Eddie Johnson

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the great work of the Department of English at Howard University. On February 15, 2001, the Department of English at Howard University is sponsoring its eighth annual Heart's Day Tribute, a day on which the Department annually commemorates its intellectual traditions. For a number of years, it has dedicated this special day to pay homage to those notable men and women who have contributed so richly to our lives. Past honorees have been writers Gwendolyn Brooks, Paule Marshall, Chinua Achebe, and James Baldwin. This year Heart's Day celebrates the work of one of the most provocative and most influential writers of the twentieth century--Amiri Baraka. As the leading voice of the Black Arts Movement, Baraka played a central role in helping to shape the parameters of a new cultural and intellectual rebirth. Through his brilliant essays, plays, poetry collections, and novels, he drove America to contemplate its deeper psyche. At the same time, he explored a world of rich redemptive black culture through such studies as Blues People (1963) and Black Music (1968). The Heart's Day tradition was inaugurated to support the Department's effort to complete funding for the Sterling A. Brown Endowed Chair. Professor Brown established the first formal study of African American literature in the academy. We salute Howard University and applaud them to continue to honor literary achievers.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my concern today about the nomination of Senator John Ashcroft and want to express my appreciation to the leadership of the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) to give us this opportunity to simply express our concerns. Let me say at the outset that, on paper, Mr. Ashcroft is the perfect candidate. He was a Member of the Senate, a governor, and an attorney general of the State of Missouri. I am told that he is amiable among his friends and has a good sense of humor. However, in determining the suitability of a nominee to serve as the highest law enforcement official of the country, we must take great care and look below the surface. We must look to his record and find the truth of his character from the actions he has taken at different times. I have examined that record and believe that Mr. Ashcroft is an unfortunate choice to head the Department of Justice. I would not make such a statement lightly. As the New York Times said in an editorial which appeared on January 23: ``Any reasonable reading of the extensive Judiciary Committee testimonies shows that Mr. Ashcroft's zeal has overruled prudence in cases that bear directly on issues relevant to the Department of Justice. Mr. Ashcroft's record on civil rights marks him as out of the mainstream of American ideals.'' Poll after poll has shown that the vast majority of Americans favor equal rights for all people. Most Americans take pride in the strength and courage this country has shown to come from the ugly days of segregation and Jim Crow to the America we now know. And while much remains to be done, few are willing to return to the bitter days of yesteryear. Yet it would seem that Mr. Ashcroft does not share these views because Mr. Ashcroft has opposed every major civil rights bill during his tenure in the Senate. Not only has his opposition to civil rights involved attempting to thwart the passage of laws, but it has involved attempting to block confirmation of individuals that he thinks might carry out these laws. During the Clinton administration, he led the fight against the confirmation of Bill Lann Lee as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Despite Mr. Lee's unquestioned and impeccable credentials, Mr. Ashcroft objected to Mr. Lee because Mr. Lee had opposed proposition 209, a California measure that eliminated affirmative action in California. Mr. Lee was never confirmed. Even more troubling for someone who seeks to be Attorney General, Mr. Ashcroft's opposition to civil rights apparently includes blocking lawfully issued orders of Federal courts. When Mr. Ashcroft was the attorney general for Missouri, he was the State's top lawyer in the key stages of a court battle to end separate and unequal education. Twenty- five years after Brown v. the Board of Education, St. Louis schools still needed to come into compliance with the Supreme Court's ruling in this landmark case. John Ashcroft blocked the parties in the suit from developing a plan for voluntary desegregation and actively obstructed implementation of court orders. He filed appeal after appeal. His efforts caused unusually harsh criticism from the courts. After repeated delays and failure to comply by Mr. Ashcroft, the court threatened in March of 1981 to hold the State in contempt. In its order, the court order explicitly criticized the State's continual delay and failure to comply with court orders. The court stated that ``the court can only draw one conclusion, the State has as a matter of deliberate policy decided to defy the authority of the court.'' And again in 1981, Ashcroft even opposed a plan by the Reagan administration for voluntary desegregation. Even more troubling, in 1984, he based his gubernatorial primary campaign on his zealous opposition to the voluntary school desegregation plans for St. Louis schools. This is a troubling intersection of the use of the law for political gain. Yet all of this could be forgiven if Mr. Ashcroft had demonstrated an ability to work with those who differed with him. In the role of Attorney General of the United States, one must meet with many people with divergent interests and complicated agendas. Yet despite all of his experience in politics and government, I am afraid that Mr. Ashcroft has not built a reputation as one who seeks compromise and understanding. For instance, in 1993 when seeking to become chair of the Republican National Committee, members of his own party criticized Mr. Ashcroft's unwillingness to work cooperatively with those whose views differed from his. According to a quote which appeared in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on January 10, 1993, a fellow Republican from Missouri, State Senator Robert Johnson, said that Ashcroft ``won't take criticism. And if you disagree with him, he knocks you out of the loop like you don't exist.'' And this is the most troubling thing of all, because, as Mr. William Raspberry wrote in the Washington Post, Mr. Ashcroft ``seems certain to be a highly divisive force in an administration committed to healing across lines of party, ideology and race.'' While I hope that the Senate takes heed to these concerns, I understand that Mr. Ashcroft may succeed in his quest to become Attorney General. Let me take this opportunity to say now that if Mr. Ashcroft is confirmed, he will have a strong obligation to staff the Justice Department with people of demonstrated fairness and integrity and to show that they can administer the law evenhandedly. I hope that if he is confirmed, he will remember that it was his record of divisiveness that has marred his confirmation process. I hope he decides to follow President Bush's promise to be a uniter, not a divider.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. It is not signed by a Senator, Mr. President.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus to object to the 25 electoral votes from Florida.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. It is in writing, signed by a number of Members of Congress, and because we received hundreds of thousands of telegrams and e-mails and telephone calls, but we do not have a Senator.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to former Rep. Henry Gonzalez, who passed away on Tuesday, December 5th, at the age of 84. Throughout his career, Henry Gonzalez was an unwavering champion for equal justice and civil rights and a powerful voice for the disenfranchised. Henry first entered public life in 1953, when he was elected to the San Antonio City Council. The son of Mexican immigrants, he came along when Texas was a black and white society and Hispanics were generally not considered to be a minority group. Nevertheless, he spoke forcefully against segregation of public facilities and helped to shepherd passage of desegregation ordinances. Later, after he became the first Mexican-American to serve in the Texas State Senate, he attracted national attention for successfully filibustering several racial segregation bills that were aimed at circumventing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case. In 1961, Henry Gonzalez again broke new ground by being elected the first Hispanic Representative from Texas. Ultimately, he served 19 terms, longer than any other Hispanic Member of Congress. More importantly, he never lost touch with his constituents and his community during his tenure in Congress. He demanded that issues affecting the people of San Antonio receive his personal attention. Throughout his time in Congress, Henry Gonzalez served on the Committee of Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs. There, he focused his legislative efforts on making credit more accessible to ordinary people, improving public housing, and helping many Americans to become homeowners. Early in his congressional career, he worked for the passage the landmark Housing Act of 1964. Later, when he became Chairman of the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Development in 1981, he was instrumental in getting approval for a program to assist families who faced foreclosure on their homes. He also strongly defended public housing programs when the Reagan Administration proposed to cut them sharply. In 1989, he became Chairman of the full Banking Committee. His first urgent order of business was to deal with the collapse of the savings and loan industry, a crisis he had predicted throughout the 1980's. As he began working to craft a solution, it became apparent to him that any bailout, although necessary for the nation's banking system, would be extremely unfair to low and moderate income Americans. He realized that they would derive little or no benefit from the bailout even though they had to share in the burden of fashioning a remedy for the excesses and poor decisions of savings and loan managers in the previous decade. The need to make credit more available to low income Americans and to depressed communities laid the groundwork for later legislative efforts and culminated in the enactment of the Community Reinvestment Act. Overall, the Banking Committee under Henry's leadership held more than 500 hearings and obtained enactment of 71 bills. Among the other major bills that the Committee produced included restructuring the federal deposit insurance system to provide depositors a greater guarantee for their savings, making more credit available to small business, reauthorizing federal housing laws, and strengthening the laws pertaining to financial crimes. I want to especially thank Representative Martin Frost for leading a special order in honor of Henry Gonzalez. Henry Gonzalez was a giant and true champion of Texas, and it is fitting for a Texas Member who currently serves in the House leadership to lead this tribute. Henry was not just a giant in Texas politics but also a mentor to all of us in the Texas delegation. I am certainly proud to have had an opportunity to serve with him and learn from his example. The people of Texas and his constituents in San Antonio will miss him, and his colleagues here in the Congress will fondly remember his kindness, friendship, and devotion to public service.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his leadership this evening. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my friend, Representative Dixon. I always called Mr. Dixon the quiet storm because his strength was known just as soon as he spoke words, but he never spoke loudly and his words were always respected. He was my mentor, my teacher, and my friend. And Bettye, his dear Bettye, is also my friend and she has my deepest sympathy. My friend, Julian, inspired me politically and personally. Politically he was a profound legislator and an effective architect of democracy. Personally he was a dependable friend, a shoulder to lean on, a voice of encouragement. He had a complete view of America. He aggressively fault for the bear essentials of democracy, home rule and a voice for all Americans. He was an advocate for crime prevention programs, the poor, civil rights, education, labor, small and minority owned businesses, immigrants, Federal technology programs, and much more. Julian did all of this. And yet, he was not flashy. He did not have to be seen all the time. And though his actions were praised with numerous awards and honors, he was humble. That was just Julian. My friend, Julian, was always willing to do the hard work, do the heavy lifting, be a friend to many. America is truly indebted to Julian Dixon as a congressman, and I am truly indebted to him as a friend. No longer will I hear his voice when I need advice, encouragement, or just a friendly hello. Julian's reassuring voice is gone, but his spirit lives on. And I will always attempt to reach back and grab his technique to try to get things done. He has been called home for a well-deserved rest much too soon, much untimely. But I will say, rest well, Julian. Your job was well done and we all thank you for your efforts.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in expressing my deepest sympathy to Julian Dixon's wife and family. I met Julian Dixon the year that he was elected to Congress through mutual friends. I had a lot of relatives in his district who told me that he was going to be the best. I considered him and Bettye my dear friends. He was quiet, dignified, professional, dependable, thorough, hard working, and, as we hear, respected by all. Julian was fair and knowledgeable of his work. I will miss him. We will all miss him; but I will miss him as a role model, I will miss him as a friend, and Bettye and family will have my deepest sympathy.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, let me rise and thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost) for providing for this hour. As long as I can remember attempting to be a good citizen, from the days of not being quite old enough to vote, I remember the name of Henry B. Gonzalez. Henry B. Gonzalez came along in Texas before he was considered a minority. He attended the University of Texas before the university integrated or desegregated. And even during those times, he was committed to equality for all. He often had long statements concerning the poor, the disenfranchised being seen as equal partners. At the same time, he did not ignore his committed thinking and planning for those who were even more powerful as long as they were right and as long as he felt it was right. He truly believed, as we have heard, in liberty and justice for all. He was a family man, a community man, a man who gave personal attention to his constituents. He sat on sidewalks with a card table and visited with people and opened his office door and made all welcome. I identify him as the single person on this floor that educated Members and the public on the banking industry. When all banks were failing and the S&Ls were going under, he frequently talked about rescuing them with public dollars and with the same dollars from people that never got service from them which led to CRA. Although some may have disagreed with him, all respected him no matter what party. He will always be a hero of mine, a hero of the people, a hero of the common man, because he never left out those persons who were least able to speak for themselves. And so Henry B. Gonzalez made his mark not only in Texas but in this Nation, standing tall long before it was even thought about that Mexican Americans or the Hispanic population in this country as it has grown has now been considered a minority, but he did that. Speaking for all minorities prior to that time speaks to how committed he was to what was right and speaks to the issue of all being equal. And so I will thank him and tell my grandchildren to thank him for his service.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 574 and 575 I missed votes due to an airline delay. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a genuine American hero, a tireless fighter for inclusion in one of the Nation's most influential and prolific legislators in the history, my friend, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay). The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) was a hero for justice before he came to Congress, and the gentleman's record in Congress is nothing short of amazing. Virtually every piece of legislation he touches has a direct and decisive impact on all Americans. For his entire career, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) has been one of the Nation's preeminent fighters for families and for students. His impact has been universally felt, whether through his critical support for the Family and Medical Leave Act, or his work as Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. For decades, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) has fought to give every American an opportunity to succeed. As the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) retires after a groundbreaking career, the Congressional Black Caucus salutes one of its founders and most extraordinary workers. Through the work of this congressman and his wife Carol, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation have become two of the most important organizations in America. Thanks in part to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay), the impact of African-Americans in Congress has been enhanced exponentially. Thanks to Mrs. Clay and her work with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the number of African Americans serving at all levels of government has been positively impacted forever. The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) practices what he preaches. The scholarship fund that bears his name has awarded more than $1.5 million in scholarships to minority students. Right now, 58 students are in college as a direct result of his efforts. He is an author and a scholar. His three published books have held America's feet to the fire and forced this country to examine the treatment of minority issues in the highest levels of power. A bold innovator, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) has consistently used his stature to help the less fortunate, to make America stronger, and to raise the standard of living for everyone in the Nation. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to call the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) my friend. He has been there to support me and countless other Members of Congress during both good times and during some of the most challenging moments. During this election season, when every candidate espouses his or her ability to lead, our youth should look to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) as a model of integrity, teamwork, and leadership. The Congress loses a true treasure with his retirement. But America can be thankful that we felt his influence on our lives during his remarkable life of service. We know that we are not where we want to be, we know that we are not where we need to be, but we do know we are a long ways from where we were when the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) came.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I am here this morning just to address education. I hear the rhetoric about one size fits all and what have you. Let me just say that we are here because we are trying to get the body to address the educational needs. Yes, one size does fit all when we are talking about more teachers, where there is such a shortage. One size does fit all when we are talking about smaller classes so students can get more attention, about after-school programs, and then the bonds that they need. How do we know? Because the people have told us so. Mr. Speaker, we represent the real people who stand for these goals. We are listening to the people. We are responding to their stated needs. This is not just one size fits all, this is addressing needs that most of them have, because we have got to do this for the children of this Nation. We have got to preserve our future, and the only way to do it is to address these needs with the surplus that we have, instead of giving it all in tax breaks to the rich.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program have long enjoyed the bipartisan support of the Congress because of their vital mission, to improve safety for all citizens. I would like to acknowledge the collegial approach taken by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Basic Research, in developing H.R. 1550. It has been a pleasure working with him on the bill. I also want to thank the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), and the ranking democratic member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), for their efforts to bring it before the House for its consideration tonight. The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 was intended to address a serious problem affecting the safety of all Americans. Much progress has been made during the past 25 years in public education about fire safety and improvement in the effectiveness of fire services and the wider use of home fire safety devices. Nevertheless, the United States still has one of the highest fire death rates among advanced nations. In 1997, 4,000 Americans died and nearly 24,000 were injured in fires. Moreover, the approximately 2 million fires reported each year result in direct property loss estimated at well over $8 billion, with a total direct and indirect cost reaching $100 billion annually. The bill before the House seeks to reinvigorate the efforts of the fire administration. I am pleased that it endorses the President's fiscal year 2000 proposal and brings the budget level to $50 million by fiscal year 2003. Although this is a 12 percent increase over 3 years, it still pales compared to the scale of activity originally contemplated for the agency. Nevertheless, H.R. 1550 is a good start. We are improving the level of resources the fire administration needs to carry out its important mission. It will enable the agency to increase support for its critical responsibility for firefighter training through the National Fire Academy. The budget growth will enable the agency to reverse the steep decline in support for fire research and for public education programs. Regarding public education, the fire administration must enlarge and improve its efforts to reduce losses, and I will put my complete remarks in the record. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to specifically express my support for title II of H.R. 1550 which authorizes the national earthquake hazard reduction program. Through the efforts of the scientists and engineers funded by NEHRP programs, we now have maps that inform engineers, architects and builders of seismic hazards. We have model building codes, and we have a greater understanding of the science of earthquake hazards and the response of buildings to the seismic movement. Advances such as early warning of seismic events, more structurally sound buildings, regional analysis of seismic risk, mobile research centers and widespread use of Internet and other telecommunications capability are going to make a marked reduction in the earthquakes. As my former colleague, the gentleman from California, Mr. Brown, would say, there are still challenges we must face and assessments that must be made periodically to make sure that we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety and security of the American people. There are still earthquake-prone communities that have not adopted appropriate building codes; monitoring in earthquake-prone areas is still done with less than state-of-the-art equipment, and disparities in earthquake losses due to age, socioeconomic status, and physical limitations still exist. Fortunately, I feel that the bill before us today will help us meet these needs. In addition to authorizing increased funding for the base program, the bill authorizes the Advanced Seismic Research and Monitoring System to upgrade and expand our seismic monitoring, and the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation to modernize earthquake engineering research facilities. The full title of the network for the earthquake engineering simulation is actually the George E. Brown, Jr. Network and Earthquake Engineering Simulation, in recognition of one of this legislative body's most active and vigilant champions of initiative preparedness; the late Representative George E. Brown, Jr. Mr. Brown began the crusade for earthquake preparedness and mitigation in the 1960s at a time in which many people labeled him as an alarmist, but as we all know, Mr. Brown was always a step ahead in his view of the world around us. Through his works and through him serving as one of the original drafters of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977, Mr. Brown has improved the lives of countless Americans that reside in seismically active or potentially active regions of the country. Therefore, it is only fitting that this recognition be given to a man who served as one of the greatest contributors to the current earthquake hazards reduction infrastructure. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me say that H.R. 1550 is a good bill that comes to the floor at this time, and it is with bipartisan support, and I am pleased to recommend that all of the Members support this measure. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Fire Administration and The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program have long enjoyed the bipartisan support of the Congress because of their vital mission to improve the safety of all our citizens. I would like to acknowledge the collegial approach taken by Mr. Smith, the chairman of the Basic Research Subcommittee, in developing H.R. 1550. It has been a pleasure working with him on the bill. I also want to thank the chairman of the committee, Mr. Sensenbrenner, and the Ranking Democratic Member, Mr. Hall, for their efforts in bringing it before the House for its consideration today. The Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 was intended to address a serious problem affecting the safety of all Americans. Much progress has been made during the past 25 years in public education about fire safety, improvement in the effectiveness of fire services, and the wider use of home fire safety devices. Nevertheless, the United States still has one of the highest fire death rates among advanced nations. In 1997, 4,000 Americans died and nearly 24,000 were injured in fires. Moreover, the approximately 2 million fires reported each year result in direct property losses estimated at well over $8 billion, with total direct and indirect costs reaching $100 billion annually. The bill before the House seeks to reinvigorate the efforts of the Fire Administration. I am pleased that it endorses the President's fiscal year 2001 proposal and brings the budget level to $50 million by fiscal year 2003. Although this is a 12 percent increase over three years, it still pales compared to the scale of activity originally contemplated for the agency. Nevertheless, H.R. 1550 is a good start for providing the level of resources the Fire Administration needs to carry out its important mission. It will enable the agency to increase support for its critical responsibility for firefighter training through the National Fire Academy. Moreover, the budget growth will enable the agency to reverse the steep decline in support for fire research and for public education programs. Regarding public education, the Fire Administration must enlarge and improve its efforts to reduce losses for the population groups most at risk from fire death and injury. We know that the elderly, the very young, and the poor are the most vulnerable. I included language in the report accompanying the original House-passed version of the bill tasking the Fire Administration to carefully assess whether research and additional data collection activities could improve understanding of the factors that lead to increased fire risk. Effective, targeted fire prevention campaigns can be developed only from a sound knowledge base. In addition to resources, the bill provides for the agency to develop a management plan and establish the program priorities that will help to ensure the increased resources are used to maximum effect. An important component of the plan is the requirement for consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the fire service organizations to establish a prioritized set of research goals. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to specifically express my support of Title II of HR 1550, which reauthorizes the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Through the efforts of the scientists and engineers funded by NEHRP programs, we now have maps that inform engineers, architects, and builders of seismic hazards; we have model building codes; and we have a greater understanding of the science of earthquake hazards and the response of buildings to seismic movement. Advances such as early warning of seismic events, more structurally sound buildings, regional analysis of seismic risk, mobile research centers, and widespread use of the Internet and other telecommunications capabilities are going to make marked reductions in the impacts of earthquakes. However, as my former colleague Mr. Brown of California would say, there are still challenges we must face and assessments that must be made periodically to make sure that we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety and security of the American people. There are still earthquake-prone communities that have not adopted appropriate building codes; monitoring in earthquake-prone areas is still done with less than state-of-the-art equipment, and disparities in earthquake losses due to age, socioeconomic status, and physical limitations still exist. Fortunately, I feel that the bill before us today will help us meet these needs. In addition to authorizing increased funding for the base program, the bill authorizes (1) the ``Advanced Seismic Research and Monitoring System'' to upgrade and expand our seismic monitoring, and (2) the ``Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation'' to modernize earthquake engineering research facilities. The full title of the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation is actually the George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation in recognition of one of this legislative body's most active and vigilant champions of earthquake preparedness; the late Representative George E. Brown, Jr. Mr. Brown began the crusade for earthquake preparedness and mitigation in the 1960's, at a time in which many people labeled him an alarmist. But as we all know Mr. Brown was always a step ahead in his view of the world around us. Through his works--including serving as one of the original drafters of the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977--Mr. Brown has improved the lives of countless Americans that reside in seismically active, or potentially active, regions of the country. Therefore, it is only fitting that this recognition be given to a man who served as one of the greatest contributors to the current ``earthquake hazard reduction'' infrastructure. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me say that H.R. 1550 is a good bill that comes to the Floor with bipartisan support and that authorizes programs that advance public safety. I am pleased to recommend the measure to my colleagues for their approval.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, there is no question about any provision in this bill, except that provision that allows for the payment of teachers for private schools. There is a real difference between a $7,500 award and paying the full salary of a teacher for a private school. That remains a problem in this bill. Clearly, this bill needed to move. We have been holding it up for over 2 years, trying to hear everyone all over the country, many educators, and we know the urgency of the provisions of this bill. But we do not want to risk the outcome of this bill because of this provision. That is where my concern is, and that is what I would like. If the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) could assure us that this provision would not jeopardize this bill and it could be corrected before it is signed into law or vetoed or whatever, then I have no problem with the bill. We need the other provisions of this bill to be in law so that we can get the benefit as quickly as possible.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 4271 and want to express my appreciation for the leadership to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall) and the efforts of other committee members. After a comprehensive effort and a set of hearings of the Committee on Science organized by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), which examined all aspects of K-12 science and math education, we finally did come to an agreement on a comprehensive bill, a bill that incorporates a range of proposals from several Members on both sides of the aisle and addresses ways to improve teacher training, develops more effective educational materials and teaching practices to improve student learning and establishes programs to attract more women and minorities to careers in science and technology. I am concerned, however, about a provision that allows grants to private elementary and middle schools. I support the provisions of 4271, but I have a concern about the constitutionality of this provision. I am simply disappointed that the majority party would allow an unconstitutional provision in section 4 of H.R. 4271 to authorize a grant program at the National Science Foundation for competitive awards to public and private elementary and middle schools to hire master science teachers. I fully realize that every school needs these teachers, but we simply cannot spend public dollars on private schools in elementary and secondary levels for these schools to hire master teachers. We know that in these private schools, they have smaller classes, they are easier students to teach; and so consequently we feel that the master teachers probably would gravitate to these private schools. Who would blame them? Despite the efforts to try to remove this provision, it is still here; and we need a clean bill because we need the provisions otherwise of this bill. This section and only this section is the cause of much of my concern to the once highly supported bill by both sides of the aisle. Mr. Speaker, section 4 is clearly unconstitutional on the basis of a Supreme Court decision in Lemon v. Kurtzman. In that case, the Court disallowed a State program for providing salary supplements to teachers in private schools. Mr. Speaker, what we have today is simply an effort to get public dollars funneled into private schools. We simply must not do that in this body. The precedent set by this case is what we should follow today. The Court knew then, just as we know today, that implementation of a provision like this would serve to endanger this entire bill. As stated before, it was highly supported by both sides of the aisle. H.R. 4271 incorporated the Mathematics and Science Proficiency Partnership Act, a bill that I introduced last year. My legislation is a targeted measure. It seeks to bring schools with large populations of economically disadvantaged students together in partnership with businesses to improve science and math education and to recruit and support students in undergraduate education in science and technology fields. Before realizing the intentions of Section 4, I was also pleased that the bill included a provision I offered in Committee to establish a formal coordination and planning mechanism for federal K-12 science education programs. Mr. Speaker, the nation must take advantage of the human resource potential of all our citizens if we are to succeed in the international economic competition of the 21st century. Just as other members, I would like to see the good provisions of H.R. 4271 implemented, but I can not justify to the 30th district of Texas and to the American people support of such legislation that risks being struck down because of the unconstitutional provision. The American people can only benefit if we pass a bill that is constitutional and speaks to the welfare of all Americans. This can only be done without the inclusion of Section 4. We need reform efforts in science and math education that will engage and cultivate the interest of all children, not efforts that will put the grant application to hire master science teachers at risk by providing funding to private schools--yielding unconstitutional results. Indeed, H.R. 4271 addresses many aspects of K-12 science and math education that plague our schools. At the same time, H.R. 4271 unconstitutionally serves to deny public schools the opportunities to become technologically savvy in this increasingly technological world. Due to the unconstitutional section of this legislation, I urge my colleagues to correct this provision so that we can get the other provisions of the bill going. It is long overdue.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) very much for his response. I guess the commitment that I want is that if it is determined to be unconstitutional, could the language be made so that if it is determined to be unconstitutional then we can remove this provision? Because we need the rest of this bill, and we need it rapidly. I have been pleading for this for over 2 years to move forward, but what I do not want to do is dilute public dollars further in supporting private schools when we so desperately need special areas, especially students in areas where it is difficult to attract master teachers, it is difficult to have smaller classes, it is even difficult to have the classes wired as they should be for today's education. I need that assurance.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Speaker, let me just say that we want the provisions of this bill to go forward. We do not want public dollars to flow to private schools when we have such need in public schools. I need that assurance. This bill is on suspension. I need to assure a number of people in this body that this will happen if this bill is to pass today.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Not on this provision, but the last one.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to engage the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) in a colloquy to be sure that we can correct this provision in this bill before it goes into final print. If this can happen, I wholeheartedly support this bill. Could the gentleman assure me that the language that provides grants to private schools that are publicly supported could be corrected before the final language of the bill?

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4940 and will address my comments to title II, the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act. Title II authorizes a major new research investment in information technology, which is very important to the Nation's future well-being. Action by Congress to authorize this initiative really should not be delayed. Information technology is a major driver of economic growth. It creates high-wage jobs, provides for the rapid communication throughout the world, and provides the tools for acquiring knowledge and insight from information. Advances in computing and communications will make the workplace more productive and improve the quality of health care and make government more responsive and accessible to the needs of our citizens. Mr. Speaker, vigorous long-term research is essential for realizing the potential of information technology. The technical advances that led to today's computers and Internet evolved from passed Federally sponsored research, in partnership with industry and universities. The research authorized by H.R. 4940 will ensure that the store of basic knowledge is replenished and, thereby, enable the development of future generations of technology products and services. This legislation has received the bipartisan cosponsorship of many Members, and I would like to acknowledge the collegial manner in which title II of the bill was developed by the Committee on Science. I want to thank the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), the ranking Democratic member, for their persistent efforts to move this measure towards final passage. Title II of the bill will establish a multiagency research initiative that responds to the recent findings and recommendations of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee. This committee, which was established through statute, is composed of distinguished representatives from computer and communications companies and from academia. It reached its conclusions following a comprehensive assessment of current Federally funded information technology research. Mr. Speaker, the President's Advisory Committee found that Federal funding for information technology research has tilted too much towards support for near-term, mission-focus objectives. They discovered a growing gap between the power of high-performance computers available to support agency mission requirements versus support for the general academic research community. They identified the need for socioeconomic research on the impact on society of the rapid evolution of information technology, and they judged that the annual Federal research investment is inadequate by more than $1 billion. The bill before us addresses each of the deficiencies identified by the advisory committee and will effectively implement its recommendations. I am particularly pleased by the inclusion of a provision I offered to the committee to explicitly authorize research to identify, understand, anticipate, and address the potential social and economic costs and benefits from the increasing pace of information technology based transformations. In addition to support for research, title II will also contribute to providing the highly trained workers needed by the information industries. The human resource pool would be expanded through two principal mechanisms. First, as a part of their training, graduate students will participate in most of the individual research projects authorized. Secondly, special provision is made for the student internships in industry to help recruit individuals for careers in information-based companies. I sponsored a provision that opened such internships to students participating in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program administered by the National Science Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act is an important investment in the future prosperity of this Nation and in the well-being of our fellow citizens. I recommend the measure to my colleagues and ask for full support of its passage.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution to honor the American winners of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2000, Drs. Eric R. Kandel and Paul Greengard. These two distinguished scientists will share this year's award with a third winner, Dr. Arvid Carlsson of Sweden. The scientists were recognized by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institute for their important contributions to understanding how brain cells interact with each other at the molecular level to create moods and memories in individuals. Their separate but related pursuits, which began in the 1950s, have provided the basis for today's understanding of mental illness and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. This understanding has been essential for the drugs and treatments that have been already developed for these afflictions and provide the foundation for even more promising research in these areas. Last year, the Office of the Surgeon General published Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, which noted that although the United States leads the world in understanding the importance of mental health to the overall health of its people, the nation still has many challenges to meet. Today, one in five people in the United States are afflicted with some form of mental disorder. Furthermore, mental disorder is one of the key contributors to a leading cause of preventable deaths---suicide. The federal government, particularly the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has provided strong support toward research efforts in the mental health area. Indeed, NIH contributed to the discoveries made by Drs. Kandel and Greengard through grants and research support for over 30 years. As we celebrate the honor bestowed by the Nobel Assembly upon Drs. Kandel and Greengard, we should also look forward to the challenges ahead, which include not only continued scientific research but also improving the delivery of mental health services and helping society to overcome ingrained fears and misconceptions concerning mental illness.

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a daughter of Texas, Dr. Alice Smothers. She passed away on Saturday, October 14, 2000, at the age of 104. The state of Texas, the nation and the world have lost not only a good friend for those in need, but also an outstanding educator and leader. Dr. Smothers, a well-known pioneer to many, provided a place in this world for orphaned Black children. Alongside her husband, the late J.W. Smothers, she founded St. Paul Industrial Training School. Like Dr. Smothers, the school served countless young Texans in providing training in the agricultural, industrial and technical arts for over 60 years throughout the Henderson County community. Dr. Smothers' vision and leadership allowed the St. Paul Industrial Training School to become an entity that awarded educational scholarships to needy college-bound students. To this day, the scholarship program of the St. Paul Industrial Training School has assisted over 530 students to help them realize their dreams of pursuing a college education. I am deeply saddened that Texas, the nation and the world have lost such an exceptional and tireless trailblazer of the educational community like Dr. Smothers. I ask the House to join me in remembrance of Dr. Alice Smothers--a true champion for men, women and children everywhere.