Juanita Millender-McDonald

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in firm support of a very fair compromise bill that will help California's aviation system. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Conference Report on H.R. 1000, the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century. This Conference Report represents a fair and balanced compromise. AIR 21 will make our skies safer, reduce flight delays and increase competition by modernizing our air traffic control systems and improving our airports. With today's vote we have an opportunity to give America the aviation system it deserves, one firmly based on both safety and reliability. Whether on television or in the newspapers we are reminded on an almost daily basis of the shortcomings in our Nation's aviation system. I, like so many of my colleagues have heard from many constituents who have suffered from airline delays and are deeply concerned about air safety. We have simply pushed our aviation infrastructure to the limits. The aviation infrastructure in the United States has deteriorated because of increased usage. We can no longer afford to fail in meeting the current and future needs of the aviation system. Last year, more than 600 million people used air transportation as their mode of travel and in just 10 years, that number will skyrocket to a billion. The Conference Report on H.R. 1000 places the key to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund back in the hands of the people who use the system, that is to say passengers and consumers who both benefit from a more efficient and safer aviation system. By unlocking the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, the Conference Report provides about $40 billion over the next three years for aviation investment programs. Funding for airport improvements will increase by more than 50 percent. This will allow allocations for commercial passenger airports and cargo airports to double. For the first time, general aviation airports will receive their own individual allocations. This money can be used to improve safety and increase capacity, leading to more air service and lower fares. This bill will unlock the aviation trust fund and ensure that all trust fund receipts and interest will be invested in the Airport Improvement Program--the primary program for airport construction--and the Facilities and Equipment Program--the chief program for air traffic control equipment. This means that as more people use our aviation system, more money will be invested in it. Mr. Speaker, I urge my Colleagues to vote Yes on the Conference Report on H.R. 1000. Let us give the American people the aviation system that they both want and deserve.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member for their outstanding work on this piece of legislation. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3843, the Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2000, which will allow us to reauthorize the Small Business Administration programs for the next 3 years. As a member of this committee, I am pleased to note that with the passage of this authorization bill, we continue the committee's work, to date having passed 13 bills and the President signing eight of them. Furthermore, this is the first reauthorization that is a straight numbers-only bill since the 1970s. This was only made possible by the hard work that the chairman and ranking member and the committee did to deal with such issues as the women's business councils and centers, SBIC, SBIR, and improving loan programs. This authorization, Mr. Chairman, takes into account the changing face of small business, which is much more global and are now at 96 percent of all exporters. In the global arena, we have new emerging markets and these new markets are prime opportunities for all the small businesses to become a part of this global marketplace. The latest statistics reveal that small businesses do 30 percent of the total exporting of goods from this country. Moreover, the funding to provide programs like the export working capital will continue to assist small businesses in competing globally. The 21st century has revealed the increasing diverse nature of small businesses. Minority-owned firms are growing at a rate of 62 percent. Women-owned firms are growing at a rate of 43 percent. Through passage of SBA's loan programs, we have and will continue a trend where loans to African Americans and Hispanics will double. While SBA needs to look at small business failure rates, Mr. Chairman, we have to provide the necessary business infrastructure and technical assistance to assure the viability of new small businesses. This reauthorization provides record funding over the next 3 years for core SBA loan programs. SBA's flagship program, 7 (A), will make $1.3 billion more in loans and the Microloan technical assistance program, which will more than double. Additionally, SBIC equity investment program will make $3.3 million more in loans and, combined with the technical corrections that were passed out yet in another bill, this program is ready to finance more businesses in the future. Small businesses have taken off, Mr. Chairman, and we will be wise to join the forces to ensure its growth and prosperity. Mr. Chairman, I would be remiss if I did not mention technology and its importance to small businesses. Studies show that small businesses are the leading force of innovation and that small firms produce twice as many innovations per employee as large firms. This innovation has been made possible by technology. The technology provides funding for such incentives as SBDC, which we will offer to small businesses; and they will have the opportunity to make the jump to e-commerce and compete in the increasingly technology- driven economy. The passage of this authorization, Mr. Chairman, will assist small businesses in obtaining access to capital that is essential and important for the growth and technical support needed to remain competitive. Moreover, the committee will have an aggressive agenda to work toward passing the President's new market initiative, which is aimed at helping low- and moderate-income communities. Last year's New Market tour highlighted portions of my district of Watts, and I am here to say that it is of great importance to me that we continue our efforts to help low- and moderate-income communities. That is why I am urging my colleagues to support H.R. 3843 and continue to ensure that the Small Business Administration prepare itself and prepare new small businesses for the growth and the opportunities that are needed.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, we just passed out of this House tonight H.R. 431, a very important piece of legislation, expressing support for humanitarian assistance to the Republic of Mozambique. I want to commend our government, nongovernmental organizations, and other nations for their response to the flood crisis in Mozambique. Cyclone Eline devastated that poor country, driving residents from their homes, children from their schools, shopkeepers from their businesses, and doctors and patients from their clinics. The only refuge was roofs, treetops and scraps of land protruding here and there from swirling waters. One young woman, Sophie Pedro, gave birth to a baby girl in a tree top where she had sought refuge for 4 days. The heavy toll on the population and massive destruction of the infrastructure, however, have dwarfed these early emergency relief-and- rescue efforts. The flood waters have destroyed a decade-long economic recovery undertaken by Mozambique. Before these disastrous floods, Mr. Speaker, the government had embarked upon sustained efforts to manage public resources better, improve the climate for investors, and promote private sector development. Mozambique had complied with the Structural Adjustment Program requirements, the Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility, and more recently the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative. Last year, Mozambique completed the requirement to receive $3.7 billion in debt reduction from external creditors, the largest reduction under the HIPC Initiative. Prudent fiscal and monetary policies and structural reforms increased international confidence in Mozambique's economy, reflected in higher long-term capital in-flows and a stable exchange rate. However, the disaster now will cost the country nearly all their hard-won economic gains. It will take hundreds of millions of dollars to rebuild the transportation and communication infrastructure, schools, clinics, homes, and businesses. While Mozambique has been one of Africa's economic success stories, the floods threaten to return the country to conditions reminiscent of the command economy of the 1970s and the ravaging civil war of the 1980s. To sustain its economic gains, Mozambique will need more than emergency aid and logistical relief. It will need long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation assistance. Already the multilateral institutions are considering new construction loans. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, these new loans will only compound Mozambique's existing debt burden, even with the substantial reductions under the HIPC program. I applaud the President's decision to forgive Mozambique's remaining bilateral debt and encourage this Congress, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund to follow suit. Mozambique has played by the rules. They have restructured their economy, adhered to all conditionalities imposed by the multilateral financial institutions, and stayed the course with their fiscal and monetary policies. The Mozambican people have made great short-term sacrifice for the long-term future prosperity of their country. If we do not address this current crisis with speedy and substantial current multilateral debt forgiveness, we will betray our social contract with the men, women, and children of Mozambique. In fact, Mr. Speaker, we should look at a permanent relief force so we will not have to come before this body every time a disaster occurs.

Mr. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Mr. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday March 8, 2000, I was in my district attending to district business therefore missing roll call votes 29 through 33. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on these roll call votes.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens) for his constant reminder of how important education is to all children but especially African American children and the need to bring quality education to the regions of the Congressional Black Caucus members in providing a strong and quality education that includes computers in every classroom and students to have a computer at every desk. We thank him so much, and he continues to shed that light each night as he does on this floor. I would like to also congratulate my two female colleagues who came before me to speak about this important month that we celebrate, commonly known as Black History Month. Some of us call it African American History Month. But irrespective of the title, it is to bring celebration to those who have come before us who have served with distinction and honor not only in this House but throughout this country in making America what it is today. Mr. Speaker, as the co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues, I rise today to pay homage to the many African American women whose invaluable efforts have made it possible for me to stand here before my colleagues today. These women have struggled and fought against all odds to ensure that America would be a country where resources and opportunities are available to men, women, and children of all ages, races, and religions. It is with immense pride that I stand here today and honor some very important African American women who have served here in Congress. One such woman was Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, who became the first African American woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress from New York in 1969 and in 1972 became the first African American female to run for President of the United States. Congresswoman Chisholm was a strong advocate for women's rights, universal access to day-care, the environmental protection, and job training. What a legacy she left. Continuing her legacy pioneered by her was Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, who was elected from the great State of Texas in 1973 and impressed the world with her outstanding oratorical ability as well as her integrity, leadership, and dignity during the Watergate hearings. She rose to national distinction when she became the first African American woman to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic national convention in 1976. Her legacy as a champion of the people is evident in many of her outstanding speeches. Her words ring true even today, as we remember her saying, ``What the people want is simple. They want an America as good as its promise.'' What an outstanding woman she was. A preeminent example of a woman's ability to juggle family and a career was our great Congresswoman from the State of California, Congresswoman Yvonne Braithwaite Burke, who was elected in 1973 from that great State of California. She distinguished herself not only through her leadership, having made sure that the women who serve in the salons have health benefits, but she became the first woman of Congress to give birth to a child while in office. Her commitment to public service, however, did not end when she left Congress, as today she serves as one of the most influential members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. The epitome of loyalty to family and civic values was set as Congresswoman Cardis Collins, who was elected in 1973 to complete the term of her husband, Representative George Collins, following his death in a plane crash. She remained in the House for 23 years, holding the title of the longest of any African American woman to have served in the House of Representatives. She was a valiant leader as a ranking member in holding the line on the Committee on Government Operations. Congresswoman Katie Beatrice Green Hall was elected from the State of Indiana in 1982 and earned a place in history as the sponsor of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday legislation that was signed into law by then President Ronald Reagan. She was a strong advocate of education, too, being a former teacher. And then, Mr. Speaker, history was made after 90-plus years of not having an African American in the Senate until Senator Carol Moseley- Braun became the first African American woman ever elected to serve in the U.S. Senate to represent the great State of Illinois in 1983. She served with distinction. We can recall that Senator Carol Moseley-Braun sponsored the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Act. The Act is designed to identify and preserve significant sites in more than 29 States. She was recently appointed as the ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate this month of African American History and find ourselves navigating through the joys and challenges of this new millennium that is about to embark, let us gain strength in knowing that the road is a little smoother, the battles a little easier, and the burdens a little lighter because we stand on the shoulders of these great women, women such as those I have mentioned and those who are coming behind us and the countless others who will come after us. Let us always remember that they endured the public responsibility of office and the private responsibility of womanhood.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I was not present today due to illness, therefore missing votes on H.R. 1451 and S. 632. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on these rollcall votes.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions and the importance of education preparation in Catholic schools. For decades, they have enriched the lives of children past and present. I was educated at Holy Family High, a Catholic school in my hometown and I have felt the benefits throughout my life. The importance of education is one value that has remained with me through my years as a parent, an educator, and as a Congresswoman. Education is very significant in the continued success of our great nation. A Catholic institution provides a balance of strong education complimented by the support of a strong moral and spiritual environment to prepare well-balanced young persons for entering our society. Statistics have shown that the United States has gained immense benefits from the Catholic education system, educating some 2.6 million students at a saving to our nation of more than $17.2 billion dollars. Further, Catholic education has an impressive graduation rate of 95 percent and more than 83 percent of those graduates go on to college. Catholic schools focus not only upon intellectual encouragement and development but also on the moral and spiritual fiber of each student. These students preserve this enriched relationship with their faith, families and community. Recognizing Catholic schools for their contributions to the community of the United States shows the respect we have for these institutions and to thank the dedicated faculties and administrators for the care they have taken of the students entrusted to their guardianship. Educating our youth is perhaps our greatest responsibility as a Nation, and I am thankful for the daily contributions made by these institutions toward that aim.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following tribute for the Record. Whereas, The Black Family, rich in tradition, knowing that archaeologists unearthed human remains nearly two million years old and traced it to the beginning of the Old Stone of Africa; May the historical record of African past be common knowledge of mankind; and Whereas, The Dortch-Millender families settled in Alabama in the mid 1800's and began a lifelong experience of raising a strong family of offspring with respect, responsibility and courage; who would position themselves in various professions and humanitarian endeavors, but who never forgot where they started; and Whereas, William Dortch, Sr. married Patsy Packard and from this union came eleven children; Mose Millender married Aurelia Bonnett and from this union came 11 children, with both families very principled and very religious--``You gave us Hope''; and Whereas, Shelly Millender, Sr. married Everline Dortch and from this union came five children; Dicksey Marie, Nora Lee, Shelly Jr., William Mose, and Juanita--``You gave us Love''; and Whereas, Dicksey married James Chappell, Sr. and later Vernon Battle; Nora married Herbert Mathews, Sr. Shelly married Doris Rice; Juanita married James McDonald, Jr., and from these unions came 19 children--``You taught us to Care'' and Whereas, Wanda, Yolanda, LaMont, James Jr., Gayland, Michelle, Mark, Yuri, Herbert Jr., Eryka, Vikki, Shelly III, Derrick, William, Jr., Valerie, Angela, Sherryll, Michael (Chris), Roderick (Keith), our children--``You gave us Joy''; and Whereas, Wanda married Ted Levatta; LaMont married Debra Perkins; James Jr. married Donna Pickney; Mark married Leveta Pretlow; Yuri married Neil David Brown; Herbert married Toni Lecour; Nikki married Maurice Thomas; Angela married Juan Demaris Thomas; Keith married Lori Blair--``You are continuing the tradition of commitment to family'' and Whereas, Our thirteen grandchildren of the offsprings of this family tree are: LaMont Carl, DeJeana Marie, David, DeNae, Courtney Nicole, Cammaron Avery, Kendall, Austin, Chandler, Ayanna Damaris, Ramia Regina, Myles Chandler, Alexandria Katlinmarie--``You give us Promise''; and now therefore, be it Resolved, that Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, proudly recognizes the virtue, vision, wisdom and profound love of these family members and prays that God will continue to bless this family for generations yet unknown as we move into a new millennium--2000. Dated this 1st day of December, 1999.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a very distinguished gentleman and to recognize the important life works of one of Los Angeles's finest residents, Mr. Isaiah Hillard Pillors, who passed away on September 10, 1999. Isaiah H. Pillors was born March 23, 1914 to the union of Ella and Isaiah Hillard Pillors, Sr., in Shreveport, LA. He professed Christ at an early age and later united with Union Mission #1 Baptist Church. He received his early education in the public schools of Caddo Parish including a high school diploma from Central Colored High School in Shreveport. Isaiah then entered Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, in Tuskegee, AL. During his college years, he performed with the famous Tuskegee Choir whose director was the renowned composer, William L. Dawson. Isaiah also had an opportunity to work with the Great Scientist George Washington Carver. He went on to a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture. Upon relocating to Los Angeles, CA, Isaiah worked briefly in the shipyards before obtaining a position with the Los Angeles Unified School District where he was employed for 34 years. He immediately joined the renowned Second Baptist Church with his late wife, Johnnie Louise. From his early affiliation with Second Baptist, he actively participated as a very faithful and tireless member. Throughout his 50 plus years of service, he continued his love of music as a dedicated member of the Cathedral Choir. Additionally, Isaiah worked as a Sunday School teacher where he helped to establish audio- visual programs to accompany the regular lesson plans. Famous for his barbecue and his willingness to cook for others, he also directed the weekly activities of the Church's kitchen committee, including the purchase of new kitchen equipment. Several times during my busy schedule, he prepared dinners for my family. He was such a noble man! Isaiah's other great interest was his alma mater, Tuskegee University. Over a 45-year period, he held a variety of positions with the Los Angeles Tuskegee Alumni Club. His efforts were always geared toward supporting scholarship programs and enhancing overall alumni support for the University. He gave so freely of his time and financial resources. Until his death, he was an active participant in the Alumni Scholarship Committee and served as the L.A. Club's Chaplain. Recently, he was recognized at the Club's Annual Scholarship Luncheon where a dais chair was set aside in his honor. Isaiah Pillors was my friend. He was like ``Grandpa'' to my children. He was one of my strong supporters and admirers. He will truly be missed by my family, his church family, and all who knew him in the Los Angeles Community.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following tribute for the Record. ``Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the death of His Saint'' Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. was born on February 20, 1913 in Woodruff, South Carolina--the sixth of twelve children of Thomas and Eugenia Kilgore; and Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. received his formal education in Woodruff, Brevard and Asheville, North Carolina, having shown early his profound intellect, he graduated with honors from Morehouse College in 1935; did graduate work at Howard University during 1944-45; and received a Masters of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City in 1957, and was the recipient of numerous honorary doctoral degrees; and Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. accepted God at the early age of 9 and from this spiritual renderance came the most prophetic preacher sought after throughout this nation, and he did not hesitate to inform the world of his calling by God to do His tasks, and was recognized by Ebony Magazine as one of America's 15 greatest black preachers; and Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. utilized his brilliant mind to turn his ideas into reality and his vision into fruition, and this combination of intelligence and integrity led him to organize voter registration in schools and the unionization of tobacco workers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1943; and Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. helped orchestrate the Kings' March on Washington and directed a prayer pilgrimage for freedom at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington; and was the vanguard in the organization of an all day meeting with all segments of the black community to plan the appropriate memorial service for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and Whereas, Thomas Kilgore, Jr. married Jeannetta Marion Scott in 1936, a lifelong educator, and were the proud parents of two daughters, Lynn Elda and Jini Medina, and the proud grandparents of three: Robin, Niambi, and Okera, and one great grandson, Justen. Now therefore, be it Resolved, That Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, a mentee of his, proudly recognizes this man of vision, courage and wisdom and his distinguished service of humanity to this nation and the world. Dated this 1st day of December, 1999.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, November 18, 1999, I was unavoidably detained while attending to matters away from the Capitol and missed rollcall vote 598. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay'' on this rollcall vote. I am requesting that the Record appropriately reflect the aforementioned after the rollcall vote.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 561, I was detained by constituents and was unable to make it in time for this vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I think that is noteworthy, to say that the majority of the voters in this Nation are women. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) who worked with me very closely when she was on the city council in Texas and I was on the council in Carson.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, as a former director of gender equity programs for the largest unified school district in California and the second largest in the Nation, I know firsthand how important this extraordinary program is. I have seen teen mothers come, thinking that they had no other recourse but to stay at home and stay on welfare. With this program they have come to school, they have engaged in job training, with counseling, while their children were in a safe child care program. I have seen single parents who thought that they had no other recourse but found job training programs while being counseled and were able to become self-sufficient. I have seen displaced homemakers who after a divorce were petrified in thinking that they had to go to work without skills. This is the type of program that we are talking about today, the gender equity programs and the provisions that are included in this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez) who has worked with me for years when I was with Los Angeles Unified as the director of gender equity programs. (Mr. MARTINEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. So, Madam Chairman, we are here today debating whether or not we should include a provision that has been included since 1974 that represents the Federal commitment to ensuring that girls' future choices and successes are determined not by their gender, but by their own interests, aspirations and abilities. I do not think that in 1999, as we prepare to enter a new century in which many jobs are based on a thorough understanding of math and science, we would be on this House floor debating whether or not our girls still need and deserve educational equity. Today we will have the opportunity to vote on the Mink-Woolsey- Sanchez-Morella amendment. This amendment includes many gender equity provisions that are in current law. In addition, the amendment allows title I schools to set up programs to encourage girls and other underrepresented groups to pursue careers and higher education degrees in math, science, engineering and technology. I can recall, Madam Chairman, when I introduced an aviation program, being gender equity director in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Girls did not know anything about airplanes, and yet we have this program whereby they can do simulations on airplanes and really take an interest in becoming pilots. They were very enthused about that and indeed intrigued about that. These are the types of programs that we can introduce our young women to through a gender equity program. So, I understand the necessity for gender equity programs and the continuance of a Federal commitment towards such programs. Now in 1996, Madam Chairman, we were able to restore gender equity funding by a vote of 294 to 129 in this House. We had bipartisan participation then, and I do hope that we will continue to have this bipartisan participation today because our girls, all of us, I think, who are married who have children and have girls, and our girls meet these types of equity programs. The gentleman will recall as the chairman of the Subcommittee on Special Small Business Problems that we had the digital divide hearing, and with that hearing we saw a disparity of the number of women and men in programs that talked about high tech. We also saw minority groups that were disproportionately numbered in terms of being in high-tech programs or even having computers in schools or in their homes. This is the type of thing along with the study and the magazine Education Week that shows that only 14 percent of African American students and 25 percent of Latino students used computers for simulation and application rather than just drills. Compare these figures, Madam Chairman, to the 43 percent of Asian students and 31 percent of Caucasian students who use their computers for stimulation, simulation and application. I know that time is out, the time is out for us to stop playing around with our girls' future and put this provision in for the sake of the future of this country.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I think I heard last January this President saying that he did not want to do anything with Social Security, that he wanted to put it aside to make sure that it was solvent, that he was not going to use any parts of any Social Security until we have fixed it. Now, I do remember that. It seems like my Republican colleagues are continuing to say that the President is spending Social Security. It is outrageous for the Republicans to pose as defenders of Social Security, Mr. Speaker, when we know that they have raided the Social Security funds. Remember who these people are. They are the enemies of Social Security. They want to eliminate it through privatization. Listen to this gimmick. Listen to the rhetoric. Please, American people, remember January of this year, it was the President who said that he did not want to use Social Security funds, that he wanted to ensure Social Security solvency and Medicare reform. Do not listen to the rhetoric of the folks on the other side.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1497, the Women's Business Center Sustainability Act. Women in America are starting firms at twice the rate of all businesses and currently, women-owned businesses offer jobs to one out of every five workers. As of 1999 there are approximately 9.1 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. which make up 38 percent of all firms in the country. Over 23 million employees worked for women-owned businesses, an increase of 262 percent over the 1987-1997 period. Mr. Speaker, by the year 2000, it is expected that a woman will own one in every two businesses. Based on these statistics, it is clear that women are changing the face of American business and women-owned businesses need our support to continue their contributions to maintain a strong American economy. H.R. 1497 will help women's businesses to continue to grow. This bill will create a pilot program to allow active centers to recompete, lower the grant level for these recompeting centers to $125,000 and provide a criteria for the recompetition based on their track record. This bill will set aside a portion of the annual funding for a pilot program to allow active centers that are providing good services to recompete. If there is funding left from that recompetition portion we will allow centers that are no longer in the program to recompete as well. This bill will also increase the authorized level of the program from $11 million to $14.5 million. Through proper allocation of the available funds, this framework will allow the program to continue to expand into economically and socially disadvantaged areas and allow minority women-owned businesses the opportunity to compete on an equal playing field. However, it is imperative that the selection and placement of women business centers is objective and equitable. Economically and socially disadvantaged areas must also be strongly considered for women business centers to allow all people and areas to benefit from this bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1497 because women business centers provide training and counseling in topics such as finance, marketing, procurement and the Internet economy for women who want to start, maintain or expand their business. Currently, there are 37 women business centers currently funded and 22 graduated active sites operating in 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. All centers provide individual business counseling and access to SBA's programs and services. A number of the centers are also intermediaries for the SBA microloan and loan prequalification program. This wide variety of services are essential to the success of women-owned businesses and this support will ultimately have a positive impact on our economy overall. Since the creation of this program in 1988 by a Democratic Congress, the Committee on Small Business has been actively finding ways to help this program improve and expand on their services and training. Originally the program was designed to help start-up centers by providing them with federal matching funds throughout a three year period until they could become self sufficient. This 3-year cycle was adjusted in 1997 to 5 years. An average of 10 new grants are awarded each year through a highly competitive process. Centers received federal matching grants on a scale. The first year they received two federal dollars for every private dollar they raised, the second and third year they received the match on a 1 to 1 ratio and on their final years for every two private dollars they raised the federal government would match it with one dollar. The committee has been steadfast in addressing issues affecting women's business centers and H.R. 1497 will help in this regard. I urge your support H.R. 1497, which continue to strengthen the American economy and raise the opportunities for success and economic prosperity for all Americans.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman McHugh) for, again, his leadership in bringing this bill to the floor and my dear friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah), for his leadership in helping to bring this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a man who spent 56 years in public service, a man who should have recognition in an area that he worked so hard to bring about a quality of life in the area of Watts. I am pleased to stand here as he listens to me in his home to pay homage to this great man, this educator, this leader of our country. Mr. Speaker, I rise in yielding and paying tribute to my dear friend and a former member of the House by renaming the Federal building located at 10301 South Compton Avenue in the Watts area of Los Angeles, known as the Watts Finance Office, the Augustus F. Hawkins Post Office Building. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 643 enjoys the bipartisan support of the entire California delegation, Congressman Hawkins' former colleagues, and complete support of the U.S. Senate. Mr. Speaker, the Washington Post once called Gus Hawkins one of the most famous unknown men of our day. However, many of us knew him as a quiet fighter for racial justice, social equality, and education for minorities, women, and children. I can recall when I came to this floor to be sworn in, Gus Hawkins was sitting right here on this floor with me, and he wanted me to so much get on the education committee because for years he and I had worked together in the Los Angeles Unified School District on education and on helping youngsters in the Watts area and in other deprived areas of getting a quality education. While I could not go on this education committee, I really do appreciate the support that he has given me and indeed the support he has given youngsters throughout this Nation in trying to bring a quality education to those who otherwise would not have had that. Gus committed his life to serving others, and his 56 years of public service spanned a period that included the Great Depression, World War II, McCarthyism, both the Korean and Vietnam wars, the civil rights movement, and the war on poverty. He witnessed an assassination of a President and the impeachment of another. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1907. When he was 11, he and his family moved to Los Angeles to escape the racial discrimination that was prevalent in the South at that time. His legislative career began in California's State Assembly, where he served for 28 years and was often the legislature's only black member. His record in Sacramento included the passage of the State's first law against discrimination in housing and employment. He also carried successful State legislation concerning minimum wage and wages for women, child care centers, Workers' Compensation for domestic employees, and the removal of racial discrimination on State documents. This is the type of man he was. After his remarkable tenure in the State Assembly of California, Gus was elected and sworn as a Member of this body in the 88th Congress in 1962. He served as chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing in the 97th Congress, the Joint Committee in the 97th Congress, as well as the Committee on House Administration in that same Congress. And he served in the 98th Congress as well on that committee before serving as chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor in the 101st Congress. By and large, Mr. Speaker, Gus Hawkins was known by his colleagues as a hard working, trustworthy, low-key legislator who concentrated on issues of importance to his district, which included the Watts area. He preferred to do his work behind the scenes and let others capture the headlines. He is the author of more than 17 Federal laws, including the Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, establishing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; the Job Training Partnership Act; the School Improvement Act, which rewrote virtually all major elementary and secondary education programs; and the Civil Rights Restoration Act. In 1978, he coauthored and passed the Humphrey-Hawkins Full Employment Act, which pledged Federal Government efforts to reduce unemployment by four percent by 1983 if the private sector failed to do so. The Humphrey-Hawkins can be seen as Gus's great effort, legislative accomplishments, because it established a real blueprint for moving this country ahead in job training and employment, the foundation to every other policy and an area that Gus Hawkins firmly believed that we had to have job training and quality education for quality employment. Throughout his remarkable career in public service, Gus has championed the rights of children, the poor, the elderly, the working people, and minorities. But the one thing that is so noble about this man, he never forgot who he was and where he came from. Nor did he forget the people whom he served. It is only fitting that we rise to pay tribute to him by redesignating this Federal building located in Watts. As my friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fattah) said, a lot of children may not get to know him, but they will see his name on a building in the area that he solely wanted to make a better quality of life for all folk. This Federal building will be located at 10301 South Compton Avenue in the Watts area of Los Angeles, and it will be known as the Gus Hawkins Post Office Building. I would like to again thank all of my colleagues of the California delegation and all of the cosponsors, which were all the members of the California delegation, as well as other Members of this body, for this legislation and for joining me in a bipartisan fashion to pay tribute to a great man, a great American, a man who will want to be remembered by his friends and colleagues alike as someone who simply loved children. But he not only loved children, he loved the State of California; the State that he was born in, Louisiana; and, of course, he loved this country. The Honorable Augustus F. Hawkins, distinguished Member of the United States House of Representatives, deserves no less.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, our day has been consumed with debate on a desperate rule drafted to derail the bipartisan managed care reform train. This disheartens me because the Norwood-Dingell bill is a good bill. It is such a good bill; the three alternatives have used it as their base. Why is that? Whatever the reasons may be, they are all for naught if this good bill has to be joined with the poison pill train that the Rules Committee placed on our tracks. The Norwood-Dingell bill allows women to obtain routine ob/gyn care for their ob/gyn without prior authorizations or referral. This is a good step in the right direction. Mr. Chairman, this bill needs a straight up or down vote. When a straight up or down vote--without poison pills is allowed, I urge my colleagues to vote YES on the Norwood-Dingell bill.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, the nation continues to cry our for reform of the managed care system. However, I must rise in strong opposition to this bill and the rule that has brought this important issue to the floor. As legislators, we must stop playing games with healthcare. I have great respect for my colleague Mr. Talent, but I do not believe that H.R. 2990 provides the access to quality health care that our constituents really need. When we talk about access to health care, those that are most in need are children and those with limited means. This bill does nothing to provide access to those people. Instead it contains ``poison pill'' provisions in an effort to pander to campaign contributors. One-third of the currently uninsured will still not have access to health care. This bill spends federal dollars on tax breaks--when is the last time a tax break benefited the poor and low-income? I urge my colleagues to vote no against this special interest poison pill package disguised as an ``access'' bill to health care.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, our day has been consumed with debate on a desperate rule drafted to derail the bipartisan managed care reform bill. This disheartens me because the Norwood-Dingell bill is a good bill. It is such a good bill; the three alternatives have used it as their base. Why is that? Maybe because over 260 medical organizations have endorsed it. Maybe because many of our constituents want us to pass it. Whatever the reasons may be, they are all for naught if this good bill has to be joined with the poison pill train that the rules committee placed on our tracks. The Norwood-Dingell bill allows women to obtain routine ob/gyn care from their ob/gyn without prior authorizations or referral. This is a good step in the right direction. As a staunch advocate for women, I prefer women having the opportunity to designate their ob/gyn as their primary care provider but--that is another battle for another time. Norwood-Dingell also looks out for our children. Parents now have the opportunity to select a pediatrician as a primary care provider. This provision gives parents a level of comfort knowing that their child's doctor understands the health needs of children. Mr. Speaker, this bill needs a straight up or down vote. It should not be joined and we should not be forced to vote on both bills. When a straight up or down vote--without poison pills--is allowed, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Norwood-Dingell bipartisan managed care reform bill.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this great piece of legislation. Again, I would like to thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce), the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones), and especially the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), the amendment that I speak to now. Sexual abuse of children is a harsh fact of life in our society, Mr. Chairman. It is more common than most people realize. Some surveys say that at least one out of five adult women and one out of 10 adult men report having had sexual abuse in childhood. I would like to just give my colleagues an example, Mr. Chairman, of when I was a teacher and this young woman came to school. She was dressed in clothes, just like any other child would be, very nicely dressed; but deep down within, I saw a sadness in her eyes. When I attempted to talk with her, she started crying. I could not get her to divulge at that time what had actually happened. It was several days before I could draw from her that she had been sexually abused. Now we talk about abuse in all of the forms that I said earlier that, every minute, a child is abused or neglected in the State of California. But here we are talking about sexual abuse, something that is hard to detect, because it is not a visual thing, per se, not until one has been able to get that child to really talk out and speak out on what has happened. We also recognize, Mr. Chairman, that the majority of the children who have been abused were abused by people whom they knew. The victims usually know the offender in eight out of 10 reported cases. When we got to the bottom of this case, Mr. Chairman, we detected that this child had been abused by an uncle, an adult male in the family. She did not want to tell this because she really did not want to divulge something that would hurt the family, though she was hurt. We must do all that we can to train and teach parents to know when perhaps something is wrong with their child and the child has been sexually abused. Abuse in all other forms tends to be detected earlier than that of sexual abuse. So, Mr. Chairman, the American Academy of Pediatrics believe that parents need not feel frightened or helpless about this problem, and they provide the following information: One must teach one's child about the privacy of his or her body parts; listen to the child to ensure that, if something is wrong and it is difficult for them to bring this out, for one to really draw and continue to give them that support; giving one's child enough time and attention where he or she will divulge this; know one's child and what type of time is being spent with her; check one's child to make sure there is nothing wrong physically; talk to one's child about sexual abuse; let them know that even, yes, surely someone in the family could abuse them sexually; and then have them to tell somebody in authority when this has happened. We cannot, Mr. Chairman, continue to allow our young children to be sexually abused because it does, as it has been said, go on into adulthood, and then they, too, become an abuser.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I would like to say the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) has said it all. I support her amendment.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank the chairman and the ranking member and all of those who are associated with this very important piece of legislation, and like to commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) for her amendment. Mr. Chairman, as a mother of five and a grandmother of four and a former teacher, I know the importance of bringing up children in healthy environments that protect them from abuse and neglect. According to the Children's Defense Fund, in my home State of California every minute a child is reported as being abused or neglected. That translates to 60 children being abused and neglected during the 1 hour of debate that has been allotted for this bill. That is why it is evident that we need H.R. 764. The CAPE Act would allow additional grant monies to enhance services related to child abuse and neglect cases. Also it would expand the definition of abuse under existing law to include the taking of a child in violation of a court order. These are just but two, Mr. Chairman, of the great provisions of this CAPE Act. I am indeed happy to be standing here in a bipartisan effort to pass such an important bill. As a member of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus and the Co-Vice Chair of the Women's Caucus, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in voting ``yes'' to H.R. 764. We need to do more to prevent abuse and neglect and protect our children, which are, of course, our future.

Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.