Barbara Lee

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a staunch supporter of United States efforts to curb nuclear weapons proliferation, I am deeply concerned about Iran's nuclear program and its potential to lead to weapons development. This is especially troubling in light of the hateful and unfounded comments of Iran's President Amadenajad towards Israel, our friend and partner in the Middle East. Mr. Speaker, I voted against H.R. 1400 today because it is a fatally flawed approach to preventing Iran from acquiring such weapons out of its nuclear program. Instead, we should be adopting a comprehensive strategy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, for only that will work. A comprehensive strategy includes diplomacy and incentives for Iran, and not just harsher sanctions alone, as this bill provides.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me thank Congresswoman Waters for yielding and for introducing H.R. 1943, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act, and for your leadership on so many issues. But I just want to talk very briefly about what has happened since 1998 under your leadership when you were Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. I can remember when I was first elected in 1998, one of the first efforts that I was involved in with Congresswoman Waters, then as Chair, was calling together a national meeting on a moment's notice. I think we had maybe 2 weeks, 10 days to bring people from around the country here to Washington, DC to talk about a bold response to HIV and AIDS, especially here in the African American community given the devastation and the disproportionate rates that our communities are faced with. Out of that meeting, and it was truly a grassroots meeting in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill, we came up with several plans, several strategies, one of which was the idea to establish the Minority AIDS Initiative. Congresswoman Waters not only talked about why we needed to have a separate pot of money that would track the disease and track prevention, treatment, and education efforts around HIV and AIDS, but also she worked to make sure that happened and oftentimes was the lone voice in the wilderness calling for this. Well, fast forward. So much has happened since then. We were in Toronto, Canada last year, and Congresswoman Waters, myself, Congresswoman Christensen, we said we have got to take on some tougher issues now because this disease is really getting worse, and the unfortunate reality is that to be black in America is to be at greater risk of HIV and AIDS. And I will never forget her saying: Now, I am going to do something really bold when I get back; now, just get ready for it. And it was amazing to see how she moved forward with this bill, the Stop AIDS in Prison Act to help us move one step closer to our goal by providing this opt-out testing, treatment, and education at all Federal prison facilities. And she knew that it was going to be controversial, which it was. But as I listened to the list of supporters and those organizations that have endorsed the bill, I want to just say that this is a real testament to making sure that people understood, the country understood why this bill was necessary and needed, and how she brought people together and organizations together to get this bill to the floor today. And so it is a good day, Congresswoman Waters, and I want to thank you so much for stepping out there once again, because it is an example of what we need to do to make sure that we take on the tough issues that we are taking on. Finally, let me say, as part of our comprehensive strategy, I am working on a bill which Congresswoman Waters has supported, H.R. 178, called The Justice Act, which would allow for condom distribution in Federal prisons as well as in State prisons, and that is something that we need to do. We have got to fund the Ryan White Care Act and the Minority AIDS Initiative this year. I think we asked for at least $610 million. We have a long way to go and there are many now, thank goodness, bills that are coming before this body that will allow for a strong, robust response. This is really one of the major pieces of legislation that are central to this overall agenda. Finally, let me say, we join the Black AIDS Institute to call for a national mobilization and a national plan to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America. And, in fact, this plan is bold. It is going to move forward in a very aggressive way. We must employ every strategy that we can to stamp this from the face of the Earth. And so today is another day that we are making one major step in the right direction. And again, Congresswoman Waters, thank you for your leadership and for yielding, and congratulations.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. First, Mr. Speaker, let me just thank my colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus for their leadership, especially our Chair, Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, who has done such a wonderful job keeping us focused on ``Changing Course, Confronting Crises and Continuing the Legacy.'' I also want to thank the Chair of our Ethics Committee, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones for her leadership on so many issues and also for her service on the House Ways and Means Committee. She has truly made history as the first African American woman serving on that committee, and as we heard tonight, her commitment to children's health care is remarkable, and she has done so much on behalf of our children, and so I thank Mrs. Jones for her leadership and for this Special Order. Let me first rise in solidarity with the tens of thousands of people around our Nation who took to the streets last week to protest the miscarriage of justice that has taken place in Jena, Louisiana. Students in my district are as outraged as students throughout the country. The case of the Jena Six is yet another example of the institutional racism in our criminal justice system, and it is unacceptable. We have come so far from the days of Jim Crow, but incidents like this one should serve as a solemn reminder of just how much further we must go in seeking liberty and justice for all. Just with Katrina, the Jena Six demonstrates in a glaring and tragic manner the unfinished business of America. Unfortunately, these are issues in many instances of black and white. If we are ever to overcome the tragic legacy of racism in this Nation, we have a duty to our young people to see to it that the principle of equal justice is upheld. If we truly believe in our Nation's principle of equality under the law, then we must make sure that everyone, regardless of race, is held equal under the law. There are Jenas everywhere in America, and it's not just where nooses are hung from trees. Just look at the injustice and the ramifications of mandatory minimum sentences and three strikes laws. Young black men have received sentences under these laws totally disproportionate to the crime committed. It's time for America to wake up and begin to complete this unfinished business. Now, let me just briefly talk about children's health care and say in no uncertain terms that it's really incredibly irresponsible and downright shameful that the President really does not support children's health care. SCHIP is one of the most successful programs in our Nation, facilitating coverage for 6 million children. When I was in the State legislature, along with Congresswoman Hilda Solis and now-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, we wrote the Healthy Families program, which was the California SCHIP initiative. We were then and continue to be committed to extending the reach of the program as much as possible with the available resources, and now Healthy Families in California provides low-cost access to health care for over 800,000 children, more than any other State. The flexibility built into SCHIP has allowed California to provide access to health, dental and vision coverage for the children that it serves, and we must continue to support that vital mission. Providing health care coverage for our children is one of the most cost-effective investments that America can make. Children are the least costly to provide coverage for, and giving children access to adequate primary health care will create a generation of healthier, better educated and, in the end, more productive adults. Under the Bush administration, the number of uninsured Americans has continued to grow. Employers continue to cut coverage and shift more of the burden to employees as costs continue to rise, but the SCHIP program has slowed the growth for our Nation's children. Additionally, comprehensive health coverage for children is an important step towards eliminating the growing, continuing, huge health disparities that plague minority populations, including 800,000 Asian Pacific Americans, 1.4 million African Americans, and 3.4 million Latinos. Minority children make up more than 5 million of the 9 million uninsured children. These children are more than twice as likely as white children to die before their first birthday, and these mortality rates are a direct result of these children being uninsured. So, quite frankly, I think it's two months of the funding for this occupation of Iraq, this funding would cover every child in America for a year. It is a tragedy that children's health care has not been funded at the level that we're funding the occupation of Iraq. Now, unfortunately, I have to say it seems like the President is waging war against our children, and I hope that the American people hold him accountable. I thank you for organizing this Special Order tonight.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Expanding American Homeownership Act of 2007. I want to thank Chairman Frank and Chairwoman Waters for their leadership and their commitment to revitalize the FHA and provide critical assistance to those who have been affected by this crisis, which is, unfortunately, reverberating across our country and the entire world. Many hardworking Americans that may otherwise not have been able to qualify for a loan were lured into a fantasy universe of low rates and even lower payments by unscrupulous lenders. However, reality has kicked in, and those most affected are the elderly, single parents, and members of minority populations. This bill is a critical first step to help those who have been caught up in this nightmare. For instance, current FHA rules prevent the FHA from making loans beyond the local median home price. This bill will increase loan limits to make FHA relevant in those areas. This is a crucial fix which will provide assistance in high markets like mine in California in the Ninth Congressional District in Northern California. This bill also increases funding for housing counseling, which helps to ensure that those who achieve the American Dream of owning a home can keep it. With a good job and good credit, this bill will allow, for instance, those who want to deal with down-payment assistance to qualify for a loan by providing that down-payment assistance. It addresses authorizing a zero or lower down payment on loans for borrowers. I want to thank Congresswoman Waters and Mr. Frank for making housing an important national priority.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, on Monday, September 10, 2007 I missed roll call votes Nos. 865 and 866. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on H. Res. 257 and ``aye'' on H. Res. 643.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank the gentlelady from Ohio, who is the Chair of our House Ethics Committee, for yielding and for her tremendous leadership on so many issues, and for her consistent, and I mean consistent, opposition to this war from day one. Also I would like to thank the Chair of our Congressional Black Caucus, Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick, for your outstanding leadership and also for your commitment in changing the President's failed policy on Iraq and for making sure that the Congressional Black Caucus speaks in one voice. Thank you, Congresswoman Kilpatrick. Let me also salute all of our colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus who have opposed this war from the start, including Congresswoman Maxine Waters who actually boldly started the Out of Iraq Caucus. If our voices had been listened to, we would not have embarked upon this unnecessary, immoral war. I once again stand here as the daughter of a 25-year veteran who fought in two wars. It is past time to end this war. Mr. Speaker, last week the President once again took to the air waves to make his case for the same old ``stay the course'' strategy. He said that he will return the number of troops in Iraq to pre-surge levels by July of 2008. He wants us to believe that by getting back to where we were last January sometime next summer, he wants us to think that that is progress. The American people aren't buying that. They know how to count. It is the same song and dance from the people who told us that there were weapons of mass destruction, who assured us that we would be greeted as liberators, who declared ``mission accomplished,'' and said really it is mission impossible but he declared mission accomplished and who said we were turning the corner and that the insurgency was in its last throes. The fact is that the Bush ``stay the course'' strategy put us on the path for 10 years of occupation in Iraq at the minimum. It is time to call this what it is. It is really the President's plan to run out the clock on his failed policy, to move the goal post once again so that he could sneak out the back door and leave the American people holding the bag after he leaves the White House. Well, let me ask you, how many of our troops should die so the President can save face? How many Iraqis must die to convince the President that the occupation is bringing disaster to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis? How much of our tax dollars should we spend so the President can avoid admitting that his policy failed? We are now spending $12 billion a month in Iraq. For the price of 1 month in Iraq, we could be paying for 1.5 million children to go to Head Start for a year. For the price of 1 month in Iraq, we could have hired 200,000 new school teachers for a year. For the price of 1 month in Iraq, we could have insured 7 million of the 8.7 million children living in this country without medical insurance for a year. Mr. Speaker, that is just the cost of 30 days in Iraq, and the President thinks we should be staying yet another 10 years. That is far too high a price to pay for him to save face. All the talk about military progress in Iraq is a distraction. It is a smoke screen that only serves to obscure the basic fundamental fact that there is no military solution to the situation in Iraq. Our brave troops are trapped in a civil war and an occupation. Our continued presence there is not only challenging our military; it is undermining our national security and our efforts to fight international terrorism. That is why every member of the Congressional Black Caucus really cosponsored a resolution which we sponsored banning military bases and control, at least U.S. control, of the Iraqi oil. This resolution passed this body on a very large bipartisan vote, and, in fact, it sent a strong message that we do not intend to occupy Iraq, at least this House doesn't intend to have that as our policy. Despite this administration's, though, efforts to frame this as an issue of victory and defeat, the fact remains that redeployment of United States troops from Iraq is really a precondition; it's a precondition to restoring our national security and our efforts to fight terrorism and putting us on a path toward a foreign policy that provides real solutions for global peace and security. Redeployment is a precondition, a precondition for engaging Iraq's neighbors and the international community in a regional stability plan. We have a moral obligation to help build Iraq. We bombed the country and we, for the most part, destroyed it. But neither Iraq's neighbors nor the international community will truly engage in a regional stability plan as long as they believe that the United States intends to maintain an indefinite occupation. Redeployment is a precondition for any successful effort to combat global terrorism. The United States' occupation of Iraq has become a rallying point for terrorist recruitment, training and fund-raising, a factor that actively undermines our antiterrorism efforts. Congress has the power to end the Bush administration's failed policy in Iraq. But it means, it really means that Members of Congress are going to have to make a choice. Are we going to stand with the President for an open-ended occupation that sacrifices our troops' lives so he can save face, or are we going to act to bring this disastrous policy to a conclusion? The choice is simple. Congress should not provide another dime, not another dime for the President's failed policy. We should provide the money necessary to fully fund the safe, timely and responsible redeployment of troops and contractors from Iraq. And let me tell you, the American people support this. In closing, Mr. Speaker, let me remind you that members of the Congressional Black Caucus saw this disaster coming and tried to stop it. If you recall, we had an amendment when the authorization to use force came before this body, it was my amendment, that would have allowed the United Nations inspectors to complete their inspection process for weapons of mass destruction. Congress then, however, voted to go to war. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted for that resolution. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus continue to oppose the occupation and work day and night to bring our young men and women home. And we will continue to be that voice that reminds our country that we truly, we really, we honestly, we do support and love our troops, and the best way that we can demonstrate that, the only way that we can demonstrate that, is by bringing them home and making sure that they have their economic security, their health care, and their mental health care and the resources they need to take their lives back. Thank you, Congresswoman Kilpatrick, for your leadership and for calling us together tonight. Thank you, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, for pulling us together and making sure we all stay on time and for your leadership on so many issues.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, today, we commemorate the sixth anniversary of the terrible terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. We remember the men, women and children who lost their lives that day and we honor the courage and the heroism of our first responders and those who put themselves in harm's way to help others. This anniversary is also a time to reflect on the values that define us and separate us from terrorists, values like liberty, democracy, tolerance, freedom of expression and respect for the rule of law. It is also appropriate to recognize just how misguided the Bush administration's response to those attacks has been. Six years later, Osama bin Laden is still at large while our military is pinned down in a civil war in a country that had nothing to do with the attacks in an occupation that serves as a rallying point for terrorist recruitment and fundraising. It is clear that this is a policy that is making our nation less safe, not more safe, and the first step towards a policy that effectively combats global terrorism is to end the occupation of Iraq.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life of Chauncey Bailey of Oakland, California. His tragic and unexpected death has been a shock to our community. The loss of this dedicated friend, mentor, professional journalist, and steward of Oakland will be deeply felt. Of all of the significant endeavors Mr. Chauncey Bailey was involved with, his role as a loving father was most important to him, and it is in this capacity which he will be most missed. My sincerest condolences go out to his family, friends, colleagues, and especially his fiancee, Ms. Deborah Oduwa. Fifty-seven years old at the time of his death, Chauncey was a vibrant journalist, editor, and community member, full of energy and vigor. Chauncey Bailey grew up in Oakland, and ultimately dedicated his career to reporting on Oakland's community, with special attention and dedication to news most affecting our African American populations. After receiving his education, Chauncey became a staff writer and columnist for The Detroit News. After 12 years working for The News, Mr. Bailey returned home to Oakland and began writing for the Oakland Tribune. Mr. Bailey diligently worked his way up in the news media profession, working with several of our local media outlets. He was a fixture in our papers, on our radios, and on our television sets. Two months ago, Mr. Bailey joined the Oakland Post as an editor. As an internationally renowned journalist, Chauncey, through his travels abroad, brought a keen understanding of the world beyond our borders to Oakland, California. We benefited tremendously from his experiences and his knowledge of global affairs and for that we are deeply grateful. Chauncey contributed immeasurably to the fabric of our community. Although Chauncey's death was an untimely travesty, it is my hope that through his legacy our community will be brought together. By remembering this man and his dedication to Oakland, we can come together and strengthen our collective hand in rooting out this type of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with Chauncey's family and friends, as well as the community he served and the people whose lives he most contributed to. We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Bailey's family, and our deepest gratitude to them for sharing this dedicated man and impassioned writer with us. May his soul rest in peace.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, all of the photo ops and the doctored statistics in the world will not change the fundamental fact that there is no military solution to the civil war in Iraq. Instead of facing reality, the President is asking for another blank check for his failed policy, and Congress should not give it to him. We must decide whose interests we represent, a President who has staked his legacy on an unnecessary war, or the millions of Americans that understand that ending the occupation is the first step in repairing the damage that this administration has done to the security of our Nation and the world. Congress has the power really to end this failed policy. We should not approve another penny to continue that policy. Instead, we should use our constitutionally mandated appropriations power to fully fund the safe, timely and responsible redeployment of our troops and contractors from Iraq. When we say we support our troops, let's mean it by bringing them home.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, first let me thank the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch) for your leadership and for managing the bill, and also for your clarity of why we are offering this resolution today and for your support. I also thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) for your leadership and your support. To the chairman of the committee, Chairman Waxman, and our ranking member, Mr. Davis, I commend them and thank them for working together to bring this bill to the floor, as well as to our leadership. Madam Speaker, I want to also express my appreciation to the over 60 cosponsors of this bipartisan resolution for their support. This resolution is extremely straightforward. What it does is detail and recognize the value of international travel, and request the President to issue a proclamation calling on the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses and other entities and the people of the United States to observe National Passport Month with appropriate ceremonies, programs and activities. The purpose of National Passport Month is to create a time to educate the public about the incredible opportunities available to those who obtain passports as well as the positive impact that international travel has on individuals and on our country. Today, and this is quite a revealing statistic, only about 25 percent of Americans have a passport. Twenty-five percent. That means 75 percent of Americans are limited in their ability to travel abroad because they don't have a passport. As a result, they are unable to take advantage of the enriching opportunities presented by international travel. As a member of the State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, I understand and appreciate the value and importance of international travel and the impact of our foreign aid and the positive value that our foreign aid brings to those throughout the world. Many years ago I had the opportunity to live in Great Britain for a couple of years, and can say with certainty that there is no substitute for the experience you get from visiting other countries, from meeting with people, from tasting the food, from interacting with the culture. It changes the way we see the world. It broadens our horizons, it deepens our appreciation for different countries and cultures and our shared humanity. It also helps us to learn, to understand, and to tolerate and to mutually respect other cultures. Not only does travel provide enriching opportunities for the individual, it can also have profound benefits for our Nation as a whole through people-to-people contact. In addition, having a passport and traveling abroad enables others to see our contributions firsthand, including the tremendous amount of humanitarian aid given by Americans through the public and private sectors. Americans of all ages are our best ambassadors, and we should promote policies that encourage them to travel, to forge connections with people from other countries, to foster mutual understanding and tolerance, and to help open new doors for peaceful coexistence. The timing of our efforts could not be more critical. I think we all recognize that America needs a boost in foreign public opinion, and I am confident that connections made with American travelers can and will make a huge difference in improving our image abroad. For all of these reasons, when Lonely Planet, which I am pleased to say is located in Oakland in my district, first raised the idea of a National Passport Month, I immediately got it. I embraced it. I am proud to have introduced H. Res. 554 and to be a part of this campaign to recognize the importance of international travel, and I am excited by the support we have received. Last year, Lonely Planet presented me with over 5,000 petition signatures from people all over our country who support these efforts, and this campaign has the support of a broad coalition of over 70 supporting travel organizations and associations to corporations like American Express and Yahoo. Moreover, the Department of State is on record in supporting September as National Passport Month. Let me just read a quote from their letter: ``Since September is a time of the year when schools are reopening and many students are considering travel or study abroad, it is a highly appropriate month to promote public awareness of the value of the United States passport. The Department shares your appreciation of the U.S. passport and supports your resolution.'' Given the recent problems with passport backlogs, this resolution is even more timely. The administration must make passports a priority and ensure that we have the resources available to process them in a timely manner. I thank all of the supporters of this resolution.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, on rollcall vote No. 821, the vote on final passage of H.R. 3356, I had intended to vote ``nay,'' but mistakenly voted ``yea.''

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act. This important legislation combines recommendations from 10 different committees to put us on a path to true energy independence. It creates new energy efficiency standards to reduce demand; it supports the development and distribution of green power from renewable energy sources; and it spurs further innovation and research on alternative energy sources. This is also a jobs creation bill designed to prepare the United States to compete in and help lead the green global marketplace of the future. It trains a new generation of workers with green skills, it assists and empowers small businesses to cut costs and scale up innovative energy solutions, and it ensures that research investments in green technology will translate to new, good paying, green jobs. This bill helps our nation respond to the growing threat of global warming by accelerating the use of renewable energy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging mass transit, and expanding carbon capture and sequestration programs. The bill also recognizes that we must lead by example at home and abroad. It requires the Federal Government to become carbon neutral by 2050, implements green building standards and greens Federal vehicle fleets; and it attempts to reengage us in binding global agreements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Speaker these initiatives all build upon work that is already taking place throughout our great nation. In many ways the California Bay Area and my district in particular are at the forefront of innovation and research on alternative energy, climate change and the environment. Ongoing research into alternative and renewable energy at UC Berkeley--one of the premier public universities in the country--holds the promise of a cleaner and brighter future for our children. Businesses in my district have also taken the lead in greening their activities to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, and save water-- minimizing their impact on our environment. Innovative programs funded in part through the City of Oakland are also training youth in my district about the importance of environmental stewardship and are providing them with new job opportunities and new career paths. Community based organizations in my district have also taken the lead in advocating for environmental justice and equity for all our constituents. Together our community is at the forefront of a robust environmental movement that is quite literally changing the world for the better. I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 3221 and to help accelerate these efforts in my district and throughout the Nation.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the rule and underlying bill, the CHAMP Act. I want to thank our leadership for their vision and commitment in bringing this critical legislation before us today. Mr. Speaker, as one of the primary authors of California's version of children's health insurance, the Healthy Families Act, I know this bill will help reverse the neglect and devastation to our health care system that has been inflicted over the last dozen years. The CHAMP Act will finally provide much needed care for the 5 million uninsured children across this Nation. The CHAMP Act will finally allow millions of seniors the access to affordable, quality health care that the Bush administration's Medicare cuts have denied. Finally, while I remain opposed to scientifically unsound abstinence- only programs I support the CHAMP Act's acknowledgment that these programs in their current form are not serving the needs of our young people who deserve access to medically-accurate, life-saving comprehensive sex education. Mr. Speaker, as important a step forward as this bill is, our goal must remain providing universal health care to all Americans. The future of our Nation depends on it.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me just say thank you to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher) for putting forth this bill, which I believe will take a significant step forward in ending this occupation in Iraq. This administration professes to care about our troops, so let me tell you, why have about 250,000 of our troops served more than one tour? Tell me this, why have tours in Iraq been extended for all active duty Army soldiers from 12 months to 15 months? I will tell you why. This administration, after nearly 5 years, nearly half a trillion dollars, and nearly 3,700 brave American lives, is willing to sacrifice the health and safety of our troops and the security of our Nation in a last-ditch effort to save face for its failed policies in Iraq. Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. The price is simply too high. The least we can do is give our troops this badly needed break. That's the least we can do. I congratulate Congresswoman Tauscher for this legislation and urge my colleagues to support it. Our troops need this, and both sides of the aisle should vote for this in a bipartisan fashion.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, first let me just say to the gentlelady from Connecticut, thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to moving our Nation forward in the area of agriculture, nutrition, health safety and all of the other issues that you tackle each and every day. I come today to enter into a colloquy to raise the important issue regarding the lifetime ban on food stamp eligibility for formerly incarcerated persons who were convicted of drug offenses. This is a serious moral issue of concern to me. Quite frankly, this ought to be for each and every Member of Congress. After they have served their time, Mr. Chairman, the formerly incarcerated reenter society looking to improve themselves and their lives. In these instances, however, the current policy prevents them access to food stamps. This just makes no sense. This absurd policy is the result of an overzealous congressional effort to appear tough on crime in 1996. Once someone has paid their debt to society they should be able to have the resources that will help them put their lives together. I hope that we can work together to ensure that this inequity is addressed.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking my friend and colleague, the chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Congressman Frank, for his tremendous leadership. Not only did you help us move this bill forward, but you helped, quite frankly, to make it a much better bill. So I want to thank Congressman Frank, also your staff, Daniel McGlinchey, Jim Segal and Katie Lavelle for working with us over the last few months to craft this bill. Also let me just thank and recognize Congressman Luis Gutierrez, who chairs the subcommittee, for his support and assistance. In addition, I must thank the Sudan Divestment Task Force and its staff and especially my staff, Lauren Jenkins and Christos Tsentos, as well as Sam Bell and Aysha House-Moshi, formerly of my staff, who really helped me and helped the groups around the country come together to put this bill together. And let me thank our ranking member of the committee for his early leadership, Congressman Bachus, as well as Congressman Garrett, a cosponsor of this bill, and also Congressman Don Payne, Frank Wolf and Senator Brownback for testifying at the committee when this bill was heard. And, lastly, let me just commend and thank our great Speaker, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for her tremendous leadership, and also our majority leader, Steny Hoyer, for making sure that our caucus works in a bipartisan fashion to keep this issue alive. Thirteen years ago, the world stood by as nearly 1 million people were slaughtered in the genocide in Rwanda, and the best our country could do then was to apologize for failing to act after the fact. Many of us swore that another Rwanda would never again take place on our watch, but it is happening again. Three years ago last week, on July 22, 2004, under the leadership of our good friend Congressman Don Payne, Congress finally formally declared the genocide was taking place in Darfur. Today, the genocide is getting worse. I have witnessed this horror on three occasions in Darfur; and let me tell you, it is getting worse. Mr. Speaker, many of us in a bipartisan effort have spoken out repeatedly on the floor over the last three years in condemnation of the ongoing genocide in Darfur. These efforts have only intensified as we have sought to use each and every tool at our disposal to bring this genocide to an end. In April, we passed a resolution urging our friends in the League of Arab States to exert their influence on the Government of Sudan. In May, we called on the Defense Department to examine the rehabilitation of the Abeche airfield in Chad to support expanded humanitarian operations in Darfur. And in June we passed another resolution urging the Chinese to leverage their very unique influence with Sudan to help end the genocide. Today, we take another very important step forward by passing H.R. 180. This is bipartisan legislation which would support the growing grass-roots movement to divest from companies doing business in Sudan. Organizations led by young people like STAND and the Save Darfur Coalition have been in the forefront of successful student divestment campaigns across the country to pressure the Khartoum regime to end the genocide in Darfur, and we do owe them a debt of gratitude. To date, over 54 universities, 19 States and 9 cities have passed divestment legislation to pull State and local funds out of companies that conduct business with Sudan. Throughout our country, our constituents are standing up and demanding that their hard-earned money not be used to support a pariah government that is killing its own people. My bill would authorize and support States, local governments, universities, mutual funds and pension plans that choose to divest from companies doing business in Sudan. At the same time, we would prohibit the Federal Government from renewing or signing contracts with multinational companies doing business with Sudan. These businesses and industries are in the mineral and oil and military equipment industries. We want them to stop propping up this genocidal regime. As we pursue divestment, we must also continue to support the rapid and unconditional deployment of the United Nations and African Union forces, along with free and unfettered access for groups providing humanitarian assistance. And we must continue to urge all parties to lay down their arms and come to the table to negotiate a political solution. Every day we wait, killings, the rapes, the starvation, the dislocation, they all continue. This genocide is happening on our watch. But this time, working together in a bipartisan coalition, we have the will and determination and the wherewithal to stop it. It worked with the racist apartheid regime in South Africa, and it can work with the genocidal regime in Sudan. Not on our watch. Save Darfur, as the Save Darfur Coalition so passionately has said; and, today, I hope that the House of Representatives will say the same thing by passing H.R. 180. Again, I want to thank the Financial Services Committee, and I must thank again Congressman Frank for really making sure that what we intend to do we will do. And I want to thank Congressman Frank again for making this a much stronger bill. We've worked on this for a couple of years, and I tell you working together in a bipartisan fashion we will end this horrific genocide in Darfur

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Rangel Amendment and thank the gentlemen for offering such a forward-thinking measure. This amendment will remove the banking restrictions that require prepayment for agricultural goods, that keep Cuban families from purchasing food from American family farmers. And frankly it's past time. It's past time to leave outdated cold war era thinking on United States-Cuban relations out where they belong--in the cold. It's past time to reach out to the Cuban people and allow them to engage our democratic free markets. It's past time to restore the rights of the American family farmer's access to upwards of $300 million dollars in sales to the Cuban market. It makes no sense to me to allow agricultural exports into Cuba on one hand and then turn around and set up bureaucratic banking restrictions that severely limit those very exports on the other. I commend Chairman Rangel for his leadership on this issue and I hope to work with him to bring some common sense to Cuba policy.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, first let me just say today is a good day. I'm very delighted to be able to rise in support of H.R. 176, the Shirley Chisholm U.S.-Caribbean Educational Exchange Act of 2007. I would like to thank Congressman Faleomavaega from the American Samoa, the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment, for yielding to me, for managing this bill on the floor, and for your assistance and for your leadership. Also, to our ranking member, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, thank you so much for your diligence and hard work and understanding and clarity of what we wanted to do and making sure that this was done in a bipartisan way. We appreciate so much your leadership. I am very pleased, as I said, that the House will have an opportunity to discuss this bill today. I want to thank everyone who has helped with this very important piece of legislation. I would also like to thank my good friend, Congressman Eliot Engel, who is the Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, and my colleague, the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Tom Lantos. Also, we couldn't have done with this without our staff, who have put in so many hours to ensure that this bill would have the most impact. Particularly, I would like to thank Jason Steinbaum of Mr. Engel's staff and Kristen Wells and Peter Quilter of Mr. Lantos' staff. And let me acknowledge Miguel Ayala from my office for his very, very excellent work on this bill, and Jamila Thompson, formerly of my staff, who really initially worked on this legislation as well as the designation of June as Caribbean-American Heritage Month. This legislation is so important because our neighbors in the Caribbean, sometimes called the ``Third Border,'' they're often neglected when we consider matters that affect our hemisphere. My bill creates an educational exchange program whereby students in the Caribbean, including secondary school, undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate students and scholars can come abroad to study at United States institutions of higher education. These important programs will not only encourage diplomacy between our Nation and those in the Caribbean, but it will also prepare these students to return home to the Caribbean with the tools and the education they need to move their nations forward in the 21st century. This legislation also encourages academic partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-serving institutions, when possible, and will ensure parity between males and females in the program. Furthermore, both merit and financial need will be considered for those exchange programs which we are authorizing today. This bill also creates and provides educational development assistance for CARICOM nations. It will address the lack of access and the lack of quality education in some areas of the Caribbean by improving primary and secondary education through teacher training, strengthening curriculum, and improving administration and management of schools. This bill is named after our former colleague, my dear friend, my mentor, the late Congresswoman Shirley Anita Chisholm, who I dearly loved and learned much from and who I deeply miss. She served in Congress from 1969 to 1983 and was of Caribbean descent. Her mother was from Barbados and her father was from Guyana. She represented the 12th District of New York, which to this day continues to have a significant Caribbean-American population. Congresswoman Chisholm would have been so proud to know that this program will address the very disparities in education that the leaders of the CARICOM nations raised during the conference last month here in Washington, D.C. They met with the President, the Secretary of State, Speaker Pelosi, and also with our colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Congressional Black Caucus. And during those meetings with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, many Members here in our own body heard about the lack of opportunities for students from the Caribbean to study in the United States. It is clear to me that we need to do more to help our friends and neighbors in the Caribbean, and I hope this bill is just one step with regard to the many that we're looking at that will come forward to move us forward with closer ties to our regions. Again, I would like to thank everyone who helped me make this bill come to fruition. It has taken a while. It has taken a long time, actually. I am delighted that we, today, will be sending a very clear message to our friends in the Caribbean that we are truly supportive. You know, when you see other countries in the region providing scholarships for students from the Caribbean, such as Cuba, I think it is now up to the United States to step up to the plate and say we, too, can make sure that students from the Caribbean benefit from the wonderful educational opportunities present in the United States. Thank you, again, Mr. Faleomavaega.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Rangel amendment and thank the gentleman for offering such a forward thinking measure. This amendment will remove the banking restrictions that require prepayment for agricultural goods, that keep Cuban families from purchasing food from American family farmers. And frankly it's past time. It is past time to leave out-dated cold war era thinking on U.S.- Cuban relations out where they belong--in the cold. It is past time to reach out to the Cuban people and allow them to engage our democratic free markets. It is past time to restore the rights of the American family farmer's access to upwards of $300 million dollars in sales to the Cuban market. It makes no sense to me to allow agricultural exports into Cuba on one hand an then turn around and set up bureaucratic banking restrictions that severely limit those very exports on the other. I commend Chairman Rangel for his leadership on this issue and I hope to work with him to bring some common sense to Cuba policy.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Madam Chairman, let me take this opportunity to thank the gentleman for his attention to this issue, and I look forward to working with him to ensure that it is addressed. And I want to congratulate him on putting together the coalition for this bill.

Ms. LEE. Madam Chairman, I rise this evening to enter into a colloquy with the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson), our distinguished chair of the Agriculture Committee. And first, let me just thank the gentleman for his hard work on the farm bill reauthorization and his dedication to moving our Nation forward in the area of agriculture, nutrition, conservation and energy. I want to applaud his efforts to accommodate the various caucuses and coalitions across the country and in Congress, including the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the California delegation and the Hunger Caucus. Madam Chairman, I come to the floor today to raise the important issue of concern to me and members of the Congressional Black Caucus regarding the lifetime ban of eligibility of food stamps for formerly incarcerated persons who were convicted of drug offenses. It makes no sense to single out this group. Most recent figures show that nearly 213,000 State inmates were released in 2005 after serving a sentence for a drug crime, and most recent Federal data shows that 24,400 Federal inmates were released in 2002. After they serve their time, they reenter society looking to improve themselves and their lives. The task of finding a job for formerly incarcerated individuals is often difficult and a daunting task. This effort is even more difficult if they want to go back to school, be it for their GED or college degree. In these instances, they are unable to access many of the resources available to others, including food stamps. The inequity to this group couldn't be clearer. Drug offenses account for more than 50 percent of the crimes committed by Federal prisoners and more than 20 percent of State prisoners, most of whom are nonviolent offenders. With factors such as poverty and lack of access to educational resources, coupled with the lack of sufficient legal resources, this issue disproportionately affects the African American community. In 1996, the Congress, in an overzealous attempt to appear tough on crime, included in the Welfare Reform bill a provision that excluded formerly incarcerated persons from receiving food stamp benefits for life. This is a lifetime ban if they have ever been convicted of a drug crime. So Madam Chair, that is why I offered an amendment to the rule to H.R. 2419 to strike this ban. Although the amendment was not made in order, I strongly believe that this is an unfair and unjust policy which must be addressed. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he said ``An injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' Madam Chairman, this policy has created a slippery slope, one that can be used to cherry-pick certain segments of the population who can eat, basically, while others must scrape and scramble for the basics. Once someone has served their debt to society, they should be able to have access to the minimum amount of food vital to their survival while they get their lives together. So I hope that I can work together with the distinguished Chair of the Ag Committee to ensure that this grave inequity is corrected.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago this week, Congress formally declared that genocide was taking place in Darfur, and Congressman Don Payne is owed a debt of gratitude for leading this effort. While much has been done since then to push pressure on Khartoum, the genocide still rages. Our young people and the faith community have tirelessly reminded us of this. I was in Darfur earlier this year for the third time, and let me tell you, it is getting worse. We passed a number of bills in Congress imposing sanctions urging our allies like China and the League of Arab States to get involved, but we must do more. Today, with the help of our good friend and great leader, Chairman Barney Frank, the Financial Services Committee Chair, we will take another step toward marking up my bill, H.R. 180, the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act, which authorizes States to divest from Sudan and bans new Federal contracts with companies doing business with the genocidal regime in Khartoum. We must keep the pressure on President Bashir and insist on unfettered access for the United Nations and African Union, and we must save Darfur.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership. Also, I would like to thank our Speaker, our leadership, Chairman Skelton, Chairman Lantos, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and others for really bringing this critical measure to a vote today. What this legislation does is really simple. It does what the Iraq Study Group and other experts have recommended that we do. It makes a clear state of policy that the United States does not intend to maintain an open-ended military presence in Iraq and that we will not exercise control over Iraqi oil, and it backs up that policy with the power of the purse. And the President and his administration to this date, and I mean to this date, have not made a clear statement of this policy. Putting Congress on record with this clear statement helps take the target off our troops' backs; it supports our goals of handing over responsibility for security and public safety to Iraqi forces. Mr. Speaker, the perception that the United States plans to maintain a permanent military presence in Iraq strengthens the insurgency and fuels the violence against our troops. That is why experts ranging from former adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority Larry Diamond to the Iraq Study Group have called on the President to make a clear statement of policy that the United States does not intend to maintain permanent military bases or an open-ended military presence in Iraq. Unfortunately, the administration has refused to do that. In fact, there are conflicting accounts as to who will decide if we stay in Iraq permanently. When the President was asked that question at a press conference last October he said: ``Any decisions on permanency in Iraq will be made by the Iraqi Government.'' But when Secretary Gates was asked is our presence left up to the Iraqis, or do we make the decision in testimony before the Senate this February, Secretary Gates said, we will make this decision. More recently the administration has further muddied the waters by saying that they envision a United States military presence in Iraq similar to that we have in South Korea where American troops have been stationed for more than 50 years and won't be leaving anytime soon. We must soundly reject the vision of an open-ended occupation as bad policy which undermines the safety of our troops, and we must recognize it for what it is: Another recruiting posture for terrorists. To those who raise objections or want to suggest this is only a symbolic measure, or raise semantic questions about what a permanent base is, let me say this: This is a serious issue, and I think we should all recognize how much is at stake. The question is simple: Do we support an endless occupation, or do we oppose it? We may disagree on many things about Iraq, but I hope we can agree that an endless occupation is not the answer. Let's make that commitment today. Let's put the so-called Korea model to bed, and let's tell our young men and women that when they come home, they will all come home. Let's pass this legislation, and I want to thank Congresswomen Woolsey and Waters, and Congressmen Price and Allen for their support.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman from New York for yielding and also for his leadership and for continuing to beat the drum on this very, very important issue. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is about allowing State governments to provide relief for a small, very important group of people who are suffering from chronic pain or terminal illness. This amendment does not encourage or make legal the recreational use of marijuana. Eleven States, including my home State of California, have legalized medical marijuana, with clear guidelines for doctors' approval before usage. For example, a constituent from Oakland, Angel Raich, has been diagnosed with more than 10 serious medical conditions, including an inoperable brain tumor. Ms. Raich and others who use medical marijuana are simply trying to relieve their crushing pain while following the guidelines and laws that their doctors and the States have already established. Taxpayer dollars shouldn't be spent on sending seriously or terminally ill patients to jail. Their doctors, not Congress, should decide which drugs will work best. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this amendment and ensure that patients' rights are upheld. This is the right thing to do. This is the compassionate thing to do. This is about health care. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from New York again for once again offering this amendment.

Ms. LEE

Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to clarify a statement from my earlier remarks regarding life expectancy in the United States versus other nations. Cuba does not rank ahead of the United States in life expectancy. A person born in the U.S. can expect to live 78 years and those born in Cuba 77.08 years. Cuba's life expectancy rates are comparable to rates for the United States despite the fact that their spending on healthcare, per capita, is less than $50 and the United States' spending per capita is almost $7000. We also have a comparable ranking on World Health Organization's list for over all health, with the U.S. ranked 37th and Cuba ranked 39th. We spend more money on healthcare than any other nation in the world and yet the United States ranks 23rd in infant mortality among industrialized nations, behind nations like Germany, Canada and Cuba. We used to be first in life expectancy in 1945, now, according to the Central Intelligence Agencies World Fact Book, we rank 45th. We must act to reverse this downward slide in the health of our Nation and the most vital step is to revitalize our commitment to universal access to healthcare, primary care and a healthcare home for every single person in America.