Donald Payne

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, at the close of the 103d Congress, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus paused to salute the much celebrated Nobel Prize winner in literature, novelist Toni Morrison. Our colleague Carol Moseley-Braun preserved for posterity a fitting tribute to the life work and literary excellence of the Nation's most recent winner. As Howard University brings together on Friday, March 3, hundreds who gather to celebrate the extraordinary legacy of Toni Morrison; the members of the Congressional Black Caucus return to the words so eloquently spoken of her by Senator Moseley- Braun. Ms. Morrison is the first American woman to win this signal honor in 55 years, the third American over a period of more than two decades, and the only African-American ever. As an element of this historic backdrop, it is noted that the Nobel Committee of the Swedish Academy has selected only two other African-American Laureates since the inception of this momentous ceremony--Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and U.S. Ambassador Ralph Bunche--who both were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Of the numerous tributes which followed the announcement of 1994's prize for literature, the most animated have been those of her peers. In the words of contemporary novelist Alice Walker: ``No one writes more beautifully than Toni Morrison. She has consistently explored issues of true complexity and terror and love in lives of African- Americans.'' Indeed the Nobel Committee's announcement stated that ``Ms. Morrison gives life to an essential aspect of American reality'' in novels ``characterized by visionary force and poetic import.'' Calling her ``a literary artist of the first rank'' the Academy's statement went further to say that ``She delves into the language itself, a language she wants to liberate from the fetters of race. And she addresses us with luster of poetry.'' A Princeton University professor, Morrison is the author of ``Song of Solomon'' winner of the National Book Critics Award, the Pulitzer Award winning ``Beloved'' published in 1987, the critically acclaimed 1992 work entitled ``Jazz,'' along with other lyrically narrated novels on African-American life. The 1993-94 Nobel Laureate in Literature was born Chloe Anthony Wofford in Lorraine, OH, shortly after the onset of the Great Depression--the second of four children of sharecroppers and granddaughter of an Alabama slave. Reared in a low-income, integrated neighborhood, Morrison drew from this experience and the nurturing of her parents and inherited a gifted legacy and sense of history which permeates her works. Ms. Morrison, not surprisingly, learned to read at an early age and was the only child in her class to enter first grade with that skill. She would later earn a bachelor's degree in English from Howard University in Washington, DC, and a master's degree in English from Cornell University. Her academic career would touch both historically black colleges and universities including Texas Southern University in Houston, and Howard University, as well as New York State University campuses at Albany and Purchase, NY, and as a prolific essayist and playwright. Toni Morrison, through her creative genius and vision has shown us how our culture teaches us and how our past can influence our future. She gives us the promise of good things to those who are true to their cultural ancestry. As the chairman and on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus, I join in this salute to her literary excellence and inspiration. The tribute that is made by the establishment of an endowed chair and professorship in the name of her mentor and the gifted writer and author, Sterling Allen Brown, is an appropriate gift to the African- American community and our Nation as a whole. Toni Morrison is indeed Howard's, the continent of Africa and Black America's native daughter. For, Mr. Speaker, in ways that few others have, Toni Morrison gives us inspiration to prevail in times where there is only the beauty and integrity of our language, our spirit, and our history to sustain us.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, let me continue on as we talk about Frederick Douglass. As I had mentioned earlier, Frederick Douglass, a person who was educated, who was taught how to read early in life by his slaveowner's wife, who once he found out what was going on, stopped it, but Frederick Douglass ran away. He became a runaway slave, and his record, as you know, speaking out for women, speaking out for abolitionists and so forth, was really a tremendous record. Mr. Speaker, let me just say that Frederick Douglass also had John Brown spend a month with him before John Brown had the raid on Harper's Ferry, and tried to convince him that he was not sure that that was the right way to go. As we know, there was that whole incident of John Brown, and later Denmark Veasy, who attempted to free slaves in South Carolina. As a matter of fact, there was a commerce clause that today is the basis of interstate commerce, which was denied by the Supreme Court. They would not take up the fact that there should be interstate commerce controlled by the Federal Government because slaves were a part of the interstate commerce, and the courts did not want to rule on whether slavery should be, then, a national problem, and left it to the States. When we look at some of the things that happened, it is so important that we recall our history and what impact it has had on this Government. Let me just say, the first Black History celebration was on August 25 in 1893, when Frederick Douglass, at a World's Fair celebrating 400 years of the founding of this country, had colored Americans there, so the real first observance, as I mentioned before, happened to be in 1893. Actually, in 1895 a woman by the name of Josephine Bruce put forth the proposal before the organization of the National Council of Colored Women's Clubs, which later became the National Council of Negro Women, and she put a formal proposal before her organization to say, ``Let's have Negro history week.'' Interestingly enough, it was defeated. Then, of course, we do know that in 1926, Carter G. Woodson moved forward, and we have this whole question of African-American History Month today. I just want to mention very quickly in the remaining minutes that I have that African-Americans have been participants in our history from the beginning. We have had approximately 5,000 African-Americans fight in the Revolutionary War, but it was not until the British invited all blacks to join its forces, promising freedom as a reward, that then George Washington decided to allow blacks to fight for the colonial people. It was, as we know, in 1770 when Crispus Attucks was killed, but at the battle of Bunker Hill there were two blacks who were outstanding in that battle. Peter Salem was one, and Salem Poor. Peter Salem was the one who fired the shot that killed Major Pitcairn, who led the Boston massacre on March 5, in 1770, when Crispus Attucks and four other Americans fell. I would just like to say in conclusion the fact that at the battle of Savannah in the Civil War, it was a group of troops from Haiti that fought so valiantly at that battle, and it really reversed the history of this country, because, as you know, the Haitian army back in the late 1700's defeated the British and the French. Napoleon then had to sell the Louisiana Purchase to the United States of America at 15 cents an acre, which gave the land west of the Mississippi to the United States Government, which therefore relieved the French's threat on the United States Government, because France and the United States were still battling each other. When we look at our history, we can thank the Haitian military for eventually causing the French to have to sell all that territory. Let me conclude by saying there are some heroes today. We have seen Ron Brown, who has brought more trade to this United States of America, $40 billion from China, $7 billion recently from India, an outstanding person, but under attack. We see a Dr. Foster, a hero of today, who should be appointed. We see a Lannie Guinier, who should have had an opportunity, but it was taken away before she could do what she could have done positively for this country. We see Joycelyn Elders, today an outspoken person who was doing the job well, but was brought down from her position, and Mike Espy. As we talk about heroes of the past, I would like to say that we must continue to support those outstanding Americans today, the Ron Browns, that are making this Nation a better place for all of us.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, thank you very much for giving us this opportunity to speak this evening. I would like to thank my colleagues who are here for taking time in their busy schedule to join us, join us in this special order. First of all, let me acknowledge the true sponsor of the special orders during Black History Month, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes], from Cleveland. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Stokes] for a number of years has taken time out in special orders, and although he is currently in committee where he is conducting some very important business, he will be here at the first opportunity that he gets. As you know, the Stokes family really rewrote history in the middle 1960's when Carl Stokes became the first African-American to become elected to a major city, and it sort of set the trend and the tone through the 1960's, and up to the current time where we have close to 9,000 African-American elected officials. But it was Carl Stokes, led by Louis Stokes, who was able to finally break through and to be a real hero. He is currently serving as United States Ambassador, and we are very pleased at his great achievement, a judge recently also. Committee on Appropriations, has done such an outstanding job there on that very important task. The 1995 National Black History Month theme is ``Reflections of 1895, Douglass, Du Bois, and Washington.'' This really marks a milestone in the struggle of black Americans. It calls us to pause and remember the dreams and visions of these three men as well as thousands of other African-Americans, men and women, who championed the cause for freedom through vigilance and aggressive action. I would like to take a few minutes to honor an individual out of these three that I will talk about for a few moments. Frederick Douglass is one of the three that we are reflecting on and others in our history, but Frederick Douglass was an accomplished author, he was a journalist, he was a statesman, he was an orator, he was a publisher, he was a Presidential adviser, he was fluent in many languages, he was an abolitionist, he was an activist for women's rights, he was an internationally celebrated leader. Born into slavery, he was self-educated. Frederick Douglass was being taught by his slaveowner's wife, Mrs. Old, who had a young son and taught both Frederick Douglass and the young son to read at the same time. When the slavemaster heard what was occurring, he demanded that his wife stop teaching Frederick Douglass how to read and said that a slave is no good if he is educated. Frederick Douglass though, being creative as an 8- or 9-year-old, found several neighborhood young boys who could read. They were not African-American youngsters. They were poor youngsters, but he was able to strike a deal with them that he would give them food that he would slip out of the house if they would teach him how to read. So Frederick Douglass continued to learn how to read and really moved into being one of the most outstanding men this Nation has ever had. Abraham Lincoln, a contemporary of Douglass, once referred to him as the most meritorious man of the 19th century. Frederick Douglass became a spokesman for the abolitionist movement. He also, in 1848, decided that he would attend the Seneca, NY, conference on women where he was one that pushed women's rights, one of the first men in the Nation to speak out for women's rights. He was in full support of the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments which demanded equal suffrage for women. In 1848, he became the editor and publisher of the North Star, which was a newspaper that was the truth squad of the Nation, and he went out defending the rights of women, defending the rights of the abolitionists who had a forum and a platform. As I sort of conclude on Frederick Douglass, he directed his talents to the abolitionist movement. It was Frederick Douglass who convinced President Lincoln that the abolition of slavery should be a major part of the Civil War. It was not until January 1 of 1863 that the Emancipation Proclamation was given by President Lincoln, and it was at the urging of Frederick Douglass, who insisted the abolition of slavery be a real plank and part of the Civil War. At that time slaves were supporting the Confederacy. They were doing work that made the Confederacy strong, and what happened was that when the Emancipation Proclamation occurred, not only did Frederick Douglass encourage Lincoln to do that, but he encouraged Lincoln to allow freed slaves to fight in the Civil War, and two of Douglass' sons, Louis and Charles, were among the first to enlist in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers. I think that was something that we saw in the movie ``Glory.'' It was Frederick Douglass who told Lincoln and urged him to use these freed slaves, because these slaves then fought for their freedom. There were over 180,000 African-Americans who fought in the Civil War, and at that time, the Civil War was at a stalemate, and it was the infusion of the African-Americans into the Civil War that tipped, totally tipped, the scale towards the North, and in the Navy there were 30 percent of the persons in the Navy at that time in the Civil War that were African-Americans. And so we saw that Frederick Douglass was a real hero. He became a U.S. marshal in 1872. He became the Registrar of Deeds and Mortgages for the District of Columbia in 1881, and the Counsel General to Haiti in 1889. He also said that he was not going to abide by a white-only covenant in housing, and he purchased a home in Cedar Hill here in Anacostia. He was a person who had the first Colored Person's Day, which was held at the 1883 World Columbian Exposition. The World Columbian Exposition was celebrating the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the New World. At that particular meeting that was held on August 25, 1893, over 2,000 people came, mostly African-Americans. That was a time when Frederick Douglass was being interrupted by white hecklers. That is when he finally become annoyed and angry at his tormentors, and he gave the speech. Once again, the old lion roared: Men talk of the Negro problem. There is no Negro problem. The problem is whether American people have loyalty enough, honor enough, patriotism enough to live up to the Constitution. We Negroes love our country. We fought for it. We ask only that we be treated as well as those who fought against it. At that great first African-American Day on August 25, 1893, Paul Lawrence Dunbar was at that meeting, Ida B. Wells was there, James Weldon Johnson was there. Many of the African-American heroes of that time were there. So it is 100 years since his death just 3 days ago, on February 20 of 1895, Frederick Douglass passed away. It is appropriate that we celebrate the centennial of his death because he was a person who had done more for this country, I believe, than any other American. So, as we talk about Douglass, as we talk about the debate between Du Bois and Booker T. Washington, we needed both. It was a great debate as to which way should we go. The majority people made those two great heroes conflict with each other, but we needed both Booker T. Washington, who said you should train and learn and stand in rural areas and have trades and be farmers, and then you will earn your respect. Du Bois, who was tired of lynching, went on the 1909 Niagara convention where the NAACP was founded, and he said, ``We should be scientists, and they could help the rest.'' So we needed both, we needed Washington and we needed Du Bois. We saw in the 1960's the same argument whether it should be Malcolm or Martin. That was a time when both were necessary. Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak this evening. I want to thank my fellow colleagues who have taken time from their busy schedules to join us for this special order. We take pride in the opportunity to highlight our heritage and honor the many African-Americans who have contributed so much to this great Nation. The 1995 National Black History Month theme, ``Reflections of 1895-- Douglass, DuBois, and Washington,'' marks a milestone in the life struggle of Black America. It causes us to pause and remember the dream and visions of these three men, as well as thousands of other African- American men and women who championed the cause for freedom through vigilant and aggressive action. I would like to take a few minutes to honor an individual who was probably the foremost voice in the abolitionist movement of the 19th century. Frederick Douglass was an accomplished author, journalist, statesman, orator, publisher, Presidential adviser, multilingual, activist in women's rights, and an international celebrated leader. W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington had the same inspiring effect on their listeners. These two men had completely different approaches, but the same determination and commitment to solving the same problem-- freedom and better quality of life for African-Americans. Washington was an advocate for industrial education and vocational training for Southern blacks, and founded Tuskegee Institute. He believed that blacks should remain in the rural areas and work the land, rather than migrate to the city. DuBois was displeased with the compromising attitude of Washington and advocated that blacks study many different disciplines. DuBois began to speak out on civil rights for African-Americans through the Niagara Movement, which became the NAACP. What these three great leaders advocated then, still applies today. Many problems continue in our communities, tarnishing the ideal Americans more adversely than the rest of the population. The poverty, drugs, and violence that afflict too many of our communities is threatening our vision of a better world. Throughout this month, we look to the lessons of our past, for solutions of the future. Let us reflect on the accomplishments of DuBois, Washington, and Douglass by rediscovering and celebrating our history so that we can begin a new era of healing and hope. So, as I yield to the gentleman, who I will ask to, temporarily for me as I go back to the committee, handle the proceedings until I or Mr. Louis Stokes returns, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana, Representative Fields.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 831; more specifically, the section of the legislation that deals with the repeal of section 1071 of the Internal Revenue Code, tax assistance for minority broadcasters. The bill represents the beginning of a war waged by the Republican Party against any program that even suggests a hint of minority assistance. Mr. Chairman, I am simply amazed by the level of hypocrisy exhibited by the majority leadership with regard to this particular issue. The Republican leadership claims that the repeal of section 1071 is necessary to offset the expenses created by the 25 percent tax deduction of health insurance costs for self-employed individuals, which is also proposed in H.R. 831. This is totally false. The repeal of 1071 will not raise tax revenues. Most communications transactions, such as AT&T-Lin Broadcasting, Time-Warner, Viacom, and at least a dozen other enormous television transactions have been accomplished on a tax deferred basis. not result in additional tax revenue. Rather, sellers of communications properties will simply employ other tax deferred techniques, such as mergers, stock swaps, and public offerings. If the tax certificate program is killed, minority sales will not occur. They will be restructured and accomplished by only large corporations. Mr. Chairman, I heard someone mention, what about the Hungarians, what about the Romanians, what about the other people? There are 11,303 licenses so far. 300 of these are in the hands of minorities. When the question is asked, where are all these other people, they are in the 11,000 licenses which are held by the majority of people. As we look at this proposed agreement between Viacom and Mr. Frank Washington, it was an opportunity for a minority entrepreneur to become 321 out of the numbers. Mr. Chairman, I urge defeat of H.R. 831.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I would like to comment on command and control. I have the feeling my argument will not change the minds here today, but as someone who what happens there, I would like to provide some information for the historic record of this debate. Since Somalia seems to be the genesis of the command and control issue, it would be helpful to review the events of the tragic loss of the 18 U.S. Army Rangers. It is my understanding that the U.N. Commander in Somalia was Turkish General Bir who was in charge. The operational commander was U.S. General Montgomery, who at the time reported solely to General Bir. The United States combat forces in Somalia were under the command of General Garrison who reported to General Hoar, Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command in Miami. As the Washington Post brought out in their investigative reporting, U.S. General Montgomery assigned to the U.N. command did not encourage the assault on the building were Aideed was thought to be on the day the casualties occurred. The Post reported U.S. unit commanders were saying ``our boys have cabin fever''. They want to get out where the action is. The U.S. Rangers force carried out this assault at the initiative of, and with the approval of the U.S. central command in Miami. In no way should we make the U.N. the scapegoat for this tragic incident that killed 18 of our fine young men. I would also remind Members that a larger number of Pakistani troops gave their lives in previous actions. Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria and Zimbabwe also lost troops in Somalia. But they did not call for withdrawal. I was impressed that at the beginning of the Gulf war when President Bush talked about a new world order in which the strong must protect the weak. Congress also approved similar words. If these words are to have any meaning, then I feel our participation in peacekeeping and peacemaking is a responsibility the U.S. must bear. And, in bearing this responsibility it makes sense to share the burden with other countries through the United Nations. What are we doing here today is to dismantle the peacekeeping capability of the United Nations which has served with distinction for 50 years. Surely, this is not the intention of America. I urge the defeat of H.R. 7.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues, the passing of May Miller Sullivan on February 8 at the age of 96. Today, February 14, 1995, a poetry reading memorial service will be held to celebrate her life and work. May Miller Sullivan was a Washington poet, playwright, and educator whose literary career began in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's. Known professionally as May Miller, she was the last survivor of five children of Kelly Miller, a nationally known author and philosopher who was the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and a professor of sociology at Howard University. Ms. Miller grew up in faculty housing on the Howard University campus in a period when the university was a national gathering place for black artists and intellectuals. It was not unusual for greats like W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington to visit the Miller home. Poet Langston Hughes was among the friends of May Miller. A native Washingtonian and a graduate of Dunbar High School and Howard University, Ms. Miller did postgraduate study in literature at American University and Columbia University. For 20 years she traveled daily to Baltimore to teach English, speech and drama at Frederick Douglass High School. Ms. Miller began writing poetry as a child, often encouraged by her father, for whom the Kelly Miller Junior High School in Washington is named. After graduating first in her class at Howard University, she set out to become a playwright and poet. Ms. Miller wrote with feeling about people and places in and around Washington and about memories and folk tales from her childhood. A self-styled poet, Ms. Miller's work has been published in magazines and in several collections. May Miller Sullivan often remarked, ``If out of a silence I can fill that silence with a word that will conjure up an image, then I have succeeded.'' By all standards, May Miller Sullivan was a huge success. Mr. Speaker, I am sure my colleagues will want to extend their condolences to Ms. Miller's family--Gloria Miller Clark, Kelly Miller III, Suzanne Miller Jefferson, and many other nieces and nephews.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. (Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment offered by my colleagues, Representatives Schiff, Gejdenson, Moran, and Meek to delete the provision in H.R. 5 that establishes the Commission on Unfunded Federal Mandates and would instead require a similar review of unfunded mandates by the existing Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. This bipartisan body was established to ensure coordination between the different levels of government. As a member of the Advisory Commission, I have been impressed with the ability of the 26-member bipartisan panel which includes Members of Congress, members of the executive branch, Governors, and other State, county, and local officials to develop consensus on issues important at every level of government. Mr. Chairman, the Advisory Commission is currently in existence and equipped to carry out the mandate prescribed by H.R. 5. The Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations is uniquely qualified to provide us with the expertise to give technical assistance on unfunded mandates. This agency has garnered an impressive body of research on this issue. The Commission has already completed a comprehensive analysis of the impact of unfunded mandates at every level of government, especially at the localities where the impact of regulatory burden is focused and felt. It does not make sense to expend limited resources to create a new bureaucracy, while we sit up here talking about dismantling a bloated one, when there is already an existing agency currently functioning in the proposed capacity. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this very important measure, because in all the rhetoric of cutting unnecessary government machinery, we have lost sight of the fact that creating a duplicate agency works counter to that objective. perfecting amendment offered by mr. manzullo to the amendment offered by mr. schiff, as modified, as amended

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of Dr. Reynold Burch, a man of enormous generosity and kindness whose contributions to our community will be long remembered. Dr. Burch, known by friends and family as Buster, died Wednesday, January 18, 1995. Dr. Burch practiced medicine in Newark, N.J. in private practice from 1956 to 1981 in gynecology and obstetrics, delivering thousands of babies to two generations of Newark residents. During an era when professional opportunities for African Americans were very limited, young people looked to this extraordinary role model with pride, admiration, and hope. I had the opportunity to know Dr. Burch personally in his capacity as a philanthropist. Along with his wife, Mary, Dr. Burch founded the Leaguers, Inc., a youth development program in Newark. To the young people in our neighborhood, Dr. and Mrs. Burch opened up both their hearts and their home, where the Leaguers regularly held their meetings. The program was directed by Mrs. Burch, a former teacher, who found that the young people in the neighborhood needed more direction and opportunity to expand their horizons and become upwardly mobile. Dr. and Mrs. Burch were truly ahead of their time and made a profound difference in our community. As the program progressed, the Burches planned weekly meetings, provided outings to the theater, museums, legislative sessions, and cultural events for the young people. The Leaguers gave the young people an opportunity to participate in programs we would never otherwise have had the chance to experience and enjoy. In 1949, we attended the swearing-in ceremony for Mayor Ralph A. Villani, mayor of the City of Newark at Newark City Hall. We visited New Jersey State Assemblyman Bowser in his office in the State capital, Trenton, in 1950. In 1951 we visited Philadelphia for a weekend and met with youth from a similar organization in an attempt to expand our experiences. The Leaguers program gave me and many of my contemporaries an opportunity to grow and develop as teenagers. The program helped us make a positive contribution to our community and to society. As the program grew, the organization moved into a school and then finally built a structure at 750 Clinton Ave., Newark, NJ to house the group. Dr. and Mrs. Burch encouraged and assisted us in attaining higher education and molded us into young adults. My interest in improving my community was sparked by my involvement with the Burches. Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues will join me in extending condolences to Dr. Burch's wife, Mary, on the loss of her devoted husband, and to his many friends who will feel his absence deeply. He was a wonderful man who truly set an example of a life well lived.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as a strong supporter of the proposal put forth by President Clinton to increase the minimum wage, I would like to share with my colleagues the findings of a survey in my home State of New Jersey. Despite dire predictions by some of gloom and doom, our New Jersey businesses report that they actually added jobs to their payrolls after the minimum wage was raised in our State. As Governor Christine Todd Whitman acknowledged in an interview following President Clinton's State of the union Address, New Jersey workers could not make ends meet on the national minimum wage of $4.25. Our State of New Jersey has a $5.05 minimum wage. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the fact that our State has led the Nation in providing workers with the decent living wage they deserve. I support extending the increase in the minimum wage to every worker in our Nation. Let me point out that the value of the current Federal minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, has fallen by about 50 cents an hour since 1991. It is about 27 percent lower than it was in 1979. Let us make sure that the economic recovery reaches all Americans, and let us support President Clinton's minimum wage increase.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, the attached paper entitled ``Premier Lien Chan: His Views and Ideals'' was sent to me by Winston L. Yang of Seton Hall University, my alma mater. I feel it is a most impressive paper and would like to share it with my colleagues. Premier Lien Chan: His Views and Ideals (By Winston L. Yang) Lien Chan has served as Premier of the Republic of China (ROC) for almost two years. During the past two years he has made significant contributions to Taiwan's modernization, democratization, and reform. As a determined, formidable leader, Lien Chan meets challenges well. Noteworthy academic accomplishments, broad administrative experience and a pragmatic approach to governance are the foundation of his open-mindedness and tolerance, which are so sorely needed in a democratic and pluralistic society. These traits are vital to the fulfillment of constitutional democracy in the Republic of China. Lien defines his Cabinet as a ``multifaceted government,'' and holds the view that all administrative organs must maintain political neutrality and act in accordance with the law, so that a fair environment for competition among political parties can be ensured and a model of political pluralism upheld within a constitutional framework. As a champion of free-market economics, Lien believes that the market should be the primary force in determining the direction of economic growth. But he also believes the encourage Taiwan's businesses. Government support, he argues, helps entrepreneurs to create wealth and earn profits that can be shared with society. The Premier is committed to improving the welfare of the island's disadvantaged groups, including persons of low- income, the disabled, laborers and farmers, aborigines, and retired servicemen. He has established programs to solve the social problems arising from the widening gap between Taiwan's rich and poor. As a statesman, the scholarly Premier represents the progressive, moderate, reform-minded native forces and exhibits a sense of pragmatism and flexibility so necessary to prudent governance. Idealistic, visionary, and broad- minded, he nevertheless detests empty talk and demands concrete actions and realistic programs. Lien is personally involved in policy-making and major decision-making, but he promotes the democratization of authority. He continues to delegate more powers and responsibilities to his ministers that previous premiers. Inefficiency, factionalism, corruption, selfishness, rejection of criticisms, and bureaucratic snobbery are the very problems he intends to reduce. Rejecting the Government's internal division and confrontation, the democratic-minded Lien stresses the need for coordination, cooperation, and consensus (the three C's). With a strong sense of responsibility, he scorns personal dictatorship in the post of premier, and advocates coordinated team work. As a scholarly statesman, he expects thorough investigations and research to be the foundation of decisions. Fearless of obstacles, setbacks, and difficulties, Lien accepts challenges and rejects a defeatist attitude. His primary concern is the prosperous future of the ROC. Idealist yet pragmatic, flexible yet firm on principles, he is strongly attached to the soil of Taiwan. But though profoundly rooted in Taiwan and committed to the ``Taiwanization'' of the island, he is nevertheless deeply concerned with the future of China and the ultimate reunification of Taiwan and the mainland. His forthright leadership style does not hinder his consideration or acceptance of different views and ideas that will enhance the lives of the Taiwan people. A champion of reform, democratization, Taiwanization, and native rule, Lien Chan represents a new generation of moderate, dedicated, pragmatic, well-educated, highly- experienced, and internationally-minded native leaders in the dawn of a new era. He is the very kind of leader who will be able to lead Taiwan through its very difficult transition to a highly developed, thoroughly modernized, and fully democratized society--indeed, this is Lien's historic task and chosen mission.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday members of the Congressional Black Caucus took a stand against allowing a symbol of segregation and racial division to be honored in the House of Representatives. I refer to the decision which was made earlier by Members of the new majority party to replace the portrait of Claude Pepper, a great humanitarian and champion of civil rights and older Americans, with a painting of a renowned segregationist and outspoken defender of slavery, former Representative Howard W. Smith. I commend Representative Lewis of Georgia for speaking out on this issue, and let me also point out that the new chairman of the Rules Committee, our colleague Gerald Solomon of New York, to his credit, heard our grievance and agreed to remove the portrait. We appreciate his response, but I am disturbed by what appears to be a pattern of turning back the clock on the progress in racial relations. This incident comes on the heels of the controversy over the hiring of the House Historian, Christine Jeffrey, who insisted that schoolchildren must be fair to the Ku Klux Klan, a secret society who appears in white sheets and who have terrorized African-Americans, Jews, Roman Catholics, and others they find unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, I hope these incidents are just the result of errors made in haste during the rush of the first 100 days, and not a more sinister campaign to return to the ugliness of the past.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment offered by my colleague, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Owens]. Mr. Owens, who shepherded the ADA legislation and the IDEA legislation last year, did a commendable job in attempting to preserve the rights of people who are handicapped. I heard one of the colleagues on the other side say it was a heavy burden on our poor States and our local government. It was a heavy burden on our transportation companies that they had to make way for people with a handicap to have their civil rights so that they could go to work, to be productive citizens, so that they could live a quality of life that we who are fortunate enough to be unencumbered with a handicap have. I think that it is relatively callous when we look at the burden that is imposed because we are attempting to make the quality of life more livable for other individuals. These amendments are essential to many individuals in this nation who suffer from disabilities. Individuals with disabilities experience more problems with retaining employment. They have more problems and more expense and fewer resources, in many instances, when they attempt to get to their places of employment than most Americans have. Many of the 49 million Americans with disabilities are dependent on Medicaid for their basic health care. If this unfunded mandates legislation is passed without these amendments, and we also have entitlement caps, then the list of mandated health services in the current Medicaid Program would have to be cut in relation to the decreasing amount of funds in State governments. Moreover, Mr. Chairman, if these services are cut, parents of children with disabilities will not be able to gain access to needed services which enable them to keep their children at home. Instead, these parents will be forced to place their children in institutions, institutional settings, thereby promoting more dependency rather than independent living. Mr. Chairman, I though one of the contract's provisions was to make people more independent, to make them more self-reliant, but by some of these moves, we will make people more interdependent on the system, not more independent. Mr. Chairman, last year we made a concerted effort to pass health care legislation that might have made these amendments unnecessary, as the gentleman from New York [Mr. Owens] mentioned. However, since we could not accomplish this effort, it is now more important than ever before that we support these amendments, so that we do not take away what little access to health care individuals with disabilities currently have.

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus, I rise in strong opposition to the provision in the rules package which will eliminate all legislative service organizations. Let's be honest--this attack on the caucuses and their right to exist is not motivated by any desire for reform. It will not save the public money. This change has one purpose, and one purpose only--to silence the voices of those who dare to question the status quo in this supposedly new and ``open'' House of Representatives. The elimination of the caucuses is an attempt to cut off the flow of information and ideas that the party now in power finds threatening. Despite their public lip service to bipartisanship, the Republicans showed true colors behind closed doors. Let me quote from the document they distributed in the Republican conference. They said it was important to cut out the caucuses because, and I quote, ``Eliminating the Legislative Service Organizations severely damages the power structure of the House Democrats.'' Is this bipartisanship? The Congressional Black Caucus and the other legislative service organizations have been run in an efficient, responsible manner. Members with similar concerns have been able to pool our resources to accomplish important goals in behalf of our constituencies. As all Members well know, the expenditures of legislative service organizations are carefully monitored by the House Finance Office. To ensure strict accountability, the General Accounting Office conducts audits of the legislative service organizations. So, again, this is not about reform. It is a blatant move to put a gag on minorities and others who may differ in opinion from the new majority party. But let me say this--you will not succeed in silencing us. We have been through many struggles throughout the course of history, but we have never been silenced. Regardless of the outcome of this vote, the Congressional Black Caucus will continue to meet, to fight injustices, and to speak out passionately in behalf of those who have no power, who have no voice. We will continue to be the conscience of the Congress. Again, Mr. Speaker, I regret this move by the new majority to obstruct the work of the Congressional Black Caucus and other organizations under the guise of ``reform.'' I hope that all fair- minded people will see through this sham.