search of democracy and hope and promise for a better life. He began his adult life as a Mexican migrant farm worker and expert carpenter. He traveled throughout the country doing the hard manual farm labor that most Americans refuse to do; and yet, because of his hard work and the work of others like him, America produces food enough to feed our Nation and most of the world as well. Guadalupe Cantu was never ashamed of the hard work he did, but he wanted something better for himself and his family. He strove for personal excellence and became a successful general contractor. Mr. Cantu knew that education was the key to future success. He and his wife, Elida, made sure that their three children went to school and stayed in school. No matter where the family traveled as they followed the harvest, they always returned to the Rio Grande Valley in time for the first day of school. Guadalupe and his wife, Elida, made the great sacrifices necessary and ensured that each of their children received a college education. From Mr. Cantu's work in the fields and in his construction business, he understood that no one can accomplish anything alone. He realized early on the power of working together and involving the community. He passed along to his son, Alonzo, the construction and building skills that he had learned so well. Armed with a college education and his father's guidance, Alonzo has become the largest and most successful residential and commercial developer in McAllen, Texas. Mr. Cantu encouraged his daughter, Elvia, to pursue a career in pharmacy entrepreneurship. Today, she and her husband own several independent pharmacies. His daughter, Hilda, inherited his love of learning and became a wonderful school teacher. More importantly, Mr. Cantu passed along to his children a passion for working hard, perseverance, and setting high goals. Both he and his wife became American citizens to enjoy the opportunities and the freedom in this great Nation. His example of doing his best, taking responsibility, caring for others, exercising integrity, and community service was learned well by his children and grandchildren. Guadalupe Cantu never forgot where he came from, and believed that everyone had a duty to help those less fortunate. He inspired his son, Alonzo, to initiate the McAllen Affordable Homes Project and to build the Los Encinos Project. This nationally recognized housing project has provided safe, affordable homes to many families leaving the welfare rolls. The planned community includes an elementary school, a police and fire substation, a boys and girls club satellite building, baseball and soccer fields, and other amenities. Residents of the community take pride in their homes and are building home equity. Mr. Speaker, if all of us use Guadalupe Cantu as our example, our children would be well educated and very successful, our community would be stronger, our friends would be numerous, and our world would be a better place. I can think of no better example of greatness. Many of Mr. Cantu's hopes and dreams for his children and grandchildren were fulfilled. He will truly be missed by all, but his goodness lives on through his family and their countless accomplishments and good deeds. His kindness and generosity will never be forgotten.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I wish to associate myself with the remarks of the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), because I agree with all that he says of the injustices that braceros and guest workers have had to face over the many years that they have been helping us here in the United States. I wish to say that the story that I was telling you before I recognized the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) was that my parents were Mexican immigrants. They met here in the United States as adults, married, and had 11 children. I happened to be the eighth of those 11 children. They went on to become American citizens, and my father was an entrepreneur who created a small meat processing company, and it grew to where they hired over 350 employees. Over the last 54 years, that business has been one that has been recognized here by the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration. All of this is to say that many of the immigrants, from whatever country they came from, have been making great contributions. So this resolution that we are asking our colleagues to support, H.R. 522, is one that is very noble and one that we urge everyone to support. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I was very pleased to hear my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose), talk about the need for the braceros who came to the United States to help us, who had strong arms, as he said. They also had strong backs. They worked very hard, just like our friends from other countries who came at the turn of the century from the European countries that included the Irish and included the Polish and Czechoslovakians and Germans and many others who came to help us build our country. I am very pleased that I was invited to come and speak on behalf of this resolution, H.R. 522, because I come from Mexican immigrants, Mexican immigrant parents who came in 1910 as children. My father was 9 years old and had just lost his father during the beginning of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, and my mother came at the age of 5 with her parents from Chihuahua, Mexico, so I can relate to many of the braceros who came to work in agricultural fields and other jobs where we needed them in the United States. I have seen how this kaleidoscope of people from different countries has helped us build a country that we enjoy today. Madam Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to our good friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner), the chairman of the committee, as well as my good friends, the gentleman from California (Mr. Ose) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), for their work in bringing H.R. 522 to the floor today. During World War II, America experienced an enormous labor shortage. The U.S. asked the Mexican Government to send guest workers to help relieve the shortage, particularly in the agricultural regions of California and Texas, as well as Florida. Between 1942 and the 1960s, approximately 5 million guest workers called braceros came and worked in America's fields and on our railroads. They helped us grow the food we needed to feed American soldiers. By maintaining the railroads, they kept our guns and tanks and military equipment moving to our ports for shipment to soldiers overseas. When we asked them to come, they came and did the back-breaking manual labor necessary to get the job done. The braceros asked for very little in return. They only wanted a fair wage for their work. As government contract workers, they were required to have 10 percent of their wages withheld. This money was to be placed in savings accounts and paid to the workers upon their return to Mexico. Unfortunately, many braceros fell prey to abusive employers and the negligence of the U.S. Government and the Mexican Government. This money, estimated between 60 and $70 million, was never repaid; and there is no clear accounting of where it went. A class action suit has been filed on their behalf to finally bring them redress, relief from distress. Despite the way they were treated, these braceros valued their contributions to the United States. Many have kept their identification cards as a proud remembrance of their service to this country. Many ultimately settled here and have raised families. More than 1 million braceros and their descendants are now permanent residents, or they have applied for and received American citizenship. Sunday, September 29, 2002 was the 60th anniversary of the day the first braceros arrived in this country. It is fitting that today we take this time to finally say ``thank you'' to these workers who came and helped us in our time of need. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to honor one of my esteemed colleagues, Congresswomen Patsy Mink of Hawaii, who passed away this weekend, on September 28, 2002. This is a very sad day for me and for all of Congress as we mourn the loss of a colleague, a patriot and a friend. While Patsy's death does bring deep sadness to this Congress and the state of Hawaii, this is a day for us to reflect on the wonderful legacy that she has left behind. I would like to state first and foremost that Congresswoman Mink was indeed a true pioneer and a maverick. I am honored to have served on the House Education and Workforce Committee with her during my tenure here in Congress. She served as a great example of someone who believed in her causes and would stop at nothing to bring her dreams and those of her constituents to fruition. Patsy will be remembered as a champion of minority education, especially Title IX legislation that mandated equal financing for women's athletics and academics at institutions receiving federal money. She will also be remembered as someone who defended worker's rights and fought for a welfare system that truly helped people receive the training and child care services they need to move into the workplace. Patsy had the great distinction of being the first Asian American woman elected to Congress. Most of her career was spent in politics, where her focus was on education, childcare, the environment and equal opportunity. Her dedication and drive resulted in a significant impact on politics at both the state and national levels. Patsy Mink grew up in Hawaii. After graduating as valedictorian of Maui High School, she went on to the University of Hawaii in Honolulu with hopes of becoming a doctor. After the end of the war, Patsy had planned on going to medical school. Luckily for us in Congress, for those in her district and for the United States, Patsy instead was accepted at the University of Chicago School of Law, married and returned to Hawaii. She became the first Japanese-American woman lawyer in Hawaii. Since no law firm would hire her because she was a woman, Patsy decided to open her own practice. She also taught at the University of Hawaii. She became increasingly involved in politics, and she started the Oahu Young Democrats and then the Hawaii Young Democrats. From there, Patsy worked on the 1954 elections. She decided to run for Congress and easily won a seat in the Territory of Hawaii House of Representatives in 1956. In 1959, she became a member of the Territory of Hawaii Senate. When Hawaii became a state in 1959, Patsy ran for Congress but lost to Daniel Inouye. In 1960, she attended the Democratic National Convention and was chosen to give the speech for the civil rights plank. In 1962, she returned to the campaign trail and easily won a seat in the Hawaii State Senate. In 1964, she ran for U.S. Congress once more. This time, she won and was sworn in on January 4, 1965. She had worked long and hard to win that seat, and she served 12 non-consecutive terms. Recently, Congresswoman Mink and I had worked closely on H.R. 1, the ``No Child Left Behind Act'' which passed both houses of Congress and the President signed into law. Patsy served as a key negotiator during our Committee's consideration of that bill. I will always admire her for being the first Member of the Education Committee to stand by my side when I called for a boycott over the manner in which the Majority was organizing the Education Committee this Congress. Because of her determination and courage, all of the Democrats stood beside us. Consequently, we won the fight, and jurisdiction over Hispanic Serving Institutions now resides in the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness where it belongs. What is truly unfortunate for us here in Congress is that Congresswoman Mink will be unable to play a key role in the upcoming reauthorization of the higher education reauthorization act. Her institutional knowledge of the subject is irreplaceable. Again, Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my sadness at the loss of a great person in Patsy Mink. I wish to express my sympathy to her family and to her constituents. This Congress, Hawaii and this nation have lost a truly wonderful person. History will be kind to her.

Mr. HINOJOSA

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the time. Madam Speaker, I wish to say that this resolution is recognizing over 200 HSIs that are making a great contribution towards raising the level of education attainment for thousands and thousands of minority students. I want to say that on a personal note, in my congressional district I have four colleges and universities with this HSI designation. The first one, the University of Texas Pan American, with over 14,000 students and how, in these last 5 years, we have seen a tremendous increase of students now enrolled at that university. The Texas A&M Kingsville, another fine university with over 5,000 students also issuing lots of degrees in engineering and Ph.D.s in both education and engineering and other majors. Also, the South Texas Community College in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas with an enrollment of over 13,000 students of which 95 percent are Hispanic. They are doing a wonderful job. Within only 8 years of having been founded, I can see the difference that it is making in our region of the country. The fourth one is the Coastal Bend Community College, with more than 5,000 students, in the center part of my district. Again, they are raising those opportunities and the hope for so many young men and women. So again, it is an honor for us to be able to speak to this resolution and to be working on a bipartisan manner with our friends on the other side of the aisle. We are very appreciative of the support that is being given by all of our colleagues, and I urge that they approve this wonderful resolution. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).