Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, October 18, the YWCA of Essex and West Hudson will honor the winners of their Annual Women of Influence Awards. I ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating these special women of achievement. Among the honorees is Ms. Antoinette (Tony) O'Flagherty, a dear friend of mine and a person whom I greatly admire for her strong spirit, her generosity, and her tremendous contributions to our community. Ms. O'Flagherty, who holds a degree in economics from Mount Holyoke College, has been a tireless crusader in behalf of the poor and homeless of our community. After a distinguished career in the labor movement and county government where she held a number of positions including public information officer and coordinator for the Essex County Department of Citizen Services, Ms. O'Flagherty devoted her considerable talent and energy to community service. She served as chairperson of the Homeless Task Force established by the Newark Emergency Services for Families. Under her creative leadership, the task force brought together a group of homeless women from hotels and shelters to exchange information and ideas. It also provided a forum for exchanges among service providers, State, county and government representatives. Ms. O'Flagherty has championed the cause of those who are still struggling to succeed in our society, giving a voice to their concerns, hopes and aspirations for the future. Her many volunteer commitments include service on the New Jersey Child Care Advisory; the Newark Preschool Council, Inc.; chairperson of the Newark Emergency Services for Families Homeless Task Force; chair of the Essex County Advisory Board of the Salvation Army; board member of the Isaiah House; board member of the United Labor Agency; member of the League of Women Voters; and chair of the Essex Advisory Board of the Catholic Community Services. One of her many accomplishments while working with the county was that Ms. O'Flagherty was able to create employment opportunities for qualified minorities who had previously encountered difficulties in breaking barriers. She understood that employment was the key to the economic success of the community. After I was elected to Congress, I was honored that she agreed to serve on my child care task force, sharing her vast knowledge and expertise for the betterment of the 10<>G5th congressional district. Ms. O'Flagherty remains a vibrant force in our community. Just yesterday, she was personally greeted by President Clinton when he arrived at the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Newark, where he discussed an issue close to her heart--child care. The other Women of Influence honorees who have also distinguished themselves through outstanding professional achievements and dedicated community service are: Susan Jenkins, business, executive at Merck and a member of the YWCA Board; Bernice Davis, education, past superintendent, Orange Board of Education; Cheryl Hudson, entrepreneur, proprietor/publisher, Just Us Books; Dr. M. Calhoun Thomas, medicine, pediatrician with 21 years of service to the Orange community; Dr. Byrte Johnson, religion, a life of dedication to the ministry of music and youth; Michele Williams, religion, youth Sunday school teacher, and minister of music; Angela Hayes, youth president of Senior Teens of Jack and Jill of America; Harriett Johnson, nursing, assistant executive director, Board of Nursing, Orange. Mr. Speaker, our community is proud of these women of accomplishment, and I know my colleagues join me in extending congratulations and best wishes for continued success.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Chairman and Ranking Member of the VA/HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee for their hard work on this important funding bill. In addition to the crucial funding for affordable housing, especially Section 8 units for low-income and the elderly, the measure includes provisions which will promote economic growth and development in communities throughout the Nation. I want to express my personal thanks for an important investment that my colleagues agreed to make in my home city of Newark. Let me especially thank Chairman Jerry Lewis, Ranking Member Louis Stokes, and my good friend and New Jersey colleague Rodney Frelinhuysen, for their responsiveness to our request to include $3 million for the restoration of Weequahic Park, a site which has great potential for stimulating our local economy and enhancing the quality of life for local residents. Improvements in Weequahic Lake, which falls within Newark's Enterprise Community boundaries, make it accessible for families, school children, church groups and other members of the community. We are all aware of the severe budget restraints under which Congress is operating, but I believe that investments in housing and in our communities are sound investments which will bring considerable future returns. I urge approval of the VA/HUD conference report.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 30, a reception will be held for Harold Tommy Amaker in New Jersey. Tommy Amaker is Seton Hall University's (SHU) first African-American men's basketball head coach. He is also the youngest coach in the Big East Conference, one of the top basketball conferences. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud alumnus of Seton Hall University and my level of pride keeps going up when things like this happen. I was an SHU student when the great Seton Hall team in 1953 won the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). It was the premiere collegiate championship tournament. The Seton Hall team was led by Walter Dukes and Richie Regan. Richie Regan continues to serve the University as the Pirate Blue chairman. The Pirate Blue is an athletic fund raising group at Seton Hall. I want to applaud Monsignor Robert Sheeran, president of SHU, who used personal leadership to recruit SHU's first African-American basketball coach. I would also like to commend Philip Thigpen, former national middle distance champ in the 50's, for his leadership in assembling a group of African-American alumni of SHU and its School of Law to host this reception. Tommy Amaker and his challenge to return SHU to championship status have brought excitement. On March 20 he was named the coach of SHU men's basketball team. Prior to this position he had served the Duke University basketball team for 13 years--4 as a player and 9 as an assistant coach. During his tenure he became the top recruiter for Duke's Blue Devils where he helped land highly-touted Shane Battier, a 6-foot-8 forward from Michigan; Jeff Capel, a current Duke guard, and Grant Hill, now of the Detroit Pistons. Amaker captained Duke as a senior and earned All-American honors. He received the Henry Iba Corinthian Award in 1987 as the Nation's best defensive player. In 1986 during the Final Four, he had the most steals, seven. Academics are just as important to Tommy Amaker as are sports. He received a B.A. degree in Economics from Duke in 1987 and was drafted by the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics. After being cut in training camp, he returned to Duke as a management intern with the university administration for 1 year before enrolling in the Fuqua School of Business. He served as a graduate assistant while studying in the business school in 1988-89. He is a fine student and teacher of the game. He also has been successful in forming the Tommy Amaker Basketball Academy, a summer day camp for youth. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will join me as I extend best wishes to Tommy Amaker and his wife, Stephanie, as they undertake successful careers in the great State of New Jersey.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Hoekstra amendment that will eliminate 28 targeted education programs and transfer $2.75 billion in funding into the title VI of Elementary and Secondary School Act. This essential block grant is a direct hit at some of the most effective programs we have developed to encourage education reform in our communities. By terminating these programs we are sending a message to States and localities that programs such as the Safe and Drug Free Schools, school-to-work, educational technology grants, Goals 2000, and bilingual and immigrant education are not important and do not serve our students well. It also sends the message that as congressional representatives have no knowledge of the crucial roles these programs play in our schools and communities. However, most importantly the children who will be punished by this amendment are those who rely on these programs the most. These children reside in low-income urban and rural areas. Targeted assistance and formulas carefully crafted to ensure the equitable distribution of Federal funding to our school districts in all States will be terminated by the passage of this amendment. This will result in millions of children to be underserved by one of the only vehicles available to them to improve their lives--our education system. Passage of this amendment will be a true crime against low- income children in this country and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the Hoekstra amendment. Thank you.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to inform the supporters of this amendment that by cutting the appropriation levels for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration you are sending a message to hard-working Americans that their health and their safety are not worth the money. While I certainly see the merits in increasing funds for the vocational education, I cannot support this amendment because it places too many people at risk. I agree vocational education will increase the number of trained workers. However, I cannot see how, as some of my colleagues have suggested, an increase of funding for vocational education will result in a large decrease in occupational hazards. These hazards are many times not the result of unskilled workers but the result of companies and businesses who choose not to comply with OSHA standards because of the cost. For example, in Newark, NJ, three workers died in a plant fire in 1992 because the plant did not comply with OSHA regulations. Also, we must take into consideration that some jobs are quite simply dangerous and need regulations to prevent accidents from occurring. Here in Congress, I think we forget that a majority of Americans count on OSHA inspectors and requirements to protect them from the daily dangers of their occupation. Therefore, I implore my colleagues to recognize the need to ensure the safety of our workers by not voting for this amendment.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Campbell-Payne amendment. This amendment is very timely in that it seems fashionable today to cut the Africa accounts by any amount necessary. Last year the African Development Fund received $40 million--which is low compared to the previous years. Today, the President allocated $50 million for the fund and it is now being cut by $25 million, which represents a 50 percent cut. The fund is the largest source of capital for the 39 poorest African countries outside the World Bank. It uses a grassroots approach and it is unique within the development community in Africa. All of the fund's grants are made with indigenous, nongovernmental organizations, in response to African-defined problems and proposals. It is also the largest co-financing partner for IDA in Africa and it reaches many levels of African society that other development banks do not, including IDA. Let me just say that it costs the fund a small amount to operate a country office in Africa. In fact, the fund's whole country operation costs less than half of what a single expatriate costs a bilateral or multilateral donor organization. As I stated earlier, the administration requested $50 million for fiscal year 1998. $50 million is a small amount of money considering that we spent $2.2 billion on 20 B-2 bombers. For $1 billion it will ultimately cost for additional B-2 bombers, we could: immunize all children in developing countries, immunize children, support family planning, end malnutrition, illiteracy and help emerging democracies. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the use of ballistic weapons is no longer a viable solution to solve our foreign policy problems. Yet we can do the minimal amount for the less developed countries of Africa. This year the fund will lend 4 times more than USAid which takes the strain out of this organization. It supports poverty reduction, agriculture sector production, basic education, health and economic reform. As a member of the Subcommittee on Africa, let me just say that we should stop thrashing the African accounts. It is unfair and discriminates against the less fortunate. In 1996, the fund increased its net income to $150 million and that same year, the fund's procurement resulted in $170 million in contracts for American business, a 100 percent increase over last year's figures. As you know, any reduction impacts heavily on the lives of millions of vulnerable Africans every day. The tools of U.S. foreign assistance is needed to maintain our leadership around the world. Every President, Democrat or Republican, needs sufficient resources to carry out critical foreign policy objectives. These resources are even more essential today in the post- cold-war era as threats to U.S. interests are more closely linked to political and economic stability and regional conflicts. We can see where it has helped there has been sweeping change in the Congo, Liberia, and Kenya. These and other cuts to the African accounts have put our Nation's global leadership role at risk. Today Japan, and the European countries provided more aid and support than the United States has done in the last 2 years combined. Restore the small amount of money to the African Development Fund. It will ultimately save money and lives. We have a moral responsibility to do so. This is right for America!

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me also add my accolades to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, Delegate Norton, for calling this very important Special Order. It has been already said about the outstanding work that she does here in the District fighting for the people of the District, as she fought for people here in the entire United States of America when she had a tremendous, important administrative position years ago, and she continues to do that work. And to the chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus, Ms. Waters from California, she continues to lead the caucus in unprecedented times. We are so proud of the outstanding work that the caucus has done, and I would just like to, as I was in my office working, and I turned to this channel and saw that this Special Order was being done, I was unaware of it but felt it was extremely important to me to come over and to say a few words. I knew Betty Shabazz very well, because living in Newark, NJ, she was not far away, and about a month before the tragedy I had the opportunity to be in her company three or four times. First, we had a meeting in Mount Vernon, the Constituency for Africa. Mayor David Dinkins was there, Congressman Rangel, Mel Foote called in from the Constituency of Africa in Mrs. Shabazz's hometown, and of course the first person to speak after the invocation was given at the church was Doctor Betty Shabazz, because she not only worked for people in this area and in this country, but worldwide, and she was loved by everyone. I know Dr. Edison Jackson, who was the president of Medgar Evers College, he was the former president of Essex County College in Newark, NJ, where I live, and the wisdom of President Jackson to see the worth of a Betty Shabazz, to have her lead the light for that great institution named after, as has been mentioned, Medgar Evers, another person who was taken away from us, and his wife Myrlie Evers carried the torch, and so it is unique; as a matter of fact, the college that Dr. Edison Jackson at Essex County taught at before going to Medgar Evers after leaving California on Martin Luther King Boulevard. Doctor Shabazz, it is altogether. I would just like to say that then she came over to Newark about 2 weeks before the tragedy and spoke out at community meetings. She was always there, grass-roots people. She would come to the caucus and go to all of the sessions and rush around because everyone wanted to see her. And so we have lost a tremendous person. It is unfortunate that tragedies take people. This week we are hearing the tragedy of the great Princess of Wales taken away unnecessarily, and once again Dr. Betty Shabazz. So I think that we have to remember and we have to always be aware of the fact that we all have to do more in our own way. She was a great person. I, too, attended the memorial service and David Dinkins and Basil Patterson and Percy Sutton did such outstanding jobs as they brought this community together. I once again would like to simply thank the gentlewoman from the District here, and I appreciate having the opportunity to address the House.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the owners and employees of the Federal Bronze Casting Industries, Inc. of Newark, NJ, and the Fox Hills Industries, Inc., of Huntington Beach, CA, for over 50 years of service and dedication to their communities. These companies are strong, small businesses which produce mainly bronze sand castings, but also work with other alloys such as aluminum and brass. Their membership in the Non-Ferrous Founders' Society, the association for nonferrous foundries, is a visible indication to their customers, as well as other industry members, that they are concerned with quality issues and understand the necessity of moving the foundry industry into the next century. Today, I would especially recognize John W. Burk, president, and Douglas J. Reichard, vice president. I am confident that under their leadership, Federal Bronze and Fox Hills will continue to flourish. The U.S. nonferrous foundry industry is comprised of companies producing aluminum, brass, bronze and other nonferrous metal castings, principally via the sand and permanent mold casting processes. Nonferrous foundries constitute nearly two-thirds of the entire U.S. foundry industry. Though some foundries specialize producing castings primarily of one metal type, many nonferrous foundries routinely produce both aluminum and copper-based castings. Other nonferrous foundries may produce castings from zinc, magnesium or ferrous metals as well. Nearly every manufacturing sector of the economy employ nonferrous castings, which are particularly important in areas such as automotive production, plumbing and fluid handling, industrial, marine, aircraft and aerospace products; machine tool and heavy machinery, housing and construction, appliances, and defense and military, ordnance, applications. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the owners and employees of Federal Bronze and Fox Hills for their untiring efforts to provide quality products. I would also like to recognize the thousands of small foundries, located in urban and rural areas alike in all 50 States, which help make America stronger and more prosperous.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow evening in my district a reception hosted by the Newark Tenants Council [NTC] will be held honoring Doris McCray-Crank. Mrs. Crank is being recognized for her election as chairperson of the Board of Commissioners of the Newark Housing Authority [NHA]. Mrs. Crank has been an advocate for the less fortunate for most of her life and for all of her adult life. She has been active in the public housing arena as a tenant, a tenant leader with the NTC, and a member of the NHA board of commissioners. She has used available opportunities and resources to help make life better for those often shut out. In 1972 while attending the U.N.-sponsored World Health Conference in Paris, France, Mrs. Crank learned of the children starving in Biafra because of the country's civil war. Completely dismayed, Mrs. Crank interrupted a session and took the opportunity to speak with conference delegates about providing financial support to save the children from death and starvation. As a result of her passionate plea, the delegates raised $8 million to feed the children. While our situation at home is not nearly as devastating as that of Biafra's starving children, Mrs. Crank steps up to bat just as compassionately for our public housing residents. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with my colleagues some of her goals as chair of the NHA Board of Commission. Mrs. Crank would like to see public housing residents own their homes, if they have the means; have more persons who are gainfully employed reside as tenants; businesses developed in the public housing communities that would strengthen economic development and benefit the residents; and public housing made drug free. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will want to join me as I extend my best wishes to Mrs. Crank and the members of the Newark Housing Authority's Board of Commissioners--Gloria Cartwright, Ida Clark, Terry Pringle, Lynell Robinson, Zinnerford Smith, and Rolando Velazquez--and the Authority's executive director, Harold Lucas, as they continue to work to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing for Newark's residents and to set the standards and provide the benchmarks for other public housing entities.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring attention to the fact that low-income families in search of tuition assistance benefit very little from this bill. On the other hand, we have provided substantial education tax cuts and credits for middle-income and higher income families. One section of this bill provides a 3-year extension of a tax exclusion for undergraduate students who are fortunate enough to have their employers provide them with educational aid. This type of tax break positively affects the students who are struggling to get a postsecondary degree and working to pay the bills at the same time. The bill I introduced in May would have permanently extended this section and permitted both undergraduate and graduate students to take advantage of this tax exclusion. I still believe it is important to include graduate students in this section because they are far more likely to have employers pay for their education than undergraduates. It is also imperative to permanently extend this exclusion because our Nation's students who have their tuition paid for by their employers need the security that they will not ever be taxed on their education. It is indeed unfortunate we have not included more education tax breaks to low-income Americans in this bill who are in just as much, if not more, need of a tax break as middle- and upper-income Americans.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me first of all thank the chairlady of the Congressional Black Caucus, keeping the theme of the Caucus since its inception, the conscience of the Congress, to call this special order, this special program tonight after the call from our former distinguished Federal jurist, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] who in his judicial thinking immediately responded by requesting that this special order be held, and for him we are very thankful. We are here tonight to celebrate the life of William Joseph Brennan, Jr. Last Thursday, Mr. Speaker, this country lost a bold and spirited champion of civil liberties. The city of Newark, NJ lost a warm and generous son. Justice William Joseph Brennan, Jr. stands today as one of the most beloved and respected jurists ever to sit on the high court in this Nation. As the great Chief Justice Earl Warren once remarked, ``In the entire history of the court, it would be difficult to name another justice who wrote more important opinions.'' I was deeply moved this morning at St. Matthew's Church here in Washington where the funeral services were conducted for Justice Brennan and there were very moving tributes by the President of the United States, Justice Douglas, Justice Souter, William Brennan III, other members of the clergy and his family. Yet this prodigious man whom we laid to rest today at Arlington Cemetery traced his childhood roots back to a simple 3-family house in the Vailsburg section of my hometown of Newark, NJ. Born on April 25, 1906, William Brennan grew up, one of eight children, in a large Irish-Catholic family. His father William Sr. shoveled coal at the old Ballentine Brewery, a place I knew well, Mr. Speaker, as I would later work there myself in that factory where many of the working families of Newark had the privilege to work. William Sr. worked at the brewery until 1917 when he was chosen as the union representative for all of the workers at the brewery, giving William Sr. an early start in city politics. As a young boy, young William Jr. lived on Parker Street which as he later described in the Newark Star-Ledger divided the people of means in the neighborhood. With Park Avenue on one side, the big money, he said, was on the other side of Bloomfield Avenue, he recalled. I also lived close to him in the North Ward on that other side of the dividing line. While his father worked at the brewery, William Jr. attended the Alexander Street Elementary School and then went on to Barringer High School, the same high school that I attended many years later. We heard of Justice Brennan, at that time an outstanding lawyer, as one of the outstanding graduates of our high school. While he was in high school, he worked many odd jobs, worked on weekends to help his father make ends meet for a family of many mouths and little money. After graduating from the Wharton School of Business and the Harvard Law School, the future justice returned home to Newark in the midst of the depression to practice labor law at the forerunner of what is now one of New Jersey's oldest law firms, Pitney, Harden & Skinner. He helped in the process of creating a new constitution for the State of New Jersey in 1948 and a year later was named to the State Superior Court. In 1952 our Republican Governor, at that time Alfred Driscoll appointed him to the State Supreme Court where he sat with the famed Arthur Vanderbilt. Finally, in 1956, another Republican, this time President Dwight D. Eisenhower, selected William Brennan, Jr. to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States. The city of Newark, while it feels a deep sense of loss today at the departing of a beloved native, also feels a great sense of pride at the monumental achievements of this man who never forgot his roots. Over 34 years and through eight successive Presidents, Justice Brennan stood as a voice for those without a voice of their own on the highest tribunal of justice in this land. He believed in interpreting the Constitution as a living charter of human rights, dignity, and self-determination, and thus he believed that it was precisely the most vulnerable, forgotten and castoffs within our society for which its protections were designed. He reshaped the contours of American constitutional law by time and time again forging new consensus on the court in defense of minorities, immigrants, death row inmates, political protesters and the poor. His decision in Baker versus Carr as we have heard already established Federal constitutional jurisdictions over legislative apportionment, helping to establish the principle of ``one person, one vote'' and countermanding the process that had traditionally led to discriminatory racial gerrymandering in the drawing of electoral districts. Today we have 38 Members of the House of Representatives as a result of Justice Brennan in those early days. His decision in New York Times versus Sullivan defended the right of the NAACP to criticize southern segregationists and established a standard of uninhibited, robust and wide open debate in the American body politic. Finally, before a shift in the composition of the Court overturned it, his decision in Furman versus Georgia initiated a 4-year moratorium on the imposition of the death penalty in America, ruling that capital punishment simply did not comport with human dignity. The life of Justice William Brennan, Mr. Speaker, will long stand as a profound testament to the power of well-articulated thoughts and ideas to ally the forces of reason behind the passions of the human heart and thereby to change forever the course of society. But his career also reminds us, as the framers of the Constitution warned, that the cost of liberty is a struggle of eternal vigilance. Even in his lifetime Justice Brennan saw many of his important achievements rolled back by an increasing conservative majority on the Supreme Court, a majority that underestimates the need for vigilance in the defense of liberty. ``We do not yet have justice for all who do not partake in the abundance of American life,'' wrote the late justice. Just this past year we are still striving towards that goal and doubtless it will be an eternal quest. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the life of a great man and grieving his passing, let us realize his quest as our quest and push America always onwards toward the realization of the most noble promise of liberty and human dignity.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for calling this special order. I will not take too much time, since I see a number of my colleagues, showing the importance of this very vital issue to many of us in the Congress on both sides of the aisle from throughout the United States of America, because we talk about justice and fairness, we talk about the new era that we live in where we say that we will not allow the big and the strong to take advantage of the smaller. That was the whole question in the Persian Gulf situation when 28 nations came together to say that the invasion of Kuwait that was imminent was wrong and we came together as a united country of the world, countries of the world, from the Arab community, from Africa, from the West to say that we will protect this little country. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Human Rights Subcommittee to join in commemorating this sad day in history of the Republic of Cyprus. On July 20, 1974, 6,000 Turkish troops and 40 tanks landed on the north coast of Cyprus and captured almost 40 percent of the island. More than 35,000 Turkish troops continue to occupy the northern portion of Cyprus. The Green Line, a barbed wire fence, separating the northern part of the island from the free portion, is the only wall remaining in the world. We brought down the Berlin Wall. We have gone through and have sort of new independent countries in Europe. But this wall still remains. Thousands of Greek Cypriots from the towns and communities in which they and their families have previously lived for generations are separated from one another. Today there are 1,619 people whose whereabouts are still unknown, and we have heard already 5 of these are U.S. citizens that we still have not heard about. The illegal invasion and occupation by Turkey represents over two decades of unanswered questions, human rights violations and cultural destruction. As I conclude, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that I had the opportunity 2 years ago to visit Cyprus. I had the opportunity to go with a constituent of mine, Andy Comodomos, where we drove up to the Green Line. We were allowed to go up into the Turkish-occupied portion of the island where we went to the street that Mr. Comodomos lived on and went to the house that he was raised in and then went up the to the home of his cousin who lived there. We rang the bell and we were allowed to come in by this Turkish family who came up from the south to occupy the house. It was heartbreaking for him to see his home, his backyard, the basement of the home that his family grew up in being occupied illegally by people who had illegally taken possession of the home. I speak out with my other colleagues here and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Turkish Cypriot leader Denktash and Greek Cypriot President Glafcos Clerides in their talks and that our new head of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, is calling for continued talks. We hope that there will finally be a breakthrough.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1031.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. I move to strike the requisite number of words, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I rise to support this amendment, and overall stand to support the vocational education bill which is so important as part of our Federal education system. This act provides our students with the tools to be prepared for a trade or career directly following high school. As has been indicated, every student is not going on to college. The intention of these programs is to teach young people a trade while allowing students to be academically prepared for postsecondary education. Giving our students viable options for the future is very critical for the economic and social development of our Nation. It is for that reason that I am pleased that the concern that I raised during the committee markup regarding reserves for only rural districts has been addressed. I appreciate the subcommittee chair for allowing the position that I had that the bill before the House today includes a 5-percent reserve for both urban and rural areas who display need. The additional pool of funds will allow students in regions of our country, where a college education is unfortunately just not economically an option, to have vocational education programs best suited for their future. I would also like to offer my sincere strong support for the Mink- Morella-Sanchez-Woolsey amendment to provide a hold harmless for programs serving displaced homemakers, single parents, and pregnant women, and programs that promote gender equity. Opponents of this provision claim that States can offer these programs at the present time if they decide to do so. However, prior to when the Perkins Act required the States to have gender equity programs, only 1 percent, let me state it again, only 1 percent of State grants went to displaced homemakers and supportive services. The history of this provision proves that these programs will not be funded if the Mink amendment is not included in this bill. So I urge Members of the House to support this very important amendment. Sadly, this will leave members of our population who are struggling to support families and to stay off of welfare, as we talk of from welfare to work, this will not give the opportunity to women to be trained in specific fields. It will also leave young women in high schools across the country with little encouragement to participate in vocational education programs that increase the chance of them attaining a job with a future when they graduate. As we attempt to move this country from welfare to work, I find it strange that job training programs such as the Perkins Act would ignore the female population that constitutes a large majority of people who are currently relying on public assistance who will have to move to work. Therefore, I urge my colleagues in the House on both sides to fully support the Mink-Morella-Sanchez-Woolsey amendment and vote for its passage.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues here today to offer my support for House Joint Resolution 56 which calls for the celebration of the end of slavery. The need to celebrate the end of this most dubious time in America's short history, pervades the thoughts of many, though more so during this month of June. During the month of June and, specifically, June 13-19, thousands of people, especially blacks, come together to celebrate the end of slavery. The celebration, called Juneteenth, commemorates the date in 1865 when slaves in Texas discovered, a full 2\1/2\ years after the fact, that President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Slaveowners in eastern Texas successfully hid the news of their emancipation for 2\1/2\ years. They were not notified of their freedom until Union army officers told them on June 19, 1865, hence the name Juneteenth. Juneteenth has been recognized as a holiday in Texas for quite some time, but has extended beyond Texas borders in recent years. Juneteenth is celebrated throughout many communities nationwide, incorporating parades, musical performances, and other festivities. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation did much to dismantle the structure of slavery, but did not dismantle the institution. The story of those eastern Texas slaves is a visceral reminder of the fact that even after the Emancipation Proclamation, many slaves were indeed, not free. Throughout the South, slaves were not notified of their freedom by landowners for years. The problem was not confined to the South. In my home State of New Jersey, as of the same year, 1865, the Democratic controlled State legislature still refused to ratify the 13th amendment, which abolished slavery. Clearly they were not free either. In 1866, the republican State legislature ratified the 13th amendment along with the 14th amendment, which guaranteed the citizenship rights of everyone born in the United States. But this same legislature refused to grant the franchise to blacks. In 1868, the again Democrat controlled State legislature rescinded the ratification of the 14th amendment and 2 years later in 1870, refused to ratify the 15th amendment which extended the franchise to all races. The saving grace of the New Jersey blacks was that enough States ratified the amendment to make it national law. It is evident that the plight of the slave and black families did not end with Lincoln's proclamation, nor was it confined to Southern boundaries. Even after such amendments, it took still longer for blacks to acculture themselves to rights afforded to the free American citizen. It is the cultural metamorphosis of the African and the slave into the unique experience of the African-American that truly marks emancipation. The Juneteenth celebration is much larger than a celebration commemorating the long-overdue emancipation of the eastern Texas slaves, it is a celebration of the long overdue emancipation of all slaves. It is a celebration of the dismantling of the slavery institution; a dismantling of the bureaucratic engine that sought to halt black's freedom, long after their emancipation was declared, not unlike the Texas slave master. Though Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery, it is by no means just an African-American holiday. Juneteenth is a celebration which brings together everyone. It is important for everyone to remember and acknowledge this chapter in American history. We all have to take responsibility. This past week President Clinton made a great stride in opening a national dialog on race relations. His plan to establish a Presidential advisory board to allow Americans to speak out about racial issues shows initiative and a willingness to confront the ongoing racial tensions in our multicultural society. We can only hope that President Clinton's good intentions will be buttressed by action. In closing I ask that you join me and my colleagues in supporting House Joint Resolution 56. I thank you for your time and consideration.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring a very special person who has made an enormous contribution through 40 years of dedicated service to our community, Mrs. Mildred Helms. On June 20, there will be a ceremony in Newark, NJ to pay tribute to Mrs. Helms, who serves as president of Clinton Hill Area Redevelopment Corporation, for her lifetime of service providing housing for residents of Newark and recreational activities for children. Mrs. Helms is the founder of two housing corporations which provide affordable home ownership to local residents. It was in 1963 that she first approached the Newark Housing Authority Urban Renewal office with a plan to develop new housing for the city. She has shown a great deal of determination, pushing forward for over 15 years until her group, the Clinton Hill Area Redevelopment Corporation, was finally able to see their first project become a reality. When I served as a councilman, I had the pleasure of working with Mrs. Helms to expand housing opportunities. In fact, I first became involved with Mrs. Helms in 1958 at a community meeting at Southside High School where I once taught and which is now called Malcolm X Shabazz High School. Other housing activists at that time included Stanley Winters and Rev. Kim Jefferson. In addition to her work on housing opportunities, Mrs. Helms gave her time and talents to many volunteer efforts, especially with children and young people. I was pleased to become involved with a youth group she organized which became known as the Clintonians. She organized a group which became active in the Newark YMWCA. She also organized a Summer Fun Day Camp sponsored by her church and a Jewish synagogue. She also planned an annual Halloween Party and parade, involving local merchants who served as sponsors. Among the many awards and accolades Mrs. Helms has received are the 1986 Human Rights Award from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Private Sector Initiative Award from President Ronald Reagan, the 1983 Woman of the Year Award from the Sharpe James Civic Association. The Mildred Helms Park is named in her honor. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of this extraordinary woman who has done so much for our community. I know my colleagues join me in sending congratulations and very best wishes for many more productive and fulfilling years.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues an event that was held this past Saturday. It was a reception held for Rev. Dr. Edward D. Smart, Jr. Rev. Dr. Smart is the shepherd of the Israel Memorial AME Church in Newark, NJ. Rev. Dr. Smart is the epitome of leadership. He is courageous and committed to serving the members of our community, especially our young people. Serving by example is his method. He attended Fisk University where he was a Fisk Jubilee singer. He is a graduate of Penn State University with a degree in political science. He did graduate work at Shippenburg University and received his ministerial preparation at Gettysburg Theological Seminary. He holds a doctorate from the University of California. He is a member of the Essex County Welfare to Workfare Task Force. He is the cochairperson of the Newark Fighting Back Partnership, a program to reduce the demand for illicit drugs and alcohol. He has been involved since its inception. He has been integrally involved with the development of the Interfaith Clergy Community Alliance which is an effort to increase the aftercare for people in recovery by the faith community. Israel Memorial AME Church has continued to grow under the stewardship of Reverend Smart. It has grown both financially and spiritually since his arrival in May 1991. He has faithfully worked to carry out its mission, ``Israel Memorial AME Church strives to maintain a standard of Christian living within the metropolitan Newark area through evangelism, proclamation of the Word, stewardship, worship, bible study, and prayer meeting.'' He has been innovative in his approach to making life better for everyone he serves, which is the entire community. He is not one to take the safe way out always. He is a thoughtful risktaker when he feels he is justified in his position on certain issues. Because of this, he has garnered the respect and support of many. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues would have joined me as I congratulated Reverend Smart on his dedication to his faith, our community, and our young people.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday witnessed the dedication of a new roof for the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church at 151 Broadway in Newark, NJ. This accomplishment is truly significant to this particular house of worship. For many years the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church had no stable church home. The early history of the church was marked by ups and downs and much movement from one location to another. The church was founded in 1822, the same year that free Black men went to Liberia to found Monrovia. This is just one example of the type of vision and moral and social commitment that has permeated the leadership and membership of this church throughout its existence. While the church was founded in 1822 it did not find its present home until 1930 when Rev. J.M. Hoggard was pastor. Reverend Hoggard was a resident of my childhood neighborhood. He had a great impact on our community and many of its people. I was fortunate to be affiliated with this church when I was a young man. It was one of the most progressive institutions around. It had the foresight to provide the youth with activities such as socials and sports in a setting that was moralistically sound. While the youngsters were being kept occupied and happy they learned the importance of morals, faith and religion. I think my participation in these programs helped shape my concepts of the youth programs I would run for the YMCA when I became an adult. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues would have wanted to join me as I extended my congratulations and best wishes to the congregants of the Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church of Newark, NJ.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of lifting the ban on all humanitarian assistance previously blocked for Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo. My amendment also includes waiving section 620(q) as it pertains to the Brooke amendment, specifically in regard to the Democratic Republic of Congo. We used these waivers in the past for Egypt, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua when we wanted to assist our allies. Mr. Chairman, the Brooke amendment was placed on Zaire in 1991 when the corrupt dictatorship of Mr. Mobutu was in full force. On April 17 of this year, the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce] and I, along with all the members of the Subcommittee on Africa, introduced H.R. 115, a bill that called on Mobutu to step down as President of Zaire. H.R. 115 was passed overwhelmingly by this House and in response Mobutu Sese Seko resigned last month and no longer can harm the people of the Congo. This bill is symbolic in that it was the first step in getting rid of the cruel dictators in Africa, several of whom still exist, that prevent true democracy from flourishing. Before I came to Congress and for many years after that, I have spoken out on the corrupt military regime of Mr. Mobutu. It is alleged that Mr. Mobutu has a wealth of several billion dollars in foreign bank accounts. I introduced in the 102d Congress, in 1993, a resolution calling for the administration to draw on its power to have Mr. Mobutu resign and leave Zaire. We all know that the Mobutu regime started with Patrice Lumumba, who was captured and killed back in the early 1960's, and there were considerable activities during the cold war. Zaire suffered from 75 years of Belgium colonialism, then France's influence on the continent, first as a colonial ruler of most of the western and central parts of the continent, then as economic and political patron of the postindependent governments. Zaire followed with 7 years of chaos and 31 years of Mobutu's dictatorship, laying a foundation for its current crisis. Laurent Kabila, leader of the Alliance of the Democratic Forces for the liberation of the Congo, has done what so many others have wanted to do for the people of Zaire for 32 years; to rid it of Mr. Mobutu. Today 1.1 million refugees as well returned to Rwanda and Burundi. The alliance has the support of the neighboring countries of Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia, and Angola. I am not a pro- or anti-Kabila person, but I feel that we must start to assist the Congo in getting over the tremendous harm done by the Mobutu regime. I met with Mr. Kabila in Goma in January of this year and traveled to the Congo recently with Mr. Campbell and met with Mr. Karaha, the foreign affairs minister, and Mr. Mawapanga, the finance minister. Both ministers were very qualified and seemed anxious to begin to move the country forward to improve the quality of life for the people in that distressed land. Mr. Kabila stated at that time that he would hold elections within 2 years. It is my understanding that Mr. Kabila will bring about a transitional government. It would behoove us to help bring calm and order and, if possible, use our influence to allow the people to learn how democracy works and to assist that country as it moves toward democracy. There are no roads, no independent media, no functioning police, and there has not been a census taken in years. Some believe that there are between 40 and 50 million people in Zaire, but no one really knows. When I began my statement, I referred to a former U.S. policy in Africa that was dictated by the cold war. Now that the cold war is over, I think we need to assist in areas where we can to move toward a new democratic society in these former dictatorial countries. Mr. Chairman, I would ask that we continue to monitor and that we work toward planning and assisting this country move toward elections, and I would hope that we would have support for this resolution.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. PAYNE. No, it is not.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, Thursday will mark a milestone in the life of one of my outstanding, upstanding, and understanding constituents. This exceptional person is William H. Oliver. Mr. Oliver will celebrate his 85th birthday on June 12. Mr. Oliver has lived in East Orange, NJ for 46 years. He is a native of Chase City, VA where he grew up. A true believer in the strength of family, Mr. Oliver has dedicated his life to raising and supporting a family that continues to grow in terms of number, scope, and purpose. Mr. Oliver's family reaches beyond his blood line and includes his church family and the community-at-large. Mr. Oliver is a very active man. He is thankful for his good health and uses his energy and resources to better himself and the world around him. He is a deacon and the treasurer of his church, Messiah Baptist Church, East Orange. He has held these positions for more than 20 years. His church activities have also included being a member of the trustee board, the male chorus, and past chairman of the Flower Guild. His religion and the love and teachings of Jesus have helped to sustain and refresh him. He is also a Master Mason. His lodge, Jeptha 56, is very fortunate to have him involved in their activities. When we become older our relationships with our children sometimes change, the provider/dependent roles are switched. That is not the case in Mr. Oliver's life. His two children, William H.L. and Gloria are both accomplished, caring, and committed individuals who serve the law enforcement community. His son is captain of investigators with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and his daughter is lieutenant with the East Orange Police Department. They use their careers to truly serve, protect, and guide. What is wonderful about these two is their relationship with their dad. They proudly and constantly display their love and respect. It is not uncommon for them to seem like the boy and girl of their youth when it comes to their dad. Captain Oliver can be seen raptly listening to advice from his experienced elder. Lt. Oliver can be overheard extolling the virtues of her dad and saying how fortunate she is to have him around. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will want to join me as I wish Mr. William H. Oliver a happy birthday and happy Father's Day. I would also like to extend best wishes to Mr. Oliver's descendents in this strong, stable, and viable family--son, William H.L.; daughter, Gloria; granddaughters, Shelly and Krystal, and their husbands, Oran and Vincent; and great-granddaughters, Kourtney and Madison; and the next great-grandchild to be born in December. May God continue to keep and bless each of you.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to have an opportunity to say a few words. I am actually here by mistake. I was just passing by and stumbled in and said, wow, look at this. This is a great looking group, I said to myself. I think you would probably look better than the crowd that sits in here every day. So I decided to sit and to listen, and I am glad I did. I would like to first of all congratulate the page board members who have taken an interest, and to the chairperson, the gentlewoman from Florida [Mrs. Fowler], for the outstanding job that she has done with the leadership of this very important board, and also the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Kildee], who I have the privilege of serving with on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Let me just echo what my colleagues have said. It just has not been said by everyone, so I am going to simply join in with the praises to you. I have the opportunity sometimes, when I bump into some of you as I ride the trolley, and I will say hello and ask your names and where you are from and what grade you are in, because I am always curious and interested in young people. I think that young people are indeed our most valuable possessions and as a nation we have an obligation to try to make opportunities for young people because that will guarantee that this great Nation will continue to be great. I started my career as a schoolteacher. I was a secondary schoolteacher in the city of Newark. Many of the young people there did not have many opportunities. I brought them to the local YMCA and they were able to have opportunities at the local YMCA in Newark. They became involved in a program called Youth in Government, where they were able to become mock legislators, and they would go to the statehouse to be legislators during a period of time where they would learn legislation. So you have had that opportunity to really be here to see how legislation is crafted and created. Your work is so important. When you go back, I think you have to be diplomats. You have to talk to your colleagues and tell them about your opportunities, and you have to encourage them to become interested in government. You know, young people are not as interested in our elective process as they ought to be, and I think you have a responsibility now, an obligation, to go back and tell young people when they become 18 that they should register to vote; that we need to have people participating in the electoral system to make it strong and to make it good. So you have an obligation that goes forth from this place and this time to tell them, the cynics, that they have to get involved, that if they dislike what is going on, they have to change it. Senior citizens vote. That is why we have so much senior citizens, housing. Have you heard of any young people's housing lately? No. Well, we have got to get young people involved. We have to get them participating. So I am just here, like I said, to congratulate all of the pages. I, too, will have the opportunity to have my first page that will be coming in on Sunday, Andre, from the town of Irvington; and I feel very, very excited about it. Our Page Board selected him, and I really have not met him yet. I am going to meet him on Saturday and his family before he comes down. So I am just as excited, I think, as he is. It is a tremendous program. Keep up the good work. Just one other thing. There is an interesting thing that happened in my district. Three little boys, 9, 10 and 11, found $500 in Newark, cash. But they also found the name of the person with this $500, and what these boys did was to go to a lady in the neighborhood and said, ``We found this $500,'' it was about a week ago, and they said that it should be returned to the person. When we found out about it, we found out that none of these three boys ever owned a bike, none of them had ever been to a summer camp, they lived in public housing, and they lived in very impoverished situations, lived with relatives, grandparents. But for them to say that this did not belong to them and to try to find the person that it belonged to, and actually these little boys, and it just happened a week ago, were ridiculed by some of the kids in the neighborhood. How stupid it was, they said, for them to give back $500 that they found, that they should try to get it back to the person who lost it and that they do not even own a bicycle. I do not know, but they probably got about five bicycles each by now because the community came out. They are going to go to camp for the first time in their lives. They are going to go there with all nice new clothes on because we want to make sure all of that happens. So I just say that to say that the future belongs to those who prepare for it. Our Nation, I believe, is in good hands because of people like you. You have to go back to your neighborhoods and convert others to being just like you.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I want to raise an issue in regard to the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. Sudan is located south of Egypt with its eastern boundary facing the Red Sea. It is one of the largest countries in Africa in terms of geographical area, approximately the size of one quarter of the United States with a population of some 29 million people. Almost from the very time of independence from Britain and Egypt in 1956 the country has been divided by ethnic and religious differences. The largely Arabic Muslim North against the Sub-Sahara African Christian and Animist South. Guerilla warfare in the south has persisted for at least 32 years of their 41 years of independence. But, not until 1983 when the Sudan People's Liberation Army [SPLA] was created were substantial gains made in capturing towns from the control of the Khartoum Northern Government. The SPLA is under the leadership of Col. John Garang, a military officer, trained in the United States. Following the 1989 coup, the relative free press was put under strict censorship. I say all of this because the geostrategic importance of the Sudan is vital to our national interest. And Sudan's stability is vital to the region's stability. I too support sanctions which our administration already has put on them. Economic sanctions, military sanctions, visa restrictions on the government and its forces should be enforced; however, this places restrictions on humanitarian assistance that affects the poor and the innocent. I went to southern Sudan in January of this year and meet with John Garang, the leader of the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement in the south and they seem to be conquering much of the northern territory. As much as I believe that the Sudanese Government should not operate with immunity, we can not at this time in good faith cancel all the assistance to the men, women, and children that so badly need this. I agree that we should use sticks with the Sudan in that they have exhausted all of their carrot options. Yet this is not a stick, this hurts. It hurts the wrong people.