Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, as they celebrate their 70th anniversary in holy ministry and service to others. Founded in 1932 by Mother Josephine Finatowicz, the Sisters of the Holy Spirit began their legacy of caring for our most vulnerable citizens in two humble homes. Within those walls, the Sisters lovingly cared for the parentless children of our community. Later, the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland approached the Sisters with a request to provide a home for older adults who could not afford adequate housing. This vision was the dream of Monsignor Gilbert Jennings, who left his specific request on the pages of his last will and testament. After his death, the Sisters agreed to fulfill his vision of the creation of a caring home for seniors. The 13 dedicated women of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit moved from their Cleveland neighborhood to their new convent built on the rolling farmland of Granger Road in Garfield Heights. The Jennings Center for Older adults has evolved from a single story wood frame building to an extensive senior housing campus. From the beginning, the Sisters ran everything from the cooking to the nursing, to the administrative work. As in years past, the Sisters of the Holy Spirit continue to heal the hearts and souls of the residents of the Jennings Center. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor of the Sisters of the Holy Spirit. Their commitment, kindness and caring for our children and our elderly have served to lift the spirits of countless individuals, families, and our entire community. We are blessed to have these angels--the Sisters of the Holy Spirit, bringing us light and hope, and asking nothing in return.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Libera Pilla--beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend to many. For forty-nine years, Mrs. Pilla was the devoted wife of George Pilla, who died in 1978. Together they raised their two sons, Bishop Anthony Pilla and Joe Pilla. As immigrants from Italy, Mr. and Mrs. Pilla understood the importance of family, faith, and hard work. Although they were not formally educated, Mr. and Mrs. Pilla coveted the educational opportunities for their sons, and ensured that they both received an excellent education. Moreover, they instilled in their sons the value of service and compassion toward others--clearly evidenced in their sons' chosen vocations--Bishop Anthony Pilla's vocation of spiritual leader; and Joe Pilla's commitment to public service in law enforcement. Mrs. Pilla was the light, warmth and center of the Pilla family. Mrs. Pilla was known for her deep sense of compassion and concern for others, and she consistently reached out to others with grace, kindness and dignity. Mrs. Pilla took great pride and joy in caring for her family and friends, especially through her culinary talents. She delighted many with her wonderful recipes from her Italian homeland, and enjoyed planning and preparing for family and friends during the holiday season. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of Libera Pilla--a remarkable woman who, along with her dear husband George, rose above the hardships of assimilating into American culture, sculpting a wonderful life for herself and her family, filled with love, warmth, encouragement and support. Although Mrs. Pilla will be deeply missed, her life was joyously lived--and is a life worthy of celebration. I offer my deepest condolences to Mrs. Pilla's sons, Bishop Anthony Pilla and Joe Pilla; to her grandchildren and great- grandchildren; and to her extended family and many friends. The light and love that Mrs. Pilla so freely gave to others, especially to her family, will live on forever in the hearts of those who knew and loved her well.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the Vietnamese New Year: Tet, 2003--Year of the Goat. In celebration of the new year, the Vietnamese Community in Greater Cleveland, Inc., will gather at St. Helena Catholic Church to rejoice with family and friends and enjoy Vietnamese culture and performances. The Tet celebration will include recognition of volunteer leaders, Vietnamese food, and dancing and entertainment by the Vietnamese youth of Cleveland. As Tet is the time of year to pay homage to ancestors, visit with friends and family, and celebrate, it is with great honor that I pay tribute to the Vietnamese Community of Greater Cleveland. This year marks the 27th year of the Vietnamese Community in Greater Cleveland's outstanding service to the Vietnamese community in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Vietnamese heritage has long been important to Cleveland, and the Vietnamese Community in Greater Cleveland has played a vital role in ensuring that important cultural traditions continue to be embraced. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to honor and thank Le Nguyen, President of the Vietnamese Community in Greater Cleveland, for coordinating this wonderful evening of festivities. I would also like to honor the members of the Vietnamese Community in Greater Cleveland for their dedication to the Cleveland area. Best wishes to all celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year: Tet, 2003--Year of the Goat. I wish everyone a joyous and prosperous new year.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Bishop Bertha Mable Massey, resident Of Cleveland, on the joyous occasion of the celebration of her 106th birthday. For over a century, Bishop Massey has devoted her life to her family, her faith, and her community. Well ahead of her time, Bishop Massey paved the way for women within the hierarchy of organized religion. She is the presiding Bishop of The House of God, and has jurisdiction over two states--Ohio and New Jersey. While committing herself to helping others in rural and urban America, Bishop Massey also kept focused on her studies. At Trinity College in Springfield, IL, Bishop Massey earned her Doctorate degree. In 1976, Bishop Massey was appointed presiding Bishop over New Jersey and Ohio. Her passion for spirituality, faith, history and community has not faltered with the passing years. Rather, her devotion has grown stronger. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and recognition of Bishop Bertha Mable Massey--a remarkable woman, leader, and spiritual guide. Bishop Massey's work and service continues to give hope, faith, wisdom and comfort to countless individuals and families, and serves to uplift our entire Cleveland community. Together we wish Bishop Bertha Mable Massey a wonderful 106th Birthday, and many more to come.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of the Cleveland Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarian Veterans, on the occasion of their 50th Annual Charity Ball. U.S. veterans of Hungarian heritage founded the organization in 1946, just after WWII. A Cleveland Chapter was formed in 1951, with objectives mirroring those of the national organization--to promote patriotism, and to honor and keep alive the memories of those who suffered and gave their lives to preserve our freedoms and democratic ideals. Additionally, the Cleveland Chapter has focused on the preservation of the Hungarian culture, customs and history for the younger members of our community, and for generations to come. Moreover, the membership has consistently demonstrated a willingness to lend a helping hand. Over the years, the Cleveland Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarian Veterans has assisted other members and their families with moral and financial support whenever needed. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in tribute and recognition of the Cleveland Chapter of the World Federation of Hungarian Veterans as they celebrate their culture once again at the 50th Annual Charity Ball. Today we honor the significant sacrifices each of you has made to preserve our freedoms, and we also pay tribute to your organization for preserving the rich fabric of Hungarian culture and tradition within our community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 26, honoring the contributions of Catholic schools. As a Catholic school graduate, I know the value of a Catholic education. I know first hand that Catholic schools teach students discipline, pride and respect for learning. I am so grateful to the priests, nuns and lay persons who taught me at St. Peter's Elementary, Holy Name Elementary, Parmadale, St. Aloysius Elementary, St. Colman Elementary and St. John Cantius High School for their love and guidance through my formative years. I especially wish to recognize the delegation of students, teachers and parents who will make the National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools a special day this coming Wednesday. Their commitment to ensuring an exceptional education and maintaining quality Catholic schools ensures that Catholic students in the future will continue to benefit from outstanding educational opportunities. An overwhelming percentage of Catholic high school graduates attend college, which is a sign of the excellent work of our Catholic School system. I would also like to recognize the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) for their efforts to promote educational and catechetical goals. By sponsoring programs like the Seton Awards, which recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Catholic education, the NCEA works diligently to insure better education across America. Providing quality educational opportunities for all children is one of the most important goals of our society. I wish to congratulate Catholic schools, students, parents, and teachers across the Nation for their ongoing contributions to education. They play critical roles in promoting and ensuring a stronger and brighter future for America.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the U.N. process of inspections can work if the administration will let it; and yet we see, despite the efforts of the United Nations, the administration is preparing for war, preparing to send as many as 300,000 of our young men and women into battle. Stories of up to 800 missiles, poised for an attack on Baghdad, a city of over 3 million people. Reports of a new military strategy which plays off of this big missile attack which would attack water systems and electrical systems to totally destroy any infrastructure in Iraq, even news reports that the use of nuclear weapons is being considered. Americans need to think about it. We have a country here which is dedicated to liberty and justice. But where is the justice if we are the first ones to use nuclear weapons? Where is the justice if we are going to attack a nation that has not attacked us? Where is the justice? It is time to stand for peace.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the America I envision seeks world unity instead of unilateralism. It gains its power through being the first to help, not the first to strike. It extends itself to the peoples of the world to lift their burden. It is an America which, when asked for help, dispenses bread instead of bombs, medical assistance instead of missiles, and food instead of fissile materials. There is a role for America in the world. It is in working with the community of nations to achieve the security of all nations. It is in restoring the promise of the nonproliferation treaty to lead the way to get rid of all nuclear weapons. It is through strengthening and abiding by international treaties. It is in assuring control and eventual elimination of chemical and biological weapons and land mines. It is in protecting our global climate. America can help protect the world. America can help save the world. But America cannot control the world, nor should we want to do so. Yet our administration would project American power for the purpose of domination. Their national security doctrines call for America to strike anywhere it pleases and to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Our Nation is now poised to go to all-out war against Iraq. Iraq has not committed any act of aggression against the United States. Iraq was not responsible for 9/11. No credible evidence exists linking Iraq to Al Qaeda's role in 9/11. Iraq as not responsible for the anthrax attack on our Nation. The United Nations has yet to establish that Iraq has usable weapons of mass destruction. There is no intelligence that Iraq has the ability to strike at the United States. According to the CIA, Iraq has no intention to attack America, but will defend itself if attacked. Why then is our Nation prepared to send 300,000 of our young men and women into house-to-house combat in the streets of Baghdad? Why is our Nation prepared to spend $200 billion or more of our hard-earned tax dollars for the destruction of Iraq? Why is our Nation preparing to use the most powerful military machine in history to wage an assault on the people of Iraq, to destroy their houses and buildings, to wipe out their water and electrical systems, and to block their access to food and medical supplies? There is no answer that can separate itself from oil economics, profit requirements of arms trade, or distorted notions of empire building. War with Iraq is wrong. But if war is prosecuted further in Iraq, we must be prepared to advance the cause of peace in this country. We must be prepared to stand up, to speak out, to organize, to march, to demand an end to the war, or to demand an end to an administration which insists on war. It is urgent we oppose this war. It will dominate our Nation's priorities. It will threaten Social Security and Medicare and block a prescription drug benefit for the elderly. It will stop America from providing jobs for all, health care for all, education for all. There are some who believe that it is unpatriotic to challenge the administration on the war. They believe it is politically wiser to debate the economy. But how can one reasonably separate war from the budget, war from the economy, war from America's ability to meet the needs of the people of this Nation? The administration's own top economic adviser said the war would cost up to $200 billion. Our Federal budget is already close to huge tax cuts for the wealthy. Remember when we had a budget surplus? Each time the administration talks about war, fear is created and when fear goes up, the market goes down. War will mean a sharp increase in oil prices, which will hurt jobs in manufacturing and transportation. One economic study with a worst-case scenario puts the cost of an all-out war plus long-term occupation of Iraq at $1.6 trillion. We cannot separate war from the economy. We cannot separate war from America's ability to meet the needs of her own people here at home. We need to ask the questions: Why does America have hundreds of billions to ruin the health and take the lives of innocent people in Iraq but no money to provide health care for all Americans? Would why America spend hundreds of billions to retire Saddam Hussein, but no money to protect the retirement security of its own people? Why does America have money to blow up bridges over the Euphrates River in Iraq, but no money to build bridges over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio? The path America must take is one of peace that leads to prosperity. It is one which understands that creating a structure of peace ensures that economic structures can be sound, affirmative of human needs and restorative of human values. This is the dream of a Department of Peace to making nonviolence an organizing principle in our society, making the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reality, and working to make war itself a thing of the past. It is the ethic of peace building which will cause us to take down weapons from the heavens and work to create a heaven on Earth. Peace and prosperity shall be as two pillars in a newly rebuilt America which provides for the economic and Social Security of its own people as a cause of nationhood and for the economic and social progress of people of other lands as a cause of brotherhood. This confirmation of the purpose of Nation was the dream of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society, and John F. Kennedy and the New Frontier. This shall continue to be our dream in the days ahead, that no matter the darkness, we shall hold up the light of America's higher purpose which calls to us across the ages from Washington, Jefferson and Adams, through Lincoln to the present day. Our Nation has a higher calling. [Ceremonial Swearing-In Jan. 5, 2003, Cleveland, Ohio] Iraq and the Economy (By Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich) The America I envision seeks world unity instead of unilateralism. It gains its power through being the first to help, not the first to strike. It extends itself to the peoples of the world to life their burden. It is an America, which when asked for help, dispenses bread instead of bombs, medical assistance instead of missiles, and food instead of fissile materials. There is a role for America in the world. It is in working with the community of nations to achieve the security of all nations. It is in restoring the promise of the Non Proliferation Treaty to lead the way to get rid of all nuclear weapons. It is through strengthening and abiding by international treaties. It is in assuring control and eventual elimination of biological and chemical weapons, and landmines. It is in protecting our global climate. America can help protect the world. America can help save the world. But America cannot control the world, nor should we want to do so. Yet our Administration would project American power for the purpose of domination. The National Security doctrines call for America to strike any where it pleases and to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Our nation is now poised to go to all-out war against Iraq. Iraq has not committed any act of aggression against the United States. Iraq was not responsible for 911. No credible evidence exists linking Iraq to Al Queda's role in 911. Iraq was not responsible for the anthrax attack on our nation. The United Nations has yet to establish that Iraq has usable weapons of mass destruction. There is no intelligence that Iraq has the ability to strike at the United States. According to the CIA, Iraq has no intention to attack America, but will defend itself if attacked. Why then, is our nation prepared to send three hundred thousand of our young men and women into house to house combat in the streets of Baghdad. Why is our nation prepared to spend $200 billion or more of our hard-earned tax dollars for destruction of Iraq? Why is our nation preparing to use the most powerful military machine in history to wage an assault against the people of Iraq, to destroy their houses and buildings, to wipe out their water and electric systems and to block their access to food and medical supplies? There is no answer which can separate itself from oil economics, profit requirements of arms trade, or distorted notions of empire-building. War with Iraq is wrong. But if war is prosecuted further in Iraq, we must be prepared to advance the cause of peace in this country. We must be prepared to stand up, to speak out, to organize, to march, to demand an end to the war, or to demand an end to an administration which insists on war. It is urgent we oppose this war. It will dominate our nation's priorities. It will threaten Social Security. It will threaten Medicare. It will block a prescription drug benefit for the elderly. It will stop America from providing jobs for all, health care for all, education for all. There are some who believe that it is unpatriotic to challenge the Administration on the war. They believe it is politically wiser to debate the economy. But how can one reasonably separate war from the budget, war from the economy, war from America's ability to meet the needs of the people of this nation? The Administration's own top economic adviser said the war could cost up to $200 billion. OUr federal budget is already close to a $200 billion deficit due to huge tax cuts for the wealthy. Remember when we had a budget surplus? Each time the administration talks about war, fear is created and when fear goes up, the market goes down. War will mean a sharp increase in oil prices, which will hurt jobs in manufacturing and transportation. One economic study with a worst-case scenario puts the cost of an all-out war, plus long-term occupation of Iraq at $1.6 trillion. You cannot separate war from the economy. You cannot separate war from America's ability to meet the needs of our own people here at home. We need to ask the questions: Why does America have hundreds of billions to ruin the health and take the lives of innocent people in Iraq but no money to provide health care for all Americans? Why would America spend hundreds of billions to retire Saddam Hussein, but no money to protect the retirement security of its own people? Why does America have money to blow up bridges over the Euphrates River in Iraq, but no money to build up bridges over the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland? The path America must take is one of peace which leads to prosperity. It is one which understands that creating a structure of peace ensures that economic structures can be sound, affirmative of human needs and restorative of human values. This is the dream of a Department of Peace making nonviolence an organizing principle in our society--making the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a reality--working to make war itself a thing of the past. It is this ethic of peace building which will cause us to take down weapons from the heavens and work to create a heaven on earth. Peace and prosperity shall be as two pillars in a newly rebuilt America which provides for the economic and social security of its own people as a cause of nationhood and for the economic and social progress of peoples of other lands as a cause of brotherhood. This confirmation of the purpose of nation was the dream of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society, and John F. Kennedy and the New Frontier. This shall continue to be our dream in the days ahead, that no matter the darkness, we shall holdup the light of America's higher purpose, which calls to us across the age from Washington. Jefferson and Adams through Lincoln to the present day. Our nation has always had a higher calling, despite the darkness of 911 and the official response to it. It is a calling to maintain the quest for democracy, for freedom and liberty at times of peril as well as in times of peace. That higher calling is our heritage. The words of Francis Scott Key still echo: ``Oh say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?'' he celebrated the link between freedom and bravery: it takes courage to live in a democracy. It takes courage to stand up to terrorists and maintain basic liberties. It takes courage to lead the way toward global disarmament while some are bent on destruction. It takes patience to face dictators around the world and not be tempted to bomb them into submission. It takes wisdom to have great power and to make gentle its presence in the world. And it takes compassion to understand the plight of peoples world wide who themselves are trying to survive, to live out their own humble lives despite having conditions which are challenging or governments which are oppressive. My friends. This is still your government. You have a right to have a say in how its destiny is being charted. That right derives from our very Declaration of Independence, which claimed self-governance as a basic right. Government does not just happen in Washington, DC. It is the result of a process that takes place in thousands of cities, villages and townships. It is also a process which also takes place in our hearts, which is brought to life by our love of country, and our love of each other.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Anthony Mazzochi, a champion of the labor movement. Through his compassion, dedication, and commitment he improved the lives of the working men and women of the Nation. His hope brought those who toil in the factories and fields across the country together and gave them a voice and the empowering recognition that they cannot go unnoticed in the social, economic, or political arenas. Anthony Mazzochi began his life in Brooklyn, New York. The struggles of the working class were brought to his attention at a young age when his father, a unionized garment worker, lost the family home due to medical bills for his wife who died of cancer when Anthony Mazzochi was 6 years old. Anthony Mazzochi served in World War II as an Army combat veteran, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and was one of the first soldiers to reach the Nazi death camps. Upon returning to the U.S. he worked as a steelworker, an autoworker and in construction. In the 1950s Anthony Mazzochi began his work in the labor movement with the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union and fought for one of the first dental insurance contract for workers. He later became the local OCAW president. Over the years he took on more roles within the union and eventually became the union's health and safety director from 1979 to 1981 and the secretary-treasurer from 1988 until he retired in 1991. Anthony Mazzochi was instrumental in the fight to create the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and pass the National Gas Pipeline Safety Act, among other legislation. He also led the effort to highlight the plight of Karen Silkwood, a worker who blew the whistle on health and safety problems at a Kerr-McGee nuclear facility. He was innovative in extending the labor cause to art, education and activism. To educate union members he established Alice Hamilton College. Anthony Mazzochi was the publisher of ``New Solutions'' an environmental and occupational health policy publication. He helped commission a play about Karen Silkwood performed at the Attic Theatre in Detroit in 1993. He also created an internship program that brought awareness to medical and public health students about workplace conditions. Anthony Mazzochi established the Labor Party Advocates in 1991 in an effort to build support for a national labor party. In 1996, with 1,400 union leaders, he organized a meeting in Cleveland to establish the Labor Party. He never lost hope that support for a national movement to improve conditions of workers was present in the country. Anthony Mazzochi received the Presidential Citation for outstanding contributions to public health from the American Public Health Association in 1983; the Alice Hamilton Award from that organization in 1987; and was cited by Ms. Magazine in 1982 as one of the ``40 Male Heroes of the Decade'' for his work organizing the effort that exposed the forced sterilization of women workers at American Cyanamid. Anthony Mazzochi was a working class intellectual and a renaissance man. While the country underwent unsteady and unpredictable periods over the last several decades his vision and optimism remained unwavering. Anthony Mazzochi embraced the human spirit in its totality and invited people to join in fighting for justice. Countless have joined and will continue to join as his indelible and inspirational legacy lives on. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Anthony Mazzochi.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. There has been talk in recent months that if there is to be an economic recovery in our future, it will be a so-called ``jobless recovery.'' I would submit that for the 8.5 million Americans who are currently unemployed, an economic recovery that does not provide jobs is no recovery at all. The Economic Policy Institute has reported that using even optimistic projections of the gross domestic product, the unemployment rate is expected to remain at 6 percent for all of 2003. An analysis projecting less optimistic growth numbers suggests the unemployment rate will climb to 6.4 percent by the last quarter of this year. However, there is one factor that impacts the severity of the current downturn for American workers more than any other. That is, significantly more workers have exhausted their Federal benefits since the Federal extension of benefit program began in March than ran out of Federal benefits over a comparable number of months in the recession of the early nineties. Under the Federal extension program of the early nineties, each worker was eligible for 20 to 26 weeks of benefits some 10 months after the program was enacted. Under the program which just expired at the end of December, most workers were eligible for a maximum of 13 weeks of benefits. As a result, by the end of December, an estimated 2.2 million workers had exhausted all of their Federal benefits. And without congressional assistance, the new year brings these 2.2 million unemployed a job market that is stripped bare. It is a job market with 1.5 million fewer jobs than in March of 2001. It is for this reason that it is critical that the Federal unemployment insurance system be extended now. However, the majority plan and the Democratic proposal, which was disallowed, offer two very different levels of compensation to American families. The majority plan would provide for 13 weeks of extended benefits over the next 5 months to the estimated 90,000 workers a week who will exhaust their State benefits without finding work. The Democratic plan would have offered 26 weeks. I want to say that there is a difference in the economic benefit to families. We need to make sure that families have some of this uncertainty lifted from them. It is not enough to just say, well, another 13 weeks. This country has the money for a longer extension. Families should not have to wonder if they are going to have the ability to pay their mortgage or to buy clothes or to put food on the table. We have an obligation to the unemployed, and that is why I am supporting our Democratic proposal.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, there has been talk in recent months that if there is to be an economic recovery in our future, it will be a so- called ``jobless recovery''. I would submit that for the 8.5 million Americans who are currently unemployed, an economic recovery that does not provide jobs is no recovery at all. The Economic Policy (EPI) has reported that using even optimistic projections of GDP growth, the unemployment rate is expected to remain at 6 percent for all of 2003. An analysis projecting less optimistic growth numbers suggest the unemployment rate will climb to 6.4 percent by the last quarter of this year. However, there is one factor that impacts the severity of the current downturn for American workers more than any other. That is, significantly more workers have exhausted their federal benefits since the federal extension of benefit program began in March than ran out of federal benefits over a comparable number of months in the recession of the early nineties. Under the federal extension program of the early 90s, each worker was eligible for 20 to 26 weeks of benefits some ten months after the program was enacted. Under the program which just expired at the end of last December, most workers were eligible for a maximum of 13 weeks of benefits. As a result, by the end of December, an estimated 2.2 million workers had exhausted all of their federal benefits. And without Congressional assistance, the New year brings these 2.2 million unemployed a job market that is stripped bare. It is a job market with 1.5 million fewer jobs today than in March of 2001. For this reason it is critical that the federal unemployment insurance system be extended now. However, the Republican plan, and Democratic proposal which was disallowed, offer two very different levels of compensation to American families. The Republican plan would provide 13 weeks of extended benefits over the next five months to the estimated 90,000 workers a week who will exhaust their state benefits without finding work. The Democratic plan would have offered 26 weeks. The Republican plan will also provide the remainder of 13 weeks of benefits to the nearly 800,000 workers who were cut off from federal unemployment benefits on December 28th when the program was allowed to expire. The Democratic plan offered workers those 13 weeks and adds 13 more for a total of 26 weeks. In an even starker comparison, even in the face of economic data suggesting the current economic conditions are no better, and maybe even worse than when the current program began in March, The Republican proposal mysteriously provides no extension of benefits to the 1 million workers who exhausted their federal benefits by December and remain jobless. The Democratic proposal gave those workers an extra 13 weeks of job- hunting cushioned by unemployment insurance. Indeed, the Democratic plan did not selectively pick and choose which group of unemployed workers id deemed worthy of coverage. For in a so-called ``jobless recovery'' millions of Americans will remain jobless. But under the Republican's so-called unemployment plan, 1 million Americans will also be without unemployment insurance. In covering these 1 million Americans, the Democratic proposal did not ignore the over $24 million sitting unused in the Federal Unemployment Trust Fund. Instead it honors the basic purpose of the trust funds: to build large resources when work is plentiful in order to provide relief to the unemployed when they need it most. The Republican proposal ``writes off'' 1 million people. Contrary to the thinking behind the Republican proposal, there is no reason 1 million unemployed workers should be denied unemployment compensation when they need it the most. The Democratic plan suggest the time for them to receive it is now. So do I. Vote for the Motion to Recommit.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, last fall it took weeks for the Members of the House, the press and the public to figure out who inserted a special interest provision in the homeland security bill to exempt Eli Lilly and other manufacturers of thimerosal. We did not know the provision was in the bill before we voted on it. After it was found we could not figure out how it got there. Now that is no way to make law. This is why I am supporting the motion to commit which would mandate that conference reports are made available to Members at least 24 hours before a vote. This requirement would not be permitted to be waived. Members of this body deserve to know what they are voting on. The practice of sneaking in unrelated provisions in thick conference reports in the dead of night is unacceptable. The reason it is done is to cause Members who normally would not support a provision to do so by burying it in a conference report at the last minute when there is little chance for it to be found. The thimerosal exception that was slipped into the Homeland Security bill is a prime example. The thimerosal exemption was a big Christmas gift to Eli Lilly and other thimerosal manufacturers. In the last election cycle is it any surprise that Eli Lilly was one of the top pharmaceutical contributors, giving $1.6 million? In return, they got a thimerosal exception that they have been lobbying for all year. Eli Lilly's first attempt was last spring when it placed the exemption in the comprehensive bill, but since the bill did not get anywhere in the Subcommittee on Health, it switched tactics to get the exemption in Homeland Security. The exemption effectively shields Eli Lilly from all lawsuits from claimants injured by thimerosal. One of the concerns being expressed is that there is a possible link between thimerosal and autism. The exemption even closed the door on litigation that was ongoing at the time the legislation was passed. It is time to open the conference process and stop the back room political maneuvers that lead to secret provisions. We must stop the abuses of the congressional process. We must allow Members to know what they are voting on. Support the motion to commit.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and recognition of Peter Yarrow and Avery Cohen, as they are honored by the Hattie Larlham Foundation on November 13th for their significant work on behalf of individual rights. For the past forty years, the Hattie Larlham Foundation has been a source of hope, support and care for thousands of children and adolescents with disabilities and their families, in northeast Ohio. The vast and vital work of both Peter Yarrow and Avery Cohen on behalf of the Foundation, reflects the true spirit of this exceptional agency--a spirit of helping and caring, a spirit of empowerment; and a spirit of dedication to social justice--one child at a time; one family at a time. The vital work of Peter Yarrow and Avery Cohen is the work of heroes who speak for those whose voice is small--they are the messengers for our most vulnerable citizens--our children, our poor, and our mentally and physically challenged. Their message speaks of local and national change. Their message speaks of improved services for children and adults with disabilities. Their message speak of research to seek improvements, to find cures, to give support, to give hope. Peter Yarrow carries the message through his gift of song, crossing the continent to raise funds and raise awareness, with projects like the creation of ``Operation Respect, `` a program that advocates nurturing environments for children. Avery Cohen, President of the Hattie Larlham Care Group, and Vice President of the Hattie Larlham Research Institute and Foundation, has carried the message through his tenacity, integrity, compassion and expertise for the past thirty-six years. Considered a ``founding member,'' Avery joined the Board of Directors of the Hattie Larlham Foundation in 1966. His unwavering commitment remains focused on assisting and improving the lives of the children and families of our community. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honoring every staff and member of the Hattie Larlham Foundation, and please also join me in honoring my dear friends, Peter Yarrow and Avery Cohen. I honor your dedication and significant work in helping, empowering, inspiring, and bringing hope to children and families facing a challenging road. Your work and activism brings us light, guidance and strength, and gives us hope for a better tomorrow.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of Judge Loys Criswell, soldier of justice in the State of Oklahoma, farmer, beloved husband, father, and friend to many. A life-long resident of Oklahoma, Judge Criswell grew up in the town of Duke during the difficult years of the Great Depression. During his formative years, violence and shoot-outs were commonplace along the streets of Duke, and justice and accountability were non-existent. Judge Criswell lost several relatives and friends in these conflicts. So impactful were the events of his youth that Mr. Criswell dedicated his entire adult life to administering justice, and offering hope and rehabilitation to offenders. Judge Criswell was also committed to social justice issues and equal opportunity for everyone. When he learned of the plight of the babies of Mexican migrant workers dying from dysentery, Judge Criswell sprung into action and assisted the Southwest Oklahoma Migrant Ministry in developing better housing and improved conditions for migrant workers. As a highly effective prosecutor and later a juvenile and family judge for many years, Judge Criswell's keen understanding of the history and nuances of our intricate legal system, along with his strong sense of justice--tempered by compassion and his belief in redemption for offenders--profoundly impacted the lives of thousands of individuals and families, and helped improve the overall quality of life for everyone within his region of Oklahoma. As county attorney in Altus, Mr. Criswell eliminated close to twenty illegal operations in the county, and in other rural parts of the area. His intelligence and unwavering belief in the American judicial system were unmatched by none, as was his deep sense of compassion for everyone who stood before him within the walls of his courtroom. Personally and professionally, Judge Criswell was a man of integrity, character, kindness and ideals. He was a brilliant man with an ever-hopeful heart, and an ever-humble spirit. Judge Criswell was bestowed with many awards and accolades for his brilliant work, yet he always shied away from praise and accolades. Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance of my friend and mentor, Judge Loys Criswell, who will be deeply missed by all who knew him. He was a man of vision, a scholar, a farmer and seeker of truth. And above all else, Judge Criswell was a man who possessed a heart as expansive and true as the rolling farms of Oklahoma. Judge Criswell dedicated his life to justice and positive change and consistently reached out to members of his community. I extend my deepest condolences to Judge Criswell's beloved wife Edna, and beloved daughter, Beverly. Judge Loys Criswell's life has made a true and significant difference in the lives of many--in Oklahoma, and in places beyond, and his spirit and legacy will live on forever.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, last month's New York Times predicted that if there is to be an economic recovery in our future, it will be a ``jobless recovery.'' I would submit that for the 8.2 million Americans who are unemployed, an economic recovery that does not provide more jobs is no recovery at all. And of course, as consumer confidence plunged to a nine year low in October, any economic recovery--with or without more job openings--seems strongly in doubt. For this reason, H.R. 5063's plan to extend the Temporary Emergency Unemployment Compensation (TEUC) program, which is presently scheduled to expire on December 28, 2002, is woefully inadequate and provides an extremely limited amount of additional unemployment relief. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, between now and February 2, 2003, 1.8 million jobless workers in need of assistance would fail to receive it under this plan. Only three states, Arkansas, Oregon, and Washington, are eligible for the five-week extension of the TEUC program authorized by this bill. And when one considers that the number of long-term unemployed who are looking for work after 27 weeks almost doubled over the last year, that the Economic Policy Institute has reported there are 2.7 unemployed workers for every job opening, and that the Congressional Budget Office expects the unemployment rate to remain near 6 percent until the second half of 2003, it is clear to me that American workers deserve a better and more comprehensive unemployment plan. In fact, the bill's proposal represents an enormous missed opportunity. The failure to provide additional weeks of benefits to those who have already exhausted their federal benefits is a missed opportunity to provide a dose of immediate, well-targeted economic stimulus. In addition, the federal unemployment trust funds will have an estimated surplus of $24 billion at the end of this year. And yet, the Republican proposal is estimated to cost less than $1 billion, leaving $23 billion unused, helping no one. This approach seems inconsistent with the basic purpose of the trust funds: to build large resources when work is plentiful in order to provide relief to unemployed workers when they need it most. I think that time is now. It is unfortunate that no alternative to the proposal contained in H.R. 5063 was allowed by the majority's rule. An effective alternative proposal would have recognized that American workers from the heart of this nation, and that Federal unemployment insurance was intended for those workers during tough times like toady. An effective alternative proposal would have also recognized that the number of unemployed Americans is as high today as it was when the original and comprehensive Federal extended benefits program was enacted in March. This time, workers may receive much less. In a so-called ``jobless recovery'', millions of Americans will remain jobless. Under today's so-called unemployment plan, 1.8 million Americans will also be without unemployment compensation. We can do better for American workers.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, OH, for their innovative program to assist single, teen mothers in obtaining a college education. Baldwin-Wallace College's commitment to assisting underrepresented populations with obtaining a higher education degree dates back to the founding of the institution in 1845. In keeping with that tradition, Baldwin-Wallace developed the Single Parents Reaching Out for Unassisted Tomorrows, or SPROUT, program in 1990 to recruit and retain students from ``at risk'' populations, knowing that education is the door to a future free from poverty, dependency, and oppression. The College created the comprehensive developmental program for single parents and their children when it became clear that single parents drop out of college when the competing demands of child care, academics, and finances become overwhelming. Without a college degree, most single parents, primarily women, are unable to break the cycle of welfare and subsistence living. Given the availability of campus housing, day care, academic tutoring, counseling services, mentoring, and educational developmental programming, this cycle can be broken. SPROUT provides single parents the opportunity to complete a college education consistent with their career and personal goals. Because of the continuing need across the State and the Nation for establishing an educational environment conducive and supportive of the parenting skills, home management skills, personal management demands, and financial resource requirements of single parents, the SPROUT program can serve as a demonstration project for a more extensive effort at developing education programs which offer academic options and opportunities encouraging academic and individual development of single parents and their children. Students are selected to participate in the SPROUT program based on their financial need, past academic achievement, academic promise, and ability to adapt to community living. They must also be accepted to Baldwin-Wallace through the regular admissions program. Each participant is expected to complete full-time course work each semester while meeting the College's grade point average requirements. Current welfare regulations requiring participants to engage in 35 hours of classroom study, work, educational programming, and counseling, or vocational training weekly and limiting participants to a total of 36 months force the SPROUT parent to take courses in the summer in order to graduate on time. Even in the face of these requirements, 70 percent of the students who enter the program will graduate. The students work no less than 12 hours per week at work study or off-campus jobs. Each individual in the program receives career, academic, and personal counseling through the developmental programs that SPROUT offers including mentoring and internship programs. The College provides support services such as tutors, a learning center, a writing laboratory, and a computer center to help ensure the success of these students. Each mother and her child are provided with on-campus housing in a group living environment shared with three other families. Baldwin-Wallace College assists each woman with obtaining child care and additional living expenses. Despite these strict requirements, the SPROUT parents are achieving academic success. In fact, the overall grade point average of the students in the SPROUT program is over 3.0. Mr. Speaker, before I close I would like to tell you the story of one young woman who some of you may know. Lar'Mara O'Neal is a shining example of the success of the SPROUT program. She transferred to Baldwin-Wallace College in January 1998 with a newborn son. After graduating from Baldwin-Wallace in 1999, Lar'Mara went on to earn a graduate degree from the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve in 2001. She currently lives in Washington with her son, Steven, and has a fellowship through the Presidential Management Intern (PMI) program. Today, Lar'Mara is a Legislative Assistant with Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones. This would not have been possible without the opportunity to attend college while raising her son through the SPROUT program. I would also like to mention my friend, Julie Candela, the director of the SPROUT program, and praise her for her dedication and hard work. Mr. Speaker, I am not only impressed with Lar'Mara and her achievements but with the SPROUT Program because it is an ideal model of a successful Welfare-to-Work program. Baldwin-Wallace College is dedicated to assisting these young student mothers as they face the many challenges on the path to self- sufficiency, personal responsibility, and academic success. I commend both the College and the SPROUT participants for their commitment and resolve to assure these young women have the opportunity for a better future.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) for the time he has spent in pointing out that this reorganization really has not made the case that America is going to be safer once this bill passes. As a matter of fact, as the gentleman points out, there is good reason to believe that a reorganization that will take at least 10 years and possibly more would cause a delay in real measures that could be taken to make this country somewhat safer. The American people want to feel safer; and 12,000 people in the last year were killed by handguns. This bill will not help them. Nor will it help the thousands of other Americans who die of violent crimes each year in this country. What we have here is a paradoxical condition where the party which has gained the trust and support of the American people because of their challenge to big government suddenly becomes the party of big government advocating big government without really big services, big costs without big benefits, big security promises without big protections. Americans ought to be concerned that we have the largest government department being created here in years without any indication as to how long the people of this country are going to have to wait to be safer. So what is the alternative? One immediate alternative would be to provide more funds for local law enforcement. Every one of us knows that inevitably law enforcement in this country falls to the responsibility of the people at the local level. They know the communities. That is where we ought to be putting the billions of dollars that are going into creating a new bureaucracy. There are a few other issues. Public safety depends on truth telling, exposing bureaucratic failings and busting cover-ups. The truth tellers are civil servants who blow the whistle, and in the largest Federal agency of all time being created today surely there are whistles to be blown, but this bill has dropped the protections. Our committee sat hours on end trying to ensure protections for whistleblowers. We passed the protections out of committee. They were stripped out of the bill. Today if someone blows the whistle, is legally fired, they will not be able to get their job back or receive damages for unlawful firing. Whistleblower protection is critical for homeland security; without such protections, this bill fails. In addition to that, we are talking about creating 22 different agencies into one large entity. That does not constitute efficient and effective government. I urge Members to vote no. Before I conclude, the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) pointed out something about section 304(c) of the bill. I received a note from the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and they raise serious questions about the Secretary having unlimited power to define a real or potential threat to take any measures he decides, or to do it for as long as he wants. These are questions which have been raised about the administration of countermeasures against smallpox, will there be quarantines for smallpox immunizations, the definition of a bioterrorist incident. The American people need to know if this legislation is going to result in millions of Americans being forced to take smallpox immunizations and not having any legal protections if they are injured by those vaccinations.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, recent news reports that the administration plans to seize Iraqi oil and use the money to set up a military government in Iraq raise serious questions of the administration's intentions in the region. Congress did not authorize the colonization of Iraq. Congress did not authorize the seizure of Iraqi oil. These reports released the day after the congressional vote raise serious questions about the administration's intentions for the region, the completeness of their disclosures to Congress, and the role of certain oil companies in U.S. foreign policy. I believe that had the administration fully disclosed their plans before the congressional vote that they intended not only military occupation but colonization and seizure of oil belonging to the people of Iraq, there may have been a much different outcome in the vote. The resolution passed by Congress authorizing enforcement of U.N. Security Council resolutions authorized not colonization and not taking things which do not belong to the United States.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, more than two millennia ago, the world began a shift from the philosophy of an eye for an eye. We were taught a new gospel of compassion of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is that teaching, that faith and compassion that has sustained the human heart and this Nation. I believe, as did Washington and Lincoln, that America has been favored by divine providence. But what if we lose our connection to our source by an abuse of power? We are at a dangerous moment in human history when 20 centuries of moral teachings are about to be turned upside down. Instead of adherence to the Golden Rule, we are being moved toward the rule of liquid gold: do unto others before they do unto you. No longer are we justified by our faith; we are now justified by our fear. Iraq was not responsible for 9-11, but some fear it was. There is no proof Iraq worked with al Qaeda to cause 9-11, but some fear it did. It is fear which leads us to war. It is fear which leads us to believe that we must kill or be killed, fear which leads us to attack those who have not attacked us, fear which leads us to ring our Nation and the very heavens with weapons of mass destruction. The American people need the attention of their government today. People who have worked a lifetime are finding the American dream slipping away. People who have saved, who have invested wisely are suffering because of corruption on Wall Street, the failing economy, and the declining stock market. People have lost their homes, they have lost their jobs, they have lost their chances for a good education for their children. The American dream is slipping away, and all the people hear from Washington, D.C., is war talk, so loud as to drown out the voices of the American people calling for help. Seventy years ago, Franklin Roosevelt said, ``We have nothing to fear but fear itself,'' calling America to a domestic agenda, a New Deal for America. Faith in our country calls us to that again. Faith in our country calls us to work with the world community to create peace through inspection, not destruction. Faith in our country calls us to use our talents and abilities to address the urgent concerns of America today. Let us not fear our ability to create a new, more peaceful world through the science of human relations. Faith, America; courage, America; peace, America.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 3\1/2\ minutes. The joint resolution, H.J. Res. 114, gives the President the authority to use all necessary force at his discretion. This motion to recommit is neutral on this central point. And I know there are people on both sides of the aisle, on both sides of the proposition before us, who are interested in knowing that, that that resolution does not take a position on the underlying bill. But with power comes responsibility, and in a democracy the responsibility is to the people. This motion to recommit would assign the administration with the responsibility to inform the American people on key questions raised by a use of force in Iraq, questions that Members on both sides of this proposition have raised. The American people want to know what will use of force in Iraq cost, and how will it be paid for. With budget cuts? With more borrowing? With tax increases? The American people want to know what financial commitment the administration is making to address humanitarian consequences of a use of force in Iraq. The American people want to know what impact will the use of force in Iraq have on the economy of the United States and on the important price of oil. The American people want to know how a use of force in Iraq will affect efforts to prevent further terrorist attacks. The American people want to know these things because they know that ultimately they will be required to pay the price. They are entitled to answers, and the motion to recommit ensures that they will get those answers before they get the bill. Mr. Speaker, as the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on National Security, Veterans' Affairs and International Relations of the Committee on Government Reform, I have sat in on several meetings where the Department of Defense, Inspector General, and the General Accounting Office have informed the Congress that 250,000 biological and chemical protective suits are defective; 250,000 of these suits are defective, but the Department of Defense cannot account for them. This motion before us would help protect our troops by requiring assurance that the United States Armed Forces deployed have been provided with functioning equipment to protect against chemical and biological agents in sufficient levels and that this equipment is not defective. Mr. Speaker, this becomes particularly urgent since the Central Intelligence Agency has just informed the Congress that if the United States invades Iraq, Saddam Hussein can be expected to use whatever biological or chemical weapons he may have. Whatever our position on the war, I am certain that we want to protect our troops who would be called upon to put their lives on the line to protect this country. This is an example of the information which the American people have a right to know. Mr. Speaker, this has been an important debate for our Nation. People on both sides of this proposition as to whether or not the United States should pursue action against Iraq are doing the best they can to represent our country. All of us love our country; but our love of country should include our desire to get answers on behalf of our constituents, answers on behalf of those who would be called to serve overseas. So it is in that spirit that I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and both sides of this proposition to join in support of this motion to recommit with instructions.

Mr. KUCINICH. I am, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), my colleague and neighbor.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.