Charlie Rangel

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to add my voice to the many urging New York State--and the country, at large--to reform its sentencing. The New York Times editorial, ``Rational Sentencing,'' published October 25, 2007, takes up that challenge, forcefully arguing that draconian measures enacted over 30 years ago have done nothing to curb drug use. They have, however, maintained an inflated prison population, hamstrung the discretions of judges, and burdened the state with exorbitant cost. A failed system demands creative solutions--and it demands that they come speedily. It is incumbent upon the state to empower judges and end indeterminate sentencing that allows them to set minimums and maximums but little else. It should deal with nonviolent offenders in a sensible, compassionate manner, offering community-based treatment in lieu of jail time. It should restore prison-based education and training programs, ridding jails of their revolving-door culture and arming inmates with marketable skills. It should create a permanent and independent sentencing commission tasked with advising legislators, so that we may never again devolve into an unfair system. After decades fraught with injustice, smart and widespread reform is long overdue.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, at this time I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois, an outstanding member of the Ways and Means Committee, Mr. Rahm Emanuel.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 3 minutes. (Mr. RANGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker and my colleagues, now that the dust has settled and the parliamentary games have been played and some of the facts that have been distorted have been corrected, we reach the point that at the end of the line the question is going to be: Did you vote for health care for 10 million children and did you vote to support the $35 billion that is necessary to do it? I don't think that any of the families of the children or the Governors or the agencies that are just waiting to see what is going to happen are very interested in the distortions continuing. It is going to be very, very simple. Which way do you vote, and if you did not vote for the bill, why didn't you? Now there may be some particular loyalty to the President, but you have to remember that when these voters and people come to you, the President's veto message will not be stapled to you and you will have to, on your own, be able to explain why you thought what he said was true. That's why we rely heavily on some of the President's strongest supporters, Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Chuck Grassley, because as a Democrat, I am kind of used to Republicans beating up on me, but I am not used to them beating up on the Republican leaders in the Senate such as Orrin Hatch and Chuck Grassley. This is particularly so since the Senate has assumed so much responsibility in putting together this bill which neither you nor I like, but what the heck, we have to play the hand that is dealt. So remember that just by attacking personalities, it may be like getting into a firing squad that is in a circle and we find everybody shooting at each other. But really, the winners and losers are going to be those children without health coverage and their families who are struggling hard. And ultimately, these kids are really America. It takes so much to take care of some of the illnesses that could be detected. And as sensitive as the President is to the poor that are smoking and having the tobacco tax increase, tobacco smoking is dangerous for America and for our health system. It is very expensive, and it is a deterrent to children smoking. So when all of this is done, I don't know how many people are going to ask you why did you vote no. But please remember that many of the reasons that are stated today, the truth will be caught up to the allegations and you will have to have a better answer. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, at this time I recognize the chairman of the Health Subcommittee who has worked very hard on the Medicare part and transferred that knowledge to help perfect the SCHIP bill, Chairman Stark, for 2 minutes.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 1 minute to Mr. Lewis, an outstanding member of the committee, the conscience of the House of Representatives from the sovereign State of Georgia.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the erection of a monument in Savannah, Georgia honoring the more than 500 Haitian soldiers who fought there during the Revolutionary War, and to introduce the accompanying New York CARIB News article, ``Haitians in U.S. Revolution Get Monument,'' published on Oct. 16, 2007. This monument serves as a bronze testament to the oft-forgotten contributions Haitians made in that war. Around 150 people attended the unveiling of the monument, which depicts four soldiers from that 545-man unit. Theirs was the largest unit in that Savannah battle and believed to be the largest grouping of black soldiers in the war. Soon after returning home, those Haitian veterans channeled that same spirit of rebellion to gain independence from the French in 1804. In tribute to that integral thread in our American history, and in memory of their sacrifices to the cause of liberty, I submit news of this important symbol into the Record. Haitians in U.S. Revolution Get Monument Savannah, Ga.--After 228 years as largely unsung contributors to American independence, Haitian soldiers who fought in the Revolution War's bloody siege of Savannah had a monument dedicated in their honor last Monday. About 150 people, many of them Haitian-Americans who came to Savannah for the event, gathered in Franklin Square where life-size bronze statues of four soldiers now stand atop a granite pillar 6 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter. This is a testimony to tell people we Haitians didn't come from the boat, said Daniel Fils-Aime, chairman of the Miami- based Haitian American Historical Society. We were here in 1779 to help America win independence. That recognition is overdue. In October 1779, a force of more than 500 Haitian free Blacks joined American colonists and French troops in an unsuccessful push to drive the British from Savannah in coastal Georgia. More than 300 allied soldiers were gunned down charging British fortifications Oct. 9, making the siege the second- most lopsided British victory of the war after Bunker Hill. Though not well known in the U.S., Haiti's role in the American Revolution is a point of national pride for Haitians. After returning home from the war, Haitian veterans soon led their own rebellion that won Haiti's independence from France in 1804. Fils-Aime's group has spent the past seven years lobbying Savannah leaders to support the monument, which the city approved in 2005, and raising more than $400,000 in private donations to pay for it. Fils-Aime said the historical society still needs $250,000 more to finish two additional soldier statues. As it stands now, the monument features life-size bronze statues of four soldiers and standing atop a granite pillar 6 feet tall and 16 feet in diameter. The fourth statue, a drummer boy, depicts a young Henri Christophe, who served in Savannah as an adolescent and went to become Haiti's first president--and ultimately king--after it won independence. Records show that 545 Haitian soldiers sailed to Savannah in 1779, making them the largest military unit of the Savannah battle. The Haitians are also believed to have been the largest black unit to serve in the American Revolution. This is a testimony to tell people we Haitians didn't come from the boat, said Daniel Fils-Aime, chairman of the Miami- based Haitian American Historical Society, one of the many Haitian Americans who came to Savannah for the dedication. We were here in 1779 to help American win independence. That recognition is overdue.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration of a dear friend's life, that of Roger Lee Gore--a man of limitless smiles, generous laughter, and amiable spirit. He toiled in the New York hospitality business for years, serving a 30-year stint as waiter, maitre d', and banquet captain for Hilton Hotel. An ardent voice in his community, he remained a lifelong member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and contributed his time and talents to the Civil Rights Movement. A lover of people with an effortless sunny disposition, he asked that no tears be shed over his blessed life. Roger was born on August 30, 1944 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to the late Harold Gore and Sadie Gore Graham. Nicknamed ``Ducky,'' he was an early-age churchgoer and hard worker, moonlighting as a caddy and waiter to financially help out the family. In high school, he participated in team football, basketball, and glee club, earning his diploma in 1963. He travelled the country after school, but settled in New York by the late 1960s as a waiter and bartender at Henry Stampler's Steakhouse. He was a union man, a member of Local Six, Unite, and HERE Hotel unions and chairman of the Elections and Objection Committee. In 1993, he married Lena McPhatter, who later passed in 1998. He then married Noveria Epps in March of 2007. Roger passed away September 30, 2007 and was memorialized in his funeral held October 19, 2007. Today, we are moved, stirred, sobered by this loss, but we are more so grateful and joyful by the legacy he's left behind.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor and enthusiasm that I rise to congratulate Mount Calvary Baptist Church as they join together in celebration of their 90th Anniversary. They will be celebrating his very momentous and joyous occasion with a banquet held on October 20th, 2007. The Mount Calvary has a very rich history that has given it life and longevity for the past 90 years. It all began in the late summer of 1916. Mr. Sterling Grayson Jr. along with two other colleagues, Reverend William Lilly and Reverend Young, sat among each other and through conversation, the idea was born in the mind of Mr. Grayson to plan and organize a Missionary Baptist Church. In September of that year, at Thomas Chapel, located at 91 West 134th Street, the idea of the three men came to fruition. Mr. Sterling Grayson, Jr., who at the time was a college student, turned over the officiating of the church to his father, Reverend Sterling Grayson, Sr. Through names submitted by the new church congregation and pastor, Reverend Grayson Sr.'s submission of Mount Calvary Baptist Church is chosen and he becomes known as the author of the official name of the church on September 27th, 1917. Mount Calvary continues to flourish at its new location of 231 West 142nd Street in my district. From its modest beginning, Mount Calvary Baptist Church has emerged as a cornerstone of the community. Under the guidance of Reverend Dr. Adolph Roberts, Jr., Mount Calvary continues to thrive, both in terms of spiritual growth as well as practical improvements. The proud members of the church are thankful for the spiritual and emotional leadership he and the previous pastors have provided during the years. Reverend Dr. Adolph Roberts, Jr. was installed as pastor of the church in April of 1983. Though he is dedicated to his congregants, he has never limited his time and love for his family. Reverend Dr. Adolph Roberts, Jr. and his wife of 43 years, Victoria, have one son, Anthony and three grandchildren, He is a scholar and a veteran of the Korean War, where he served with the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division. The 90th Anniversary Worship Service and Celebration Week began on Monday, October 15th, 2007, with the Friendship Baptist Church Family and Pastor James A. Kilgore. On Saturday, October 20th, 2007, there will be an evening of love and appreciation at the Alhambra Ballroom Banquet in my district where Reverend Dr. James Forbes will be the guest speaker. The celebration banquet will include with church services on Sunday, October 21, 2007, with the Mount Calvary Baptist Church Family of Savannah, Georgia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me in honoring and congratulating Mount Calvary Baptist Church on their historic 90th Anniversary. Their constant dedication, commitment, and spiritual guidance is worthy of the highest commendation.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise to ask my colleagues to take this time to remember the life of Eileen Marie Sweeney. Eileen Sweeney, a woman whose life, to a remarkable degree, embodied the reverie of the American dream, was a great woman of distinction which reflected her grand Irish heritage. Born on October 5, 1934, Eileen Sweeney was a long-time community activist who devoted many years to the betterment of Washington Heights and Inwood, For many years, she worked for New York State Assembly Members Edward H. Lehner and Herman D, Farrell, Jr., where she was diligent in resolving constituent issues. While in her office or out in the community, any project she took on merited her full and undivided attention. Eileen contributed her time and talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always given of herself unstintingly. One of countless examples was her membership to Community Board 12 of Manhattan, where she served as a fierce housing and tenant advocate and protector of her beloved community. In 1976, she was called upon to serve as a Democratic District Leader for the 71st New York State Assembly District and also as a Delegate of the Democratic National Convention in which nominated then Presidential Candidate, President Jimmy Carter. As she passed away on January 31, 2006, such a benevolent amalgamation of intellect, steadfastness, and vigor as that demonstrated by Eileen Sweeney over a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication to others, will greatly be missed. This past weekend, on October 20th, 2007, Eileen was memorialized by those that loved and cherished her with the renaming of the Northwest comer of West 207th Street and Broadway in my district. It is our hope that this act will help preserve the memory of this remarkable woman, not only for the benefit of those who knew her but for all who value the promise of America.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to ask my colleagues to take a moment to honor one of my local institutions, Linkage House Home for the Elderly, for 10 years of outstanding service. Linkage House is the result of a shared vision of four local East Harlem organizations: the Greater Emmanuel Baptist Church, Union Settlement Association, the Community Association of East Harlem Triangle, and Mount Sinai Medical Center. That vision recognized that the ability to stay in one's home--or ``aging in place''--is the overwhelming choice of many older Americans. However, to do so, these venerable residents need assistance from informal support systems, access to formal health services & social services, and meaningful, productive roles integrated within an affordable living environment. Opening in May 1997 at 309 East 118th Street, the institution was the result of nine years of planning and organizing by a number a people. Under the leadership of Dr. Robert Butler and Dr. Gary Rosenberg, funds and technical assistance were found to design and implement the project. Union Settlement, under the leadership at that time of Eugene Sklar, provided invaluable experience in designing and implementing services for older people living in the community. Community activist Petra Allende, Union Settlement Association's Sally Yarmolinksy and Mount Sinai's Glenn Williams--all of them members of the original Linkage House Board and who have unfortunately since passed away--were also vital to making this project a reality. Today, Linkage House stands as a testament to hard work and commitment of all these men and women. It encourages socialization and shared activities, providing a cross section of comprehensive and integrated services that include an on-site full time social work services coordinator, resident- developed shared living spaces and an on-site physical exercise room that offers aerobics, Tai Chi, and walkings programs. Linkage House is also a laboratory for learning. It is the site for Union Settlement's GED classes, a social work student internship site, and a community based education site for federally funded Geriatric Education Center (GEC) that trains community providers of service to older adults. The ``Meet the Doctor'' program provides interaction between physicians who are Geriatric Fellows, Internal Medicine residents, and older adults. Medical student studies and surveys of the use of complementary and alternative medicine by older adults are also conducted here. That is why I am more than happy to congratulate Linkage House Home for the Elderly on their 10th Anniversary. Their tireless commitment and resilient efforts on behalf of our senior citizens is a model that we can all follow not just in East Harlem, but around the nation.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 2 minutes. After my 2 minutes, I ask unanimous consent to turn the remaining time to Chairman Stark to be able to yield to other people as he sees fit.

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, let me stand in a sense of bipartisanship, especially to my Republican friends, and remind you that come the next election, President Bush is going to be there at his ranch in Texas, and he will not be with you at the polls. I say that because by that time the truth will have caught up with the message that the President is giving and most of you are using to sustain the President's veto. Let me get to the one that I'm most familiar with, this $83,000 ability of people to enjoy SCHIP. No one is more familiar with this than I am. It was the great State of New York that exercised its request for a waiver to ask the President of the United States whether or not a family of four would be allowed to buy in, even though they were making $83,000. And guess what, under existing law, not new law, the President of the United States says, hell, no, you can't do it. So we've got to emphasize over and over again, you could ask for it for $1 million because it's not an entitlement, it's a block grant, and the Governors can ask for anything they want over 200 percent over poverty, and the President, Republican or Democrat or whoever she might be, will be able to say, no, you're not going to be able to do it. So knock that out. And for all of the people that are upset with immigrants, legal or illegal, we're just going to put in big letters so that by the time November gets here that in the bill that the President has vetoed it says no illegal alien can receive the benefits of the bill. And since you're so against adults receiving benefits, the bill is eliminating adults. So if you can't be with us today, try to think of yourself in November, and maybe we can work out something.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in favor of the harmonization of the Caribbean economy, and in that spirit, introduce the article, ``Jamaicans To New Government In Kingston: Do Not Change Regional Course On Caribbean Single Market, It's Vital.'' The article--written by Tony Best and published in New York CARIB News on Sept. 19, 2007-- highlights the optimism of Jamaicans in the Diaspora that the island nation's new government will keep pace with the area's push towards economic integration. The ambitious move promises to augment the production and trade of goods and services, engender products of better quality and prices, bolster the service sectors of transportation and communication, and elevate standards of living. The article conjectures that the integration of the Caribbean's air transportation may already be top priority, as the area's tourism nears consolidation. [From the New York CARIB News, Sept. 19, 2007] Jamaicans to New Government in Kingston: Do Not Change Regional Course on Caribbean Single Market, It's Vital (By Tony Best) Keep Jamaica on course with the rest of the Caribbean as the island-nations and coastal states move forward with the plan for economic integration. That appeal to the new administration in Kingston led by Prime Minister Bruce Golding has come from Jamaicans in New York who believe it would be a mistake for the Jamaica Labor Party Administration to show a lack of enthusiasm for Jamaica's vital role in the efforts designed to launch the Single Market and Economy. It was a course set for Jamaica by successive Governments formed by the People's National Party led by Michael Manley, P.J. Patterson and more recently Portia Simpson-Miller and it should be embraced by the Jamaica Labor Party's administration. At the same time, Jamaicans are urging the new Prime Minister and his cabinet to continue working closely with the Jamaican Diaspora in North America and elsewhere so that the country would continue to reap maximum benefits from the human, financial, cultural and other resources if nationals living and working abroad. ``Historically, the JLP was never a very warm supporter of Caribbean unity, Caricom if you will, and this goes back to the time of the West Indies Federation,'' the Rev. Patrick Perrin, Pastor of Hanson Place Central United Methodist Church in downtown Brooklyn told the New York Carib News. ``But when I begin to look at the new persons on the scene within the JLP government, many of the new leaders that they have, I believe I don't have to have that fear,'' added Pastor Perrin. ``I think the new blood, they are probably more broad-minded. The economists, political scientists and others who have gone through the University of the West Indies, which is an integrative kind of force and studied and worked with persons in the other territories, would have this broad view. They would have a feeling of the Caribbean, as distinct from the narrow, nationalistic, isolationist type of policy.'' ``I believe the new leadership would probably be more open to an integrated Caribbean,'' he added. ``We can expect a display of courage from the new Prime Minister, looking at the way he dealt with his own party by not being afraid to leave when he couldn't agree with certain things. That's a good sign if strong leadership that bodes well for Jamaica.'' For instance, the Methodist Minister believes the new government place the question of integration of air transportation high on its list of priorities. ``It should be a part of the general integrative package because Caribbean tourism is becoming more and more integrated,'' he said. ``We have to take a broad look at some of the institutions that we have and decide what's best for our interest. What I do know is the Caribbean needs an integrated Caribbean airline. It should consider putting all of the airlines together and make it work, that would be the road to take. We need to look at how we integrate air travel in the entire Caribbean.'' The Methodist Minister, head of the Hanson Place church for the past decade, also said Jamaicans abroad were ready and eager to work with the new administration in much the same that they had linked arms with the PNO Government for the good of their birthplace. ``Jamaicans in the Diaspora are interested in the welfare of their country, regardless if the political party that formed the government and the new government must continue to harness that nationalism and interest,'' Perrin insisted. Hyacinth Spence, a Jamaican community activist who is also President of the New York chapter of the Mico Old Students Association said that any lukewarm attitude to Caribbean integration that Golding and the JLP displayed in recent years when they were in the opposition was unlikely to become government policy towards the rest of the Caribbean. ``He has to improve with his relations with the rest of the Caribbean,'' Spence said of Golding. ``You can't be a separatist. You can't separate Jamaica from the rest of the Caribbean because Jamaica plays an important part in regional affairs and development. So, if before he had lukewarm feelings while in the opposition, Golding would have to change them, based on the negotiations, the discussions, the meetings in which they have to come to table and participate'' as the government of Jamaica. In essence, she insisted, when in the opposition politicians say things to motivate followers and criticize Governments but once in power reality sets in. ``You have to keep the country in line with good relations, progressive relations, encourage development because you have to build, cement relations and make things better,'' she added. Turning to the Diaspora, Spence expects Jamaicans to continue support for their country regardless of the party in office. ``We in the Diaspora have to make a determined effort to continue to support Jamaica in all the ways we can,'' was the way she put it. ``It doesn't matter which party is in power.'' Wellington Sharpe, an educator and politician in Brooklyn agreed. ``We must give the government a chance to see what they are going to do,'' he said. ``We must continue to support our country. When a person in the opposition, and I have seen it over and over, their positions are different from when they have to make decisions as a government. It becomes a different thing when they have to make decisions on things that affect an entire country. Mr. Golding's statements may have seemed lukewarm to regional integration but my hope is that it was simply an opposition stand and not a true philosophy in terms of leadership.'' That's why he is taking a wait-and-see attitude when it comes to Jamaica's approach to the rest of the Caribbean and the CSME. ``When the decisions have to be made we would see the true Bruce Golding,'' he said.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Patrick M. Manning, whose triumphs were fittingly and deservingly acknowledged by Medgar Evers College on September 26, 2007. The head of government was presented with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, according to a New York CARIB News article published on September 25, 2007, titled ``Medgar Evers College Honors Prime Minister Manning Of T&T.'' Mr. Manning is noted for his fervid defense of democracy in the region and as a generous supporter of his struggling neighbors. A liberal democracy known as a leader among its peers, Trinidad and Tobago is a steadfast member of CARICOM--the regional pact intent on economic integration--and it sits on the recently created Caribbean Court of Justice. But Mr. Manning is well-reputed for striving to bolster his nation's political and economic prowess even further, vowing to surge it to developed-country status by the year 2020. The Prime Minister has kept a keen and perceptive eye on the future, all the while refusing to forsake those peers embattled with a harrowing present. He is to be lauded for possessing the foresight and wherewithal to dream an ambitious destiny for the Caribbean and set it on the path towards getting there. [From The New York CARIB, September 25, 2007] Medgar Evers College Honors Prime Minister Manning of T&T The Hon. Patrick M. Manning, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, will be honored by Medgar Evers College on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 with the conference of a Doctor of Laws degree--Honoris Causa. The ceremony will take place at 10.00 a.m. in the Founders Auditorium. Prime Minister Manning is expected to deliver a major address on the occasion. Prime Minister Manning's statement will address ``The Role of Trinidad and Tobago in Shaping Regional and Global Affairs.'' Trinidad and Tobago, a liberal democracy located in the southern Caribbean, is a political leader in the region. The country is a member of the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM)--a regional organization aimed at the ultimate integration of its member economies--and also the Seat of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)--the recently established regional judicial tribunal. ``Medgar Evers College welcomes Prime Minister Manning in the spirit of ongoing international exchange. His visit is yet another indication that our work here at Medgar is receiving worldwide recognition,'' says Dr. Edison O. Jackson, President of Medgar Evers College. The College has been a venue of choice for several government dignitaries speaking on issues of global import such as Director General of US Commercial Services Israel Hernandez, who spoke on the Bush Administration's Economic and Trade Initiatives. About Prime Minister Manning The Honorable Patrick Manning was elected to his third term of office as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago on October 7, 2002. Born in San Fernando in 1946, Mr. Manning entered politics in 1971, at the tender age of 24, emerging victorious in the general elections as the People's National Movement candidate for the Constituency of San Fernando East. Under two Prime Ministers, young Representative Manning served as Parliamentary Secretary in Ministries ranging from Works and Transport, Industry and Commerce, to Petroleum and Mines. He became a full-fledged Minister in 1981 holding the Industry and Commerce, and Information portfolios, then Energy and National Resources. In 1986, he became the Leader of the Opposition and within two months was elected to the post of Political Leader of the PNM. In 1991 Mr. Manning was elected Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Four years later he returned to opposition after a loss in the general election of 1995. In 2001, after a deadlock in the House of Representatives, Mr. Manning was appointed Prime Minister by President Arthur N.R. Robinson. A general election was then held on October 7, 2002 and Mr. Manning again emerged victorious. He is currently the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance. Prime Minister Manning is well-respected in the international community for his vision as a new-style Caribbean leader dedicated to propelling his nation to developed country status by 2020, while simultaneously contributing to the development of fellow regional states. His accolades include the Guyana Institute for Democracy ``Democracy Prize'' for his outstanding work in upholding the principles of democracy in the Caribbean region (December 2003) and the Caribbean--Central American Action's ``Star of the Caribbean Award,'' for his unwavering support of Caribbean neighbors in their time of distress (December 2004). Mr. Manning attained his primary and secondary education in South Trinidad followed by his B.Sc. Degree (Special Honors) in Geology at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. He is married to the Honorable Senator Hazel Manning, current Minister of Education, and they have two sons--Brian and David.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 2007 Congressional Black Caucus annual legislative conference, the speakers who presented at the forum I hosted on the war, and the reason I selected the war for an issue forum. On September 28, 2007, I hosted a forum to address issues related to the costs, lessons and future of the Iraq war. I was honored to have as my speakers: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Reverend James Forbes, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Eugene Robinson, Senator Jim Webb, and General Anthony Zinni. I thank each of them for taking time to share their views on these important topics. I also wish to thank all of the people who attended the forum and those who watched it live via the Internet. This is the fifth time in a row I held a forum on the war for the annual legislative conference. I decided once again to focus on the war for several reasons. There is a continuous need to explain to the American people why the war has not ceased yet. Americans are utterly confused about the politics as well as the rationale for continuing. Day in and day out Americans hear rhetoric versus solid withdraw plans and solutions. Americans are outraged and tired of the loss of life and other human tragedies associated with fighting the war. The human, financial, spiritual, and loss of reputation cost for our great country is immeasurable. I will continue to express my opposition to the war and work to bring it to an end. The forum speakers were phenomenal and provided their ideas on how America got in the war and how America can get out. Specifically, Dr. Dyson, a professor at Georgetown University, eloquently encouraged the audience to speak out against the war and described the similarities in the Bush's administration response to hurricane Katrina to the handling of the Iraq war. Rev. James Forbes, Jr., founder of the Healing of the Nations Foundation, passionately spoke about the moral failures of the war. Congresswoman Barbara Lee of California, discussed the difficulties she faced in opposing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Eugene Robinson, a Washington Post columnist, discussed the administration's use of fear to build support for the war. Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, emphasized the need for the U.S. to get out of Iraq and addressed issues related to fraud, waste, and abuse. General Zinni, a former commander of U.S. forces, explained the U.S. interests in Iraq and discussed his ideas on how the U.S. can get out of Iraq. I would like to express heartfelt thanks to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation chair, Congressman Kendrick Meek, and the Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, for all their hard work to organize the annual legislative conference, which provides members of the Congressional Black Caucus an opportunity to highlight issues that impact the lives of Americans. The information shared by the speakers was informative and provided another outlet for critics of the war to openly express their views.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the article, ``Heritage Watch: Breaking the Silence,'' written by Howard Dodson and published in Africana Heritage in its Vol. 7, No. 4 periodical. It details the Schomburg Center's efforts--through innovative exhibition and persistent advocacy--to render a history of slavery that grants its subjects active agency. More than mere objects of exploitation, oppression, and victimization, the enslaved population crafted a rich history, wielding the powers of critical thinking and self- actualization to transform language, religion, family, and culture. The center boasts of its unprecedented ``Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery'' exhibition, the first of its kind focused exclusively on the topic of slavery. Showcasing an exhaustive 300 items, travelling versions of the presentation have made their way to 16 countries across the Atlantic and back. Its other ambitious production, ``In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience,'' follows the major migrations of Africa-descendant people. It led the charge for historic preservation of an African burial ground discovered in the recesses of Manhattan, a cemetery to 20,000 Africans from colonial New York. Already both a city and national landmark, a segment of the burial ground was named a national landmark in early 2006. In 2008, the Schomburg will take center stage in commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. A cherished institution nestled in the heart of my district, the Schomburg Center serves an oft-unsung--but necessary--purpose. It strives to keep slavery and the slave trade a fundamental thread in the fabric of this country's heritage, so that the contributions of the enslaved will never fade from the American consciousness. Heritage Watch: Breaking the Silence Prior to the 1960s, the basis of much of the scholarship and the perspectives on slavery available derived from the abolitionist literature and campaign of the 1830s to the 1860s. This body of literature was written or collected to document the horrors of slavery. Its purpose was to show how slavery oppressed, exploited, and victimized the enslaved African population--hence the victim's perspective. A closer, more critical reading of many of the same sources, especially the slave narratives, revealed a much more complex set of relations in slavery and an equally more diverse and complex enslaved African population. Over the next four decades, the scholarship on slavery and the slave trade shifted from the dominant victim's perspective to a more nuanced one in which the enslaved African population became the subjects--active agents in the making of their own history rather than mere victims of oppressive, exploitative, all powerful slavery systems. The results of this approach and the scholarship it produced have been stunning and quite revelatory--becoming the foundation of the Schomburg Center's action strategy to remember America's slavery past and hopefully prevent its ever being forgotten again. Seven years ago, the Schomburg Center celebrated its 75th Anniversary and unveiled an exhibition on the slave trade and slavery. Lest We Forget: The Triumph Over Slavery became the first major exhibition on the subject in the United States. Comprised of more than 300 objects, Lest We Forget documented the origin and development of the slave trade from Africa to the Americas. Reflecting the new scholarship, however, it went a step further. It explored the ways in which critically-thinking, self-actualizing enslaved Africans transformed themselves into new people in the midst of slavery. The new languages, religions, families, and cultures they created were documented and celebrated as well as the forms of resistance and struggle they fashioned. In conjunction with National Geographic Press, the Center published a companion book to the exhibition entitled Jubilee. An online exhibition was also created on the Schomburg's Web site. Early in 2004, the Center entered into an agreement with UNESCO to expand the site and make it one of the centerpieces of the Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition. In its expanded form, the site added more content about slavery and abolition in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lest We Forget, the online exhibition, is now available in four languages. The Center also collaborated with UNESCO to create traveling versions of the original Lest We Forget exhibition. A total of six bilingual exhibitions in 32 framed color panels have been created for distribution throughout the Atlantic World. To date, bilingual versions have appeared in Cameroon, South Africa, Cape Verde, Senegal, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, The Bahamas, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Brazil, Ecuador, Sweden, France, Finland, and Norway. While on tour, it has served as a catalyst for a variety of educational and cultural programs interpreting and/or commemorating the struggle against slavery and its abolition. In February 2005 another exhibition, In Motion: The African-American Migration Experience, focused on documenting the major migrations of people of African descent to, within, and outside of the United States. A remarkable online version, www.inmotionaame.org. includes over 8,000 images and over 16,000 pages of text--narratives, scholarly essays, primary source documents, and curriculum modules. National Geographic Press published a companion book and the Center produced a Black History Month Kit for dissemination to teachers. A traveling version of In Motion opened for a limited time during Black History Month 2006 at Miami's Lyric Theatre. Since the rediscovery of the African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan during construction on a federal office building in 1991, the Schomburg Center has been involved in its historic preservation and interpretation. A Federal Steering Committee, headed by Schomburg Chief Howard Dodson, drafted a report to the United States Congress outlining the ways in which the burial ground should be memorialized. Following the report's recommendations, Howard University's W. Montague Cobb Laboratory conducted scientific study of the 419 remains that were excavated. The African Burial Ground has been designated as both a City and National Landmark and in February 2006, President Bush proclaimed the portion located at Duane and Elk Streets a National Monument. The full five-acre site is believed to be the final resting place of over 20,000 Africans from colonial New York. The 419 excavated ancestral remains were reinterred at the African Burial Ground Memorial site on October 4,2003. As part of the reinterment ceremonies, the Schomburg Center organized a series of commemorative programs in five cities over a three-day period, ending with a vigil, tributes, and special programming in New York City. Since then, annual tributes to the ancestors have taken place, including a Ring Shout ceremony with New York City schoolchildren circling the original burial ground site. The Ring Shout has grown every year--reaching 3,000 participants last year. In April 2005, the U.S. General Services Administration and the National Park Service selected Rodney Leon, of AARRIS Architects, to design the African Burial Ground Memorial. A dedication ceremony as well as celebratory events will take place the weekend of October 5, 2007. The Office of Public Education and Interpretation, located in the lobby of the federal building at 290 Broadway, continues to provide site tours of the commemorative artwork and memorial site, documentary film presentations, and programs for educators. A link documenting the African Burial Ground and the commemorative tribute programs is available on the Schomburg Center's homepage. Keeping with the goal to make New York's African Burial Ground a major heritage tourism destination, the African Burial Ground Monument Foundation was founded by Edward Lewis, Chairman and Founder of Essence Communications, Inc.; Dr. James Forbes, former Senior Minister of Riverside Church; and Howard Dodson, Schomburg Chief. The Foundation aims to raise funds and generate global outreach for the African Burial Ground National Monument. October's Dedication Ceremony will be the Foundation's first task. A second slavery-related project undertaken by the Schomburg Center focused on a New York State legislative initiative, which established a New York State Freedom Trail Commission to document and interpret the state's Underground Railroad history. The Schomburg Center was contracted to research and write the Commission's background document and action agenda. Historic sites, personalities, and events related to slavery in New York have been documented and selected historic properties are being restored. A historic marker program is being planned to identify significant Freedom Trail sites, events, and personalities throughout the state, the ultimate goal of which is to organize educational programs and heritage tourism activities throughout the state. The Center has also drafted a Freedom Trail Curriculum which has been mandated to be incorporated into the State's K-12 curriculum. This year, Great Britain marked its Bicentennial of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade with a series of events and in 2008 the United States will recall its own. To coincide with these two important milestones, the United Nations organized a special month long exhibition of Lest We Forget in March 2007, to observe the International Day for the Commemoration of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade; and the Amistad America's Freedom Schooner Amistad began its yearlong Atlantic Freedom Tour sojourn in June retracing the slave route. As part of its continuous involvement and interpretation of slavery, the Schomburg Center is a member of the planning committee for the 2008 U.S. commemoration. The Schomburg Center has continued to build its collections of primary and secondary source materials on slavery, the slave trade, and the African Diaspora. Slavery-related topics have been a regular part of the Center's annual program agenda. Finally, the Center and these initiatives have been catalysts for additional programs by other organizations. Americans in general and African Americans in particular are still wary of remembering slavery and the slave trade as a fundamental part of America's national heritage. But the contributions of those who were enslaved to building this country should not be forgotten. The educational content of the initiatives described herein have contributed in meaningful ways to opening dialogues on these subjects. While there is still a lot of work to be done, the strategies for action described herein have worked and are working to break the silence.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to a pioneering entrepreneur, a natural-born salesman, a trailblazer in the African- American and business communities, and a dear friend, the late Richard Daniel Gidron. Dick Gidron overcame the many obstacles to success that faced Black entrepreneurs of his generation to become a successful car dealer who opened doors of opportunity for the current generation of successful Black businessmen. A man of firsts, Mr. Gidron rose from car jockey at a Cadillac dealership in his native Chicago to become the company's first Black salesman, and later, the second African-American Cadillac dealer nationwide and the first in New York. In honor of that stellar legacy, I want to recognize his achievements on the floor of the House so that his contributions can be appreciated. I introduce for the information of my colleagues his New York Times obituary, ``Richard D. Gidron Is Dead at 68; Ran an Empire of Car Dealerships,'' published October 15, 2007, and written by Robert D. McFadden. Mr. Gidron was head of a dealership empire that spanned three companies--Cadillac, Oldsmobile, and Ford--and four regions--Bronx, Yonkers, Mt. Kisco, and Mahopac--that became quite a successful enterprise. He boasted impressive numbers, eclipsing $45 million in annual sales by 1980 to become one of the Nation's top 10 Cadillac dealers. The one-time president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Bronx County Democratic Committee, Mr. Gidron maintained a slew of friends representing the fields of politics, sports, and entertainment. At a time when African Americans found themselves seldom represented in the upper echelons of the entrepreneurial world, Mr. Gidron successfully led a franchise that served as the very symbol of wealth, stardom, celebrity, and power. We should remember and praise him for the pathway he blazed for the successful Black entrepreneurs of today. Richard D. Gidron Is Dead at 68; Ran an Empire of Car Dealerships Richard D. Gidron, a politically savvy Bronx businessman who became one of America's earliest and most successful black owners of a Cadillac dealership before falling on hard times and going to prison for a year for fraud and tax evasion, died Thursday at a New York hospital. He was 68 and lived in Scarsdale. Mr. Gidron died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said his son, Richard Jr., who declined to disclose the cause of death. For three decades, Dick Gidron, as he was known to a generation of car buyers as well as mayors, congressmen, star athletes and other celebrities, presided over an empire of Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Ford dealerships that began in the Bronx and moved into Yonkers, Mt. Kisco and Mahopac. Starting as a teenage car jockey parking Caddies at a dealership in Chicago in 1957, Mr. Gidron, a born salesman, learned his trade when America's craze with Cadillacs inspired visions of stardom and celebrity--of Elvis Presley whizzing through Memphis in a gold Cadillac and of Sugar Ray Robinson cruising the streets of Harlem in a flamingo pink convertible. In 1972, when General Motors wanted a minority owner for its Bronx Cadillac franchise, it selected Mr. Gidron, by then one of its top salesmen, over competitors who included Sammy Davis Jr. and Henry Aaron. He thus became New York's first African-American Cadillac dealer and the second in the nation. By 1980, with annual sales of $45 million, Mr. Gidron was among the top 10 Cadillac dealers in the United States. He acquired three homes, a 36- foot yacht and a host of prominent friends and political connections. He was president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce for more than 10 years in the 1980s and '90s, and was chairman of the Bronx County Democratic Committee for several years in the 1980s. On his showroom walls were photos of Mr. Gidron with President Ronald Reagan, Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, Mother Teresa and Muhammad Ali. Super Bowl parties at his home drew a pantheon of judges, politicians and celebrities. Friends included George Steinbrenner, the principal owner of the Yankees; Stanley M. Friedman, the former Bronx Democratic leader; Mayor David N. Dinkins; State Senator Guy J. Velella; Representatives Mario Biaggi and Charles B. Rangel; and Dave Winfield, the Yankees slugger. But by the 1990s, as the nation's love affair with Cadillacs waned, America's most prestigious car had become an outsize relic, overtaken by fuel-efficient imports and other luxury brands. As Mr. Gidron's sales plummeted, he fell behind in his corporate taxes, General Motors terminated his franchise, and revenue agents seized parts of his business. In 2002, Mr. Gidron was indicted on charges of evading more than $1.5 million in state and federal taxes from the sale and leasing of cars from 1995 to 2000. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny and one of offering a false instrument for filing--admitting that he kept car payments meant for lending institutions--and was ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution and sentenced to three years of home confinement and five years of probation. In 2005, state tax agents shut down Gidron Cadillac- Oldsmobile in Yonkers, seizing assets for what they said was his failure to pay more than $800,000 in sales taxes. Three other Gidron dealerships were also closed. Mr. Gidron was arrested after a monitor appointed to oversee his business charged that he had again kept car payments intended for lending institutions. He pleaded guilty to violating probation and defrauding nine victims of up to $100,000, and was sentenced to one to three years in prison. State officials said his former dealerships still owed $12 million in taxes. In 2006, Mr. Gidron emerged from a year in prison, said he hoped to make a comeback and sued General Motors for $150 million, charging that the automaker had reneged on a deal to sell him an auto repair center in Yonkers that he had restored at a cost of millions after it was damaged in a fire in 2000. The suit is pending. Richard Daniel Gidron was born in Chicago on Oct. 10, 1939, and was raised by his mother and grandmother after his father died when he was 7. At 19, he got a job in a Cadillac dealership on Chicago's South Side. He went to night school but learned salesmanship on the lot and in the showroom. By 26, he had become Cadillac's first black salesman, a natural who did not come across as a super pitchman but moved cars with drumbeat regularity. Besides his son, of Scarsdale, Mr. Gidron is survived by his wife, Marjorie; a daughter, Bridgett Gidron of Scarsdale; two sisters, Dorothy J. Holmes of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Freddie M. Kessee of Aliso Viejo, Calif.; a brother, Thomas Parker of Little Rock, Ark.; and two grandchildren.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to H. Res. 719, I call up the bill (H.R. 3056) to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the authority of the Internal Revenue Service to use private debt collection companies, to delay implementation of withholding taxes on government contractors, to revise the tax rules on expatriation, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3056, the Tax Collection Responsibility Act of 2007. The bill has seven provisions and is revenue neutral. First, the bill will repeal this excursion into private companies collecting the debt for the Internal Revenue Service. We've had many hearings, and the Internal Revenue Service, on more than one occasion, had indicated that, given the resources, they could do a more effective job than having to subcontract out to private firms. There's nothing magic about privatization. Just saying that it's privatized doesn't mean that it's more effective or that you're doing the right thing. And I think, in this great country of ours, there is a special relationship between the Internal Revenue Service and the taxpayer. No one would ever like the tax collector, but you do feel a little more secure when you know that a public servant is doing his or her job, rather than this job being sold out or given out to somebody that's income is going to be based on how much taxes they collect today. No, if you've got to call the office and ask the taxpayer to pay, or call his home, let it not be a ride-by-night firm that is just getting involved in tax collection of Federal indebtedness. Let it be someone that you can trust, let it be a civil servant, and let it be the people that, over the years, have done the job, and no good reason has been given by anybody as to why they should not continue to do this. The only sad thing that you can say about the collection of taxes by the IRS is that, admittedly, we never gave them the money; we never gave them the resources. But no one can challenge that there's no one better trained to do the job than the Internal Revenue Service. And then, of course, I want to thank Representative Meek and Representative Herger for providing leadership in repealing this provision that would address the 3 percent withholding rate on certain government payments for goods and service. It didn't look good then; it doesn't look good now. The bill also provides some equity to our citizens in the Virgin Islands to ensure fairness in tax collection there, and eliminates the restrictions on the statute of limitations, which means that their statute of limitations is our statute of limitations, that we're all citizens in this together, and they're not second class in this. In addition, of course, we want to say that this bill is revenue neutral. I ask unanimous consent to yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) and give him the opportunity to control that time.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor to hear the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Hulshof) who's an outstanding member of the Ways and Means Committee and I appreciate his contribution to the committee. I was moved by his story of the hardship that he felt as a result of the estate tax. What the heck that has got to do with collecting debts that is owed to the Internal Revenue, I have no idea. If you're suggesting that we kill the bill that eliminates bounty hunters from working on commission and unfairly leaning and putting pressure on people who owe the Federal Government, that's one thing. If you want us to just substitute that and take back to the committee your idea about what we should do with the estate tax, well, you know as well as I do that we have to find out how much money do we lose, where do we raise the money, and do it in a Republican-Democratic fiscal fashion to say, hey, I want to reduce taxes here and raise it someplace else, maybe on the kids, maybe on a little tobacco, maybe whatever makes you feel good, but don't kill something with a parliamentary motion. It's not the right thing to do. I think the subject matter that you discuss does warrant some discussion, someplace, at some time, but to imply that we should report back promptly, how promptly should we deal with the question of estate tax or estate tax repeal? Where do we get the half a billion dollars? These are things that I think should be in another day and another time. Right now, we're talking about a great bill that if you kill this bill through a parliamentary procedure, which is all we're talking about, then the small business people that have been collecting government taxes, they're going to get hit. The citizens that we have in the Virgin Islands that are treated unfairly with the statute of limitations, they're going to get hit. And the people who really believe that if you have to deal with your government, if you have to deal with the Treasury Department, if you have to deal with the Internal Revenue, for God's sake, deal with a civil servant whose mortgage payment is not dependent on how much money he can get out of you. Deal with someone that's been trained by the United States Government to collect money that's owed to the United States Government and not some company that has been created to fill the need because some people believe that the private sector can always but always do it best. I do hope that when the committee has something to discuss as important as estate tax, why not discuss estate tax when it's time to do it.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month to introduce the documentary film ``The Borinqueneers.'' This compelling film chronicles the never-before-told story of the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment, the only all-Hispanic unit in United States Army history. El Pozo Productions. in collaboration with Raquel Ortiz, acclaimed producer of ``Mi Puerto Rico,'' released ``The Borinqueneers,'' the first major documentary to chronicle the story of the 65th Infantry Regiment. Narrated by Hector Elizondo, the documentary explores the fascinating stories of courage, triumph, and struggle of the men of the 65th through rare archival materials and compelling interviews with veterans, commanding officers, and historians. The 65th Infantry Regiment was created in 1899 by the U.S. Congress as a segregated unit composed primarily of Puerto Ricans with mostly continental officers. It went on to serve meritoriously in three wars: World War I, World War II, and the Korean war. The unit was nicknamed after ``Borinquen,'' the word given to Puerto Rico by its original inhabitants, the Taino Indians, meaning, ``land of the brave lord.'' When they were finally called to the front lines in the Korean war, the men of the 65th performed impressively, earning praise from General MacArthur. They performed a critical role containing the Chinese advance and supporting the U.S. Marines in the aftermath of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Sent to every corner of the peninsula, they showed outstanding resilience and a legendary fierceness as combatants, even as they faced discrimination within the Army. But in the fall of 1952 the regiment was at the center of a series of dramatic events that would threaten its very existence. Puerto Ricans occupy a special place in the history of the U.S. Army. Because of the island's commonwealth status, they don't have the right to vote in U.S. elections, and yet they serve in the military and can be drafted. For many of the veterans of the 65th, this paradox became an incentive to be even more patriotic, to prove themselves in battle 200 percent. Although thousands of Puerto Ricans have served courageously in the Armed Forces since World War I, their contribution and sacrifices have gone largely unnoticed in the silver screen, until now. As a testament to the legacy of the Borinqueneers, I submit into the Record an article from the New York Times-Metro Section regarding the film, that illustrates the rich history of this unique regiment and recognizes the Puerto Rican commitment to the United States Military. [From the New York Times, Oct. 2, 2007] Bloodied in Battle, Now Getting Their Due (By David Gonzalez) Among the lamps, the religious cards and the knickknacks in Eugenio Quevedo's Upper West Side apartment is a worn and creased Banco Popular envelope. Tucked neatly inside, tiny black-and-white photos taken more than half a century ago show a rifle-toting soldier against a backdrop of hills and mountains. ``Korea was an ocean of mountains,'' Mr. Quevedo said. ``We'd push forward and the enemy pushed us back. It was that kind of war.'' He sounded tranquil, which in many ways he is at 81, though his eyes betrayed his emotions. In one corner of his living room, a poster shows the Puerto Rican flag, a nod to where he was born. ``We lost so many,'' he said. ``The American people don't know the sacrifices of so many Puerto Ricans who died in Korea. It was the bloodiest war for Puerto Rico.'' It is also a forgotten war for many Americans. Yet in recent months, veterans of a once-storied Puerto Rican regiment, the 65th Infantry Regiment--including Mr. Quevedo-- have gotten their due in a documentary called ``The Borinqueneers,'' which was first televised in New York over the summer and continues to be broadcast on public television nationally. In a way, it is a passionate rejoinder to Ken Burns, whose World War II documentary drew sharp criticism from Latino and American Indian groups for initially ignoring their contributions during that war. Noemi Figueroa Soulet, a New York actress who produced ``The Borinqueneers,'' understands why people were upset with Mr. Burns. But she set her sights on a different battle, in more ways than one. ``Why should we be begging Ken Burns for a few minutes in his series?'' she said. ``We have other guys we can cover ourselves. I really felt there was enough there to tell our story in a full program.'' The idea came to Ms. Figueroa Soulet in the late 1990s, after she saw the film ``Saving Private Ryan'' and around the time she learned that her husband's uncle had been wounded in Korea. ``I started thinking, what about the Puerto Rican experience?'' she said. ``I would see a war movie or documentary and I would look for the Latino faces. I always want to see how we are represented. Historically, I knew we served in the military, but you wouldn't know it.'' Though she had never made a documentary before, she set out to chronicle the Puerto Rican military experience. In time, she zeroed in on the 65th Infantry's campaigns in Korea. The regiment, she said, was founded in 1899 as an essentially Puerto Rican unit, including a fair share of island-born officers, led by mainland, or ``continental,'' officers. The group also served in both world wars, though it was in Korea where it was hardest hit. The regiment's bravery earned the admiration of no less than Gen. Douglas MacArthur, as well as a disproportionate share of casualties when compared with mainland regiments. One of its continental officers said the unit ``got every dirty job that came up,'' while another said it was so feared by the enemy that ``I was very glad the Puerto Ricans were on my side.'' But in 1952, scores of soldiers in the regiment were arrested and court-martialed after refusing to fight in battles where untested and poorly led replacement troops were sent to take hills without artillery or medical support. The refusals came after a battle that left hundreds wounded or dead. In another case, they would not follow an officer they knew had no clue where he was trying to lead them. Some of the men were sentenced to 10 or more years in prison. Outcry over the trials eventually resulted in the Army pardoning them and commuting sentences. Ms. Figueroa Soulet set out to tell a story that placed the regiment's history in context, rather than let it either be forgotten or reduced to the ignominy of the trials. She said that some Latino organizations that she had thought would be natural allies in her quest to finance and make the film were turned off by the inclusion of the trials and did not support her, while some veterans groups declined to back a project about Puerto Ricans. She persisted, and was joined by Raquel Ortiz, a producer with many years working in public broadcasting who had produced ``Mi Puerto Rico,'' a well-received documentary on Puerto Rican cultural and political identity. ``Not very many people would have given a first-time producer the amount of time I gave her,'' Ms. Ortiz said. ``I did it because the subject was important to me. She was so committed, too. When I saw the interviews, stock footage and photos, I said' Wow!''' The film took nine years to complete and involved interviewing 275 veterans. Ms. Figueroa Soulet has had special showings in various cities, often sponsored by local Puerto Rican and veterans organizations, which have helped spread the word despite the lack of an advertising budget. It has struck a deep chord in men like Jose Cintron, a retired longshoreman and a Vietnam veteran, who was moved to tears when he saw it. ``I was so proud,'' he said. ``For the first time, I did not have to hear about John Wayne. My people took part in this. For once, we get recognized.'' Members of the regiment hold on to vivid memories of those who served with them on freezing hillsides, dodging bullets and mortars. Mr. Quevedo still talks about Master Sgt. Angel Ocasio. At the start of an enemy offensive, the sergeant was killed after he had gone around distributing ammunition to Mr. Quevedo and his comrades. Another sergeant--Iglesias was all he could recall--was shot dead when he went searching for Sergeant Ocasio. ``Those two were sent by God,'' Mr. Quevedo said. ``You think of him and the others. They died young. They never had the chance to get married. To be grandfathers. To get to my age. We are the ones who are left.'' His friend, Jaime Lopez, sat with him in the living room. He, too, served in the regiment, though they became friends stateside. Mr. Lopez is trim at 77, with a swagger to his step and an unfiltered cigarette in his hand. Mr. Quevedo jokingly calls him ``Lee Marvin,'' which only fuels Mr. Lopez's eagerness to banter. Mr. Lopez enlisted after high school, saying the military was one of the few options he had as a small-town boy with no money. In Korea, he earned two Bronze Stars, including one for risking his life to wade into a river and rescue wounded comrades while under fire. He recalled one fierce encounter, when they took a hill, only to find themselves under attack for 12 hours. ``There were dead and wounded everywhere,'' he said. ``Everything was destroyed. Everything. Boy.'' He bolted up from his chair, turned away and sobbed. He steadied himself against the dinner table. The only other sound was a clock chiming ``Twinkle, Twinkle'' at the hour. ``Korea was not easy,'' was all he said, slowly composing himself. Since the documentary's completion, the two men have made public appearances together, talking to audiences about their experiences. After years of being footnotes to a forgotten war, they are glad to let others know they were there when they were needed. ``This documentary is something historic,'' Mr. Lopez said. ``You see it from beginning to end and learn that Puerto Ricans fought in World War I, World War II and Korea. The truth is there.'' The support of the old veterans, men who came home and settled into uneventful, but blessed, lives is what helped Ms. Figueroa Soulet stick with her project when others would not even return her calls. ``Those guys are my troops,'' she said. ``I look at the long list of organizations who protested the Ken Burns thing and say, `Gee, none of them contributed to my project.' Some of them would not give me the time of day.'' She paused. Being an actress, she knows a thing or two about timing. ``Now,'' she said, ``they're all calling.''

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce an article and an editorial written in the New York CARIB News on September 18, 2007 entitled, ``A Legend is Gone'' and ``The Last of the Region's Charismatic Leaders,'' respectively. These reports highlight the accomplishments of Sir John Compton, St. Lucia's Prime Minister who died on September 7th, 2007. As a man of greatness he will be missed but even more as a key Caribbean leader. He started his career, as an independent leader, as Member for Social Affairs on the Executive Council, post he acquired after winning the 2nd election under Adult Suffrage in St. Lucia, in fact, until 1997, he carried the distinction of being the youngest member of the country's parliament. He quickly advances in government and formed the National Labour Movement which eventually became the United Workers Party. Under the leadership of the party he was appointed Chief Minister and, when St. Lucia gains statehood in Britain, he became Premier. Almost a decade later, once independence from Britain is achieved, he was appointed Saint Lucia's first Prime Minister, where he continues to contribute to the formation of the country working actively in the government until he fell ill on April 2007. He was a man of great conviction and aspirations; his dedication to politics is an example to all leaders. It is a shame he will not be here with us to continue to teach us but his legend will prevail for generations to come. A Legend Is Gone If St. Lucia's twin tower Pitons Mountains could visibly react, they would whisper tears of joy, echoing the speechless humming of the sulphur springs. Deploying time and eternity to celebrate both a son stolen by death, and a man honored in life, these majestic hills would display the sheer relentlessness and untiring work ethic that Sir John personified. Placed on high alert, the earth endeared by the greenery carpeting the land, would not hesitate to volunteer the service of rainbow colored thunderclouds. Even these pregnant clouds would be expected to carry signs of groaning patriotism, lavaed by a drive in-volcano of tribute. A tribute, no doubt that Soufriere's Botanical gardens would give Sir John in the form of scented salutes. Salutes equal to the appropriate sacrifices and unconventional risks he pursued, which were at home with the collective interests of his people. Although I was born in Antigua and Barbuda, the passing of Sir John particularly touches me, and my sentiments stand revealed for what they are. Besides the fact that my parental lineage is St. Lucian, the many personal interactions I shared with him, and the intense professional relations we had, sponsored insights into the elephantine authenticity of the man. Since closure brings disclosure, Sir John's death, has not found us feeling that he has died. Through the tranquil gaze of nourning, we see more clearly, how he spun webs of social values and private life into unforgettable last rites of unmatched public service. This man has left us a stubborn legacy that nurtures the courage to live. social values Loved by friends and embraced by opponents, Sir John knew the distinction between those with whom he had a very different vision of country, and those for whom he was called to serve. But in either case, he never compromised the exemplary leadership of caring for all equally. To Mr. Compton, freedom spelt justice for the poor without eliminating an equal place for the privileged; honor was meant to be faithful to one's values; service was defined by how much it lifted the most unfortunate to real life experiences of decency; and peace was only a positive good if every child were given the opportunity to go to school. Sir John rested calmly, when the wealth of the nation's resources, surrendered to every parent's desire to support their children's dreams. Private life I do not want to evaporate his humanity. It was filled with the antagonisms of greatness and failures. Yet, Sir John will be remembered as a loving grandfather, a caring father, and a special son who made his parents proud. To Lady Jane, he will forever remain, the lover who rang the bell of romantic love within the steeple of her soul. Those who knew him personally remarked that he had the gift of mixing private life with public service. Sir John turned random acts of unparalleled service into a national hero's legacy without straying from the range of the common touch. It could be said that he did meaningful and `small things with great love' (Mother Teresa), The Right Honorable Sir John George Melvin Compton was a statesman of an extraordinary texture; incubator of his people's hopes, light bearer of regional cooperation, a firebrand politician with integrity oozing forth from his breathing. He gave supremely of himself with abundance, to every village, town and corner of St. Lucia, and the Caribbean at large. last rites Sir John could have stayed in retirement from active politics, but he chose to return as `Papa' to help the hand that needed assistance. And what a dangerously powerful campaign he showcased--a public good that should be valued for what is really was--a leader's last rites of passage between the cradle and the coffin. Mr. Compton brought his party from the wilderness to the pride of his people's confidence. Some said that he should have known the limits of his health and age, but given his personality and character, there were no limits and certainly no human boundaries that would have kept Sir John away from the love of his life--serving his people selflessly. Stubborn legacy The range and scope of his life should not be reduced to `a do it alone phenomenon.' Sir John's team of leaders, led by Honorable Acting Prime Minister Stephenson King and Honorable Deputy Political Leader Lenard Spider Montoute is just as passionate about good governance as he was. Despite an uneven beginning, the team embodies his vision for the betterment of all St. Lucians in much the same way as Sir John did. The UWP government must competently demonstrate to the world, that Sir John shaped the party leaders, as the party leaders sharpened their deceased leader. It is this mutually intermixing of leadership intelligence that St. Lucians is heir to. For many of us, Sir John's death will jolt us into deeper civic consciousness blazing in the glory of a wider communal responsibility. His words should continue to challenge us, as his deeds inspire us, not so much to itemize what he did do well or could have done better, but to follow the direction he pointed out, and the path he dared us to journey with him. St. Lucia is better off for having granted Sir John the honor of several seasons of prosperous leadership, and the Caribbean region would have been worst off, without his strength of character and humble service. His trail of stunting accomplishments and gallant deeds is to be memorialized for countless generations to come. If Rosa Parks were to have been with us, and had the privilege of knowing Sir John, she might have said of him, `there goes a man who lived his life as a model for others.' Courage to live Healing moments of sadness often leaves room for wisdom seen through the prism of serene acceptance. May Sir John's ancestral spirit haunt us until we measure up to the ideals he courageously wanted to attain in his lifetime. When we mirror Sir John in our daily lives, we automatically inherit the courage to live in the wisdom he practiced. Sir John meant one thing to me, a symbol of unity communicating a sterling message: the affairs of a nation, a people and a region, must be given priority at all times, and in every possible way conceivable. Should the government and the people of St. Lucia, take one slice of memory from Sir John's closet of great achievements, they would make St. Lucia a model Caribbean nation, where intergenerational prosperity and quality of life development, orders the day. Aung San Suu Kyi is right, ``the spirit of a man can transcend the flaws of his own nature.'' Dr. Isaac Newton-International Leadership and Change Management Consultant and Political Adviser. He specializes in Government and Business Relations, and Sustainable Development Projects. Dr. Newton works extensively, in West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America and is a graduate of Harvard, Princeton and Columbia. He has published several books on personal development.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my full support for H.R. 3432, a bill that would authorize the establishment of a federal commission to coordinate activities for the commemoration of the bicentennial anniversary of the U.S. Transatlantic Slave Trade Act. Next year will mark the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in the United States. Although the transatlantic slave trade represents a dark aspect of not only U.S. history, but world history, it provides an opportunity to celebrate the progress with human rights, civil rights, and race relations in our great country. In addition to celebrating progress, the anniversary offers an opportunity to educate and remind people all over the world of the history slavery played in making race such a dominant reality in our history and the role of the slave trade. The establishment of a federal commission to coordinate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade commemoration activities would assist with reminding and informing people of the past and present day implications of slavery in the development of America as a nation. At the present time, people are rightfully consumed and burdened with issues that are impacting their personal lives, as well as, societal issues including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism, quality healthcare, education, and crime. Due to this, I believe people would welcome being refreshed by something to celebrate versus something to worry about; especially because African Americans have made and continue to make immeasurable contributions and advances in our great country since the abolishment of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery. Young people need to have an understanding of and develop an appreciation for our country's past, which would hopefully instill pride and hope for tomorrow. I thank Congressman Payne for introducing this bill and encourage my colleagues to support it. I also encourage people all over the world, especially young people to learn about the history of slavery.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, today I rise to ask my colleagues to take a moment to honor the outstanding achievements of the 35 million Hispanic Americans in commemoration of Hispanic Heritage Month. One of those 35 million Hispanic Americans is Dr. Guillermo Linares, whom I am honored to acknowledge for all his wonderful contributions and remarkable leadership in public service. Dr. Linares, who brings a long record of distinguished public service, has blazed an inspiring path so that future generations of Hispanic Americans can grasp the same opportunities to develop into tomorrow's leaders. Dr. Guillermo Linares has the historic distinction of being the first Dominican elected to public office in the United States. He served from 1991 to 2001 in the New York City Council, where he advocated for quality education, vital health services, and affordable housing. For more than 30 years, Dr. Linares has remained committed to improving public education and championing immigrant issues. His advocacy started in Washington Heights, where he worked as a school teacher. Witnessing the need for active involvement, he ran for membership of the local school board and served there for three terms. In the 1980s, Dr. Linares and others were responsible for the building of desperately needed public schools for the growing immigrant community in Washington Heights. Dr. Linares' work has garnered him city-wide and national respect. In 1998, the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus of the NYC Council elected then-Council Member Linares as its copresident. Dr. Linares was tapped in 1995 to serve in a national capacity as a member of the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. President William Clinton appointed him in 1999 as chair of this initiative. He was also a part of a movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s to establish key institutions that continue to serve Dominican and Latino populations. With other activists and leaders, Dr. Linares helped to establish the Community Association of Progressive Dominicans, the Puerto Rican/Latino Education Round Table and the Parents Coalition for Education in New York City. Dr. Linares was instrumental in the founding of the Dominican Studies Institute at City College, the Audubon Partnership for Economic Development and the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center. He also served for six years as a board member of the National Council of ``La Raza.'' He currently is the co-chair of ``Encuentro 2000 and Beyond'' a national Latino leadership group. In his current role as Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs for the City of New York, Dr. Linares works to strengthen bridges between city government and immigrant communities. He--who grew up dirt poor in a dirt-floored hut in the Dominican Republic--shares the experiences and aspirations of immigrant New Yorkers. Having left his native Dominican Republic to arrive to the City of New York at age 15 in 1966, knowing not a word of English, drove a taxi for long hours to support his family. At the same time, he pursued a higher education so that he could advance. Dr. Linares received a Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Science degree from City College and a professional diploma in administration and supervision from Fordham University. He recently achieved his doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Linares' wife, Evelyn, is a dedicated public school principal. They are proud parents of two children, Guillermo Linares Jr. and Mayra Linares, who currently serves as the Democratic District Leader of Part A of the 72nd District of the New York State Assembly. His family has been critical to his accomplishments as a community activist, an elected official and an academic. At a time when so many question the role and value of immigrants in today's society, it is essential to remember the achievements of remarkable public servants such as Dr. Guillermo Linares. Let us all remember that immigrant dreams and values--Hispanic dreams and values-- are no different than the dreams and values that we all wish for our families and our Nation.