Stephanie Jones

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, Jerry Milano was one of Cleveland's most aggressive, flamboyant and skilled defense lawyers. He was equally respected by veteran trial lawyers and the young lawyers, who were ``just learning the ropes.'' Attorney Kenneth Seminatore remembers being ``educated'' by the seasoned trial lawyer Milano. ``I learned a great deal about attitude and technique from him. In the courtroom, Milano was magic. He never used notes when talking to the jury. He had an uncanny ability to focus on the facts that were important, that would persuade a jury, and which appeared to be coming from his heart, not a script.'' Seven years ago Milano's friends in the Cuyahoga County Defense Lawyers Association honored him with its Lifetime Achievement award. They roasted him by sharing stories of his nearly fifty year career. According to a friend ``Jerry had a terrific sense of humor. And that he just laughed and laughed.'' Jerry Milano had a reputation of being a tough, thorough and always prepared advocate for his clients. He also had a reputation of being a kind and generous man who counted among his friends one-time adversaries. Many stories have been told over the years of his many generous acts on behalf of other lawyers, friends and persons he only knew as acquaintances. Stories have been told about some of Jerry Milano's courtroom antics. Many of the stories describe humorous, good natured acts before the bench. Some of the stories, while humorous, led to the mischievous lawyer having his wrist slapped by the presiding judge. His comic behaviors, never mean spirited, showed his quick wit and light-hearted sense of humor. Attorney Jerry Milano, a graduate of Kent State University and Cleveland Marshall College of Law, tried cases of great notoriety. His clients, his opposing counsel, the presiding judge and jury had an opportunity to witness a professional. He defended his clients aggressively, competently, and according to the Canons of Ethics. After more than fifty (50) years of practice in Ohio, Florida and Alabama, Attorney Jerry Milano retired because of illness. As a young assistant county prosecutor, I watched in awe, and gained valuable insight, as Attorney Milano examined a prosecution witness. As a judge I enjoyed trying cases with Jerry. He made the prosecutors do their jobs. As friends, Jerry and Rita Milano have been with me through all of my ups and downs. Thank you for your friendship. On behalf of the United States Congress and the citizens of the 11th Congressional District, Ohio, I extend condolences to Rita, Jay and Debbie Milano on the loss of a loving family man and friend. I join the Bar in celebrating the life and times of a legal superstar.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for this opportunity to debate this very important issue. In Ohio there is a bipartisan system at the county level. However, every board of election member serves at the behest or discretion of the Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell, who, in fact, was the co-chair of the Bush campaign. I want to go on to say that, for example, Secretary Blackwell issued a directive to local boards of election mandating rejection of voter registration forms on 80-weight paper. He issued a directive which ultimately was reversed which resulted in confusion and chaos among counties with regard to provisional ballots. But be that as it may, the objection today is raised because there are irregularities across this country with regard to voting and we as a Congress have an obligation to step up to the plate and correct them. All voters ought to be allowed to vote early. There should be established a national holiday for elections to bring attention to the importance of voting. We should require those working at the voting booth to be fairly compensated, adequately educated, and sufficiently supported such that the job importance will be elevated. We need to provide them equipment, whether it is punch card, electronic, whatever it is, that it be fully tested, fully calibrated, and that there be a paper trail. What happened in Ohio may well have been repeated across this country; yet that is no excuse for us to push the irregularities behind us and go on with the business of the day. This is an important enough issue that all the people across America want us to address it, they want us to deal with it, and they want us to correct it. I thank all of my colleagues for giving me an opportunity to be heard, for giving us an opportunity to address the issue.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Vice President, I seek to object to the electoral votes of the State of Ohio on the ground that they were not, under all of the known circumstances, regularly given and have a signed objection, and I do have a Senator.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Vice President, the Senator has signed the objection.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, can I ask how much time that is?

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I, Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and Barbara Boxer, a Senator from California, have objected to the counting of the electoral votes of the State of Ohio on the ground that they were not, under all of the known circumstances, regularly given. I, thank God, have a Senator joining me in this objection, and I appreciate Senator Boxer's willingness to listen to the plight of hundreds, and even thousands of Ohio voters, that for a variety of reasons were denied the right to vote. Unfortunately, objecting to the electoral votes from Ohio is the only immediate avenue to bring these issues to light. While some have called our cause foolish, I can assure you that my parents, Mary and Andrew Tubbs, did not raise any fools. They raised a lawyer, they raised a former judge, they raised a prosecutor; and thank God they live to see me serve as a Member of the House of Representatives. I am duty bound to follow the law and apply the law to the facts as I find them, and it is on behalf of those millions of Americans who believe in and value our democratic process and the right to vote that I put forth this objection today. If they are willing to stand at polls for countless hours in the rain, as many did in Ohio, then I should surely stand up for them here in the halls of Congress. This objection does not have at its root the hope or even the hint of overturning the victory of the President; but it is a necessary, timely, and appropriate opportunity to review and remedy the most precious process in our democracy. I raise this objection neither to put the Nation in the turmoil of a proposed overturned election nor to provide cannon fodder or partisan demagoguery for my fellow Members of Congress. I raise this objection because I am convinced that we as a body must conduct a formal and legitimate debate about election irregularities. I raise this objection to debate the process and protect the integrity of the true will of the people. Again, I thank Senator Boxer. There are serious allegations in two lawsuits pending in Ohio that debate the constitutionality of the denial of provisional ballots to voters: One, the Sandusky County Democratic Party v. J. Kenneth Blackwell and Ohio's vote recount, Yost v. David Cobb, et al. These legitimate questions brought forward by the lawsuits, which go to the core of our voting and democratic process, should be resolved before Ohio's electoral votes are certified. Moreover, as you are aware, advancing legislative initiatives is more challenging when you are in the minority party in the Congress. However, this challenge is multiplied when you are in the minority in the House of Representatives because of the House rules compared to the Senate rules. Voting irregularities were an issue after the 2000 Presidential election when the House initiatives relating to election reform were not considered. Therefore, in order to prevent our voices from being kept silent, it is imperative that we object to the counting of Ohio's electoral votes. What happened in Ohio in Cuyahoga County. There are just over 1 million registered voters in Cuyahoga County which, of course, includes my congressional district. Registration increased approximately 10 percent. The beauty of the 2004 election was that more people were fully prepared to exercise their right to vote; however, on election day, hundreds and even thousands of individuals went to the voting polls and were denied the opportunity. In my own county where citizen volunteers put forth a Herculean effort to register, educate, mobilize and protect, there were long lines, 4- to 5-hour waits. Election Protection Coalition testified that more than half of the complaints about long lines they received came from Columbus and Cleveland where a huge proportion of the State's Democratic voters live. One entire polling place in Cuyahoga County had to shut down at 9:25 a.m. on election day because there were no working machines. On provisional balloting, Cuyahoga County had over-all provisional ballot rejection of 32 percent. Rejection rates for provisional ballots in African American precincts and wards in Cleveland averaged 37 percent and in some as high as 51 percent. Significant flaws in registration process and procedures. Initial research identified at least 600 individuals purged from the Cuyahoga County voting rolls without a due process. Cuyahoga County analysis of 10,900 voter applications showed that almost 3,000 were never entered; address updates received but never updated; mistakes in entering addresses. I thank the Speaker for the opportunity to be heard, and I raise the objection on behalf of the electors of the State of Ohio.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of the objection of today.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of the Honorable Robert Matsui who served Sacramento, CA, for 27 years. Just last month, Representative Matsui was reelected to another term by a winning percentage of 71.4 percent. Sadly, he passed from this life on New Year's Day, January 1, 2005. For the past 2 years, I have been honored to serve with Representative Matsui on the Ways and Means Committee and its Social Security Subcommittee. During that time, I observed that Bob had a deep understanding of Social Security and tax policy, which was reflected in his masterful handling of committee work and interactions with colleagues. He was a Congressperson's Congressperson. He was a great leader. He was generous with his time and his talent. He was willing to share the limelight. On several occasions he invited me to serve as ranking member on the Social Security Subcommittee, what a privilege. His generosity will be sorely missed. As the 109th Congress convenes today, it is fitting that we honor Bob Matsui's legacy. During the 109th Congress we will undertake discussions on gutting the Social Security program, a program that Bob understood as an important safety net for not only senior citizens but also disabled persons and minor children of deceased parents. Bob was a strong proponent of the idea that privatizing Social Security would lead to its demise by making it financially unviable. He worked tirelessly to reform the program and make it operate more efficiently, without compromising its purpose. A biblical proverb states that ``Good men must die, but death cannot kill their names.'' Representative Robert Matsui's legacy will live on in the Congress as we continue his longstanding work to preserve Social Security and our country's ideals of helping those who need and deserve it. We will miss him, but his name will not be forgotten.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Conference Report on the 9/11 Commission recommendations. The conference report, which implements the core recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, is essential to bolster our nation's security in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The report: Establishes a Director of National Intelligence to coordinate all national intelligence efforts; Establishes a National Counterterrorism Center to unify all elements of counterterrorism intelligence operations planning; Establishes an independent Privacy and Civil Liberties Board within the Executive Office of the President that would ensure that privacy and civil liberties concerns are properly considered; Establishes an Information Sharing Environment to facilitate the sharing of terrorism information among all appropriate Federal, State, local, tribal, and private sector entities, through the use of policy guidelines and technologies; Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop and implement a national strategy for transportation security--including aviation, air cargo and maritime security measures; Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a plan to improve border security--including the use of advanced technologies to secure the northern border, and remotely piloted aircraft to secure the Southwest border; Requires federal agencies to establish minimum standards for driver's licenses and ID necessary to board domestic commercial aircraft and gain access to federal facilities. This is a strong bill that will make Cleveland, OH, and our country safer and more secure. I strongly support the bill today, and I supported it on November 20, 2004, when the House and Senate conferees reached an agreement on this landmark legislation. This bill should have been ready for the President's signature then, but unfortunately the Republican leadership played politics and delayed passage until a majority of Republicans supported the bill--even though the conference report had strong Democratic support and would have passed on November 20. But, today, this important legislation will pass. We, Democrats, fought for this conference report to reach the floor for a vote before this 108th Congress came to a close, and we succeeded. It is time to make our country safer. It is time to overhaul our intelligence agencies in order to prevent another 9/11 attack. It is time to pass this bill in honor of the 9/11 victims and their families. Vote ``yes'' on this vital legislation.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, for the third time since President Bush took office, Republicans will increase the federal debt limit. This year, Republicans will increase the debt limit by $800 billion. This would allow borrowing to reach $8.2 trillion--$8.2 trillion. Where has the fiscal responsibility gone? This year the deficit will hit a record $412 billion. Over the last 4 years the federal debt has ballooned by $1.4 trillion. Because there appears to be no end in sight to the annual budget deficits, the new debt ceiling will probably have to be raised again next year. One would think that faced with this huge debt problem our friends on the other side of the aisle would want to reinstate ``pay-as-you-go'' rules as we, Democrats, have been advocating. But, unbeknownst to me and the American public--who are paying attention because they are the ones carrying this heavy debt burden--Republicans refuse to adopt ``pay-go'' rules. These are the same ``pay-go'' rules that played a key role in balancing the budget in the 1990s under the Clinton administration. The Republicans' refusal to adopt ``pay-go'' does not make any sense. f we have to increase the debt limit, then we should do so along with fiscally responsible ``pay-go'' rules that would stop Republicans from putting Americans deeper and deeper into debt. It is hard-working American people that are the victims of this growing, out of control debt. An average American family of four bears a debt burden of about $100,000--$100,000. Something has to be done. At some point we will have to stop these massive increases in the federal debt. At some point we will have to make room to adequately fund our children's education, our brave troops, Social Security. Republicans do not seem to understand that the larger our federal debt becomes, the less room there is to fund these important programs. This body should bear that in mind as we vote tonight. The American people are watching.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many outstanding achievements of four distinguished healthcare professionals--Drs. Dorothy Bradford, Valerie George, Daisy Alford- Smith, and May Wykle. Their endless acts of community service, excellence in the field of nursing education and many nursing affiliations are testimonies to their accomplishments, which have been recognized both locally and nationally. Their sensitivity and willingness to help others were critical ingredients throughout their illustrious careers. May the legacy of their work continue to inspire the hearts and minds of others. I am honored to join with the Cleveland Council of Black Nurses and the people of the 11th Congressional District in celebrating the ``Living Legacy'' of these visionaries.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of one of Cleveland's most cherished landmarks, Shaker Square. The Square was built in 1927-29 by Otis and Mantis Van Sweringen, the brothers who developed Shaker Heights, Ohio. The oldest shopping district in Ohio and the second oldest in the Nation, Shaker Square was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. What you see at Shaker Square today is a happy combination of nearly 75 years of preservation, enhanced by a multi-million dollar renovation in 2000- 2001. The Square has been viewed as the gateway to the Eastern suburbs. In addition to the development of Shaker Square was the creation of a rapid transit (light rail) connection to downtown Cleveland via the Terminal Tower, which is now a part of The Tower City Center. Shaker Square is home to many unique shops and restaurants and is home to the Historic Colonial Theater, which was built in 1937. But Shaker Square is more than a shopping area. It is the heart of a lively, diverse neighborhood. There are more than 4,000 units of high- quality rental and condominium apartments near the square--the largest concentration of multi family housing in Cleveland--plus townhouses and many private homes. Therefore, it is with great pride and pleasure that I congratulate Shaker Square and the community-at-large as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of this historic landmark in the city of Cleveland and the 11th Congressional District of Ohio.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of National Bible Week. I am honored and pleased to serve as Congressional Co-chair for National Bible Week, November 21-28, 2004. It is my hope and expectation that people of faith throughout the United States will join together to celebrate the Bible's core messages of fellowship, justice, peace, righteousness and love. I am proud to be a part of this annual event. I congratulate the National Bible Association for its dedication to encouraging people to read and take interest in the Holy Bible. Indeed, it is a special privilege to have the opportunity to be guided and inspired daily by words, phrases and stories some of which are 3,000 years old. These ancient writings have been an extraordinary source of strength, guidance and wisdom to persons across this nation and around the world. The Holy Bible is an extraordinary living document--like our Constitution--which continues to inform our thinking as well as our national conversation on both moral and ethical issues. I'm delighted to join in this celebration of National Bible Week.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Terri Ann Simms Grier a great citizen and dedicated public servant who recently passed away at the age of 42. Terri Ann Simms Grier was born July 12, 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio to Emmet and Evelyn Simms. Upon graduation from high school she went on to pursue her education at Smith College and would later graduate from Howard University in Washington, D.C. Employed for 13 years with the American Transport Association as a legislative analyst, Terri represented ATA at both the federal and state level on legislative matters. Additionally, she served as President of the Employee Association and was well respected in the field of government relations. Terri was an active member of the Washington Government Relations Group, a non partisan organization of African-American lobbyists and government relations professionals, where she held the office of secretary through two administrations spanning four years (1998-2001). Terri enjoyed traveling and had visited such countries as France, Spain, Egypt, Amsterdam, Iceland, Brazil, Mexico, Jamaica, Portugal and the Bahamas. She was also fluent in both French and Spanish. A devoted wife and mother to her husband Glen and son Jamir Langston Grier, here greatest joy was her family. May Terri Ann Simms Grier's legacy of love live on in the hearts, minds and deeds of everyone who knew her.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents I want to take this opportunity to extend to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, and the good people of Taiwan, our congratulations on their National Day. President Chen is to be commended for his capable and skilled leadership, which is reflected by Taiwan's high standards of living and political reforms. President Chen is to be further commended for his efforts seeking greater international understanding and harmony in the region. Taiwan and the United States share a long lasting friendship that has extended for over five decades. Mr. Speaker, on Taiwan's National Day, I join my colleagues in the United States Congress to salute and honor the 23 million citizens of Taiwan. I join with all Americans who take pride in the many accomplishments of the Taiwanese people.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 306, which honors the service of American Indian Veterans. For more than 200 years, about 190,000 American Indians have served and defended this great country in military action. Their service is pronounced during our major wars. President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders recruited American Indian Scouts for the Spanish-American War. Choctaw Indians were used as Codetalkers in World War I. Comanche Codetalkers sent the first message on D-Day. When the United States has needed them in combat, American Indians volunteered to serve, regardless of whether they were federal citizens. Today we are honoring American Indian veterans just like every year at hundreds of Pow Wows American Indians honor all American veterans. During these annual tribal celebrations, the ``Prisoner of War/Missing in Action'' flag is presented while the honor drum plays a ``Veterans Song.'' Veterans take part in an honor dance, and are recognized for their heroism and service to our country. I am proud to be part of this Congress that today recognizes the American Indians who have served our country. They have served bravely, and deserve our recognition. I thank Congressman Rick Renzi for introducing this worthy bill.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 496, a bi-partisan effort urging that Congress support humanitarian assistance to Caribbean countries devastated by the recent hurricanes. Four hurricanes--Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne--hit the region within five weeks. The affected countries and territories include the Bahamas, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the Turks and Caicos, Venezuela, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, but the burden is felt by all. More than 440,000 individuals displaced throughout the region. Tropical Storm Jeanne killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti, and hundreds remain missing. Men and women dig mass graves, scrambling to identify the bodies of lost loved ones. An estimated 300,000 people remain homeless as a result of the floods. With eight weeks left to the 2004 Atlantic Hurricane season, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) is urging the Caribbean to remain vigilant. The call comes against the background of an updated hurricane season forecast yesterday which calls for three more storms and two hurricanes this month with a 33 percent chance of a land falling storm and 17 percent chance of a land falling hurricane. The Administration announced providing $50 million to assist the region--specifically Haiti, Jamaica, and Grenada with small amounts for the Bahamas, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. this is a good start, but much more will be needed to help the entire region. Mr. Speaker, I rise to reiterate my support for H. Con. Res. 496 and urge the Administration to provide even more aid to assist the region.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, 2\1/2\ hours for a debate on amending the Constitution. It is so important that we contemplate that ministers, rabbis, priests can marry anybody they choose to. They can deny marriage to the opposite sex. But the reality is what about amending the Constitution to guarantee quality education to every child in this country; what about amending the Constitution to guarantee health care to every person in this country; what about amending the Constitution so that our colleagues around here could not spend this time talking about a moral issue instead of giving people jobs and giving them an opportunity to protect marriage? Marriages fall apart because people do not have work. What about amending the Constitution so we can guarantee all kinds of rights to all people? Give me a break. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 106, the constitutional amendment on same sex marriage. African-American voters are deeply divided on the issue of gay marriage and increasingly suspicious of Republican motives around the issue. Currently, 46 percent favor the amendment, while 46 percent oppose. Gay marriage should not be used as a wedge issue to divide any community, especially the African-American community. And guess what? In a June Gallup poll, issues related to the gay community were cited by 2 percent as the most important problem facing the U.S.--compared to other issues, such as the war in Iraq which was cited by 27 percent of the public. The current administration's policies have devastated our communities. With unemployment in the African-American community double the national average, crime on the rise, and working families struggling to feed and keep their families together, we can't afford to lose focus and be bamboozled by Republicans who want to change the subject. Mr. Speaker, as of September 24 the gross Federal debt is $7.348 trillion. I submit to you that we cannot afford a whole host of things. The American public wants Congress to focus on real issues facing our Nation--the economy, health care, protecting our homeland and education. To date, Congress has approved only 1 of 13 appropriations bills, despite the fact that a new fiscal year begins tomorrow. We must focus our energy on good jobs--3 million lost in the last 3 years; better education; improved healthcare since 41 million don't have it; sound transportation funding; and turning around our communities--not about gay marriage. Mr. Speaker, the administration has indeed captured the Nation's religious leaders on this issue because it does mirror concepts in various scriptures of their religious doctrines. Notwithstanding, it is precisely for that reason that we, in this august body, must resist the temptation to have the State engage in a religious battle. Separation of church and state is the basic principle of this Nation and it exempts us from this unnecessary action. Separation of church and state gives ministers, rabbis, imams, priests, reverends--you get my drift-- the freedom to practice their faith and choose to marry, or more importantly not marry, any two people before them. In these times of spreading war and hate, people of faith must reject politicians who say they are acting out of faith: But are they really? When one wears the cloak of one's faith on your sleeve, it almost automatically calls in question your motives. People who talk about right, justice, compassion and religion are in fact using those sentiments to contradict or undo the very teachings of their faith. Mr. Speaker, this is not compassionate; it is not tolerant; it is not charitable; it is not inclusive. This is nothing short of divisive and political. Instead of dividing us, our leaders should make redemption, understanding and love the foundation of their policies because we are all sinners. I believe it's time to start bringing people together to work on the real issues of faith and moral commitment that confront our communities like poverty and homelessness instead of changing the Constitution to deny equal rights to the gay community. With record high unemployment, crime on the rise, and working families struggling to keep their families together, it's time to bring people together to turn our communities around. We need to focus on real policies. Amending the Constitution is the most far-reaching step that legislators can take in governing the citizens of this country, and it is my belief that the Constitution should be the instrument that protects and guarantees the rights of individuals; it should not be used to limit the rights of individuals. The defeat of this legislation is tantamount to the preservation of human rights in this country. Mr. Speaker, I vehemently oppose H.J. Res. 106 and I will continue to do so until it is defeated.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield further, I want to say this, that I am so excited and privileged to serve in the House of Representatives with this fine young man, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek). He comes from great stock, my former colleague, Carrie Meek, serving on the Committee on Armed Services, serving on the Committee on Homeland Security, and he is talking about what he knows. He is not just speculating. He has the opportunity to be on the committees that know about all of these issues about Iraq, about all these issues about National Guard, the Armed Services. I am just so pleased and proud to be able to stand with the 30- Something Group here on the floor of the House, having celebrated my double nickel birthday just last Friday of 55. I am pleased and privileged to stand here, to be a part of the House, to have an opportunity to be heard. I just want to salute the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) for all the great work that you are doing. I am just pleased to be in your aura.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, the interesting thing is this whole discussion about security right here in the United States and what has this administration done to secure us. I would ask the people of the United States of America to contemplate this: the COPS program, we were supposed to give money to cities to increase the number of police officers available in cities, first responders. That amount of money has been reduced. I think about the first responders, the law enforcement, the firefighters, the EMS. The money that was supposed to go to cities across this country is locked up in State capitals across this country, not going into the neighborhoods where they deserve it. We are still trying to figure out about what do we do about the tankers or the freighters coming over into our country that are not being perused. We are still thinking about the number of things that are on the planes. The other day I was flying from Cleveland into D.C. I mean, the woman frisked me, totally frisked me. The TSA person. They were trying to be in place because of what happened with the Russians. But what about all the things we are not doing? And this President talks about securing America, and people are talking about how this President has done all these things to make sure we are safer. I bring to the American people the reality that those things are not happening right here in the United States of America. There are so many things that have not been funded by this administration that would make us more secure. So we should not get fooled by believing that this President has done enough to see that we are secure at home.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, the Louis Stoke's Veteran Facility is right around the corner from my house in my congressional district. I was over there the other day talking with the administrator about the new programs that are going to go into this veterans' facility. But the reality is we have not treated our veterans like they ought to be treated. We have not given them the benefits that they deserve. We have not given them the health care that they deserve. We have not given them the opportunity to engage in a new business when they come out. We have not given their families the kind of support that they deserve. And I am thinking back, my dad, Andrew Tubbs, 84 years old, served back in World War II. And my son Mervyn had an opportunity to interview my father about his service. And my dad told him things that he had never even discussed with me. And I said, Dad, why did you not tell me about this? He said, Because it hurt. Every time I talked about it, it hurt me. I did not want to talk about it. I did not want to tell you about it, but there came a time in life when I was much more comfortable. Today, my dad has got dementia, is suffering from Parkinson's, and I think about what are we going to do for veterans who have come after him. Are we going to give the benefit to the Vietnam veterans who have posttraumatic stress syndrome, who suffer from Agent Orange? And we are talking about young people across this country about how we want them to join up with the service. What I am worried about is what is going to happen to the young people right now. Are we going to have a draft that is not an official draft? Are they going to be forced to go into war in Iraq, as the President, as has said, that after the November elections, should he be successful, he is going to call them up? He is going to call more troops to go into Iraq and to possibly lose their lives. The people of America need to understand that. They need to know the possibility of that fact. They need to know that the National Guard, who are overtaxed, overworked, are working very hard, doing double duty on behalf of America, when they really never anticipated that they would be any more than a part-time armed services. And what about the people that are in full-time service? I have a cousin who told me, Stephanie, we are working 48 hours, not 24 hours in a day; 48 hours. So I am just saying to the American people it is time to wake up. Remember that old song, ``Wake up, everybody, no more sleepin' in bed, no time for backward thinkin', time for thinkin' ahead''? The world has changed so very much from what it used to be. There is much more hate and war and poverty. So we need to understand the dynamics that are coming to play in these next 40 days and be ready to step up to the plate and voice our opinion about what is happening.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. It is a privilege and a pleasure to be a Member of the House of Representatives. I represent the great State of Ohio, 11th Congressional District, city of Cleveland. The first constituent whose family I stood with after his death was Brandon Sloan. Brandon was 19 years old. When I had an opportunity to talk with his dad, Reverend Tandy Sloan, he was miffed by the fact that his young son, 19 years old, over in Iraq as a part of the 507th Maintenance Group was there without equipment at the end of a long line of some 600 vehicles, without an artillery group around him and was required to try and hold onto a truck that he was driving. Young Brandon was killed at 19, at the height of his life, having graduated from Bedford High School. The list goes on. There was a Sergeant Robert Toudy, part of the 507th Maintenance Group over there, trying to speak on behalf of the people of America, fighting for his country, over there trying to work for the freedom of the Iraqi people. The reality is, here we stand in September 2004 with so many young men and women. Disproportionately represented among this group are minorities and low-income folks who went into the National Guard, who went into the service hoping to get a college education, being required to give full-time service to our country in an Army, in a war that really they cannot figure out why they are over there. As we stand here this evening as Members of Congress saying to the American people, why are we there? What is it that put all of us in harm's way? What is it that put 1,000 young American men and women in a war that we still cannot figure out; no weapons of mass destruction, no real reason to be over there. The whole couching of the terms of a war on terrorism is not what should have been said, but that we are there. What do we do now? How do we protect the young men and women in the Armed Services? They are fighting, and they will say, we are fighting for America. We are there fighting for freedom, but behind all of that, and we know they are standing up and I am so proud of the young men and women I have met over there doing what they believe our country wants, but the reality is, it is time for a wake-up call. It is time for the people of America to say, is this the best thing we can do? Do we have an exit strategy? Even more interesting is the people who are working over there for private companies who are being kidnapped, beheaded. Why does this President not have a way for us to get out and for us to get out without feeling like we have deserted the people of Iraq? The people of America need to ask the right questions, make this administration tell us what is the resolve for us to get out of Iraq. Earlier today, on another note, we voted on another tax cut. I admit I voted for the tax cut, but I was concerned about the people of Ohio, some 60,000 who have lost their jobs since President Bush took office in the city of Cleveland alone. In East Cleveland, there is a 14.3 percent unemployment rate while the national rate is 5.7 percent. Jobs are going overseas. What are we doing in the tax relief bill to help the working poor making less than $10,000 who are working for a minimum wage of $5.25 that keeps them in the poverty range? What are Members of Congress doing? What is Congress doing to help those who work every day with no health care and with children in poverty? My own city was recently named as the number one city of poverty in the United States of America. It is time for a wake-up call for the people of America to say, in this election, what are we going to do? I know people are saying, I cannot make the connection. My vote does not count. There are many who want to suppress our votes and say, like our Secretary of State, Kenneth Blackwell, who issued a ruling this past week saying to the people of Ohio, I am going to have a more restrictive ruling on how voters can use a provisional ballot than I had in the primary. It is voter suppression. I am pleased to join my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Meek) to say to the people of America, join the family plan. What family plan? Not a health care plan. Not a dental benefit plan. But a plan to get all of your family out to vote on election day. Make sure everyone is registered. Make sure everyone has an absentee ballot who cannot be in town. Make sure everyone gets out on election day. This is the most important election of our lifetime. This election is going to impact what happens with children in Head Start, in public schools and private schools. It is going to impact Pell Grants, a diminishing number of dollars available to college students. What is going to happen to the children who decide not to go to college? Are there training opportunities for people who decide not to go to college? What about mothers on welfare who want to go to work but do not have the income and the type of job that allows them to be in a position to pay taxes? I am asking all those who are listening to say this is the most important election and our vote is our voice. It is time to step up and speak up and say to the people of America and the people of the world that we are going to be heard. Our voices are not going to be silenced. Our voices are not going to be suppressed. We are going to voice our concern about what is happening in the world. We have 435 elected Members. Americans have an opportunity to be heard in November. Do not sit back and say, I am not going to be heard. My voice is going to be heard. I am going to let the people of America and the people of the world understand that I wanted to be a part of this. I am America. My face is America. I am part of this whole effort that is going on in this Nation, and I want to be heard.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I am always interested when people comment that we are returning money to people who pay the taxes. I guarantee my colleagues that the 60,000 people in Cleveland who have lost jobs since President Bush took office and the 230,000 people in Ohio who have lost jobs since President Bush took office would love to be in a position to pay taxes. In fact, they would love to be in a position where they were not just making minimum wage in exchange for some of the jobs that they have received. It is interesting that there is always a commentary about 1 million jobs having been created since President Bush took office. If we do the math, then we understand that he is still behind maybe 1.7 million jobs. Be that as it may, some of the provisions of this legislation are pretty good. Some of the provisions provide for research and development, and small business in Ohio and across this country would like to have those dollars. It has some parity about mental health, and that is wonderful because people believe that parity ought to be granted to people who have insurance costs arising in mental health. In fact, the people in my congressional district and across the country would love to be making more than $5.25 an hour so that they could pay more taxes. I am disappointed that in this bill there was rejected a proposal that would have ensured that low-income families, the most in need, would have been eligible for a child tax credit. The 2001 law stipulated that the $10,000 threshold would rise with inflation. The problem with indexing the credit with inflation is that wages are not keeping up with inflation; and as a result, there will be lower-income families that will not be eligible for the credit next year. It is also very interesting that as a result of that, 4.3 million families will not benefit under this proposal, and there will be 9.2 million children who will not benefit under this child tax credit. I am disappointed that the majority was not able to extend these middle-class provisions in a revenue neutral fashion. The estimated cost is $146 billion over 10 years, adding already to the $422 billion deficit. Fiscal responsibility is gone out the window, but according to the leadership, that is okay. I just wish that we would be as fiscally irresponsible when it came time to pay for health care, as fiscally irresponsible when it came time to help pay for education, as fiscally irresponsible when it came time to pay for seniors' prescription drug benefit, as fiscally irresponsible when we start to talk about what we might do on behalf of college students. I rise in support of these child tax credits, but I think we ought to call it like we see it, and this is what I have done.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Lee- Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment to H.R. 5025--Transportation, Treasury Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2005. The Lee-Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment prohibits the use of funds to enforce new regulations that affect students who study abroad or seek other educational opportunities in Cuba. America students have become victims of politics, which should not be the intent of U.S. foreign policy. The Office of Foreign Assets Control's (OFAC) purpose is to track terrorist activities, not punish Americans interested in educational exchanges to Cuba. Members of Congress, especially Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Progressive Caucus, have written and called President Bush and Secretary Powell about the students at the Latin American Medical School (ELAM) and the cuts in general education licenses. All people-to-people educational travel was eliminated in 2003, which ended thousands of trips by U.S. citizens to Cuba for broader educational purposes each year. Mr. Speaker, these facts make the Lee- Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment necessary. The number of U.S. university-level students receiving credit for study abroad in 2001/02 increased 4.4 percent from the previous year, reaching a record total of 160,920, according to Open Doors 2003, the annual report on international educational published by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with funding from the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Open Doors 2003 indicates that most students continue to study abroad for shorter sojourns (many for less than eight weeks), with more than 50 percent of U.S. undergraduates and masters degree student electing summer, January term, internships, and other short-term programs instead of academic year or semester programs. Most American students who studied abroad in 2001/02 (91 percent) did so for one semester or less. The number of U.S. students going to less traditional destinations remains high. The percent of all study abroad students going to Latin America has more than doubled since 1985, from 7 percent the first year of the survey to 15 percent this year, and the number of students going to Latin America increased by 4 percent to 23,300 this year. Many countries, particularly in Latin America, saw large increases in the number of American students they hosted in 2001/02. Countries with large increases included: Cuba (1,279, up 41 percent), Brazil (1,064, up 40 percent), and El Salvador (145, up 86 percent). Current regulations adversely effect study-abroad programs in Cuba. Educational travel licenses are only granted to undergraduate and graduate institutions. Under the revised regulations, students can only participate in exchange programs to Cuba that are organized by the institution in which they are enrolled. High schools or other alternative educational institutions are prohibited from having Cuba travel programs. This directive adversely affects many of my constituents as it is in complete discord with the objective of consortium programs. These young people will be restricted from participating in programs coordinated by other colleges and universities. Take example of Jamie Vega, a student at Cleveland State University. She was raised in a single family home, was the first person in her family to attend college on a full scholarship. Jamie was an International Relations Major and Spanish Minor. She was awarded the National Security Education Program Scholarship in 2003 and studied at the University of Havana. Due to this Administration's prohibition on educational exchange opportunities to Cuba, other students will not be able to benefit from the rich experiences that Jamie profited from. Mr. Chairman, these facts make the Lee-Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment necessary. In August, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) within the Department of Treasury and the State Department issued a two-year license for the 88 students enrolled at the school. For those students who planned to participate in 10-week exchange programs this year, it is too late for them to make alternate study- abroad arrangements. Even worse, this may have been their only opportunity to study abroad. These regulations discriminate against these students on the basis of where they want to continue their studies. Full-time American students should be permitted to participate in any exchange initiatives that their institution approves. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Lee-Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment to H.R. 5025--Transportation, Treasury Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2005. The Lee-Rangel-Tubbs Jones Amendment prohibits the use of funds to enforce new regulations that affect students who study abroad or seek other educational opportunities in Cuba.