Charlie Rangel

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I am going to be very careful in the words that I select because I am not certain that the House physician's office is still open, and I just don't want to get overstressed over a parliamentary problem that we are having here. But it is very difficult to understand how the outgoing chairman could be so frustrated that the amendment is coming at this late hour, because we cannot really get an amendment together until we know what we are amending, and I assume that we didn't know that until sometime early this morning at a meeting that took place at a room which I don't know where it exists. So I think that this amendment that we do have deals with an issue that we never expected to be included in the extended bills. And under the parliamentary procedures that we have in this august House and this institution, Members, even if they are in the minority, have an opportunity at any time to raise it before the House. And we hope that we can extend this courtesy for the years that we have to come. I would like to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman Mr. Pomeroy from the sovereign State of North Dakota.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, as we close this debate, I agree it will be a different Congress, and I will sincerely miss the spirited debate from the distinguished gentleman from California who has served the committee and served the Congress and served this country so well. And I am just bothered that he is disturbed about the lateness of the amendment which comes to the floor, but, of course, you cannot amend anything until you get it, and this just came to the floor this morning. Many of the issues and extenders in this bill are long overdue, and I certainly encourage people to support the bill. But the bill would be strengthened if indeed it excluded the provision that has been debated and will come up in the amendment as relates to the gulf opportunity zone property. In addition to that, most of us would agree that if there is one provision in the Tax Code, a burden that Republicans, conservatives, Democrats, Republicans, can agree to that should be removed is the alternative minimum tax. Nobody ever intended for these 23 million people to be shoved into a tax bracket that they didn't deserve. And since it is not included in the extenders, for reasons which I don't know, it would seem to me that people would have an opportunity, in this amendment offered by the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, to do that and, at the same time, strip from the provision the offending provisions as relates to the Gulf States. And lastly, those of you that were kind enough to support the city and State of New York during the trying 9/11 experience would know that at one time we had passed a provision that would allow us, under the New York liberty bond provisions, to provide a tax credit for the transportation infrastructure. I want to thank the chairman for trying so hard to see that that provision would be included in this bill. But, because of reasons and problems that we have had on the other side, that provision is omitted. However, it will be included in the amendment, and I am convinced that the base bill, coupled with the amendment, would be a better piece of legislation. I know we have other issues on the floor, and this is not the time to say farewell to the chairman, but as it relates to at least this part of our debate, Mr. Speaker, I will yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I just want to share with the chairman that I recognize his concern that he got the amendment too late. I am surprised that he is opposing it, because I know that the content of the amendment, even though the procedure may not have been exactly as he would like, were things that he had previously supported. So it would seem to me that those of us who support the base bill, the amendment is only offered to improve upon that, even though it just excludes only one provision which is in this, which the gentleman from Massachusetts has spoken eloquently on, and I think even there the chairman would agree that it might be a better bill if that was excluded. I do hope, as I am voting for the bill, that we might have a chance for those who are here and those who are listening to recognize that 23 million taxpayers are being held hostage by the alternative minimum tax. We have had ample opportunity to correct that, but coming from a Congress that most of us are against the tax increases, it just seems to me would be inconsistent with the past rhetoric, having the opportunity to remove this tax increase, which is certainly what it would be if we don't extend the relief from the alternative minimum tax for all of these people who never were intended to pay this tax. So I think it would be a good time to show the bipartisanship in being for this substantial tax cut, or at least to prevent a tax increase, if we supported this amendment, at the same time to support the spirit of the reason in which this great Congress came to the assistance--

Mr. RANGEL. I have completed. I yield back to the gentleman from Massachusetts. I am just saying that we in New York thank you for the generosity that you have, and we just hope that it is not taken back by refusing to support this amendment, where we can receive the tax credit for our transportation.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. I really think that trade, if done right, is so important to our great country and to the world. The people expect us to be able to use our technology to assist them in improving their quality of life. And I think that is possible, regardless of whether we are Republicans or Democrats, to remove those impediments that keep us apart because they think in the interest of protecting American jobs, increasing American jobs, helping developing countries, that those are the basic things that, whether you are Democrat or Republican, that you have to believe in. We have some countries that are in deep trouble in these bills, and in each of these cases we have been able to work out the language so not only are we concerned that we have sound trading policies, but we also protect the environment and protect the rights of workers that live in these developing countries. For some of these countries, the African Growth and Opportunity bill has provided new and great opportunities that people in Sub-Saharan Africa never dreamed that could happen. The Indian countries, of course, have been successful in getting their people to concern itself with agriculture and fighting the drug trade. But most of you know, notwithstanding all of the countries that are going to be affected, that all of us have in our hearts a little compassion for the pain that for decades the poor people in Haiti have been suffering. It really amazes me how there has been concern from the textile industry about this little country, Haiti. And I said that God should be so good to the people in Haiti that their exports could be a threat to the United States of America. That is not going to happen. I know that there are concerns that people have, but if there is any country in the world that has suffered, it has been the people in Haiti, the poorest country that we have in this continent and one that the international community has ignored. It is not just that we hope that this country will be able to pick up the pieces and maintain this democracy, but we hope by showing the United States has an interest and is willing to invest in this country, it might serve as a signal for other industrialized countries to come to the assistance and, indeed, maintain the trade with Haiti that has not only suffered in poverty but has really suffered as demons and military people have exploited them and denied them the opportunity to live in a democracy. They are on their way back. We hope that the new government will be able to fulfill all the dreams and promises that they have talked about. But right now I would like to yield the balance of my time to a person who has dedicated his life to public service. He has served this Congress so well over the years. We on the Ways and Means Committee have depended on his wisdom and his guidance not only in trade but in so many other subjects. And now he moves on to the other body, and as I said earlier, his presence in the other body can only increase their prestige and the intellect as he has served us so well here. Mr. Speaker, with the permission of the Members and the Chair, I yield the balance of my time to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland, the Honorable Ben Cardin, and I ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control that time.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days with which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my special order today.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, I just would like to begin, I guess, where Dan Burton has left off in saying so long to so many Members of Congress that we have worked with. Because there are so few people here, I think it is an indication of how we have legislated in terms of waiting so late and Members having to leave, but I guess the most important thing that I wanted to say is that this legislative body has been very good to me, and I have been here for well over three decades. Not only did I have, do I have, an opportunity to serve my district and my country in this Congress, but it allowed me to meet and work with some of the most exciting, intelligent and interesting people that I never would have met had I not had the great honor of serving here. This has been especially true in the last decade where friendships have been very difficult to maintain, one, because of the legislative schedules that have been so different with the small amount of time that we spent here; two, because we don't travel abroad as a Congressional team; but, lastly, and I guess the thing that hurts the most, is that the group became not just friends, what committee, what part of the country you came from, but it was whether you were Republican or Democrat, and that made the difference. I do hope that the new Congress will have just as much partisanship as relates to the issues that they believe in, but that we will have the Congress that I came to enjoy; that the partisanship would include friendship and would allow people to differ in the ideologies and their political beliefs, but at the end of the day we can say that we still were able to be friends. I really think that we all have to agree that in part, and perhaps a large part, the American people said that in the last election. I say that because tonight the epitome of how that works is with my friend of long years, Congressman Sherry Boehlert, a gentleman, a scholar, an American, a Member of Congress; a person who loves his district, his constituents, but loves Congress and his country; a person that stood up to Republicans and Democrats for what he believed in; a person who soared in popularity among those people that were concerned with our country, with our environment; and a person that, no matter how strongly he believed or other people disagreed with him, never lost a friend in that process. We will miss Sherwood. He has fought the good fight. He set an example for all of us. But I think that the best tribute that we can pay to him is that maybe all of us, Republicans and Democrats, would try to find out, how did he do this? How was he able to maintain his convictions, keep his head high, be eloquent in the debate, disagree with so many people, Democrats and even those within his party, and, at the end of the day, everyone is able to say what a true gentleman Sherwood Boehlert is, what a great gentleman he is, and, I am pleased to say, what a great friend he has been. So I know that because of the depth of his commitment, that he could never walk away from us in terms of commitment. And so as he follows through in an extension of his life and terminates that legislative part, I just want you to know that the entire delegation felt a sense of friendship for him. We will miss him, and we in the New York delegation, and I hope the Congress, will try desperately hard when we are tempted to do what we think our party label would want us to do, that we can remember that some have come here as friends; they can do their job, they can work hard, they can disagree, and, God willing, we can leave as friends. Mr. Speaker, my failing eyes allowed me not to see my buddy on the floor when I started this talk, and I just want to say personally, Sherwood, you have been a model for me, a model for the New York delegation, and if people had known our delegation, as diverse as it is, perhaps they could go to their delegation and be able to say that, hell, anybody, if we try hard, can be like Sherwood Boehlert. We will miss you, but I am so glad that I am in the same State, and I know I will be seeing more of you. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit Mr. Boehlert's biography for the Record. Biography of Representative Sherwood Boehlert Utica native Sherwood Boehlert (R-New Hartford), Chairman of the House Science Committee, was first elected to the House of Representatives in November 1982. He is currently serving in his 12th consecutive term representing Upstate New York. Boehlert has served on the Science Committee since 1983, and was elected Chairman in January 2001. The Committee has jurisdiction over all federal, nonmilitary scientific and technology research and development programs, on which the federal government spends more than $30 billion a year. The Committee has jurisdiction over NASA, the National Science Foundation, and research and development initiatives within the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Commerce. In addition, the Committee has jurisdiction over civil aviation research and development and marine research. Boehlert is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, serving as Chairman of its subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment from 1995 to 2000. He remains an active member of that Subcommittee. Boehlert was a founding member of the House Homeland Security Committee, by appointment of Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. Boehlert was also an eight year member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (term limited). Born on September 28, 1936 in Utica, New York, Boehlert is a graduate of Whitesboro Central High School and Utica College Bachelor of Science, 1961). Before serving as Oneida County Executive (1979-83), he was manager of public relations at Wyandotte Chemical (1961-83), he was manager of public relations at Wyandotte Chemical (1961-64) and served two years in the U.S. Army (1956-58). Boehlert served as chief of staff for two area Congressmen, Alexander Pirnie (1964-72) and Donald Mitchell (1973-79), where he became intimately familiar with the people, places and issues of Upstate New York. An avid New York Yankees fan and movie buff, Boehlert and his wife, Marianne (Willey) Boehlert, make their home in New Hartford, New York. They have four grown children and five grandchildren. When Congress is not in session, he returns to Central New York each weekend to stay in touch with the people who elected him to represent them in Washington. The 24th Congressional District includes all or parts of Broome, Cayuga, Chenango, Cortland, Herkimer, Oneida, Ontario, Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins, and Seneca counties.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of the 265 people who lost their lives on November 12, 2001 when American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into Belle Harbor in Queens, NY. November 12 will always be a solemn day in hearts of many, including my own. On that fateful day, when the American Airlines Flight 587 crashed into Belle Harbor Queens and killed 260 passengers and 5 residents, it changed the lives of not just their families, but also multiple communities here and in the Dominican Republic. There is no rhyme or reason to such events. No amount of time or information will ever answer why it happened. Just two months after the tragedy of Sept. 11, the crash reminded us all of how fragile our lives are and how precious are the moments we share daily with our loved ones. Leaders and government officials on every level of government have tried to do their best to ease the grief of the families and bring some sense of closure to this tragedy. We have organized economic and social resources for relatives, pressed the NTSB to conduct a thorough investigation, and urged American Airlines to do what is right when settling with families. There are, of course, still some outstanding issues. Yet today, after a lot of hard work, we will see the unveiling of a memorial that is more than a reminder of an unexplained tragedy, but a beautiful testament to how they lived. They were like millions of dreamers who come to this land, strapped with hopes for a better life for themselves and their children. These immigrants bring a dynamic energy to this land, achievements that can be seen in every part of society. Yet no matter how successful they are here, no matter how grateful they are to their American opportunities, part of their soul still remain in their homelands. For thousands of Dominicans, that first flight of the morning--or any flight back to the Dominican--is what they dream about when they are pulling the long hours, working multiple jobs and stretching their paychecks to survive in this city. It is more than their reward for a job well done. It is their chance to enjoy a home cooked meal by midday with those they hadn't seen for months or years. It is their chance to feel complete again--if only for just a couple of days. It is not easy, but it is a sacrifice that many do daily. And so, while there is much to be sad about today, we can all take comfort that this memorial will always serve as a reminder of the beauty and strength of the Dominican people. A reminder that the families of Flight 587 have not been crushed by the weight of this devastating tragedy or the adversity that has followed. A reminder that the spirit of a community did not die that day, but instead, continues to grow and inspire others.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of my constituents, Wendy Kopp, President and Founder of Teach for America, who was recently awarded the prestigious 2006 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Ms. Kopp's steadfast commitment to education is evident in her deeds and actions for she truly embodies the ideal that a decent education is the key, not only to the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but also to building self-esteem. In short, education is the receptacle of hope and the door to the American dream. Kopp's pursuit of educational excellence and equity led her in 1989 to propose the creation of Teach for America. She did this as her undergraduate senior thesis, and has spent the last 15 years working to sustain and further develop the organization. Teach for America is comprised of a national corps of recent college graduates who commit 2 years to teach in urban and rural public schools. Its mission is to help to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting our country's most promising future leaders in this effort. Today, more than 3,500 corps members are teaching in our country's neediest communities, reaching approximately 300,000 students. They join more than 10,000 Teach for America alumni who are already assuming significant leadership roles in education and social reform even though they are in their 20s and 30s. Kopp serves on the board of directors of The New Teacher Project, and the advisory boards of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and the National Council on Teacher Quality. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Wendy Kopp for her devotion and hard work in the field of education, and wish to extend my congratulations and best wishes to her for much continued success.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, next year will be the 200th anniversary of the ending of the trans-atlantic trade by Great Britain, the beginning of the end of what was perhaps the greatest human tragedy in history. I join the members of the British Parliament and the African Diaspora across the globe in anticipation of the 200th anniversary of the passage of the Anti-Slave Trade Act by the British Parliament in 1807. For four and a half decades, hundreds of millions of Africans were bought and sold into slavery as part of the transatlantic slave trade while many others lost their lives during the Middle Passage. I believe this anniversary presents America with an opportunity to reflect on this dark part of our history and speak out against the continued conditions of slavery that millions still face across the globe. Indeed, as America continues to mourn and regret its involvement in the human rights violations of that time, we must not forget the wonderful legacy of African-American abolitionists such as Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and many others. It was through their courage and determination that slavery ended in the United States. We must continue to meet the challenge of repairing the harm done to black Americans by the legacy of slavery in this Nation. By so doing, let us remember the connection between policymaking and the need for a more equitable society. Congress must continue to pass legislation which allows for broader access to education, health care, and jobs for minority groups across the country. Much like the fight against slavery, we must strengthen our resolve to fight poverty, crime, and other conditions that many face in the U.S. This is also a time for us to show a renewed commitment to the African continent, recognizing it as the ancestral home to the Diaspora across the globe. We must remember that millions of people were ripped from their homes, taken on a perilous journey across the Atlantic, and stripped of their culture and language. As a result, the loss of life and potential that Africa endured was a contributing factor to the under-development the continent faces today. We must show our commitment through trade, education, the fight against HIV/AIDS, and poverty in general. It is my hope that this 200th anniversary will be a way of bringing education and awareness about the rich heritage and culture of Africa embedded in America and the Caribbean through the Diaspora. I look forward to next year's anniversary. It is my hope that in remembering slavery we are reminded that we must never allow that dark history to repeat itself.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a personal explanation of the reason I missed rollcall vote 431 on Thursday, September 7, 2006. This vote concerned amendment H. Amdt. 1204 to H.R. 503, the ``American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.'' It would provide that the Secretary of Agriculture must certify that sufficient horse sanctuaries exist to care for unwanted horses before the law will take effect. I was hosting a crime forum (``Crime in the Cities: America's Mayors Fight Back'') as part of the 36th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference. Had I been present, I would have voted against this amendment (``nay'').

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the life of Dorothy Ann Willis Richards, known to us all as Ann Richards, and her lifelong commitment to equal rights, education and full participation of all people in the political process. Ann Richards lost her battle to esophageal cancer, at the age of 73, on September 13, 2006 at her home in Austin, Texas--she was only diagnosed with cancer in March of this year. Following her diagnosis she underwent chemotherapy treatments and was poised to fight her illness with vigor and tenacity just as she fought her personal demons and political opponents. Ann Richards had a zest for life that was evident and infectious. She made those of us fortunate enough to have known her, smile just at the mention of her name. She was a wonderful public speaker and found ways to intimately connect with real people by tackling difficult issues that affected their everyday lives such as the relegation of women to the home and the exclusion of minorities in the political process. Ann was tremendously tenacious but possessed a quick wit. She was well known for her zingy one liners and warm sense of humor. She once said, ``I learned early on that people liked you if you made them laugh,'' and throughout her lifetime she kept the jokes coming. Born in Lakeview (now Lacy Lakeview) Texas in 1933, Ann was first introduced to politics after joining the debate team and participating in Girls State--a program where high school students are invited to the capitol to participate in a mock government. However, before entering politics in 1976, she earned her teaching certificate and taught social studies and history at Fulmore Junior High School. This was her life's passion. She once said that teaching was the hardest work she ever did and her commitment to educating youth did not dissipate with age. Committed to issues of equity and inclusion, Ann spent much of her life championing causes related to the marginalization of women and minorities in particular. She dedicated herself to increasing the role of women in politics. Ann organized training sessions throughout Texas designed to empower women in politics and succeeded in improving the visibility of women in the National Democratic Party. Leading by example, she embarked upon her own political career in 1976 when she ran against and unseated a three term incumbent to become Travis County Commissioner. She would serve in this capacity for four years before being elected State Treasurer in 1982, becoming the first woman to hold an office at the State level since Miriam ``Ma'' Ferguson in the 1920s. Ann became the Governor of Texas in 1991 and continued to champion the inclusion of all people in the political process. While in office, Ann oversaw a program of economic revitalization that grew the state's economy. As governor, Ann appointed Zan W. Holmes Jr., the first African American appointed to the University of Texas Board of Regents; she redirected revenue from the state lottery to a school fund to support public education; and launched the Robin Hood plan, an attempt to equalize funding across school districts. Through these measures, Ann was successful in changing the ways that both Texas and our country thought about and treated women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and members of the Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, and Bisexual communities. Ann once remarked that she entered politics to help those who were often ignored by the Texas' male dominated establishment. After losing the gubernatorial race to George W. Bush in 1995, Ann served in various capacities. She worked as a political strategist and labored on many democratic campaigns, often campaigning on behalf of candidates like Howard Dean. She continued to teach, introducing courses such as Women and Leadership at the University of Texas; worked diligently to establish the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, which will open its doors next year; and lived as an example for all those battling substance abuse. These are but a few pieces of Ann's selfless contributions and they will never be forgotten. We all mourn the loss of Dorothy Ann Willis Richards. Her words and her deeds, much like her striking silver hair, will long be remembered. Although she was a wonderful cook, she held that title contrary to the prevailing image of the quintessential woman, at the time, she did not want to be known for having kept a clean home rather she wanted to be remembered for having helped others. My friend, your wish has been granted. Through your words and deeds you have left an indelible mark on both the great state of Texas and on our Nation. [From the New York Times, September 14, 2006] Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards Dies (By The Associated Press) Austin, Texas (AP)--Former Gov. Ann Richards, the witty and flamboyant Democrat who went from homemaker to national political celebrity, died Wednesday night after a battle with cancer, a family spokeswoman said. She was 73. She died at home surrounded by her family, the spokeswoman said. Richards was found to have esophageal cancer in March and underwent chemotherapy treatments. The silver-haired, silver-tongued Richards said she entered politics to help others--especially women and minorities who were often ignored by Texas' male-dominated establishment. ``I did not want my tombstone to read, `She kept a really clean house.' I think I'd like them to remember me by saying, `She opened government to everyone,' '' Richards said shortly before leaving office in January 1995. Whether or not she succeeded at that, there was no question she cracked open the door. Her single term as governor had ended in a 1994 defeat to George W. Bush, who went from besting his father's silver- haired critic to the governor's office to the presidency. ``Texas has lost one of its great daughters,'' President Bush said in a statement after learning of Richards' death. Two years before she was elected governor of Texas, Ann Richards electrified the 1988 Democratic National Convention with a keynote speech in which she joked that the Republican presidential nominee, George H.W. Bush, had been ``born with a silver foot in his mouth.'' A longtime champion of women and minorities in government who was serving at the time as Texas state treasurer, she won cheers when she reminded delegates that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, ``only backwards and in high heels.'' As governor, Richards appointed the first black University of Texas regent, the first crime victim on the state Criminal Justice Board, the first disabled person on the human services board and the first teacher to lead the State Board of Education. Under Richards, the fabled Texas Rangers pinned stars on their first black and female officers. Ron Kirk, the black former mayor of Dallas, said Richards helped him get his first political internship during a state constitutional convention in 1974 and later, as governor, made him secretary of state. ``She set the table so somebody like me could become mayor of Dallas,'' Kirk said. She also polished Texas' image, courted movie producers, campaigned for the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico, oversaw a doubling of the state prison system and presided over rising student achievement scores and plunging dropout rates. Throughout her years in office, her popularity remained high. One poll put it at over 60 percent the year she lost her re-election bid to Bush. Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry described Richards as ``the epitome of Texas politics: a figure larger than life who had a gift for captivating the public with her great wit.'' ``Ann loved Texas, and Texans loved her,'' President Bush said. ``As a public servant, she earned respect and admiration. Ann became a national role model, and her charm, wit and candor brought a refreshing vitality to public life.'' U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said Richards never lost her zest for life. ``I wrote her a note when I heard about her cancer and she wrote me back a wonderful letter. She was upbeat and positive and I think she was going to go out with guns blazing,'' Hutchison said Wednesday night. Richards was diagnosed with cancer in March and underwent chemotherapy treatments. Her four adult children spent the day with her before she died Wednesday night at her home in Austin, said Cathy Bonner, a longtime family friend and family spokeswoman. Born in Lakeview, Texas, in 1933, Richards grew up near Waco, married civil rights lawyer David Richards and spent her early adulthood volunteering in campaigns and raising four children. She often said the hardest job she ever had was as a public school teacher at Fulmore Junior High School in Austin. In the early 1960s, she helped form the North Dallas Democratic Women, ``basically to allow us to have something substantive to do; the regular Democratic Party and its organization was run by men who looked on women as little more than machine parts.'' Richards served on the Travis County Commissioners Court in Austin for six years before jumping to a bigger arena in 1982 when her election as state treasurer made her the first woman elected statewide in nearly 50 years. But politics took a toll. It cost her a marriage and forced her in 1980 to seek treatment for alcoholism. ``I had seen the very bottom of life,'' she once recalled. ``I was so afraid I wouldn't be funny anymore. I just knew that I would lose my zaniness and my sense of humor. But I didn't. Recovery turned out to be a wonderful thing.'' After her re-election defeat, Richards went on to give speeches, work as a commentator for Cable News Network and serve as a senior adviser in the New York office of Public Strategies. In her last 10 years, Richards worked for many social causes and helped develop the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, scheduled to open in Austin in 2007. Richards said she never missed being in public office. She grinned when asked what she might have done differently had she known she would be a one-term governor. ``Oh,'' she said, ``I would probably have raised more hell.''

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in honoring Mary Eliza Mahoney who was the first African-American registered nurse in the United States. She was a visionary, a leader, and because of her dedication and untiring will to encourage future generations, would become an inspiration to thousands of men and women of color who work diligently every day in the field of nursing. Mary Mahoney's interest in the nursing profession began when she was just a young girl. She worked for fifteen years at the New England Hospital for Women and Children (now Dimock Community Health Center) in Roxbury, Massachusetts as a nurse's assistant, but this would not be her only occupation. She also worked as a cook, a janitor, and a washerwoman. In 1878, at the age of 33, she was admitted as a student into the hospital's nursing program established by Dr. Marie Zakrzewska. Sixteen months later, she was one of four who completed the course. After graduation she worked primarily as a private duty nurse for the next 30 years all over the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. At the culmination of her nursing career, she was the director of an orphanage in Long Island, New York, a position she held for 10 years. In 1896, Mahoney became one of the first African-American members of the predominantly white American Nurses Association (ANA). However, recognizing the need for nurses to work together to improve the status of African Americans in the profession, she helped to establish the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN). This was important in many ways. It was because of her inspiring efforts and unselfish devotion to caring for others that helped make it possible for nurses to be received at the White House by President Warren G. Harding. Mahoney also gave the welcoming address at the first convention of the NACGN and served as the association's national chaplain. Mahoney's life of tending to the needs of the sick ended with her death on January 4, 1926. She was indeed an icon in the nursing profession, bringing to light the hard work, sacrifice, and commitment that nurses put forth everyday. My sister Frances was a nurse for many years before retiring, and I saw the hard work, the sacrifice, and long hours of commitment that she gave to this notable profession. She made me appreciate even more what nurses do and how they are a vital and valued part of the healthcare industry. Mary Mahoney advanced the nursing profession and was not afraid to confront issues that affect nurses. She was a woman of superlatively high standards, complete integrity, and boundless enthusiasm for whatever task she took in hand. It was because of the life she lived and her outstanding contributions to nursing, that The Mary Mahoney Medal was established in her honor posthumously by the NACGN in 1936. In 1976, she would be further remembered by being inducted into the Nursing Hall of Fame. Madam Speaker, let us honor this woman of courage and faith by passing this resolution.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3127, H. Res. 723 and H. Res. 992 and to call your attention to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Darfur. I join the sponsors of these bills in an effort to express our support of urgent action by the U.S. Government to intervene to stop the genocide which is now occurring. Since the conflict began in 2003 hundreds of thousands of people have died. Nearly 2,000,000 people have been internally displaced, more than 3,000,000 people are dependant on international assistance to survive, and nearly 220,000 refugees are seeking protection in neighboring Chad. And although the UN has deployed nearly 13,000 humanitarian aid workers, the support offered to the region is not enough. In spite of the presence of African Union Mission in Sudan (AIMS) forces, the Sudanese government as well as militia men persists in flagrantly ignoring terms outlined in peace agreements resulting in continued genocidal violence and crimes against humanity. As reported by the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur ``the extensive destruction and displacement have resulted in a loss of livelihood and the means of survival for countless women, men and children.'' Each day hundreds of innocent civilians are killed, raped, and forced to flee their homes. The world is failing Darfur. The United States is failing Darfur. Despite continued talk of the United States' commitment to liberate people from tyrannical dictators, spread democracy around the world, and fighting terrorism; we continue to tacitly permit the isolation, displacement, and murder of thousands of people throughout the region. We cannot continue to bear silent witness to the massacres. We must act now. How long will we allow a government which permits attacks and killings of so many of its citizens to refuse aid? How long will we watch as humanitarian aid workers are killed in the line of duty? How long will we continue to talk about genocide without responding? During a subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations House International Relations Committee testimony, Roger P. Winter, former special representative on Sudan of the Deputy Secretary of State asserted ``Sudan's National Congress Party is controlled by an intellectually-capable, radically committed, conspiratorial and compassionless nucleus of individuals, long referred to as the National Islamic Front (NIF).'' Substantiating the fact that the Sudanese government is responsible for perpetuating the atrocities occurring throughout the Sudan, especially in Darfur, Mr. Winter's comments also underscore the necessity for both the United Nations and the United States to step up to the plate. Let us be clear. The situation is getting worse and it will continue to worsen should we stand idle. In violation of previous agreements, aerial bombings of villages using helicopter gunships have begun. Twelve humanitarian aid workers have been killed in the last two months and 25 humanitarian aid vehicles have been hijacked. The Sudanese government is still opposing a UN force, and has been threatening to throw out the AU if they transition into a UN force, and members of the Sudanese armed forces are disguising themselves and their vehicles to look like those of the AU. Something must be done to stop these atrocities. There are several steps that can be taken to begin to address some of the egregious wrongs occurring throughout Sudan, particularly in Darfur. We must work both collectively with other governments as well as independently to enforce the provisions outlined in H.R. 3127, the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act including: reinforcing the deployment and operations of an expanded AU peace keeping force; restricting travel of individuals and associates directly responsible for acts of genocide, war crimes, or crimes against humanity in Sudan; and withholding, from the Sudanese government, profits from and/or related to oil and oil related ventures. Immediate deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in accordance with UN SC Res 1706, and implementation of all previously passed UN SC resolutions such as a No Fly Zone and disarming the Janjaweed militia is needed. In accordance with H. Res. 723 we must take steps toward improving the security situation in Darfur particularly with regard to protecting civilian life. It is of critical importance that we immediately implement an interim civilian protection force that is both well trained and adequately equipped to protect civilians remaining in Darfur as well as those seeking refuge in Chad. In light of a report by Human Rights Watch we must ensure that cross-border raids initiated by Sudanese government forces and Janjaweed militias are countered by stalwart peacekeeping forces backed by stronger mandates. Similarly, appropriations must be made to support the implementation of these forces as well as to fund the missions of both AMIS and NATO in Darfur. We must also push for allies and other nations including China, India, Malaysia and Russia to extend their support for the Sudanese government. Echoing the sentiments of H. Res. 992 we must employ a special envoy to facilitate the development of an international peacekeeping force and ensuring the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement among other essential tasks. Moreover, we must encourage local authorities to exercise their legal right and moral obligation to exercise discretion in how they invest their money. Divesting is one of the many ways that we can send the clear message that we will no longer stand by while hundreds of thousands of innocent people suffer. Lastly, we must ensure that the recently established presidential envoy has a solid, strong mandate, adequate support, and clear channels of communication with the President. We cannot ignore the great responsibility resting upon our shoulders as a world leader. The people of Darfur can no longer afford to wait. We must hold true to our promises and to our convictions. We must stand up for humanity where human rights are being trampled, thousands are facing death.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to stand on the floor of the United States House of Representatives to pay tribute to Jamaica's favorite son and national hero, The Right Excellent Dr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Dr. Marcus Mosiah Garvey had ``One God, One Aim, One Destiny'' for his life. That venerable aim was the ``Redemption of Africa.'' He was born in St. Ann's Bay, Saint Ann, Jamaica on August 17, 1887. Marcus Garvey was a publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, crusader for Black Nationalism, and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. Garvey advanced proposals that were designed to promote social, political and economic freedom for Blacks, including launching the Black Star Line Corporation and its successor company, the Black Cross Navigation and Trading Company. He was at the forefront of developing Liberia based upon the belief that Blacks should have a permanent homeland in Africa. Marcus Garvey asserted, ``Our success educationally, industrially and politically is based upon the protection of a nation founded by ourselves. And the nation can be nowhere else but in Africa.'' Garvey was a deep believer in race improvement through self-empowerment which undercut the ``Doctrine of Inferiority'' that plagued the minds of Blacks throughout the Diaspora. The Garvey Movement was an emerging force that spoke to the pride of being Black and the richness of Black ancestry. Garvey sought respect for Africa and dignity for those dispersed from its' shores. Garvey furthered the paradigm of redemption and uplift of his race by establishing the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League in 1914 in Jamaica. Through the UNIA-ACL Garvey championed the cause of Africa and proclaimed that until Africa is free and redeemed, not only in name but dignity, no one would be free, Black or White. Garvey was a firm believer in the ``Brotherhood of Man'', that is to say, all of our destinies are inextricably linked together by the ``Parenthood of God.'' Moreover, the Creator has a purpose for everyone that he has created and that purpose does not include slavery or subjugation for any circumstances. Garvey held that dignity and self-esteem were the most powerful and only weapons against racism and white supremacy. Garvey stated, ``the man or woman who has no confidence in self is an unfortunate being, and is really a misfit in creation. God Almighty created earth and every one of us for a place in the world, and for the least of us to think that we were created only to be what we are and not what we can make ourselves is to ipute an improper motive to the Creator for creating us.'' Garvey wanted every Black throughout the Diaspora to commit to self-awareness, confidence, conviction and actio. Only then would Africa become free and the bonds of condemnation fall and shatter. Marcus Garvey was a scholar, a leader and a statesman who gave his life to mother Africa and Black people. History records that Garvey attracted an unprecedented fallowing, enjoyed by no previous Negro leader. Garvey sought to eradicate the evils that plagued Black existence. He believed that ``Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people,'' but it will take measurable deliberate action toward the destiny that God has prepared. In the 1920's, Marcus Garvey built the largest Black-led mass movement this country has ever seen. There was never a leader like him, before or since. In nearly all matters relating to the resurgence of African people, in this country and abroad, there is recognition of this man and his movement that seemed impossible in his lifetime. His prophesy has been fulfilled in the independence explosion that brought more than 30 African nations into being. The concept of Black Power that he advanced, using other terms, is now a reality in large areas of the world now governed by people of African origin. From the year of his arrival in the United States, in 1916, until his deportation in 1927, the community of Harlem, my home, was his window on the world. I am so proud that, from the work in my community he launched a great movement and became one of the most significant leaders of the 20th century. Mr. Speaker, Jamaica's first national hero, the Right Excellent Marcus Garvy is honored in many ways throughout the world. If you visit New York City's Harlem neighborhood, you will find a park named after his Excellency. If you travel across the shores and visit Nairobi, Kenya, you can walk down a major street named after Marcus Garvey. If you should visit Lenton, Nottingham, you can drop in to the Marcus Garvey Centre. In Kingston the building housing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs bears his name, and in St. Ann there is a secondary school named after him. Marcus Garvey is celebrated and memorialized all across the world and now it is my pleasure to honor him now in the ``People's House.'' Mr. Speaker, on August 17th, people from all over the world will celebrate Marcus Garvey's birthday. We will celebrate him as a leader, a friend of Africa and a lover of Black people throughout the world. Even now, I can hear the reverberation of his words, ``Up you mighty race, accomplish what you will.''

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to join with my colleagues in congratulating Spelman College on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. One of our country's most distinguished colleges, this historically Black college for women founded in 1881 by Harriet E. Giles and Sophia B. Packard in Atlanta, Georgia, was ranked this year by U.S. News & World Report as being among the top 75 Best Liberal Arts Colleges. Since its inception, Spelman College has provided women with access to education since the post-Civil War era, promoting academic excellence in the liberal arts and developing the intellectual, ethical, and leadership potential of its students. As a member of the Atlanta University Center (AUC) consortium, Spelman students enjoy the benefits of a small college while having access to the faculty and physical resources of five other historically black institutions. Spelman College has grown from its roots as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary, to become one of the Nation's most prominent institutions of higher learning promoting both academic excellence and leadership development. Spelman's steadfast commitment to preparing black women for service and leadership is clearly evident in the more than six generations of Spelman women who have reached the highest levels of academic, community, and professional achievement. Spelman's most notable alumnae include Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund; Ruth A. Davis, director general of the U.S. Foreign Service; Aurelia Brazeal, U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia; and Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. Spelman can well be proud of its achievements and exemplary service not only to its students, but to the City of Atlanta. May this outstanding college enjoy many more years of continued success.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share with my colleagues the presence in the House of the participants in an important and exciting program today, The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, and to welcome these extraordinary young people to their period of service in the Congress. The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship Program was initiated from my desire that the State Department's Diplomatic Corps abroad would reflect the rich diversity represented by the American people at home. The program presents young adults from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to learn, participate, and become a part of the United States' diplomatic corps. This program is a successful collaboration between the Congress, the State department, and Howard University, which administers the program with a cross-section of colleges and universities across the country. Former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell introduced the program on May 17, 2002 at a State Department ceremony and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has expressed her profound support for continuing and expanding this initiative. In the last 2 years, the components of the Rangel Program were reviewed and evaluated by the State Department and were found to satisfy the stringent requirement for inclusion in the Department's prestigious Diplomacy Fellows Program. This milestone achievement has included the program in the distinguished ranks of such programs as the Presidential Management Interns, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Boren, Fascell, and Pickering Fellows Programs. As a result, fellows who successfully complete the Rangel Program and the State Department requirements will automatically receive employment offers and appointments to the Foreign Service. In addition, I would like to personally welcome the 2006 Charles B. Rangel Fellows to Capitol Hill. We currently have Jacob Choi, a graduate of Brigham Young University, who will attend Harvard's Kennedy School of Government in the Fall, serving Rep. Eliot Engel's office; Christopher Hartfield, a graduate of Stanford University, who will attend Tuft's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in the Fall, serving in Rep. Adam B. Schiff's office; Teresa Williamson a graduate of Dillard University who will attend Yale University in the Fall, serving in Rep. Donald M. Payne's office; Sara Marti a graduate of the University of Central Florida who will attend the University of Denver's School of International Studies, serving in Rep. Jose E. Serrano's office; Chansonett Hall, a graduate of Penn State University, who will attend the University of Pittsburgh's School of Public and International Affairs serving in Rep. Gregory W. Meeks' office; Yehia Hanan, a graduate of Howard University, who will attend Georgetown University's School of Public Policy, serving in Sen. Joseph R. Biden's office; Marcus Jackson, a graduate of Florida A&M University who is serving in Rep. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega's office; Paloma Gonzalez, a graduate of Lewis and Clark College, who will attend Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, serving in Rep. Barbara Lee's office; and Brandon Jackson, a graduate of Cornell University, who will also attend Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, serving in my office. I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. I have read each and every single one of your bios and I am extremely impressed with all of your diverse areas of study and accomplishments. I know your experience on the Hill will be an invaluable help to you in the Foreign Service. I also want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues and friends for the invaluable experiences that they are providing and for personally hosting a Rangel Fellow in their offices. The experiences to be obtained during their time in the House of Representatives will provide insight that is a special and unique part of this program. This Capitol Hill exposure and experience will be particularly useful as they enter the State Department as junior Foreign Service Officers. Thank you for the wonderful opportunities that you are providing this summer. I am extremely proud of this program and its contribution to the country. I believe that in America, diversity is our strength. With our Nation's growing international involvement, there could be no better time than now to attract the very best, the brightest, and the most diverse talent available to represent the American people and champion our interests in every comer of the globe.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues of the passing of Mr. Francis Anthony Davila-Lawrence, a loving father, veteran, public servant, union leader and community activist who passed away in Brooklyn, New York, on August 5, 2006. I would like to enter into the Congressional Record his obituary which captures his many contributions and achievements to the great State of New York. We will never forget him. Thank you. Francis Anthony Davila-Lawrence, January 9, 1921-August 5, 2006 Francis Anthony Davila-Lawrence, known by some friends as Frank and by other friends as Francisco, left this life on August 5, 2006 at 85 years of age. Francis was born in Harlem Hospital on January 9, 1921 to a Panamanian-Caribbean mother and a Cuban father. Francis was a New Yorker. He spent the majority of his life working and building businesses in and about New York City. Francis married twice, raising three children, whom he loved dearly. With his first wife, Eunice Williams, they raised a son, Michael, and a daughter, Aleta. Later in life, he married Louise Simon, and raised a second son, Jason. With Frank's passing goes a library of stories and experiences. He grew up during the Great Depression. He attended the very first World's Fair, seeing a microwave decades before they would ever come to use in an American household. He traveled throughout the Bronx, Harlem, and Jamaica, Queens during his youth in a Ford Model T, which he said had terrible brakes. He served in the Navy during World War II, and then went on to serve with the Merchant Marines as a civilian worker, and in the Coast Guard during the 1950s. He was a hard worker. Frank worked as a cook at several of the large hotels and restaurants in Manhattan before going to work at the New York City Board of Education, where he worked 30 years, retiring as a Senior IBM TAB Operator. He had been one of the few Black or Latino workers to be trained to work on the then-massive IBM computers, which took up whole floors to do what we do today with a laptop. While at the Board of Education, he was an active unionist, serving in several union leadership positions. He was an active participant in the fight for dignity and fair wages for working people. Francis dreamed of bigger and better things for his family and worked to provide opportunities for his children. He worked to exhaustion to make sure his family had what they needed. Later, as a haustion real estate investor, he amassed properties across New York City and elsewhere. Frank worked so much that his family often joked that he worked eight days per week. In addition to his full-time job, he maintained a number of supplemental jobs, including working as a cook at Brooklyn's famous Junior's Restaurant, working weekends for the Free Sons of Israel, and as a security guard for the ILGWU (International Ladies Garment Workers Union). After his retirement at age 65, he purchased a small newsstand in Manhattan's Wall Street district ``just to keep himself busy.'' Frank's personality and laughter lit up rooms. He had a gleam in his eye, and hardly held his tongue. He was an excellent dancer. Throughout his life, he was an avid reader, taking his glasses off and squinting one eye to get a clear look at the words on the pages of the New York Post or the Amsterdam News. He thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic stories of the National Enquirer. He had a gentle place in his heart that was untouched by life's hardships. He loved dogs and cats. He also loved children, putting a ship's silver dollar for luck into many babies' hands. He was an optimist about his health, the future, and his ability to do things at any point in his life. As a youth, he adventured widely, seeing many parts of the world. When asked about his life's long list of adventures, he said that more than anything he accomplished during this lifetime, he found joy in seeing his children brought into the world. He instilled a sense of family, honor, and justice in his children, maintaining these things mattered most in life. He loved his children passionately. Family was the most important thing in his life and he was more than anything else, a proud father of three wonderful children whose successes filled him with pride throughout his life. Frank leaves to mourn his loss wife Louise, ex-wife Eunice, children Michael, Aleta and Jason, daughter-in-law Norma, sisters Gloria, Angela, and Marie, and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 605, a resolution recognizing the life of Preston Robert Tisch and his outstanding contributions to New York City, the New York Giants Football Club, the National Football League, and the United States. Mr. Tisch died, at the age of 79, on November 15, 2005, at his home in Manhattan, New York. The cause of his demise was a brain tumor, as said Jeffrey Stewart, spokesman for the family. New Yorkers knew Mr. Tisch as Bob and will always remember his stupendous economic support and leadership on several civic initiatives committed to the betterment of the city. Having made his fortune from the real estate business in New York, Bob Tisch was a dedicated man who truly loved this city and exemplified the belief that the prime responsibility and highest calling of those fortunate enough to have achieved financial security was to use the resources and capacity to improve the lives of other people. Many New Yorkers were helped by the generosity of Mr. Tisch's civic commitment. In May 2005, Mr. Tisch was interviewed for the online edition of Education Update magazine by Joan Baum, Ph.D. Dr. Baum described him as an ``extraordinary life of public service and philanthropy''. Mr. Tisch's service as Postmaster General of the United States in the 90s was mentioned. As well as his participation in a partnership program to fund community programs, sitting on the board as a founding member of Citymeals-on-wheels, and as an essential driving force behind the new Giants Stadium. In 2000, Mr. Tisch founded a program known as ``Take the Field'', which benefited public schools by restoring athletic fields in New York to provide spaces for children to both practice and play. Since its inception ``Take the Field'' has already successfully restored 41 of 43 athletic fields in New York. By May 2005 Mr. Tisch's efforts had raised $135 million in private and public funds for ``Take the Field.'' Ernie Accorsi, Giants General Manager, 1998-present stated: ``Bob Tisch was a historic man in New York City history. His contributions ranged from government, both National and local, to the entertainment world to the sports world, but most important, to incredible charitable acts. His `Take the Field' program was one of the most innovative and beautiful efforts in athletics in this country. But in addition to these things and to his co-ownership of one of the great franchises in American sport, in addition to his brilliance and dynamic New York presence, was the soul of a good and decent man who cared about people and did countless deeds to help those less fortunate, acts which never received notice.'' Mr. Tisch wanted to improve health and increase the academic performance of not only students, but also of the communities as well. Mr. Tisch was very interested in education. Evidence of this is the Tisch School of the Arts and the Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports at New York University. Mr. Tisch also served as Mayor David N. Dinkins ``ambassador'' to Washington, he was chairman of host committees for the 1976 and 1980 Democratic National Conventions, and also led the way in building a new convention center on Manhattan's West Side. He was the Chairman and Director of the Loews Corporation, one of the country's most successful financial companies. In 1991 he purchased the New York Giants and loved to attend practices and share opinions with coaches. Mr. Tisch improved the Giant's business by sharpening the team's marketing strategies. As a member of the National Football League's Finance and Super Bowl Policy Committees, Mr. Tisch attained prominence in the sports arena equal to his position in the world of business. We all mourn the loss of Bob Tisch, who left an indelible mark on our society. He will always be alive in our hearts and minds. As a friend, I will greatly miss a remarkable man whose companionship I treasured, and whose energetic, enthusiastic, and enormously big heart will never be forgotten.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5837, a bill to amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to provide for a YouthBuild program and to recognize the many achievements and accomplishments attributed to YOUTHBUILD USA. The YouthBuild program started in my Congressional District of East Harlem in 1978 as a response to the failed public school system, the lack of workforce development programs available to young adults and the growing number of youth who were being driven into the criminal justice system, YouthBuild's mission is to provide a pathway to successful productive careers. YouthBuild started in the interstices between these three systems as a community-based comprehensive program designed with and for youth. It became simultaneously an alternative school, a job and career training program, a point of re-entry for adjudicated youth, a way to serve one's community by building the highly valued commodity of affordable housing, and a way to gain leadership skills to improve the community in the long run and to become somebody who could make a difference. This combination has been highly attractive to the disconnected youth, and has created a pathway to a productive future for tens of thousands of young adults across the country. YouthBuild spread from East Harlem throughout New York City, and from there around the country. It became a federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program in 1992, and with HUD's help has spread to 226 of America's poorest urban and rural communities. It has been incubated as a federal program in HUD--still outside of the existing public education, workforce development, and criminal justice systems. At HUD, the emphasis has been on broad community development. YouthBuild has shown itself to be highly attractive to communities seeking a solution for the fact that 32 percent of America's youth are dropping out of school, a hundred thousand are aging out of foster care each year and need a supportive transition, and tens of thousands are returning to their neighborhoods from incarceration needing a guiding hand. Now YouthBuild is being moved as a response to its success. It is consistent with the priorities of the Department of Labor to engage the most disadvantaged youth in education and job training in high-demand careers through a cost effective community-based solution. While it is consistent with HUD's general community development goals, it is consistent with the Department of Labor's central priorities for young adults. YouthBuild programs are also working well as re-entry programs under a special grant with the Department of Labor and with various state governments. They are working as AmeriCorps programs especially designed for low-income youth in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service. They are also working with local public school systems and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation--40 YouthBuild programs have become diploma-granting public charter or alternative schools, expanding the reach of limited federal funds by attracting additional local public education funds and deepening YouthBuild's role as an alternative school. Since it has become simultaneously a school, a job-training program, a re-entry program, and a national service program, it is working now on the creative edge of all these systems. Local YouthBuild programs are led by entrepreneurial and committed professionals rooted in local communities. They are knit together by a national non-profit organization, YouthBuild USA, that works in partnership with the federal government to hold local programs to high standards, to train them in best practices, and to recognize innovative promising practices. This public/private partnership has also proven itself to be a good delivery system which has been responsible for the effective implementation of a creative program design. At a time when America is seeking solutions to the disconnection from school and work of over 5 million 16- to 24-year-olds, 2.4 million of whom are poor, at a time when we are realizing that some of our existing systems are not working for this sub-set of young adults, it is a good moment to highlight YouthBuild as a solution, and position it in the Department of Labor for its next stage as a visible and viable pathway to success for tens of thousands of young Americans.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in supporting H.R. 6033 which would designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 39-25 61st Street in Woodside, New York, as the ``Thomas J. Manton Post Office Building''. As you know, we lost our dear friend Tom just a few short months ago, and I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to one of the most distinguished Members who ever served in this great House, than to see this renaming become a reality. The character of Tom Manton's life might be summed up in a few words: he was a man of great commitment, hard-working, an inspiring leader, and he was dearly passionate about the causes he believed in and the work he did on behalf of his constituency. Manton was a man of great intellect. During seven terms in Congress, from 1985 to 1998, he was an important figure on reauthorization of the Superfund program, which provides for the cleanup of uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites. However, most of his legislative initiatives were focused on various local issues: stopping the Long Island Rail Road from building a waste-transfer station in western Queens, barring the creation of composting plants for sewage sludge in New York City, and using amendments to the Clean Air Act to aid local businesses. As well, he also sponsored a law that made benefits to permanently injured police officers, on par with payments to officers killed in the line of duty. This loving husband and devoted father was also a very dear friend and colleague to me through all the years we worked together here in the Congress. It was my privilege to know him and to work with him on matters involving not only our Nation, but the great State of New York. He combined with his charm, an unlimited energy and the highest integrity and work ethic. Tom Manton was indeed a well respected and revered Member of this institution who gave of himself diligently, and was ever zealous to carry through to its ultimate conclusion, the cause of those who would benefit from his direction. No one is likely to forget neither the courage of his faith nor the warmth of his friendship. In Tom's memory, let us move this bill forward.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in order to pay tribute to a significant national holiday recognized by the nations of the Caribbean that commemorates the emancipation of the slaves in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. This day celebrates arguably one of the most important events in the history of mankind to that date, preceding the end of slavery in the U.S. by some thirty years. It certainly was the beginning of the freedom of people of African descent in the British Caribbean. Slavery has existed in various forms throughout most of recorded history. Because of its widespread nature, emancipation was not a single occurrence, but rather an action that took place at different times in different locations depending on the colonial power. Set aside as an anniversary marking the birth of liberty from legalized control, violence and enforced labor, the first day of August, Emancipation Day, serves as a reminder of how long and arduous the Caribbean's long walk to freedom actually was, encompassing the years leading up to the liberating act and the many years of colonialism which followed as a struggle to secure the promise of freedom. The values and freedoms we exercise daily have come with a price. Freedom is never given freely. The emancipation of slaves in the Caribbean signified the emergence of a more civil and just society. However, there is unfinished business in regards to the recognition and atonement given to this important period in history. We must continue to look for ways that adequately address the legacy and history of slavery and lead to an appreciation of the struggle for liberation. It behooves all of us, jointly, as well as individually, to mark one of the most significant events in world history. I enter into the Congressional Record the Carib News opinion editorial written by Dr. Harold Robertson, Trinidad and Tobago's Consul General in New York and thank him for providing a very detailed account of the path many Caribbean nations took to freedom. Although there still remains a lot to be done, by celebrating our past and our accomplishments, we are building a stronger foundation to build the future upon [From the NY Carib News, Aug. 2, 2006] Statement for Emancipation Celebrations 2006 (By Dr. Harold Robertson) The Trinidad and Tobago Consulate, in collaboration with TATIC (Trinidad & Tobago Independence Celebrations, Inc.) recently marked their Emancipation Day on Friday, July 28, with a celebration at the T & T Consulate in New York. The Consul General Dr. Harold Robertson was the keynote speaker who delivered the following address: ``Today's event is the Consulate's annual celebration of what is arguably one of the most important events in the history of the British Caribbean and indeed in the Western Hemisphere--the Abolition of Slavery and the legal transformation of African slaves to free individuals. Emancipation as a legal decision was not restricted to the British Caribbean since slavery was also not restricted only to that region. Slavery existed in virtually the entire western hemisphere (with the notable exception of what is now Canada), in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Moreover, because of its widespread nature, abolition of the institution was not a single occurrence but rather, an action which took place at different times in different locations, dependent upon the colonial power. What cannot be gainsaid is that in this hemisphere slavery was instituted for two basic reasons. Eric Williams in his seminal work Capitalism and Slavery postulates that the impetus was economic; and that the economic trigger was the decision by the metropolitan powers to develop the new world as a source of sugar. Sugar plantations required labor, cheap labor, without which the great development of the Caribbean in the 17th, 18th and early 19th Centuries would not have been possible. There is certainly much evidence to support this view; but one can take some issue with Williams' other assertion that the use of Africans as slave labor in the Caribbean and elsewhere ``in no way implied the inferiority of the Negro''. Based on these two pillars, the institution of African slavery began with the importation of a dozen Africans to serve as personal slaves to wealthy Portuguese in 1441, and went on to subsist for some four centuries during which it is conservatively estimated that approximately 50,000,000 persons were transported from Africa to the new world. By the late 18th Century, early 19th, slavery in the British Empire however was under sustained attack on two fronts. One was the economic--the plantation system had embarked upon a long slow decline, it was still profitable but the world was changing, with the industrial revolution exerting stronger influence. This was coupled with the growing sentiment of humanitarianism in Britain. Economic decline and humanitarian agitation in and out of Parliament led to the great day, 1 August, 1834, when the abolition of slavery was encapsulated in the coming into effect of the Emancipation Act. It is worthy of mention that Britain was not the first country or place to end slavery in the western hemisphere; that distinction belongs to the then Colony of Rhode Island which, caught up in the revolutionary fervor of the time, abolished slavery in 1774. Revolutionary France abolished slavery in 1789, only to have it re-instituted by Napoleon. Again in our hemisphere the next country to abolish slavery was Haiti which in defiance of France drafted its own Constitution in 1801, which abolished slavery in Saint Domingue for all time. In spite of efforts by Bonaparte's France to recapture St. Domingue the end result was failure and on 1 January, 1804 Dessaline's Government adopted its declaration of independence, changed the name of the country to Haiti and confirmed Toussaint's ending of slavery. Simon Bolivar's campaigns led to the end of slavery in Spain's mainland colonies in South America in the early 19th Century. These were the precedents to the Emancipation of Slaves in the British Colonies--but what in practical terms did the end of slavery mean for the British Caribbean. The first and most obvious effect was the transformation of 540,559 African Slaves from chattel slavery to legal freedom. For those of us familiar with the economic and demographic reality of the Caribbean today, the picture on 1 August, 1834, doubtless makes for interesting observation. The number of slaves set free in the individual British territories reveals the following: Jamaica--255,290; British Guyana (now Guyana)--69,579; Barbados--66,638; Antigua--23,350; Grenada--19,009; St. Vincent--18,114; Trinidad--17,539; St. Kitts--15,667; Dominica--11,664; St. Lucia--10,328; Tobago--9,078; Bahamas--7,734; Nevis-- 7,225; Montserrat--5,026; British V.I.--4,318. The second critical factor was the decision of the British Parliament not to compensate the former slaves for their oppression, humiliation and degradation but rather to pay the slave-owners for the loss of their property. Parliament in London allocated 20,000,000 (over 1 billion dollars in today's currency) for that purpose. The British abolition was followed by similar actions among European powers--France ended slavery in 1848 following another period of revolutionary activity; Sweden in 1846, Holland in 1863. Slavery in the remaining Spanish Caribbean was ended not from Madrid but within the colonies themselves, with Puerto Rico ending slavery in 1873 and Cuba in 1880. The last major regional country to emancipate its slaves was Brazil which ended the institution in 1888. All of this brings us to the USA. Emancipation did not come to the United States until 1 December, 1865, when Congress ratified the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It was that amendment, eight months after Lincoln's death which abolished slavery in the United States. The foregoing, in snapshot, provides a picture of the events which we celebrate today. For us in the Caribbean, emancipation and its repercussions served to trigger the events leading to the emergence of modern society. In those islands and colonies where land was available, the freed slaves generally refused to work for their former owners. They abandoned the plantations in favor either of forming their own free villages or engaging in other activity. Faced with a labor crisis, Caribbean plantation owners reacted in the only way they knew--importation of more labor. Initial efforts were concentrated on Chinese and Portuguese workers, leading to thriving communities of these ethnicities in countries like Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana. Indeed, this year the Chinese Community will be celebrating the 150th Anniversary of their arrival into Trinidad and already in some quarters the call has gone out for official recognition of a Chinese arrival day. The greatest influx of new labor in the post emancipation period, however, came from India and interestingly virtually the same race-based philosophy that was used to justify the enslavement of Africans featured in the importation of Indians. Indians had been introduced to Mauritius and Fiji and in early discourse over the suitability of the Indian for labor in the Caribbean, officials of the East India Company described the Indians as being ``more akin to the monkey than the man. They have no religion, no education and in their present state no want beyond eating, drinking and sleeping'' The Indians were not to be seen as slaves--Indian labor was classified as indentureship--they were to work for specific periods of time at the end of which they exercised the choice of either returning to India or accepting a tract of state land to remain as freemen in the Caribbean. As the time rolled by the option of returning to India was gradually made more and more difficult. Thus, it was that beginning in 1838 and extending to the end of the First World War in 1918 over 1,000,000 Indians were introduced into the Caribbean to work on the sugar plantations. Today, the largest Indian societies in the Caribbean are to be found in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, but the immigration of Indians was widespread throughout the Caribbean; 238,000 went to Guyana; 145,000 were sent to Trinidad; 39,000 to Guadeloupe; 34,000 to Suriname; 21,500 to Jamaica; smaller numbers went to Martinique, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. The repercussions of these events are of course still being felt today. In the Caribbean, emancipation still remains a work in progress, since it has taken on aspects which extend beyond the mere end of slavery. Many Caribbean societies face the struggle of blending different cultures and ethnicities into a coherent social whole. Of course, the infusion of different peoples has led to the development of a pluralistic culture, perhaps best exemplified in Trinidad and Tobago where calypso and soca exist side by side with chutney, the steelpan with the tassa and the cuisine ranges from pastelles and arepas to sancoche and peleau, provisions and oil down, bake and shark and buljol, roti and phouloorie, fried rice and chow mein. It is also reflected in the general antipathy of blacks to agricultural endeavor and the stereotype of the Chinese laundry or the Portuguese rum shop. It is reflected in sport, as in politics as we continue to strive to develop the society which we all desire. The Jamaican icon Bob Marley has exhorted us to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery and nowhere is this exhortation more apposite than in the incongruous situation where politically independent countries of the modern Caribbean continue to maintain the British Privy Council as their final arbiter in jurisprudential matters. Emancipation will not be fully achieved until that is corrected. Whether in the Caribbean or in America the abolition of slavery unleashed the compendium of forces out of which modern society emerged. Still however, there is unfinished business, not least of which is the increasing clamor for the righting of a historical wrong--the payment of reparations to the heirs of those who endured this most heinous institution. So far, the concept of reparations is a notion which has engaged the attention only of activists and academics. That is changing; others are becoming conscious of the need for atonement. For example, at its 75th General Convention held this past June, the Episcopal Church of the United States adopted a Resolution entitled ``Slavery and Racial Reconciliation''. The Resolution acknowledged the Church's participation in the fundamental betrayal of humanity represented by slavery, observed that the repercussions of slavery continue to plague our life and culture and called upon Congress and the American people to initiate a study and dialogue about the history and legacy of slavery and of methodologies for the provision of monetary and non-monetary reparations to the descendants of the victims of slavery. There is much that still remains to be done. Only when there is universal understanding of and reparations for the blight of slavery will we be able to speak of complete emancipation. For now, it behoves all of us, jointly as well as individually, to mark one of the most significant events in our history and indeed in world history; and to rededicate ourselves to working for its total achievement. Trinidad and Tobago has done its part; in 1985, Trinidad and Tobago was the first country to declare Emancipation Day as a national holiday. Other Caribbean countries have followed.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Richard T. Greene, an innovator and entrepreneur whose effective leadership helped revitalize and rebuild my Harlem community. Mr. Greene, the man who is recognized as building the largest African American financial institution, Carver Federal Savings, died at his home in Brooklyn last Thursday on August 3, 2006, of heart failure. Mr. Greene's innovative spirit and foresight expanded needed financial services which provided the means for investment within the Harlem community. Under Greene, Carver also showed its support for the people of Harlem through a commitment to helping those less fortunate by creating grants up to $3,000 each year to 40 to 50 collegebound students in the Harlem community. Mr. Greene was born on July 18, 1913, in Charleston, SC. At a time when very few African Americans were going to college, Mr. Greene graduated with a degree in business administration from Hampton University and did postgraduate work at New York University and the Wharton School of Banking and Finance. He also attained the rank of major in the U.S. Army during his World War II service, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from St. John's University. Greene's most noted contribution came through the work he did as the president and director of Carver Federal Savings. Carver Federal Savings was established by business and church leaders in 1949, during a time of racial strife and segregation. It grew to become one the areas leading financial institutions. Through his tenure, Mr. Greene expanded the bank's presence in Harlem by chiefly investing in one to four-family homes and in churches. Greene participated in many business development organizations, such as the Harlem Business Alliance, which he co-founded; the Apollo Theater Foundation; and the Harlem Urban Development Corporation (HUDC), on whose boards he served. For several years, he worked with David Rockefeller in the New York City Partnership, Inc. His professional affiliations included service with the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, Second District, from 1989-1992; serving thrift institutions in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands; and membership in the Washington, D.C.-based American Savings and Loan League, Inc. I enter into the Congressional Record the obituary published in the New York Times on August 9, 2006, which provides an insight into Richard T. Greene's humanitarian efforts and accomplishments. He has truly left his mark on the Harlem community, and he will always be remembered for that. He was admired and loved by the community in which he served. What I hope people will remember from his life is that he always found a way to reach in and give back, touching the lives of many. As banks and financial institutions continue to grow and expand in New York and communities like Harlem we must reflect upon the lives and hard work of the individuals whose innovation made such progress possible. [From The New York Times, Aug. 9, 2006] Richard T. Greene Sr., 93, Is Dead; Made a Bank an Institution (By Michael J. De La Merced) Richard T. Greene Sr., who for 30 years was the president and a director of the Carver Federal Savings Bank, which he built into the country's largest African-American financial institution, died at his home in Brooklyn last Thursday. He was 93. The cause was heart failure, his daughter, Cheryll, said. Established by business and church leaders in Harlem in 1949, Carver grew to become one of the area's enduring institutions. Mr. Greene began his long career there in 1960, when Joseph Davis, the bank's co-founder and president, hired him as an executive assistant. Mr. Greene quickly rose through the ranks, becoming president in 1969. During his tenure as Carver's president, Mr. Greene presided over a series of expansions, as it opened offices throughout the city and went public in 1994. Carver also suffered hardships, including the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980s, a fire in 1992 that destroyed its headquarters, and increasing competition from larger institutions like Chase. ``He was perhaps the most critical factor in preventing Carver from getting swept away'' in the savings and loan crisis, said Deborah C. Wright, Carver's current president. He avoided the high-risk loans that got other institutions into trouble, chiefly investing in one- to four-family homes and in churches, and kept loans at a relatively low level compared with deposits, she said. Mr. Greene retired as president in 1995 and as chairman in 1997. He was also active in many other Harlem institutions. Mr. Greene was a founder of the Harlem Business Alliance and worked with David Rockefeller in the New York City Partnership. He also served on the boards of the Apollo Theater Foundation and the Harlem Urban Development Corporation and established the Carver Scholarship Fund, which gives grants up to $3,000 each year to 40 to 50 college-bound students in the bank's markets. Mr. Greene was born on July 18, 1913, in Charleston, SC. He graduated with a degree in business administration from Hampton University in Hampton, VA, in 1938 and served as an Army officer during World War II. In addition to his daughter, Mr. Greene is survived by his wife, Virginia; a son, Richard Jr.; and three grandchildren.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer a personal explanation of the reason I missed Rollcall vote No. 433 on Thursday, September 7, 2006. This bill concerns H.R. 503, the ``American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act''. I was hosting a crime forum (``Crime in the Cities: America's Mayors Fight Back'') as part of the 36th Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference. I would have voted in favor of the bill (``aye'').

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, if Franz Kafka were writing his famous novel The Trial today, he might find his inspiration in what is happening in America. In The Trial a man named Josef K awakens one morning and, for reasons never revealed, is arrested and subjected to the rigors of a bizarre judicial process for an unspecified crime. The agents who arrest him never tell him under what or whose authority he is being arrested. He is ultimately executed never knowing what he has done. Mr. Speaker, I rise to enter into the Record a column by Bob Herbert entitled ``The Definition of Tyranny'' which appeared in the July 17, 2006 edition of The New York Times. The subject of Mr. Herbert's article is the Bush Administration's response to the Supreme Court's holding in Hamdan vs. Rumsfeld that the military tribunals in use at Guantanamo Bay were illegal. The President was not authorized by Congress, nor did he have the power under Title II of the Constitution, to make law for the tribunals or for the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay even though the country was engaged, he argued, in a ``war on terror.'' The Court also faulted the President's failure to apply Article III of the Geneva Conventions in its treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. In response, the President has requested that the Congress make legal what the Court found illegal. This response brought to my mind the situation in which Josef K found himself in The Trial. I enter this article by Mr. Herbert for the edification of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. [From the New York Times, July 17, 2006] The Definition of Tyranny (By Bob Herbert) Congress is dithering and the American public doesn't even seem particularly concerned as the administration of George W. Bush systematically trashes such fundamental American values as justice, due process, respect for human rights and submission to the rule of law. In the kangaroo courts that the administration concocted to try detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a defendant could be prevented from seeing the evidence against him, would not have the right to attend his own trial and would not have the right to appeal the sentence to a civilian court. That's slapstick justice, a process worthy of the Marx Brothers. ``You have been accused of being a terrorist.'' ``Where is the evidence?'' ``We can't show it to you.'' ``That's ridiculous.'' ``So is this court. We find you guilty. Take him away.'' The Supreme Court now says, in a vote that was closer than it should have been, that this sort of madness cannot be permitted. In its recent decision striking down the tribunals for terror suspects at Guantanamo, the court said of the defendant, Salim Ahmed Hamdan: ``He will be, and indeed already has been, excluded from his own trial.'' The court said, in effect, that this is not the American way, that ours is not a Marx Brothers republic. Not yet, anyway. (It most likely will be if Mr. Bush gets to appoint one or two more justices to the court.) The Bush-Cheney regime believes it can do whatever outlandish things it wants, including torturing people and keeping them incarcerated for life without even the semblance of due process. And it's not giving up. The administration now wants Congress to authorize what the Supreme Court has plainly said was wrong. White House lawyers, in a torturous (pun intended) interpretation of the court's ruling, seem to be arguing that the kangaroo courts, otherwise known as military commissions, will be quite all right if only Congress will say so. They're not all right. They're an abomination (like the secret C.I.A. prisons and the practice of extraordinary rendition) that spits in the face of the idea that the United States is a great and civilized nation. ``Can you imagine if the Hamdan decision, among others, had gone the other way?'' said Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights, which has been waging an extraordinary fight to secure basic legal protections for prisoners at Guantanamo. ``I mean we'd be looking at a dark nightmare.'' The court's decision brought into sharp relief the importance of one of the most fundamental aspects of American government, the separation of powers. Checks and balances. The judicial branch put a halt--a check--on a gruesomely illegal practice by the executive. Mr. Bush has tried to scrap the very idea of checks and balances. The Republican-controlled Congress has, for the most part, rolled over like trained seals for the president. And Mr. Bush is trying mightily to pack the courts with right-wingers who will do the same. Under those circumstances, his will becomes law. Justice John Paul Stevens, who wrote the majority opinion in the Hamdan case, referred to a seminal quote from James Madison. The entire quote is as follows: ``The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed or elective, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.'' As the center noted in a recent report, ``The U.S. government has employed every possible tactic to evade judicial review of its detention and interrogation practices in the `war on terror,' including allegations that U.S. personnel subject prisoners to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.'' There is every reason to be alarmed about the wretched road that Bush, Cheney et al. are speeding along. It is as if they were following a route deliberately designed to undermine a great nation. A lot of Americans are like spoiled rich kids who take their wealth for granted. Too many of us have forgotten--or never learned--the real value of the great American ideals. Too many are standing silently by as Mr. Bush and his cronies engage in the kind of tyrannical and uncivilized behavior that has brought so much misery--and ultimately ruin--to previous societies.