Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 1096, the Act Commemorating the Lifetime Innovations of Thomas Edison. The Thomas Edison Historic Site in West Orange, New Jersey is a national historic treasure, and I am privileged to have it located in my congressional district and have had the pleasure of visiting the site on a number of occasions. The laboratory complex consists of buildings that date back to 1887. These labs house the technology and the technological innovations and artifacts that changed the course of not only America but the entire world. We have visitors from throughout the world that come to the site, many from Asian countries where technology has become a very important part of their development and in many instances even bow to the statue and pictures of Thomas Edison because they revere the importance of technology that has really lighted the world through his inventions. The labs house the technology and innovations. And from the light bulb to the motion picture camera, Edison's unparalleled innovations are being preserved for current and future generations. The first movie was made there, the Black Maria it is called, and the movie studio is as it was over 100 years ago. The light bulb, the phonograph and records that were cast there at this site all need to be preserved. Over the years, I have witnessed a positive impact of this unit of the National Park Service. The Edison laboratory complex has opened its doors and resources to assisting in the education of the community, particularly our young people who have had an opportunity to study and to have innovative lessons there. As a former teacher, I am well aware of the value of having a piece of history accessible to augment the learning process by providing lesson plans for teachers, hosting on- site and virtual tours, and facilitating programs and activities for students. The Edison site has provided an invaluable learning experience for these young people. Thomas Edison devoted his life to technological innovations. His work ethic and commitment to improving the quality of life for others is a lesson that is extremely applicable today. Edison's improvement on the telephone and telegraph machines put him on the cutting edge of communications technology. As we in Congress consider the reauthorization of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Edison's legacy reminds us of how far we have come. This June we will celebrate the reopening of the Edison complex. For 2 years the National Park Service and the Thomas Edison Preservation Foundation have worked together to restore and revitalize this historic site. Over 400,000 artifacts and 5 million pages of documents that trace Edison's process of inventions have been deteriorating due to poor environmental conditions and age-related decay. Many years ago, I made a request to allocate an appropriations to address these issues, and we were able to get $5 million about 10 years ago. The result is what we see today. I am very appreciative that my colleagues approve this appeal. The repairs and enhancements of this century-old building will improve the preservation of the priceless artifacts, ensuring that this treasure will remain an educational and cultural destination for generations to come. Passage of this bill will ensure the long-term success of the Edison Historical Site and demonstrate the congressional commitment to our history. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to acknowledge the Church of the Epiphany which will launch a year-long celebration of events and activities celebrating 100 years as a parish in Orange, New Jersey on Sunday, November 20, 2005. The Church of the Epiphany represents the faith and fortitude of New Jersey's African-American Episcopalians living in the Oranges. It began as a Sunday school for ``colored'' children in November 1905. Miss Ruth Marsh of Grace Church, located on Main Street in Orange, founded the Sunday school program and taught its 7 students. Through the efforts of Grace church's sexton, Mr. Thomas Johnson, the Sunday school developed into the Epiphany Mission with a small congregation led by the rectors of Grace Church. By 1908, Lay Reader George Marshall Plaskett, an African American student in the General Theological Seminary held the services under the direction of the Grace Church Rector. Father Plaskett went on to lead Epiphany as its rector for 50 years after his ordination and entrance into the priesthood. Under his leadership, Epiphany thrived as an active and integral part of the community providing spiritual education and guidance, and community service. In 1909 Epiphany's congregation purchased a lot on the corner of South Center and Pierson Streets in Orange and the first service in the new building was held on January 29, 1911. In 1916 the Epiphany Mission sought financial independence from Grace Episcopal Church and in 1930 Epiphany was admitted to the Diocese after an ecclesiastical separation from Grace Church. While located on Pierson Street, the church served as the congregation's spiritual home under the leadership of five rectors; The Rev. John H. Edwards, The Rev. Leonard Harris, The Rev. James E. Williams, The Rev. A. Warren Bridgeman. Since 1987, the Reverend Canon Gervais A.M. Clarke, Ph.D. has served as Epiphany's sixth Rector at its present location on Main Street, Orange. On December 14, 1986, following the dissolution of Grace Church by the Diocese of Newark, Epiphany moved to the old Grace Church building at 105 Main Street. In an effort to honor and retain Epiphany's history and create a new home that would provide a place for worship, fellowship, education and outreach, the congregation incorporated a marble altar, pipe organ, and other furnishings from Epiphany's original properties into the renovated church. With pride, Epiphany celebrated its first service on Main Street in January 1987. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues agree that the Church of the Epiphany has every right to be proud of the lasting contributions that it has made to the residents of Orange. Overcoming obstacles caused by segregation and demographic change, and addressing the needs of its neighbors are the legacy of Epiphany's forefathers and mothers. I rise today to honor Epiphanites, who for 100 years have steadfastly and faithfully created a community of worship and service in Orange.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to congratulate an extraordinary employee of mine who is unfortunately leaving our office this Thursday, November 17, 2005. Ms. Jordan Rowan will be leaving our office to join her future husband, Mr. Coleman Fannin, in Dayton, OH, as well as to pursue other professional opportunities. Jordan joined my office in fall 2003 as an intern and through her hard work, she advanced to legislative assistant. Among her many areas, she handled environmental issues for me. We share a great love for the environment and for its preservation. Therefore, she has been an indispensable asset to me as the Congress has debated many critical environmental bills this year. Over the 2 years that she has worked for me, she also has gained the necessary skill of deciphering my cryptic questions with even vaguer clues. Any time I needed her to find an obscure factoid, I could readily rely upon her. She has a big empathetic heart that, many times, has helped to ground myself and others in my office when a larger perspective was greatly needed. In fact, when most other brides choose to register for wedding gifts to supplement their new lives, she wanted to help others by registering with Heifer International, an organization that provides livestock to families in developing countries. Like Heifer International, she believes in giving but giving with the purpose of empowering others to better themselves economically and socially. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Ms. Jordan Rowan as she moves on to the next important stage of her life. While exemplifying professionalism and integrity, Jordan has not only brightened my office but also has assisted me legislatively on many important issues. I am proud to have had her work in my office and wish her never-ending success in her future endeavors.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the recent 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan on October 8, 2005, and the Bush administration's response to that crisis. Mr. Speaker, the devastation wrought by the natural disaster has caused an unimaginable humanitarian crisis, especially in Pakistan where approximately 90,000 people have lost their lives so far, and that number is expected to rise. In addition, over 3 million people have been left homeless. Given the magnitude, one would expect the Bush administration to have a response with a pledge of aid that matched the severity of the situation, especially given our current efforts to win the hearts and minds of that region of the world. What have we done so far? A little over $50 million. That is not an adequate response, especially since we spend almost $6 billion a month on the war on Iraq. We know that Pakistan has joined us in fighting al Qaeda. I think that we should actually have more of a concern for those who have joined us in this war on terror. I would like to add a March 17, 2003, article for the Record, where the U.S. forced inspectors out of Iraq, which could have proved that there were no weapons of mass destruction. [From USA Today, Mar. 17, 2003] U.S. Advises Weapons Inspectors To Leave Iraq Vienna, Austria.--In the clearest sign yet that war with Iraq is imminent, the United States has advised U.N. weapons inspectors to begin pulling out of Baghdad, the U.N. nuclear agency chief said Monday. Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the recommendation was given late Sunday night both to his Vienna-based agency hunting for atomic weaponry and to the New York-based teams looking for biological and chemical weapons. ``Late last night . . . I was advised by the U.S. government to pull out our inspectors from Baghdad,'' ElBaradei told the IAEA's board of governors. He said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the Security Council were informed and that the council would take up the issue later Monday. U.N. officials have said the inspectors and support staff still in Iraq could be evacuated in as little as 48 hours. No one has yet given the order for the inspectors to begin pulling out, and they were working on Monday. Most of the teams' helicopters have left Iraq because their insurance was canceled, chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix said, and the personnel level was low because of a scheduled rotation home. IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said the nuclear agency would wait for Security Council guidance later Monday before deciding whether to pull out its inspectors. The teams, which returned to Iraq on Nov. 27 after a nearly four-year absence, drew up contingency plans to evacuate even before their redeployment. ``A lot depends on the Iraqis,'' a senior U.N. inspector told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. ``If they let us use aircraft to get out, we could be gone in 48 hours or even less. If they won't let us fly out, we would have to drive to a border, and that could mean an eight-hour journey across hot desert. It would take longer, but we would get out.'' Inspectors have experience in getting out of Iraq in a hurry: In December 1998, they pulled out on the eve of U.S.- British airstrikes amid allegations that Baghdad was not cooperating with the teams. There have been some concerns that the Iraqis might hold the inspectors as human shields in case of a conflict. But Iraq's foreign minister appeared to play down those fears in a live television interview on the al-Arabiya Arabic satellite channel Sunday night. ``The inspectors came by a decision of the Security Council, which decides on their departure,'' Naji Sabri said. EIBaradei told the nuclear agency's 35-nation governing board Monday that he was worried about the safety of the teams, yet still held out hope that war could be averted. ``Naturally the safety of our staff remains our primary consideration at this difficult time,'' he said. ``I earnestly hope--even at this late hour--that a peaceful resolution of the issue can be achieved, and that the world can be spared a war.'' EIBaradei, who has been monitoring the situation day to day, also confirmed that he and Blix had received an invitation from Baghdad ``to visit Iraq with a view toward accelerating the implementation of our respective mandates.'' He did not say whether he or Blix had accepted. ``I should note that in recent weeks, possibly as a result of increasing pressure by the international community, Iraq has been more forthcoming in its cooperation with the IAEA,'' he said, adding that inspectors still have found no evidence that Saddam Hussein has revived his nuclear program. But with the United States, Britain and Spain making clear that Monday would be the final day for diplomatic efforts to avert a conflict, it appeared that the inspectors were running out of time and could begin withdrawing at any moment. In other signs that war could be imminent, the U.S. State Department on Sunday night ordered nonessential personnel and all family members to leave Israel, Kuwait and Syria in a precautionary move. Germany closed its embassy in Baghdad on Monday after calling on its citizens to leave Iraq ``immediately,'' and Britain advised all its citizens except diplomatic staff to leave Kuwait as soon as possible, citing a potential threat from war in neighboring Iraq.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of a former colleague and a friend, Assemblyman/Councilman Donald Kofi Tucker. I have known Assemblyman/Councilman Tucker for most of my adult life, serving with him on the Newark Municipal Council for many years. Donald served in the United States Air Force and following his honorable discharge, he became an activist in the Community. He was a man who looked after the needs of all the people. He was elected to the Newark Municipal Council in 1970 and began working as an elected official on behalf of the citizens of Newark. He worked diligently for decades as chairman of the Tax Abatement Committee of the Newark Municipal Council and he served as president of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBCLEO) for many years. He was also appointed and served as chair of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. As one of the founders and chairman of the New Jersey Black Issues Convention (BIC), he had a mind to educate African Americans on the issues concerning the struggle for peace, equality and justice. He was elected to the New Jersey State General Assembly as an Assemblyman in the 28th Legislative District in 1997 and was named in 2001 and served as Speaker Protempore until his passing. Donald also supported the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL). We must remember all the countless children and elderly he served as founder and president of ``The Centre, Inc.'', a community services multipurpose center serving children, youth and seniors on Elizabeth Avenue in Newark. Assemblyman/Councilman Tucker had views he firmly believed in and supported those views very passionately. But at the same time, he was a gentle man who gave of himself wholeheartedly. Even while he was ill, he still put the needs of his constituents before that of his own health. After lying in State in the Rotunda of Newark City Hall, a home-going service will take place on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 in Newark, New Jersey where his family, friends and colleagues will remember his legacy. I am certain that this legacy will live on in the people of Newark, throughout the State of New Jersey and across the Nation. He will be sorely missed. I ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in paying tribute to the memory of this outstanding public servant and in offering our deepest condolences to his wife, Cleopatra and his three children, Donna Wynn, Stacey Carroll and Kiburi Tucker and his nine grandchildren.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United Nations at its 60th anniversary and honor the organization for its many contributions to humanity over the last 60 years. The United Nations came into being on October 24, 1945, when 50 countries pledged to work to promote international peace, security and human rights after suffering through two World Wars and the Holocaust. Sixty years later, we have, indeed, avoided another global war and seen the U.N. protect the lives of millions by creating the circumstances for peace in some 170 disputes around the world. The 21st century is profoundly different than the world in which the United Nations was created. Threats of terrorism, natural disaster, and poverty heighten the role that the United Nations plays in securing peace and stability worldwide. The United Nations promotes democracy where it has not existed, helping to build democratic institutions and hold elections in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. The United Nations operates 17 peacekeeping missions in regions of strategic importance to the United States, such as Sudan, the Middle East, the India-Pakistani border, and Haiti. Then there are the important works of the United Nations affiliated organizations. The International Atomic Energy Agency is leading a global effort to secure nuclear materials and guarantee that they are used for legal and peaceful reasons. The World Food Program provides life-saving food assistance to millions of famine stricken people every year, while the Food and Agriculture Organization helps improve the long-term sustainability of providing good nutrition in developing countries. Efforts of the World Health Organization and UNICEF have drastically improved vaccination rates for preventable diseases in children. International conventions and programs undertaken by United Nations agencies have helped to strengthen the rights of women, refugees, and victims of human rights abuses, and 10 United Nations agencies are helping to treat and prevent the AIDS epidemic in 130 countries. I congratulate the United Nations on the anniversary of its 60th year, and encourage the United States and Congress to further their support for a strong and effective United Nations.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great enthusiasm that I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to honor the memory of a very special person, the late Addolorata (Dolores) Immacolata Gili, and to offer my congratulations to her family and friends, and to the people whose lives she touched in my Congressional District of Orange, New Jersey. Mama Gili, as she was affectionately known, was being honored on Saturday October 22, 2005 for her faithful devotion to God, her community and humankind. She was the proud mother of five children, Helen, Florida, Claudia, Caesar and Joseph Jr., and the ``adoptive'' mother to many people in the Orange community. She emigrated from Atripalda, Italy to the United States in 1909 and initially stayed with her brother, Umberto, in Brooklyn, New York. After moving to Orange, New Jersey, to live with another brother, she met her future husband, Joseph F. Gili, whom she married in 1913. Always a true believer in the omnipresent power and love of God, Mama Gili knew that her life would be guided by His principles of service to others. She opened her home to many Italian immigrants as they transitioned to a new life in the U.S. She also always made time to lend an ear and give devout advice to people in her community. Even though she prematurely lost her husband and endured the hardships of the Great Depression as a single mother, her faith never wavered. In 1953, she returned, for the first time, to her hometown in Italy where she had a providential meeting with a Franciscan priest. He showed her a picture of the Holy Face of Jesus from the Shroud of Turin. After seeing this image, Mama Gili dedicated her life, until her death in 1985, to spreading the Word about the Holy Face to those in her community. She was honored by the Italian Tribune newspaper with the Woman of the Year award in 1965 for her work with many charities and, for helping both to establish the Capuchin Franciscan Friars and to organize the Third Order of St. Francis in Orange. This past Saturday, she was again being honored with the dedication of Minton Place between Lincoln Avenue and Scotland Road in Orange, NJ. Renamed ``Mama Gili Place'', this memorial will be a tribute to her steadfast dedication to her faith and community. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mama Gili's friends and family on their efforts to keep her legacy alive. I also wish them continued success on their journey towards her Beatification/Canonization to Sainthood.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me as I rise to acknowledge the Massey Agency as this Newark firm celebrates its 30th anniversary. With Emma and Ramelle Massey at the helm of this woman/minority-owned insurance and brokerage firm, they offer services that are important to residents and businesses in the area. Fortunately, for the City of Newark, the Massey Agency has always been committed to the needs of the community. Beginning with the late Raymond J. Massey who opened the agency's doors and continuing with his wife, Emma and daughter, Ramelle, the Massey Agency has been providing job opportunities and internship programs for local residents. In addition to the employment opportunities the Massey Agency has offered, they have also contributed financially to local community organizations which have assisted many young people and programs to achieve success for themselves and others in the community. Along the way, the agency has earned a standing as one of the predominant Minority Business Enterprise/Women's Business Enterprise in the Northeast. The agency has also received proclamations from the Mayor of Newark and the Independent Insurance Agents of New Jersey, which recognized the agency's longevity, dedication to the City of Newark and the quality of its insurance products and services. Educated in some of the finest schools and universities, the Massey women are true professionals and exemplary role models. They are both multiple licensed insurance brokers offering a wide array of services. One of their goals is to expand their reach beyond the local community. With the tenacity, energy, intelligence and willpower of Emma and Ramelle, there is no doubt they will meet this self imposed challenge. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues agree that the Massey Agency and the Newark community have every right to be proud of the lasting contributions the agency has made to the Greater Newark Community. I am pleased to congratulate Emma and Ramelle Massey along with their employees on their 30th anniversary.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I come before you today to express my opposition to H.R. 3893, the so-called ``Gasoline for America's Security Act of 2005.'' I share my colleagues' concern for the rising costs of fuel in this country, and I too am outraged at the allegations of those who would profit through other Americans' misfortunes by price gouging. However, I do not feel that we should join in the exploitation of this tragedy by using it as an opportunity to pass unsound, short-sighted, and irresponsible legislation. This bill will do virtually nothing to lower gasoline and other fuel costs. It will not get relief to those Americans who are currently bearing the burden of more expensive gas and those who will be facing much bigger home heating bills this winter. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only ones who will see relief from this bill are the ones who need it least: the gas and oil industry who are currently enjoying record profits. We seem to be offering subsidies to big oil with one breath and excuses to the American people with the next. Just last week I came before you and assured you that I could not and would not support a bill that ignores and endangers public health. I make that promise again today. This bill's weakening of environmental protections poses a great threat not only to the viability and sustainability of our environment, but also to the people who inhabit it. Limiting judicial review and EPA oversight, allowing increased air emissions, and permitting delays in meeting current deadlines under the Clean Air Act is irresponsible and dangerous. In my own state of New Jersey, studies have shown that our air pollution levels cause 2,000 premature deaths every year. At this rate, pollution ranks as the 3rd most serious public health threat in the State. Only smoking and obesity kill more New Jerseyans each year. Air pollution has also been directly linked to the rise in child asthma rates, lung cancer, learning disabilities, and heart attacks. I will not endanger the lives and health of the people of my State. I will not support the weakening of environmental protections that will lead to increased pollution and threats to public health. I will not participate in fiscal irresponsibility by giving the oil and gas industry subsidies that do nothing to ease the cost burden on the American people, especially those who can least afford it. In other words, I will not support H.R. 3893.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in extending my congratulations to the people of Taiwan on the occasion of 94 years of progress. In recent years, Taiwan has become a model society. It has excellent schools, outstanding medical care, a strong economy, and many of its people enjoy one of the highest standards of living. Taiwan's social welfare programs have been laudable efforts to raise the standard of living for all. Moreover, Taiwan's constitution guarantees its citizens basic civil liberties, including freedom of peaceful assembly and association, freedom of speech and press, and freedom of religion. Taiwan's full commitment to democracy and human rights is commendable. We are very appreciative of Taiwan's commitment to fight global terrorism, particularly by cooperating with our law enforcement agencies in sharing intelligence and doing everything possible to protect American interests in Taiwan. We are also aware of Taiwan's contributions to the Twin Towers Fund, the Pentagon Memorial Fund and to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We wish the 23 million people of Taiwan continued progress and prosperity.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to oppose the unwise, unsound, and unsubstantiated policy changes contained in H.R. 3824--misleadingly named the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2005. I am deeply concerned about the elimination of all critical habitat provisions of the Endangered Species Act without any mechanism to protect habitat needed for species recovery. I am troubled by the removal of protections for ``threatened'' species and the weakening of endangered species recovery teams. Moreover, I believe that sound science produces accurate data from which sound policy decisions can be made. When we choose not to respect the role of science in our regulatory decisions, we are cheating ourselves out of valuable information and we run the risk of making poor or erroneous judgments about crucial conservation decisions. By allowing a political appointee to develop a definition of ``best available science'' and increasing barriers to access to scientific data, I believe that this bill needlessly politicizes scientific decision-making, and I fear that we are setting ourselves up for many unsound policy choices as a result. I am not only motivated by the harms this bill will have on the plant and animal species, but by the threat to the health and well-being of the human species as well. The pesticide provisions of this bill seem to indicate a willingness to endanger the lives of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, their families, and their children. This weakening of pesticide standards poses a serious threat to public health, and I cannot support any bill that does not take seriously the health and safety of the American public. We also do a disservice to the American people when we are not wise stewards of their taxpayer dollars. Using those dollars to pay developers for complying with the ESA's regulations is a clear violation of the fiduciary duty with which we are all endowed. Mr. Chairman, I would like to again voice my opposition to H.R. 3824, and I encourage all of my colleagues who care about conservation to do so as well.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize a highly valued citizen of South Orange, New Jersey, which is in my district. Mr. Gerald W. Owens will preside as the Grand Marshal over the 14th Annual Celebration of Labor on Friday, September 9, 2005. He is a devoted husband to Jackie and the father to two children. For almost 5 decades, Mr. Owens has also dedicated his life to the social, political and economic justice of all working Americans. Active in the International Longshoremen's Association, ILA, since 1958, Mr. Owens has been a rising star in the labor industry. Through the combination of on-the-job union experience with advanced studies in public relations, union organizing and labor law, Gerald has accomplished many feats. Over his career that has spanned in excess of 40 years; he started out as a longshoreman in the Ports of Newark and Elizabeth in New Jersey and has ascended to the ranks of International Vice President of the ILA. However, one of his most honorable successes to date has been his appointment as the International General Organizer of the ILA, AFL-CIO. This achievement marks an important milestone in the union's 113-year history because Mr. Owens is the first African- American to ever serve in that position. In fact, the current president of the union, Mr. John Bowers stated, ``This elevation of an African- American to this top ILA Executive Council post is long overdue . . . Gerald Owens has served the ILA with distinction for more than 40 years and I'm certain he will continue to offer outstanding leadership for our union in the future.'' His tremendous accomplishments do not end there. Mr. Owens is a founding member and current president of the New Jersey Organization of Black Labor Leaders. He also is the president of the Essex County (New Jersey) chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, a national organization of black trade unionists whose mission is to convey to the labor industry the needs and concerns of black Americans. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives would join me in honoring Mr. Gerald W. Owens, who is presiding as the Grand Marshal over the 14th Annual Celebration of Labor, for his tireless work in the labor industry. I am proud to have him in my Congressional district and wish him never-ending success in his future endeavors.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contribution of Trinitas Hospital to my home State of New Jersey. Their commitment to the health and health care of all New Jerseyans is laudable, and most worthy of our recognition in this chamber here today. On Tuesday, September 13, 2005, they will dedicate their brand new, $28 million, five-story Trinitas Comprehensive Cancer Center, which will house the Hospital's state-of-the-art Medical and Radiation Oncology programs, including technology that will be the first of its kind in the State, giving their staff the resources they need to ensure that cancer care in New Jersey is the best in the Nation. Trinitas Hospital is a full service healthcare facility and a Catholic teaching hospital sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. They care for and serve many of my friends and neighbors in my district. The hospital already serves our community by offering the greatest of cancer care, providing services from diagnostics to chemotherapy treatment to patient and family counseling, as well as everything in between. In addition, the Hospital conducts a large number of outreach programs for the community to screen for breast, prostate, cervical, and colon cancers, and to educate community members about cancer detection and prevention. In a State like ours, where New Jersey residents have a 16 percent higher incidence of cancer that the national average, education and prevention are the keys to overcoming the battle against this insidious disease, and Trinitas Hospital is, and continues to be, a leader in this all-important fight. I would also like to commend them for their efforts to raise awareness about minority health disparities in New Jersey, and to offer services to fill the gap in health care quality for our minority citizens. Their concern about the higher incidence of cancer among minorities led to the establishment of the Breast Health Outreach program, which provides crucial information on cancer prevention to thousands of minority women each year. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me as I recognize Trinitas Hospital and the men and women there who are dedicated to making our community a better place; and I encourage my colleagues to join me in sending our congratulatory best wishes as they dedicate their new Comprehensive Cancer Center facility.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues in expressing my heartfelt sympathy to all of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and their families. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them as they cope with the aftermath of this enormous tragedy. We stand in solidarity with our brothers, the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson), the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Davis). My home State of New Jersey has responded by deploying police officers, firefighters and decontamination personnel from around our State to aid relief efforts in the City of New Orleans. I commend Governor Codey of New Jersey for his leadership in responding to the needs of those affected by the catastrophic conditions in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. In addition, Continental Airlines, which has a hub in my home city of Newark, is participating in Operation Air Care to provide emergency airlift to more than 25,000 New Orleans residents stranded by Hurricane Katrina. I appreciate the efforts. Many of our local churches in my congressional district have taken the lead in organizing relief efforts to collect clothing, food and money to help hurricane victims. Over the past weekend I met with Reverend Raymond Jefferson of Metropolitan Baptist Church, originally from Louisiana, who is organizing a comprehensive statewide relief. Just last night he convened a meeting of concerned community leaders and is working tirelessly to bring refugee relief to the hurricane victims. My office received a call from a family of 11, who needed assistance, coming up from Louisiana, and we were able to locate housing for them. Then we went to Reverend William Howard's church, Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, to help provide additional social services, including medical attention, preschool for the youngsters, as well as schooling for high school and college students, and Social Security for the elderly. It is really a complicated system, and everybody needs to be involved. While Reverend Howard and I were meeting with the family at the church, we received a call that the grandfather of the family who had been missing was located at a hospital in New Orleans. This was a great feeling. Reverend Joe Carter of New Hope Baptist Church started a fund-raising drive on Sunday and will meet with the pastor from New Orleans tonight in Atlanta at a meeting of the National Baptist Convention. So everyone is doing their own thing, collectively. Let me conclude by saying, unfortunately, much of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina could have been mitigated if President Bush and his director of Federal Emergency Management Agency had shown real leadership by responding swiftly and completely to the warning before Katrina hit the gulf coast. Instead, they seem to be in denial about their woeful and inadequate response, even to the point of blaming the victims. FEMA Director Michael Brown coldly made the statement that those behind had failed to heed the advance warnings and thus were basically responsible for their own misfortune. It apparently never occurred to him that not everyone had the resources to drive or fly out of the city before the hurricane struck. Today's Washington Post reported that offers of assistance from other countries were ignored for days after the tragedy. An executive with a telecommunications company based in the Netherlands expressed his frustration with these words: ``FEMA? That was a lost case. We got zero help. We lost one week trying to get things so that we could move forward.'' I serve as one of two congressional delegates to the United Nations, and it is going to be embarrassing for me next week to be with our allies from around the world who offered assistance which was turned down. Let me conclude by saying I received a call from Rome today, and they said they were shocked at the abject poverty in the United States. They did not realize that there was so much poverty in this country. And even The Washington Post referred to people as refugees. By international law, if they looked it up, one cannot be a refugee in one's own country. Disgraceful, wrong, and that is what the W in George W. stands for. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Mr. Speaker, we often hear it said from this administration that this government should be run like a private business. I would like to ask the Members what business would ever think about retaining an employee who performed as dismally as Mr. Brown did, completely failing to fulfill his responsibilities at a time of crisis? I was also shocked to hear statements made by others that many of the victims are better off in the shelters in Houston because they were underprivileged anyway. It was said by a very prominent American. Unbelievable. To suggest that it does not matter if poor people lose the roof over their heads and all of their possessions, lose loved ones and have their families separated seems to me to be the height of insensitivity on the part of the overprivileged. Mr. Speaker, I hope that we will have a thorough investigation into the failings of our government to respond to this cataclysmic event and the consequences it had on all victims and disproportionately on victims and people of color. We are the United States of America, and we certainly can do better.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honor an extraordinary public servant, Commissioner Devon Brown, as he receives the ``2005 Best in the Business'' from the American Correctional Association. Mr. Brown has held the position of Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Corrections since January 2002. His accomplishments in the field have not only shown his dedication but also have proven revolutionary. He once stated that, ``. . . criminal justice is in my blood.'' Hailing from a family replete of judges, lawyers and police and correctional officers, Commissioner Brown was, to some extent, destined to follow in his family's legacy. After obtaining a bachelor's degree from Morgan State University, he went on to earn two master's degrees in psychology and public administration. As another testament to his commitment, Mr. Brown earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland. Sometimes considered a maverick in the New Jersey Department of Corrections, Commissioner Brown has led in the implementation of programming that focused on educational enrichment and social responsibility. For example, he instituted the ``Stock Market Game'', which introduces inmates to the world of Wall Street and its role in the U.S. economy. By learning about financial markets and the management of one's investments, prisoners discover new methods of analysis and decision-making. In addition, inmates have had the opportunity to further their deductive reasoning by becoming champion chess players. In fact, many prisoners have competed and won against top collegiate teams. He has also introduced ``Shakespeare Behind Bars'' to the New Jersey Department of Corrections. This program, also used throughout the Nation's prison systems, allows the inmates to delve into relevant personal and social issues through art. Richard Stalder, President of the Association of State Correctional Administrators stated that, ``Despite highly formidable and oftentimes less than ideal circumstances, Commissioner Brown has remained focused, showing integrity, resourceful ingenuity and uncompromising commitment to excellence no matter how daunting the presenting challenge. Though his inspiration and unwavering resolve, he has advanced the profession and earned the New Jersey Department of Corrections a place among the most improved, progressively oriented, penal systems in the land.'' Therefore it is no surprise that Mr. Brown has also garnered many other awards besides the ``2005 Best in the Business. In 2004, the College of New Jersey honored him with the ``Gene Carte Memorial Award'' for his exemplary correctional leadership. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join me in honoring Commissioner Devon Brown, for being the recipient of the ``2005 Best in the Business'' as well as for his overall excellence and dedication to the field of corrections. A man who is not afraid to make the hard decisions or to stand up for the truth, Commissioner Brown exemplifies vision, professionalism and integrity. I am proud to have him as a dear friend and wish him never- ending success in his future endeavors.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, this morning's Washington Post reported that President Bush's choice to the United Nations, Ambassador John Bolton, made a false statement to Congress, stating on a written questionnaire that he had not been questioned in recent years by investigators in an official inquiry. In fact, the State Department acknowledged yesterday that Mr. Bolton had been interviewed on July 18, 2003, by the State Department's Inspector General about possible Iraqi attempts to procure uranium from Niger. Mr. Bolton stated he did not recall the Inspector General's inquiry and his form was inaccurate in this regard and that he will correct the form. Mr. Speaker, with all the attention given to the leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, it seems to me that it is almost inconceivable that an event that important could inadvertently be overlooked. Mr. Speaker, this revelation comes on the heels of a barrage of negative reports about Mr. Bolton from those who work most closely with him. It has become apparent, as members of his own parties have spoken and have very serious concerns about his temperament and his integrity to fill one of the most important positions in some of the most important times in our history. The time has come for Mr. Bolton to voluntarily withdraw his name from consideration to be United States Ambassador to the U.N. Members of both bodies have urged his defeat, and I commend a Republican Senator from Ohio who passionately said that he is the wrong person at the wrong time. As a member of the House Committee on International Relations and a congressional representative to the United Nations, I believe that there are many excellent candidates that President Bush could choose for this critical position. Again, I urge John Bolton to do the honorable thing and withdraw. Our Nation is bigger than an individual. Our Nation's needs supersede that of an individual. At this time we need the best and the brightest, one who will unite and gather support for our Nation in a strong, clear, but diplomatic way. I ask Mr. Bolton to do the right thing for our wonderful Nation and offer his withdrawal.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues here in the United States House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Mr. Noureddine Boulouha on becoming a U.S. citizen. Mr. Boulouha, who took his citizenship oath on June 1, 2005, came to the United States from Morocco 6 years ago. He quickly established himself as a valuable member of the local community. In addition to pursuing academic studies, he holds the position of Senior Vice President for Marketing and Operations at Amena Consulting. His engaging personality and impressive knowledge of American politics make him a popular figure at the Monocle Restaurant on Capitol Hill. He and his wonderful wife, Catherine, have just purchased their first home. Mr. Speaker, we are all fortunate to live in this land of opportunity, and Noureddine Boulouha embodies the qualities that have made our Nation great: a spirit of entrepreneurship, industriousness, devotion to family and love of country. It is a pleasure to welcome him as a fellow American citizen.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Mr. Niall Casey of Ballyheigue, County Kerry, Ireland, as he becomes a fellow American citizen. It is a pleasure to extend a warm welcome to him. Mr. Casey's journey to America began when he traveled to the beautiful island of Nantucket, Massachusetts in September 1994. Soon he was a part of the Nantucket community, working diligently and earning a reputation as an outstanding carpenter/craftsman. He is well-liked for his engaging personality, warm sense of humor, and impressive knowledge of American history and current events. Mr. Speaker, America and Ireland have enjoyed a strong and enduring bond of friendship over the years. Those who have come here to begin a new chapter of their lives have enriched America tremendously by sharing their ideas, their literature, their music and their traditions. One of our most beloved Presidents, John F. Kennedy, drew us closer to his ancestral homeland through his wit and wisdom and made all Americans proud. As we continue to strengthen our ties with the people of Ireland, we are pleased to open our hearts and our doors to Mr. Niall Casey. After taking his citizenship oath, Mr. Casey will celebrate with neighbors and well-wishers, including Carrol F. White III, a friend and colleague. Mr. Speaker, we are all fortunate to live in this land of opportunity, and Mr. Casey embodies the qualities that have made our nation great: a spirit of entrepreneurship, industriousness, devotion to community, and love of country. I know my colleagues join me in congratulating Mr. Casey on becoming an American citizen and in wishing him continued success.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the memory of a courageous and dedicated New Jersey law enforcement professional, Special Police Officer Dwayne Reeves, whose tragic loss in the line of duty is being mourned by our entire community. Family, friends, supporters, and members of the extended law enforcement family will gather tomorrow as Officer Reeves is laid to rest with full honors following a funeral service at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. At 35 years old, Officer Reeves made a positive impact during the four years he served with the Newark, New Jersey Police Department. He was proud to serve on the newly created Newark Public School Police Force, and worked diligently in that position. Tragically, on July 18, he was struck down outside his assigned school as he was carrying out his responsibilities as a law enforcement officer. As Newark School Superintendent Marion Bolton noted, had it not been for Officer Reeves' heroic action in containing the incident, the safety of students inside the school could have been put in grave jeopardy. Officer Reeves' career with the Newark Police Force was meaningful and filled with promise. Respected and well-liked, he earned a reputation during his four years with the force as an officer who wanted nothing more than to serve his community honorably. Officer Reeves thrived on community outreach as he also worked a second job with the Newark Housing Authority Police Unit. His loss will be deeply felt by all who knew him and . worked with him. I ask my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in paying tribute to the memory of this outstanding public servant and in offering our deepest condolences to his wife, Rahnisha Reeves; his children Ashley, K'Ya, Amaad, Amiir and Ta'ona, his mother, Delois Reeves-Garvin; his father, John Jackson and his stepfather, Henry Garvin.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to stand in solidarity with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) and other Members who are calling for an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. As other Members have stated earlier, I commend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for her persistence, for her 100 days of bringing this issue before the American people as she has so clearly articulated the facts as related to our situation in Iraq. The war in Iraq has become a crisis of global proportions. Every day there are violent attacks on innocent civilians in Iraq and on our service men and women stationed there. We have seen the fact that the President has overstated the situation in Iraq. We are starting to see a backlash around the world. Just recently, Egypt's Ambassador to Iraq was kidnapped and subsequently killed. Algeria's diplomatic staff of only a handful of people have been withdrawn because, even though the North African country has no troops in Iraq, just to represent the current government and recognize it, two of its staff were kidnapped last week. The President has overstated the threat that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and biological and chemical weapons in order to frighten the American public into giving him preemptive strike ability and for the support of this war. The U.S. presence of approximately 150,000 troops in Iraq is fueling our enemies around the world and causing them to rise up against not only Americans, but anyone who supports the American occupation in Iraq. Our presence is not containing violence, it is almost sparking violence. Almost every day there are fatal car bombings and suicide bombings. Men in the military for Iraq are being targeted. Policemen in the service for Iraq are targeted and killed. Diplomats are being targeted and killed. We cannot ignore that the deadly bombs in London 2\1/2\ weeks ago are also inextricably linked to Iraq. We cannot ignore the fact that the insurgents have not been weakened since Congress authorized the President to use force in Iraq in October 2002, almost 2 years ago, nor can we ignore the fact that life for Iraqis under this occupation is far worse than life was before the occupation. Estimates range between 15,000 and 17,000 innocent Iraqis have died to date. This is not an improvement in the life they had. These are innocent people who now have lost their lives because of the preemptive strike there. At the very least, basic services that we take for granted in the United States, such as electricity, running water and sewage systems, are destroyed and not accessible to all Iraqis. Even our brave service men and women are suffering. We still hear about some of their needs that are not being met. When I was there earlier this year, soldiers told me about being attacked in unarmed Humvees, and wanted to know why were there not enough armed vehicles to protect them. They showed me a Humvee that is not properly protected and those that are. It is a world of difference. A March 27 report in USA Today revealed that the Pentagon realized they did not have enough armed Humvees, only 235 in June 2003. We should not plan a war without having the equipment to fight it. Yet more than 2 years later, I was hearing from our young men and women in the service that still the Humvees are not all up to where they ought to be for protection. This means there was poor planning and poor execution of this war, and our troops bear the brunt of the Pentagon's shortsightedness. The President must do more to protect our troops. Let me ask for the support of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), H. Con. 35, where she asked for the development of a plan, and I commend the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) for her persistence.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Let me commend the gentleman, the Honorable Reverend Dr. Cleaver, for calling this very important special order tonight. He is a person that speaks the word of God, a man of the cloth, and deals with people who are anguished daily. They come before him to seek guidance and advice. I feel the same way as my colleague who has joined us recently in the United States Congress and is a tremendous addition not only to the Congressional Black Caucus but, as you can hear, to the United States House of Representatives in general. I appreciate him yielding so that we can continue to look at the depiction of what Mexico feels, or the President of Mexico feels, is just an all right thing to do. Madam Speaker, I rise today with my fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus to strongly condemn the racist stamps issued by the Mexican government, Memin Pinguin. Unfortunately, the myth is still perpetrated in Latin America that race is not an issue, that racism does not exist in the Latin American, Central and South American countries. But we have seen with the recent anti-discrimination moves of Afro descendants from countries such as Brazil, which has the largest population of African descendants outside of Africa, many more than the United States of America; Colombia, where Afro descendants represent between 25 and 40 percent of that country's population; Honduras; Panama; and others, the issue of race has been deceptively mischaracterized as a nonissue. In Latin America they say it is class, not race; however, we tend to see at the bottom of the economic strata people of African descent and primarily those at the top those who came from Europe and stole the land from the native Latin and South Americans and brought over slaves to help build the countries. Meanwhile, those of African descent in Latin America still find themselves stuck in the lower economic social strata, suffering from debilitating discrimination or disproportionately affected by conflict and strive; and, perhaps the worst of all, their very existence is unknown to the world and sometimes even to their own countrymen and -women. Most people assume that there are few or no black Mexicans. This assumption is false. The region known as Costa Chica, southwest of Acapulco, is one of the two regions with a sizable black population. Veracruz, on the Gulf Coast, is another area where the black population of Mexico is significant. As a matter of fact, recently, a year or so ago, a group of Mexicans wanted to be considered as Afro-Mexicans. The Afro-Mexican population is said to be about 1 million out of 105 million, but this is far from an accurate number because the census does not include a category on race; so people cannot even identify themselves as black even if they wanted to. With the Mexican post office issuing the offensive stamp depicting a Mexican character with dark brown skin, exaggerated features, monkey- like body language, Mexican President Vicente Fox has once again shown his insensitivity to racial offenses and his lack of concern over perpetuating dangerous stereotypes of an entire people. This scandal comes right on the heels of Fox's comments on Mexican immigrants in the United States who take jobs, as he said, even blacks will not take. We were all very offended. We were offended, and some of our religious leaders went and met with President Fox. And he said that we should try to have an understanding. And we as Members of the Congressional Black Caucus work daily in our congressional districts to ask our constituents to understand immigrant people coming to this country as people have done for waves and waves. Of course, African Americans were brought here in chains. We had no choice. However, other Americans came to Ellis Island, and the Irish came and the Germans came and the Italians came. So we say this country is large enough for us and for people to continue to immigrate in that we should try to work on tensions between new people coming into the community, and the Congressional Black Caucus has stood up and said that people have a right to have a better way of life. As a matter of fact, in a community outside of my congressional district in New Jersey, I have had some discussions with some Mexicans who have talked to me about the fact that they are being harassed when they wait in the mornings to be picked up for the van that takes them to the work projects they are working on and that the local town officials are harassing them to say they cannot wait here for the van, and I said that I will try to assist them if they need it to try to get that community to understand that it is unfair to harass people like that. And then I turn around and the president of Mexico says that he is not ashamed and that this is a proud character, that they love him in Mexico? This is outrageous. It should not be. We see that Memin, known by Mexicans as basically a silly, funny, and simple urban boy who is a prankster and a troublemaker, has been a popular comic book character for 60 years in Mexico. Those who see no offense in this character's image have been fooled into thinking that is a representation of black people and that black people are dumb and amusing and that has no relationship to racial discrimination. These are the same people who would describe Little Black Sambo, as we heard from the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver), as simply cute and funny. As a matter of fact, as he was, I went to a school where I was one of two black children in the kindergarten. My brother experienced the same thing 2 years before I did, and the only book read was ``Little Black Sambo.'' I was offended. I felt ashamed. I felt there was something wrong with me. The teachers would read it in the kindergarten and in the first grade. It was about 60 years ago, the same time that this same character emerged in Mexico. And I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought, why was everyone laughing at us? And this character, Little Black Sambo, is exactly the same as this character here. And I told a representative that I met with last week, a week or so ago, when he came to meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus that I was offended because it brought back those early days of racial discrimination where I had to be confronted with white children laughing at the reading of Little Black Sambo. I heard of no other blacks in my time of coming up. The only other people of color that we read about in the fourth or fifth grade were the enslaved people that they called slaves who were shiftless and happy and had no initiative and no incentive and that Abraham Lincoln had to free them and white soldiers went to war to free them; but they never talked about Harriet Tubman and Crispus Attucks. They never talked about Frederick Douglass. They never talked about the 504 Brigade from Massachusetts that fought for slaves, enslaved people, to be free. The only person that I heard about during my entire elementary school who was black was Little Black Sambo. President Fox should know better. He himself has talked about the opportunities he had growing up that others did not have and the poverty that he saw others suffer from. He went on to study business at the Ibero-American University in Mexico City; got a diploma in an upper management course taught by Harvard Business School professors; later became an executive of Coca-Cola, becoming the youngest president of the corporation's Latin America division before he got into politics and went to their congress. This is not an uneducated man. This is a man who knows better, and I do not subscribe to the fact that he knows no better. It is especially surprising that President Fox would fail to understand the offensive nature of the stereotype portrayed on these stamps in view of the outcry in the recent past over negative images of Hispanics. As we heard earlier, strong protests were voiced, and rightly so, over characters created by corporate advertisers, which the Hispanic community viewed as demeaning to their heritage. In the 1960s there was an advertisement aired on television featuring a cartoon character called Chiquita Banana, who wore a hat filled with fruit and sang with a pronounced Spanish accent. This was considered by many to be offensive and portrayed an offensive portrayal of a Hispanic woman, and it was. In 1967 an ad created by Frito-Lay Corporation, as was mentioned earlier, portrayed a Mexican male cartoon character with a thick accent who wore a sombrero and who was called ``Frito Bandito.'' The Mexican- American Anti-Defamation League Committee called for the commercials to be pulled, condemning them as racist and accusing the company of portraying Mexicans as ``sneaky thieves.'' As a result of this pressure, the ads were taken off the air in 1970, and even though they had been successful from a commercial point of view, they were taken off. And rightly so, because they were offensive to a whole group of people. Both of them were and both of them were taken off. More recently, Taco Bell came under fire for their ads featuring a dog named Dinky. Some viewers were insulted by the idea of an animal scampering for food and speaking Spanish. Those ads have now been discontinued. And let me emphasize that these were commercial entities; and although they were successful, they were taken off. These stamps are an official act of the Government of Mexico. A few years ago, a very high official of Japan on two occasions made an inappropriate remark which offended African Americans; and when the Congressional Black Caucus protested, on both of those occasions, the Prime Minister of Japan apologized. They set up a committee. They came to the Black Caucus. They started to implement programs to enhance understanding between our two cultures. They started to have some financial agreements with some of their products because they said we need to understand each other better. So the Prime Minister of Japan apologized, and rightly so. And our neighbor to the south saying that he is not going to apologize is an insult, and President Fox is totally wrong. And I am offended by that insult. Someone all the way across the sea, when they saw that they were totally wrong in Japan, they decided that the right thing to do was to make the apology; and here we have a person who is benefiting from our NAFTA, which I did not vote for, and many of the other policies that we have in this country is going to stand up and tell 43 members of the Congressional Black Caucus that he is proud of this character, that he is a very popular symbol in his country, and he refuses to apologize. That is wrong. Let me just say, sort of in conclusion, that in his inaugural address, President Fox mentioned his desire for a new, different, successful and triumphant Mexico. The issuing of Memin Pinguin does just the opposite and highlights the serious race issues that exist in Mexico today. The Congressional Black Caucus's Working Group on Afro-Latinos will take a closer look at the issues facing Afro-Mexican communities, and we will call for a census in Mexico that includes a category on race so that people can properly identify themselves and so that the black community in Mexico is no longer invisible. When one is invisible, they do not have to deal with them. So we would like to know what is the story in Mexico. Other Latin American countries are focusing on racial discrimination and trying to combat it. President Luiz Inacio da Silva in Brazil has set up a commission to start affirmative action in higher education. The government of Colombia has started to look at the racial discrimination of Afro-Colombians. And here we have a government who is saying ``we are proud of what we are doing and we refuse to apologize.'' In April 2005, and I want everyone to listen carefully, the Department of Homeland Security announced new regulations that require Americans returning home via air and sea from countries in the Caribbean, Central and South America to have passports. Starting December 31, 2005, to get back into our country you will need a passport. Most countries that you need passports to go to, you would have them when you go. Therefore, you have them when you come back. However, this new Homeland Security law says that by December 31, 2005, countries that required no passport before for Americans to go there, now Americans will have to have passports in order to get back into America. However, however, Mexico got a pass. Mexico has until December 31, 2006, until this requirement goes into effect. So as a person who is very interested in the Caribbean, I cochair the Caribbean Caucus, I wanted to find out what impact will that have on some of those poor countries in the Caribbean who depend almost totally, now that the bananas have been taken away from some of those countries by the former Lome' treaties that they have, the trade organizations said no longer can there be preferences and no longer can Great Britain buy bananas from Caribbean countries as they did in the past under their Lome' treaties with former colonies. Now they do not even have banana trade. Now Mexico is getting an advantage. So while Caribbean countries such as Aruba, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Bermuda and others will be impacted by this rule, they will have to change 1 year earlier, just 6 months from now, they stand to lose as much as $2.6 billion in visitor export earnings and could see the loss of more than 188,000 travel tourism jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Mexico will benefit from an extra year. A family who may just find out late in the day, a month or weeks earlier, that they need a passport to get back into the country, they will decide that they may go to Mexico because you do not need a passport coming back to the country from Mexico. Why does Mexico get an extra year? American tourists, who realize they can travel to Mexico without a passport, will likely choose that country over Caribbean nations where they need a passport, those countries that I mentioned. The island nations were drastically hit hard by Hurricane Ivan last year and last week Hurricane Dennis wreaked havoc in the Caribbean. If any country needs the tourism dollars right now, the Caribbean nations most certainly do. As a person concerned about the Caribbean, I will personally request that Homeland Security equalize the passport requirement so that Caribbean nations will be on the same level playing field with Mexico. If Mexico gets until December 31, 2006, a year-and-a-half from now, I am going to request that the Caribbean countries get the same December 31, 2006; or if Homeland Security feels that they must remain at December of 2005, this year, then they should make Mexico also have the same requirements in December 31, 2005, that poor Caribbean countries have. I know one thing: If these are the stamps on letters that people are going to send from Cancun, African Americans sending a postcard back to Norton, New Jersey, where I live, saying ``having a great time,'' and this is the stamp, this is going to cause havoc in our Post Office. This is going to cause havoc. I think that until the president of Mexico understands the damage that he is doing, then perhaps the Caribbean has always been a great place for me, and maybe that is where we need to spend our dollar, where African Americans are not taken for as a joke. Evidently a dollar in Mexico spent by an African American is not the same as a dollar from anyone else. If this stamp goes out, then our dollars should stay in our pockets. Who does he think he is, saying that this makes him proud? I will spend not another dollar down there until these things are removed. So my demand is that the president of Mexico voids these stamps before they are issued and do not allow a single one to be printed. If they are already printed, they should not to be distributed, and they should be destroyed. We should not see one single stamp go anywhere in Mexico, or, even worse, have it find its way here to the United States. Once again, let me thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver) for bringing this issue to the front, as has the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), who called a meeting several weeks ago, and the Congressional Black Caucus in general. I know that we will keep the pressure on. If the government of Mexico feels that there is no regard for African Americans, like I said, then I think we need to look at where the dollar is being spent, and I think we need to look at a level playing field so that Caribbean countries will be able to have the same kind of passport requirements that Mexico has. I do not see where they deserve any special treatment so far as I am concerned.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the minority whip for his participation. I am sure those words are of comfort to the family. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the ranking member on the Committee on Ways and Means, a person who served with Congressman Rodino on the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for bringing history alive. As we have indicated before, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for America, and I hope that these tapes will be shown in law schools and around the country so students who will take the mantles of government and judiciary positions will know what a wonderful person this was. At this time I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), who also served on the Judiciary Committee with Chairman Rodino, who actually was a resident of New Jersey before moving to Massachusetts.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on World Refugee Day, to pay tribute to the indomitable spirit and courage of the world's refugees and internally displaced persons (IDP's), as well as the brave people who help them rebuild their lives. I recognize the generosity of the United States and its assistance to refugees. However, the next year promises to be a unique opportunity for the return of refugees, and in order to seize this opportunity, we must increase our investment in long-term development to make refugee returns durable. I also urge the Bush Administration government to do more to protect current refugees, resolve the conflicts that produce refugees, and prevent future refugee crises. Among the most vulnerable groups of people in the world are those who are displaced, whether as a result of conflict, persecution or other human rights violations. Often losing everything but hope, refugees and IDP's are among the great survivors of our time. Initially, the fear that refugees and IDP's must overcome may be the immediate one of trying to escape the horrors of war and persecution, the pain of losing homes and loved ones, and the ordeal of flight. Refugees and IDP's deserve our respect--not just for enduring the dangers and violence of the crises that made them refugees--but also for the courage they show in rebuilding their lives and contributing to society in difficult or, unfamiliar circumstances. Albert Einstein, Victor Hugo, Congressman Tom Lantos, Thabo Mbeki, Marlene Dietrich, and Paul Rusesabagina (of Hotel Rwanda fame) were all refugees whose phenomenal achievements earned the world's respect. Today's refugees are also heroes and deserve no less than our respect. But giving our respect to refugees and IDP's--truly honoring their courage--requires much more than flattering rhetoric and pledges of solidarity. It requires us to look back at what the world has done well to assist refugees and IDP's. It also requires us to deepen our understanding of the perils and fears they continue to face. In addition, if we truly want to celebrate their courage, it means we must focus our attention on what still needs to be done to help them. People have fled persecution from the moment in history when they began forming communities. The tradition of offering asylum began at almost the same time. And when nations began to develop an international conscience in the early 20th century, efforts to help refugees also spread across the globe. In 1921, Fridtjof Nansen was appointed as the first refugee High Commissioner of the League of Nations, the forerunner of the United Nations. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) began as a small organization, with a three-year mandate to help resettle millions of European refugees who were still homeless in the aftermath of the Second World War. Since that time, the organization has continually expanded to meet the growing needs of refugees and other displaced people. In more than five decades, the agency has helped an estimated 50 million people restart their lives. Today, a staff of more than 6,000 people in more than 100 countries continues to help some 17 million persons in every corner of the world. Today I commend the outstanding, tireless work of the UNHCR. However, as a former high commissioner said, the fact that the world still finds a need for the UNHCR should serve as a sobering reminder of the international community's continuing failure to prevent prejudice, persecution, poverty and other root causes of conflict and displacement. In our tribute to the world's refugees, it is important not to forget the internally displaced persons, or IDP's. Last week, during his first few days as the 10th U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres reminded the world that millions of internally displaced people are not currently being cared for. The internal displacement problem is one of the biggest neglected humanitarian problems that we face. The abstract term ``internal displacement,'' created to distinguish IDP's from refugees, fails to convey the immense human suffering most internally displaced people are forced to undergo. The act of displacement itself often is accompanied by violence and the most serious human rights violations such as killings, torture, kidnappings and rape. IDP's are a very vulnerable category and most of them receive less assistance than refugees in camps. Whereas refugees have managed to cross borders to escape persecution, the internally displaced, for various reasons, are stuck within the same borders between which forces of violence and persecution continue to hunt them. The number of people ``of concern'' to UNHCR, including IDP's, grew last year by over 2 million to 19.2 million. The increase was mainly the result of a rise in the numbers of internally displaced people and stateless persons to 7.6 million--up from 5.3 million at the end of 2003. Of the world's approximately 25 million IDP's, 13 million are in Africa. Sudan has the largest IDP population in the word, with between 5 and 6 million displaced persons. Sudan also is the country with the largest number of newly displaced persons in 2004 (about 1 million, mostly in Darfur, where a total of 2 million IDP's survive on a day-to- day basis). Sudan is followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 2.3 million IDP's. In Colombia, Afro-Colombians continue to be caught in the crossfire between government troops and rebels. Afro- Colombians represent a disproportionate level of the country's IDP population of more than 2 million, which represents the world's third largest IDP population. Iraq and northern Uganda each have around 2 million IDP's. Despite the scale of the worldwide internal displacement crisis, its destabilizing effects on regional security, and the vulnerabilities of many internally displaced populations, the U.S. and other members of the international community have been slow in addressing the issue. Refugees, usually far more visible, continue to receive a great deal more international attention, although their number is only about half that of IDP's. The IDP problem is a humanitarian challenge, as well as a challenge to peace-building and post-conflict recovery. For example, it will be extremely difficult to rebuild Sudan with millions of persons uprooted and on the move. As we see in the massive displacement crises of Colombia and Somalia, the U.S. and the rest of the international community are far from being capable of effectively responding to or preventing such emergencies. Due to the chronic under- funding of aid agencies by donor governments, the IDP problem will not likely see progress towards a solution any time soon. Unless we change this shameful status quo. Today, I call on the Bush administration to take three specific steps to help the internally displaced. First, I call on the Bush administration to actively pressure countries that are using the global ``war on terror'' to justify brutal repression and the displacement of millions. In 2004, several governments continued or intensified anti- rebel military campaigns labeled ``counter-terrorist'' operations, which resulted in new internal displacements and prevented return, including in Chechnya (Russian Federation), Aceh (Indonesia), Colombia, northern Uganda and Nepal. Second, I call on the Bush administration to reexamine the effectiveness of U.S. bureaucratic structures that are intended to assist IDP's. Currently, the responsibility for assisting IDP's is shared between the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and the U.S. Agency for International Development; however, this responsibility is poorly defined, suffers from lack of coherence, and is vulnerable to bureaucratic turf battles. Regarding IDP's, the relationship between PRM and USAID must be better defined in order to facilitate the creation of a more effective system to monitor and assist the internally displaced. Finally, I call upon the Bush administration to set up a fund specifically intended to assist IDP's. IDP's continue to fall through the cracks in our handling of crises. Establishing such a fund--to be administered by the appropriate government agency--would serve as a first step toward not treating IDP's as an afterthought. It would also serve as a model to the international community that would facilitate an improvement in how we address the sad phenomenon of internal displacement. In summary, let us not neglect IDP's, for their struggle is often just as dangerous as that of refugees, and their courage also merits a tribute today, a tribute that translates to humanitarian action. Today, the worldwide suffering of uprooted peoples continues. There are currently nearly 20 million refugees and other persons of concern to the UNHCR, the majority of whom are women and children. Afghans remain by far the biggest refugee group in the world at 2.1 million. In Sudan, the increase in refugees in 2004 accounted for the largest increase in the world. Sudan produced 125,000 new refugees, mostly people fleeing genocide in the Darfur region to neighboring Chad. The total number of Sudanese refugees world-wide rose to 731,000 in 2004, from 606,000 in 2003, an increase of 20 percent. Recent trends give some room for guarded optimism. On June 17, the UNHCR reported that the global number of refugees fell 4 percent in 2004 to 9.2 million, the lowest total in almost a quarter of a century. Repatriations are also up. In 2004, a total of 1.5 million refugees repatriated voluntarily, an increase of some 400,000 over the previous year. The 2004 returns include 940,000 refugees who went back to Afghanistan and 194,000 who returned to Iraq. In addition, over the past few years, successful repatriation operations in Africa and the countries of former Yugoslavia have reduced significantly the number of people of concern to the UNHCR. In Burma, recent developments are providing a basis on which to plan for the eventual return of refugees in Thailand. Across the globe, resettlement continues expanding through the practice of group resettlement. The UNHCR, with support from the U.S., has succeeded in helping several million people begin new lives. Despite the good news, though, numerous serious challenges remain. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the numbers of refugees increased by 2.4 percent, pushing the total number of Congolese refugees up to 462,000. In Northern Uganda the murderous Lord's Resistance Army continues to abduct thousands for use as soldiers and sex slaves. In Burundi, under pressure from Rwanda, the Burundi government recently announced that 10,000 Rwandan asylum seekers who had fled Rwanda since the beginning of April in fear of persecution over the 1994 genocide would not be granted asylum, despite not having been screened to see if they met the definition of a refugee. Already, at least 5,000 of the refugees have been returned to Rwanda, and because the UN was not granted access to the refugees, many fear they were forced to return. In Afghanistan, there is a need for more comprehensive solutions for Afghans still outside their country, and dialogue between the UNHCR and relevant governments and other stakeholders in the Afghanistan situation must continue. In addition, although a peace deal in January officially ended Sudan's north-south conflict, at least 7,500 people had fled into Uganda this year, and refugees and IDP's say that food distribution had stopped in camps inside Sudan. Because of its long history of displacement, and since Africa Refugee Day corresponds with World Refugee Day in many countries, Africa merits special attention in this examination of refugees and IDP's. Africa hosts approximately 3 million refugees, about 30 percent of the world's total. Africa also hosts 13 million IDP's, or more than half of the world's total IDP population. In Africa today, return and reintegration opportunities abound if we can get the politics of peace right. There are an unprecedented number of repatriation and reintegration operations currently underway--particularly in Burundi, Liberia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sierra Leone, and Somalia. In 2004, refugees from Liberia (100,000), Burundi (90,000), Angola (64,000), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (30,000) returned to their countries in large numbers and the UNHCR started a program intended to help an additional 340,000 Liberians repatriate. In March 2004, the UNHCR took an important step to act on the improved prospects for the return home of millions of long-time refugees in Africa. The UNHCR launched its Dialogue on Voluntary Repatriation and Substainable Reintegration in Africa. The Africa Dialogue calls on the international community to seize this unique opportunity for the return of up to 2 million refugees and several million displaced persons across the continent, and it stresses the need to invest in long-term development to make returns durable. Today, the Africa Dialogue continues to make progress; however, considerable challenges still lie ahead. Returns must be matched by post-conflict reconstruction and reintegration in order to break the cycle of violence and make repatriation sustainable. The populations of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Somalia all await the outcome of political negotiations, and the U.S. and the UNHCR must lend their support to these peace efforts while assisting the victims of conflict. Of great concern, the genocide being perpetuated by the government of Sudan in that country's Darfur region has forced approximately 2 million Darfurians to become internally displaced. In addition, more than 200,000 Sudanese have fled Darfur and are now living in camps in neighboring Chad. For the UNHCR mission in eastern Chad, where 300 UNHCR staff assist a total of 213,000 refugees in 12 camps, the U.S. has given $18 million in 2005, or half of all donors' contributions. However, the UNHCR still lacks about $40 million to cover the 2005 needs-based budget. Across the border from the camps in eastern Chad, the situation in Darfur is more dire. In Darfur, the mismatch between humanitarian capacity and human need grows more deadly by the day. The UNHCR Darfur mission has a total of 25 staff. The U.S. has provided no money for UNHCR operations in Darfur in 2005, although half the year has already passed. There is now a disgraceful $30 million shortfall from what the UNHCR needs in Darfur for 2005. The lack of security is still a tremendous problem, partly due to an increase in small arms trafficking. Government-recruited and armed Arab militias, also known as Janjaweed, continue to target civilians, and in April, rape, kidnapping, and banditry increased. Aid workers are still at great risk of being targeted. Due to the conflict and failed harvests, the food situation is serious. More than 3.5 million IDP's are in critical need of food and are running dangerously short of water. The World Food Program does not have what it needs to feed persons of concern past July. Local Sudanese officials are pressuring some IDP's to return to their villages, despite the constant threat of government-supported Janjaweed militias and other armed groups. Although the presence of the AU force in Darfur promises some protection, it will never be sufficient. A country of concern that is often forgotten is Western Sahara, a swath of land in West Africa that lies along the Atlantic Ocean. In camps in Algeria, about 165,000 refugees from Western Sahara, a country that has been occupied illegally by Morocco since 1975, continue to live in ``deplorable conditions,'' according to a recent report from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The government of Morocco has promised the people of Western Sahara, the Sahrawi, a vote to determine their own future. However, more than a decade later, that vote has yet to occur, and Morocco continues to disregard international law. No progress has been made in UN efforts to find a solution to the dispute between Morocco and the Sahrawis. The U.S. must put pressure on Morocco, not only to end the exile and suffering of Sahrawi refugees, but also to allow a free, fair and transparent referendum to determine the country's future and prevent the creation of more refugees. Another source of concern is Tanzania. A generous host of refugees over the last 30 years, Tanzania continues to host Africa's largest number of refugees. However, recently, a troubling policy shift seems to have emerged, reflecting an increasingly harsh stance towards refugees. Local and national politicians are feeling increasing pressure from their constituencies due to the perception that refugees receive more attention and assistance than local communities and have in some cases publicly blamed them for crime and the spread of disease. In 2004, the government frequently did not provide protection against refoulement, the return of persons to a country where they feared persecution; on a number of occasions, the government refouled refugees and refused persons seeking asylum or refugee status. In addition, the government at times did not cooperate with the UNHCR during 2004. Although repatriations of Burundian refugees living in Tanzania continues, the U.S. and the international community must engage Tanzania regularly to ensure that the country does not turn its back on those in need, and on decades of humanitarian tradition. At the least, we must listen to Tanzania's concerns and explore options to provide more support to what has traditionally been the most hospitable country in Africa for refugees. The best solution for refugees is voluntary repatriation, or going back to one's original homeland once all the key conditions are in place. However, for some people who fled their homes amid conflict and widespread human rights abuses, returning is still a distant prospect. For this reason, finding creative solutions for meeting the needs of refugees and the local populations that host them is critical. One example is the Zambian Initiative, a government-led ``Development through Local Integration Project'' established in 2002. The Zambian Initiative has promoted a holistic approach in addressing the needs of refugees and Zambians living in refugee hosting areas in the Western Province of Zambia. By facilitating cooperation between the host communities and the refugees, the UNHCR and the Zambian government have enabled the production of food and housing, thus alleviating the effects of a food deficit, poor infrastructure and limited access to services and economic opportunities. The presence of refugees can stretch local resources and infrastructure and exacerbate poverty. However, in Zambia, local development committees involve the local populations and refugees by identifying needs and projects in areas such as health and education. While voluntary repatriation of Angolan refugees continues, the Zambian Initiative has created a sense of ownership while pursuing durable solutions for refugees through local integration. We must commend and encourage this type of innovative approach to refugees and the pressure their presence can place on local populations. Let us use World Refugee Day to call for more such innovation, so that refugees will not be trapped in the same sad status quo. The donor response to the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 was admirable and generated unprecedented world-record contributions, thanks in part to the dramatic nature of the tsunami, its effects on numerous countries, and its timing, the day after Christmas. However, other humanitarian catastrophes, especially the needs of refugees and IDP's in Africa, remain virtually ignored. As UN Humanitarian Coordinator Jan Egeland has pointed out, in many ways, Africa has a silent tsunami several times each year. If you look at the numbers in Sudan or the Democratic Republic of the Congo, you see that the impact of conflict on refugees and IDP's is equivalent to a tsunami every few months. Today, we have an opportunity to honor the courage of refugees and IDP's by recognizing the magnitude of their suffering, but to do this we must act out of the same compassion that drove us to alleviate the suffering of the tsunami victims. The UNHCR is working hard to resolve many of the protracted situations around the world. But it is a labor and resource-intensive endeavor, requiring sustained international attention and continuing donor support, including support from the United States. The same is true of UNHCR's advocacy efforts and its work to ensure a smooth transition from repatriation to reintegration, rehabilitation and reconstruction so that refugees can go home and stay home. The results show that an investment in solutions is a good investment indeed. The U.S. has shown great hospitality and generosity in hosting and assisting refugees and other displaced people. In 2004, the U.S. welcomed 52,000 refugees from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. In absolute terms, the U.S. continues to be the leading donor to UNHCR and for humanitarian assistance to refugees world-wide. However, as a proportion of national wealth, the U.S. contribution to refugees and IDP's lags far behind most western countries. The persistent failure of donor government, including the U.S., to provide funding for relief efforts is the most critical flaw in the humanitarian aid process today. The UN Consolidated Appeal (CAP) is a collaborative assessment of the minimal financial commitment necessary to provide essential emergency assistance in humanitarian crises. Despite the CAP, all assistance programming is under-funded by almost 35 percent every year, leaving tens of millions of men, women, and children around the world to suffer needlessly. The recurring shortfall in financial assistance is not the only thing hindering our response to the refugee and IDP crises of the world. In the last five years, global food aid has dropped by nearly 50 percent, despite an 8 percent increase in the number of chronically hungry people in the world. In addition, funding delays continue to jeopardize the progress of emergency relief for refugees and IDP's. In Somalia in recent years for example, nearly 50 percent of all funds received for emergency assistance arrived in the last quarter of the year. And currently, reportedly due to bureaucratic delay, the U.S. has still not contributed any funds to the UNHCR operation in Darfur, although we are already in the second half of 2005. The U.S. must act as a leader to address the persistent and damaging delays in funding for refugees and IDP's. If the U.S. wants to reform the UN and render the international donor community more effective, this is a good place to start. Therefore, I call on the Bush administration and other members of the international community to increase financial commitments to humanitarian appeals for refugees and IDP's. At the least, the international community should pledge to provide 75 percent of the aid requested in the CAP pledge in order to ensure that the most critical emergency relief programs remain funded. Many prosperous countries with strong economies complain about the large number of asylum seekers and refugees, but they offer little to prevent refugee crises. Humanitarian action is of limited value if it does not form part of a wider strategic and political framework aimed at addressing the root causes of conflict. Experience has shown time and time again that humanitarian action alone cannot solve problems which are fundamentally political in nature. Yet all too often, humanitarian organizations like the UNHCR have found themselves isolated and alone in dangerous and difficult situations (such as Darfur), where they have had to operate without adequate financial and political support. Therefore, we must invest in lasting solutions: conflict prevention, return, and reintegration. We must support the UNHCR's efforts to ensure international protection and assistance to refugees and IDP's through a range of solutions, including improved management of operations. We must not demonstrate a lack of political commitment to solving refugee problems during the post-conflict phase, when the spotlight of the international media has moved away. We must more fully recognize the link between human displacement and international peace and security. History has shown that displacement is not only a consequence of conflicts; it can also cause conflict. Without human security, there can be no peace and stability. The U.S. must recognize the link between refugees and IDP's, on the one hand, and stability and the seeds of democracy on the other. If we are to honor the courage of refugees and IDP's today, we must come together with the UNHCR, nongovernmental organizations, and other donor governments to actively pursue durable solutions. If we fail to do so, refugees and IDP's will remain in their miserable conditions-- surviving on a handful of maize each day, living in immense boredom under windblown tents, and clinging to their hope amid memories of atrocities. On World Refugee Day and every other day, let us show the refugees and IDP's that we are with them. Having endured conflict, rape, abduction, trafficking, chronic hunger, squalor, and other unspeakable suffering, the courage of refugees and IDP's has been tested beyond what we can imagine. However, despite their courage, they remain vulnerable to the loss of hope. If we will allow them to lose hope, we allow them to lose courage. In our tribute to their indomitable courage, we must pledge never to let that happen. We must pledge to help them rebuild their lives today, to commit ourselves to long-term solutions, and to prevent the nightmare from reoccurring tomorrow.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from New Jersey for leading the second hour for the Special Order for Congressman Peter Rodino. Congressman Rodino would have enjoyed talking to him. He was an intellectual himself. He would have encouraged the gentleman to continue to push for science and technology and to try to improve our natural habitat and preserve it. So I thank the gentleman very much. Let me thank the speaker who has conducted this Special Order in such a dignified manner and the appreciation of us for having the second hour because it is very rare in this place that people stay to express themselves. Most Members are very busy, especially those in leadership, but to have the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our minority leader, take time and express her appreciation for having served with Mr. Rodino; to see the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our minority whip, come and spend time; to hear the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), the dean of the Congressional Black Caucus and actually second longest-serving Democrat in the House, who so eloquently described those days on that committee; to hear the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), ranking member for the Committee on Ways and Means; and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) and on and on I think certainly says it all. Mr. Rodino was the right man at the right place at the right time. Let me, as we conclude, just say that he was just a gentle person, running up Aqueduct Alley, living in the area near the old first ward. I lived several blocks away from that while he served in World War II, where I was a student at the school right near there, where he attended St. Lucy's Church, with Father Grenada or Monsignor Grenada, who is still there, and the McKinley School that he went to in elementary in World War I still looks the same. Nothing has been done to the school. I passed it recently. Barringer High School, the same high school I attended a few years after Congressman Rodino did, then he moved up to 205 Grafton Avenue. It was an address we all remember, because when I got old enough to carry petitions around, I remember that address being on the petitions so we knew where to turn them in. We knew Tony Serrantos who worked for him for decades. As a matter of fact, when I came and replaced Mr. Rodino, I brought Mr. Serrantos into my office to run my office for the first term that I served in Congress. It was funny, because Mr. Serrantos kept Mr. Rodino's picture up in his office, like he should have. It took him almost the end of the second year before he found a little place in the corner in the dark for a small picture of me. So there was really the great love for Mr. Rodino and Joe Benuchi, who became the postmaster, and when Mr. Rodino was brought down with Colonel Kelly, who was then Democratic county chairman, preceding Chairman Dennis Carey, these were days that the clubs on First Avenue, the Capa Soleus and other clubs, that were political clubs that Mr. Rodino felt as comfortable in those clubs, as he would in the basement of a Baptist church where the NCAAP, Newark branch, would be meeting. So the Rodino auxiliary group, women who were at the funeral, who wanted the press to know that they were the Peter Rodino Ladies Auxiliary, they were so proud. They served him so long. Mr. Speaker, as we conclude, it was really the right time. Elizabeth Holtzman was important because in the redistricting in 1972, she defeated Mannie Celler who was then chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary. She did not serve long in Congress. However, Mr. Rodino then took the chairmanship of that committee and moved it through the impeachment proceedings. As it was said at the funeral that was attended by Monsignor Shering, president of Seton Hall University, Monsignor Joseph Grenada, and the great eulogy that was given by Ms. Paula Franzese who talked from her heart, and the president, dean of the law school, Patrick Hobbs, all of us were there. Even our law professor Mr. McQuade, Acting Governor Richard Codey, Senator Sarbanes and Elizabeth Holtzman all came out to show their respect. There was legislation like the Simpson-Rodino Act, which paved the way for immigrants to have a better future back in 1986, one of the last important pieces of legislation that Mr. Rodino passed. So as we conclude here, I mentioned the beautiful Cathedral of St. Lucy where the funeral was held, to all of us who remember the Congressman for so many years. He was proud of being a member of the Columbian Society. He was inducted into the Knights of Malta, and he wore on his lapel that symbol for decades. He was so proud of his heritage. Once again, let me say what an extraordinary night it has been to have several hours expire even as I speak now. Let me once again thank all of the Members who participated. It is a great day for the Rodino family, but it is also a great day for America for us to remember one of the true heroes of this land, the late Congressman, Peter W. Rodino, Jr.