Juanita Millender-McDonald

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) for her steadfast commitment and leadership to this very critical, but important, issue in the African American community, the Latino community, the Asian community, and all communities of color. She has not only shown leadership in this area, but in all areas on health issues as they relate to people of color. She has brought about an inclusion, and that is evident, of the 39 African American Members of Congress who have joined forces with her in this fight to raise the issue of funding in our community. African Americans and other minorities continue to suffer a drastically higher rate of death and disease and longer term rates of illnesses from treatable diseases than other segments of the U.S. population. As our Nation prepares to enter the new millennium, this negative health status must not continue to be ignored. As the Nation spends over $7 billion for HIV-AIDS treatment, prevention and control, only $156 million is targeted to address HIV- AIDS in communities of color, a mere 2 percent. Surely steps must be taken and effective measures put in place to ensure that resources follow the trend of the disease across all segments of this population. We are asking for a minimum of $349 million to appropriate in fiscal year 2000 to address this health emergency in communities of color. Mr. Speaker, I started an AIDS walk in the Southern California area because of the devastation of this disease, both domestically, and, now, internationally, in Africa, Brazil, Asia and Latin America. In looking at it from the domestic side of things, according to the Centers for Disease Control, as of June 1997, 32.4 percent of all males age 13 and older are African Americans, and 14.8 percent are Hispanic. Of all females age 13 and older, 24.2 percent are Caucasians, 58.4 percent are African Americans, and 16.4 percent are Latinos or Hispanics. Of all children under the age of 13 years old, 60.8 percent are African Americans and 19.5 percent are Hispanic. You can see this very devastating disease, Mr. Speaker, has impacted the minority women and children tremendously, with this being the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25 to 44, right in those reproductive years. We can ill afford to let this continue, Mr. Speaker. We must raise the awareness of this devastation domestically. With African Americans making up 13 percent of the U.S. population and Hispanics making up 11 percent of the U.S. population, these percentages signal an alarming and inhumane quandary for all Americans. We, the Members of Congress, are in a position to impact the lives of America's families struggling to lead healthy, productive lives. We can serve an integral role in educating parents, teens, and members of our communities on HIV, how it is transmitted, what treatment options exist for those who are living with HIV, the need to obtain HIV testing, and the clarification of rampant myths associated with the disease that for so long has been exclusively associated with homosexual white males. Now, HIV, as I have just read to you, is devastating domestically, but this disease is also devastating Africa by large numbers. Presently, there are nearly 23 million adults and children living with HIV/AIDS on that great continent. According to UNESCO, AIDS is now Africa's leading cause of death. Please hear me, Mr. Speaker, and those in the outer communities. It is the leading cause of death here domestically among African American women ages 25 to 44, and it is the leading cause of death on the continent of Africa. With prevalence rates reaching 25 percent of all adults in some countries, the epidemic is decimating the pool of skilled workers, managers, and professionals who make up the human capital to grow Africa's democracies and economies. While the HIV/AIDS disease continues to devastate women domestically and throughout Africa, and finding a cure seems far into the future, we cannot afford to give up. The Congressional Black Caucus will not give up. We are calling on all Americans of good will not to give up. We are calling on our African sisters and brothers not to give up. There are many things that we can do as world citizens to help address the myriad problems associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Education programs in the workplace, schools, and churches can help create new attitudes toward gender and AIDS transmission. Women's health services that include treatment, testing and counseling, prevention and support services, can greatly empower women as they combat this disease while caring for their children. Mr. Speaker, we must support the cause of a comprehensive program for African American, Latino and Asian women and the entire minority population in testing, education in schools and the workplace, peer education, and counseling. Research is also essential if we are to conquer this disease. We want to encourage more investment in scientific research that will make tests for earlier detection simple and affordable, develop new technologies for prevention, and promote women's health rights and human rights vis-a-vis HIV/AIDS and related issues. Mr. Speaker, I am calling tonight on all of us to join forces with the Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, led by the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) to not only address this critical devastating disease but help us in the funding to try and find a cure.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, as a mother of five children, I know the joys associated with motherhood. Also, as an advocate for women's issues, I am well aware of the dangers that women face as it relates to domestic violence. Acts of violence against women, especially pregnant women, are tragic and should be punished appropriately. However, H.R. 2436 is not the best way to achieve this goal. H.R. 2436 is not designed to persecute these crimes and prevent violence against women but to undermine a woman's right to choose by criminalizing death or injury that occurs at any stage of development from conception to birth. H.R. 2436 does not recognize the harm to the woman. In fact, it does not even mention the woman. We should not be fooled by rhetoric of the supporters of H.R. 2436. This bill fails to address the very real need for strong Federal legislation to prevent and punish violent crimes against women. Nearly one in every three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. To deter crimes against women, and to punish those who assault or murder pregnant women, Congress should pursue other avenues that focus on the harm to the woman and the promotion of healthy pregnancies. Elevating the status of a fetus to a person flies in the face of the Roe v. Wade decision on the definition of a person and also erodes a woman's right to choose. This is the beginning of a very slippery slope, and I am not about to slide on that slope. The Lofgren substitute creates a separate Federal criminal offense for harm to a pregnant woman. We are against the bill because it does nothing, that is H.R. 2436, to protect the pregnant mother. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 2436, this Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and support the Lofgren-Conyers substitute, the Motherhood Protection Act, because H.R. 2436 is a direct assault on Roe v. Wade. I ask for a ``yes'' vote for the Lofgren-Conyers substitute.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today we will be considering H.R. 2392, the Small Business Innovation Research Act of 1999, SBIR. One of the most important jobs for us serving on the Committee on Small Business is to provide small businesses with every opportunity to succeed. This bipartisan piece of legislation does just that. It levels the playing field for small businesses engaging in research and development, providing them with the tools they need to succeed in today's technologically intensive market. America is currently experiencing one of the longest periods of economic growth in its history. One of the biggest reasons for this unparalleled economic growth is the innovation and technological advances made by our small businesses. Our small entrepreneurs have always been at the forefront of technological research and innovation. There are many reasons for this, ranging from lower costs, greater flexibility, and closer contact with customers to a greater willingness to engage in high-risk research and development products. Despite their remarkable track record, however, small firms often lack the capital or the access to the Federal research and development budgets they need to transform a great idea into a commercial success. To strengthen and expand the competitiveness of U.S. small business technology in the Federal marketplace, a Democratic Congress established the Small Business Innovation Research Program in 1982. The goal of the SBIR program is to strengthen the role of small innovative firms in federally funded research and development. Under this program, Federal agencies with extramural research budgets in excess of $100 million per year set aside a small part of their R&D budget, currently 2.5 percent, for innovative small firms. SBIR provides an information pipeline to the high technology small business community, and gives small businesses an unrivaled opportunity to produce cutting-edge research and development and take their findings to the marketplace. Comparatively, this is a small amount. Since its inception, the SBIR program has a proven record of bringing high-quality products and services to the market. One of the most important areas SBIR has helped is in the war against cancer by providing breakthroughs in the areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals, and the environment. For example, through R&D funds from the National Cancer Institute facilitated by the SBIR program, GMA Industries has engaged in several projects that have led to technological innovations resulting in lower costs that are significantly under industry norms for document imaging and capture and database development. Additionally, thanks to this program, jobs have been created, the economy has grown and America has remained at the forefront of innovation. INC Magazine has even called the SBIR program the most important piece of small business legislation yet enacted in our lifetime. Small businesses may not have the huge budgets that some larger firms have, but what they lack in size they make up in ideas. What this program does is level the playing field. This program gives most of those with the ideas, but lacking resources, an opportunity to develop their innovations. It makes sure that those ideas are looked at and funded. SBIR and its participants keep this Nation ahead of the curve and ahead of the world. As a testament to its success, SBIR has been modeled and copied by several countries around the world. Representatives from the governments throughout the world come here to study this program so they can implement it back to their own countries. The legislation we have before us today will reauthorize SBIR for 7 years and make some minor technical changes. Even though authorization does not lapse until October of 2000, it is critical that we act, Madam Speaker, now so that participating agencies are able to properly develop guidelines and assess their research needs to ensure that America's cutting edge firms continue to have opportunities available to them. The other changes made by this legislation will allow small firms to continue research on marketable ideas developed under their grant, providing them with the continuity that firms working on research and development need. The SBIR program has proven to be an essential element for our Nation's growing technological sectors. Both sides have worked closely on this issue because both sides agree that this is an essential program for the success of small firms. I urge by colleagues to cast a ``yes'' vote on this bipartisan piece of legislation that will ensure our small firms having a level playing field in the high technology market. I would like to thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), chairman, and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), ranking member, for their tenacity in bringing this bipartisan bill to us. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Speaker, a little while ago in a major address, Alan Greenspan credited our Nation's productivity advances as a major contributor of the Nation's phenomenal economic performance. Booming economic growth without inflation is impossible to sustain without productivity gains. At the center of productivity is new superior technology. Technological advances accounts for nearly 50 percent of growth in GNP per person employed. It is small businesses that deliver new innovations more effectively and efficiently. The National Science Foundation found, for example, that the cost of R&D is significantly lower in small firms than in large ones. Another series of studies found that small firms are more innovative per dollar or per employee than other R&D sources. Simply put, Madam Speaker, the taxpayer gets more bang for his or her bucks when small dynamic companies do the job. This should not surprise us, Madam Speaker. The SBIR program is one of the most competitive programs there is for research. The Federal managers for the program have told us that the research done is at least as good as and in some cases superior to the research they would get from traditional sources and that SBIR awards are much more likely to result in commercial products than other government-funded R&D. During our hearings we discovered that the private sector awards of R&D to small businesses in the marketplace has indeed been growing at a rapid pace. Finally, Madam Speaker, the Small Business Development Innovation Research Program, created 18 years ago, has remained one of the most effective technology programs in the Federal Government. Repeatedly studied by GAO, the SBA, and individual Federal agencies, the program has shown strong performance and has given remarkable impetus to the technological innovation that feeds growth. Its purpose remains meeting the Federal Government's research and development needs, and no one can question that it does just that. I do urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this important bipartisan piece of legislation that allows our Nation's most innovative small firms to have a level playing field in this highly competitive market. It is to all America's benefit to see our small businesses succeed, because they are a driving force in our economy. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen).

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), the former ranking member on the Committee on Small Business. (Mr. LaFALCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I come tonight with a sad heart. A very close and dear friend of mine, Chuck Hillard Blackburn passed away last week at the age of 83. I was saddened, Mr. Speaker, because I was here doing the people's business in the people's House, that I was unable to go to pay my respects to such a fine American. There was something about Chuck that was very unusual. Chuck was a Republican. He loved being in the Republican Party. But after he met me and he joined forces with me, he changed his affiliation from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party and started working with me in my endeavors as I started early on running for the Carson City Council, on to the State legislature, and then here to Congress. In all three of those runs, Mr. Speaker, he was there for me. He managed my office. He made sure that the phone banks were covered. One could not have found an any more endearing person than Chuck Blackburn. Chuck often spoke about growing up in his State of Ohio, City of Springfield and, as a boy, how he enjoyed being with his father fishing and doing some of the great things that boys and fathers have a great relationship with. Then he moved to California. Again, enjoying his grandchildren, he did some of those same things that he had done with his father with his grandchildren. But I do not want to ignore the fact that Chuck served this country in three wars. A great veteran he was, always giving patriotism to this country, having served it very well. During his 27 years in the military, he often talked about the many strides and struggles and the many times that he had to go on the battlefield. But he did not regret, not a single bit of it, because he loved this country. Chuck Blackburn was an American who absolutely felt that being an American was the greatest thing in the world. Then after coming out of the military, having served for 27 years, he became a manager with the Kelly Services and was the manager there for 10 years, after which he began to just do voluntary things there in the city of Carson. That is when he joined forces with me. From that point on, he was my friend, my devoted constituent, my really true trustworthy friend whom I could always depend on as I ran the campaigns. He was in the La Bon Temps social club, and it was a club where men would dress each year in their fine after-6 attire and have ballroom dancing and parties. He was known as a guy who was very soft on his feet or very smooth on his feet. He did the ballroom dancing like no one could. I can see him now with his tall slinky body, handsomely dressed in this tux, waltzing across the floor with his wife Eugenia, a great man, handsome man, a very great American. He attended the church of the Holy Communion with his wife, Eugenia, for many years. They were married some 24 years. In their years of marriage, they sought to have all of their grandchildren baptized here at the Church of the Holy Communion. Upon his death, that church was the place in which a memorial service was done for him. We will miss Chuck, a great guy, a true friend, a great American, a great patriot. But the one thing that I can say for him, that he loved this country. He loved the people, his neighbors, and he loved this congresswoman. I certainly cannot say enough for the fine gentleman he was. I will sorely miss him as we gear up for this election come the year 2000. But I know wherever Chuck is now, and I certainly will presume he is in heaven or assume he is, that he is saying, ``Now, you just go girl, because you have got to win this reelection. I am going to be there in spirit to make sure that those phone banks are covered, that those who come to volunteer will sign in, and that you will have victory come November of the year 2000.'' Good-bye Chuck.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, how long? How long will our children have to wait before we can pass good gun safety legislation? How long will our parents, who are petrified to send their children to school for fear of that fatal call that they will get? How long, Mr. Speaker, must this House wait to ensure our children the safety that they deserve when they are in school or in church? I suggest to my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, my bill, the child safety lock bill that was introduced in the 105th Congress and in the 106th Congress that has not passed this House yet, would have perhaps prevented Andre Holmes, age 15, killed by gun fire on September 1, 1999 in Atlanta, Georgia; Larry N. Perry, age 17, killed by gun fire on September 1, 1999 in Omaha, Nebraska; Kyla Washington, age 1, killed by gun fire on September 4, 1999, Dolton, Illinois; Christopher Fogleman, age 12, killed by gun fire on September 4, 1999, Wilmington, North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the list goes on and on. Let us not forget, the children are watching.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight again because we still have not passed legislation to add direction to the issue of gun violence in America. Given that we have been plagued by gun violence in our schools across the country, to the most recent shootings involving Jewish children in Los Angeles and members of a Baptist church in Ft. Worth, Texas, it is clear that there is an overwhelming need for gun legislation. We have an opportunity as a body to address this issue. The juvenile justice bills from the House and Senate which are currently in conference committee can provide the American public with the action they deserve on this critical issue. I urge my colleagues to support my bill, which would require child safety locks on handguns, a bill which would require all sellers at gun shows, flea markets, and other weapon markets to run an instant background check on every one of their purchasers, and a bill which would close the loophole in the Brady law which would prevent felons from acquiring guns. We should also raise the handgun purchase age from 18 to 21 to effectively protect our children. Mr. Speaker, events around the country illustrate the need for these changes in our laws to be enacted. Thirteen children under the age of 19 are killed each day because of guns. In 1996 alone, 4,643 young people were killed by firearms. Guns cause one in four deaths of teenagers age 15 to 19. Firearms are the fourth leading cause of accidental death among children ages 5 to 14. Each year gun violence is getting worse. From 1984 to 1994, the firearms homicide rate for 15- to 18-year-olds increased over 200 percent, while the non-firearm homicide death rate decreased 12.8 percent. How many more shootings, Mr. Speaker, must occur before this body will take substantive action? How many more children must be slaughtered by guns before we pass laws to protect them? Is it necessary for every congressional district within each State to experience some traumatic, violent event before we act on the issue of gun violence? Gun violence affects all Americans regardless of age, class, religion, or socio-economic status. Many countries around the world do not have the same level of gun violence as the United States. This is a problem that has a clear solution, legislation to stem the tide of violence that has plagued us as a Nation. Mr. Speaker, in my State of California alone, the number of incidents of gun violence over the course of 10 years is unacceptable. In Berkeley, Kenzo Dix was gunned down by a 14-year-old schoolmate when he was accidentally shot when the two were playing with a pistol. In Los Angeles, a 14-year-old boy was accidentally shot in the head and killed by a friend showing off his father's handgun. In Oceanside, 4- year-old Christopher David Holt unintentionally shot and killed himself with a .357 Magnum revolver he discovered in a concealed compartment at the head of his grandfather's bed. Of the 5,000 children who die each year because of guns, which averages out to 13 per day, nearly 500 deaths are accidental. My child safety lock act, Mr. Speaker, which I introduced in the 105th and 106th Congress, would have prohibited any person from transferring or selling a firearm in the United States unless it is sold with a child safety lock. This bill and other legislation currently in the conference committee will address this issue. We must have the ability to cross party lines, Mr. Speaker, forget our political and ideological differences, and pass legislation to avoid the continued senseless bloodshed and loss of innocent lives around our country. I urge my colleagues to support legislation which will create a safer environment for all Americans and preserve the future of our children.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 424, the DOD Authorization Conference Report, I was held up in a traffic accident. Had I been present I would have voted ``yes''.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I stand in support of this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Tauzin/Dingell amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill. The Gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Tauzin and the Gentleman from Michigan, Mr. Dingell have crafted an amendment that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from requiring persons to use accounting methods that do not conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Today, the Federal Communications Commission requires local telephone companies to keep two sets of books. No other industry is required to do this and it is unfair for the government to treat one segment of the telecommunications industry differently than we do others. This current requirement serves no purpose and should be eliminated. Local telephone companies keep their financial records according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the standard required by the IRS, SEC, and the investment community. In addition, they must also keep another set of records that follows the Uniform Systems of Accounts, developed by the FCC in 1935 to facilitate the Commission's oversight of the ``old'' AT&T. This costs customers $270 million. The Tauzin/Dingell amendment would simply prohibit the FCC from requiring companies to provide financial records in a format other than what is generally accepted. The amendment also leaves in place the FCC's ability to require information on costs and to set depreciation schedules necessary for universal service calculations. The use of GAAP will not jeopardize universal service. In today's market, rapid advances in technology drive the introduction of new products at an incredible pace. Costly and unnecessary regulations slow the pace and place certain companies on an unlevel playing field. The Tauzin/Dingell amendment helps promote competition and levels the playing field among telecommunications companies. Support the Tauzin/ Dingell amendment and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in support of H.R. 2614, the Certified Development Company Loan Program. This bill will ensure a greater access to capital for potential business owners. By providing this access, this will allow our economy to continue to grow and ensure future prosperity for the country. H.R. 2614 makes a number of necessary changes to the Small Business Administration's (SBA) 504 loan program. H.R. 2614 allows more businesses to have access to loans. It is clear that access to loans gives business owners access to opportunities. In addition, by increasing the debenture size, we will allow Certified Development Companies (CDCs) to make more loans. H.R. 2614 increases opportunities for business owned by women. Based on statistics, women-owned businesses contribute more than $2.38 Trillion annually in revenues to the economy, which is more than the gross domestic product of most countries. Women owned businesses also employ one out of every five workers in the United States, which is a total of 18.5 million employees. Based on these facts, women must have adequate access to capital through loans. Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that the 504 loan program remains solvent. The 504 program is a self-sufficient program which is driven by the market. Through the reauthorization of fees, we can ensure the solvency of the program. We also have a responsibility to make the 504 program more efficient. Under the Premier Certified Lender Program, specific experienced CDC's are granted the authority to approve debentures without SBA involvement. In return, the lenders agree to reimburse the SBA 10% of any loss on a debenture guaranteed by the SBA. By making the Premier Certified Lender Program permanent, the 504 program will be more efficient. The 504 loan program must properly serve the borrower. The current loan liquidation program has been successful in ensuring that the 504 program works for borrowers. Loan liquidation is the most expensive portion of the 504 program. Through the involvement of the CDC, which has resulted in a higher response rate, the overall costs are lowered for the program. By lowering the cost of the program, businesses will have access to reduced rates on loans, which will lower expenses to small businesses. H.R. 2614 is good for borrowers and small businesses and is therefore good for our economy. We should vote in favor of H.R. 2614 and expand opportunities for small business owners.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to the Tiahrt amendment to H.R. 2587. As a Member of this House representing a region of the country with an astronomically high rate of HIV transmission and AIDS, I cannot support this bill. I cannot support legislation that not only prohibits the use of federal funds, but also prohibits the use of local or other funds. What are we saying to the citizens of the District of Columbia when their elected representative does not support this bill? HIV and AIDS continues to plague this Nation. Yes, we have seen some much-needed improvements in the extension of lives through better treatment and we have seen the number of deaths resulting from AIDS fall for the first time. But we have not and will not see the rate of HIV transmission fall if we continue to let politics rule the legislative process. The needle exchange programs that have been implemented in inner- cities throughout the country are playing a crucial role in reducing HIV transmission, assisting HIV positive drug users in obtaining necessary medical care and drug treatment, and providing essential information and AIDS. This is critical for the hundreds of thousands of adults who do not know that their partners are using drugs, and for the innocent children who are born with this fatal disease. Public health officials do not support this amendment and I encourage my colleagues to join me in voting against this amendment, which is full of politics and void of reason.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Smith amendment and in support of the Greenwood-Pelosi amendment. The Greenwood-Pelosi amendment ensures that U.S. funds for family planning will continue to be made available to foreign countries and the U.S. will not interfere with the laws of those foreign countries. These provisions embrace our Nation's attempts to create healthy and prosperous communities around the world. Family planning is a necessity, Mr. Chairman, within our country and around the world. Providing education on methodologies which may harm a woman's pregnancy, ways to avoid needing an abortion, prenatal care, and how to care for babies are all necessary components of family planning. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania, the gentlewoman from California and all of my colleagues who are here today to stand up for responsible foreign policy and making sure that the essentials of family planning are available to the women and families that need it throughout the world. I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting the Greenwood-Pelosi amendment and defeating the Smith amendment.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, tonight we celebrate 27 years of title IX, a piece of legislation that was cosponsored by our dear friend the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) whom we come tonight to congratulate, along with Congresswoman Edith Green. I have worked, Mr. Speaker, tonight with the cochair of the Women's Caucus, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), together women and men of the House, to recognize these two remarkable women and their achievements and their bringing about title IX, which began some 27 years ago. These congresswomen planted a seed of opportunity for women that has blossomed into one of the greatest triumphs of our time. The successes of basketball superstar Nikki McCray; swimming sensation Penny Heyns; golf maestro Sherri Stein; the Williams sisters tennis phenomenon; ice hockey superstar Cammi Granat; the unstoppable softball shortstop Dot Richardson; World Cup soccer champions Mia Hamm, Brianna Scurry and Michelle Ackers; and Air Force Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a NASA shuttle mission which just took off on Friday. We are proud of all of them, Mr. Speaker, and we attribute their successes to title IX. The impressive accomplishments of these women, and many more who have excelled both on and off the playing field, are not solely because of title IX. We know it takes drive, aggression, determination, competitiveness, sacrifice, true grit and a lifetime's dedication to hard work. These women are tough and they deserve to soar in their areas of expertise as they have done. But the passage of title IX, Mr. Speaker, opened a door that had been locked shut for countless decades and for countless generations of women who wanted to be challenged and pushed to new limits through athletic competition. Title IX allowed young women and girls to follow in the footsteps of tennis wonder Billie Jean King, track superstar Wilma Rudolph, and other pioneering female athletes. It was the arduous and innovative work of the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and Edith Green 27 years ago, which we celebrated last Friday, July 23, that brought the Educational Amendments Act, which included title IX, to the desk of President Nixon. The gentlewoman from Hawaii, who is here tonight to help us celebrate her and to commend her, was both shrewd and precise in making sure that the inclusion of a few simple words would provide such a tremendous opportunity for women to develop latent athletic talents. Specifically, the statute states, ``No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.'' The progress we have made over the past 27 years is awesome, Mr. Speaker. When President Nixon signed this bill, about 31,000 women were involved in college sports. Today, that number has more than tripled. Spending on athletic scholarships for women has also grown from less than $100,000 to almost $200 million. In 1971, there was an average of 2.1 women's teams at colleges, and now that number is at a record 7.7 per school. The participation level in high school was dismal, as well. In 1971, the athletic participation of all girls in the United States was just under 300,000. Today, that number has climbed to over 2.2 million. Finally, 40 percent of athletes at Division I schools in 1997- 1998 were women, a 5 percent increase from 1996-1997. Women also received 40 percent of athletic scholarship budgets, a 14 percent rise from the previous year. Since the enactment of title IX, we have also witnessed a significant surge in women's educational achievements. In 1994, women received 38 percent of medical degrees and 43 percent of law degrees, compared with 9 and 7 percent respectively in 1972. In 1994, women also earned 44 percent of all doctoral degrees, which is a noticeable increase from the 25 percent in 1977. Mr. Speaker, perhaps most exciting of all, title IX has benefited millions of women, men and families who enjoy watching and playing sports. Over 40 million viewers tuned in to the final match of the Women's World Cup. That number was not only greater than any televised game for U.S. men's soccer but it also eclipsed the three-game viewing total for this year's NHL Stanley Cup. What the women's U.S. soccer team illustrated with their victory is just how far we have come as a Nation in providing opportunities for women to test their limits, excel in sports and fulfill their dreams in many more areas than women of our generation could ever fathom. Tonight, I salute our dear friend the Honorable Patsy Mink and the Honorable Edith Green for paving the way for women to succeed in our educational institutions. And I give my most heart-felt congratulations to all of our athletic and academic achievers, who are the women of title IX.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 434, the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. I am honored to say that today, the vast majority of American civic, religious, and business leaders strongly support this bill. More important, all 43 nations of sub-Saharan Africa have voiced unanimous support for this bold step toward stronger economic ties between the United States and Africa. We have also recognized that Africa's fragile democracies cannot sustain themselves without economic prosperity. I am proud to say that our government supported and promoted free and fair elections in every country where leaders were willing to allow liberty to flourish. Now, we turn our attention toward strengthening Africa economically through US-Africa trade. The globalization of the economy, marked by integration of markets throughout the world, has made Africa the new economic frontier for economic growth. Western Europe and Japan are aggressively pursuing new trade relations with African countries. This vast continent, with its enormous resources and human capacity, may become the world's economic engine well into the 21st Century. Africa is on the brink of a major economic revival. The United States faces strong competition from the European and Asian economic communities. The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act provides the United States with a mechanism to leverage stronger US-African public and private partnerships while promoting African and American long-term economic interests. HR 434 is bipartisan, provides a viable framework for modernizing Africa's trade infrastructure, strengthens relations between the African and American private sector, promotes African economic reform, and lays a foundation for future cooperation. HR 434 is the beginning of an ongoing relationship between the United States and Africa. The bill's requirement that the President create and convene regularly a U.S.-Africa Economic Forum means there will be opportunity to revisit and expand the program as trade increases. Much has been said about the need for debt relief for Africa. Congressman Jesse Jackson has forcefully brought this point home to all of us. The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act calls for deep debt relief for the poorest countries in Africa. We should keep a discussion alive on this serious matter and seek to address the debt burden in an appropriate manner. However, today we began to build strong trade relations between the United States and Africa as it is a critical part of Africa's economic recovery and is good for American businesses. I urge passage of HR 434.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) for his leadership on this issue. I stand today, Mr. Chairman, as the only Member who serves in this House on the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. I thought surely we were going to have a comprehensive bill that talks about teacher empowerment. Yet we have a bill that to some degree eliminates the funding that will provide the type of education that is needed for those students who are in inner cities, like my district of Watts. We are talking about taking Goals 2000 funding that speaks to standards that should be given to students who are in these inner cities, yet it is transferred to a new formula of 50-50. That is not what the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future wanted. We want preinduction, postinduction types of service. We want ongoing professional development. These are the things that teachers need if you are going to empower teachers. This is not an empowerment teachers act. This is just really a renegade of persons who want to take money where we will not have reduction in class sizes, we will not get the 100,000 qualified teachers and therefore look at credentialing to ensure that we do empower teachers. I am really appalled at my colleagues on the other side who speak to empowerment of teachers, as I was a former teacher, that do not teach, that do not speak to the actual provisions that will help teachers, to empower teachers to teach to those students who will be coming to them from a myriad of backgrounds. I say to you, those who are listening to us, this is not the type of empowerment program that we must have if we are to empower teachers. As a former teacher, I want to see the 80-20 ratio that speaks to those kids that are in inner cities that really need the funding and the teachers that will empower them to reach the goals that they need. Mr. Chairman, I ask all of my colleagues to please, let us vote against H.R. 1995 and let us approve the Martinez amendments that will really bring about empowerment of teachers. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Teacher Empowerment Act. This bill represents a piecemeal approach to addressing educational issues in America. Furthermore, the President has made his position clear--he will veto this legislation if it crosses his desk. As legislators, parents, and citizens we are well aware of the need to improve teacher quality and reduce classroom size to allow all children an equal opportunity to a quality education. I urge my colleagues to continue looking at comprehensive reforms to improving teacher quality, reducing classroom size, targeting resources to the neediest schools, and encouraging academic achievement. As a former educator, I have made strengthening our nation's educational system one of my top priorities. In the 105th Congress, I introduced the TEACH Act to better equip America's teachers to meet the needs of our children as we enter the 21st century. While drafting my TEACH Act, I worked with the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future and local boards of education because we need their input to ensure that we continue taking concrete steps toward innovation and reform in our schools. In today's schools, we have children that are being taught in trailers that do not have heat or air conditioning and teacher shortages in key areas like math, science, and special education. Improving teacher quality is something that we need to do, but it is not a silver elixir. We need to do more! H.R. 1995 has not reached out to the educators--most education groups do not support H.R. 1995--what does that tell us? What message are we sending to parents and children by passing H.R. 1995? Once again, I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 1995 and support the Martinez substitute--H.R. 2390.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Smith amendment to H.R. 2415, the American Embassy Security Act of 1999, and in support of the Gilman-Campbell substitute amendment. While the Smith amendment claims to protect women from coerced abortions in China, its real effect is to deny poor women around the world access to voluntary family planning. Further, the Smith amendment fails to acknowledge that the United Nations Population Fund does not support abortion as a family planning method, opposes quotas in family planning programs, and works only in counties in China that have abolished such practices. The Gilman-Campbell substitute amendment, on the other hand, provides the needed funds for millions of women and men around the world who depend on international support for family planning, AIDS prevention, and approved infant and maternal mortality. Simply put, the lives of poor women around the world are at stake if we should pass the Smith amendment. Poor resources make these women highly vulnerable to death- related delivery practices, sexually-transmitted diseases, and other horrible conditions. Please support the Campbell-Gilman amendment and let us defeat the Smith amendment.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, the African Growth and Opportunity Act provides the United States with the mechanism to leverage stronger U.S.-African public and private partnerships while promoting African and American long-term economic interests. H.R. 434 is bipartisan. It provides a viable framework for modernizing Africa's trade infrastructure, strengthens relationships between the African and American private sectors, promotes African economic reform, and lays a foundation for future cooperation. H.R. 434 is the beginning of an ongoing relationship between the United States and Africa. Much now has been said about the need for debt relief for Africa. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Jackson) has forcefully brought this point home to all of us. This bill does call for a deep debt relief for poor countries. We should, however, keep alive a discussion on this serious matter and seek to appropriately address the debt burden in an appropriate manner. However, today, we begin to build strong trade relations between the United States and Africa, as it is a critical part of Africa's economic recovery. And for that, I urge all of my colleagues for the passage of H.R. 434. I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for his leadership.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I would first like to congratulate the outstanding leadership that the gentlewoman from Texas is providing for not only the women here in America but for the women of Africa. It is so important that we have the nexus between the businesses here and businesses in Africa. We recognize that women make up the majority of businesses, especially microenterprises in Africa, and it is indeed important that we begin to move the agenda for those women so that they can provide the type of support for their families. I am excited to be here as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Empowerment of the Committee on Small Business to support this amendment.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I certainly thank the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver) for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Olver amendment addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis. Addressing this crisis should be a central component of America's policy with respect to Sub-Saharan Africa, if we are going to have significant trade relations. This amendment speaks specifically to the needs of African women who are the epicenter of the worldwide AIDS epidemic. African women are the backbone of the vital informal and microenterprise sectors that make up so much of African economies. Mr. Chairman, this epidemic is decimating the pool of skilled workers. I express my support to further bring attention to this crisis.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 434, the African Growth and Opportunity Act. I am honored to say that, today, the vast majority of American civic, religious, and business leaders strongly support this bill. More importantly, all 43 nations of sub-Saharan Africa have voiced unanimous support for this bold step towards stronger economic ties between the United States and Africa. We have also recognized that Africa's fragile democracies cannot sustain themselves without economic prosperity. We have turned our attention towards strengthening Africa economically through U.S.-Africa trade. The globalization of the economy marked by the integration of markets through the world has made Africa the new economic frontier for economic growth. Western Europe and Japan are aggressively pursuing new trade relations with African countries. This vast continent, with its enormous resources and human capacity, may become the world's economic engine well into the 21st Century.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Lowey provision within the Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill. Last year, we passed this language with bipartisan support, and I believe we can and will do so again today. Before this provision was enacted, 81% of all federal employee health benefit (FEHB) plans did not cover the most commonly used types of prescription contraception while an entire 10% covered no prescription contraception at all. At a time when nearly half of all pregnancies in this country are unintended, the need for access to reliable, effective contraception has never been more imperative. Access to contraception helps children and families more than anyone else. Parents want to prepare for responsible parenting and want their children to grow up in a loving, supportive environment when they are prepared to provide it. They need the power to plan for pregnancy in order to do this. This is just common sense--access to contraceptives is access to basic, essential prescription drugs and devices that can decrease the number of abortions in this country, which is an objective all Members of Congress seek to achieve. Contraception is not abortion. Doctors, scientists and the Food and Drug Administration, which approves contraceptive drugs and devices all confirm that contraceptives prevent pregnancy. It does not end it. This bill states an unequivocal prohibition on the coverage of abortion. It also makes a clear distinction between the five major forms of contraception and mifepristone, better known as RU-486. If RU-486 is ever approved by the FDA as a method of abortion, it will not be included in this bill as a contraceptive. I applaud the efforts of our colleagues, who have worked very hard to ensure that this language addresses contraception, and contraception alone. In addition to contributing to the national effort to lower the number of abortions, this provision narrows the gender gap in out-of- pocket costs for medical care. Women of reproductive age spend approximately 68% more in out-of-pocket health care costs than men. Requiring health plans to cover contraception, which without coverage can significantly affect and add to a woman's annual costs, helps both women and men in managing their families' expenses. Saving money while practicing responsible family planning is something we should all espouse. The money saved by these families generates minimal cost to the government. This provision has what Congressional Budget Office calls a ``negligible'' cost. Finally, this language explicitly excludes religious providers from this requirement and gives individual providers the chance to opt out of providing contraceptive services. I urge my colleagues to join me in maintaining the Lowey provision of the Treasury bill. It creates vital access to contraception, helps to lower the number of unintended pregnancies, narrows the chasm between women and men in out-of-pocket costs for medical care, and has virtually no budgetary impact. America's families need our leadership and sound judgment. We must respond and vote to maintain this sound legislation.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 12, 1999, I was detained at Los Angeles International Airport, due to aircraft equipment failure, while returning from my district and missed rollcall votes 277, 278, and 279. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on votes 277 and 279. I would have voted ``present'' on vote 278.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague for her leadership on this critical issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Child Custody Protection Act. Last year we addressed this bill. And although it passed this House, it died in the Senate. Further, the President has made his position very clear. He will veto this legislation if it crosses his desk. There are so many other issues that we could be working on to truly help children and strengthen America's families. I urge my colleagues to work together to make a real difference in the lives of our youth instead of focusing on this bill which is not needed and would only serve to weaken the child-parent relationship. This bill as we know it, the Child Custody Protection Act, would make it a Federal crime for anyone other than the parent to transport a minor across State lines with the intent to obtain an abortion. It also punishes the so-called violators of this bill with a fine of up to $100,000 and 1 year in prison. With almost 50 States already requiring parental notification or adult notification through the legal system, if a minor seeks an abortion, there is no need for H.R. 1218. Regardless of whether the parent-child relationship is abusive or not, most States have already required that a child tells a parent if she wants to obtain an abortion. H.R. 1218 does not improve the parent- child communication. It only serves to create a greater divide between the parent and children and that child on an incredibly personal and difficult decision that remains legal in this country. H.R. 1218 also ignores the blended and nontraditional families that have become the norm in America today. More than half of all marriages today are remarriages. Children with different parents are often a part of that mix. We are seeing more and more minority children being raised by grandparents. In fact, when I hold district events for parents, the room is filled with grandparents. This legislation offers no language recognizing the important parental role that grandparents are playing in the absence of parents. It would punish grandparents and members of the clergy who often serve as an invaluable counselor for young adults faced with such important decisions. H.R. 1218 would isolate these young women during a period when the advice and kind understanding of an adult is most needed. As a mother and grandmother who cares deeply about strengthening families through good communication and loving support of children regardless of the mistakes that they make in their effort to grow into mature and independent adults, I ask my colleagues to vote against this piece of legislation. It will not help women, it will not help families, and most certainly it will not help anyone to prevent unwanted pregnancies.