Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3244, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. An estimated 1 million to 2 million people are trafficked every year worldwide; 50,000 to the United States. Trafficking is the third largest source of profits for organized crime behind only drugs and guns, generating billions of dollars annually. This bill contains provisions to strengthen current law to prevent unlawful buying and selling of persons, human beings. This measure also includes the Violence Against Women Act which has provided and will now continue to provide battered women and their children a safe haven and much-needed support for their physical and their emotional well-being. Women and children are depending on passage of this important provision within this bill to help stop violent crimes that are too often committed against them. H.R. 3244 addresses the devastating problems of international sex trafficking, sexual predators, violence against women and much more. Violence and abuse against women and children will not be tolerated. I urge passage of this very important bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly urge the Senate to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Last week, the House passed VAWA by a vote of 415-3. VAWA's authorization expired on September 30, 2000. This means that the funding for these programs is scheduled to run out this month. This law has provided battered women and their children, a safe haven, and the support necessary for their physical and emotional security. VAWA has given a second chance to these women as well as saved many of their lives. Violence against women should not be tolerated. This legislation provides greater protections to all women who have been victimized and abused. I join my colleagues in urging the Senate to pass the reauthorization bill now. The women and the children of this nation are depending on the passage of this important piece of legislation to help stop violent crimes against women.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House passed H.R. 1248, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1999 by a vote of 415-3. H.R. 1248 will reauthorize the act for 5 years and expand preventive measures against violence against women. This measure will maintain and expand battered women's shelter programs, rape prevention programs as well as provide assistance to the growing number of victims. While I was a state senator in California, I introduced similar legislation because I believed then, as I do now, that this issue is extremely important to the lives of women and their children. It has been ignored for too long. In the past, domestic violence was not considered a crime. Today, however, police officers are getting trained to understand these crimes as well improve their ability to enforce the law. VAWA has provided critical services to thousands of battered women. Since VAWA passed, the Department of Justice and Health and Human Services have awarded over $1.6 billion in grants nationwide to support the work of prosecutors, law enforcement officials, the courts, victims' advocates, health care and social service professionals, and intervention and prevention programs. In addition, VAWA established a domestic violence hotline, which has received over half a million calls. Unfortunately, domestic violence still devastates the lives of many women and children. Nearly 900,000 women experience violence at the hands of an intimate partner every year. Close to one-third of women murdered each year are killed by their husbands or significant other; and domestic violence accounts for over 20% of all violent crimes against women. Children should not have to watch their mothers get beaten. Unfortunately, some of these children grow up to continue the cycle of abuse. And, they end up in prison. Again, I am pleased with the passage of the VAWA because it has helped to save numerous lives of women and their children. This law has provided battered women and their children, a safe haven, and the support necessary for their physical and emotional security. VAWA has given a second chance to these women as well as saved many of their lives. Violence against women should not be tolerated. This legislation provides greater protections to all the women who have been victimized and abused.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, September 25th, I was unavoidably detained in my district. On rollcall No. 487, H. Con. Res. 399, recognizing the 25th anniversary of the enactment of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes''.

Ms. LEE

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

Ms. LEE. That is quite a testimony; quite a testimony. It is really an honor to be able to honor tonight our Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Malcolm X once declared that education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. For over 150 years, Historically Black Colleges have provided these passports to their students. Although many African American scholars and leaders of the 19th and early 20th century disagreed about how African Americans would attain freedom and equality promised in our Constitution, they agreed, however, that educating young men and women was the most important step in succeeding in life. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, also known as HBCUs, have always offered African American young men and women a quality, affordable education at times when access to institutions of higher learning were limited or completely closed off to African Americans. According to the Herald-Sun newspaper in North Carolina, HBCUs were actually first founded in 1837, 26 years before the end of slavery. Since this humble beginning, HBCUs have become revered institutions of higher learning that have provided quality educational access to millions of African Americans. According to the United States Department of Education, there are 105 accredited HBCUs in the United States. These institutions enroll upwards of 370,000 students each year. Since 1966, HBCUs have awarded approximately 500,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. They are providers of equal educational opportunity with attainment and productivity for hundreds of thousands of students. They are educating our future world leaders. Historically Black Colleges and Universities have never been more important in providing young men and women a superior education than they are today; and now in this new era of technology, we must ensure that our HBCUs receive the necessary support to educate and train young African Americans for these unfilled jobs in the high-tech industry. And now, in my home State of California, since the end, unfortunately, of affirmative action, as we know it was banned in 1998 by passing Proposition 209, California students have increasingly become more aware of the educational benefits of attending a Historically Black College or University and many of my constituents are thriving and achieving academic excellence in these great schools. Now, although I did not have the honor of attending an HBCU, I come from a family with deep roots at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. My grandfather graduated from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas; my role model, my mother, she attended Prairie View A&M and also Southern University; and my aunts followed in my grandfather's footsteps in attending Huston-Tillotson College. My nieces graduated from Prairie View A&M. So I have really been the beneficiary of the values and the academic foundation provided me through my family's attendance and involvement at these great institutions. Black colleges have a rich history to look back upon and a vibrant future ahead. I am proud to join my colleagues tonight in celebrating their many achievements and in so doing urge the United States Congress to redouble its efforts in supporting these fine institutions of higher learning.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank and commend the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) for this special order tonight, and also for their consistent commitment and hard work on behalf of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These institutions are so important to all of us, not only in the African American community but to all of us in the entire country.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, since 1973, there has been a federal cancer data collection process in existence. Unfortunately this process failed to include ``benign'' brain tumors. I have introduced legislation to include benign brain tumors in the data collection of cancer registries. This data will directly help the entire medical system including public health agencies, scientific research labs, health system public policy groups and of course the brain tumor groups. The medical system organizations use cancer data in funding decisions, investigations, research, and care facilities. I am pleased to announce the introduction of the Benign Brain Tumor Cancer Registries Amendment Act. Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer death for children and the third leading cause of cancer death in young adults ages 15-34. The greatest increase in brain tumors has been among people 75 years of age or older. Only 37 percent of males and 52 percent of females survive five years following the diagnosis of a primary benign or malignant brain tumor. Each year, approximately 100,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with a primary or metastatic brain tumor. Nationwide, the incidence of brain tumors has increased by 25 percent since 1975 and the reasons for this increase are unknown. For many types of tumors, the distinction between benign and malignant is significant. For tumors of the brain, this distinction is not as clear. A tumor, whether malignant or benign, is a collection of cells that grow as rapidly as malignant tumors, however based on location and size, even benign brain tumors can be life threatening. Benign brain tumors account for almost 40 percent of all brain tumors. Not including these tumors in the cancer registry, underestimates the incidence of brain tumors in the general population. Roughly half of all brain tumors are benign. All brain tumors, both cancerous and benign, are potentially life-threatening. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill and support the thousands of Americans plagued with this disease.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to commemorate the Sesquicentennial of California's statehood. One hundred and fifty years ago, California became the 31st state in the union. It is my great privilege to represent the Ninth District of California, which has played a vital role in the history, economy, and culture of this wonderful state. The Ninth District has a rich history of its own in the last 150 years. Home to the City and Port of Oakland and the University of California at Berkeley, this East Bay area offers ethnic diversity, intellectual ferment, and economic vitality, and has made a wide array of contributions to science, technology, literature, the arts, and business. Oakland emerged as a major commercial and transportation center in the heyday of the California Gold Rush of 1849. It became a crucial transit point from the San Francisco Bay to Sutter's Mill and the Sierra Nevada foothills. Oakland dramatically expanded after the tragic San Francisco earthquake of 1906 as Californians sought firmer ground. The city again ballooned upward in population during the Second World War, when thousands of Americans came to the District to work in the busy shipyards, the Oakland Army Base, and the Naval Air Station in Alameda. As the city grew, so did its commitment to progressive activism. Individuals such as Cotrell Lawrence Dellums, a Pullman porter and a Bay area representative for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, began organizing fellow African-Americans to join the union in 1925, when Oakland was still strongly linked to the passenger rails. As the head of the Alameda County NAACP, he helped the AFL-CIO consolidate its membership by delivering the support of Black railroad workers and members of the NAACP, and was among the first to organize voter registration campaigns in the district. C.L. Dellums' spirit of activism has remained alive in California's District Nine throughout the years, demonstrated by minority groups organizing to demand equality, the student anti-war protests at the University of California, and working men and women joining together to demand better working conditions. Two-time Socialist Party Candidate for Mayor and ``Call of the Wild'' author Jack London called Oakland his home for nearly thirty years. From that city, London wrote many of his vivid evocations of the Far North. The East Bay's sometimes chilly climate may have helped inspire some of his more picturesque depictions of life in the Yukon. Nor was London the only cultural icon to grace Oakland's streets: Robert Louis Stephenson, and Gertrude Stein both lived in Oakland, and all enriched our literary heritage. Today, Jack London Square bears Oakland's famous son's name, such an important part of the city that is standing at the waterfront. As a sea, air and rail port, Oakland is at the hub of California trade. The maritime port stretches across nineteen miles of San Francisco Bay. One of the largest ports on the West Coast, the Port of Oakland is today second only to New York in terms of container terminal space. It is the primary sea terminal connecting the western United States of Asia, South America, and Europe. Like the seaport, the airport also represents a crucial link in the chain of intrastate, interstate, and international commerce. The Oakland Airport was also the starting point in 1937 for Amelia Earhart's ill-fated round-the- world flight. In addition to its role in transportation, the Ninth District also plays a leading role in the nation's academic life. The University of California is one of the finest academic institutions in the country. It was born out of the heady spirit of California's 1849 gold rush. In that year, the authors of the State Constitution demanded that the legislature ``encourage by all suitable means the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral and agricultural improvement'' of the people of California. The gold rush may have played out, but the university that was eventually created at Berkeley has uncovered a rich vein of ideas. Today, the University of California ranks among the top universities in the world. The historic landmarks in this district include the Camron-Stanford House, Dunsmuir House, Mills Hall located on the Mills College campus, the Paramount Theatre, the U.S.S. Hornet (CV-12), the several buildings designed by architects Julia Morgan and Bernard Maybeck. Additional landmarks in the district include the C.L. Dellums Train Station, the just-opened Chabot Observatory and Science Center, Children's Fairyland (Walt Disney's blueprint for Disneyland), Jack London Square, Lake Merritt, Lawrence Hall of Science, Oakland's Chinatown, and the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building. In recent history, our district is experiencing increased growth of ``dot coms,'' biotechnology research centers and hi-technology companies such as Bayer, Chiron, Sybase and Wind River. Four of our annual events were recently placed as a ``Local Legacy'' as a centerpiece of the Library of Congress' Bicentennial celebration. These events are the Solano Stroll, Dia de los Muertos, the Black Cowboys Parade and the Festival of Greece. I am proud that these events are recognized by the Library of Congress as a local legacy. With a century and a half of history behind it, California now stands at the brink of a new century and a new millennium. Its gold-rush inspired state motto is ``Eureka,'' a Greek word proclaiming discovery. As we move forward into the future, we must continue to celebrate our diversity, remember our past, and refute Gertrude Stein's famous Oakland lament that ``there was no there there.'' There is a there, there, and for a hundred and fifty years there has been.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay homage and tribute to a great community leader and mentor. Julian ``Rich'' Richardson, an honorable member of the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area community, and a great distributor of knowledge to the human family, passed away Monday, August 21, 2000. It was an honor and privilege to have known this incredible man, whom I called my friend. One of eight children, Rich put himself through school at the Tuskegee Institute, founded by Booker T. Washington, working nights and weekends at a print shop. He studied under the famous scientist George Washington Carver, and earned a degree in Lithography. While at Tuskegee Institute he married his beautiful and brilliant wife, Raye, and they settled in San Francisco in the 1940's, a time when Black people were still denied access to many hotels, restaurants, and jobs that paid a livable wage. During the Korean conflict he served his country in the Army as a map printer, and in 1960 launched Success Printing, a printing and publishing company. Julian Richardson then opened Success Books, later renamed Marcus Books, after Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican and Harlem-based Black Nationalist who urged Blacks to foster a connection to their African homeland and learn a history commonly ignored in American textbooks. Marcus Books is not only one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the country, it is a venue for new and vintage novels, a place for the community to meet with the numerous Black intellectuals, poets, and legends who frequent the store on book tours. Rich not only sold books that bettered the lives and intellects of countless members of the community, he cultivated an audience for the books and nurtured authors, even publishing a number of them. Rich, with his family by his side, introduced a world of literature and an appreciation of books to thousands of people who would not have had such an opportunity without his landmark bookstores. At Marcus Bookstores, I personally spent many hours among my heroes; the intellectuals, artists, musicians, poets, and authors that spoke through the enormous collection of works contained within the shelves. Many times I came across authors with whom I was unfamiliar, and this remarkable community institution allowed me to expand my intellect and world view by discovering their work. Rich was a giant among men, a champion for Black people and a true leader in every sense of the word. His great insight and wisdom allowed him to be a mentor, educator, and even a surrogate to young men in the community who did not know their fathers and looked to him for advice, support, and criticism that was given with compassion. On a personal level, Rich always encouraged me no matter what I was doing--as a student, an aide to Congressman Ron Dellums, and throughout my career of public service--Rich uplifted my spirits and told me to carry on. I know I speak for the thousands of individuals whose lives have been bettered in saying that Julian ``Rich'' Richardson will be greatly missed, and that his contribution to the Black community and the entire world is immeasurable.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor today to salute Henry F. Mozell for his years of invaluable service in Oakland's fight to alleviate hunger and homelessness. His retirement marks the end of an extensive and distinguished career as a champion for the less fortunate. Born in Dover, North Carolina, Mr. Mozell began serving the Oakland community upon the completion of his service in the U.S. Navy. His studies at the University of California in Urban Studies advanced his interests in community welfare. Since his initial community projects, Mr. Mozell has been an active supporter of programs developed to combat hunger and homelessness in Oakland. His commitment to providing innovative programs such as the Mayor's Hunger and Relief Program has earned him national recognition. Among the many awards Mr. Mozell has received during his career are the Mayor's World Food Day Award, the East Oakland Hope Award for the establishment of a hot meal site, and a Project Volunteer Award for bringing farm foods to Oakland. Most recently, he has been awarded with the Global Peace Award from Oaktown. His active role in the political arena includes his service as the President of the East Oakland Democratic Club, the Vice President of the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee and his service on the State of California's Affirmative Action Committee. These positions are a testament to his continued involvement and concern for our community. I proudly join friends, colleagues and family in honoring Henry Mozell's work, achievement and forthcoming retirement from a rewarding career.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today we are commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law has proven to make a tremendous impact on the lives of 54 million individuals in our country. In the past decade, Americans with disabilities have been provided protection in employment, public services, public accommodations, as well as services operated by private entities, and transportation, telecommunications providers. Since the passage of the ADA, millions of Americans have had the opportunity to contribute to society by being able to work in all fields of employment. This monumental law has also allowed disabled Americans to enjoy life by increasing their access to recreational activities as well as removing obstacles to business and leisure travel. Because of the ADA more and more individuals are able to travel with their families or guide dogs with better accommodations and less barriers. People with disabilities now have more access to shopping areas, dining facilities, theaters, travel services, and much more. The ADA has helped to ensure equal employment opportunity as well as allowed individuals to materialize their educational and professional goals. This law has opened up many doors to millions of Americans by allowing them to lead independent and self-sufficient lives. The ADA has been an important tool in the fight to eliminate all forms of discrimination. The ADA has provided reasonable accommodations in the workplace. The ADA has made major differences in the lives of many individuals. Let's all celebrate the anniversary of the passage of this important law and celebrate the lives of millions of Americans.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Further reserving the right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, first I would like to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) for their tremendous leadership on this issue. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the Committee on Banking and Financial Services. I would also, in addition, like to thank the Committee on Banking and Financial Services staff and the committee staff of the Committee on International Relations as well as my own staff for their hard work. But I want to especially thank my senior legislative assistant, Michael Riggs, who has worked tirelessly on this effort. I must also recognize and give credit really to my predecessor and a great statesman, Congressman Ron Dellums, and members of the Congressional Black Caucus for their strong support. Ron has been sounding the clarion call about this pandemic of HIV/AIDS globally for many years. The drumbeat is now being heard. Today we see the collective work of Members of Congress, the Clinton administration, HIV/AIDS specialists and activists, faith-based communities, Africans, and the business community coming together. At this moment, the global AIDS crisis is the most urgent humanitarian crisis of our time. It is estimated that 6,000 people die each day of AIDS in Africa. Since I introduced the AIDS Marshall Plan last August, nearly 3 million people have died. This is not a Democratic issue, nor is it a Republican issue. It is a moral issue that demands a moral response. AIDS, like all diseases, knows no boundaries. There is no guarantee that the scale of the problem in one continent can be contained within that region. So our message is clear. Today with the passage of this bill we will press forward with our commitment to fight the war against HIV/AIDS and to stem the tide of death. We know that with resources we can fight this war and save lives and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Today we are taking a major step in the right direction. I am confident that the bill that we pass today will push us even further in our commitment to fighting AIDS in Africa. I believe that the quick pace at which we are moving reflects the urgency of this crisis. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce). I want to say that today we are showing America and we are showing the world that Africa and the fate of humanity really does matter and that the United States is prepared to show leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This is really a defining moment for us all. It is a historic day. I am pleased that we are approving this important piece of legislation.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time and also for her commitment and her consistent work in support of the rights of all women. I rise in strong support today of the DeLauro amendment that strikes the prohibition of abortion coverage within the Federal Employees Health benefits Plans. Approximately 1.2 million women of reproductive age rely on the Federal employees health benefits program. Denying them access to health services is denying them the right to lead healthy lives as they so choose. Restricting this fundamental right is discriminating against women in the public sector. We are currently denying these women access to a legal health service. The DeLauro amendment would allow government employees to choose a health care plan that would cover the full range of reproductive services, including abortion. It is wrong to impose personal ideology on compensation benefits to millions of women. This provision would not result in government subsidized abortions. Instead, it would allow women in the public sector the same fundamental reproductive health services as women in the private sector. Why should a woman be denied access to care simply because she chooses to work for the Federal Government? This is so unfair and it is wrong. The current prohibition has made it more difficult and more dangerous for women working in the Government to exercise their constitutional guarantee of freedom of choice. We must begin to take the politics out of providing health care for Federal employees.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for offering this amendment and for really allowing us to come to the floor to debate this issue which is so, so important. Opening the door for the sale of food and medicine to Cuba is really a step in the right direction for America and for Cuba. More than a decade has passed since the end of the Cold War. Yet one of the most Draconian policies from that era still exists, the United States trade embargo against Cuba. This is outrageous. Now, I have visited Cuba on several occasions, and I have seen firsthand the immoral and inhumane impact of food and medical sanctions. I have witnessed the suffering and fear of people on kidney dialysis machines which need American parts in order to function properly so that their lives can be saved. The Cold War has been banished to the ash bins of history. But unfortunately, the trade embargo with Cuba lives on. It is time to lift this embargo, especially on food and medicine, against an island of about 10 or 11 million people, 90 miles away from the coast of Florida. Even our own Department of Defense said that it poses no national security threat to the United States of America. I support real action on this issue like the Rangel amendment, not watered down compromises. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and further implore the President of the United States to lift the economic sanctions against Cuba.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I studied Maslow and Freud and Jung and all of the great psychiatrists and behavioral scientists of our time, and I studied psychology because I wanted to try to understand human behavior more. I went into community mental health, psychiatric social work, because I learned very quickly that the environment and the social context in which a child or a human being lives really that context impacts their life, their behavior and their mental health. So mental health is a question of just that; it is a question of health. For too long it has been stigmatized, and it has been neglected. In the early 1970s, when I was in graduate school, I actually founded a community mental health center; and it was called Change, Incorporated, and it was in Berkeley, California. I founded that center so that we could destigmatize and remove the artificial barriers about mental health for primarily low-income African American residents of that community. That mental health center survived for 10 years, but this was in the early 1970s, and we had a hard time raising money then for resources to provide the intervention and the counseling. What we saw, though, during those 10 years was the psychologists, social workers, counselors, made an enormous difference in the lives of children and families through intervention, through quality mental health services. Now, as I said, this was in the early 1970s. Here we are now in the year 2000 and we are still talking about the fact that mental health is not a critical component of our national health policy, and we are struggling to raise resources and to provide new resources for mental health counselors. We can help our children and we can offer alternatives to desperate young people, averting some of the terrible schoolyard tragedies which we have seen that really dominate our nightly news. Substance abuse, violence, school dropouts, suicide all of these are manifestations of a young child's acting out, yearning to be heard, wanting us as adults to do something to help. They are calling out for help. Suicide rates among African American youth have increased 100 percent in the last 10 years, 100 percent. This is really a silent epidemic that is taking our young people one by one, and I know that with some form of intervention most of these lives would have been saved. So we do need community programs, and we do need to offer mental health services in our schools. We need school counselors. In my own State of California we have one counselor to 1,100 children. Can one imagine? Teachers need to be freed up to teach. Some children come to school hungry. They cannot concentrate. Consequently they act out. A teacher has to deal with that. If there were a counselor available, the teacher could refer that child to a counselor; and the counselor could develop a case management plan to help that child rather than allowing that child to be suspended or to fall out or to drop out of school. So I am very proud to be with the gentlewoman tonight. I thank her for this. I am in full support of her bill, which is such an important bill, The Give a Kid a Chance Omnibus Mental Health Services Act for Children. I think that is a great title for the bill. It will really forge a critical link in our health network. It also will boost badly needed resources for communities to develop community mental health programs for children and adults, the same thing that we tried to do in Berkeley, California, in the early 1970s. So here we are again. We need mental health professionals in every school. We need our families and children to know that it is okay to seek a counselor and to seek a mental health professional, and we need to give our kids a chance.

Ms. LEE. Mental health professionals need to be paid what they deserve to be paid, and based on their workload they need to be paid twice as much. Let me just say that one has to believe that the mind and the body are equally important. I think all of us believe that, but we have not put our money where our mouth is. Mental health parity is critical if one believes that one's spirit, one's mind is just as important as the physical body. Psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, all of these mental issues, and I will not call it mental illness either because we still do not have a clear definition of mental illness, but all of these behavioral difficulties can be cured in many instances. So why do we not elevate the mind and the body on an equal basis, because certainly one cannot be treated without treating the other? So additional resources making mental health policy as part of our national health policy should really be a national priority, and we should use some of our surplus to do just that.

Ms. LEE. Or psychiatrists or psychologists.

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my esteemed colleague, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), for really organizing the opportunity to discuss a crucial national issue, the mental health of our children. Let me just say I am a proud social worker. I actually studied psychology during my undergraduate term at Mills College in California and then I went on to receive my masters in social work, a degree at the University of California.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a great sense of loss as I pay tribute to Ms. Marsha Corprew, a prominent Oaklander and educational leader, who left us on July 3, 2000 at the age of 51. Ms. Corprew was a resident of the West Oakland community for all her life. After graduating from Oakland public schools, Ms. Corprew attended Merritt Community College and California State University, Hayward. She completed her class work at the University of Hawaii and the University of California, Berkeley. After her years of education, Ms. Corprew returned to the community and through the course of her life, she donated a generous amount of time and energy to keeping her community alive. After her education, Ms. Corprew went on to teach and counsel youth at McClymonds High School, Elmhurst Junior High School, and in a number of Oakland's public school programs. In addition to her educational efforts, she served as a volunteer to a number of community organizations concerning Oakland's educational and political life. For 22 years, Ms. Corprew served as a volunteer on the Oakland Parks and Recreation Commission. During that time, she was also an officer for the Oakland Education Association, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Political Action Committee, Friends of Parks and Recreation, and the Alameda County Education Association. Through the course of the last two decades, Ms. Corprew's contributions have been honored. She won the Peralta College Chancellor's Award in 1987 and College Bounders Award in 1983 for her volunteer work. She will be missed by her family, friends, colleagues and the community. At Ms. Corprew's request no funeral was planned, but a ``Celebration of Life'' in her honor will be held on July 19, 2000, at the Lakeside Park Garden Center.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for her leadership and also for her efforts in helping the orphans and the children of Africa who are suffering now as a result of their parents dying of AIDS. I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership. We participated in a mission last year. During that time in Southern Africa, we realized that we had to come back and do something. We looked in the eyes of babies, and there was no way that we could let these children live like this without us at least trying to do something for them. This morning, I had the honor and the privilege to participate with the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) in actually witnessing the United Nation's Security Council's historic discussion and vote regarding the importance of HIV and AIDS education and prevention as it relates to peacekeeping forces. We all know that an ounce of prevention is really worth a pound of cure. We should be proud of the fact that our own ambassador, Ambassador Holbrooke, has and continues to take the lead in raising the moral concerns, the humanitarian concerns, and, yes, the security concerns of the AIDS pandemic. He has done remarkable work in little time to educate the world community; and that is, definitely, he has put forth and set forth a course to actually break the silence in the world with regard to this pandemic. We were waging war on this. I am proud of the Congress in terms of our bipartisan efforts to wage war on this deadly disease. I think today the resolution that was passed by the Security Council really takes us one step forward in waging the battle that we must wage on this.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, today I celebrate the Grand Opening of the Museum of African American Technology (MAAT) Science Village in Oakland, California. This event will take place on Saturday, July 29, 2000. The Science Village is a unique effort by the Northern California Council of Black Professional Engineers (NCCBPE) to present the lives and scientific contributions of African Americans. Through the museum's interactive features, and the ancient African concept of Ma'at, which explores truth and balance in relation to the universe, the Village will encourage the NCCBPE's long standing goal of increasing the number of African American youth who pursue careers in science and engineering. The Village includes a diverse number of showcases that will reach out to the community. In addition to the scientific concepts and applications that the community has access to, the Science Village will feature a science mobile that will reach out to the community with supplemental classroom material and fun activities. The actual museum will run a series of seminars about the scientific achievements of African Americans, while providing a collection of magazines, books, and journals that focus on their achievements and their remarkable lives. It is the hope of the NCCBPE that the scientific accomplishments of African Americans will encourage further discovery in the lives of today's youth. To that end, the museum will also provide further information on methods to prepare for a career in science and engineering. An Internet cafe will also complement the museum's more traditional materials. The cafe will be complete with computers for teaching scientific concepts and technical skills while providing outlets for academic and career research. The African American Technology Science Village is truly an innovative reminder of the vital ways that the African American community has contributed to this country's development. I am excited to join in the grand opening and look forward to the possibility of similar facilities being established throughout the country.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I advise my colleagues that the Aerospace Electronic Commerce Working Group, sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association, is meeting on July 19, 2000, in Oakland, California, where they are collaborating and reaching consensus about electronic commerce standards and implementation conventions. The purpose is to simplify eBusiness implementation for small- and medium- size suppliers who must comply with both government and commercial requirements for electronic commerce capabilities. Without collaboration among supply chain leaders at the top of virtual enterprise trading teams, suppliers face complexities that compound implementation and compliance costs. The Aerospace initiative began several years ago with consultants from Oakland leading facilitation on behalf of the Department of Defense Joint Electronic Commerce Program Office, managed by the Oakland Electronic Commerce Resource Center Program. This is an ongoing requirement as business rules, business process scenarios, and enabling technologies change constantly. Having the ability to conduct electronic commerce is a requirement for any business that is serving government customers. It is also a requirement for members of defense and other agency supply chains. The effort by supply chain leaders to make it possible for all suppliers to participate is to be commended. I am proud that our community can catalyze progress on behalf of suppliers, many of which are minority, small disadvantaged businesses. Electronic commerce and eBusiness can increase access by small- and medium-sized businesses to new and expanding market opportunities.