Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 17, 2006, I missed rollcall votes Nos. 375, 376, and 377. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 3085, ``nay'' on H.R. 3496, and ``aye'' on H.R. 3279.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership. Of course, I stand in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 88. This amendment seeks to enshrine, and it does seek to enshrine, discrimination into our Constitution. As an African American woman, and as a person of faith, there is no way that I can support discriminating against anybody. The history of our Nation has been a long process of bringing people of different backgrounds together. This amendment would take everything that this Nation stands for as a beacon of hope, a land of opportunity, and a tolerant, democratic society and turn it all on its head. Government should not be in the business of discriminating against its people, pure and simple. Government should not get into the personal lives of individuals. We must reject this, and it is a hateful and discriminatory amendment. It takes an extraordinary step that previous amendments have not taken. It bars States from granting pretty much any legal partnership such as civil unions or domestic partnerships. Congress is supposed to work to promote a better life for all Americans. That means improving our Nation's education system, working to provide health care for the 47 million uninsured, ensuring that people have a roof over their heads. We must see this amendment for what it is. It is clearly election- year pandering. It is an attempt to create a diversion from the real issues that this Congress should be dealing with. This is clear election year pandering. This is simply an attempt to create a diversion from the real issues this Congress should be dealing with. It's also an amendment once again enshrouded in an attempt to cloud the public's image of same-gender couples. They want to fill everyone's head with images of gay couples marching into churches and demanding marriage equality. This has nothing, nothing at all to do with churches and marriage. The Republican Leadership wants to rile up the religious right with the idea that this has to do with an attempt to force religious institutions to sanctify same-sex couples. Same-sex couples merely want the same rights that many take for granted; hospital visitation rights, health care benefits, inheritance rights, and joint tax-filing. These all come with civil ceremonies, through a license granted by a local county or city, not through an order signed by a church or any religious institution. We must make clear, this is about equal rights. I urge my colleagues, and the public, to see this amendment for what it is really for. A mere political diversion tactic and an attempt to write hate into the Constitution.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and work of Ruth Villia Jones of Oakland, California. Known to most simply as Mother Ruth, she has been a leader, an activist, and an icon in the Oakland community for decades, providing care and guidance to countless others throughout her life, and on July 16, 2006, the friends and family of Mother Ruth will gather to celebrate this remarkable woman's 100th birthday. Mother Ruth was born July 12, 1906 in Louisiana, soon after the great quake of San Francisco. She grew up during a time of extreme social and racial segregation, and learned about racial and gender discrimination from her family's experiences. These experiences shaped her resolve to challenge the status quo and begin her quest for social and human rights in the 1930s and as a Red Cross volunteer during World War II in the 1940s. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, Mother Ruth combined her deep spiritual commitment with her desire for social justice, becoming active in the civil rights movement and fighting to end racial discrimination in our country. She marched and worked with the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., Reverend Jesse Jackson, and the Reverend Cecil Williams. In the 1960s and 1970s Mother Ruth supported the work of a young group of African American activists, known as the Black Panthers, by joining them on picket lines, in the Free Breakfast Programs and Schools, eventually earning her the esteemed honor of ``Mother'' to these young men. As ``Mother Ruth,'' through her vision and activism, she has mentored and enriched the lives of many local leaders, such as Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson, Congressman Ron Dellums, and myself when I was becoming politically active in the 1970s. Working with her helped to instill in me not only a deep sense of community, but also a fundamental commitment to fighting for social equity and social justice throughout my life. She has been a mentor and a friend to me throughout most of my life, and I am deeply thankful to her for sharing with me her wisdom, her compassion, and her support. Throughout the Bay Area, Mother Ruth is also known for helping to start the meals program at Glide Memorial Church, which continues to this day. In the 1980s and 1990s Ruth Villia Jones turned her energy and expertise to professional organizations, such as the Glide Foundation, the California Legislative Council for Older Americans, the Alameda County Advisory Commission on Aging, the Black Women Organized for Political Action, the Black Women Organized for Educational Development, the National Black Women's Resource Center, the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs to name a few. Through her various roles in these organizations, Mother Ruth has continued the fight for social justice and equality on numerous fronts, and inspired countless new leaders along the way. Mother Ruth Villia Jones has been awarded recognition and praise for her activism on many occasions, including being named one of the 2003 Eternal Voices of the Oakland African Museum, the 1984 Ella Hill Hutch Award, the 1980 Glide Community Award, and many others. Mother Ruth Villia Jones has been a loving sister, mother, wife, a proud grandmother and great grandmother, a friend to many and a ``Mother'' to us all. On this very special occasion, Oakland and the entire Bay Area community comes together to celebrate Mother Ruth Villia Jones' 100th birthday and honor her for a lifetime of pursuing peace and fighting for social justice. I am honored to add my voice, on behalf of California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, all those gathered here today to thank and salute Mother Ruth for her immeasurable contributions to her community, our country, and our world.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank Mr. Conyers for his leadership and for yielding and also to Chairman Sensenbrenner and to Congressman Watt, our chair of the Black Caucus, for your leadership in ensuring that the reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act did not become a Democratic or a Republican issue but an American issue. The right to vote is the heart and soul of our democracy, and I vividly remember the days of Jim Crow and segregation, the poll tax, the humiliation and degradation of African Americans not so long ago. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 passed just 1 year after I graduated from high school, and while much progress has been made, voter suppression and voter intimidation continues. There is no way I would be standing here on this floor as a Member of Congress had it not been for the bloodshed and the sacrifices and the deaths of so many, including our own great warrior, Congressman John Lewis, in fighting for the right of all Americans to vote. So, in the spirit and memory of Fannie Lou Hamer and Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King, let us pass this bipartisan legislation without any amendments so that America can be true to its ideal of liberty and justice for all. Today, let us let the world know that we do practice what we preach and that we stand for democracy here at home. And I want to thank Congressmen Conyers, Watt and Sensenbrenner again for making this an American issue.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is really with a deep sense of gratitude to Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King and our great warrior, Congressman John Lewis, that I rise in support of the renewal of the Voting Rights Act. There is no way that I would be standing on this floor today as a Member of Congress had it not been for the bloodshed and the sacrifices and oftentimes the deaths of so many fighting for all Americans for their right to vote. And I vividly remember the days of Jim Crow and segregation and the insidious poll tax growing up in Texas. The humiliation and the discrimination and the degradation of African Americans will always be a scar on America's history. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed just 1 year after I graduated from high school. And unfortunately, we still need to renew these expiring provisions, and we shouldn't weaken any of the protections in this legislation. We still witness voter intimidation and voter suppression in our country. But I am reminded of the tremendous progress and the march to freedom and equality, but also of the unfinished business of America during the very powerful civil rights pilgrimages that some of us go on to Selma and to Birmingham and to Montgomery, Alabama. In memory of all of those who paid the supreme price for our democracy, let us pass this bill today and let's pass it on a bipartisan basis.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 10, 2006, I missed rollcall votes Nos. 358 and 359. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 2563 and H.R. 5061.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jeffrey D. Thomas of Oakland, California for his extraordinary service to California's 9th U.S. Congressional District. Following his work in the areas of politics, finance, and community development, Jeffrey served as the District Director in my Oakland District Office from January 2004 until June 2006. During that time, Jeffrey played an integral role as a leading member of my staff, and his enthusiasm for public service has brought a heightened sense of purpose to my office. Jeffrey was born in Mississippi in 1963, in the midst of the social and political upheaval that marked life in the American South during the Civil Rights Movement. The son of a minister and a teacher, at an early age Jeffrey developed a keen awareness of the social conditions affecting his family and his community, and of the struggles faced by African Americans in the fight for civil rights. He recounts as a formative moment in his childhood the occasion when he saw one of my personal and professional mentors, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, on television for the first time, a moment that was so significant for him not only because of how inspired he was by her speech, but because of his amazement at the sight of another African American on television, which was a rare occurrence at the time. Another part of his background that would shape his life in the years ahead was his involvement in the Head Start Program, a comprehensive childcare and development initiative for children in low-income families, funded by federal grants and matching money from local entities in communities across the country. Not only was Jeffrey a Head Start child himself, but his parents both worked with the program for a number of years while he was growing up. Furthermore, this program has remained a part of his life until the present, as he has gone on to represent my office on the local Head Start advisory board in Oakland. After growing up in Mississippi, Nebraska, and Alabama, Jeffrey moved to Massachusetts, where he attended Brandeis University. Following his graduation, he began working in real estate, but was soon drawn to government and public service, accepting a job in the office of Senator Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, a position in which he worked on international finance, economic development and constituent services. Following his time there, he continued his work in the financial sector, serving as part of the Mortgage Bankers' Association, William Morris, and as a bank Vice President. After relocating to California to work with a startup software company, Jeffrey became increasingly involved in community development initiatives in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving on entities such as the Alameda Point Collaborative and the boards of local non-profit organizations. Jeffrey became the District Director in my Oakland District Office in January 2004, and did an excellent job of bringing his experience in Senator Kennedy's office as well as in the areas of finance, media, project management and staff management to bear on his service to the 9th Congressional District. Under his leadership an exceptional staff has been developed, and numerous initiatives in the areas of crime prevention, economic development, affordable housing, environmental protection, and poverty eradication have been introduced and successfully executed by my office. Of particular note has been his leadership on the Criminal Records Remedies program in my district, through which more than 2,000 non-violent criminal records have been dismissed in only 12 months, allowing thousands of formerly incarcerated individuals the opportunity to obtain employment, housing, and the chance to successfully complete their reentry into society. Jeffrey's service has been distinguished not only by his exceptional work ethic, but also his commitment to the people of California's 9th U.S. Congressional District. Today, Jeffrey's colleagues, friends, and wife Rachel will come together to celebrate his innumerable contributions to our community. On this very special day, I join all of them in thanking and saluting Jeffrey Thomas for his invaluable service to California's 9th U.S. Congressional District, and to wish him the very best as he begins the next chapter of his ``spirit filled'' life.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for your clarity about what it really means to be energy independent. Talk about beating a dead horse. Instead of getting tough with the administration's oil and gas cronies, Republicans once again want to reward them with even more public giveaways. First it was ANWR, now the Outer Continental Shelf. Republicans would put an oil well on the White House lawn if they could get away with it. Instead of trotting out the same tired arguments about how the government is oppressing the oil and the gas industry by restricting their right to drill, we need a real energy plan that is good for the public, good for business and good for the environment. Democrats know we can't drill our way to energy independence. We know that providing energy efficiency incentives will help United States businesses compete long term in the global marketplace. We know that raising CAFE standards will save more energy over the next 20 years than new drilling will produce, and we know that making a profit is not really a license to gouge customers. We have a real plan. Unfortunately, Republicans only promise more of the same. I oppose the rule; I oppose the bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, in one week House Republicans have shown where their priorities lie, who they are willing to help, and who really gets left behind. I am sure the American people are not shocked to hear that Republicans once again sided with the wealthiest in our Nation when they repealed the estate tax last week. Meantime, Republicans refused to join Democrats in providing nearly 7 million Americans a pay raise. It is truly mind-boggling that House Republicans continue to believe that minimum-wage workers can still get by on $5.15 an hour. Don't they know if you take inflation into account the minimum wage is at its lowest level in 50 years? Don't Republicans know this is the second- longest amount of time minimum-wage workers have gone without a pay raise? Don't they know that nearly three-fourths of minimum-wage workers are not just taking care of themselves but also a family? Mr. Speaker, this is totally immoral. In this great Nation it is unbelievable that nearly 7 million people must struggle to this extent to make ends meet. It is only fair we give these workers a raise. Democrats are not giving up, and we will continue to fight to give these workers their first pay raise in 9 years. It is only fair.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today to engage in a colloquy with the chairman of the subcommittee, Mr. Wolf. I understand and know quite frankly that the chairman has been a long-time advocate of public diplomacy and democracy through educational and cultural exchanges, and I would like to express my very strong support of his work. I truly appreciate his willingness to highlight these issues today of mutual concern. So, Mr. Chairman, I come to the floor today to raise an issue that is important for our hemispheric foreign policy. For quite a few years, many in this body have stressed the importance of improving relations with Latin America and the Caribbean by strengthening educational exchange initiatives. Many American students who spend time studying abroad are among our Nation's greatest assets, and this is especially true with regards to our hemispheric neighbors. Many elected leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean spent some time studying here in the United States. They applied the skills and the values that they learned in the United States upon returning to their home countries. For instance, in the wake of recent natural disasters, many Caribbean leaders who studied here were able to draw on their experience and networks of contacts when facing challenges. The need for strengthening the human capital and democratic values is ever pressing as natural disasters, perhaps among the most severe destabilizing force, constantly wreak havoc on the region. Hurricanes, floods, landslides, earthquakes are becoming more frequent. It takes years and sometimes decades to recover, and I know that we can all personally attest to how a natural disaster shakes a nation's foundation to its very core. Educational exchange opportunities are an investment with the greatest return. By developing human capital, we are securing our hemisphere by planting the seeds of democracy and success.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will further yield, I want to thank the gentleman for his attention to this issue and so many issues that are important to our country. I look forward to working together in standing up for democracy and improving relations with our hemispheric neighbors. I want to thank you again, and I want to thank you for yielding me the time.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman for yielding. I also want to acknowledge the leadership of the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and the work of his staff, Zahava Goldman, and Jamila Thompson on my staff for their tireless advocacy for access to affordable medicines for all people. I am delighted this amendment has been accepted tonight because it is a very important policy that we must have. It is not really an extraordinary request. Basically, we just are asking that what has been required in the past, public health officials, that they actually be appointed to these committees. Unfortunately, 7 months later, neither the USTR nor the Department of Commerce has provided a name or a plan or even a timeline to begin these appointments. Now, with these very aggressive bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations continuing, we cannot afford to wait. So this is a very important step in the right direction, and I thank both sides for accepting this amendment.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for, once again, his leadership on this important issue. Taxpayers dollars quite frankly should not be spent on sending seriously or terminally ill patients to jail. Their doctors, not Congress, should decide which drugs will work best. So I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment and ensure patients' rights because that is what this is about, that patients' rights are upheld. This amendment does not encourage nor does it make legal the recreational use of marijuana. For example, Angel Raich, my constituent from Oakland, has been diagnosed with more than ten serious medical conditions, including inoperable brain tumors. She, and others who use medical marijuana, are simply trying to relieve their crushing pain while following the guidelines and the laws that their doctors and that their States have already established. So please pass this amendment. Patients deserve this. We should not send terminally ill patients or seriously ill patients to jail.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the House for 5 minutes.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Caribbean American community in honor of the first-ever National Caribbean American Heritage Month. On June 27, 2005, the House unanimously adopted H. Con. Res. 71, my resolution to declare June National Caribbean American Heritage Month. On February 14, 2006, the Senate followed suit, thanks to the work of Senator Schumer of New York and Arielle Goren on his staff. And let me begin by recognizing the many people who helped realize this 2-year bipartisan, bicameral effort, because this was quite a feat. First, I want to recognize our colleague, a great leader on so many issues and especially on health care, Congresswoman Donna Christensen from the Caribbean, who has been tremendous in terms of bringing us together to address the issues of health disparities throughout our country and throughout the world. Also, I would like to thank the Institute of Caribbean Studies, especially Dr. Claire Nelson and her team, for joining us in this effort from the very beginning. Also, we must recognize our friends from the Caribbean diplomatic corps, who worked so hard to spread the word about this effort both at home in the Caribbean and in their embassies and consulates across the country. There are so many Members of Congress who supported this effort. In addition to early support from my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus and friends of the Caribbean Task Force, the former chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, Representative Cass Ballenger, was the first Republican to endorse this bill, and his successor, Chairman Dan Burton, was one of the first to help urge the President to issue an official proclamation. This was truly a bipartisan effort, with, of course, our chairman Mr. Hyde of the International Relations Committee and our ranking member Mr. Lantos, who lent their very strong support. And, of course, we never would have done any of this without our staff. First, let me commend and thank my staff person Jamila Thompson for her leadership and for her commitment to not only this issue and this bill, but for so many of the efforts that she mounts. She has roots in the Bahamas, and she understands the importance of recognizing Caribbean Americans and their proper role and proper recognition in our country. Also, we had many staff members, Ted Brennan, Jack Scharfen, Paul Oostburg, Dan Getz, and Mark Walker. They all worked in a bipartisan way to make this a reality and really to realize this dream for many, many people. The Government Reform Committee, Chairman Tom Davis, and our Ranking Member Henry Waxman. They applauded the passage of this resolution last year and were instrumental in its passage. And, of course, in the final weeks before the proclamation was issued by the White House, a coalition was formed that was very instrumental in urging the White House to officially declare June National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This coalition included Senator Mel Martinez from Florida, Ambassador Tom Shannon, State Department's Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, and Brian Nichols of his staff. And the Caribbean American community was very active around this effort. It could not have been done without them. From Glenn Joseph and John Felix in Florida; to Jean Alexander and Horace Morancie, Anthony Carter, and so many others in New York; to Shorron Levy in California, this became, quite frankly, an international grass-roots effort. It was really an exercise in democracy. So I am pleased that on June 5, the President responded by officially declaring June National Caribbean American Heritage Month. And let me also say that we know the Caribbean is as racially diverse and ethnically and religiously diverse as the United States. We have some phenomenal spokespersons who are traveling throughout the country, like Sheryl Lee Ralph and basketball legend Rick Fox. Sheryl Lee Ralph is a woman of Caribbean descent from Jamaica actually, and is a great actress as well. Her voice on HIV and AIDS, as well as promoting and spreading the word about Caribbean American Heritage Month, will be very valuable in terms of making sure that our entire country knows about the phenomenal contributions of Caribbean Americans. On a very personal level, my relationship with persons of Caribbean descent began with the late great former member of this body, the first African American woman elected to Congress, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. I worked as a volunteer in her historic 1972 Presidential campaign. As a woman of Barbadian and Guyanese descent, Congresswoman Chisholm never forgot her roots and connections to the Caribbean. Her work, whether it was fighting for equal access to education in the United States Congress or Haitian refugees in detention camps, her commitment always stemmed from her faith and her strong Caribbean values. When the United States-Caribbean relations began to deteriorate over the war in Iraq, the coups in Haiti, and the Cuban embargo, I knew that we needed to go back and really recognize our deep and strong relations with the Caribbean. So we need to send a message of goodwill to the Caribbean American community. So soon we will be introducing the Shirley Chisholm Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2006 to provide existing and expanded educational exchanges between our country and the Caribbean. Who Supports the Caribbean-American Heritage Month Effort? The Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and CARICOM Foreign Ministers included the following statement in their joint press release issued at the conclusion of the US-CARICOM Ministerial Meeting held in The Bahamas in March 2006: ``The Ministers and the Secretary of State welcomed the recent resolution of the U.S. Congress to commemorate Caribbean American Heritage Month in June. The resolution is a recognition of the deep and lasting human ties that bind the United States and the Caribbean.'' This bi-partisan effort to create a National Caribbean- American Heritage Month is supported by Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States, the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors in Washington, DC and the following organizations: The Institute for Caribbean Studies, DC; Caribbean-Central American Action, DC; Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, Inc.; The West Indian American Day Carnival Association, NY; Caribbean-American Cultural Association, Inc. of North America (CACANA), FL; Caribbean-American Center of New York; Conference of Heads of Caribbean Organizations of Central Florida; TnT International, Inc.; The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry--Greater Washington Area Network; South Florida Caribbean Diaspora Task Force; Trinidad & Tobago Working Women's Committee, DC; Caribbean Association of World Bank Group and IMF Staff, DC; Caribbean American Chamber Commerce and Industry, Inc. (CACCI), NY; Global Exchange, CA; Caribbean Peoples International Collective, NY (CPIC); The St. Lucia Nationals Association; Dominica Academy of Arts & Sciences, DC; Metro Atlanta Caribbean Cultural Arts Centre, Inc. (MACCA); The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA); The Caribbean Voice, NY; Northern California Caribbean American Heritage Month Committee; Central Florida's Caribbean Sun Newspaper; The Guyanese Society of St. Louis; The Caribbean Club in Mount Vernon, NY; Caribbean Professional Networking Series, DC; Caribbean World Arts & Culture, Inc.; St. Kitts and Nevis Association of Metropolitan Washington; The West Indian Social Club of Hartford, Inc.; The Inter-American Economic Council; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Corporation; Barbados Assoc. of Central Florida; Jamaican American Association of Central Florida; Grenadian-American Educational and Cultural Organization of Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean and Floridian Association, Inc. (CAFA); Guyanese American Cultural Association of Central Florida; Orlando Carnival Association, Inc.; Alliance of Guyanese Expatriates of Central Florida; Caribbean Students' Association at the University of Central Florida; Jamaican/American Partners in Education, GA; Central Florida Cricket League; Caribbean Bar Association (Central Florida Chapter); Antigua and Barbuda Association of Central Florida; Association of Asian Cultural Festivals, Inc.; Caribbean Community Connection of Orlando, Inc.; Trinidad & Tobago Association of Central Florida; Suriname American Network; Haitian American Support Group of Central Florida, Inc.; Caribbean-Guyana Institute for Democracy; The Indo-Caribbean Council, NY; The Haitian American Historical Society, FL; Caribbean American Intercultural Organization; Sistas-With Style, CA; Dominican American National Roundtable, DC; West Indian Social Club of Hartford, Inc.; Caribbean American Society of Hartford; The Ballentine Group; Jamaica Progressive League; St. Lucian American Society of Hartford. Mico Alumni Association Inc.; Guyanese American Cultural Association; Connecticut Haitian American Organization, Inc.; Barbados American Society of Hartford; Sportsmen Athletic Club & Cricket Hall of Fame; Cultural Dance Troupe of the West Indies; Trinidad and Tobago Steel Symphony; Jamaica Ex-Policeman Association of Connecticut; West Indian American Newspaper; Center for Urban & Caribbean Research; CAYASCO, Inc.; Martin Luther King Jr. Soccer League; Morancie Family Reunion, Inc., NY; Tropical Paradise Restaurant and Juice Bar, NY; Jamaica Nationals Association, DC; Medgar Evers College, NY; Carriacou Charitable Health Services, Inc., NY; The Caribbean World News Network, NY; The Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute for Children, Inc., DC; Caribbean Research Center, NY; Montserrat Progressive Society of NY, Inc.; The Georgia Caribbean- American Heritage Month Planning Committee, GA; Ainsley Gill & Associates LLC, DC; SOCA Warriors United, NY; The Black Diaspora, NY; Sunrise Symphony Steelpan Orchestra, Inc., NY; Gloria's In & Out Restaurant, NY; Virgin Islands Association, DC; CCB International, Inc., NJ; TATUCA, NY; Callaloo Magazine, NY; Department of African American Studies, Ohio University; Hannah's Place International, NY; Guyana Folk Festival, DC; Caribbean Sunshine Awards, NJ; Trinidad and Tobago Business Association, Inc., NY; RAJHUMARI Center for Indo-Caribbean Arts & Culture, NY; Mauby Media Services, NY; Merrymakers Cultural Association, NY; Caribbean People's Association, NJ; Trin-American Social & Cultural Association, DC; Trinidadian and Tobagonians Inc., NY; Gasparillo Group, NY; Trinidad and Tobago Association of Washington, MA; Caribbean Journal, NY; St. Anthony's Spiritual Baptist Church, PA; Friends of the Caribbean, Inc., DC; The International Consortium of Caribbean Professionals (ICCP); Tropicalfete.com, NY; St. Louis-Georgetown Sisters Cities Committee, MO; Virgin Islands Association of the District of Columbia (VIA); Patterson Dental Clinic, NJ; Barbados American Society of Hartford, Inc.; TransAfrica Forum, DC; Caribbean-African-American Hotline, Ads, News, Gospel & Global Events (411XCHANGE), NY; Belizean Information & Services International, NY; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nationals Association of Washington, DC; eCaroh Caribbean Emporium, MA; Caribbean American Weekly (CAW), NY; Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations U.S.A., Inc., NY; St. Vincent Benevolent Association; Bequia United Progressive Organization, Inc.; Chateaubelair Development Organization; Club St. Vincent, Inc.; Canouan United Social Organization, Inc.; Friends of the St. Vincent Grammar School; Girls High School Alumnae; Hairoun Sports Club; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Humanitarian Organization; Mas Productions Unlimited; Striders Social and Cultural Organization; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Police Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ex-Teachers Association; St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association; United Vincie Cultural Group of Brooklyn; Concerned Americans for Racial Equality, NY; Benevolent Missions of Atlanta, Inc. (BMA); Barbados Association of Greater Houston; Bahamian Junkanoo Association of Metropolitan DC. H. Con. Res. 71 cosponsors (81) during the 109th Congress Reps. Becerra, Berkley, Berman, S. Bishop, C. Brown, S. Brown, Bordallo, Burton*, Butterfield, Capuano, Carson, Christensen, W.L. Clay, Clyburn, Conyers, Crowley, Cummings, D. Davis, J. Davis, Delahunt, Engel, Faleomavaega, Farr, Fattah, Feeney, Ford, Fortuno. B. Frank, A. Green, Grijalva, Gutierrez, A. Hastings, Honda, Jackson-Lee, Jefferson, E. B. Johnson, Tubbs Jones, Kaptur, Kilpatrick, Kucinich, Kuhl, Lantos, Lewis, Lofgren, Maloney, McCarthy, McDermott, McGovern, McKinney, McCollum, Meek, Meeks, Menendez, Millender-McDonald, G. Moore, Nadler, Napolitano, Norton, Owens, Pallone, Payne, Rangel, Rush, T. Ryan, Serrano, D. Scott, Schakowsky, Shimkus, Slaughter, Solis, B. Thompson, Towns, Van Hollen, Velazquez, Waters, Watt, Weiner, Wexler, Woolsey, Wynn H. Res. 570 Co-Sponsors during the 108th Congress (65) Reps. Payne, Ney, Christensen, Ballenger, Owens, Rangel, Serrano, Hastings (FL), Tubbs Jones, McDermott, Meek (FL), Clyburn, Capuano, Watt, Lewis, A. Davis, B. Scott, S. Bishop, B. Thompson, Norton, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Waters, Cummings, Kilpatrick, Rush, Lofgren, Towns, Grijalva, D. Scott, Majette, Weiner, Meeks (NY), Acevedo-Vila, Conyers, Kucinich, Wynn, Jackson-Lee, Sweeney, Berman, Delahunt, Woolsey, Feeney, Shimkus, Van Hollen, Engel, Deutsch, Watson, Ballance, Menendez, Berkley, Jefferson, Ruppersberger, Lantos, Maloney, Israel, Maloney, Gonzalez, Lacy Clay, Wexler, Ros-Lehtinen, Ford, Jackson, Millender-McDonald, C. Brown, D. Moore. *Republicans are italicized. Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2006--By the President of the United States of America--A Proclamation During Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we celebrate the great contributions of Caribbean Americans to the fabric of our Nation, and we pay tribute to the common culture and bonds of friendship that unite the United States and the Caribbean countries. Our Nation has thrived as a country of immigrants, and we are more vibrant and hopeful because of the talent, faith, and values of Caribbean Americans. For centuries, Caribbean Americans have enriched our society and added to the strength of America. They have been leaders in government, sports, entertainment, the arts, and many other fields. During the month of June, we also honor the friendship between the United States and the Caribbean countries. We are united by our common values and shared history, and I join all Americans in celebrating the rich Caribbean heritage and the many ways in which Caribbean Americans have helped shape this Nation. Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2006 as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to learn more about the history of Caribbean Americans and their contributions to our Nation. In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirtieth. George W. Bush.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I introduced the African Development Foundation Act of 2006. This legislation re-authorizes the African Development Foundation (ADF) and reaffirms the great work it does in Africa for entrepreneurs, small businesses and micro/credit community programs. For more than 20 years, the African Development Foundation has been a powerful example of both the compassion and the innovation of the American people as it has helped the poor across Africa. The Foundation is a unique and highly effective program. It is the only United States Government agency working directly at the grassroots, supporting African-designed and African-driven solutions to economic and social problems. The ADF enables individuals and groups to get out of poverty by putting their own ideas to work, not someone else's. In 2005, ADF's investments across Africa created more than 110,000 jobs for poor Africans, generated $70 million in gross revenues for enterprises, and almost 65 percent of micro and small entrepreneurs assisted by ADF were women. ADF is demonstrating that African entrepreneurs and farmers can compete in the global marketplace. It is helping them improve quality to meet international standards and to increase quantity to meet demand. ADF-assisted groups had $35 million in export sales in 2005. For example thousands of poor, small farmers in Uganda have been taught how to grow vanilla. Moreover, they are getting significant value-added by curing and grading it for the international market, where it competes favorably with Madagascar and other producers. In Tanzania, ADF is helping several thousand small sugar cane producers improve their income. Mtibwa Sugar has increased its gross export revenues by 423 percent over the past 3 years, from US$1.188 million during FY 2002 to US$5.034 million in FY 2005. In the Ruembe Outgrowers Association, sugar cane yields per hectare are up 30 percent and cumulative export sales stand at US$4.7 million. The number of participating cane farmers has increased by 50 percent since project inception and the income of the 1,440 growers has almost doubled as a consequence of ADF's investment. The Foundation's community enterprise investments are supporting grassroots solutions to local problems and empowering communities to take control of their own development. For example, over the past several years, ADF has empowered rural communities in Guinea to plan and undertake the construction of scores of health clinics, primary schools and wells. In Jigawa State, in northern Nigeria, ADF supported community construction of 400 low cost homes for families who had lost their traditional structures in floods. Mr. Speaker, I am personally impressed and inspired by the African Development Foundation's work with those living with HIV/AIDS. For example: In Swaziland, where almost 40 percent of adults are infected with the AIDS virus, ADF is improving nutrition and providing income-generating opportunities for widows and orphans affected by helping them produce and market vegetables. In Ghana, ADF funded the training of almost 1,500 youth who conducted peer counseling on HIV/AIDS to more than 200,000 young people. In Plateau State, Nigeria, ADF funded a pilot program to adapt and extend a faith-based life skills training program in the public secondary schools. About 500 teachers were trained in the new curriculum and more than 25,000 students received year-long training. In Tanzania, ADF has experimented with supporting schemes that extend micro-credit to people living with HIV/AIDS and enabling them to start informal businesses and undertake income-generating activities. Mr. Speaker, there is a very high demand for the African Development Foundation to expand their work. A dozen African governments and two private corporations are actually matching the U.S. Government's funding, dollar-for-dollar, for ADF to undertake projects in their countries. Demand for its services greatly exceeds resources. Currently, ADF has a total of $22.0 million in annual cash commitments and specific requests. Newly elected President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has requested USADF to help in rebuilding Liberia and restoring hope through creating small businesses and community enterprises that can provide meaningful jobs to ex-combatants, women and youth. Additionally, the Governments of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have also requested USADF to assist in their post-crisis transition and development. Also, the Government of Burkina Faso has requested ADF assistance in community and enterprise development and is committed to matching USG funding with funds from the Islamic Development Bank. Mr. Speaker, the work of the African Development Foundation is a powerful example of the goodwill of the American people, and it is one of the most effective foreign assistance programs we have. I ask that my colleagues join me in supporting their efforts and co- sponsor the African Development Foundation Act of 2006.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 19, 2006 I missed rollcall votes Nos. 289, 290, and 291. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H.R. 5540, H.R. 5504, and H. Res. 826.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and for the very hard work that he consistently does for the security of our Nation. I appreciate this opportunity to discuss an issue that is of great importance, and that is ensuring that our Federal dollars are not used to support groups or individuals engaged in efforts to overthrow democratically elected governments. Mr. Chairman, in an ideal world, we would not need to have to explicitly stipulate this, but events in Haiti in 2004 and in Venezuela have led me to believe that we need to codify this straightforward nonpartisan position. As we know, the administration has committed its second term to spreading democracy around the world, and this should not be a partisan issue. It is at the core of our Nation's values; and quite simply put, it is fundamental to who we are as a people and what we stand for as a Nation. However, Mr. Chairman, we need to be sure that this administration, or equally any future administration, that if they do not agree with certain democratically elected governments, that it does not use the Department of Defense funds to overthrow those democratically elected governments. Such actions fly in the face of our own fundamental democratic principles. So I would just like to ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) if he could comment on this and what his views are with regard to the ideas that we are presenting today.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me just say, thank you, again, to the gentleman for his attention to this issue and to so many issues that are important to our Nation. He is truly a courageous hero to many of our minds and many of our views, and we look forward to continuing to work with him and the entire House in standing up for democracy throughout the world.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman from California for her leadership, for yielding, and for her work on the Rules Committee. Her fairness in seeking appropriate rules does not go unnoticed, and I want to thank her for fighting for fairness in this whole process. As the daughter of a veteran of two wars, first let me just express my profound respect and admiration for our brave young men and women serving our Nation around the world and on the ground in Iraq. I also rise to convey my appreciation for the hard work and the dedication of the distinguished ranking member of the defense subcommittee, Mr. Murtha, and the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Obey. They have both been champions for a significant provision in this bill, one that would ensure that we are not establishing permanent military bases in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, the American people do not want an open-ended war and occupation in Iraq. Congress must be on record supporting this, and the administration must level with the American people regarding their long-term desires and designs with regard to Iraq. My colleague, Mr. Allen, and I offered an identical provision to the war supplemental bill this past March; but in a gross abuse of power, the Republican majority stripped it in conference. We must ensure that the no permanent bases in this bill remains and not be gutted. While I support this provision, I also believe this bill could be improved in many ways. First, this bill does not address the waste, fraud, and abuse in Pentagon spending. GAO has identified cost savings which, if implemented, could save billions of tax dollars. This budget should not be off limits to spending cuts, especially where funds are misspent. Also, this bill continues to fund the unnecessary war in Iraq without demanding accountability from this administration. In a larger sense, Mr. Speaker, I believe that our Nation is best defended by funding priorities that truly make our Nation and the world safer. I am disappointed that this $427 billion bill continues to fund Cold War-era weaponry for a threat that doesn't exist. We must focus our security spending on threats that we face today. By getting rid of outmoded weapons systems programs, we can not only make the much needed investment in ensuring health care for all of our children, improving our public schools, ending our dependence on foreign oil, but also improve our Homeland Security, where of course we must focus because the real threat involves possible attacks, and we need to protect our homeland. That is why I have joined with my colleague Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey in introducing H.R. 4898, the Common Sense Budget Act. This bill shows how we can reduce our defense budget by $60 billion without diminishing our ability to protect our Nation by putting resources into areas where real threats exist, by protecting our ports, protecting our transit systems, real homeland security. So we must get our funding priorities right. The challenge is clear. We must, quite frankly, put some common sense into our defense spending.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, next week the House will finally have an opportunity to lift millions of hardworking Americans out of poverty. For the first time in a decade, we will have a vote on the House floor to increase the minimum wage so that 7 million Americans can finally make a living wage. I think most Americans, quite frankly, would be stunned to hear that the House Republican leadership has refused to allow a vote to increase the minimum wage for over 10 years now. Republican inaction has led to the fact that the minimum wage is at its lowest level in 50 years. In fact, if the minimum wage had just kept up with inflation since 1968, it would have been $8.88 in 2005. That is still, quite frankly, a pittance for what people need to live. House Democrats are committed to expanding economic opportunity to millions of Americans who are just trying to make a living wage. They want to provide a better tomorrow for their families. A majority of the House Appropriations Committee defied Republican leadership earlier this week and supported an increase in the minimum wage to $7.25. That is only fair. Seven million Americans deserve a minimum wage, an increase in the minimum wage, so let us make sure they get it.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership and her strong voice over the years on so many issues, especially with regard to this unnecessary war. It has been almost 4 years since Congress authorized this unnecessary war, and we are really still not having a debate on Iraq policy. So, quite frankly, this debate is a sham. It attempts to, and you have heard this before and you will hear it again, it attempts to link the war on terror with the bloodshed and violence and killing in Iraq. How deceptive can you be? As a founding member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, I believe that we should be debating and passing the Murtha resolution today. The Murtha resolution would redeploy our troops from Iraq at the earliest practicable date and pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy. Instead, the Republicans continue to play political games at the expense of our brave troops. This resolution is a disingenuous attempt by the Republicans to really rewrite history by claiming that Iraq is linked to the terrible tragedy of 9/11. This is deplorable. We all know that Iraq had nothing to do with the tragic attacks of 9/11. Yet, the President misled the American people into a war of choice, with no end in sight. We could have avoided this, and you remember Congressman Spratt and myself, we introduced substitutes to the use of force back in 2002, which would have allowed the United Nations' inspectors to ensure that Iraq was not developing weapons of mass destruction. And what is the cost of finding out that there are no weapons of mass destruction? Today, we reached the sad milestone of 2,500 American brave troops who have given their lives; and by the end of the year, we will have committed close to $400 billion. Are we any safer as a result of this purposeless war in Iraq? Not according to the 9/11 Commission, whose report card gave the administration a failing grade in virtually every category relating to terrorism preparedness. The Republicans try to claim that Iraq is the central front on the global war on terror, but the fact is that it has undermined our ability to protect our Nation. National security professionals recognize this, Mr. Speaker, and let us be clear: we are spending billions of dollars to occupy a country that did not have weapons of mass destruction or terrorist ties. At the same time, we are cutting programs to secure our ports and keep nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists. There is something really wrong. Worse still, this President and the Republican majority really refuse to level with the American people about when our troops are coming home, also really if they are coming home. While we are debating this very bogus resolution, the most substantive decision on Iraq policy in very recent days was taken out by the Republican majority behind closed doors. They stripped from the war supplemental an amendment that we offered to prevent the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq. The American people do not want an open-ended war and occupation. Quietly removing a measure that was approved by both the House and the Senate is a gross abuse of the democratic process and is further evidence that Republicans are afraid to level with the American people about their real plans for Iraq. Let me tell you, there will be a day of reckoning. The American people are demanding answers. They deserve a truthful accounting of how we got into this unnecessary war, how the billions of dollars have been misspent and when our troops are coming home, and also, they really deserve to know if our troops are coming home, given recent reports that the administration is considering leaving a permanent force of 50,000 troops in Iraq and indications that establishing permanent military bases are not off the table. So, Mr. Speaker, the American people will not forget that, instead of answers to their questions, the Republican majority keeps giving them rhetoric and posturing like they are doing today, and the American people deserve better. This sham resolution, it really should be rejected. We should support the Murtha resolution. That is what we should talk about today. That will take steps to end this war. It would take steps to bring our young men and women home; and I tell you, if we do not debate this, we do not know when the opportunity to debate or to have a real debate will take place. It should have been a real debate today. Unfortunately, this has deteriorated into posturing into rhetoric and into misrepresenting what the facts are. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My amendment is very simple, and it really, quite frankly, should be noncontroversial. It was unanimously approved by this body in 2004, and it deserves to be passed again this year. This amendment prohibits funds in the bill from being used to enforce regulations promulgated on June 30, 2004 that included severely restricted and, in many cases, eliminated opportunities for American students to study in Cuba. There are no valid reasons for needing to restrict the rights of Americans, especially our young people, to travel abroad and study abroad. Whether or not you support the United States embargo against Cuba, you should support American national security interests, educational exchanges, and civil liberties that this amendment promotes. Mr. Chairman, the Office of Foreign Assets Control within the Department of the Treasury is tasked with tracking the finances of terrorists, international narcotics, and weapons of mass destruction. However, in 2003, the Miami Herald reported that this office had six times more personnel working on Cuba licensing than trafficking bin Laden. Now, that is a fact, and it doesn't make any sense. OFAC shouldn't waste their time prosecuting and tracking average Americans, especially our students. We have other real pressing national security concerns, and people watching this debate at home should, quite frankly, be outraged, especially when we consider that the State Department and the 9/11 Commission both underscored the importance of students in spreading American values. They are our best goodwill ambassadors. Patricia Harrison, the former Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, stated repeatedly that ``one of our greatest assets in public diplomacy is the American people themselves. Programs that bring Americans and foreign citizens in direct contact can and do have tremendous positive impact.'' That is what she said. The bipartisan Commission report, the 9/11 report, recommends that we rebuild the scholarship exchange and library programs that reach out to young people and offer them knowledge and hope. But our policy on Cuba continues to do just the opposite. Most importantly, this amendment addresses the issue of basic civil liberties. American students should be able to travel freely and gain invaluable experience that only study abroad programs can provide. Our students simply want the opportunity to conduct their studies, learn about other cultures, and make independent judgments for themselves. Students can participate in exchanges with China, why not Cuba? Simply said, any policy that restricts United States educational exchanges should not be approved or supported. They are in every sense anti-American and contradict our values and our ideals. This amendment is straightforward and should not be controversial, so I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Lee amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.