Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution. First, I would like to thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Ms. Norton, for introducing House Resolution 676, which recognizes and honors the 40th anniversary of congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and for her work in getting this bill on the House floor today. H. Res. 676 recognizes the advancements we have made in the 40 years since the Civil Rights Act was passed, and reaffirms the work we need to do, not only to retain what progress has been made, but also to continue to move toward greater social existence and inclusion. But I want to take a step back for a moment and trace some of the history that led up to the passage of the Civil Rights Act. Many of us can remember what it was like in America back in the tumultuous era of the 1960's. It was a time of social unrest marked by riots and protests across the country. Growing up in this era, we were all galvanized by the passion and commitment of our civil rights leaders who worked to end America's immoral practice of discrimination. The 1960's and the decades preceding were marked by unprecedented resistance to racial segregation and discrimination captured by the `freedom rides' throughout the south, the Lunch counter sit-ins, forced school integration in segregated schools, Supreme Court cases challenging Jim Crow practices and the individual stances that our parents took at their jobs and in their neighborhoods. Here in Washington, A. Phillip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, along with a young activist from Georgia by the name of John Lewis, coordinated and organized a non-violent march on Washington on August 28, 1963 bringing more than 200,000 people to the Nation's Capital to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and other speakers and to demand the dignity, justice, and jobs that were promised by the government, and to have their economic and political concerns heard. To be Black in America at the time meant you had no voice in the government, could not attend good schools, could not get good jobs, and in short, could not live a free life. For over 100 years after slavery was abolished, Blacks and other minority groups were relegated to second class citizenship. And because of all these facts, the March on Washington was nothing short of revolutionary in the precedent it set as the culmination of a national social movement. But the real test of the movement was whether it could accomplish change. As Bayard Rustin wrote of the March in his magazine, Liberation in 1963: ``What counted most at the Lincoln Memorial was not the speeches, eloquent as they were, but the pledge of a quarter million Americans, black and white, to carry the civil rights revolution into the streets. Our task is now to fulfill this pledge through nonviolent uprisings in hundreds of cities.'' It was on February 10, 1964 that Congress finally passed an unprecedented and highly contentious bill to support and protect the civil liberties and rights of all people. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 in many ways turned a new page on the history of our nation, and all people, regardless of race, class or gender, were acknowledged as equal citizens of our nation. Signed into law on July 2, 1964, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in businesses such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels. It banned discriminatory practices in employment and ended segregation in public places such as swimming pools, libraries, and other public facilities. And while it is often misconceived that the Civil Rights Act only affected the lives of Black Americans in the 1960s, this landmark legislation also protected the rights of women for the first time in history. But as we all know, by itself the legislation could not transform the hearts and minds of those who truly believed in segregation. Only time could truly do that. Yet the injustices that Blacks and other minorities faced with the tacit approval of the government were finally over. But today our March, our struggle, and our cause are not over. Today we are still attempting to understand and counteract the ramifications of the physical and mental enslavement which our ancestors were subjected to. Profound inequalities remain imbedded in American society. For example, black women are less likely to have breast cancer, but are more likely to die from this terrible disease because of the discrepancies in our health care system. And according to the AFL-CIO, the average 25-year-old working woman will lose more than $523,000 due to unequal pay during her working life. Facts such as these indicate that our work is far from complete. Our Nation's capital, the icon of our collective American legacy pays sparse tribute to the African forefathers of this country and our Civil Rights leaders. Despite the fact that this country was built on the backs of slaves, there are few commemorative statues or paintings that demonstrate as much. Perhaps most glaringly, there is still no national memorial dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on our National Mall. And in this day and age, it is even more important that we continue to fight for our civil right and civil liberties, especially in light of the Patriot Act. The resolution we are discussing today not only recognizes how far our country has come along, but it also praises the sweat and blood that was sacrificed to make sure that we got here. This commemorative resolution is a testament to the shift in this country toward the spirit of inclusion and equality. It also reminds us of how much we have left to do. Our great society is highly regarded around the globe because of our laws, which ensure the integrity of our constitution and perpetuate the belief that all men and women are created equal. The legacies of those who marched, protested, and died for our cause capture the true sentiment of our nation. By passing this resolution we continue to commemorate their struggle, our struggle. It is the ultimate sacrifice of individuals like Dr. Martin Luther Ling Jr., from which we all benefit. We must honor their memory by continuing to work to realize their vision. And today we will honor their memory by passing this resolution.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, as always, I remain steadfastly committed to the security of Israel, the safety of its citizens and its right to exist. I am unable to support this resolution, however, because I believe it will contribute to further instability in the region. Further, it will not successfully resolve the underlying conflict. I strongly believe in Israel's right to exist and I have been and remain committed to the two state solution set forth in the Roadmap for peace; as former Prime Minister Rabin said: You must make peace with your enemies, not your friends. One cannot impose peace through unilateral actions. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, the resolution before us deviates from that Road Map. It does so in a manner that is not calculated to end the violence against Israelis. It does nothing to promote meaningful negotiations, and further undermines the role of the United States as an honest broker--our most important role. It is not for Congress--or for the Administration--to prejudge or predetermine the question of Israeli settlements or the final boarders envisioned by a final status agreement; that issue should be negotiated by the Israelis and Palestinians. For these reasons, I am unable to support this resolution. I fear that the policies it reflects will lead to greater harm and not to a resolution of the conflict--nor safety for civilians--that its sponsors may believe.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to this bill. National defense is important to all of us. This bill, however, will neither ensure our defense nor promote the general welfare, two of the central obligations of this government. It is truly mind-boggling, Mr. Chairman, that with just one short hour of debate, this House will pass a bill to spend $392 billion for the Pentagon's regular budget in FY 2005. Amazingly, that sum does not include, $25 billion for the ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but we all know that the Administration will be back for more, much more. They are misleading the American public about the price tag of the unnecessary war in Iraq. Mr. Chairman, the $392 billion this bill expends is a 7 percent increase over last year's bloated defense budget and comes at a time when federal deficit and large tax cuts have left us with scarce resources. I have to ask: will our education, health care and housing budget receive a 7 percent increase? The answer is NO. This is an absurd and tragic case of misplaced priorities. And our entire country pays the price. It simply makes no sense to spend our nation's scarce resources on Cold War era weapons systems. It makes no sense to spend another $9 billion on missile defense, a 17-percent increase over last year. This represents another heavy installment on what may be a bottomless pit of spending. This spending comes at real costs. To put this in perspective, last year, according to the National Priorities Project, the people of California paid $859 million in tax dollars that were spent on missile defense. That money could have paid to allow another 106,000 children to enroll in Head Start. It could have extended healthcare coverage to nearly half a million children. It could have created over 12,000 new units of affordable housing. Or it could have hired nearly 15,000 elementary school teachers. And this year we are spending 17 percent more. That's a misplaced priority. And it is not the ticket to national security.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the historic achievements of California Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, on the occasion of the thirty-year anniversary of his election as the first African American Lieutenant Governor in California and the United States. Assemblyman Dymally's distinguished political career began in 1962 when he was elected to the California State Assembly. After serving for four years, in 1966 he became the first African American to be elected to the California State Senate. Following his service as a State Legislator, Dymally again made history by becoming the first elected African American Lieutenant Governor in 1974. In 1980 Dymally ran for Congress representing South Los Angeles County, and became the first foreign-born black to serve in the United States Congress. While serving in the 97th through 101st Congresses, he was Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and of the Subcommittee on Africa within the Committee of Foreign Affairs. After retiring from Congress in 1992, he has served in numerous academic positions and remained an active participant in international affairs. In 2002 Assemblyman Dymally returned to the California State legislature, where he currently represents the fifty-second district. On June 24th, the Oakland Black Caucus honored the anniversary of Assemblyman Dymally's historic election to the California Lieutenant Governorship. I would like to mark this occasion by commending the exceptional political achievements of Assemblyman Dymally, and by recognizing the broader social and historic implications of his extraordinary career. By remaining committed to public service and education throughout his life, Assemblyman Dymally has contributed enormously not only to the State of California, but also to the global community. I want to express my deep appreciation and respect for Assemblyman Dymally and his relentless pursuit of equality and social justice for African Americans and all people.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this bill. I would first like to thank the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Mr. Hobson, and the Ranking Member, Mr. Visclosky for their work in putting together Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. I also want to thank both of them for including $35 million in the bill to continue funding the Port of Oakland's 50-foot dredging project in my district in California. As the fourth largest container port in the country, the Port of Oakland serves as one of our premier international trade gateways to Asia and the Pacific Ocean. The 50 foot dredging project serves to underpin an $800 million expansion project funded by the Port that will improve the infrastructure at Oakland by expanding capacity and increasing efficiencies throughout the distribution chain. Current projections indicated that at the conclusion of the project an additional 8,800 jobs will be added, business revenue will increase by $1.9 billion, local tax revenues will go up by $55.5 million, and 100% of the dredging materials will be reused for wetlands restoration, habit enhancement, and upland use within the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm glad that the Subcommittee understands the importance of this project, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Chairman and Ranking Member to complete it.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank our chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), and our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for their leadership on the Committee on International Relations, a committee on which I am proud to serve, and for their consistent efforts to ensure that there is bipartisanship in this body and our committee. Let me just say to them today that I respectfully rise to disagree with them on this issue. This resolution does, however, express condolences to the families of the dead soldiers and innocent Iraqis who have been killed in Iraq. Today, unfortunately, many more lives were lost. My thoughts and my prayers go out to these families and the families of all of those who have been wounded in this unnecessary war. As a daughter of a career military officer, I know what it means to support our troops, and I do. However, this resolution paints a totally false picture of the situation in Iraq, the fact that it ignores the blamelessness of the President's claims that led us into this unjust war, and that it endorses a failed Bush policy in Iraq. As an example of what I mean, let me just draw my colleagues' attention to page 4, the third paragraph down which says, ``Paul Bremer, the administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority, has ably advanced the international coalition's goals in Iraq of transforming Iraq into a safe, secure, stable, sovereign, democratic state that serves the interests of the Iraqi people.'' This resolution also commits our troops to an indefinite period of time in Iraq. Mr. Speaker, this undue praise flies in the face of reality on the ground. Again, as I said earlier, just today it is reported that 92 people have lost their lives including three United States soldiers and more than 320 people wounded. Moreover, this resolution completely ignores the false basis for the war and its cost. It also leaves out the fact that we were misled regarding the weapons of mass destruction and the alleged cooperation between al Qaeda and Iraq as it relates to 9/11. It makes it sound as if the occupation and the aftermath of this unjust war is a success. Again, that ignores reality. We had choices; we had options. I offered an amendment that would authorize the United Nations to continue with this inspection process. Unfortunately, that failed. Now we have a resolution that celebrates the war. I respectfully disagree, and I must vote against it.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle); the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner); my colleague, our ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller); and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for making sure that this is a bipartisan bill and for incorporating many of our new policies and ideas into this bill, and ensuring that one provision is included in the bill that I introduced actually back in September of 2003, the Right to Know School Nutrition Act. Basically, today over 27 million low-income children throughout the nation have come to rely on the national school lunch program and the national breakfast program for a healthy and nutritious meal. Oftentimes this is the only source of nutrition that these kids will receive all day, so it is incredibly important that we provide healthy, nutritious meals to these students and we make sure we notify their parents about what they are eating. But, believe it or not, when it comes to the issue of irradiated food, food that is bombarded with gamma rays or electrons, there is no requirement in law that schools must notify their parents or their children about what they are eating, or even that the irradiated food was being served in school. This provision of the bill basically notifies parents and children about irradiated food, while providing a possible alternative, if the schools can so provide for that. So I am very delighted that both the House and the other body have seen fit to include a large part of my bill in this bill. I think it is very important for the health and safety of our children. It is very important that parents and children know that their food is irradiated and have some alternatives for their health. That is basically what it is about. I just want to thank the chairman of the full committee, the chairman of the subcommittee, our ranking member and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), our ranking subcommittee member, for all of their assistance in this. I fully support the bill, and hope we have a bipartisan vote.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage in a colloquy with the gentlewoman from California, the ranking member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. I want to thank the gentlewoman for her steady leadership on so many issues that are very, very grave related to our national security. Let me just say that I appreciate this opportunity to discuss an issue very briefly that is of great importance, that is, ensuring that our Federal intelligence dollars are not used to support groups or individuals engaged in efforts to overthrow democratically elected governments.

Ms. LEE. I thank the gentlewoman for her attention to this issue. I look forward to working with her.

Ms. LEE. I yield to the gentlewoman from California.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, let me just say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gary G. Miller), one point I want to emphasize also as to why this is so important is that in many of our communities that are diverse economically and ethnically, what we are seeing is the resegregation of America because of income disparities. In many communities, such as mine, for instance, you have a diminishing African-American population because the cost of housing has gone up so high and the income level has not been on par with the cost of housing. So I just want to say this bill has far-reaching implications, because, in fact, we all agree that an integrated America is also the American dream, and we want integrated communities, not communities where one cannot afford to reflect the ethnic diversity of our great country.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott) for yielding and for his leadership in a very short time in terms of his leadership on our Financial Services Committee, specifically in the areas of housing and home ownership. So thank you for your leadership and for yielding. Mr. Speaker, let me just say how delighted I am today to be able to speak in support of this bipartisan bill, with the hope that it will spur a movement toward more aggressive quality affordable housing for all Americans, and I want to thank my colleague, a member whom I had the pleasure to serve with in the California Legislature, the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), for bringing forth this bill, H.R. 658, because he certainly understands the critical need for home ownership and the affordability factor in terms of home ownership. So thank you for making sure that this is a bipartisan bill and for your leadership. Mr. Speaker, we all understand the challenges of home ownership and the need to build more affordable housing and to market products that will help more middle- and low-income individuals and families, more people of color to acquire a home. The FHA program is a very necessary tool to get these target communities into a home. It uses flexible down payment amounts ranging from 0 to 3 percent of the loans total, and it also helps with closing costs and considerable foreclosure and loss mitigation assistance. Now, FHA is pioneering in the areas of not only helping people get into their homes and purchase their homes but also helping people keep their homes. This is key to home ownership in our current economy, where bankruptcy and foreclosures have become a reality for far too many people. FHA is successful, but it, of course, is not perfect. In areas like California, currently, also areas such as Massachusetts and New York, the FHA program is crippled by the expensive housing market, and it, in fact, limits the amount of people who can participate in home ownership solely because of their geography. FHA uses a market median to calculate their loan amounts and caps loans in high-cost areas to $290,000. Our goal today is to provide a vehicle for Americans to achieve the American dream, which is very quickly, quite frankly, turning into a nightmare. We all know that it is not the stock market that provides the foundation for the accumulation of wealth for ordinary working Americans. It is the equity in one's home that allows people to, for instance, start a small business or send their children to college or to travel or to do whatever they desire to be part of the American dream, and while I recognize market forces dictate the cost of housing, in no way should we let market forces run away out of control without helping those individuals and families who really do play by the rules. When I see a dilapidated house in California, just this weekend the average cost of housing in my area, northern California, I think is $509,000. That is for a dilapidated house, quite frankly, a small shack. That is $509,000. So when I see houses going for that, I shudder at the numbers of families who are permanently shut out of homeownership. When we see a bill today, such as we have before us, that increases this limit to 100 percent of the local median price, I am very excited that finally, finally we have a vehicle now that will allow not only those individuals in California and my district to begin on the path to home ownership, but people throughout our country will see that we are for real in terms of making sure that we do something to allow them to realize the American dream. In addition, let me just close by saying how important it is to prevent foreclosures and to build more quality affordable housing that establishes through the establishment of what we are calling the National Housing Production Program, using some of the FHA reserves. So let me just say thank you once again to the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller). Thank you to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott). I want to thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from Ohio (Chairman Ney) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) for making sure our subcommittee works in a bipartisan fashion on behalf of the American people.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me just thank the gentleman for his attention to this issue and so many issues that are important to our Nation.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage today in a colloquy with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Defense appropriations. First, let me just thank the gentleman 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, that is, ensuring that our Federal defense dollars are not used to support groups or individuals engaged in efforts to overthrow democratically elected governments.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of this amendment, and I want to applaud the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays), co-chairs of the Arts Caucus, and their staff for their leadership and for this very important work of national importance. Congress has the responsibility to provide adequate funding to the National Endowment for the Humanities which is the largest single funder of humanities programs in our country; and also the National Endowment for the Arts, the infrastructure for private nonprofit and Federal arts initiatives. This support is especially important given the current state of the economy which has stifled private funding used to subsidize many arts and humanities programs nationwide. The economic downturn and our budget crisis are crippling arts initiatives all over this country, and especially in my home State of California. In my district, the 9th Congressional District of California, there are a total of 2,180 arts- related businesses that employ 10,268 of my constituents. That is a lot of people: 10,268 individuals. Many who are eager to restrict funding for NEA and NEH forget that industries that receive grants for these institutions include museums, performing and visual arts, film, radio, television, design, publishing and educational facilities in all of our districts. In Oakland, one of the cities in my district, most arts education programs are facing extinction. The result is the gradual disappearance of arts initiatives for people of all ages, ethnic background, social and economic backgrounds. This debilitates the foundation of our community. Few realize that nonprofit arts industry and the nonprofits that run our arts industries generate approximately $89.4 billion in household income nationally, and the economy, of course, reached its lowest point since the Depression. This amendment also provides funding for the NEA, which is an investment in the economic growth of communities with grants reaching every single congressional district in the country. During the last 14 years, the NEA has provided funding for over 123 programs in my district alone, including the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, the Axis Dance Company, and the East Bay Institute for Urban Arts and the Museum of Children's Arts. Clearly, a vote against this amendment, which is endorsed by our bipartisan Arts Caucus, is really an unfortunate action against the vital thread which sustains the pulse of our country. I urge all of my colleagues to support this very modest increase. It should be much more than this. This is only a $10 million increase for the NEA and $3.5 million increase for the NEH. It is the least we can do to promote and preserve American culture and heritage. Mr. Chairman, I thank the two co-chairs of the Arts Caucus.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her very eloquent statement, also for her leadership and her passion and for her commitment to children not only in our own country but throughout the world. Let me take a minute, Mr. Speaker, to mention some of the projects actually that the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), myself, and others have had the opportunity, a real privilege, to visit in Africa. We have become familiar with the work of many, many tireless individuals, committed individuals in Africa. We have met with many here in our own country. We have met on the Committee on International Relations and discussed these efforts. These individuals with barely a nickel have been able to do phenomenal work, and all of these projects that I am going to mention are led by very dynamic individuals who really continue to serve as a testament to what one person, one person, can accomplish when they have the determination and the compassion to care for their fellow human beings. The first project, the Mother of Peace Orphanage Community in Mutoko, Zimbabwe, is one that I have become quite familiar with. Founded in 1994 by Ms. Jean Cornneck, or Mama Jean as some of us call her, the children call her that also and they are the ones who actually coined Mama Jean as her name because she truly is the mother of peace. The Mother of Peace Community provides care, support, and shelter to over 170 children. The community builds basic family-style homes, each accommodating two to three caregivers and 10 to 15 children who are brought up in Zimbabwean culture. At present there are 11 of these houses. Mother of Peace also benefits members of the adjacent rural community through its farming and building activities in the community. It also plays a very huge role in the World Health Organization's Mutoko Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development Pilot Project. And I am proud to say that my own church, the Allen Temple Baptist Church, led by a great leader, Pastor J. Alfred Smith, Sr., has provided the impetus for the involvement of our community and the community in our country. And thanks to the leadership of Dr. Robert Scott and Gloria Cox Crowell, this church has set up an AIDS ministry to provide regular donations and to organize visits by our congregation to the orphanage community. It is an incredible program, and it is really a testament to how much good can be done on a shoestring budget by committed groups of people. The second program that I would like to talk about is the Bwafwano Home-based Care Organization, run by Beatrice Chola, whom I met when I traveled to Zambia last year. Working as a nurse in the Chipata health center of Lusaka, Beatrice started Bwafwano back in 1996 when she saw that the health center was overrun with HIV and AIDS and also with TB- infected patients. She recognized the strain that the Chipata health center was under, and she saw that the needs of these HIV and TB- infected patients were not being met. So she joined with several other community members to found the Bwafwano Home-based Care Organization, which literally means ``helping one another.'' Today, thanks to her leadership, Bwafwano has mushroomed into a comprehensive community care organization offering medical services, volunteer testing and counseling for HIV, schooling, home-based care, and poverty reduction and income generation programs. Since its inception, Bwafwano has trained over 300 community health workers and is currently providing home-based care to over 1,300 HIV and AIDS patients and directly observed treatment to more than 180 TB-infected patients. In addition, the organization is caring for over 1,100 orphans and vulnerable children. When I was there in August of last year, Beatrice was struggling to find just basic ways to provide school uniforms to the children that she was caring for, which was an impediment for these children to go to school, and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), and I met with these young people; and they were not able to go to school for one reason, and that is they did not have any uniforms. And I am proud to say and pleased to say that they do have their uniforms now so they can attend school just like any child in the community. Thankfully, again, as I said, she did receive the donation of about 300 school uniforms, but she still needs a lot of help. And of course I would like to mention the Nyumbani orphanages in Nairobi, Kenya, and I know many of us are familiar with Nyumbani. Founded in 1992 by Father Angelo D'Agostino, Nyumbani initially reached only a handful of orphans because of limited resources; but thanks to the unwavering commitment of Father D'Agostino, who worked hard to raise awareness about the needs of these orphaned children, Nyumbani now provides shelter and care and nutrition, education, psychological and social services to over 100 children on-site. But the work of Nyumbani does not stop there, as they reach out to the surrounding community to provide major assistance to nearly 800 HIV-positive children who are part of the Lea Toto Community Outreach Program in the slums of Nairobi. With the care and the devotion of the staff and all of its volunteers, Nyumbani now saves lives of most of these children while providing a model of care for nations trying to deal with their own growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. These three incredible programs, Mama Jean, Beatrice, Father Angelo D'Agostino, they are led by three dynamic and committed people; and they are proof that despite poverty, despite hardship, despite the odds, good programs can be created even in the most difficult settings. So it is programs like these that deserve our support. We had the opportunity to travel to South Africa and Mozambique with Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson in 2002. Once again it was a bipartisan delegation, and we visited several orphanages and saw exactly what many of the needs of these children were, and we took into consideration in writing this bill some of the recommendations and some of the ideas which we received not from ourselves necessarily but from what the African people told us, what African leaders, what the organizations told us that they needed. We are pleased to note that once again this has been a bipartisan effort. This is a humanitarian crisis of enormous catastrophe, really. It is a potential disaster, and we are trying to just on both sides of the House figure out a way to deal with it. In the bill we say in closing, ``Congress recognizing the need and prompt action by the United States to assist orphans and other vulnerable children in developing countries is an important expression of the humanitarian concern and the tradition of the people of the United States. We affirm the willingness of the United States to assist such orphans and other vulnerable children.'' And with that, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida. I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Chairman Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), our ranking member, for helping us through very difficult negotiations; but once again we are here with another small piece of our efforts to stop this pandemic.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in regards to H.R. 4061, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act of 2004, which passed the House International Relations Committee by unanimous consent on March 31. On May 5 the International Relations Committee filed H. Rept. 108-479. Because House rules prohibit the addition of co-sponsors to a bill once the committee report has been filed, I am not able to formally add another Member of Congress as a co-sponsor of this legislation. I ask that the Record show that Mr. Frank of Massachusetts is in support of my bill and should be considered by this body as a co- sponsor of H.R. 4061.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First of all let me just say I rise in support of this legislation. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida for her leadership and for her commitment to children throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, I also would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) along with my colleagues on the Committee on International Relations, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) for joining me to craft this very clear and very forward-moving bipartisan compromise agreement. Also I would like to thank them for helping us get it to the floor today. I also would like to thank our staffs for their work in crafting this bill, including Pearl Alice Marsh of the office of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), Christos Tsentas of my staff, and Peter Smith, who just recently actually left the Committee on International Relations. These members of our staffs and other staff on the Hill who have been working on this have worked on this not because it is part of their job only but because they really have a commitment to these children. I just want to thank them very much for their work. I also would like to just mention briefly and thank the Global Action For Children Campaign and its members for working so passionately on behalf of this initiative. This legislation seeks to better coordinate and comprehensively address the ever growing problem of orphans and vulnerable children in the developing world. As of 2001, an estimated 110 million children are living as orphans throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The rapid growth of HIV/AIDS in Africa and throughout the world has really dramatically impacted the number of children who are newly becoming orphans. In 2001, 34 million children, this is about 12 percent of all African children, were orphaned in sub-Saharan Africa. That is hard to imagine. Eleven million, or 32 percent of all African orphans, were orphaned as a result of AIDS. UNICEF recently released a report entitled ``Africa's Orphaned Generations'' on November 26, 2003. This report predicted that there would be, as the gentlewoman from Florida said, 20 million AIDS orphans in Africa by 2010 and that in a dozen countries 15 to 25 percent of children under 15 will have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Today every 14 seconds another child is orphaned by AIDS. With parents dying at such an alarming rate, children are left quite frankly behind without food, without shelter, without education or protection. They are left to fend for themselves. The global orphan crisis is a profound humanitarian disaster that will be felt for decades to come. This bill seeks to comprehensively address the growing global problem of orphans and vulnerable children by providing assistance to support the following activities: Basic care through community care groups. Community care groups could be community care coalitions, they could be networks, they could be support groups, they could be orphanages but through the community is very important. Treatment for HIV infected children is included in this bill. Culturally appropriate psycho-social support which is very important for children who are orphans and who are vulnerable. That is included in this bill. School food programs, lunch programs, nutrition programs, so important. Expanding educational opportunities through the elimination of school fees. Protecting inheritance rights for orphans and vulnerable children. This bill seeks to do all of this and more under the new structure of a separate office within the United States Agency for International Development focused specifically on orphans and vulnerable children. The bill was unanimously approved by the House Committee on International Relations on March 31. I am proud to say that we have bipartisan support, and now I believe it is nearly 100 Members of this body. I strongly support the amendment which is in the nature of a substitute offered by the chairman and negotiated by our staffs, as it really does improve the bill in a number of very significant ways in order to address the real concerns of several Members and organizations, including USAID. We met several times with USAID, our staff, myself, and we have listened to their suggestions and have tried to incorporate as many of their suggestions into this amendment as we deemed possible. While I understand that the agency and some of the advocacy groups still have some concerns regarding the administrative provisions of the proposed Office for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, I believe that this compromise proposal really represents the best chance we have to deal with this issue in this Congress. Each time, Mr. Speaker, that we bring a bill to the floor with regard to HIV/AIDS, like many of us here on this floor, we recognize that these bills are only but one small step forward. This bill is another one small step forward in addressing this pandemic. It is a step worthy of our support, a step that brings us closer to a solution. Briefly let me just mention two bills which we have brought to this floor which were signed into law, which again were very small but significant steps: The Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act of 2000, signed by President Bill Clinton; and the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003, signed by President Bush. Our former colleague, Congressman Ron Dellums, sounded the alarms, suggested we look at an AIDS Marshall Plan and much of this AIDS Marshall plan we are looking at now as we move these very significant bills forward. I am very proud of the fact that on this issue we have been able to work in a complete bipartisan fashion. We are committed to continue to work with USAID and our colleagues in the other body so that we can ensure that the needs of orphans and vulnerable children are properly taken care of through this bill. We have a moral duty, quite frankly, to provide for these children, these children who are really now victims of circumstance. As the world's most prosperous nation, we have an obligation to act. I am hopeful that as we pass this bill this evening we can encourage the other body to act quickly and to move this initiative forward so that we can get it enacted into law before the end of the 108th Congress. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Belafonte both a friend and mentor as he receives the Global Exchange Human Rights Award. I share his passion for civil rights, social justice, peace, lifting the embargo on Cuba, and eradicating poverty both abroad and at home. Recently, I introduced legislation to create a national Caribbean- American Heritage Month, and Mr. Belafonte was a primary influence in developing this legislation. Born in New York, but raised in Jamaica, Mr. Belafonte served our country and beyond in many ways; throughout his career, Mr. Belafonte has worked to unite the international community for just causes. When people think of Mr. Belafonte, they may remember him for his album Calypso being the first to sell over 1 million copies with his hit the Banana Boat, or they may reminisce of his scenes as the co-star in the historic adaptation of Bizet's opera, ``Carmen'' titled ``Carmen Jones.'' Many will recall Mr. Belafonte marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King was later to say, ``Belafonte's global popularity and his commitment to our cause is a key ingredient to the global struggle for freedom and a powerful tactical weapon in the Civil Rights movement here in America.'' Belafonte was named to the Board of Directors of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and at Dr. King's death, he became one of three executors of the great leader's estate. I commend him for his tireless efforts in championing the rights of people here in the United States and beyond. Showing that his talents were not limited to making history in just music and politics, Mr. Belafonte became the first African-American producer in television. His company went on to produce one Emmy- nominated success after another for the three major networks--``The Strollin' Twenties,'' written by the famed author Langston Hughes, starring such great performers as Sidney Poitier, Diahann Carroll, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Duke Ellington and ``A Time for Laughter,'' featuring Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Moms Mabley and Pigmeat Markham. The format of this special set became the model for the TV comedy series, ``Laugh-In.'' In 1960 he was named by President John F. Kennedy as cultural advisor to the Peace Corps; this position inspired Mr. Belafonte's development of our similar passion for the people of the African continent. Twenty- five years later, Mr. Belafonte won an Emmy for the all-star We Are the World video, calling global attention to war and famine crises throughout Africa. Two years later, he was appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, only the second American to hold that title. In this capacity, Mr. Belafonte created an historic symposium in Dakar, Senegal for the immunization of African children. The positive response to this symposium led to a successful campaign for the eradication of curable diseases among African children. This work was continued in a convention called ``Children of the Front Line'' in Harare, Zimbabwe. As part of this effort, with the largest concentration of African artists ever assembled, Mr. Belafonte performed a concert benefiting UNICEF. Mr. Speaker, there is much more that I would like to share about this living legend who has left a mark on our world. Clearly, Mr. Belafonte is laudable recipient of this award, which highlights his contributions toward securing human rights and freedoms locally and throughout the world. Most importantly, I am proud and honored to call ``Harry'' my friend. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to honor Mr. Belafonte, a World War II veteran, musician, visionary, activist, and my brother, in the struggle for social justice and peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in regards to H.R. 4061, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Act of 2004, which passed the House International Relations Committee by unanimous consent on March 31st. On May 5th the International Relations Committee filed House Report 108-479. Because House rules prohibit the addition of co-sponsors to a bill once the committee report has been filed, I am not able to formally add another Member of Congress as a co-sponsor of this legislation. I ask that the record show that Mr. Frank of Massachusetts is in support of my bill and should be considered by this body as a co- sponsor of H.R. 4061.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember our veterans and to mourn all our losses. Our words today cannot match the eloquence or power of the moment of silence that preceded them because that silence reflects all the voices that have been stilled by war. Each Memorial Day we pause to remember those who have fallen in the service of our country. Sadly, in the last year we have added hundreds of names to that tragic roll call. Among those names is that of twenty-six year old Specialist Joseph Carl Norquist, of Oakland, California in my district. Specialist Norquist died in Iraq on October 9, 2003. He was serving in the 588th Engineering Battalion. He died when his convoy came under fire, and he posthumously received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Today, my thoughts and prayers go out to Specialist Norquist's family and friends and to all of those who mourn loved ones that they have lost. This weekend, we also dedicate the World War II Memorial on the Washington Mall, to honor the service of those veterans, to recognize their tremendous sacrifice, and to shudder to think for a moment about what our world might have been like had they not served. Mr. Speaker, on Memorial Day, we are especially aware of the terrible costs of war. Let us also then re-dedicate ourselves to the cause of peace so that we can dream of a year when we add no new names to the roster of those who have fallen in battle.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, let me just say, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this legislation; and I urge my colleagues to do so as well. First, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith). I want to thank all of them for their very strong interest and support of the Peace Corps, its nearly 8,000 volunteers and the larger Peace Corps community. Now, last year, Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives approved the Peace Corps Expansion Act, which is designed to double the size of the Peace Corps and to increase its effectiveness overseas. The legislation before us today builds upon this important initiative by focusing on the need to improve the safety and the security of our Peace Corps volunteers. While most Peace Corps volunteers have a safe and positive experience, the General Accounting Office testified before the committee that volunteers under-reported crimes against them in part due to the belief that the Peace Corps lacks the capacity or the willingness to help. The GAO and the other witnesses also testified that the lack of well- developed assignments really discourages volunteers from adequately immersing themselves in their host communities and thereby benefiting from the protections afforded to members from these villages and also those towns. Finally, the witnesses noted that the administrative impediments such as limitations on terms of employment within the Peace Corps and worrisome changes within the Office of Medical Services constrain Peace Corps employees from providing the best possible support to volunteers. Mr. Speaker, the bill that we are considering today addresses these issues by establishing an ombudsman within the agency to listen and to attend to volunteer and employee concerns by increasing the independence of the Inspector General of the Peace Corps to strengthen his ability or her ability to act as a watchdog on behalf of volunteers, also by requiring the agency to study and to report to us on how it can improve programming for volunteers and by lifting the term limits for key offices within the agency. I strongly support all of these provisions. Now, just as I support this bill to enhance the security and well- being of the volunteers, I also might mention support for legislation which I have introduced to create a special postage stamp through the Peace Stamp Act which calls for the creation of a stamp, the revenues from which would send money to the Peace Corps. This stamp would help provide funding, badly needed funding, for the increased Peace Corps force that President Bush has called for. This bill, H.R. 4060, which we have before us today, will help us ensure the well-being of an expanded Peace Corps. Mr. Speaker, we must not lose sight of the fact that Peace Corps volunteers for over 40 years have been doing extraordinary jobs as our development ambassadors to the most remote centers of the world. They have truly been our very best ambassadors; and they have been doing their jobs, quite frankly, under very difficult and oftentimes very risky conditions. However, as we consider measures to improve the health, safety and security of our volunteers, we must be careful not to forge shields around our volunteers which will make it harder for them to reach the young English student, for example, in Central Asia or the Women's Cooperative in Peru and to reach and really pursue their own growth and development. So there is this very delicate balance that we must meet and we must put together, and I believe this bill does that. I strongly support passage of this legislation and urge my colleagues to do so as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), a good friend, a great leader in this House, a former Peace Corps volunteer who served in Colombia and who knows the Peace Corps backwards and forwards and who has provided many years of service not only in this body but in many legislative bodies, and I think especially and most importantly for us today as our Peace Corps volunteer.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the Alpha Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., as it celebrates its 75th Anniversary. Since it was chartered on June 8, 1929, the Alpha Nu Omega Chapter has enriched the social and intellectual life of African American college women in Berkeley and Oakland, California and contributed to the social and economic well-being of the greater East Bay community. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., is an international society that was founded at Howard University in January 1908. First conceived as an organization to enrich the social and intellectual aspects of college life, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority cuts across racial, international, and social barriers to help individuals and communities develop constructive relationships with others. Inspired by the mission and dedication of the National Sorority, young women in Oakland and Berkeley, California founded the Alpha Nu Omega Chapter 21 years later. The moving spirit in the establishment of Alpha Nu Omega Chapter was Soror Ida L. Jackson who, at that time, was an Oakland public school teacher. Over the years, Alpha Nu Omega Chapter has undertaken a wide range of community service activities that have greatly benefited communities in the East Bay and throughout the country. The main thrust of its work has been to aid the community through social, civic, and health programs, vocational guidance, and political awareness. As early as 1934, the chapter began supporting health programs and projects when Soror Ida L. Jackson proposed opening a health clinic in Lexington, Mississippi. In 1964, before Head Start, the chapter organized and operated an interracial ``Pre-Kindergarten Program'' for children from two elementary schools in Berkeley. Since the early 1970's, the chapter has sponsored a reading experience program-- ``Reading is Fundamental''--in several schools in Oakland. Political activities such as the Rumford Fair Housing Bill, passage of school financial bills affecting thousands of California students and teachers, and voter registration and education have all been part of Alpha Nu Omega's ongoing commitment to community service. During critical periods in our history--such as the transition from segregation to integration, wartime, the post war era, sit-ins, struggles for human dignity, acts of civil disobedience--Alpha Nu Omega has held high the torch for equality and social justice. I have no doubt that they will continue to blaze new trails and provide visionary leadership in the area of community service and political action throughout the Oakland-Berkeley area.