Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the USDA on its decision to revise the proposed rule on national organic standards. On December 16, 1997, the USDA published a proposed rule for national organic standards that would have undermined some of the basic tenets of organic farming. USDA wisely requested comment from the public on its proposal. The organic industry instantly mobilized and circled its wagons around the widely accepted, although uncodified, standards that the industry has been following for decades. Organic farmers and consumers wanted to protect the standards behind the label they trust. The USDA received 200,000 comments on its proposed rule, largely because of the efforts of organic farmers, consumer advocates, and industry groups which publicized the holes in the rule and urged people to voice their concerns. I applaud the efforts of those who have worked to protect the integrity of the organic label. I would like to thank Rep. DeFazio for organizing a letter to Secretary Glickman urging him to work with the organic industry to bring the rule more into line with current standards and consumer preferences. And I commend the thirty- five of my colleagues who signed the letter. Finally, I congratulate Secretary Glickman on his decision to revise the proposed rule. In a press release dated May 8, Secretary Glickman noted that ``If organic farmers and consumers reject our national standards, we have failed.'' I couldn't agree more. Consumer expectations and preferences have driven the organic market to where it is today, earning over $3 billion in sales. Strict organic standards that reinforce current practices and promote consumer preferences will help the market grow even more. I look forward to reviewing the revised proposal from USDA and to working with my colleagues and the organic industry to ensure that our national organic standards are meaningful and conform to consumer expectations.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 15th anniversary of one of the focal points in southeast Lakewood, Ohio, the George Fedor Manor. This eleven-story apartment complex for the elderly provides residents with low-cost Section 8 housing and a breathtaking view of Lake Erie, the Gold Coast and downtown Cleveland. After attending the 75th anniversary of the founding of S.S. Cyril and Methodius Church, a group of parishioners decided that the large number of elderly people living in southeast Lakewood needed conveniently located, low-cost housing. The building's namesake, George Fedor, wanted to give something back to his community and was instrumental in arranging support for the project. He is a lifelong resident of Lakewood and a dedicated parishioner of S.S. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, and he understood the needs of this area of Lakewood. Under the sponsorship of S.S. Cyril and Methodius Church and the leadership of George Fedor, and with funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Lakewood, the complex was finished in May, 1983. Fifteen years later, the building continues to provide senior citizens and handicapped individuals with comfortable and affordable housing in a prime Lakewood location. My fellow colleagues, please join me in honoring the perseverance of those who recognized a community's need for low-cost housing for senior citizens and have worked tirelessly to see that The George Fedor Manor has filled that need for fifteen years.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Senior Citizen Resources for sponsoring the 13th annual Senior Olympics in Cleveland, Ohio. Senior Citizen Resources, Inc. has been serving the 60+ population in the Cleveland area for 27 years. The organization provides much needed services such as transportation, nutrition programs, volunteer opportunities, and health programs to the senior citizens in the community. Thousands of senior citizens take advantage of the outreach programs and services offered by Senior Citizen Resources each year. The seven-day Senior Olympics is one of the most unique and most popular activities sponsored by Senior Citizen Resources. Some of the events held this week include bowling, miniature golf, darts, swimming, water walking, horseshoes, table tennis, basketball toss, softball throw, lawn toss, ballroom dance, golf, bean bag toss, volleyball, and shuffleboard. There are also special events for the physically challenged. The Olympics will conclude with a Victory Luncheon and an Olympic Parade featuring all the athletes. My fellow colleagues, please join me in saluting the spirited participants of the Senior Olympics and the leadership of Senior Citizen Resources.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 75th anniversary of the first mass held at St. Angela Merici Catholic Church in Fairview Park, Ohio. The parishioners of St. Angela Merici and all the citizens of Fairview Park will join to celebrate the church's anniversary. Mayor Karl Kubb has dedicated May 17 as Diamond Jubilee Celebration Day for St. Angela Merici Parish. The parish has come a long way from meeting in the basement of the old Fairview Village Town Hall in 1923. The early parishioners were dedicated to outreach programs in the community and to the education of their children. With the continued faith and dedication of the over 3,500 families in the church community today, the parish has carried on these original goals and grown rapidly. The parishioners believe that the young people in the community are their future and invest their time and talents to provide sports and scouting programs, day school and religious education as well as a teen ministry for the youth in the parish. An extensive schedule of jubilee events includes a one-mile and five- mile run, a consecration of families, a family picnic, a clambake, and a choral concert. Special masses, a school reunion, a golf outing, and the first annual Founders Day celebration are also planned for the following years. The jubilee celebration will close with an outdoor mass. My fellow colleagues, please join me in recognizing the dedication and faith of the parishioners of St. Angela Merici Catholic Church as they celebrate 75 years of serving the Fairview Park community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, 2 decades ago Congress passed legislation enabling States to form compacts to build low-level radioactive waste dumps. States have spent in excess of $400 million trying to site low- level radioactive waste dumps, but not a single pile of dirt has been overturned. The Midwest Compact, which is trying to site a low-level radioactive waste dump in Ohio, fell apart last year for the same reason the Texas, Maine, Vermont compact fell apart. Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company, one of the biggest sources of nuclear waste to go into the dump site in Texas, recently announced they are going to shut the reactor 10 years sooner than they had anticipated. The Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company has since concluded that the compact no longer makes economic sense and is urging Congress to vote no. When a nuclear power company says something does not make sense, just imagine how bad the thing is. Compact after compact has fallen apart or been stopped by concerned citizens because the whole approach to building low-level radioactive waste sites is fundamentally flawed. We need a rational low-level radioactive waste policy that does not stick the taxpayers and ratepayers with huge waste disposal bills, that does not mandate the proliferation of dumps across the country, that does not put radioactive waste on the highways and railways. The people of the United States should not have to pay for the disposal of waste that was generated by commercial nuclear utilities. The people of the United States should not have radioactive waste transported through their communities on its way to a dump thousands of miles away. And the poorest people of the United States should not have radioactive waste sites right in their own communities because they are too poor to fight back. Though we may not agree on why, the Maine Yankee Atomic Power Company is absolutely right; the Texas compact makes no sense.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, Jobs With Justice convened its ``First National Workers' Rights Board Hearing on Welfare/Workfare Issues'' in Chicago in 1997. This hearing featured a number of community, labor and political leaders. I include their remarks for the Congressional Record. Part 3 of this statement includes: Laurie Barretto of Catholic Charities; Ilana Berger of People Organized to Win Employment Rights (POWER); Wardell Yotaghan of the Coalition to Protect Public Housing; and Peggy Haack, a Child Care Provider from Madison, Wisconsin. Laurie Barretto, Catholic Charities My name is Laurie Barretto and I am the Director of Governmental Relations at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. I also chair the Catholic Charities USA Social Policy Committee for our national membership organization. As a political junkie, I have advocated for and against numerous pieces of enabling legislation followed by implementing rules and regulations followed by government designed and funded initiatives. Some have had enormous positive impact on the way people are cared for and assisted; some, like Workfare, have been gravely flawed with far reaching and unintended consequences. At Catholic Charities agencies here and across the country we participate in initiatives that are consistent with our mission and when we believe we have the skills and capacity to produce successful outcomes for the people we serve. Therefore in October, 1992 when Illinois dismantled the General Assistance Program we struggled to determine the best course. Frankly we had been suspect of such programs. We were concerned about unfair treatment, a lack of safety standards, discrimination, and churning of people with low skills and lower self-esteem. However, it became apparent that participating in the Earnfare Program was consistent with our mission, rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. In addition to the dignity of each individual human being, Catholic Social Teaching talks about the dignity of work. Society is urged to encourage and reward work, to recognize that people have a right to be productive, to earn fair wages, to labor in decent conditions. Because of our tradition of service, we also know something about work with the poor, and we believed that we could address our justice concerns while making a difference in peoples' lives. It is now five years later and we continue to operate our Earnfare contract. And we have learned much. And we have accomplished much. But now social service agencies and our faith-based communities across the country are seeing and serving people impacted by the overhaul of the welfare system that provided for poor families with children. People who are working come to us because they can't afford to buy food for the whole month; families are living in homeless shelters because their paychecks can't stretch to cover rent. And so we have urged our colleague agencies to join us and provide meaningful work opportunities to people struggling to transition from welfare to work. We have urged them to provide written job descriptions, with appropriate job titles; we issue employee identification badges, include them in employee orientations and training. We insure that safety measures are in place to protect people in their work assignments. We have encouraged supervisors to establish mutually agreed upon performance expectations. Because many participants will lack basic job skills, we urge that as employers we must be prepared to provide extensive mentoring and support. And because many are overcoming enormous barriers to employment--substance abuse, domestic violence, limited skills and education--supportive social services must be available. We know that, done well, the people whose lives we touch in Workfare Programs are better off for the experience. Because of our participation in Workfare and our relationship with businesses throughout the metropolitan area we have the capacity to move people into the workforce. Workfare Participants have begun to build a resume and job references. They have begun to see, and perhaps believe, that they can be successful. At Catholic Charities we look upon this endeavor seriously because they are better able to find and perform and keep a real job in the open marketplace. Earlier I referred to the guiding principles of Catholic Social Training; in addition we believe in a preferential option for the poor and standing in solidarity with the poor. I mention these because even if we create an environment where people leaving welfare can participate in meaningful work in a dignified manner, we are not done. Catholic Charities USA has conducted a parish impact survey to determine the impact of welfare reform on the parish. Some early anecdotal responses; St. Mary's Cathedral in Austin Texas: ``We are receiving calls from all over Austin from people needing food. Most of these are working but can't feed their families on what they earn. Also many have lost food Stamps or have been refused for them for having a car.'' The Oahu, Hawaii Social Ministry reported that because the state cut welfare benefits by 20%, many are unable to pay rent or utilities. ``Because we can not provide for the level of need some people . . . have taken up residence in caves in the mountains.'' In the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ there has been an increase in the demand for food 20% accompanied by a decrease in food donations. In Beaumont TX 560 children are on a waiting list for child care so their parents can work. Catholic Charities of Youngstown OH reported that they received 177 more requests for housing in the second quarter of this year than they did in the first quarter. And here in Chicago we are working with a family--mother, father, and twin boys. The father cannot find work. Their credit is lousy so apartment hunting is difficult. They have exhausted their resources and their friends so this family is living in one of our shelters. In closing I would say the panel title is fitting--``First let me work . . . And just as important, Let me live in dignity and with justice.''

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 60th wedding anniversary of Anthony and Anne Celebrezze of Cleveland, Ohio. The couple was married May 7, 1938. Judge Celebrezze's family moved from Anzi, Italy to the United States when he was two years old. His political career began when he was elected to the Ohio State Senate in 1950. He later became the first foreign-born Mayor of Cleveland, and the only Mayor of Cleveland ever elected to five consecutive terms. He was the first nonnative to be appointed to the Cabinet of the United States, where he served as Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. And Judge Celebrezze was the first emigre to be appointed Judge of the United States Court of Appeals. In 1973, Judge Celebrezze's leadership was recognized when an Act of Congress designated the Federal Building in Cleveland, the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building. Not only is Judge Celebrezze a successful, well-known politician, he is a loving husband to Anne Celebrezze. Anne taught in the Cleveland Public School System and has been active in countless community projects helping children, the elderly, and the arts. She was involved in the Cleveland Council and the National Board of the Camp Fire Girls for many years. She served on the Board of the Child Guidance Center of Cleveland where a work room is named after her for her fundraising efforts to expand the program. Anne has also been engaged in the Women's City Club of Cleveland for over thirty years. She was appointed to the National Committee for Education of the Handicapped by President Johnson where she worked to help children with learning disabilities qualify for a public school education. Together, Anthony and Anne have three children and 10 grandchildren to whom they have passed on their values, leadership skills, involvement in community service, and love. My fellow colleagues, please join me in wishing a happy 60th anniversary to Anthony and Anne Celebrezze. May they have many more happy and healthy years together.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, Jobs With Justice convened its ``First National Workers' Rights Board Hearing on Welfare/Workfare Issues'' in Chicago in 1997. This hearing featured a number of community, labor and political leaders. I include their remarks for the Congressional Record. Part 2 of this statement includes: Joselito Laudencia of Californians for Justice; Christopher Lamb of the Center on Social Welfare Policy and Law; Sabrina Gillon of the Campaign for a Sustainable Milwaukee; and Paul Booth of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). Californians for Justice (By Joselito Laudencia, Executive Director) Good morning. My name is Joselito Laudencia and I am the Executive Director of Californians for Justice. Californians for Justice is a grassroots multiracial organization working to build political power among communities of color, and poor and young people of all colors in California. Earlier this year, we launched a campaign for Economic Justice. With welfare reform devastating our constituencies, we decided to launch a multi-year campaign for public jobs. Specifically, with the state government pushing hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients into the workforce, we feel that the state government has a responsibility to ensure that jobs are available, that these jobs are good paying jobs with benefits, and that these jobs actually address the needs of California's communities. Let me provide some context. The signing into law of welfare reform on a federal level sent a simple message that everyone on welfare needs to get a job. The new law says that everyone on welfare must be at work within 24 months for a minimum of 20 hours a week. Currently, there are over 900,000 welfare recipients in California, with at least 300,000 facing this two-year time limit within two years. And families have only 5 years in a lifetime to receive welfare-- even if there are no jobs. This destruction of the welfare system comes at a time when jobs have been leaving over the last 25 years. Corporations have been downsizing, automating, shifting to part-time workers and moving overseas. If any job growth is happening, it occurs in two fields. One area includes highly skilled jobs. As Times Magazine in January 1997 highlighted, the hottest fields in terms of new jobs include teachers, nurses, executives, lawyers, financial managers, computer engineers, and accountants, jobs which require extensive levels of education and training. The other arena includes the fast growing occupations and industries that frequently offer part-time or temporary work and often lack basic benefits, especially in the retail trade and the service sector. We also have to realize that the U.S. and the California economy have never provided enough jobs. Although the unemployment rate has been at its lowest in 23 years, over 1 million people in California are ``officially'' unemployed. On top of that, California will witness over 100,000 college graduates and over 270,000 public high school graduates. This also doesn't take into account the over 1 million underemployed, who include involuntary part-time workers and persons not working due to lack of child care, transportation and other factors. Plus, this doesn't include discouraged workers who've stopped working and workers who work full time at low-wages that aren't enough to survive. With millions looking for work and welfare recipients entering the workforce, California projects a job growth of only 270,000 each year. If we look at traditional efforts to create jobs, we find that they don't work. Providing tax subsidies to corporations to create jobs hasn't worked. Job training programs usually result in individuals completing programs with no jobs at the end process. With this context, Californians for Justice is waging a public jobs campaign in California and is urging that Jobs with Justice take on a public job creation campaign as a necessary strategy to provide a viable and alternative solution to welfare reform. We must reassert the role of government to ensure the health and well-being of every person, especially those most in need. To conclude, I'd like to outline the political principles that guide our efforts to job creation: (1) Jobs must be at living wage salaries and with benefits, including health care and child care; (2) Jobs must be new jobs and not replace or displace pre-existing workers or positions; (3) These jobs must be union jobs; (4) Priority for jobs must be given to communities of color, women and poor communities that have been devastated by unemployment; (5) Public jobs must be in projects that will truly benefit communities. Projects must reflect a politics of redistribution of wealth to low-income communities and communities of color and not predominantly a funding of private industry with public funds in a way that maintains a structure of wealth moving upward for profit maximization; (6) A Jobs program must address the entire need for jobs towards eradicating unemployment; (7) Since this system cannot guarantee jobs for all and because there are people unable to work, there must be a safety net and aright to entitlement benefits, including childcare, medical care, transportation and living wage cash grants. No one organization or group can make this happen. We all need to work together to expose the truth that the jobs are not out there and push for a pro-active solution that addresses the needs of all our communities.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Fairview Park Women's Club of Fairview Park, Ohio for fifty years of dedicated service, friendship, and education. Chartered in December 1948, the Fairview Park Women's Club is committed to the improvement of the community. This club was founded by over three-hundred women and continues its strong membership today. The club sponsors many events such as refreshments for council meetings and fundraising for its scholarship fund. The Women's Club also is committed to the Hunger Center and makes an effort to donate food to the center at every meeting. The friendship these women have developed over the years through service is truly a lasting hallmark of this organization. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the Fairview Park Women's Club and their accomplishments in the community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Congregation of Saint Joseph on the 125th anniversary of their service to the Greater Cleveland community. The Saint Joseph Congregation is dedicated to the improvement and education of the community. Originally founded in 1650 in Le Puy, France, the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph devoted themselves to God and to their fellow citizens. They minister to school children, the sick, and others in need. After enduring hardship in the Reign of Terror in France that nearly sent some of the sisters to the guillotine, the Congregation rebuilt themselves and was committed to developing a ministry in America. Six sisters came to America in 1836 intent on serving God through service to the people. After establishing fifteen houses, the Congregation of St. Joseph staffed St. Mary's School in Painesville in 1872. The sisters then went on to serve at Saint Therese, Nazareth, and Saint Joseph Academies. In their tradition of education and service, the sisters effectively labored for the institutions of the Cleveland Diocese. My fellow colleagues, join me in congratulating the Congregation of Saint Joseph for their 125 years of service in Greater Cleveland.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a remarkable man in Cleveland Indians baseball history, Gabe Paul. Born in Rochester, N.Y., Mr. Paul had a penchant for baseball as a young boy. He was a bat boy for the minor league Rochester Red Wings in 1920 and witnessed the early days of baseball history. His love for the sport grew and he decided to devote his life to it. He joined the Cincinnati Reds as publicity director in 1937 and advanced his way through the Reds' management until he became General Manager in 1949, the youngest GM in baseball history at the time. Paul showed his true passion for the sport when he married his wife Mary on Opening Day, 1939. Mr. Paul arrived in Cleveland to the posts of general manager, president, and treasurer in 1961. Through 1972 and from 1978 to 1984, he led the Indians through good times and bad times. He maintained until the end of his term that the Cleveland Indians were a ``sleeping giant'' and would one day emerge from their losing streak as a contender in baseball. Mr. Paul was right and with the construction of Jacobs Field, the team began its current success. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the life of a giant in the baseball industry and a true fan of the game, Gabe Paul.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of the current President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, William A. Burga. Mr. Burga has devoted his life to the cause of the American worker. Mr. Burga's devotion to the labor movement began when he was a steelworker at Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation in Louisville, Ohio. In Louisville, he organized a local chapter of the United Steelworkers of America. His outstanding leadership skills generated his appointment to the United Steelworkers International Union. Mr. Burga was involved in the Marion area as he served as AFL-CIO president there for two-terms. He also served as Massillon Trades and Labor Council, AFL-CIO, from 1987 until his election to the AFL-CIO presidency of Ohio. During his tenure in office, Mr. Burga has supported numerous community activities and organized a statewide group against Issue 2, an issue that would have cut benefits for injured workers. Mr. Burga is dedicated to improving the lives of the American worker and we are all grateful for his efforts. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting a defender of the American worker, Mr. William A. Burga.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Polish Legion of American Veterans Pulaski Post 30 in Cleveland, OH on its sixty-fifth anniversary. Founded in 1993, Pulaski Post 30 has served the community as a patriotic, civil, and religious center. These veterans have established themselves as a viable force in the Tremont area, dedicated to public service. Through the years, members of the Pulaski Post have serviced veterans at local veterans hospitals with thousands of hours of assistance. The post is dedicated to community programs, such as encouraging members and others to participate in donating blood to the Red Cross. Pulaski Post 30 has a distinguished uniformed rifle and ritual squad that carries out patriotic ceremonies and performs in parades and funerals. Throughout the years, many of the Pulaski Post's members have succeeded in public service or in the private sector, including distinguished elected officials, judges, doctors, and accountants. This organization has clearly distinguished itself as an important community force in the Tremont area. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting a patriotic organization, committed to upholding American values: Pulaski Post 30 of the Polish Legion of American Veterans.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of an exceptional figure in the Cleveland media for nearly forty years, Mary Strassmeyer. Ms. Strassmeyer prided herself on her journalistic talent and her insight into the Cleveland social scene. As a native of the Old Brooklyn section of Cleveland, Ms. Strassmeyer lived on the same street where she was raised for most of her life. Devoted to the Greater Cleveland area, she attended Notre Dame College in South Euclid, majoring in English and history. Ms. Strassmeyer began her journalistic career in 1956 at the Cleveland News as a reporter. After the paper dissolved in 1960, she joined the Cleveland Plain Dealer, a place she called home for over thirty years. At first, Ms. Strassmeyer wrote travel pieces for the Plain Dealer and served as beauty editor. She was named Society Editor in 1965. She helped to develop a nationally-syndicated cartoon during this time and wrote articles on teen beauty. Ms. Strassmeyer created her famous social column in 1976 entitled ``Today'' which was later called ``Mary, Mary.'' She also worked in broadcasting in the early 1980's with shows on radio and television, and received a law degree from the Cleveland- Marshall College of Law in 1981. She retired in 1997 and began to devote her time to her law practice and her travel agency. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the life of a journalistic paragon, a woman who understood the social structure of Cleveland society: Mary Strassmeyer.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the establishment of the Painters District Council No. 6. This organization has effectively represented employees of the painting, glazing, and allied trades for 100 years. The council represents the ideals of the labor community with the highest standards. At the turn of the century, as Cleveland began its transition into an industrial hub, the city began to expand at an astounding rate. New buildings rose, and with them rose the need for painters and decorators. The Painters District Council No. 6 that was founded in 1898 met the challenge. Painters, scenic artists, frescoers, and other artisans designed the decor that has graced the exterior and interior of Cleveland architecture for the last one-hundred years. These workers created artistic masterpieces in the Playhouse Square Theaters and the Cleveland Union Terminal. Their union, Painters District Council No. 6 effectively defended these workers' interests and kept their standard of living at the highest level. Today, the artisans of the concil still contribute to Cleveland landmarks such as Jacobs Field and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Painters District Council No. 6 continues to defend their interests and upholds the tradition this strong labor union set 100 years ago. My fellow colleagues, join me in commending the Painters District Council No. 6 for their one-hundred years of service to the labor community.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Jobs With Justice coalition, a national organization of community, labor and religious groups that is dedicated to fighting for the rights of working people. When it was established in 1989, Jobs With Justice set out to create a grassroots network of local affiliates that were willing and able to take action on difficult issues such as fair wages, union organizing rights, and the impact of international trade policies on jobs. This dynamic organization has been the driving force behind local and state initiatives for living wage jobs, leading to measures such as the Living Wage Ordinance passed by the City Council of Portland, Oregon. In addition, Jobs With Justice has started a growing network of Workers Rights Boards (WRB) that lend strategic support to unorganized workers who are striving for justice and fairness on the job. The boards are composed of local labor, religious, political and community leaders who lend their time to learning about the abuses that working people too often suffer at the hands of unscrupulous employers. These Workers Rights Boards are truly an example of grass roots democracy in action. Jobs With Justice convened its ``First National Workers' Rights Board Hearing on Welfare/Workfare Issues'' in Chicago in 1997. This hearing featured a number of community, labor and political leaders. I include their testimony for the Congressional Record. Part 1 of this statement includes: Brooks Sunkett of the Communications Workers of America (CWA); Josie Mooney of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU); and David Roth of Cleveland Works. Brooks Sunkett, Communications Workers of America Mr. Chairman, Board Members, and most importantly, social justice advocates. I am very honored to come before you today and express my deep concern over workfare and welfare privatization upon working Americans and the most needy of our society. Fortunately for all of you, the time constraints of today's agenda will not allow me to completely cover these issues, in depth as I usually do. But, I will briefly elaborate upon these very real problems. My opinion of workfare has always been very clear. To me it is little more than institutionalized slavery. I realize that is a very strong statement, but I feel it is nonetheless accurate. I can think of no better statement to drive home the point that workfare will eventually drive down the wages, and force working Americans to do more work for less pay. Although I am not an economist, one need not have a degree in economics to realize that flooding the workforce with millions of people working for less than a living wage, will ultimately erode the standard wage of thousands of jobs. Those of us in labor who have fought for decades to improve the working lives and livelihoods of the American worker, face the very real possibility of seeing the improvements made through thousands of struggles and hardships simply melt away. As sad as this is, it gets worse, because this is not just an organized labor problem. All workers, union and nonunion, will suffer the effects of widespread workfare programs. Anyone who honestly believes that workfare will not affect him, his job, his wages or even his taxes, is fooling himself. Just ask Hattie Hartgrove, a Nassau County New York employee. Hattie was laid-off from her part-time job as a custodian due to budget cuts. Soon after going on welfare Hattie was assigned to the same job in the same department to work off her benefits at lower pay with no benefits. Stories like Hattie's are fairly unique because the strong economy currently allows for many would-be workfare participants to move into real jobs. Additionally, many states have been slow to develop much more than pilot workfare programs. They are struggling with the contradiction of providing worker protections for participants, and the potentially enormous cost of such programs when the economy slows down. Although few will admit it, many States already realize that workfare is no panacea. It is imperative that we not let the effects of our temporarily strong economy, and the still relatively high TANF benefits, lull us into a false sense of security. If workfare programs expand like conservative congressmen hope, many working Americans will not know what hit them when the economy turns down, and the TANF funding dries up. For at exactly the time when people will need help the most, that is when the most negative effect of workfare will peak. Workfare is bad enough, but welfare privatization adds insult to injury. If State governments are allowed to sell out on their responsibility, the needs of millions will go unmet. In Texas alone, where we have fought, and continue to fight against privatization, 2.5 million medicaid recipients will be negatively affected by privatization. Another 2.1 million food stamp participants, which represents 10% of the food stamps nationwide, will also be affected. Additionally, nearly 17 thousand welfare jobs will be lost as well. All this just to put another 3 billion dollars in the already fat corporate pockets of the privatizing companies. With a kiss and a promise, Lockheed Martin wants us to believe that they can administrate welfare systems better and cheaper than public workers, and still make a profit. This magic would impress even Houdini. I guess we are not to take into account that just four years ago, Lockheed Martin contracted with California to provide a child support computer system for $99 million; but today the system is still incomplete, and has cost in excess of $300 million dollars. Or maybe Anderson Consulting thought that no one heard of their child support tracking system in Texas which is four years overdue and exceeds estimated costs by 600 percent. The fact is, privatizing welfare systems is wrong because it will cost more, and the systems are likely to be less than reliable. Aside from the cost and quality, welfare privatization is morally wrong. It clearly represents a major shift in focus from the needs of the poor to the needs of the wealthy. We must continue to fight any attempts to deny minimum wages to workfare participants. On the other hand, we need to applaud all states that have shunned workfare programs and decided to put their resources into helping real people, with real needs, get into real jobs, paying real wages and benefits. We must continue to mobilize, educate and motivate the public around the truths of welfare. We must no longer allow public misconception to open the door for predator politicians to prey upon the poor and weak. We can make a difference! We can turn back the devastating impact of workfare if we stand up together and fight together, and demand that public need come before corporate greed. We can win!

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and in opposition to the bill, H.R. 3579, the emergency supplemental bill. I, in particular, want to speak to my concerns about the $2.3 billion in offsets for emergency funding for section 8 housing. There are people across this country who depend on section 8 housing for the roof over their heads; and when they learn that Congress would take action to take money away from that program next year, this will have a destabilizing effect on many households, because people rely on our good sense and our goodwill and our humanity to sustain them. I also want to express my concern that we would have on one hand the offsets put in there and at the same time put in there the money for Bosnia. It is really giving people a cruel choice. We know the suffering and the inhumanity that has been expressed in Bosnia and how people have heroically tried to come back from it, and at the same time we are being told to make a choice between that, helping them and people who live in section 8 housing in this country. I, regretfully, am going to have to vote against this bill, but I think that when similar bills come to this House, we ought not use it as a moment to prey on the disadvantaged, to destabilize their household, and to tell them even for a minute that America does not care about their concerns.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, there are people who say they want a dialogue on Social Security. I suggest such a dialogue would be like a cat having a dialogue with a mouse, or maybe a crocodile having a dialogue with a frog, or perhaps a shark having a dialogue with a tuna. Because Wall Street having a dialogue over Social Security with senior citizens is just as predatory, because they do not really want a dialogue. They already know what they want to do with Social Security, I would say to Mr. and Mrs. America. They want to take benefits from them and use those benefits to fuel growth in the stock market. Mr. Speaker, it is really about privatization. That is what they mean when they say, ``Let us have a dialogue.'' A dialogue with Wall Street is about how to grab Americans' retirement funds through privatization. Mr. Speaker, there is no crisis. The current tax and benefit rates remaining constant, Social Security will pay 100 percent of the benefits of future recipients until 2032 without any change whatsoever. In today's Cleveland Plain Dealer, my hometown, it says, ``Social Security's health is improving.'' A problem that could develop in 35 years is not a crisis, it is a projection. The privatization dialogue would dismantle a hugely popular and successful government program and deliver a hugely profitable kitty for Wall Street investors to charge fees on. Privatizing Social Security is a radical, extreme measure. It would guarantee that there would be retirees who would go poor because their private investments failed. For every winner in the stock market, there will be a loser. Wall Street goes up, 9,000 points, and Wall Street will come down. And then where will retirees be when they need their monthly check? Privatizing Social Security will endanger one of it greatest accomplishments, that it has saved millions of seniors from the despair of poverty because it guarantees benefits. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to reject this bill.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Stanley Radwan, a native of Poland and a famed strongman. Mr. Radwan's life was filled with amazing accomplishments, both physical and mental. He embodied the spirit of a hardworking individual. Born in Poland in 1908, Radwan was a distinct child from his birth, showing off his strength for childhood friends during his youth. He joined several Polish fraternal organizations and clubs, taking great pride in his Polish heritage. His national pride inspired him to join the Polish navy and learn many languages before World War II. Unfortunately, Radwan was captured by the Nazis and became a prisoner of war at the Bergen-Belsen camp. He became legendary in the camp as he escaped briefly by pushing a brick wall over with his bare hands. Radwan immigrated to the United States after the war and established himself in Northeastern Ohio. Mr. Radwan, also known as the ``Polish Strongman'' and the ``King of Iron and Steel,'' wrestled professionally for over twenty years and was never defeated. He amazed his audience with feats of strength including straightening horseshoes, pulling cars with his teeth, and ripping quarters in half. Radwan even demonstrated these talents on the television show ``You Asked For It.'' Radwan also served his new country in many capacities, most notably as a bodyguard for Cleveland officials and a worker in the Cuyahoga County Auditor's Office. He was noted for his clean attendance record and his hard work at the office. Radwan never lost touch with his Polish heritage, hosting a polish- language radio show and working with Polish organizations. He is survived by two sons, a daughter, and seven grandchildren. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the life of a true ``strongman'' in all facets of the word: Stanley Radwan.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the two- hundred seventh anniversary of the Polish Constitution. The Polish Constitution of May 3, 1791 established a tradition of democracy and human rights in Poland that continues today. The Polish Constitution has the honor of being the first Constitution in Europe to give inalienable human and economic rights for all. In the turbulent 1790's of classical Europe, Poland emerged as a beacon for the future of democracy in this unstable land. While other nations surrounding its sovereign borders engaged in revolution and civil war, Poland maintained its integrity for many years under this Constitution. The rise of Soviet communism in the post-World War II era stemmed the Polish democratic principle for forty years, but under the capable leadership of Lech Walesa, democracy embodied in this Constitution returned to the Eastern European ``cradle of democracy.'' The human and economic rights that were abandoned by years of communist rule returned triumphantly in recent years. My fellow colleagues, join me in honoring the people of Poland, their long struggle for democracy, and their timeless Constitution.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 25th anniversary of the dedication of the new Karlin Hall and Club in Cleveland Ohio. Early Czech settlers in the area gave the neighborhood surrounding lower Fleet Avenue the nickname, Karlin. The name stuck and the original Karlin Hall became the center of the Czech Karlin neighborhood. The hall was founded in 1936 by three lodges of the Czech Catholic Fraternal Insurance Society, the Catholic Workmen. In 1972, a disastrous fire left the original hall in ruins, but it was rebuilt in the same location and reopened May 1, 1978. The dedication of the new Karlin Hall marks the beginning of the renovation of lower Fleet Avenue and the Slavic Village area. Today, 14 different groups call Karlin Hall their home. The anniversary will be celebrated with special masses at St. John Nepomucene Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Church. The three-day party to commemorate the occasion starts May 1 and will include live music, Slovak folk dancing and social dinners. My fellow colleagues, please join me in saluting the members of Karlin Hall.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I am urging my colleagues to vote no on the motion to instruct. Congress gives instructions to the IMF. There has been over 2,000 opportunities for the IMF to listen to the concerns of the American people, and each time the people have been ignored. As a matter of fact, the Executive Director of the IMF has only voted 12 of those 2,000 times. They have been ``absent without leave'' at the IMF. Over and over they have ignored the will of the people and the will of the Congress. AWOL on labor rights, AWOL on environmental rights, AWOL on human rights. So we are now going to tell this Congress that they are going to guarantee labor and environmental rights? That is baloney. Vote against the IMF, vote against the motion to instruct, and vote to stand up to this international financial cartel, which is destructive of jobs and human rights all over this world.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember William Cafaro, a brilliant entrepreneur, a generous philanthropist, a political activist, and a good friend. Mr. Cafaro changed the way America shops by pioneering the shopping center industry. He built some of the nation's first strip plazas and enclosed malls. His privately owned company has consistently ranked in the top ten largest commercial real estate developers in the nation. Mr. Cafaro emerged as a real estate developer and entrepreneur in the 1940's and soon revolutionized the industry nationwide. This self-made man never forgot his roots. He has been recognized by countless organizations for his generosity and philanthropic work in the community. Among numerous other civic activities, Mr. Cafaro was especially involved in his church and in education. He was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award for humanitarian service from the National Italian American Foundation and was honored by President Clinton. Mr. Cafaro was active in politics as well. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention for three presidential elections and was a member of the Electoral College. He was friends with several Presidents including Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton and visited the White House many times. Above all, Mr. Cafaro never lost sight of what was most important to him: his family, church, company, and community. His leadership and generosity are a great loss.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Mike Hotz for his years of dedication to his business and his family. Born in Cleveland in 1919, Mr. Hotz grew up on the South Side of the city. While living through the Great Depression, he learned the trade of his father at the family-owned tavern, Hotz Cafe. Mr. Hotz graduated from Lincoln High School in 1938. Recognizing the importance of serving his country on the battlefield, Mr. Hotz entered the armed services in 1942 at the height of World War II. As a staff sergeant in the Sixth Night Fighter Squadron, he fought in the Pacific and was awarded the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon for his efforts. After the war, Mr. Hotz returned to Cleveland to own and operate Hotz Cafe. While he served drinks and prepared food, he also helped his customers through hard times, dispensing financial and personal advice. Mr. Hotz joined the Alcoholics Anonymous Association in 1966 to share this much-needed advice to struggling alcoholics. He finally retired from the tavern business in 1982 and moved to Florida. When he returned to Ohio a few years later, he worked at a funeral home and continued to enjoy being near his family. Mr. Hotz's devotion to his family exhibits his spirited nature and his love for humanity. He is survived by his loving wife Lottie, his son Michael, his daughter Michele, four grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the life of Mike Hotz, a devoted father, husband, and community servant.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a man, Henry King, who at the age of twenty-seven, when most persons are just beginning to think about their careers, took part in one of the most prominent events in the post-World War II era: the Nuremberg Trials. Professor Henry King undertook a great task in joining the United States prosecution team at Nuremberg and his many accomplishments in the field of law during and after the trial truly are a testimony to his successful career. Professor King was educated at several fine institutions of higher learning in his younger years and later matriculated at Yale Law School. After graduating and obtaining a prestigious position with a New York law firm, King was offered the chance to join the U.S. prosecution team in the trials of Nazi criminals at Nuremberg in 1946. Exempted from military service because of a heart murmur, King felt he could serve his country and attempt to correct the wrongs of the war by serving as an attorney on this team. King was heavily involved with the prosecution of Erhard Milch who participated in slave labor and human experimentation. While investigating Milch, King met and interviewed Albert Speer, one of Hitler's highest ranking lieutenants, and gained insight on the secret activities of the Third Reich. After success in the prosecution of the Nazi war criminals, King had a successful career in corporate and government posts. He became chief corporate international counsel for TRW in 1983 and joined the faculty at Case Western Reserve University's School of Law. He recently authored a book about Speer and his experiences at the war tribunal. My fellow colleagues, join me in saluting the accomplishments of Professor Henry King through his many years in the practice of law and most notably, his contribution to his country at the Nuremberg war crimes trial.