Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. It also salutes them for their commitment to nonviolence, to the recognition of Israel's right to exist and to their dedication to achieve a two-state solution. I would like to thank our staff, Mr. Berman. I would like to thank Alan Makovsky and Matthew Zweig of the staff of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and I would also like to thank Gregory Berry and Scott Exner on my staff. This is the spirit in which I hope we can move forward in terms of nongovernmental peace builders and move toward achieving a just and lasting peace. Let's be cognizant of the fact today that peace is possible. Thank you, Mr. Berman. Thank you, Ms. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. I thank the committee for the resolution. The Rebuilding Alliance, Palo Alto, CA, September 23, 2008. Dear Representative, I am very proud to support H. Res 1369, a positive and constructive resolution to advance the cause of peace and justice in Israel and Palestine and I urge you to vote for it. I am really proud that Representative Lee was willing to work with us at the Rebuilding Alliance and the Middle East Policy Advisory Committee to bring this resolution to the floor. At its heart, H. Res. 1369 recognizes those people-- Israelis and Palestinians-- who continue to pursue peace and justice with every breath they take, despite their own overwhelming personal losses. These are the people who make a difference in their communities, and it is to them we offer encouragement. Let me tell you about some of them: I want Congress to care about the peacemakers in the Village of Al Aqabah and all those who seek to help them: Last week, Mayor Haj Sami Sadik came, in his wheelchair, to Washington DC to meet with Congressional and Senate staff. He is the mayor of the Palestinian West Bank Village of Al Aqabah and he came to ask your help to save his kindergarten and village from demolition. Israeli Architect Shmuel Groag, a founder of BIMKOM: Planners for Planning Rights, joined him, along with me, American Donna Baranski-Walker, executive director of the Rebuilding Alliance, the SF Bay Area nonprofit that helped the village build their kindergarten and brought them here to ask Americans to help save it. I care about Al Aqabah. I care about their kindergarten with 130 students. The village holds full title to its land, without question--and they even won an earlier case before the Israeli High Court of Justice to remove the Israeli Army's training camp from the village gates. As they were rebuilding their kindergarten, the Israeli Army issued demolition orders against the kindergarten, the medical center, the mosque, and nearly all the homes in the village. The village held to their belief that justice will prevail as Mayor Haj Sami Sadik again petitioned the Israeli High Court of Justice to recognize their village's right to exist. Now he filed the village's own master plan with the Israeli Army's Civil Authority and asks the world's help to see the village's plan approved, and to help his village thrive. I care about the Rachel Corrie Charity in Rafah, Gaza, holding their soccer tournament on the land where 2200 Palestinian homes once stood, as a way to build community and goodwill near a very traumatized refugee camp. The Rebuilding Alliance brought one of the founders of this group, Khaled Nasrallah, to the U.S., joining Cindy and Craig Corrie, parents of the late American Rachel Corrie, in a six-state speaking tour three years ago. The Rachel Corrie Charity is being sponsored by the Gaza Community Mental Health Organization, a Palestinian non-governmental organization that deeply opposes violence and is itself an outspoken advocate of freedom, fairness, and democracy--and many congressional staff met with one of the founders of Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, Mr. Husam El Nounou, along with Rebuilding Alliance board member from Jerusalem, Rabbi Jeremy Milgrom, helping Mr. El Nounou return home when the Gaza's borders were first blockaded in 2006. I care about the Free Gaza Movement and the Americans, Internationals, Israelis, and Palestinians who worked together to steer their boats through international waters to break the siege of Gaza last month. My friend and Representative Lee's constituent, Paul Larudee, was on one of those boats. It is important to recognize their nonviolent activism and urge an end to the collective punishment of 1.4 million people in Gaza and speak out against using blockades and siege as tools of diplomacy. I care about the Israeli and Palestinian peacemakers who are part of a group called Combatants for Peace. These are Israeli former soldiers and Palestinians who have been in Israeli jails who now pledge not to use violence, but instead to work together for peace and justice. Their Palestinian cofounder, Bassam Aramin, lost his daughter Abir to a soldier's rubber coated bullet. Their Israeli cofounder, Elik Elhanan, lost his sister when a suicide bomber detonated. Together they and 500 more like them, choose peace. Combatants for Peace has launched the Abir's Garden Project to build playgrounds at Palestinian schools in memory of Abir Aramin. These are but four groups working to bring about a real peace in Israel and Palestine. I look forward to inviting all the peacemakers in each congressional district to forums with their Representatives to describe their work for peace in Israel and Palestine. Honorable Representatives, I hope each of you will send letters of encouragement to those Peacemakers in Israel and Palestine who they support. H.Res 1369 moves beyond condemnation to begin a process of recognition and encouragement. I believe that this form of recognition can open doors and I urge your support. To the peacemakers, may you know that your work makes a difference. May you continue your efforts and may the Congress of the United States join you to help you realize your goals. To the honorable members of the U.S. House of Representatives, I urge you to vote for H.Res. 1369 and recognize these and many more peacemakers in Israel and Palestine. Please use your influence to keep them safe, help them achieve their goals, and press for a negotiated peace agreement between Israel and Palestine that is viable and fair to all. Sincerely, Donna Baranski-Walker, Executive Director of the Rebuilding Alliance.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, due to personal matters, today I missed rollcall vote No. 585 on approving the Journal, rollcall vote No. 586 on H. Res. 1420 regarding the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, rollcall vote No. 587 on final passage of H.R. 6532 to restore the highway trust fund balance, and rollcall vote No. 588 on the motion to adjourn the House. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of these four rollcall votes.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Thank you very much. And let me thank you, Congresswoman Clarke, a daughter of the Caribbean, for your leadership and for having the vision and the tenacity to put everything aside and go to Haiti this past weekend. And I want to thank you for that presentation because hopefully the rest of the country is watching and will have some sense of the tragedy that is taking place in Haiti. And because of your leadership, Congressman Kendrick Meek, and Congresswoman Donna Edwards, I think this Congress will have a better handle now on what we need to do and what has taken place, which is beyond our imagination. So thank you, again, for stepping up to the plate and for your leadership. Yes, four tropical storms and hurricanes in 4 weeks, Fay, Hanna, Gustav, and Ike. These storms left Haiti devastated. Also other Caribbean islands have been devastated as well as, of course, the gulf coast in our own Nation. So tonight our thoughts and our prayers, first of all, go out to the families and the residents of all of these communities in all of these countries that have been devastated by these storms. And I will also just say that we have to do something and we have to do it quickly. And I want to thank Congresswoman Maxine Waters for right away asking that we sign on to making this request of $300 million. And as a member of the Appropriations Committee, I know that all of us are going to work very hard to try to make sure that at least the $300 million is there. And also thank you, Congresswoman Waters, for your leadership and for tonight, your presentation, putting all of this really in a historical context because we have to remember that Haiti is a vulnerable country and has been for many, many years. And we can't separate out our work now in terms of emergency assistance and relief from the work that we have to do long-term because of many of the issues that we have to address as it relates to infrastructure, job creation, health care, helping to develop water systems. All of those issues that you have been working on for so many years. So thank you very much for reminding us of the long-term work that still remains to be done. This year, I believe it was in May, Congresswoman Kilpatrick and I led a congressional delegation to Haiti; and we were looking then at the conditions on the ground as it related to the soaring food prices. But our questions and what we wanted to know was what if our worst fears would come true, and that is what if another hurricane hits when the process of rebuilding and developing the agriculture sector and helping the emergency food assistance, while all of this is taking place, we said what if another hurricane hits this summer. And we didn't even want to ask that question because we were worried and we knew that we would have to face now, and the people of Haiti would have to face, the enormous, enormous tragedy now that they have to deal with. So tonight I think it's important for us to recognize the fact that we have to do more. Our own country I want to commend for doing everything we can do that we have done. It is remarkable to hear what you all have said you saw down there taking place and what our ambassador has done and what our armed services' young men and women are doing. I know our Peace Corps is engaged. I have a cousin in Haiti, and they're working very hard with the NGO community to develop a response. But also we have to remember now what you pointed out in terms of the transportation system. We have to be creative in how we help deliver this emergency assistance and this humanitarian assistance because this is a devastating hurricane that is of enormous proportions that will require new ways of doing things, new ways of delivering assistance, new ways of helping to save lives. Five hundred people. Let's hope it stays at 500 people who have died. Of course our prayers go out to the families of the 500 people. It's hard to imagine what else the--what other deaths have occurred as a result of this, but let's pray it stays at 500, unfortunately. There are 70,000 people in shelter now, 250,000 and more in need of assistance. Many of the cities under water. It's hard for us to imagine. But thank you for those charts and those photographs tonight because I think now we're coming to grips with the reality of what has happened and what has set in and how we have to redouble our efforts with a sense of urgency. And we have to work on all fronts. I know Congressman Engel and myself, we're working on a briefing with the ambassadors with the region. Hopefully, the entire congressional body, both Members' staff, both sides of the aisle, will come out for those meetings later on this week. We've got to provide more than the $20 million. Twenty million, yes. That's a decent amount for relief efforts, but much more will be needed. We've got to have much more than $20 million; $300 million in assistance, which Congresswoman Waters has asked for, may or may not be enough, but thank you again for asking for $300 million. We've got to start somewhere. And so, again, as the world leader, the United States I think is stepping up to the plate and has to show the rest of the world that we can lead, we can help our neighbors, and we can help not only in the most immediate and necessary emergency assistance that's required, but also with the long-term sustainable development assistance that we must begin to look at and provide for Haiti. So tonight we're sounding the alarm. Congressman Meek, Congresswomen Clarke and Edwards went to Haiti. They came back. And they didn't have to do this. They could have been in their districts. They could have been doing other things this weekend, but they stopped and took their time so that they could come back and make sure that all of us were on the same page and that all of us heard that alarm. And we may see it on the TV, we may hear it from our friends in the community, but until it's real and it's made real and we have these meetings and discussions and forums here in Washington where the funding, hopefully, will come from, that's where I think this debate needs to be right now in terms of what we can do as Members of Congress. So I have to thank you again for your leadership and giving us the opportunity to pull together and do something. Because I think to do nothing would really put us on the side of history that we would be ashamed of in the future. I think we all want to be on the right side of history at this moment in terms of how we respond to a country that is vulnerable, that has been under attack, that has been poor forever, that regardless of how poor, has resilient people who continue to be proud, who continue to get up, who continue to want to work, who continue to want a better day. We have to be on the side of those people of Haiti now and show them that we are their friends and their allies and will continue to work to support their efforts. There's a slogan that we use, I know, in my district in our community when we talk about Haiti. We say, ``Let Haiti live.'' Let Haiti live. Now we're talking about let Haiti survive. I think Congresswoman Waters and Edwards and Clarke talked about how vulnerable and fragile Haiti is right now. So before Haiti can live, it's got to survive. So tonight we're saying let Haiti survive; let's find the will and the way and the means to do everything we can do to make sure that the people of Haiti receive the type of humanitarian and emergency assistance, but also the type of long-term assistance that they deserve and that we definitely intend to provide. Thank you again.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to pay tribute to the life and legacy of a great woman, my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. First, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Stephanie's entire family, her son Merv and her sister Barbara. I also want to offer my condolences to the constituents of Ohio's 11th Congressional District, to all of Stephanie's many friends and colleagues, and, of course, to her staff here in Washington, DC and in Ohio. On August 20th, the people of Cleveland, this Nation and the world lost a giant in the fight for equality and justice when we lost our beloved Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. When I walked on to the floor tonight, I looked for Stephanie. She wasn't in the Speaker's Chair presiding. She wasn't on the floor moving around, energizing and inspiring our deliberations. It is hard to accept the fact and to believe that her physical presence won't be with us anymore. So many knew Stephanie Tubbs Jones for her exceptional work on behalf of her constituents and for the many barriers she broke and trails she blazed as the first African American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, as the first African American woman to serve on the Ways and Means Committee, and the first to chair the House Ethics Committee. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones and I came to Congress about the same time. We worked closely together for a decade, and she was one of the most remarkable persons I have ever known. Whether it was standing up for Ohio voters and fighting for election reform, or fighting to end the unjust war and occupation of Iraq, she was always on the right side of history. And, like for many, Stephanie Tubbs Jones was a very, very good friend. Friendship means different things to different people. Stephanie's friendship for me meant trust. She was my confidante. Stephanie's friendship for me meant support. Stephanie Tubbs Jones' friendship meant spending girl time, shopping, eating, traveling, talking about matters of the heart, like her man-child son Merv, who was her heart and her soul. Stephanie's friendship to me meant being for real in discussions about political and legislative issues. And Stephanie's friendship for me meant a lot of love. I always remember last year when my father passed away, the love and concern for me and my family that she displayed. With the loss of her husband, her mother, her father and her sister, she assured me that I needed to grieve, and she called me day and night to make sure I wasn't planning on coming right back to work after the funeral. And, oh, how right she was. From attending events together, to just grabbing dinner or an occasional down moment, we spent a great deal of time together throughout the years. Stephanie was my traveling partner. We shared magnificent experiences in Israel and in Cuba. I will always cherish those times and memories. It was during some of our travel together and our work together for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation that I got the chance to know her husband, Mervyn Jones, whom she loved dearly and tragically lost in October of 2003. In the wake of his death, Stephanie created two very successful Golf and Bid Whist Tournaments in his memory through the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. And she insisted that her friends and her colleagues participate with her. She loved young people, and made sure that these annual events helped raise money for countless scholarships. I know she would be pleased that a scholarship now has been established in her memory. Some have spoken of Stephanie's culinary experiences and skills. She would bring some of her fabulous chili here to share with us, and always loved to it share her recipes, especially her mustard-based fried catfish and her mother's fried corn recipe. I can remember calling her on her cell one day. She was in a meeting in Cleveland while I was preparing her fried corn recipe. Of course, I didn't quite get it right, so she stepped out of this meeting and she walked me through this recipe, step by step. We all have so many Stephanie stories. She was a woman for all seasons, a devoted mother, a devoted sister, a brilliant legislator, a dedicated representative of Ohio's 11th Congressional District, and she was a history maker, as the first African American woman to break many glass ceilings. And, yes, she was my trusted friend, a true friend, and a fabulous woman whose smile lifted us all up and forced us to be positive, even on days when we were down. Stephanie was my gym partner, as we both tried to get our physical fitness regimen back on track. Yes, the Honorable, and that she was, Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Stephanie Tubbs Jones, was a great con- gressperson, and she never lost the common touch. She would help people find their seats on the airplane, she mentored young people, and she would constantly remind us to be strong advocates for working men and women. Recalling her father's work as a skycap, she never forgot who she was, and she used her positions to help those shut out and those underrepresented. So, yes, we owe Stephanie Tubbs Jones a debt of gratitude. I thank her son Mervyn and her sister Barbara and her entire family for sharing this brilliant and beautiful woman with us. Her spirit is smiling tonight on us. It continues to move around this floor, nudging us to do the right thing. May God's grace and His love undergird her family during these difficult days, and may we redouble our efforts in Stephanie's memory, our efforts for justice and peace and equality and to make this a better world for all.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. First, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to her entire family, especially her son Mervyn and her sister Barbara. I want to also offer my condolences to the constituents of Ohio's Eleventh Congressional District, to all of her many friends, her colleagues-- especially in the Congressional Black Caucus--and of course to her staff here in Washington and in Ohio. On August 20, 2008 the people of Cleveland, this Nation and the world lost a giant in the fight for equality and justice when we lost my beloved friend and colleague Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. So many know Congresswoman Tubbs Jones for her exceptional work on behalf of her constituents and for the many barriers she broke and trails she blazed as the first African American woman elected to Congress from Ohio, as the first African American woman to serve on the powerful Ways and Means Committee, and as the first to chair the House Ethics Committee. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones and I came to Congress about the same time. We worked closely together for a decade and she was one of the most remarkable persons I have ever known. Whether it was standing up for Ohio voters and fighting for election reform or fighting to end the unjust war and occupation in Iraq, she always stood on the right side of justice. She was a political giant, a skilled legislator, an incredible orator, but she was much more than that to me. She was also my sister in arms, my confidant, and my friend. We spent many an evening in Washington together throughout our decade long friendship. From attending events together, to just grabbing dinner or an occasional down moment, we've spent a great deal of time throughout the years. We also spent many mornings together. You see Stephanie was also my gym partner along with Congresswoman Laura Richardson. Stephanie and I also had the chance to travel together on several occasions to places like Cuba and Israel. I will always treasure those times and memories. It was during some of our travel together, and our work together for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, that I got the chance to know her husband, Mervyn Jones, whom she loved dearly and tragically lost in October 2003. In the wake of his death, Stephanie created a scholarship golf tournament in his memory, which has become a successful annual event. I know she would be pleased that a scholarship has been now arranged in her honor. Unquestionably, her passing has left a tremendous hole in the Congress, in the Congressional Black Caucus, and in my heart. I will miss my beautiful friend and sister, Congresswoman Tubbs Jones so very much. My thoughts and prayers remain with the Congresswoman's entire family, her son Mervyn, her sister Barbara, her staff, her friends and her many supporters. May her soul rest in peace..

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the life and contributions of Mr. Carl Dickerson as his family and friends join together to celebrate the joyous occasion of his 70th birthday. An innovative entrepreneur, community advocate, and tireless champion for civil rights and equality, Mr. Dickerson has contributed immensely to our society. Carl Dickerson was born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania on September 12, 1938. Born into a loving family, Carl established a deep value system centered on hard work and close relationships which he has carried with him through his many lifetime accomplishments. After graduating from high school, Carl served his country and pursued his education with an endless voracity and thirst for knowledge. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army College of Emergency Administrative Analysis in Battlecreek, Michigan, as well as of the U.S. Army Staff College of Nuclear Science in Sheeps Head Bay, New York. In 1960, Mr. Dickerson received his degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and went on to complete graduate work at Temple University. Carl Dickerson's life has been filled with groundbreaking business ventures, community contributions, and accomplishments both as a recognized leader and astute businessman. For four years, Mr. Dickerson served our young people as a dedicated educator, teaching at West Philadelphia High School in Pennsylvania and at the University of California, San Francisco. In the business world, he served as the president of Echo911 and the Principal at IGP Tech. Carl has always been relentlessly devoted to his community, and has spent the majority of his life donating his time and efforts to countless professional affiliations where he has served in numerous capacities and board positions. Just a small example of his many commitments includes being a member of both the National and California Associations of Health Underwriters, founding member of the Academic Council of Insurance Planners, and Associate of the Black MBA Association. He has held myriad board positions for such community benefit organizations as the Los Angeles Community Lending Corporation, the Los Angeles Urban League, the Black Business Association, and the Center for Non Profit Management. In light of all of these impressive accomplishments, however, Carl's most notable contribution has been as the creative and supportive president of Dickerson Employee Benefits, which he founded in 1965. As a result of Carl's activities, both political and civic, Dickerson Employee Benefits has maintained strong roots in minority communities throughout Southern California. The mission statement of Carl's business closely emulates the mission of Carl's life, which he lives up to everyday: ``the belief that all people should have equal access to affordable healthcare.'' Carl Dickerson is a successful entrepreneur who has never forgotten his roots, has always fought on behalf of those most in need in his community, and has remained acutely aware that equal opportunity and equal access for people of color is a cause still very much alive and in need of leaders like him. Most importantly, Carl has used his personal success to bring others up behind him. Fortunately, I have had the honor of witnessing this man at work many times. His positive outlook, energetic spirit, and warm humor are always present no matter what task he has before him. Carl is constantly coming up with creative new ideas and inspiring people to soar to new heights and attempt things they never thought they would be able to do. Carl Dickerson is a man who can produce a sense of self- confidence and adventure in others which they would never find within themselves without his encouragement and guidance. In this way, not only is he a talented and successful person himself, but he has the incredibly rare ability to drive others to realize their full potential. On behalf of the 9th Congressional District, it is my great pleasure to join Carl Dickerson's mother, wife, children, grandchildren, in- laws, and a host of loving family and friends as we celebrate the 70th birthday of this great man. Congratulations, and I wish you all the best in the coming years.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the life and contributions to the United States of Jack Hunter O'Dell, and to acknowledge his 85th birthday, August 11, 2008. Jack Hunter O'Dell was born August 11, 1923 in Detroit, MI. Like other Americans who worked hard during the Great Depression, Jack devoted much time and energy to selling newspapers as a youngster and playing a strong role in his extended family. At an early age Jack developed an intense curiosity toward the world and a love of reading. At the onset of World War II Jack joined the Merchant Marine, one of the most risky and important forces in the U.S. war effort. The Merchant Marine hauled supplies for U.S. troops in unarmed ships, often being attacked by Nazi submarines. Jack joined the National Maritime Union and advocated for the rights of workers on the ships and docks. During this time Jack developed an understanding of the struggles of peoples of other nations, an understanding that helped form his consciousness and dedication to creating peace and strengthening democracy. After the war, Jack organized tenants in the Southern States and later in New York City. He worked with Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. as an organizer in New York and throughout the South as the Director of Voter Education for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He wrote and became an editor for the dynamic and unifying magazine, Freedom Ways. He taught at Antioch College and has lectured and taught throughout the United States. He is truly the common person's intellectual, holding forth the proposition that intellectual activity, creativity and wisdom stem from all the people. Jack has consulted on two U.S. presidential campaigns. He has served Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition as the Director of International Affairs. In that capacity he assisted in developing ties of understanding, friendship and solidarity with many peoples around the world. His international work helped free political prisoners, it helped bring unification to warring factions in various nations and helped leaders from all walks of life in the United States understand the world and America's role in providing, by example, a true commitment to fair play and magnanimity. Mr. O'Dell has been a bold yet humble servant to the interests of the American people. He recognized the necessity for working people to have access to reliable and first-rate media. He became Board Chair of one of the most popular, independent radio networks and news services. His commitment to peace and a more safe and secure world expressed itself in years of service to peace efforts, including serving on the board of SANE FREEZE. Jack has traveled around the globe representing the best in what it means to be an American citizen. He has represented the United States as a worker, as a representative of organizations advocating equality and justice, and as a brother to all in struggle. His experiences, intense study, love of country and his warmth and humor have provided tens of thousands with a deeper sense of joy and optimism for the future of humanity. Jack understands a better world is possible. His life, his writings and his example provide a bright light to all of us attempting to bring a better world into being. Thank you, Jack Hunter O'Dell, for your selfless service to our Nation. It is an honor to know you and to have benefited by your talents and dedication. Best of luck to you as you continue your noble work helping to inspire all Americans to take the high road toward peace, community, and a stronger democracy.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, due to personal matters, today I missed rollcall vote No. 576 on ordering the previous questions to provide for consideration of H.R. 3667, rollcall vote No. 577 on passage of H. Res. 1419 to provide for consideration of H.R. 3667, rollcall vote No. 578 on final passage of H.R. 1527, rollcall vote No. 579 on final passage of S. 2617. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' On rollcall No. 580, on the motion that the Committee rise, rollcall vote No. 581, on agreeing to the Grijalva amendment to H.R. 3667, and rollcall vote No. 583, on final passage of H.R. 3667, I would have voted ``aye.'' On rollcall vote No. 581, on agreeing to the Grijalva Amendment to H.R. 3667, and rollcall vote No. 584, on final passage of H.R. 4081, I would have voted ``yea''.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, due to personal matters, today I missed rollcall vote No. 570 on final passage of H. Con. Res. 344, rollcall vote No. 571 on final passage of H. Res. 937, rollcall vote No. 572 on final passage of H. Res. 1069, rollcall No. 573 on final passage of H. Res. 1307, rollcall vote No. 574 on final passage of H.R. 6168, and rollcall vote No. 575 on final passage of H.R. 6630, Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of these rollcall votes.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and great sadness. On August 10, 2008, our Nation lost one of its greatest artists, composers, and actors. Mr. Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr., was a bright light who inspired many and contributed immensely to the fabric of our society. Although his energy and love for life will be sorely missed, there is no doubt that his legacy will continue far into the future and motivate generations of people from all walks of life for years to come. Mr. Hayes was born on August 20, 1942, in Covington, TN. An acclaimed singer-songwriter, musician, producer, composer, and actor, he was admired and loved by all who knew him. Mr. Hayes was a self-taught musician who, at the age of 22, was hired by Stax Records of Memphis to play backup piano and saxophone for the legendary Otis Redding. Isaac literally helped bring southern soul music into the 20th century, writing such hits as ``Hold On, I'm Coming'' and ``Soul Man'' with his partner, Mr. David Porter. His recording success continued with such timeless albums as Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. His 1971 ``Theme from Shaft'' won the Oscar for Best Original Song, making him the first African-American singer-songwriter to win this coveted award. He also won several Grammy Awards for his work. By the early 1970s, Mr. Hayes was working with chart-topper Barry White. As an actor, Hayes played the title character in the 1974 action film Hot Truck Turner and he had a recurring role in the 1970s TV police drama The Rockford Files. Most recently, he appeared in the 2005 film Hustle & Flow. In 2002 Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr., was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Isaac was talented beyond belief, however this was only one of his monumental attributes. At his core, Isaac Hayes was a humanitarian, activist, and tireless advocate for what is good and right in the world. He was a man of deep convictions and even deeper compassion for those most in need. In 1992, he was crowned an honorary king of Ghana's Ada District as a token of thanks for his humanitarian work in the region. His limitless contributions to African-American society and the diverse populations of the continent of Africa simply can not be overestimated. With the sad loss of Isaac Hayes, today the world has a little less soul. His work as head of the Isaac Hayes Foundation serves as an inspiration to us all. Those who knew him personally will forever be grateful for having Isaac in our lives. I met Isaac in the early 1990's during a visit to Ghana. We became close friends and had many discussions about our love for and connections to our motherland. He shared with me his excitement about the many things he was doing for his village in Ghana and his deep commitment to making life better for the people there, especially the children of his village. Later, Isaac became a dedicated supporter of my efforts in Congress and for that I am deeply grateful. The world has lost a wonderful, brilliant warrior and many have lost a genuine friend. I know that his legacy and his memory will live on through the lives that he touched. A family man, Isaac had many loving children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He leaves behind innumerable friends and loved- ones, including his wife, Adjowa, and his two-year old son, Nana Kwadjo Hayes. My thoughts and prayers are with Isaac's family. I know how much he loved his family and words can not express my sympathy over this tremendous loss. On behalf of California's Ninth Congressional District, we salute this great talent and spirit by honoring his legacy. Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr., will be sorely missed. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the wonderful life of Mr. Will G. Bass, Jr. of Oakland, CA. We lost this exceptional community leader and dedicated leader and dedicated man of God on July 19, 2008. Will G. Bass, Jr. was born on May 25, 1939 in Gilbert, LA. His parents were the late Will and Ivory Cameron Bass, and he was baptized under the leadership of Reverend R.N. Teats in the Cuba Baptist Church at a very early age. He remained an active member of this congregation until moving to California as an adult. Education and personal growth were important values to Mr. Bass, which he fostered throughout his life and promoted among the many young people that looked up to him. As a young man in Louisiana, Will attended and graduated from Franklin Parish Training School. He later graduated with a degree in Business from Grambling University before moving to California where he met and married Ms. Betty J. Dobson on August 6, 1960. Theirs was a loving union which spanned almost five decades and produced two children, DiLeen and Nelda. A family man, Will honored and cherished these three women, and it was very clear to his friends and community that his favorite pastime was spending time with his family, which continued to grow in size and compassion throughout the years. A dedicated advocate for the prosperous development of his adopted community in California, Will was widely known as an astute businessman. He was the Founder and President of the Integrated Technology Group (ITG), which provides services as an information technology and business assistance firm, as well as a land consultant. As a result of Will's ingenuity, creativity, and personal drive, ITG was involved in some of the major and historic development projects in the Greater Bay Area. This included the 1 billion dollar Hunters Point Shipyard Development Project and the 1.3 billion dollar Oakland Airport Expansion Project. Will Bass was a man of many talents and accomplishments, reflective of the great diversity and innovation present in the East Bay, where the 9th Congressional District lies. Among one of Will's many great personal attributes was his astute ability to think globally, while acting locally. He was able to foresee major international trends in a way that pushed opportunities for Oakland to the forefront and developed new frontiers for my constituency. An example of this was his pioneering accomplishment as the first African American businessman in the Bay Area to be substantially involved in trade with Russia, China, and South Africa. When my esteemed colleague in the Senate, the Honorable Dianne Feinstein, was Mayor of San Francisco, Mr. Bass accompanied her to Abidjan, Cote d' Ivoire, west Africa to establish the San Francisco-Abidjan Sister City Committee. This was the first time an African city had been engaged in a sister city endeavor with San Francisco. Will Bass was a Founding Member and Past President of the 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, Inc. He served on the Board of Trustees of Allen Temple Baptist Church, and was a Founding Member, Treasurer and Board Member of the San Francisco African American Chamber of Commerce. Will was also a Founding Member of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, and he served on the boards of the American Institute of Ethics, the Westside Health Center, and a host of other organizations. The contributions Will made to his community throughout his life are endless. He was a true inspiration, and an exceptional role model, especially for young men and women of color striving to build up their communities. Thanks to his inspiration, they now contribute to their neighborhoods and work to improve their opportunities so that they may pursue productive and full lives. His legacy will surely live on through the lasting impact he made on so many lives. Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors Mr. Will G. Bass, Jr. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, especially his wife, Mrs. Betty Bass, his daughters, DiLeen Dean and Nelda Jacobs, his sisters, Bernice Bass and Estelle Bass Harnage, his brother, Lannie Bass, his aunts, Pearl Shaw, Neicie Scott, and Roberta Cameron. He is also survived by his grandchildren Quianna, Annaque, Kameron, Niah and Savana Dean, and Trenton Jacobs, and his nieces and nephews, Ivory Bass, Yyanisha Gregory, Jamie Harnage, Marcus Bass, Chonsae Bass, and Jason Harnage. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of longtime Richmond City Councilmember Richard Griffin. A tireless public servant and proud resident of the East Bay, Mr. Griffin passed away Wednesday, August 13, 2008. He was 74 years old. Richard Griffin was born in 1934. He lived in the city of Richmond for 37 years, and served in the United States Armed Forces. Mr. Griffin served as a public school teacher and principal in Oakland before embarking on a formal political career. As an educator, he was an active union member in the United Administrators of Oakland Schools, Local 83. Richard was a strong believer in the importance of good mentors for our young people, and an unwavering advocate for the right to a quality education for all. Richard was an excellent role model for our youth, especially African-Americans. He never tired of working to level the playing field so that the bright, young, talented students whom he taught would have the best opportunities to pursue fulfilling and successful lives. Mr. Griffin held degrees in both chemistry and biology biology from San Francisco State University. He later earned a master's degree in Education. In addition to teaching, his career included diverse experiences, such as working as a microbiologist for Schlitz Brewery and as chief chemist for General Dynamics Corporation. An expert in his field, Richard was awarded three National Science Foundation Scholarships. He later went on to spend more than two decades tirelessly serving the residents of Richmond as an esteemed member of their city council. He was appointed to his position on the city council in 1981 to fill a vacancy. His last term ended in 2006, when he decided not to seek re- election. During his tenure on the city council, he also served as vice-mayor. His colleagues on the Richmond City Council remember him as extremely affable, charismatic, and passionate about the needs of the constituency he represented. Residents and city employees have described him as one of the most accessible elected officials, always available to listen and reach out to residents and city agencies and interested in addressing complex issues in a hands-on and collaborative fashion. Mr. Griffin was widely known as a champion for the rights of senior citizens and was a strong advocate of redevelopment projects which would improve access for those with special mobility needs. He was also keenly involved in the development of Richmond's crime-prevention programs. Richard understood, however, that being ``tough on crime'' was not enough. He aimed, instead, to protect the populace and encourage the healthy development of city neighborhoods. During the early 1980s, his support helped firmly establish the police commission, which investigates allegations of police brutality and works to ensure that every person, even those who have been accused of committing a crime, are treated humanly and with dignity. A man of faith, Richard was a dedicated member of St. John's Missionary Baptist Church. He always made time for community service and, in addition to contributing to the good work of his church, also served as the director of both the Richmond Girls Club and the Greater Richmond Social Service Corporation, respectively. Richard was a man of great wisdom. He provided tremendous support to me when I ran for the State Senate in 1996. I am deeply grateful for his counsel, his assistance, and his friendship. Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors Mr. Richard Griffin. Our deepest condolences go out to his loving wife, two sons, three grandchildren, and many friends and colleagues. We thank his family for sharing this exuberant and compassionate spirit with us. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the wonderful life of Reverend Charles Belcher. His vibrant spirit, insatiable commitment to service, and his unwavering compassion for the human family will be sorely missed by all those who had the honor of knowing him and coming in contact with his ministry. We lost this exceptional community leader and dedicated man of God on August 9, 2008. Reverend Charles Belcher was born on January 17, 1939, in Schaal, Arkansas, to his loving mother, Lottie Belcher, and her husband, the late Reverend Jim Belcher. At the young age of 5, Charles' family moved to California. Although this was in some way the adopted home of his family, the contributions Reverend Belcher and his parents made to the Greater Bay Area are humbling in their sincerity and magnitude. Education and personal growth were always extremely important values to Reverend Belcher, which he fostered throughout his life and promoted among the many young people that looked up to him. Charles Belcher graduated with honors from El Cerrito High School. He earned his bachelor's degree from Utah State University and later received a master's degree in divinity from San Francisco Theological Seminary. He would go on to earn a prestigious PhD from Ashland Theological Seminary. Reverend Belcher married Ms. Ethel Scott with whom he had a daughter, Kimberly, and a son, Charles II. At age 57, he married Ms. Doris Denson, and his loving family grew with the addition of Doris' children Bonita, Tony, Dana, and Sheila. Reverend Belcher was widely known as a spiritual leader with great integrity and honor. In the Bay Area he served at numerous churches, including the St. Peter CME Church in El Cerrito, the Bee Bee Memorial CME Cathedral in Oakland, and most recently the Resurrection AME Church of Richmond. Reverend Belcher was a man of great faith and energy. He enthusiastically embraced every opportunity to serve congregations and communities throughout our Nation, bringing with him a keen empathy for the local community. His service extended to churches throughout the country including CMEs in Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, and Cleveland. Under the leadership of Bishop Vernon Byrd, Reverend Belcher became an Itinerate Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church at Bethel AME in San Francisco in 1997. Reverend Belcher served as the organizing pastor at two churches in California, the Upper Room Christian Church in Los Angeles and the Resurrection AME Church in Richmond. Reverend Belcher dedicated every day of his adult life to his passion for God and community development. At the time of his passing, the Reverend was serving as pastor of St. John AME Church in St. Louis, Missouri. Reverend Belcher fought for justice and equality for African Americans, low-income families, and communities of color, and he worked tirelessly to make this a better world. His dedication to public service throughout the Bay Area is both diverse in its capacities and remarkable in its scope. In 2001, he was elected to the Richmond City Council where he served a 4-year term. In addition to serving the city of Richmond, Reverend Belcher worked as an administrative assistant to Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson. He was a member of the Peralta Community College District board and served on the board of the NAACP's Richmond branch. I met Reverend Belcher while a student at Mills College in the early 1970s. I attended a class he taught and was amazed by his keen intellect, his deep insight, and his determination to teach and speak the truth. The contributions Reverend Belcher made to his community throughout his life are innumerable. He was a true inspiration, and an exceptional role model, especially for young men and women of color striving to build up their communities, contribute to their neighborhoods, and improve their opportunities so that they may pursue productive and full lives. His legacy will surely live on through the lasting impact he made on so many lives. Today, California's 9th Congressional District salutes and honors Reverend Charles Belcher. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, especially his mother, Ms. Lottie M. Belcher, his wife, Ms. Doris Denson-Belcher, his children Kimberly and Charles II, his step-children Bonita, Tony, Dana, and Sheila, his grandchildren, and the many special members of his close and devoted family as well as his countless friends. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the most inspiring and compassionate individuals in the rich and vibrant history of Oakland, California. On Sunday, August 17, 2008, Willa Dellums, the mother of my dear friend and predecessor in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Honorable Ronald V. Dellums, passed away at the age of 89. Although Willa lived a full and beautiful life, this is a tremendous loss to our community. Her presence will be sorely missed. Willa Mae Terry was born December 11, 1918 to the union of Willie Terry and Estelle Poole in Houston, Texas. Willa was the youngest of three children born to this union, including siblings Bessie Blount and James Terry, who preceded her in death. At the age of 5, her parents moved west to California in search of a better life. Willa lived in Oakland for 85 years, where she was known for her independence, ease of making friends, and unlimited kindness. Her compassion was one of strength, however, and she became equally known for her bravery and steadfast resiliency. Willa Dellums was the first African American to be hired at the J.C. Penney store in downtown Oakland, California. Full of determination and resolute, Willa eventually became a clerk in Oakland's central government offices. Daily, Willa was faced with the incredible challenges of being a woman of color at a time when the glass ceilings of racism and sexism were blatant and unapologetic. Rather than cower in the face of harrowing prejudice, Willa used every challenge as an opportunity to reinforce her strong character, morals, and humanity toward others. Willa, who was unable to attend college, was an unwavering advocate of the importance of education. She closely mentored her children throughout their school age years, and was a constant advocate for their continued learning and growth, even when they were well into their careers and were successful leaders in their own right. Throughout their lives, her children continuously credited Willa with instilling a sense of pride and responsibility in them. Many other members of our community, including myself, were also able to look up to Willa to solidify these values within our lives--in this way, we were all members of her family. Mrs. Dellums was my friend and confidant for many years. She guided me through many troubling moments in my life. I will always remember her as a kind and brilliant woman who was non judgmental, yet totally honest with her feedback and insights. We talked for hours on the telephone and I was always amazed at her energy and clarity. I have many personal wonderful memories of Mrs. D. She knew I needed more exercise and invited me to walk with her on many occasions. Those walks were invigorating. She walked very fast and I could hardly keep up with her. After our walks we'd go eat, and my last meal with her was at a sandwich shop on Lakeshore Boulevard. We both had half a sandwich and a cup of soup. One day we went to the farmer's market at Jack London Square and then drove around West Oakland. I drove by her former home on Wood Street where she raised her son Ron and daughter Theresa. I told her that I thought this house should be designated as an historic site and she was excited about the idea.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, due to personal matters, today I missed rollcall vote No. 567 on final passage of S. 2403, rollcall vote No. 568 on final passage of S. 2837, and rollcall vote No. 569 on final passage of S. 2135. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on each of these rollcall votes.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today with my colleague, Representative Pete Stark, to honor the extraordinary life of Mr. John Gregory Roveda of Alameda, California. A lifelong Bay Area resident and significant leader in our community, John passed away in his home on June 4, 2008. Mr. Roveda was born February 19, 1938 in Richmond, California. He graduated from the esteemed St. Mary's College High School in Berkeley in 1955, and then went on to attend the University of San Francisco (USF). There he became a founding member of the Gamma Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Pi, International Business Fraternity. John was also involved in the Army ROTC program at USF. In 1961, John graduated with a degree in Business Administration and went on to attend the New York Institute of Finance, where he completed coursework in stock exchange and brokerage office procedure, and worked as a stockbroker. Upon returning to the Bay Area, John joined his family's business, United Beverage Distributors, Inc., located in Oakland, California. His grandfather, Joseph Roveda, founded the company in 1933, making John the third generation Roveda to become president of the family business. In 1990 John was admitted to the California State Bar and began to practice law in Alameda. He periodically served as Judge Pro Tempore, and in 1997 was qualified as an attorney and counselor of the United States Supreme Court. In addition, he was a member of the Italian American Bar Association. Mr. Roveda was extremely dedicated to his community, and to the successful growth of the Greater Bay Area. He served as president of the Athenian-Nile Club as well as the Alameda Boys and Girls Club. He was a member of the Design Review Board and Planning Board for the city of Alameda and a committee member of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. Roveda's involvement spans a long list of other organizations including the One-Hundred Club, Alameda Elks Lodge, the Rotary Club of Alameda, the Porsche Club of America, UNICO, and the Oakland Council of the Navy League. A true Bay Area resident, Mr. Roveda had a lifelong love of the ocean and sailed in the Trans Pacific Yacht Race in 1975. He served as commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club and was a member of the Encinal Yacht Club. Mr. Roveda also participated in the Newport-to-Ensenada Yacht Race annually. An energetic attorney, businessman, and family man, Mr. Roveda had an inexhaustible spirit and was widely known for his humor and joy for life in our community. Mr. Roveda will be sorely missed. However, we are thankful for the opportunities he gave us to come together and celebrate the hope and love in our lives. John was a dedicated father, husband, and friend to many. Today, California's 9th and 13th Congressional Districts salute and honor Mr. John Gregory Roveda. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, especially his wife of 28 years, Judith, his four children, Christine, Michelle, Jay, and John, his sons-in-law Matthew and Andrew, his nephew Stephen, and his granddaughters Hayley and Evelyn. His legacy will surely carry on through the lives of his loving family and friends. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First let me thank Chairman Miller for his leadership and for being such a strong supporter of pay equity and women's rights, not only today or last year, but throughout his life. Thank you, Chairman Miller. Also, I just have to say to my colleague, Congresswoman DeLauro, sometimes, oftentimes a lone voice in the wilderness, but today we pay tribute to the women of America, thanks to Rosa DeLauro. Thank you so much, Congresswoman DeLauro. You have been a champion for women and working families since before your career here in Congress began. So we salute you. In 1963, and I know these statistics have been repeated earlier, but I have to say them again because it is so important to remember where we were, where we are and where we need to go, and that is what today is about. In 1963, women who worked full time made about 59 cents on average for every dollar earned by men. For every dollar earned by men in 2006, women earned about 77 cents. The wage gap has narrowed by less than half a cent per year. Clearly we have a long way to go. The wage gap is most severe for women of color. It is absolutely inexcusable that women, and especially minority women, earn a fraction of what men earn from the same job. African American women earn just 63 cents on the dollar, and Latinos earn far worse at 57 cents. In my own State of California, black women working full time year-round earn only 61 percent and Latinos 42 percent of the wages of white men. This is outrageous. The wide disparity begins at the start of a woman's work life and grows wider as women age. In the long term, combined with a decrease in pension income and Social Security benefits, which is what happens, many women are at risk of falling into poverty as they get older, because this disparity began when they first started working. H.R. 1338 takes immediate steps to close the wage gap for all women by amending and strengthening the Equal Pay Act so that it will be a more effective tool in combating gender-based discrimination. So let's help close that gap today. Let's stand up by making the Paycheck Fairness Act the law of the land. This should have been the law of the land many years ago. Many of us remember when we first started working and how that male counterpart in our job was making twice as much as we were making. I remember those days, and, as result of that, many women now will have less in their Social Security and their pensions. Thank you, Congresswoman DeLauro; thank you, Chairman Miller, for today.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 194, a resolution apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African Americans. I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Conyers, and Congressman Cohen for their efforts to bring this resolution to the floor and affording the House of Representatives the opportunity to apologize for America's Original Sin. Mr. Speaker, slavery in America resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known in history, as millions of Africans were captured and sold at auction like inanimate objects or animals during the 246 years between 1619 and 1865. The Africans forced into slavery were brutalized, humiliated, dehumanized, and stripped of their names, heritage, and dignity. Enslaved families were torn apart at the whim of their owners and sold as chattel. Mr. Speaker, slavery was officially abolished with the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1865 and for the next 12 years African-Americans made fleeting political, social, and economic gains during Reconstruction, nearly all of which vanished under the system of de jure racial segregation known as `Jim Crow,' which thrived in certain parts of the Nation for nearly the next hundred years. Under the system of de jure segregation, African Americans could not vote, could not give evidence in court against a white person, were prohibited from marrying outside of their race, could not enter certain professions, could not serve on juries, and enjoyed few, if any, rights that whites were bound to respect. That is what the Supreme Court had decreed 27 years before in the Dred Scott decision in 1850. Mr. Speaker, the end of Reconstruction in 1877 ushered in a period of oppression and terror for African Americans. The withdrawal of the Federal Government's protection, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the proliferation of the ``Black Codes,'' and the Supreme Court's infamous decision in Plessy v. Ferguson combined to ensure that African Americans would treated as second-class citizens forced to lead separate and unequal lives for four more generations. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult for many today to understand just how oppressive it was for African Americans to live under the regime of Jim Crow. For those who couldn't understand why African Americans were so impatient to overcome segregation, Dr. King explained why ``we can't wait'' in his Letter from Birmingham Jail: ``[W]hen you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading ``white'' and ``colored''; when your first name becomes ``nigger,'' your middle name becomes ``boy'' (however old you are) and your last name becomes ``John,'' and your wife and mother are never given the respected title ``Mrs.''; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of ``nobodiness'' then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.'' America has made great strides in overcoming its Original Sin thanks to the modern Civil Rights Movement, which ushered in the Second American Revolution led by giants like Thurgood Marshall and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But we still have some distance to go before we will have fully perfected our Union. Even today there remain the badges and vestiges of slavery. African-Americans continue to suffer the consequences of the damage they suffered, both tangible and intangible, to human dignity, including the loss of life, the deprivations of liberty, the long-term loss of income, and denial of opportunity. Mr. Speaker, just because we can never fully repay the debt owed to those enslaved and their descendants does not mean that we cannot acknowledge this tragic period in our nation's history and try to atone for it. That is the least we can do. The resolution before us is an excellent start and I strongly support it.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first, let me thank Chairman Berman for your leadership and for your commitment to addressing this very devastating public health crisis, humanitarian crisis, and national security crisis. I also want to thank Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, Chairman Payne, Ranking Member Smith, Chairman Waxman, and Congresswoman Donna Christensen for working together to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor. Our Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has been such a leader early on in addressing the HIV and AIDS crisis, and without her support, we would not have such an important bill before us today. As an original coauthor of both the initial legislation establishing PEPFAR and of this new bill reauthorizing PEPFAR, I am pleased that today we will complete action on this important initiative and send it to the President for his signature. Each of us has witnessed, as Mr. Berman indicated earlier, the devastation that AIDS has caused in Africa and in the developing world, and we've seen the very dramatic impact of our AIDS programs over the last 5 years in actually saving lives. And this bill will save millions more in terms of life-saving drugs and treatment and care. And, yes, to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), I believe that spending $50 billion to address a global health emergency makes more sense than spending over 600-700 billion dollars on a war, quite frankly, that did not have to be fought. Quite simply, by enacting this bill, we will help change the lives of millions of people around the world for the better. This bill is a model of compromise and stands as a testament to what true bipartisanship can accomplish. Let me remind this body that it is the latest in a long string of initiatives on HIV and AIDS that have been born out of a willingness to work together and put the United States on the right side of history when it comes to this global pandemic. First, in 2000, we passed and President Clinton signed into law the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Relief Act. This important bill provided the founding contribution and framework for the Global Trust Fund. It was inspired, really, by my colleague, my predecessor, Congressman Ron Dellums, now-Mayor Ron Dellums of Oakland, California, and supported by former Chairman Jim Leach of Iowa. In 2001, working with both former Chairman Hyde and Chairman Lantos, we drafted H.R. 2069, the Global Access to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Awareness, Education and Treatment Act. This was the first bill that dared to provide a large scale antiretroviral therapy to people living in the developing world. Unfortunately, it wasn't enacted because we couldn't reach a conference agreement with the Senate. At the end of 2002, the Congressional Black Caucus, along with practically every advocacy group in the United States, sent a letter to President Bush urging him to create a presidential initiative to fight AIDS in Africa. In January of 2003, the President stepped up to the plate and promised $15 billion to fight AIDS during his State of the Union address. Within 5 months, working with Chairman Hyde and Chairman Lantos, we passed H.R. 1298, the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003, which created PEPFAR. In 2005, we took yet another step forward when we passed H.R. 1409, the Assistance for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Developing Countries Act, again with Chairman Hyde and Chairman Lantos and Chairman Berman and Chairman Payne. This bill fine-tuned our programs to meet the needs of children orphaned and made vulnerable by AIDS. So, Mr. Speaker, I lay out some of the history of our work on this very important issue because it speaks volumes about what is possible when we come together in the spirit of bipartisan compromise. It is that bipartisan spirit that is again on display today as we honor the legacy of both Chairman Lantos and Chairman Hyde through this legislation. I'm saddened that both of them are not with us, like all of us are, to witness this moment, but I know that they would have been very, very pleased. As I have said, this bill is a compromise. And as in all compromises, each side did not get everything it wanted, but that's what compromise is about. I want to mention just a few important items that I worked on which have been included in this bill. First, it takes language from H.R. 1713, the PATHWAY Act, to strike the 33 percent abstinence-until- marriage and helps address the needs of women and girls in a comprehensive fashion--abstinence, be faithful, use condoms. Comprehensive. It includes language taken from H.R. 3812, the African Health Capacity and Investment Act, to build health capacity by recruiting, training and retaining health professionals and strengthening health care systems.

Ms. LEE. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, very much. I am also very grateful that the Senate added language that I originally authored in H.R. 3337, the HIV Nondiscrimination in Travel and Immigration Act, to remove this, quite frankly, unjust and discriminatory statutory ban on travel and immigration for people living with HIV/AIDS. I'm especially pleased that we are lifting this statutory ban just prior to this year's International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. As a delegate to the last four conferences, I look forward to bringing this good news to Mexico City. While I support the underlying compromise, there are many, many items that I wish had been included: Eliminating the prostitution pledge loyalty oath, recognizing the public health benefits of linking our HIV/AIDS programs with family services, recognizing the need to engage with communities that are at the forefront of this pandemic, such as men who have sex with men, and injection drug users, and clearly committing to provide lifesaving AIDS drugs to no less than 3 million people. So let me just thank you again, Chairman Berman. I want to thank our staff, especially Christos Tsentas of my office. And I would like to insert for the the Record all of our staff members' names who worked on this bill. List of Staff Who Worked on PEPFAR

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding and for her leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill and the rule. I want to thank, first of all, Chairman Frank and Chairwoman Waters for crafting a bipartisan bill to address this crisis, which is what it is. As a former member of the Financial Services Committee, I know how effective they are in bringing bipartisan consensus to the committee. Quite simply, far too many families are losing their dream of homeownership. It truly has become a nightmare. This bill will restore that dream by modernizing the Federal Housing Administration; strengthening oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; raising loan limits to help homeowners in high-priced markets like California; creating an affordable housing trust fund, which is very important. Senator Bernie Sanders and myself introduced this bill several years ago. Also, I want to thank Chairman Frank for including language from my bill to provide new guidelines for reverse mortgages, protecting our seniors from another potential financial crisis, and, of course, the $4 billion in CDBG funds to State and local governments to buy, rehab and resell foreclosed homes, helping to fix blighted homes and stabilize prices in hard-hit neighborhoods like in my district in Oakland, California. I strongly support this rule and the bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I have the pleasure of being Co-Chair of the 74-Member Congressional Progressive Caucus in this, the 110th Congress. It is with a deep sense of sadness that I pay tribute to the passing of Stewart R. Mott, founder of the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust and the Fund for Constitutional Government and a great progressive leader. Stewart died on June 12th after a year-long battle with cancer, and a memorial service in his honor was held last week in New York City. In a few weeks, I am publishing a memoir that I titled A Renegade for Peace and Justice. I am also reminded that Stewart Mott was truly a giant renegade for peace and justice. Born to a life of wealth and privilege, he took a different path and led a remarkable life of passionate commitment to exploration, discovery, and social change. He also put his good fortune literally and figuratively to remarkably good use, providing essential funding to countless progressive organizations and electoral and issue campaigns dedicated to improving the lot of the downtrodden, promoting peace, and zealously defending the civil rights and civil liberties endowed to each of us in our precious U.S. Constitution. Stewart Mott lived the philosophy of the Mott family crest, Spectemur Agendo, which translates ``Let us be known by our deeds.'' As many of his friends and associates have noted, he will also be remembered for his great sense of humor, his great generosity, his deeds as a pioneering philanthropist, and his undaunted commitment to building a better democracy. America is hungry for change and I am saddened that Stewart Mott did not live long enough to witness a resurgent progressive movement deliver many of the 21st century changes that will be required to move our country and our world toward more peace and justice. But without his resolve and extraordinary generosity, prospects for lasting progress toward a more perfect Union in America would be far dimmer, as is underscored by the following obituary for Stewart Mott that appeared in the New York Times on June 14, 2008: [From the New York Times, Jun. 14, 2008] Stewart R. Mott, 70, Offbeat Philanthropist, Dies (By Douglas Martin) Stewart R. Mott, a philanthropist whose gifts to progressive and sometimes offbeat causes were often upstaged by his eccentricities, like cultivating a farm with 460 plant species (including 17 types of radishes), a chicken coop and a compost pile, atop his Manhattan penthouse, died Thursday night. He was 70 and had homes in North Salem, N.Y. and Bermuda. His death was confirmed Friday morning by Conrad Martin, executive director of the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust. He said Mr. Mott had been ill with cancer for some time and died in the emergency room of Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y. Mr. Mott's philanthropy included birth control, abortion reform, sex research, arms control, feminism, civil liberties, governmental reform, gay rights and research on extrasensory perception. His political giving, often directed against incumbent presidents, was most visible. In 1968, he heavily bankrolled Senator Eugene McCarthy's challenge to President Lyndon B. Johnson. Four years later, he was the biggest contributor to Senator George McGovern, the Democratic presidential nominee. When Charles W. Colson, the White House chief counsel to President Richard M. Nixon, included Mr. Mott in the famed ``enemies list,'' Mr. Colson said of him, ``nothing but big money for radic-lib candidates.'' After the 1974 campaign finance law outlawed exactly the sort of large political gifts in which Mr. Mott specialized, he joined conservatives to fight it as an abridgement of free expression. They argued that limits on contributions given independently of a candidate's organization were unconstitutional. In 1976, the Supreme Court agreed, while keeping other parts of the law. Mr. Mott then became expert on devising ways to give to candidates under the new rules. Following conservatives' precedents, he formed political action committees and became an expert on direct mail, using both as methods of collecting many small donations. Still, his ability to help the independent presidential candidacy of Representative John B. Anderson of Illinois in 1980 was curbed somewhat; gone were the days when he could simply write a big check and directly hand it to Mr. McCarthy or Mr. McGovern. Some argued that the financing restrictions diminished the chances that surprise candidates could emerge from the grass roots and be propelled to national prominence by well-placed benefactors. Bradley A. Smith, former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, wrote in the Yale Law Journal in 1996 that Mr. Anderson's losing independent bid might have fared better had Mr. Mott not been so effectively leashed. Irreverent, good-looking and effusive, Mr. Mott seemed tailor-made for the 1960s and '70s, when he attracted his widest attention, not least for his all-too-candid comments about everything from his sex partners (full names spelled out in newsletters) to his father's parental deficiencies (``a zookeeper'') to his blood type (AB+). He once lived on a Chinese junk as a self-described beatnik and kept notes to himself on Turkish cigarette boxes, accumulating thousands. He held folk music festivals to promote peace and love. His garden atop his Manhattan penthouse (which he sold some years ago) was famous; at one point Mr. Mott taught a course in city gardening at the New School for Social Research in New York. He once told an interviewer that he lay awake wondering how to grow a better radish. Mr. Mott seemed to relish poking his finger in the eye of General Motors, a company that his father, Charles Stewart Mott, helped shape as an early high executive. In the '60s, the younger Mr. Mott drove a battered red Volkswagen with yellow flower decals when he drove at all. He lambasted G.M. at its annual meeting for not speaking out against the Vietnam War. He gave money to a neighborhood group opposing a new G.M. plant because it would involve razing 1,500 homes. Mr. Mott broke into politics in 1968, when he used newspaper advertisements to pledge $50,000 to the as-yet- nonexistent presidential candidacy of Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller of New York if others would contribute double that amount. When Mr. Rockefeller rejected his efforts, Mr. Mott turned to Mr. McCarthy. In 1972, Mr. Mott ran what some regarded as a scurrilous ad campaign against Senator Edmund S. Muskie, a rival of Mr. McGovern's in his own Democratic Party. This led to Mr. Mott's being called before the Senate Watergate Committee, which was investigating political ``dirty tricks.'' It found no wrongdoing by him. Mr. Mott devoted himself to military reform by financing the Project on Military Procurement and the Center for Defense Information, among other left-leaning projects. In 1979, a report by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research group, said these activities added up to an ``anti- defense lobby.'' In 1974, Mr. Mott started the Fund for Constitutional Government to expose and correct corruption in the federal government. His mansion in Washington has long been used to raise funds for candidates, as well as causes from handgun control to gay rights. At a 1982 soiree, he brought in an elephant and two donkeys, presumably to demonstrate political balance. Mr. Mott paid most of the early legal fees for a 1976 suit that ultimately caused former Vice President Spiro T. Agnew to repay kickbacks ($147,599 plus interest) that he had been accused of receiving when he was governor of Maryland. Mr. Agnew, who had resigned the vice presidency after pleading no contest to a tax evasion charge, did not admit guilt. Mr. Mott officially told the election agency that his job was ``maverick.'' He listed himself as ``philanthropist'' in the Manhattan phone book. (Space limitations precluded his preferred ``avant-garde philanthropist.'') Stewart Rawlings Mott was born on Dec. 4, 1937, in Flint, Mich. He was the son of Charles Stewart Mott and the former Ruth Rawlings, Mr. Mott's fourth wife. They also had two daughters. Mr. Mott and his first wife, the former Ethel Culbert Harding, had a son and two daughters. She died in 1924. Mr. Mott's middle two marriages yielded no children. Charles Mott took over one of the family's businesses, manufacturing wheels and axles, and in 1906 moved this company from Utica, N.Y., to Flint, Mich., to take advantage of the auto industry's rapid growth. By 1913, he had sold the company to General Motors for G.M. stock, becoming G.M.'s largest individual shareholder. He became a director of the company, serving for 6o years until his death in 1973 at 97. He accumulated interests in many other companies, and in 1926 established the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, a major philanthropy. Stewart, the second child of the second wave of children, was born when his father was 62. This gap, when combined with the father's standoffish manner, created an immense chasm. The father signed notes to his son, ``Very truly yours, C. S. Mott,'' and hired a coach to teach him to ride a bike. Stewart was overweight as a child and nearly drowned at 9 when he ventured out on thin ice. After running away at 11, he struck a bargain with his father to come home half the summer if he could work the other half at family enterprises. His experiences included a Flint department store, a pecan- and-goose farm in New Mexico and a refrigerator plant near Paris. He attended Michigan public and private schools until he was 13, and then entered Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts, from which he graduated. He studied engineering for three years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then hitchhiked around the world for a year, spending just $1,500. He finished his education at the Columbia University School of General Studies, earning two bachelor's degrees, one in business administration and one in comparative literature, as well as a Phi Beta Kappa key. After his Chinese junk kept sinking in the Hudson, he abandoned it for terrestrial accommodations. He wrote a thesis on Sophocles for a never- completed Columbia master's degree in Greek drama. While pursuing his education, Mr. Mott worked as an apprentice in various family enterprises. In the academic year of 1963-64, he taught English at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, Mich. His philanthropy began when he returned to Flint and started the city's first branch of Planned Parenthood. He then traveled the nation on behalf of Planned Parenthood. Newly enamored by philanthropy, he asked to join his father's foundation, which mainly served Flint. Father said no, so Stewart used trust funds to start his own charity. He moved to New York in 1966, and did not speak to his father for a year. He said in an interview in 1971 with The New Yorker: ``Right now, my philanthropy is hearty, robust, full-bodied, but it still needs a few years of aging before it will develop fully its eventual clarity, delicacy, elegancy, fruitiness, and fragrance.'' What happened over the years was that it became more low- key, even as Mr. Mott pursued the same range of causes. On its Web site, the Stewart R. Mott Charitable Trust said it looks for projects ``seeking tangible change.'' For years, Mr. Mott was a highly publicized eligible bachelor. When the Washington Post reported that he had slept with 40 women over an eight-month period, he issued a correction, saying the number was actually 20. In 1979, he married Kappy Wells, a sculptor. They divorced in 1999. He is survived by a son, Sam, of Santa Fe, N.M., and a sister, Maryanne Mott, of Santa Barbara, Calif., and Montana. In 1969, Mr. Mott gave a huge party at Tavern on the Green in Manhattan to celebrate his father's 94th birthday. The older man earlier that day accepted a ride in his son's Volkswagen. He said it was bumpy.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. First, let me thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Higgins) for yielding, for managing the floor this afternoon on this resolution, and also for your leadership and for your support. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my resolution, H. Con. Res. 364, recognizing June as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This resolution acknowledges the important contributions which Caribbean-Americans have made to our Nation's history. Let me begin by thanking Chairman Waxman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee and Ranking Member Tom Davis for helping to bring this bipartisan resolution to the floor today. I also want to thank Congressman Danny Davis for his tremendous leadership on the subcommittee and for his support of this bill. I would like to also recognize all of our colleagues, and there are so many of our colleagues here on both sides of the aisle, who have worked on issues related to the Caribbean for many, many years. I would like to acknowledge the Institute for Caribbean Studies and all other Caribbean-American organizations that worked to make Caribbean-American Heritage Month a great success. As a long-time supporter of the Caribbean and a frequent visitor to the region, I was very proud to see us celebrate this important commemorative month for the 3rd year this year. Since the resolution's initial passage by Congress in 2006, the President has issued a proclamation recognizing Caribbean-American Heritage Month in June, 2006, 2007, and 2008. People of Caribbean heritage reside in every part of our country. Since 1820, millions of people have emigrated from the Caribbean region to the United States. Throughout United States history, we have been fortunate to benefit from countless individuals of Caribbean descent who have contributed to American government, politics, business, arts, education, and culture, including one of my personal sheroes, the Honorable, our beloved, the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Shirley Chisholm was a woman of Bajan and Guyanese descent who never forgot her roots in the Caribbean. She was the first African American woman elected to Congress and the first woman and first African American to run for President. My political involvement actually began as a volunteer during her historic presidential campaign in 1972. Through her mentorship, she strengthened my interest in addressing issues of importance to the African Diaspora both here in the United States and abroad, including the Caribbean and in Africa. In addition to Shirley Chisholm, during Caribbean-American Heritage Month, we also recognize people like Alexander Hamilton, Hazel Scott, Sidney Poitier, Wyclef Jean, Eric Holder, Colin Powell, Harry Belafonte, Celia Cruz; and, of course, our colleagues, daughters of the Caribbean, Congresswoman Donna Christensen, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, and many others who helped shape this country and continue to work on each and every issue related to the U.S.-Caribbean affairs. These colleagues of ours, they are making a remarkable mark on the leadership which they bring to every issue as it relates to not only our domestic policy but our foreign policy. So they should be recognized and honored each and every day as well as during June of every year. Caribbean-American Heritage Month also provided an opportunity for us to strengthen our long-term partnership with CARICOM through greater dialogue and engagement. From disaster preparedness, education, and the campaign against HIV/AIDS and other health disparities, trade and aid and development, we share a number of mutual policy interests with our Caribbean neighbors. For example, last month we were able to address these important issues relating to the Caribbean through the Institute for Caribbean Studies' Caribbean-American Legislative Forum held right here on Capitol Hill. And I have to take a moment to thank a member of my staff, Nicole King, a daughter of St. Lucia, for her very effective staff work on this resolution and many of our legislative efforts related to the Caribbean. In addition, the Caribbean People International Collective, Inc. held a roundtable discussion on health in the immigrant community. This event promoted the goals and ideals of National Caribbean-American HIV/ AIDS Awareness Day. Most recently, this year's global rise in food costs keenly affected the people of the Caribbean, particularly our friends in Haiti. The crisis highlighted the need for reengagement and opened the door for innovative policy solutions. Under the extraordinary leadership of the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Members of Congress visited Haiti to come back with recommendations to address the emerging food crisis in Haiti, and it is a crisis. Last month CARICOM heads of state held their New York Conference on the Caribbean--

Ms. LEE. Thank you for yielding. Madam Speaker, I just want to conclude by recognizing once again activities in my district, the Second Annual Caribbean-American Heritage Legacy Award honoring the contribution of Caribbean-Americans. And here, of course, in Washington, D.C., the Caribbean Carnival hosted their annual carnival parade that drew more than 300,000 participants. So just as we commemorate the achievements of the many diverse communities in our Nation, the United States Government should encourage all people to celebrate the rich history and diversity of Caribbean-Americans. Thank you again for yielding the time, for your leadership, and for supporting this bill.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, on July 16, 2008, by voice vote the House passed H.R. 5959, the Intelligence Authorization Act for 2009. I did not support this legislation and would have voted against passage had a rollcall vote been held.