Stephanie Jones

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of music education. Recently, I had an opportunity to speak at the commencement exercises of the Cleveland School of the Arts in the Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio. Those graduates were a wonderful example of the beneficial effects of music education and of the arts in general. The arts are inseparable from education throughout a young person's life. Brain research is now showing that stimuli provided by music-- song, movement, play acting--are essential for the young child to develop to the fullest potential. These activities are the ``languages'' of children, which help them to understand and interpret the world. Active use of music also paves the way for children to use verbal language, to read and to write. Quantifiable research has also shown the value of arts education for older children. The University of California at Los Angeles has analyzed the school records of 25,000 students as they moved from grades 8 to 10. Students who studied the arts had higher grades, scored better on standardized tests, had better attendance records and were more involved in community affairs than other students. Students from low-income families who studied the arts improved their school performance more rapidly than all other students. The U.S. Department of Education in its YouthARTS study has also found that the arts improve academic performance, reduce delinquency, and increase the skills of communication, conflict resolution, completion of challenging tasks, and teamwork. The College Board, which administers the SAT, has reported that college-bound students who have had arts education have higher SAT scores than other students. In closing, I would add that the discipline and human connection of music can remind us that there is a form of human achievement that is unarguably and profoundly true. Music requires collaboration in which diverse groups of people can come together to create an entity in which they all care deeply. This builds bridges of understanding and communication. So let us support music education because music is essential. And let us commend music teachers across the country for the key roles they play in helping our children succeed in school and throughout life.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the DeLauro amendment. It addresses some of this bill's most serious deficiencies in protecting the health and welfare of seniors and other vulnerable populations. I recognize that the persons across the aisle are arguing there is no money for this; that the President did ask for this so we should not give any more money, but what I want to say to the folks on the other side of the aisle is tell some of the people back in my district, who have been the working poor for years, that this government has no money for the senior citizens who use senior citizen facilities across this country. Let me make it personal for a few moments. Let me tell the story of my mother-in-law, Ruby Jones, who is 79 years old, who was taking care of her husband in her home. As a result of her work and taking care of her husband, who has congestive heart failure, she developed a stroke. She has been in a coma for 4 years and in need of home health care in her home. My sister-in-law, now the caregiver, who works full-time as a pharmacist, is caring both for her father and mother in her home. This amendment will provide additional dollars to caregivers who are providing services in their homes. Being a caregiver is not an easy task. Over half of them are over the age of 65. Most of them are women. One-third of them have full-time jobs. Help for caregivers is needed now more than ever. The population age 85 and over will continue to grow faster than any other age, increasing by 50 percent from 1996 to 2010. Research has shown that caregiving exacts a heavy emotional, physical, and financial toll. Therefore, support provided to informal caregivers significantly benefits them. The other day I visited a facility in my district called Concordia Health Care. It is a PACE program. At Concordia, there are women there who are 80 to 85 years old, and their families have been caring for them in their home. But this is a day care facility for senior citizens. It is remarkable because most of these women would be stuck in their homes all day if it were not for the dollars that are provided for senior care. So I support the amendment. I believe it provides for the working poor. These are our senior citizens who have worked all of their lives, and we cannot turn our backs on them now. I support the amendment.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Let me say this. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) said that the studies have shown that Head Start does not work so we should not give any more money to Head Start. The studies have shown that jail does not work so why do we keep building jails? If I adopt his perspective of spending more money on jails, then let us at least spend the same amount of money that we spend on child care and day care and Head Start, because Head Start works and our children ought to have at least the benefit of a great education in the beginning and hopefully they do not end up in jail.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding me this time. It is important that we invest money in treatment. Having served as a judge for 10 years and a prosecutor for 8 years, I have seen how treatment works. We spend a lot of money building jails to keep people in jail and spend no money for treatment. People go to jail with an addiction. They come out of jail with an addiction. It is important that we as a country recognize the need for treatment, the demand for treatment, and put money in treatment. That is where it works. We know it works. We spend money building jails. Let us spend some money on treatment.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to address this committee. Mr. Chairman, I was sitting in my office listening to the discussion with regard to ergonomics. I rise in opposition to the legislation but in support of the amendment. The reason I came over here is because I have a mother who turned 79 years old this year, and we were sitting at the table the other day and her right hand is like this; and her right hand is like this because she worked in a factory folding boxes for 20 years. She ultimately retired from the factory from another injury, having fallen from a stool and busting her tailbone on the cement of that floor. But, ultimately, she is right now in the process of about, at 79, to have this hook of her hand repaired. And it comes from carpal tunnel syndrome. I suggest to my colleagues the inability of the Department of Labor and the Secretary of Labor to promulgate rules hits me very close to home to my 79-year-old mother, Mary Tubbs. I would suggest that there are mothers across this country who are in the same condition as my mom, and I would say that we have the opportunity to address this terrible injury where people who have worked all of their lives end up being deformed as a result of ergonomics.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I voted for the African Growth and Opportunity Act and CBI because those regions of the world had never had an opportunity to have a trade agreement with our country. But today I rise in opposition to permanent normalization of trade with China. I have said that PNTR should stand for perpetrating a notion of trade reform. Perpetrating a notion that China will change, perpetrating a notion that environmental conditions will improve, perpetrating a notion that we will be more secure, and perpetrating a notion that human rights will improve. Let us trade with China, but let us not fool ourselves. Let us not reward China for noncompliance. I tell my son Mervyn, who is 17, You do right, I will help you. You do wrong, you will get nothing from me. That is what we should tell China: You do right, we will trade with you. You do not, we will not.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, today, May 23, the steamship William G. Mather marks the 75th anniversary of its launching. The Harbor Heritage Society, the Mather's nonprofit parent organization, is hosting a rededication ceremony that began today at 2 p.m. The rededication will take place aboard the Mather which is moored at the Cleveland East 9th street pier. The Mather has had a presence on Cleveland's waterfront for nearly 75 years, first as a working Great Lakes freighter and, since 1991, as a floating maritime museum. One of the only four Great Lakes freighter museum ships in existence, the Mather exemplifies northeast Ohio's proud heritage as a major maritime industrial shipping center. A former flagship of the Cleveland-Cliffs fleet, the 618 foot William G. Mather was state-of-the-art technology in Great Lakes freighters when launched in 1925. The Mather is named for longtime Cleveland- Cliffs president and leading Cleveland businessman and philanthropist, William Gwinn Mather. During its 55 years of service, the Mather made hundreds of trips, transporting iron ore from the upper lakes to Cleveland's waiting steel mills. For this reason, the Mather was nicknamed the ship that built Cleveland. The William G. Mather had a long and distinguished Merchant Marine career. To supply the Allied need for steel, the Mather led a convoy of 13 freighters in early 1941 through the ice-choked upper Great Lakes to Duluth, Minnesota, setting a record for the first arrival in a northern post. It was one of the first commercial Great Lakes vessels to be equipped with radar in 1946. The Mather has been designated a national historic landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for the following Great Lakes industrial firsts: First single marine boiler system built by Babcock & Wilcox in 1954, its computerlike automated boiler system built by Bailey Meter Company in 1964, and the dual propeller bow thrusters built by the American Shipbuilding company in 1964. The Mather retired in 1980. In 1987, Cleveland-Cliffs donated the Mather to be restored and preserved as a maritime museum and educational facility. After an extensive 3-year restoration, the Steamship William G. Mather Museum arrived at its permanent lakefront berth in downtown Cleveland's North Coast Harbor Park. Since its May 1991 opening, hundreds of thousands of visitors and many area school children have come aboard and toured the historic Mather. To date, the greater Cleveland community has invested more than $2.5 million and 250,000 volunteer hours in ``the ship that built Cleveland.''

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special constituent and friend of mine, the Honorable Patricia A. Hemann, magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on the occasion of her receipt of the Ohio Women's Bar Association's Justice Alice Robie Resnick Award of Distinction. The award is the OWBA's highest award for professional excellence. Pat Hemann was the first woman magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Previously she was in private practice for 11 years, litigating complex cases and becoming a member of the board of directors of Hahn, Loeser & Parks, LLP in Cleveland. At the same time she actively mentored women and minorities, taking on issues that were vital to their inclusion in the legal community. In 1991, she along with Justice Alice Robie Resnick and another attorney, Pam Hultin, founded the Ohio Women's Bar Association. It gives me great pleasure to rise today and join with the OWBA in congratulating Judge Hemann and wishing her continued success. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a very special constituent and friend of mine, The Honorable Patricia A. Hemann, magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, on the occasion of her receipt of the Ohio Women's Bar Association's Justice Alice Robie Resnick Award of Distinction. This award is the OWBA's highest award for professional excellence and is bestowed annually on a deserving attorney who exhibits leadership in the areas of advancing the status and interests of women and in improving the legal profession in the state of Ohio. It gives me great pleasure to wish Judge Hemann my warmest congratulations on this truly special occasion. Patricia Hemann was the first woman magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Previously, she was in private practice for 11 years, litigating complex cases and becoming a member of the Board of Directors of Hahn, Loeser & Parks LLP in Cleveland. At the same time, Judge Hemann actively mentored women and minorities, taking on issues that were vital to their inclusion in the legal community. In December 1991, Judge Hemann, along with The Honorable Alice Robie Resnick and Cleveland attorney Pamela Hultin, founded the Ohio Women's Bar Association. The OWBA is the only statewide bar association within Ohio solely dedicated toward advancing the interests of women attorneys while encouraging networking and the creation of statewide mentor program for women attorneys. Judge Hemann volunteers at the Cleveland Public Schools and is also active in the Cleveland Bar Association as a trustee and as chair of the Justice for All Initiative. Today, May 17, 2000, OWBA President Jami Oliver will be presenting Judge Hemann with the Ohio Women's Bar Association's Justice Alice Robie Resnick Award of Distinction at its annual meeting in Toledo, Ohio. It gives me great pleasure to rise today, Mr. Speaker, and join the OWBA in congratulating Judge Hemann and wishing her continued success.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, AIDS is a very important and security issue in our country and across the world. I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Chairman Leach) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), my ranking member, for proceeding on the issue of a Marshall Plan for Africa. The epidemic and devastating effects of AIDS have impacted our country greater than the deaths attributed to war. The United Nations reported that while war and conflict took about 200,000 people in 1998, AIDS and HIV took about 2.2 million. I recall, in fact, having had an opportunity to go to an Africa Today conference in Seattle. At that Seattle conference, an epidemiologist testified that there were grandparents in Africa taking care of as many as 25 to 30 of their grandchildren because their children have been devastated by the disease of AIDS. The United Nations took up the security issue on the issue of AIDS this year when seven of the great leaders from the continent of Africa were there to talk to the United Nations. I am pleased that my colleagues have supported and presented this issue, and I rise in support of H.R. 3519 and thank my ranking member for the opportunity to be heard.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3293, the establishment of a Vietnam Veterans Plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I support this measure because we have a responsibility to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. We can never forget the travesties of war. We can never get our fighting forces who marched on battlefields, roamed the oceans, and flew the skies. We can never forget the family shattered by the loss of fallen children. My own family, my sister's brother-in-law, John H. Walker's name, appears on that Wall along with the names of many of my childhood friends. With the Vietnam Veterans Plaque, we will never forget the names of those who lost their lives in service of their Nation. The effects of Vietnam live with many Americans today. We must include the heroes whose post-war deaths were a direct result of conditions such as Agent Orange. We must forever etch in the annals of time the names of those fallen heroes so that future generations may see the names and celebrate their fellow countrymen who believed in duty, honor, and service. What a small token to be established relative to the loss due to war. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise and be a cosponsor of H.R. 3293 and urge the passage of the Vietnam Veterans Plaque.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon in support of H.R. 434. I come from the State of Ohio, the great State of Ohio, the city of Cleveland; and I am proud to rise in support of this piece of legislation. It is time that we allow the African countries, sub- Saharan, and Caribbean countries the opportunity to engage in trade with our own country. Now is the time, when our country enjoys a strong economy. Now is the time, as we open our global markets to others that we open it to Africa and the Caribbean. Now is the time, when our children travel across the world, and I think about my son Mervyn, who is 16 years old, who has been to South Africa and had a chance to ride along the Zambezi River, to visit Victoria Falls, for us to engage in a trade opportunity for Africa. Now is the time, because our children, as we think about our country and we say we are diverse and the color of the faces are black and brown and yellow and red and white, that our children have the opportunity to engage in business with those who are black and brown and yellow and white as well. But, more importantly, now is the time, since we have had the opportunity to vacation in the Caribbean, to go on safaris in Africa, to enjoy the fruits of all of their labor, that we give them an opportunity to enjoy the trade that can come about as a result of trade agreements with Africa and this country and the Caribbean and this country. Now is the time. We cannot wait. As our economy is strong, and everyone is willing to open their doors, let us say to Africa, let us say to the Caribbean, we are ready. We have been doing all these other things together, but now is the time to engage in a real trade agreement. I thank the gentleman for the opportunity to be heard, and I ask my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), for yielding me this time and for his hard work on trying to make this a fair bill. I still, however, must rise in opposition to H.R. 3439. The title itself is deceptive. The act seeks to preserve the status quo and to prevent others from having access to the airwaves. It is a fact that the four top radio groups own the majority of the Nation's radio stations and according to the Congressional Research Service between 1995 and 1998, the number of radio station owners decreased 18.8 percent. With the number of radio station owners decreasing and the consolidation of radio ownership growing, LPFM allows underrepresented groups and communities an opportunity to enter into the radio broadcast area. I support this new initiative because it will open doors of opportunity for our Nation. It adds to radio diversity and encourages alternatives to current commercial formats that dominate the radio. I have heard others say that we need to protect radio listeners, but we must also protect those who do not have stations to listen to. I am confident if LPFM were put in place that many would listen to the radio, if they had something to listen to. I contemplate in my own jurisdiction many of the wonderful stations that are on my son likes, the kids older than him like; but there are seniors and people who attend churches throughout my community who do not like any of it, and they should have an opportunity to be heard on radio as well. Who are we to delay or deny opportunity to community-based groups who have more than earned the right to take advantage of the technology? I have met with the members of the industry, and I understand their concerns; but here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, everyone should be able to reach the table, and they can do it by low- power radio. Now, low-power FM radio has the support of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the AFL-CIO, the Communication Workers of America, the United States Catholic Conference, and the United Church of Christ Office of Communications.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, in the City of Warrensville Heights, Ohio, in the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, we celebrated that the Warrensville Heights Tigers won the State championship in basketball. We also celebrated that in Bedford, they were the runners-up, right in the 11th Congressional District of Ohio. It is wonderful to be able to celebrate that our youth are doing great things. Mr. Speaker, in addition, this coming weekend in the 11th Congressional District, we will be hosting our Reclaiming Our Youth Empowering Yourself leadership conference. We are looking to build leaders in the 11th Congressional District. One of the workshops is called ``I am so angry.'' Another one is called ``Decision-making, developing your skills.'' We will be doing a workshop on the media and, finally, solutions and impacts. A panel of high school students and college students will discuss issues and choices that they make. It is a wonderful opportunity to be with such wonderful young people in the 11th Congressional District. In fact, our art competition is on Sunday, and we had 99 people who submitted artworks for our competition.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, this motion directs members of the conference committee on the Senate-passed bipartisan gun violence bill to immediately meet and report both sensible gun violence and gun enforcement provisions. We can and should do both. Instead, the majority bowing to the NRA has tried to stifle both gun violence legislation and gun enforcement legislation. They will not have the conference committee meet even though they tell the President they will try to do otherwise. Just weeks ago, the NRA attacked President Clinton with the rhetoric that made members of the majority party run away from them. They even opposed the Lofgren motion that directed the conference to meet. Even NRA sees that its extremeness has backfired. They are today supporting this motion that goes beyond Lofgren to say that we should meet and report legislation on loopholes and enforcement. Even the NRA is running for cover. But we do not want cover. We want action. Today, an enforcement bill was passed. I did not get a chance to speak on that issue but that bill does nothing more than prosecutors and U.S. attorneys can already do. Janet Reno implemented trigger lock, and trigger lock is already a program that allows U.S. attorneys and local prosecutors to proceed with serious enforcement of offenses committed with guns. So it was, in my opinion, not a good idea to vote for that because it only applied to six States. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) talked about it is more than mere enforcement. Yes, it is. Prosecution is more than just mere enforcement. Sometimes for children it means intervention, sometimes for children it means diversion, sometimes for children it means rehabilitation and not just warehousing which is what we traditionally do in this country with children who commit crimes. I am not for people using guns and violence and I am not for people saying that they ought to be able to carry guns because in many of our States they do have a carrying a concealed weapon provision. You can walk around anywhere and carry a gun. What I am for and what I am encouraging my colleagues to do is to in fact say, we are tired of this. What we want to do today is pass sensible, common sense gun enforcement and gun safety. Let us stop talking about we want to get rid of guns and in State legislatures enacting carrying concealed weapons provisions. Let us stop talking about we want to reduce violence in our country and then we proceed to pass nonsensical positions. Let us stop talking about we want to do enforcement when we want to say, well, we are not going to pass a loophole because we are going to keep it open for another day, that people ought to be able to buy a gun even when you cannot clear a record check. It does not make sense to me. Let us be sensible. The people of America expect us to be sensible and use common sense.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I say to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), I rise in support of her amendment. Mr. Chairman, I would like to voice the same concerns that have been voiced by the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek). I recognize in the communities like the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Capuano) and other communities where there are large urban centers where the cost of housing is significant, that they find themselves in a dilemma. I also am very supportive of law enforcement folks and uniform persons and teachers. But, again, the purpose of the enactment of these dollars was for low-income communities and low-income persons. When one begins to work on or improve and increase the median increase by some percentage to allow others to walk into this program, then one decreases the opportunity for low-income people to be involved in the program, especially when one provides no additional dollars for this particular program. It is important that, even though we want to encourage people to move back into cities, like police officers and teachers, and be a part of the community, we want the community people as well to be able to stay in the district. If we do not allow the community people access to the funds that were created for them, we create a problem. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Waters amendment. I rise in support of striking the language in section 404 that raises the CDBG income eligibility to 115 percent and in high cost areas, to 150 percent. Mr. Chairman, housing and expanding homeownership is of great concern in the 11th Congressional District of Ohio as well as across this Nation. We must continue to explore ways to provide affordable housing for all. Mr. Chairman, I want it also noted that I support teachers and uniformed employees. I also support efforts to expand their homeownership. While I applaud the efforts of this bill to provide homeownership opportunities for uniformed employees, however, I believe the bill as it is currently written is a reverse Robin Hood. Yes, it robs neighborhoods all over this Nation. Since there is no additional funding for this median income hike, communities that use CDBG funds for childcare, social services, and development are robbed. Mr. Chairman, the CDBG program was developed for those with low to moderate incomes. Since, 1974, CDBG has been the backbone of communities. CDBG provided a flexible source of grant funds for local governments to devote to particular development projects and priorities. There were some provisions, however, for this support. CDBG offered grant funds, provided that these projects either (1) benefit low- and moderate-income persons; (2) prevent or eliminate slums or blight; or (3) meet other urgent community development needs. Let us not move from that important purpose. Mr. Chairman, in determining eligibility, low- and moderate-income persons was generally defined as ``members of a family earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income.'' This proposed bill allows CDBG and HOME money to be used to help people with incomes up to 115 percent of the area median income buy homes. In addition, in areas the Secretary deems ``high housing'' cost areas, this percentage shoots up to 150 percent. This potentially means that a uniformed employee making $94,000 could get CDBG help to buy a home. Mr. Chairman, low-income households do not generally benefit from the allocation of CDBG funds in proportion to the severity of their needs. Then, let us not further diminish low-income households' access to CDBG by allowing those with greater means to benefit in proportion to their needs. Moreover, under current law, low-and moderate-income people only receive 50 percent assistance for downpayment assistance. This section allows 100 percent downpayment aid for uniformed employees. We cannot continue to take from the least of these. If we want to expand homeownership opportunities for teachers and uniformed employees, let us do it the right way. Let us draft legislation to deal with this concern. What is the reality here? There are but so many pieces of the pie to be sliced. To continue providing slices without baking additional pies only means one thing . . . someone gets left out. Who's that? Usually, it is the folks who need help the most. We must change that. Let us move back to the 80 percent level. Support the Waters amendment.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to have an opportunity to speak in support of this legislation. I am particularly proud because I personally have had an opportunity to get to know Judge Frank Battisti, as well as Judge Nathaniel R. Jones. I will not try and repeat either of the backgrounds of either of these great jurists. Coming from Cleveland, clearly both of them had a significant impact on my legal career and my time in political life. I am particularly proud today to speak up on behalf of Judge Nathaniel R. Jones because my new chief of staff, Stephanie Jones, is the daughter of Judge Nathaniel R. Jones; and she is staffing with me today on the floor. So it gives me great pleasure to have a chance to come to the floor in support of this piece of legislation. I want to congratulate my colleagues in moving to pass such a piece of legislation. I stand wholeheartedly in support.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Congressional Black Caucus alternative budget.

Ms. JONES of Ohio

Ms. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), for yielding this time to me. I rise in support of the rule. What does AIR-21 mean to the Eleventh Congressional District of Ohio? It is paramount to the continued service delivery of goods and services for our Nation's travelers. Further, I believe it is a step in the right direction for America. I come from the city of Cleveland, that houses the Cleveland-Hopkins Airport. My father worked for 38 years as a skycap for United Airlines. I watched as a child the growth and expansion of Cleveland Hopkins Airport. But currently, it is unable to perform simultaneous landings because of inadequate runway space. I know Cleveland is not the only city with limited runway space, and I would urge my colleagues who even represent small and medium-sized airports to support this rule and legislation. It will provide money for runways and other equipment at airports. It ensures the FAA has funding to hire and retain air traffic controllers, maintenance technicians, and safety inspectors. It authorizes funding to improve the training of airport screeners and requires cargo airlines to install collision avoidance systems on aircrafts. This is the first comprehensive legislation we have had in recent memory that addresses many of these issues. Specifically, I am very happy that this will be the first time that explicitly racial discrimination in air travel will be prohibited. It is a long time coming, and it ought to be handled. Furthermore, other projects that will be protected, it will protect funding for letters of intent and makes it clear that it is not necessary that an airport assess a passenger facility charge in order to get a letter of intent. Because of the shortness of time and the number of people who would like to speak, I just urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the rule.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, today I rise to emphasize the importance of small business funding. Small businesses are the economic engine which drive our prosperity. I would like to thank our chairman, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), and I would like to particularly thank our ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) and her staff. I have been serving on this committee for the past 15 months and there has not been a committee meeting where I have not been prepared not only by my staff but by her staff for all the meetings we have had. I want to thank her particularly for all the hard work that she and her staff does, too. Small businesses are increasingly diverse and loans to African Americans and Hispanics have doubled. However, even considering this trend, much can still be done to help small businesses succeed. It is important, as we think about small businesses and we have rid our country of what we used to call welfare, that there are many people who used to be on welfare who are capable now of creating businesses through the Microloan business opportunities. I would encourage my colleagues to vote in support of that. One example, a small business in the 11th Congressional District reports a typical scenario that illustrates the importance of funding technical assistance for small business development. A woman wanted to begin a van transportation business for the purpose of taking people without access to transportation to church, shopping, and to visit incarcerated families. She had a good credit rating and an innovative idea but no idea how to implement it. She took out a second mortgage on her house, bought vans and hired drivers. Her lack of experience with budgeting her cash flow, invoicing and collection almost sent her into bankruptcy before she sought help from the Small Business Development Corporation, which was able to help her devise a business plan. Another woman started a cleaning business. She landed a contract from a housing organization to provide cleaning for 50 houses. Unfortunately, she did not know how to competitively price her services or plan her cash flow. Subsequently, she lost the contract. She was able, through the assistance of the Small Business Development Center, to get back on track and keep her business going. Clearly, access to technical expertise and lending programs is vitally important. In the 11th Congressional District, during 1999, Small Business Development Corporation's counseling resulted in an economic impact of $2.5 million in increased sales; $1.9 million in export contracts; $2.9 million in government contracts and $5.7 million in business loans from all sources. For all of Ohio, SBDCs have been at their funding cap since 1995. Small business development corporations have been at their funding cap since 1995. Clearly, this $3.1 million has had a significant effect on small business growth. This is not charity. It is sound economic policy. It is time we stepped up our support to provide greater opportunities for small business development and that is why I stand in support of this piece of legislation.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, every day children, young people, adults and seniors come to these hallowed halls to look to Congress for leadership, to set the example, to show democracy in action, to have a real debate and discussion on juvenile justice, gun control, and gun safety. When tragedy strikes, who else should they look to but Congress to make the right decisions, to make the decisions that will affect their lives? To the woman from the 11th Congressional District of Ohio whose son was a schizophrenic who was a convicted felon who purchased a gun in a gun show and came home and shot her, tell her it is enough. It is not enough. It is time today to go back to conference and come up with true gun safety and true gun control. That is what the people expect. It is not the will of Congress. It is the will of the people that we need to listen to and follow through on.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for that warm introduction. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this amendment. At a time when our economy is at its best, why not give those at the bottom of the economic ladder an opportunity to eat a piece of the bountiful pie? Currently, a full-time minimum-wage worker makes $10,920, out of which they must pay all of their expenses. One dollar over 2 years is not all we would like to have, but it is better than having it over 3 years. I guess very few Republicans make minimum wage. Otherwise, they would be screaming on the floor like we are protesting like the Democrats. We are telling these families, buy your children food. No, wait, wait 3 years, you can buy food in 3 years. No, wait, buy your children shoes in 3 years. No, wait, get the medicine you need over 3 years. Do not even try and drive a car because gasoline has increased over the last 6 months more than we are offering an increase in the minimum wage. Bread costs the same for minimum wage workers. How do they buy it? Eggs cost the same for minimum wage workers. How do they buy it? Meat costs the same for minimum wage workers. How will they buy it? The economic fact is that people are underpaid at minimum wage. The economic fact is they need more to buy clothing, to buy shoes; and let us not even think about health care, which they do not get on minimum wage. I urge my colleagues to vote in support of this amendment.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. I would like to thank my colleague for being so modest but as she sits here she is the one who had the idea of awarding Rosa Parks the Gold Medal. Madam Speaker, I await the chairman of the CBC, and so I have a poem that I am going to attempt to do very quickly in his absence. The author is Gloria Wade-Gayles. The poem is entitled And The Women Gathered. I think it is appropriate that I do this poem right now because it talks about black history and then we are on the brink of the month of March, which happens to be Women's History Month as well. I want to give my best at doing this piece of poetry. I would also like to give appropriate credit to my former chief of staff, Marcia Fudge, the national president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., who is now the mayor of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. It is as a result of her love of poetry that I even learned about this particular poem. I think Gloria Wade-Gayles does a fabulous job of writing. It is entitled And the Women Gathered. And The Women Gathered (By Gloria Wade-Gayles) And the women gathered. And the women gathered. And the women gathered. Thin women Stout women Short women Tall women Young women Not so young women Flat chested women Big bosomed women Women with blue eyes Green eyes Brown eyes Women with silky hair Curly hair Bleached hair Permed hair Graying hair And the women gathered. Coming by planes Buses Vans Cars Trains And strong feet never tired To gather for freedom Married women Divorced women Single women Widowed women The Women Gathered Cocoa Cream Nut brown Beige Caramel Fudge Blackberry black As different as the stars that grace the night The women gathered As one constellation. And the world took notice That women are warriors (Always have been even in the beginning) And so they gathered as women will In the very eye of the storm Pushing against its fury With their own And the world took notice That women birth babies And revolutions The women gathered Ten thousand Rosas inspired by one You saw them. You saw them. You saw them. You saw them. The world saw them. Montage from the movement: Headlines Montgomery, Alabama December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a seamstress in Montgomery, Alabama refused to surrender her seat to a white man when ordered by a local bus driver. The Montgomery bus boycott begins. Blacks walk, walk, and walk for freedom and dignity. Women were there. Greensboro, North Carolina February 1, 1960. Students sit in at lunch counters and are refused service. Return. Are arrested. A wave of sit-ins spreads to 15 cities in five southern States. Women were there May 4, 1961. The freedom rides begin. Blacks and whites ride together on a chartered bus. Savage beatings, arson, legal harassment. Women were there. Birmingham, April 3, 1963. Bull Connor turns on water hoses and unleashes ferocious dogs. Physical violence. Mass arrests. Bombings. Women were there. Birmingham, September 15, 1963. Four young black girls are killed in church bombing. Mississippi, summer of 1964 Civil rights activists, blacks and whites invade the State, registering voters establishing freedom Schools. The South. During the course of one year, 80 people were physically assaulted, 30 buildings bombed, 1,000 arrested and five murdered. Women were there. Throughout the movement, Women sang the songs passionately. ``We shall not. We shall not be moved. ``Woke up this morning with my mind stayed on freedom. ``Ain't gonna let nobody turn me round, turn me round. ``And before I'll be a slave, I'll be buried in my grave, and go home to the Lord and be free.'' And the women gathered. In need of empowerment for themselves but they gathered to change the South. They gathered because women do not sleep through nightmares. We shall not call the roll. It is as long as the Nile Where civilization was born. We shall not call the roll. The women wore their courage And not their names. It is that way with women. And so we say. Women warriors Trailblazers Torchbearers Activists Thinkers Movers and shakers Dreamers Revolutionaries We salute you. And we promise That we will not Sleep through the nightmares Of homelessness, unemployment, Poverty, violence against children, women, men, Ignorance Oppression of all kinds. We promise that A new generation Of women Will gather. We are that generation.

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and all my other colleagues for supporting me in this process. I am expecting a couple more of my colleagues, so I am going to proceed with a few more things that I have in front of me until they get here. It is appropriate today that I recognize or memorialize from the 11th Congressional District of Ohio a gentleman by the name of Gus Joiner. Mr. Joiner's funeral is today at the Second Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately, I could not be there. But it would be appropriate at this time that I talk a little bit about Mr. Joiner right here on the floor of the Congress. ``Gus Joiner, a former union organizer,'' and this comes from the obituary section of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, ``who became chairman of the Legislative Committee of the Federation of Retired Workers in Cleveland, died Friday at Hospice of the Western Reserve. The 90-year-old Cleveland resident spent his life fighting unfair labor practices, racism and injustice. He also encouraged others to stand up for their rights. Mr. Joiner, who worked for the Euclid Road Machinery Co. from the 1940s to the 1970s, once went to court to force the independent union at the company to allow non-Caucasians into its ranks. Later, he was instrumental in bringing his fellow workers under the umbrella of the United Auto Workers as Local 426. After retiring in 1976, he joined the Federation of Retired Workers and spoke out on behalf of senior citizens throughout Greater Cleveland. He showed up at Cleveland City Council committee meetings to share his views on pending legislation and attended hearings to protest the rising cost of utilities. His most recent crusade was to preserve Madonna Hall, an inner-city nursing home, as a charitable asset of the State of Ohio. Mr. Joiner, chairman of the nursing home's board until stepping down from the unpaid position in 1997, led the trustees' battle against attempts by the home's landlords to claim ownership and sell the nursing home. ``He was the crusader,'' said Mary Davis, the lawyer who represented him in a lawsuit filed in conjunction with the case. ``He had a sense of what was right and what was fair. It's not that often you see somebody willing to risk themselves for what's right or put themselves on the line for what they believe in. He was a person of such extraordinary faith that everything is going to work out OK. When you look at the difficulty of his life, he turned to joy, thanksgiving and celebration rather than bitterness.'' Mr. Joiner, an Alabama native, was a teenager when he started working at a coal company's coke yard in Virginia. He moved on to Chicago to work in the stockyards, but was laid off during the Depression. For a while, he hopped freight trains and rode the rails in search of work. In the 1930s, he joined relatives in West Virginia, where he worked in the coal mines and organized labor unions under volatile circumstances. As a local officer and organizer with the United Mine Workers out of Fairmount, W. Va., he once chaired the speakers' platform with legendary UMW President John L. Lewis at a state convention. Mr. Joiner also worked undercover to help organize unions in the western Pennsylvania communities of Johnstown and Uniontown. During World War II, he worked in the Navy yard in Norfolk, Va. By the mid-1940s, he was in Cleveland and working at Euclid Road Machinery. Mr. Joiner considered voting not only a right, but a responsibility. He voted in every primary and general election for 66 years, including the general election of November 1999. He had been church treasurer, Audit Committee chairman and trustees secretary at the Second Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cleveland, where he was a member for more than 50 years. In 1972, he was named the parish's Man of the Year. He also was a trustee of the United Black Fund. When his children were younger, Mr. Joiner participated in PTA activities at John Hay High School, where he complained about the better resources given to the white West Side schools. ``He was an advocate for us if we had any trouble or problem at school,'' said his daughter, Margaret of Cleveland. ``That same zeal he used to make sure the little person wasn't trampled, he used to defend his children.'' Mr. Joiner and his wife, Mildred, who died 15 years ago, raised seven daughters and a son. In addition to Margaret, Mr. Joiner is survived by daughters, Mary Heard, Betty Pittman, Barbara, Victoria and Kathryn, all of Cleveland, and Carolyn Williams of Albany, N.Y.; son, Franklin of Cleveland; 12 grandchildren; 14 great- grandchildren; and a sister. I stand here with pride, even on the day of the memorial services of Mr. Joiner, to talk about this wonderful 90-year-old man that I knew all the time that I grew up in the city of Cleveland, as well as part of my public life. I am glad that I had the opportunity to get to know him as well as to memorialize him in the Record of the United States Congress. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Ms. Carson).

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, it is always a great opportunity for me to have opportunity to address the Congress in a special order, particularly when the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson) is the Speaker pro tempore. Our theme today is Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century. As we come to the close of the celebrated African American history month, it is a great opportunity for the Congressional Black Caucus to organize a special order to celebrate black history. I want to thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Chairman Clyburn) for designating me to organize this special order. I took up the mantle after my predecessor, the Congressman from the 11th Congressional District of Ohio, Congressman Louis Stokes, who had this responsibility for his 30 years in Congress. The theme for this year's Black History Special Order is Heritage and Horizons: The African American Legacy and the Challenges of the 21st Century. As we embark upon a new millennium, I believe it painful and powerful that this theme allows us to pay tribute to our past and allows us to make plans for our future. The question is how do we plan for our future. One way is to plan for our future by giving tribute to our past, learning the lessons of our past and paying tribute to our successes as a people. I believe the past can serve as a blueprint for future generations on how to get things done. There are many events that have shaped and defined the African American experience in America today that never should be forgotten. What should never be forgotten is the sacrifice that others have made to ensure future generations' success. For that reason, I have chosen to highlight my predecessor, the former Representative, Congressman Louis Stokes. He retired from Congress on January 2, 1999. He currently serves as senior counsel at Squire, Sanders and Dempsey, a worldwide law firm based in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of the faculty at Case-Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he is a senior visiting scholar at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. On November 6, 1968, Louis Stokes was elected to the United States Congress on his first bid for public office. By virtue of his election, he became the first African American Member of Congress from the State of Ohio. First sworn in at the 91st Congress, Congressman Stokes served 15 consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives. When he retired at the end of the 105th Congress, he became the first African American in the history of the United States Congress to retire having completed 30 years in office. In the 105th Congress, Representative Stokes was a member of the Committee on Appropriations where, by virtue of his seniority, he was the third-ranking minority member of the full committee and the ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies. In addition, he served as a member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. He was the ninth Ranking Democratic Member of Congress. By virtue of his seniority, Congressman Stokes also served as the Dean of the Ohio Congressional Delegation. He is also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and chaired the CBC Health Braintrust. He was born February 23, 1925 in Cleveland, Ohio to the late Charles and Louise Stokes. His father died when he was a young boy and Louis and his brother, the late Ambassador Carl B. Stokes, were reared by their young widowed mother. Stokes was educated in the Cleveland public schools, graduating from Central High School. Following 3 years in the United States Army, from 1943 to 1946, he returned to Cleveland and utilized the G.I. bill to attend Western Reserve University. He received his Doctor of Laws degree from Cleveland Marshall Law School in 1953. Prior to his election to the United States Congress, Congressman Stokes practiced law for 14 years in Cleveland. He was chief trial counsel for the firm of Stokes, Character, Terry, Perry, Whitehead, Young and Davidson. As a practicing lawyer, Representative Stokes participated in three cases in the United States Supreme Court, including the landmark ``stop and frisk'' case of Terry versus Ohio. Congressman Stokes' younger brother, the late Carl B. Stokes, made history in 1967 when he was elected mayor of Cleveland, serving with distinction as the first black mayor of a major American city. Carl Stokes also enjoyed a career as an award-winning broadcaster and municipal court judge. In 1994, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. Ambassador Stokes died in April 1996. Louise Stokes, a proud mother who always encouraged her sons to get an education, lived to witness many of her sons' historic achievements. Prior to her death in 1978, she was the recipient of numerous awards, including Cleveland's ``Woman of the Year'' award in 1968 and Ohio's ``Mother of the Year'' award in 1969. Let us talk a little bit about Congressman Louis Stokes' congressional career. In his first term in public office, he served as a member of the Committee on Education and Labor in the House, Committee on un-American Activities, later renamed the House Committee on Internal Security. In his second term, he was appointed the first African American to sit on the Committee on Appropriations in the House. On February 8, 1972, Louis Stokes was elected as the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. He served two consecutive terms. In addition to his seat on the powerful Committee on Appropriations, on February 5, 1975, he was elected by the Democratic Caucus to serve on the newly formed House Committee on Budget. He was re-elected to the Committee on Budget twice, serving a total of 6 years. On September 21, 1976, Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker Carl Albert to serve on the House Select Committee on Assassinations. The committee had a mandate to conduct an investigation and study of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On March 8, 1977, Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill appointed Congressman Stokes as chairman of this committee. On December 31, 1978, Congressman Stokes completed these historic investigations and filed with the House of Representatives 27 volumes of hearings, a final report, and recommendations for administrative and legislative reform. In February of 1980, in the 96th Congress, Congressman Stokes was appointed by Speaker O'Neill to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, also known as the Ethics Committee. In the 97th, 98th, and 102nd Congresses, he was elected chairman of this committee. Also, in the 101st Congress, Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker Wright to serve on the Ethics Task Force. In February of 1983, the 98th Congress, Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker O'Neill to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In the 99th Congress, Representative Stokes was elected chairman of the Subcommittee on Program and Budget Authorization for the committee. In January of 1987, the 100th Congress, House Speaker Jim Wright appointed Congressman Stokes as chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In the 100th Congress, Representative Stokes was also appointed to serve on the House Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran, and the Pepper Commission on Comprehensive Health Care. As a result of the 1990 census and the redistricting mandate in 1992, the 21st Congressional District of Ohio was redesignated as the 11th Congressional District. In the 103rd Congress, which commenced in January of 1993, Congressman Stokes was elected to chair the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on VA, HUD and Independent Agencies. He also served as a member of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia. Congressman Stokes is married to Jeanette (Jay) Stokes. He has children: Shelley, Angela, Louis, and Lorene. Angela is an elected official in Cleveland in the Cleveland municipal court. Shelley and Louis C. are both involved in broadcasting, one in New York and the other in Michigan. He has several grandchildren. He is a graduate of the Cleveland public schools, Case-Western Reserve University, and Cleveland Marshall College of Law where he received his doctor of law. He has been given numerous designations and honors, among them, the 100 Most Influential Black Americans/ Black Achievement Award. The Louis Stokes Bridge was named in his honor, which is a bridge over Lake Shore Boulevard over Euclid Creek; Louis Stokes Telecommunications Center/Cuyahoga Community College; the Central High School Hall of Fame; the Louis Stokes Community Center; the Louis Stokes Wing of the Cleveland Public Library. A street is called Stokes Boulevard in the city of Cleveland named after him and his brother. There is a Louis Stokes Health Sciences Center at Case-Western Reserve University. There is a Louis Stokes HUD Hall of Fame. He has been given the award by the National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame. There is a Louis Stokes Head Start Day Care Center. There is a Stokes Rapid Transit Station in Windermere. There is a Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library at Howard University. There is a Stokes Web site. There is a Stokes Family Library and Museum, which is housed at the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority in the area where Congressman Stokes grew up as a boy. There is a Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. There is a Louis Stokes building at the National Institutes of Health. He has received more than 23 honorary degrees from colleges and universities across this country. I would like to particularly personally pay tribute to Congressman Louis Stokes. It is through his support and encouragement that I stand here on the floor of the House of Representatives today. I can only recall with great admiration all of the wonderful things that he did on my behalf and on behalf of the 11th Congressional District. For me to be able to stand, the daughter of a skycap for United Airlines and the daughter of a woman who worked in a factory, standing here as a Member of the House of Representatives, one of 39 African Americans who serve in the House of Representatives, and in fact the first African American woman to serve in the House of Representatives from the State of Ohio. It gives me great pleasure to be able to recognize and give Congressman Stokes his roses while he can still smell them on this February 29, the year 2000, as the CBC honors Black History Month. Former Congressman Louis Stokes Former Congressman Louis Stokes retired from Congress on January 2, 1999. He is currently Senior Counsel at Squire, Sanders and Dempsey L.L.P., a world-wide law firm based in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of the faculty at Case- Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, where he is Senior Visiting Scholar at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. On November 6, 1968, Louis Stokes was elected to the United States Congress on his first bid for public office. By virtue of his election, he became the first African American Member of Congress from the State of Ohio. First sworn in at the 91st Congress, Representative Stokes served fifteen consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives. When he retired at the end of the 105th Congress, he became the first African American in the history of the U.S. Congress to retire having completed 30 years in office. In the 105th Congress, Representative Stokes was a member of the Appropriations Committee where, by virtue of his seniority, he was the third ranking minority member of the full committee, and the ranking minority member of the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs-Housing and Urban Development-Independent Agencies. In addition, he served as a member of the Subcommittee on Labor-Health and Human Services-Education. In the Congress, Representative Stokes ranked eleventh overall in House seniority. He was the ninth ranking Democratic Member of Congress. By virtue of his seniority, Congressman Stokes also served as Dean of the Ohio Congressional Delegation. He is also a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and chaired the CBC Health Braintrust. Background Congressman Stokes was born on February 23, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Charles and Louise Stokes. His father died when he was a young boy and Louis and his brother, the late Ambassador Carl B. Stokes, were reared by their young widowed mother. Stokes was educated in the Cleveland Public Schools, graduating from Central High School. Following three years in the United States Army from 1943 to 1946, he returned to Cleveland and utilized the G.I. Bill to attend Western Reserve University. He received his Doctor of Laws Degree from Cleveland Marshall Law School in 1953. Prior to his election to the United States Congress, Congressman Stokes practiced law for fourteen years in Cleveland. He was chief trial counsel for the firm of Stokes, Character, Terry, Perry, Whitehead, Young and Davidson. As a practicing lawyer, Representative Stokes participated in three cases in the United States Supreme Court, including the landmark ``stop and frisk'' case of Terry v. Ohio. Congressman Stokes' younger brother, the late Carl B. Stokes, made history in 1967 when he was elected Mayor of Cleveland, serving with distinction as the first black mayor of a major American city. Carl Stokes also enjoyed a career as an award-winning broadcaster and municipal court judge. In 1994, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Seychelles. Ambassador Stokes died in April 1996. Louise Stokes, a proud mother who always encouraged her sons to get an education, lived to witness many of her sons' historic achievements. Prior to her death in 1978, she was the recipient of numerous awards including Cleveland's ``Woman of the Year'' award in 1968 and Ohio's ``Mother of the Year'' award in 1969. congressional career During his first term in public office (91st Congress), Congressman Stokes served as a member of the Education and Labor Committee and the House Un-American Activities Committee, later re-named the House Internal Security Committee. In his second term in office (92nd Congress), he was appointed the first black Member ever to sit on the Appropriations Committee of the House. On February 8, 1972, Louis Stokes was elected as Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. He served two consecutive terms in this office. In addition to his seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, on February 5, 1975, he was elected by the Democratic Caucus to serve on the newly formed Budget Committee of the House. He was re-elected to the Budget Committee twice, serving a total of six years. On September 21, 1976 (94th Congress) Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker Carl Albert to serve on the House Select Committee on Assassinations. The Committee had a mandate to conduct an investigation and study of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On March 8, 1977, Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill appointed Congressman Stokes as Chairman of this committee. On December 31, 1978, Congressman Stokes completed these historic investigations and filed with the House of Representatives 27 volumes of hearings, a Final Report and Recommendations for Administrative and Legislative Reform. In February of 1980 (96th Congress), Congress Stokes was appointed by Speaker O'Neill to the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics Committee). In the 97th, 98th, and 102nd Congresses, he was elected Chairman of this committee. Also, in the 101st Congress, Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker Wright to serve on the Ethics Task Force. In February of 1983 (98th Congress), Representative Stokes was appointed by Speaker O'Neill to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In the 99th Congress, Representative Stokes was elected Chairman of the Subcommittee on Program and Budget Authorization for the committee. In January of 1987 (100th Congress), House Speaker Jim Wright appointed Congressman Stokes as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. In the 100th Congress, Representative Stokes was also appointed to serve on the House Select Committee to Investigate Covert Arms Transactions with Iran, and the Pepper Commission on Comprehensive Health Care. As a result of the 1990 census and the redistricting mandate, in 1992 the 21st Congressional District of Ohio was re-designated as the 11th Congressional District. In the 103rd Congress, which commenced in January of 1993, Congressman Stokes was elected to chair the House Appropriations Subcommittee on VA-HUD-Independent Agencies. He also served as a member of the Subcommittee on Labor- Health and Human Services-Education and the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia. personal information Birthdate: February 23, 1925. Wife: Jeanette (Jay) Stokes. Children: Shelley, Angela, Louis C. and Lorene. Grandchildren: Brett S., Eric S., and Grant W. Hammond; Kelley C. and Kimberly L. Stokes; Alexandra F. and Nicolette S. Thompson. Education: Cleveland Public Schools (Giddings and Central High School), Western Reserve University, Cleveland Marshall Law School (The Cleveland State University)--Doctor of Jurisprudence. designations and honors Throughout his tenure in the United States Congress, Representatives Stokes has played a pivotal role in the quest for civil rights, equality and social and economic justice. He is the recipient of countless awards and honors which recognize his strong leadership and commitment. 100 Most Influential Black Americans/Black Achievement Award. Each year since 1971, Congressman Stokes has been named by Ebony Magazine as one of the ``100 Most Influential Black Americans.'' In 1979, he was nominated by Ebony in three categories for the Second Annual American Black Achievement Awards. His nomination was based upon his becoming the first African American to head a major congressional investigation and to preside over nationally televised hearings which revealed new facts on the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and President John F. Kennedy. William Dawson Award. Congressman Stokes has twice received the Congressional Black Caucus' William L. Dawson Award. In 1980, Congressman Stokes was presented the prestigious award in recognition of his ``unique leadership in the development of legislation.'' In 1994, he received the second Dawson Award for ``significant research, organizational and leadership contributions in the development of legislation that addresses the needs of minorities in the United States. Louis Stokes Bridge. On June 24 1988, the Board of County Commissioners Cuyahoga County dedicated the Lake Shore Boulevard Bridge over Euclid Creek as the ``Louis Stokes Bridge,'' in recognition of Congressman Stokes' leadership in public service, and his support for federal funding to support road and bridge improvement projects. Louis Stokes Telecommunications Center/Cuyahoga Community College. On September 24, 1988, Cuyahoga Community College designated the Louis Stokes Telecommunications Center in the Unified Technologies Center in honor of Congressman Stokes. Central High School Hall of Fame. On March 30, 1990, Congressman Stokes' alma mater, Central High School (now Central Middle School) recognized his historic achievements by presenting him with the school's Alumnus Award and including him into the school's Hall of Fame. On that occasion, the school also dedicated its auditorium as the ``Louis Stokes Auditorium.'' Louis Stokes Community Center. On September 5, 1992, in recognition of the achievements of Ohio's first and only African American to serve in the United States Congress, the community center in Outhwaite Homes was renamed as the ``Louis Stokes Community Center'' by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. Louis Stokes Wing/Cleveland Public Library. On January 19, 1994, the Cleveland Public Library Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a resolution to name the new Cleveland Public Library East Wing in honor of Congressman Stokes. The resolution stated that his career ``has extended into areas of law, civil rights, support for education and public libraries, and congressional, national and local leadership on a wide range of issues important to the Cleveland area and the nation.'' Stokes Boulevard--Cleveland, Ohio. To mark Congressman Stokes' historic achievements in the United States Congress, the City of Cleveland voted on June 6, 1994 to designate East 107th Street and portion of Fairhill Road as ``Stokes Boulevard.'' Appropriate signs mark this special salute to Congressman Stokes. Case Western Reserve University/Louis Stokes Health Sciences Center. Case Western Reserve University honored Congressman Stokes on June 24, 1994 with the dedication of the ``Louis Stokes Health Science Center.'' Congressman Stokes was lauded for his work ``to improve the lives of all Americans and to ensure the full participation of members of minority groups in the many initiatives in health, science, education, and public welfare.'' Louis Stokes HUD ``Hall of Fame.'' On April 5, 1995, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inducted Congressman Stokes into the nation's first ``Public Housing Hall of Fame.'' Located in HUD's Washington, D.C. Headquarters, the Hall of Fame recognizes Congressman Stokes as a strong advocate of safe and affordable housing for America's families. National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame. On September 18, 1996, Congressman Stokes was chosen for inclusion in the first National Minority Transplant Hall of Fame. The designation recognizes Stokes' strong leadership in the area of organ transplant education and awareness. Louis Stokes Head Start Day Care Center. Dedicated during the weekend of June 20, 1997, the ``Louis Stokes Head Start Center'' was built specifically to serve the needs of pre- school children in the Metropolitan Cleveland Area. The Center was named for Congressman Stokes for his dedication in fighting for the rights of Cleveland's disadvantaged. Stokes Rapid Transit Station/Windermere. On November 17, 1997, Cleveland's Regional Transit Authority designated the Windermere Rapid Transit Station as the ``Louis Stokes Station at Windermere'' in honor of Congressman Stokes for his support for public transit. Louis Stokes Health Sciences Library/Howard University. Howard University voted to recognize Congressman Stokes for his strong leadership in the United States Congress. On August 11, 1998, Howard University paid tribute to ``one of our nation's most prolific Members of Congress'' by naming their new health sciences library ``The Louis Stokes Health Science Center.'' Stokes Web Site. On August 11, 1998, top executives from Cleveland's business community announced that a web site will be set up in Congressman Stokes' name to inform young people of internships, scholarships and job training opportunities. The site will be called the ``Living Legacy Project: Aim High.'' Stokes was known for autographing photos for young students with the phrase ``Aim High!'' The Stokes Family Library and Museum. Unveiled during Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority's Louis Stokes Day 1998, on September 12, 1998, Congressman Stokes' boyhood home in the Outhwaite housing projects will be transformed into the ``Stokes Family Library and Museum.'' The Library will serve as a home for many of the Congressman's awards and memorabilia for organizations around the country. Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center. On October 6, 1998, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, Congressman Stokes was honored with the naming of the Cleveland Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in his honor. The designation recognizes a lawmaker who worked tirelessly on behalf of the nation's veterans and other citizens throughout his 30-year career. Louis Stokes Building, National Institutes of Health. On October 20, 1998, the House of Representatives voted for passage of an Omnibus Appropriations Bill to fund the Departments of Labor-Health and Human Services-Education. The bill includes language designating Building #50, the Consolidated Laboratories Building on the campus of the National Institutes of Health, in honor of Congressman Stokes. The renaming honors Congressman Stokes for his staunch leadership on the health front. Honorary Degrees. Congressman Stokes is the recipient of 23 honorary Degrees from colleges and universities across the nation. The degrees were conferred upon Congressman Stokes in recognition of his national leadership and strong commitment to public service. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to yield to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Madam Speaker, as part of our special hour I would now like to yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings).