Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, we are members of the Congressional Black Caucus here tonight, and we stand here tonight to speak on the state of Africa as the first day of President Bush's trip concludes. The President's trip shows a level of commitment that surprised many of us when we read in the newspaper that he was intending to visit Africa, but African journalists recently said Africa appreciates the words, but is awaiting the deeds. Many people have written Africa off as a place that has too many grave problems, and that it is irrelevant to the United States' interest. Indeed, there are still a lot of people whose views of Africa are certainly limited by disasters and civil wars. However, engagement with Africa is a vital U.S. interest. From the war on terrorism to the supply of critical resources, from the campaign against threatening diseases to the opportunities for economic trade and investment, Africa is a global player. We ignore the continent at our own peril. If we had paid a little more attention to Africa and Sudan, where Osama bin Laden lived from 1993 to 1997, recruiting and planning the al Qaeda movements that terrorized our U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and then went on to organize the Taliban and to have havoc wreaked through Afghanistan, if we had paid attention to Africa, if we had looked at some of the requests for us to intervene in some way by assisting John Garang and the Sudanese Liberation Movement with trucks and telephone equipment and other things they were appealing to, perhaps Osama bin Laden would have been put out of existence, because the liberation movement from John Garang and his organization could have defeated the Khartum government which gave haven to Hamas and to al Qaeda and many of the other terrorists. By our ignoring Sudan, where 2 million persons have died and 4 million have been displaced, where food has been used as a weapon, if we had decided that that was an important country for us, then we perhaps could have avoided many of the things that we see today as our soldiers are in harm's way in Iraq and we continue to move through Afghanistan and Africa towns. I will talk briefly between our speakers, but I do want to quickly bring focus to our main concern, my main concern tonight, and that is the situation in Liberia. On July 2, I wrote a letter to our Secretary of State and a week before that had the opportunity to be in his presence and asked the Secretary of State if attention could be given by the Bush administration to the country of Liberia. First of all, the Liberians have been asking us to come in and assist. People are in the streets with American flags and signs asking President Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell to come to their aid, and people are saying, why should we be concerned about Liberia? There are 50 sub- Saharan African countries on the continent. Why should we be concerned? I think many of our citizens in this country and it appears many of our lawmakers in the House and in the Senate have no knowledge at all of where Liberia's beginning came from. It was in 1822 that President Monroe, the Monroe document, President Monroe said that we should have a return to Africa movement and free black men. Many people have the opinion that these were simply illiterate slaves, ex-slaves that went to Liberia, but these were free men, some slaves, but free men, lawyers and businessmen, who went to Liberia to start that country in 1822. And in 1847, Liberia became a republic, started by African Americans who returned to Africa, to Liberia, to start this republic. Their Constitution was based after the United States Constitution. Their laws were based on laws of the United States of America. There were very strong ties between the United States and Liberia. In World War II, the West African country allowed American troops to be positioned on their soil. Again during the Cold War Liberia was an important ally when it served as a leading U.S. base for intelligence activity against Moammar Ghadafi of Libya and other threats to the United States. Even Samuel Doe, even though he came to power in a bloody coup, the United States in the midst of the Cold War supported the government because Liberia served such a great interest to the United States during World War II when the Pacific region was cut off for rubber supplies. Liberia with Goodyear Rubber Company that had been established in Liberia for decades, for perhaps close to a century, Liberia was there to help the U.S. war effort. So when people say why should we go there, there are many problems around. We should go there, and the reason that the British have asked us to intervene, the reason that President Kofi Annan of the United Nations have said the United States should lead a peacekeeping force, these are because Liberians, the world, look at the United States as the power that could come in and change the situation. So I wanted to give that brief background of the country of Liberia and to say that is why this particular country is different, if we want to remove ourselves from other countries in Africa. As I conclude my portion and will yield to the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, I would like to say that in Sierra Leone currently the British went in. They went in and they prevented the RUF, the terrible group that terrorized people in Sierra Leone, the British went in, because that was a former colony of theirs, and they made peace; and now Sierra Leone is on a peaceful track. In Cote d'Ivoire, the French troops went in several months ago because of disorder there, and they have saved thousands of lives and are still there. Just last week, the French, British and Belgian troops went into Eastern Congo, the city of Bunia, where there had been a civil strife between two ethnic groups. The French came in and said that this must stop, we are coming in; we give you 3 days to get out. And they have saved thousands of lives just last week. So why the United States? Why Liberia? We are in Iraq right now and are receiving a terrible time. It is because we are being asked. President Taylor said he will step down, he will leave the country. We could really save lives there. It is a totally different situation. With that, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to yield to the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), who has done an outstanding job in his chairmanship of the Congressional Black Caucus, bringing us to the floor on every important issue to America in general and African Americans in particular.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Illinois for his long years of government service in the great State of Illinois, and we look for his continued support. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a real fighter on HIV and AIDS, and a person who has served as an aide to the former Congressman and took over from Congressman Dellums and made her own footsteps; smaller feet, but very pronounced footsteps.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her continued support. Democracy is moving through Africa. Mr. Speaker, 1990 saw the spread of democracy in many African countries once dominated by military dictators. As the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus indicated, many of us recently went on May 29 and spent several days in Nigeria to see the reelection and inauguration of President Obasanjo. It was Moshood Abiola that started the democracy movement, but it took General Abubakar to say, the time is up, and now we saw the election of President Obasanjo. We saw in Zambia's recent elections where the former President and member of the same party as the new President was elected, who said he wanted the courts to look into the books to see whether the former President had run the country legally, and has now had an indictment on the former President Chiluba to look at the books to see if there was illegal activities. This is a new breed of African leaders. In Ghana, the popular President Rollins stepped down after two terms. He could have run again and probably gotten reelected. President Moya, after many years being the Vice President under General Uhuru Kenyatta during the first movement of the Mau Maus in Kenya where colonialism was fought, stepped down. And, as a matter of fact, the grandchild of former President Kenyatta was the candidate and supposedly was supposed to win as a member of the Kenya Party. However, he was defeated because people wanted a new life, and it went on well. In South Africa we saw Mr. Mandela change from a white majority government. So there are successes in Africa. In Timbuktu in Mali we have seen great strides going on. So we hear about the negatives, but so many positive things are happening, and that is why it gives me great pleasure to continue our Special Order. We will hear now from the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) to have his comments.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman from California. As I indicated, she needs no introduction. We appreciate her comments. At this time we will hear from the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen), who is, as we know, our health expert, a physician, and a leader on HIV and AIDS and other health issues around the Nation.

Mr. PAYNE. As we conclude, Mr. Speaker, I do want to acknowledge that the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) will be allowed to speak for 5 minutes on this Special Order, and we certainly appreciate the participation of the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. We hope our message is getting out loud and clear. We think that Liberia has a special place in this country with African Americans who feel very close to this situation. Our young men have fought in every war, from Crispus Attucks, the first person that died in the Revolutionary War, up to just a week ago, when they buried a young Haitian soldier from my district who was one of the two men who were kidnapped and murdered. So we have fought in all the wars. We hear people say that there should be a vote in Congress regarding sending 2,000 troops to Liberia. We have not heard that for the Colombians or for Panama. We did not hear that where the President is attempting to go into the Philippines now. Is there a different standard for Africa? Is it that 435 Members must get up and talk about 2,000 troops going into a country that we founded, that we colonized, that we have close ties with, that asked us to come so that the fighting will cease, and that other African countries will be there at our side? Is there a double standard? I hope not. We have had failures before. There was a failure in Somalia. That did not mean we should no longer then go in on humanitarian issues. I hope this President and administration will have the same standard as we have had throughout this world, whether it was in Panama, whether it was in Colombia, whether it was in the Philippines, whether it is in places like even Haiti, where we went and were not asked to come. I hope that we will send those few peacekeepers, 2,000, to go in and lead the ECOWAS troops so that the cholera can stop, the children can stop dying, and the women can stop dying. They are asking us to come in. I think we have an obligation and a responsibility. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to present this Special Order to the House.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me commend the gentlewoman for the outstanding work she has done. Quickly, as I talked about how democracy was taking over, we also have seen Africans step up to the plate, the Egat process led by President Moi has dealt with the problem of Sudan; and the peace accord, even though fragile, has been done by the Egat countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea. South Africa's Nelson Mandela took over from the late President of Niari, from Tanzania, negotiating the Burundi situation where now President Thabo Mbeki has sent peacekeepers from his country to Burundi to see the new transitional government, and it is working. We have seen Nigerians go into Sierra Leone and into Liberia, taking leadership on their own. And so when we say why is the U.S. in Liberia, it is because of the ties, as I mentioned, the British were in Sierra Leone just recently to save lives, the French in Cote d'Ivoire and in the Congo right now with Belgian troops. The Australians are going into the Somalian islands right now, as we speak, and we are in East Timor because they are the regional powers. No, we cannot go anywhere and everywhere; but I think that with the traditional history between President Monroe, the whole country of Liberia, it is the responsibility of the U.S. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), who has done outstanding work for many years. We all know her. She needs no introduction.

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from Baltimore for those remarks. As he has indicated, for example, in 2002, the United States exports to Africa totaled over $5.8 billion, while the U.S. imported over $18 billion from Africa, more than all of the USSR put together, including Russia. So many people do not realize the importance of Africa to the U.S. While oil is clearly a source of U.S. interest, it is also something that must be dealt with closely and carefully as we discover new finds of oil. The Chaad Cameroon pipeline, in addition to Nigeria and other places in Africa, 16 percent of U.S. consumption of oil comes from Africa today; and it will grow to 20 percent in the next 5 years. It may exceed the point of being one-fourth, or 25 percent, of oil imports. So Africa is extremely important to the United States. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Corrine Brown) who 2 weeks ago helped organize a rally of Liberian Americans here and has been very vocal on the issue of Liberia.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a magnificent individual and dedicated member of both her community and church, Mrs. Christine Reed, affectionately known as `Grahams'. Born in Summit, New Jersey, Mrs. Reed has been an active member of the Saint Paul's Calvary United Church of God for over 35 years. On July 13, 2003, the members of the Saint Paul's Calvary United Church of God's Usher board will proudly recognize Sister Christine Reed with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Throughout her many years of membership, Mrs. Reed partook as a member of various choirs, the Missionary Department, Sunday School Teacher and the Usher Board. Mrs. Reed served as the President of the Usher Board for over 25 years. Also serving as the Vice President for a time, Mrs. Reed was a dedicated member, a hard and reliable worker, always willing to teach and lend a helping hand in any possible capacity. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in saluting Mrs. Christine Reed for her many years of dedicated service to Saint Paul's Calvary United Church of God.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize an outstanding educator and dear friend, Dr. Rose J. Campbell. An exceptional constituent and a dedicated member of the education community, Dr. Campbell is a true shining star. Receiving her Bachelors Degree from Florida A&M University, her Masters in Education from William Patterson College, and her Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University, Dr. Campbell has succeeded in every facet of education. From 1968 to the present, Dr. Campbell has been an active member of the Newark Public School System. Beginning her career as a classroom teacher and moving through the ranks to her current position within the Administration as Assistant Executive Superintendent with a specialty in supervision and curriculum, Dr. Campbell has dedicated her life to education. In addition to her dedication within the classroom, Dr. Campbell has also involved herself with giving back to the community in many other ways. Dr. Campbell is President of the Florida A&M University Alumni Association New Jersey Chapter, President of the New Jersey Unit of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs Inc., President of the Board of Directors for Day Nurseries Inc. as well as a member of Trinity/St. Phillips Cathedral Church. In each of her civic and community endeavors, Dr. Campbell makes a difference by her devoted and committed participation. As a member of the Education & the Workforce Committee here in the U.S. House of Representatives I am extremely aware of the growing need for quality educators in our public school systems. Dr. Campbell sets a shining example for our younger generations of the success they can achieve and of the way in which they too can one day aspire to give back to their community. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today is saluting Dr. Rose J. Campbell for her many years of dedicated service as an educator and in wishing her the very best for the future.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is with the greatest pride that I rise today to recognize an outstanding young citizen in my district, Miss Leonie Barrett. A thirteen year-old student at the Oliver Street School in Newark, New Jersey, Leonie has certainly made a significant impact on our world community. In February 2002, Leonie and her classmate Jennifer were introduced to Mr. Harry Ettlinger. A survivor of the Holocaust, Mr. Ettlinger is a participant in the ``Adopt-a-Survivor'' program, a program that pairs Holocaust survivors with young members of the community. Through this match, the first made in the program which is sponsored by the Holocaust Council of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest, Mr. Ettlinger shared his story with Leonie. To have your voice heard and to continue to remember is a very important aspect of Holocaust history. By continuing to tell their stories, survivors of the Holocaust remind us so that we will never forget, so that history will never repeat itself, and that the voices of those who lost their lives will not be forgotten. Leonie is now a part of this commitment, to tell Mr. Ettlinger's story so that it will not be forgotten. She has committed to tell that story until 2045, the 100th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps. To say that Mr. Ettlinger and Leonie have significantly impacted each others lives would seem to not do justice to their relationship. In addition to committing to tell his story, Leonie has also helped to reconnect Mr. Ettlinger with his past and a dear friend, Hanne Hirsch, whom he had not seen or heard from since Nazi occupation of their small town of Karlsruhe, Germany. On a trip to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum here in Washington, Leonie noticed that one of the identity cards that are issued to visitors, recounting the lives of individuals who were involved in the Holocaust, was from Mr. Ettlinger's hometown. The two had been separated for sixty-four years, not knowing the fate of the other. With the help of Leonie the two were reunited and have been able to share their stories with each other and with Leonie. As a member of the International Relations Committee here in the U.S. House of Representatives and a former Social Studies teacher, I understand the significance of the relationship between Mr. Ettlinger and Leonie as well as the commitment and dedication both have given to this important and significant personal history. I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives not only join me today in recognizing this tremendous friendship but also in commending Leonie for her own personal dedication to continuing the voice of Mr. Ettlinger and ensuring that the stories of Holocaust survivors are not lost to future generations.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I stand today as Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee and Member of the Refugee Caucus to recognize World Refugee Day, declared on June 20, 2000 by a special UN General Assembly Resolution. The Republic of Tanzania has a solid record of supporting and harboring the largest number of refugees in Africa and therefore I extend my respect unto this nation for its vitally important work. These refugees have fled from conflicts in neighboring countries such as Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Somalia. I affirm and commend the generosity of Tanzania towards refugees and asylum seekers and urge that they be fully recognized by our nation. Statistics show that approximately 700,000 refugees have found safe haven in Tanzania. Tanzania has also displayed its generosity through the acceptance of 3,500 Somali Bantus for resettlement in the eastern part of the country. In the west, refugees fleeing conflict and genocide in countries like Burundi, Rwanda and Congo have also found refuge in this nation. Emerging from a long and bloody civil war that lasted a decade and claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people while displacing hundreds of thousands, Burundi is only now getting back on its feet. The Great Lakes Region of the African continent is one of great beauty and a long history but has in recent years been plagued by many bloody conflicts and ethnic warfare. The wars in the Congo and Rwanda are two more examples of such conflicts. Tanzania provided a safe haven for some 120,000 Congolese refugees and some 25,000 refugees from Rwanda by the end of 2001. I am hopeful that the on-going peace efforts in a number of these neighboring countries will hopefully provide the opportunity for these refugees to repatriate to their homes in safety and dignity. I must at the same time note that the resolution of the conflicts that have driven these refugees from their homes is not by any means guaranteed to be accomplished in the near future as the region is quite volatile and unpredictable. Therefore the generosity of Tanzania could very well be called upon again. This is even more reason that I offer my respect to this country that has provided this noble service. While harboring refugees is often perceived as being a burden, Tanzania provides an example of how this service can also be functional within the context of administering a nation. Refugees can provide human and economic resources for a nation to draw upon. On this Refugee Day I recognize the efforts of Tanzania and recognize the 3.1 million refugees and more than 10 million Internally Displaced Persons on the continent of Africa. May you soon be able to return to your homes in safety, security, and health.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, as we continue to discuss the importance of Head Start, the Head Start program to our communities, I want to draw attention to a resolution that I offered, H. Res. 238, expressing support for the Head Start program, which has had such a positive impact on the lives of millions of children nationwide. This resolution not only recognizes the contributions of Head Start; it also supports maintaining its current designation at the Department of Health and Human Services. Earlier this week, I participated in a hearing convened by our chairman, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) of the Congressional Black Caucus, where we had an opportunity to hear from those who are directly involved in administering the program, including Maxim Thorne, executive director of the New Jersey Head Start Association. He expressed his concern about the effort to block grant the program, which he said would have a devastating impact on New Jersey's Head Start children. The majority backed off of the block grant to all of the programs, but selected eight States, one of which is New Jersey. The eight States carry about one-third of the children, as was indicated by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). Most of the States selected are States that have financial problems, as we have in New Jersey. In New Jersey, we are already grappling with the Abbott decision, which was a decision where our Supreme Court of New Jersey said that every child in New Jersey is entitled to a thorough and efficient education. The State administration is before the courts asking for relief from that decision, saying that the budget is tight, they have constraints, they cannot fully fund this court order; and they are asking to be allowed to delay and defer programs under the Abbott decision. What will happen when the Head Start money comes? It will be very tempting to see if perhaps this money can go further and be used in trying to comply with the Abbott decision. I think it is wrong, and I definitely oppose it, as do all of the members of the Democratic Party on the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Also echoed by our executive director of the Head Start program was the provision which would allow for open discrimination of Head Start workers based on religion. This goes against everything our Nation stands for. Mr. Speaker, Head Start has a proud and successful history. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson gave his State of the Union Address before Congress and our Nation with an announcement to declare war on poverty. In his declaration, he believed, for the first time in history, poverty could be eradicated, and offered his proposal, the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Despite opposition that believed poverty was on the decline from the heights of the Great Depression, President Johnson was undaunted. He declared the act does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done, it takes a new course. It strikes at the causes, not just the consequences of poverty. It can be a milestone in our 180- year search for a better life for our people. After the bill was signed into law, an Office of Economic Opportunity was created to fulfill its mission. At the same time, a pediatrician by the name of Dr. Robert Cooke was asked by the head of this new office to lead a steering committee to come up with specialists to find out what should be done. The Cooke memorandum outlined what we know as the Head Start program. Launched as an 8-week summer program, Head Start was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low- income families with a comprehensive program to help meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. Since its inception, Head Start has served over 20 million children. Today it is a full-day, full-year program providing pre-school children of low-income, working families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutrition, and parental support needs. Head Start's focus on the whole child extends to recognizing the importance of the family, not the institution. Throughout its history, Head Start has included parents in both their child's education and membership in the Head Start Policy Council, which serves as a vital link between the community and the public and private agencies. Parental involvement is a critical and integral part of the program. Economically deprived families are no longer seen as passive recipients of service, but rather as active, respected participants and decision- makers. So, as I conclude, with the average child care cost in my State of New Jersey over $5,000 a child, thousands of children across the State and others would not have had access to an exceptional program that has them ready to learn by the time they enter kindergarten if Head Start was not there to serve them. Terms such as ``State options'' and ``coordination'' will mean shortchanging and ending a 38-year program which has proven to be successful to millions of children. We need to move towards full funding of Head Start. We need to support and preserve the Head Start program. I look forward to working with my colleagues to accomplish this goal.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentlewoman from California for framing the argument. I think she did an excellent job, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), a person who helped organize Head Start parents and who for many years has held the importance of children as our most valuable possessions and has seen the success of this program, as have all of us, and that is why we stand here this evening, the Congressional Black Caucus, with our chairman the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), to discuss this question of Head Start. I commend our chairman for organizing these Special Orders on issues that impact on the poorest of our people, the people with no voice, people in Appalachia and delta regions and in urban centers that are not represented by lobbyists, and so we are their voice. We are their spokesperson. We speak for those who have no voice, and so I am proud to say that Head Start should not be tampered with. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson gave his State of the Union address before Congress and our Nation with an announcement to declare war on poverty. This was a great declaration which caught the imagination of our Nation. In his declaration, he believed for the first time in history that poverty could be eradicated and offered his proposal, the Economic Opportunity Act, EOA, of 1964. Despite opposition that believed poverty was on the decline from the highs of the Great Depression, Johnson was undaunted. He declared, ``The Act does not merely expand old programs or improve what is already being done. It charts a new course. It strikes at the causes, not just at the consequences of poverty,'' and that is where the Head Start program is so important. It strikes at the causes of poverty to deal with poverty elimination in this country. ``It can be a milestone in our 180-year search for a better life for our people,'' said Lyndon Baines Johnson. After the bill was signed into law that very year, the Office of Economic Opportunity was created to fulfill its mission. At the same time, a pediatrician by the name of Dr. Robert Cooke was asked to head a new office to lead a steering committee of specialists in all fields to discuss what should be done for young people to bring them out of poverty and to assist them in their early lives. Their recommendations, known as the Cooke Memorandum, outlined what we now know today as the Head Start program. Launched as an 8-week summer program, Head Start was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low- income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. That is why this program is so important. Head Start is to break the cycle of poverty because it deals with emotional, social, health, nutrition and psychological needs. Since its inception, Head Start has served over 20 million children. Today, it is a full-day, full-year program providing preschool children of low-income families, working families, with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and parental support. Head Start focuses on the whole child, extends to recognizing the importance of strengthening the family, not necessarily the institution but the family. Throughout its inception, Head Start has included parents. Parents sit on committees to select teachers. They help with the curriculum, this is the participation, and parents learn through this program. Head Start has included parents in both their child's education and in their membership to the Head Start Policy Council, which serves as a vital link between the community and public and private agencies. Parental involvement is a critical and integral part of this program. Economically disadvantaged families are no longer seen as passive recipients of service but, rather, as active, respected participants and decision-makers, and many of them have moved on to complete their education, and they have become leaders, and they have become elected officials, and they have become stalwarts in their community. That is why Head Start is so good because it takes the total family. Today we stand here to support our Head Start program, and oppose H.R. 2210, a bill which will dismantle the program as we know, hurting the very ones we should be helping, our Nation's children. If the bill were enacted today, it would mean changing the current Federal to local partnerships to a State optional plan. As indicated by the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), a State optional plan is another way of saying block grants. The Federal Government would give States the authority to create their own preschool programs without the same performance standards as Head Start and without additional funding. Nationwide, States' commitment to preschool is $2 billion. It is much less than the Federal contribution of over $6 billion. In light of the $38 billion shortfall in the State budget in California, $5 billion in New Jersey, in excess of $70 billion in shortfalls in State budgets across the Nation, we cannot leave the fate of our children in the hands of States struggling to meet their other needs. The impetus of this bill, the administration's Head Start proposal, states a need to better coordinate preschool programs in the States. But Head Start already coordinates with child care and prekindergarten programs. According to research done by the Center for Law and Social Policy, many Head Start agencies have formal agreements with school districts around the country to coordinate transitional services for children and families. Coordinating will not help the fact that Head Start is severely underfunded. You can coordinate all you want; you cannot get more with a limited amount of funds. So the problem is not coordination; it is the lack of funding. There are a half million children in the country that are eligible to attend Head Start today. That is three out of five children, and they are not all being covered today. In conclusion, I have offered a resolution, H. Res. 238, a resolution expressing support for the Head Start program which has had a positive impact on the lives of millions of children nationwide. The resolution not only recognizes the contribution of Head Start; it also supports maintaining its current designation at the Department of Health and Human Services. With the average child care cost in New Jersey at over $5,000 a year, thousands of children across my State and others would not have access to an exceptional program that has them ready to learn by the time they enter kindergarten if Head Start were not there to serve them. Terms of such State options and coordination will mean a shortfall and this 38-year program does not need to have this fate. We need to move towards full funding of Head Start, furthering the quality of this program, preserving the focus of comprehensive services to children and their families. We need to support Head Start as it is today.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize Ms. Adrienne E. Byers on her retirement from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield after thirty-four years of dedicated service. Joining Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield in January of 1969, Ms. Byers has worked in many different facets of the organization, beginning in the Cashiers Department and moving to her current position with Special Letters. Working with many areas of the corporation has given Ms. Byers a great and unique understanding of Horizon and has allowed her to help enrich a company which is truly fortunate to have her as a dedicated employee. Raised in the 10th Congressional District of New Jersey, Ms. Byers spent her early years growing with the programs at the YMCA where I was fortunate enough to meet this promising young woman. Since those early years she has proven herself time and time again and I am proud to see what a dedicated and motivated individual she has become. In addition to her devotion to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ms. Byers has also invested time in the community as a whole. A strong advocate of community service, she serves on the Advisory Board for Community Agencies Corporation and on the board of directors for Friendly Fuld. She is also Chair for the Newark Fighting Back Partnership. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in congratulating Ms. Adrienne E. Byers on her long and successful career with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. I wish her the very best in her retirement and a healthy and happy future.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to deplore in the strongest possible terms this past weekend's nationwide crackdown in Burma. The attack by armed goons supported by Burma's military regime on 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Aung San Suu Kyi is an insult and an offense to all freedom loving peoples around the world. Even worse, it is reported that several of her supporters have been brutally killed. When I traveled to Burma to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, I was immediately impressed by her staunch commitment to freedom and her refusal to yield to unremitting government pressure. I was proud to hear that Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a man I know and admire, has called for the international community to immediately impose sanctions on Burma's regime. I urge that the United States cooperate promptly in this regard; failure to act decisively would be to miss an opportunity to reaffirm our support for liberty and justice in Burma.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to honor my predecessor and one of the most outstanding members ever to serve in this body, the Honorable Peter Rodino, as he celebrates his 94th birthday on June 7th. As Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from the 93rd through the 100th Congress, former Representative Rodino set a standard for excellence which earned him a national reputation. While he is best known for presiding over the Watergate hearings with fairness, decorum, and a respect for history, he also had many other legislative accomplishments during his 40 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. He managed the historic 1966 Civil Rights Bill on the floor of the House. He was the author of the 1982 Voting Rights Act Extension and a leader in the successful effort to make Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. Chairman Rodino has been honored with numerous international, national and local awards, including Pope John Paul II's Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award; the Democratic Council on Ethnic Americans' Democratic Ethnic Heritage Award for Leadership, and the Rutgers University Award. He has received honorary degrees from more than 15 colleges and universities, including Seton Hall, Princeton, Rutgers and Fairleigh Dickinson. He joined the Seton Hall Law School faculty in 1988. Along with many others, as a youngster growing up and as a college student, I was inspired by Peter Rodino to enter public service. Many of us followed his work in Congress with great pride and admiration for his integrity and willingness to stand up for what was right. I was proud that he served as Chairman of a reception held in my honor during my reelection campaign for county office in 1976 at my alma mater, Seton Hall University. It has been a privilege for me to serve in the Congressional seat once held by Representative Rodino. I am always aware that I have big shoes to fill in replacing such a legendary public servant. I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me in sending best wishes for continued health and happiness to Chairman Rodino on his birthday.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me in congratulating a highly respected and accomplished professor, Dr. Ralph Nurnberger, on being selected as the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Faculty Award at Georgetown University. Dr. Nurnberger received this outstanding honor at the University's 2003 commencement ceremonies. For over 2 decades, Dr. Nurnberger has taught courses in the Liberal Studies Degree Program focusing on an array of issues including American foreign policy, congressional relations, and international affairs. Most recently, he has been teaching a course on the aftermath of September 11, considering the domestic and international ramifications for the United States. His teaching has been marked with extensive experience in domestic and international affairs. Dr. Nurnberger has held positions with former Senator James Pearson, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the U.S. Department of Commerce. He currently holds the position of Counsel with the law firm Preston Gates Ellis and Rouvelas Meeds. Following the signing of the Oslo Accords, Dr. Nurnberger was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the organization ``Builders for Peace'' to assist the Arab-Israeli peace process. Also an accomplished writer, his articles have appeared in The Washington Post, The Washington Times, Christian Science Monitor, Baltimore Sun and numerous journals. Dr. Nurnberger is popular with students because of his reputation as an insightful educator who promotes lively and thought-provoking discussions encouraging the expression of all points of view. Mr. Speaker, I ask that we here in the U.S. House of Representatives join Georgetown University in commending Dr. Ralph Nurnberger for his excellence in teaching and congratulate him on receiving such a prestigious award.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Margaret and Andrew Wyatt as they celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary. On May 17, 2003 the pair renewed their vows at Greater Abyssinian Baptist Church in my hometown of Newark, New Jersey. Marrying at a very young age, Margaret and Andrew have grown together over these past fifty years, enjoying times of great joy and happiness. Finding a special person and friend to share your life with is one of the great joys of life. The Wyatt's have found that special bond and continue to grow and change together. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in congratulating Margaret and Andrew on this wonderful occasion and in wishing them many more wonderful years together.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a wonderful woman and outstanding educator, Mrs. Barbara Harris. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Cheyney State College, Mrs. Harris has been a resident of Newark, New Jersey since 1969. On June 13, 2003 at the Galloping Hill Inn in Union, New Jersey, the Social Welfare Committee, the Bragaw Avenue School, family and friends will be honoring Mrs. Harris on the occasion of her retirement from the Newark Public School System. Beginning her work as an educator in Philadelphia, Mrs. Harris taught within the Philadelphia School System from 1962-1966. She then moved to Newark and has taught in our public school system since 1969. As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee here in the U.S. House of Representatives and a former teacher, I am extremely appreciative and proud of the hard work and dedication of educators such as Mrs. Harris. In addition to her dedication within the classroom, Mrs. Harris has also dedicated herself to bettering the entire community. Volunteering with the United Way, late New Jersey State Senator Winona Lipman, as well as former Mayor Kenneth Gibson and Ralph Grant she also has served on many local, county and state committees for the Newark Teachers Association. A dedicated educator and citizen, Mrs. Barbara Harris will certainly be missed within the Newark educational community. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in saluting Mrs. Harris for her many years of educating our Nation's children, wishing her the very best for the future.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a great man, Mr. Jim Culver. An involved constituent in my district, Mr. Culver will be recognized on June 1, 2003 by Saint Paul's Calvary United Church of God in Union, New Jersey with their Lifetime Achievement Award as Usher of the Year. An active member of Saint Paul's Calvary United Church for the past thirty-five years, Mr. Culver has served as Secretary of the Usher board for the past thirty-one years. In this capacity he has been a great supporter of all activities of the church as well as lending a helping hand to the entire community of Union. A hard and reliable worker, he continues to give selflessly of himself to all of those whom he encounters. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in recognizing Mr. Jim Culver for his innumerable contributions to the town of Union as well as to his congregation. I wish to congratulate him as he is recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award as Usher of the Year and wish him the very best for the future.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman for bringing this very important issue to the floor. I too would like to add my support. Haitian-Americans, Haiti in particular, had a great deal to do with the development of this country during our fight for independence in the Revolutionary War. There was a battalion in the Savannah battles where Haiti sent troops to fight alongside the colonies against the British. Also, I think that because of Haiti's battle against Napoleon, one of the first countries to defeat the Napoleon Army, France was very strapped for cash, and it therefore had to sell the Louisiana Territory to the United States for a very, very low sum of money because they needed money after their wars. That opened up the great West. If it had not been for the Haitian country depleting funds from the French Government, the progress of moving west would not have happened so soon. So we are tied together. As a matter of fact, Simon Bolivar lived in Haiti; and he went to liberate South America. So Haiti has had a tremendous importance in the growth and development of not only this country but the entire Western Hemisphere, and I appreciate the gentleman yielding to me.

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

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize Ms. Karol Corbin Walker as she is sworn in as the first African American President of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Completing an undergraduate degree at New Jersey City University, Ms. Walker went on to pursue her law degree from my alma mater, Seton Hall University. Through her many positions within the law community, Ms. Walker has become the first African American woman to attain Partner status at any major New Jersey law firm, representing clients in commercial, employment, environmental, hazardous waste, insurance coverage, toxic tort and product liability matters. An outstanding litigator, Ms. Walker has been the recipient of many awards and been recognized by many organizations including Business News New Jersey which recognized her as one of New Jersey's Top 20 African American Business People. A former trustee of the Essex County Bar Association and President of the Garden State Bar Association, Ms. Walker is also a member of the Morris County Bar Association, the National Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Association of the Federal Bar of the State of New Jersey. In addition to her many accomplishments as a lawyer, Ms. Walker also takes time out of her busy schedule to give back to her community. Frequently speaking at many grade schools, high schools, and colleges, Ms. Walker is a shining example to our nation's youth of the success that can be reached if they follow their dreams. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor and a privilege to rise today to recognize Ms. Karol Corbin Walker and her innumerable contributions to not only my district but to the state of New Jersey. I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me today in wishing her congratulations on this momentous occasion and in wishing her the very best for the future.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Community Problem Solving Team of the Quest Program at the Dr. John Howard, Jr. School in East Orange, NJ. Working through various mediums, this group of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders has sought to combat the growing problem of gangs in their community. Using their peer influence, these students reach out to elementary school children to teach them the dangers of gang involvement. They have made it their mission to educate the community through publishing monthly gang awareness newsletters, organizing a unity celebration night against gangs, organizing a kids against gangs rally, participating in an inmate day with gang members currently serving time in prison, as well as creating a website to inform students of the dangers of gangs. With the goal of educating others to prevent gang involvement and violence, these students have demonstrated that they are truly inspiring members of the community. Volunteering over 400 hours to this project, the dedication of this team has been outstanding. These exceptional students will represent New Jersey at the International Competition in Storrs, CT, June 4-8, 2003, having placed first in the New Jersey junior division of the Problem Solving Component of the International Future Problem Solving Program. It is with great pride that I recognize the Community Problem Solving Team of the Quest Program in East Orange, New Jersey. These young people have taken great strides to assist the members of their community and to see that they have a part in securing a healthy future for our country. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives join me in wishing the Quest Program continued success.

Mr. PAYNE

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise today to commemorate the 49th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, which struck down the separate but equal doctrine of Plessy v. Ferguson of 1896. A young girl by the name of Linda Brown attended the fifth grade at public school in Topeka, Kansas. After being denied admission to a white elementary school, the NAACP took up her case along with similar ones in Kansas, South Carolina, Virginia and Delaware. All five cases were argued together in December 1952 by Thurgood Marshall, who headed the NAACP Legal Defense Fund at that time. Mr. Marshall, born in Maryland, educated at Douglass High School, went on to Lincoln University, a small black college in Oxford, Pennsylvania, and then graduated with honors and applied to the white University of Maryland law school. He was denied admission. Howard University accepted him, and he graduated at the top of his class, passing the bar exam, taking up private practice and specializing in civil rights cases. At 26, he was hired by the Baltimore branch of the NAACP, and one of his first civil rights cases was a successful effort to gain admission for a young black man to the University of Maryland, the very institution that denied Thurgood Marshall admittance 2 years earlier. The unanimous 1954 decision ruled all school segregation unconstitutional. W.E.B. du Boise wrote, ``I have seen the impossible happen. It did on May 17, 1954.'' The Brown decision did not come out of nowhere, and it was far from the end of the story. The decision was a climax of a long series of NAACP court victories, many won by chief counsel Thurgood Marshall, that had slowly laid the legal groundwork for school desegregation. In some schools it had an immediate powerful effect. By 1958, desegregation was under way in a number of Southern school districts. Both white and black peoples were going to school together. Black children in Wilmington, Delaware; Baltimore, Maryland; and Washington, D.C., sat in classrooms beside white children as did African-American students in certain counties in Missouri, Arkansas and West Virginia. In Louisville, Kentucky, the school system became a national model of school desegregation. But most southern jurisdictions strenuously resisted desegregation, encouraged by the Supreme Court ruling a year after the Brown decision that the transition need only to take place with all deliberate speed. States and counties passed more than 145 laws to hold off desegregation altogether. The Georgia legislature, for example, decided to withhold State funds from any school that enrolled students of both races. Prince Edward County, Virginia, closed all public schools from 1959 to 1964 when it was forced to reopen the schools by the Supreme Court. And yet the clock could not be turned back. From the late 1950's to the mid 1960's, one previously white school after another grudgingly admitted its first black students, from nine black teenagers in 1957 who endured harassment and threats to attend Central High School, where Federal troops were brought out by President Eisenhower, to Air Force veteran James Meredith who in 1962 became the first black student to enroll in the University of Mississippi. School segregation based on race received its final blow in 1969, when an exasperated Supreme Court overturned its ``all deliberate speed'' ruling and ordered full desegregation immediately. A few years later, Federal courts began ruling that school segregation based on residential patterns, de facto segregation, should also be remedied as de jure was done by law. Sometimes the way this was done was by busing of students to other schools. In some cases, though, buses filled with black students became magnets for mob violence, especially in South Boston where white residents stoned buses carrying little black children in 1974. Even within seemingly integrated public schools, subtle mechanisms often continued to divide race. Standardized tests, for example, are thought by many educators to be culturally biased in favor of white middle-class students. Yet groupings by ability or tracking was often based on that such test or on sometimes faculty teachers' expectations. In addition, so-called white flight became a pattern in urban centers as white students left suburban areas and went to private schools. So as we are here, we fight for integration even in my State of New Jersey where a thorough and efficient education was granted by everyone. Our governor, Jim McGreevey, is attempting to turn the clock back to ask the courts to relieve the State from the thorough and efficient education, and we will fight to see that that law is not overturned.