Charlie Rangel

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), who has done a great deal of work on 9/11; and she would like to share some of her views with us today. (Mrs. MALONEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. First, let me thank the leadership on the other side of the aisle for the cooperation that they have given. I have worked very closely with the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), and I am so pleased the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson), who come from the affected areas, have been able to work together to assist the Congress, and especially those of us on the committee, to see how fast we could get some type of assistance to the victims of this horrendous disaster. As the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery) stated, this is a temporary provision that is not meant to indicate that the Congress has completed its work on this task. As a matter of fact, it is hardly even a beginning, but that is what we thought we could do. The good that has come out of this is a sense of bipartisanship, that Katrina was not a Republican or a Democratic disaster, it was one that struck America. And I think the President of the United States has definitely set the tone as to what most all Americans, and certainly people from all over the world realize, that this is not just building or rebuilding a city, it is not just restoring a culture, but it certainly is making the people there whole. So as we pass this bill on the consent calendar, I hope that the tone that has been set on the other side of the aisle can continue to be a bipartisan and bicameral effort in order to do the best we can in terms of restoring the dignity and the culture of this great city. To do this, some of us are working very closely with the people that come from this area, hoping that we can get an authority on the empowerment zone concept that goes far beyond the limitations that we have on the tax-writing committee. We hope that we can get the local officials, the State officials, as well as the business people, to come up with a comprehensive plan that would allow all of us, no matter what committees that we sit on, to be a part of this great American recovery effort. We also have to make certain that the people that are providing the assistance down there are held accountable and that every effort is made to make certain that, one, the people who were forced to leave the area have an opportunity to return; and to some extent our tax policy will reflect what we can do to provide incentives for them to come back home. It is also important that we take into consideration the environmental conditions that exist there to make certain that it is not contaminated when the people come back. We would also like to see an independent commission that goes far beyond what has been suggested by the Speaker to make certain that as we move forward that we do not make the same mistakes that were made in the past, and where there have been mistakes, we do not give medals of honor to those people who made them, but rather work to correct them and make certain we have competent bipartisan workers doing the Nation's business to rebuild the area that has been affected. Some Members on this side will share their experiences with 9/11, some of the things that did and did not happen; and I would hope that we would be able to share those views today and as we move forward to make certain that when we do have a plan, there are jobs there and we deal with housing, schools, and deal with all of these things with the same vigor as the President had indicated that we would do. Again, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. McCrery), and the members of the Committee on Ways and Means for the speed with which we reacted to this. I hope it has set a tone, if not for the entire Congress as we relate to other things, at least to begin with Hurricane Katrina and see what we can do to set an example for the other committees in working together. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones), an outstanding member of the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Emanuel).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of the legendary bassist William Thomas Betts, better known as ``Keter'', who died at age 77 on August 6, 2005. Mr. Betts was born on July 25, 1928 in Port Chester, New York, raised by his mother, who was a hard working domestic worker. He received his nickname from a family friend who said he was as cute as a mosquito. From there, mosquito became Skeeter and evolved into Keter. Betts began his musical love affair while on a milk and bread errand for his mother. On his journey he came across a drummer in an Italian parade band. Enchanted by the music, he followed the band across town. After he braved the wrath of his mother for not coming right home, he expressed his fascination with the drums. His mother arranged for him to take drum lessons. In 1946, Betts made the switch from the drums to the bass after the experience of having to lug the drums up and down four flights of stairs, and after an influential encounter with a bassist in Cab Calloway's band, Milt Hinton. At the age of nineteen, Betts landed his first professional gig, playing for Carmen Leggio for 13 weeks in the D.C. area. After touring the country from 1949 to 1951, Betts met jazz singer Dinah Washington and toured with her from 1951 until 1956. The next 5 years found Betts working in the hottest clubs in the country and touring Europe and South America with Charlie Byrd and Woody Herman. In 1964, Betts joined up with Ella Fitzgerald for a short tour. He would rejoin her several more times, and their career together would span 24 years. Since the early sixties, Betts has instructed countless young people on musical appreciation through various programs, including Washington's Performing Arts Society's Concerts in Schools and Prince George County's Arts Alive. Although he has appeared on countless albums and performances, Betts did not release his first solo album until 1998 called Bass, Buddies & Blues. One year later he released a second album, Bass, Buddies & Blues Beauty Too. Betts was also a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Big Band and was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association Hall of Fame. Betts performed annually at the All-Star Christmas Jazz Jam on the Millennium Stage from 2000 to 2004. William Thomas Betts, one of jazz's musical geniuses, was truly ``on the top plateau of all the bass players.'' His contributions to both American musical history specifically and American history in general, cannot be denied. Although Betts will be greatly missed, his legacy lives through his music. I submit the obituary of William Thomas Betts found in the August 6th edition of the Washington Post. Jazz Bassist Keter Betts Dies at 77 (By Adam Bernstein) Keter Betts, 77, a jazz bassist heard on more than 200 recordings, notably with guitarist Charlie Byrd and singers Dinah Washington and Ella Fitzgerald, was found dead Aug. 6 at his home in Silver Spring. The cause of death has not been determined, according to the McGuire funeral home in the District. Trumpeter Clark Terry, formerly with the Duke Ellington and ``Tonight Show'' orchestras, said Mr. Betts was ``on the top plateau of all the bass players.'' Mr. Betts played in hands with Oscar Peterson, Tommy Flanagan, Woody Herman, Nat Adderley, Joe Pass, Clifford Brown and Vince Guaraldi. After he made the Washington area his home in the mid- 1950s, Mr. Betts teamed with Byrd, the lyrical guitarist who made his name with sensual, samba-inspired bossa nova music. They were regulars at the Showboat Lounge in the District and made several State Department-sponsored trips abroad. During one trip to Brazil, Mr. Betts became enthralled with samba records and, he said, spent months persuading Byrd to play the music around Washington. Although Mr. Betts was on the million-selling ``Jazz Samba'' (1962) album--recorded at Washington's All Souls Unitarian Church--stars Byrd and saxophonist Stan Getz were credited with launching the bossa nova craze in the United States. One of the most memorable songs from the album, ``Desafinado,'' featured Mr. Betts doing the supple bass-line introduction. But his contribution to finding the music went unheralded until recent years, after he spoke to JazzTimes magazine about his role. Ken Kimery, a producer and drummer with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, told The Washington Post in 2003: ``My experience with him is that he feels the story will come out, and he does not feel he'll have to be the one who takes the effort to do that. . . . Here's a gentleman who's done so much and does not feel the need to self-promote.'' William Thomas Betts was born in Port Chester, N.Y., July 22, 1928, and was raised by his single mother, a domestic worker. He got his nickname when a family friend said the baby was as cute as a mosquito. Mosquito became Skeeter, then Keter. One day, his mother sent the youngster for milk and bread at the market. Thrilled by the sound of a passing Italian parade, he followed the drummer across town. He was gone four hours with the milk and bread. ``My mother almost killed me when I got home,'' he told an interviewer. ``I got a whippin'. After that, I told my mother I wanted to play drums.'' She figured that if her fury did not dissuade him, he must be serious. She arranged for drum lessons. His switch to the bass came one day in 1946, his senior year in high school. He went to New York to see Cab Calloway's big band and meet the drummer. When bassist Milt Hinton appeared at the stage door, he told the teenager that the drummer was gone but that he would spring for a 35-cent lunch. He also talked up the bass. Ultimately, Hinton's words were not as persuasive to Mr. Betts as the fact that carrying a drum set up four flights of stairs to his mother's apartment was excruciating. Almost from the start, Mr. Betts's professional career brought him to Washington. New York area saxophonist Carmen Leggio invited Mr. Betts to play with his band at a club near the Howard Theatre in 1947. In 1949, while Mr. Betts was playing at Washington's Club Bali, R&B bandleader Earl Bostic heard and hired him. He made his recording debut that year on Bostic's rendition of ``Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams.'' ``I didn't want to play R&B,'' Mr. Betts said. ``But it was a good chance to go on the road and see the country.'' He met Dinah Washington in 1951, when she and pianist Wynton Kelly were doing a one-nighter with Bostic's band. The singer offered Mr. Betts a job, and he spent five years with the notorious Queen of the Blues and cut several classic records, including ``Dinah Jams'' (1954) and ``Dinah!'' (1956). Her gruff exterior was ``for the people,'' Mr. Betts said. ``She was a different person inside.'' She paid for Mr. Betts's wedding reception in 1953 at Birdland in New York; Tito Puente provided the music. Washington taught Mr. Betts a secret to good musicianship: Learn the lyrics. She said the best musicians know the entire song, not just the chord changes. ``There's an art to playing behind the singer,'' he said later. ``When the singer comes onstage, they're buck naked. And it's the job of the group backing her up to dress that person for the audience.'' He met Fitzgerald through his golfing partner, bassist Ray Brown, the singer's ex-husband and business manager. Mr. Betts played with Fitzgerald in the mid-1960s and again from 1971 to 1993, often doing weeks of one-nighters around the world. Meanwhile, he played at the Kennedy Center and on jazz cruises. He also stayed active in musical education through Head Start, among other programs. At the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, he often amazed the kindergarten set by taking ``Happy Birthday'' and covering it in different styles: classical, Brazilian, country and western, rock and jazz. In 1994, he was inducted into the Washington Area Music Association's Hall of Fame. He emerged as a bandleader with a flurry of recent CDs and composed a handful of songs, notably the sweet and tender ``Pinky's Waltz,'' in memory of his wife, Mildred Grady Betts, who died in 2000. Survivors include five children, William Betts Jr. of Washington, Jon Betts of Olney, Derek Betts of Los Angeles and Jacquelyn Betts and Jennifer Betts, both of Silver Spring; and four grandchildren.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention an excellent op-ed article that appeared last week in the New York Times by David Brooks titled, ``Katrina's Silver Lining.'' The op-ed article points out that the devastation which occurred earlier this month along the Gulf region now presents us with the challenge to address the roots of poverty in the United States. Poverty was the underlying cause of the tragedy that occurred in Louisiana a couple of weeks ago. Many of the people who were unable to evacuate did not have the economic means to flee the hurricane that destroyed their city and countless lives. An individuals financial circumstance should not get in the way of life and death decisions. Low-income families should not be forced to risk their safety and well- being simply because they do not have the financial means to protect themselves. Addressing the tragedy that occurred in New Orleans will take more than rebuilding the city's infrastructure. In order to ensure that the human suffering that has occurred never happens again, we need to address the high rates of poverty that exist in this Nation. Every American should have the right to live a better life. We must ensure that everyone has the ability to adequately care for their families. Moreover, we need to ensure that every American has access to educational opportunities which lead to greater outcomes. And we must ensure that no one is forced to make a life and death decision based on their financial circumstance. Early estimates suggest that thousands of Americans may have perished as a result of Hurricane Katrina and the events that occurred after the storm, while many others were injured. The families that were forced to remain in Louisiana during the storm have finally been evacuated and now faced with the difficult task of rebuilding theirs lives. Sadly, many of them are also desperately searching for missing loved ones. In the wake of this disaster, let us move forward with an aggressive agenda to eradicate poverty in the United States. Let us rise to the challenge that Hurricane Katrina presented to us by removing the hurdles that force too many families to live in poverty. We can do this. The survivors of Hurricane Katrina, and the millions of other Americans who are living in poverty, deserve nothing less. [From the New York Times, Sept. 8, 2005] Katrina's Silver Lining (By David Brooks) As a colleague of mine says, every crisis is an opportunity. And sure enough, Hurricane Katrina has given us an amazing chance to do something serious about urban poverty. That's because Katrina was a natural disaster that interrupted a social disaster. It separated tens of thousands of poor people from the run-down, isolated neighborhoods in which they were trapped. It disrupted the patterns that have led one generation to follow another into poverty. It has created as close to a blank slate as we get in human affairs, and given us a chance to rebuild a city that wasn't working. We need to be realistic about how much we can actually change human behavior, but it would be a double tragedy if we didn't take advantage of these unique circumstances to do something that could serve as a spur to antipoverty programs nationwide. The first rule of the rebuilding effort should be: Nothing Like Before. Most of the ambitious and organized people abandoned the inner-city areas of New Orleans long ago, leaving neighborhoods where roughly three-quarters of the people were poor. In those cultural zones, many people dropped out of high school, so it seemed normal to drop out of high school. Many teenage girls had babies, so it seemed normal to become a teenage mother. It was hard for men to get stable jobs, so it was not abnormal for them to commit crimes and hop from one relationship to another. Many people lacked marketable social skills, so it was hard for young people to learn these skills from parents, neighbors and peers. If we just put up new buildings and allow the same people to move back into their old neighborhoods, then urban New Orleans will become just as rundown and dysfunctional as before. That's why the second rule of rebuilding should be: Culturally Integrate. Culturally Integrate. Culturally Integrate. The only chance we have to break the cycle of poverty is to integrate people who lack middle-class skills into neighborhoods with people who possess these skills and who insist on certain standards of behavior. The most famous example of cultural integration is the Gautreaux program, in which poor families from Chicago were given the chance to move into suburban middle-class areas. The adults in these families did only slightly better than the adults left behind, but the children in the relocated families did much better. These kids suddenly found themselves surrounded by peers who expected to graduate from high school and go to college. After the shock of adapting to the more demanding suburban schools, they were more likely to go to college, too. The Clinton administration built on Gautreaux by creating the Moving to Opportunity program, dispersing poor families to middle-class neighborhoods in five other metropolitan areas. This time the results weren't as striking, but were still generally positive. The relocated parents weren't more likely to have jobs or increase their earnings (being close to job opportunities is not enough--you need the skills and habits to get the jobs and do the work), but their children did better, especially the girls. The lesson is that you can't expect miracles, but if you break up zones of concentrated poverty, you can see progress over time. In the post-Katrina world, that means we ought to give people who don't want to move back to New Orleans the means to disperse into middle-class areas nationwide. (That's the kind of thing Houston is beginning to do right now.) There may be local resistance to the new arrivals--in Baton Rouge there were three-hour lines at gun shops as locals armed themselves against the hurricane victims moving to their area--but if there has ever been a moment when people may open their hearts, this is it. For New Orleans, the key will be luring middle-class families into the rebuilt city, making it so attractive to them that they will move in, even knowing that their blocks will include a certain number of poor people. As people move in, the rebuilding effort could provide jobs for those able to work. Churches, the police, charter schools and social welfare agencies could be mobilized to weave the social networks vital to resurgent communities. The feds could increase earned-income tax credits so people who are working can rise out of poverty. Tax laws should encourage business development. We can't win a grandiose war on poverty. But after the tragedy comes the opportunity. This is the post-Katrina moment. Let's not blow it.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support for the implementation of an independent and bipartisan commission that will lead a thorough investigation that will pinpoint what went wrong before, during and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Long before Hurricane Katrina hit land as a category five hurricane, engineers, environmentalists and military personnel have known for years that a strong hurricane, like Katrina could devastate bowl-shaped New Orleans, prompting questions about why more was not done in advance to mitigate the damage or respond more effectively in the storm's wake. For years, scientists have warned local, state and federal officials that the strength of a storm like Katrina would threaten the integrity of the 287 year old levee system and could cause massive flooding of the New Orleans area, if the system was not properly improved and maintained. Now, as survivors are slowly evacuated and are receiving the help they so direly need, the world is beginning to ask some pertinent questions. They are legitimately questioning the efficacy of the responses from each level of government, especially the slow and inadequate response of FEMA and the Federal government whose policies and government cutbacks might be responsible for the loss of thousands of lives. How does an event such as the Katrina Catastrophe occur when there was previous knowledge that the levees were in disrepair? The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had been working with local officials to strengthen the city's defenses in case of a massive storm, but federal funding for improving the levee system and implementing other projects to keep water from overtaking New Orleans decreased under the Bush administration. The Corps of Engineers responsible for maintenance had approximately $114 million worth of hurricane protection projects, however with federal funding down 44 percent; no new contracts for construction had been awarded since early in fiscal year 2004. Why? The Iraq war took priority over domestic disaster prevention. As a result, the money needed to strengthen national infrastructures against natural disasters was transferred into the President's budget to fund homeland security and the war on Iraq. Also, our National Guard who is responsible for protecting our homeland from the threat of disaster was greatly affected by this administration's policies. As people begged through news cameras for food, water and shelter, our National Guardsmen were far and few in between. Most of them were fighting and continue to fight in Iraq. Most importantly, much of the equipment and materials needed, like the Guard's high water vehicles, re-fuelers and generators required to execute rescue missions, provide food, water and medicine to those trapped on their roofs or in attics were transported to Iraq. In addition, the Bush administration made significant structural changes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), shifting funds away from pre-disaster preparation and implementing policies promoting outsourcing of relief efforts to private companies. With regards to Louisiana, FEMA denied Louisiana funding for pre-disaster preparation, which would provide the means for items that would better equip the local government for a storm such as Katrina. Meanwhile, top officials of FEMA were forewarned that cutting cost would result in a slow response times in cases of emergencies, which took place in the wake of the hurricane. Although the federal government's response and policies aided in this resulting tragedy, the local and state governments should not be left without responsibility. Although the Mayor had issued a mandatory evacuation of the city, given the economic background of much of New Orleans' citizens many of them did not have the means to evacuate. Why wasn't there transportation provided? Moreover, there didn't seem to be a well formulated ``worst-case scenario'' evacuation and rescue plan beyond the Superdome and the Convention Center, which would facilitate a more mellifluous process of communication between the state and local officials, and the citizens of New Orleans. The brave citizens of New Orleans and the people of this nation want answers. We need to find out what went wrong on every level, so that we will be well equipped to efficiently handle another event like Hurricane Katrina and prevent something like this from happening in the future. I am in full support of an independent, bipartisan commission, similar to the 9/11 commission that would investigate and assess the efficacy of responses by each level of government. This commission would establish why leaders ignored urgent warnings that New Orleans would be destroyed if it sustained a direct hurricane hit. This body would assess why the notion that if a mass evacuation occurred, thousand of poor people would be left behind without any means of escape was ignored; and why the protective levees were not strengthened despite expert predictions that they would not withstand a major hurricane. In addition, the breakdown in communication and coordination between local, state and federal agencies urgently needs to be investigated, especially now that we are under constant threat of terrorist attacks. Lastly, the actions of FEMA and its director Michael Brown who revealed his ineptitude when he appeared not to know that thousands of victims were stranded inside the New Orleans Convention Center, under deplorable conditions, despite reports about it on news broadcastings, must be thoroughly examined. Most importantly I want to stress that this commission must be independent and bipartisan, no administration could credibly investigate such an immense failure on its own watch. We owe it to the flood victims of New Orleans to give them truthful answers as to why this event took place and to assure our citizens that tragedies like this will never happen again.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, Hurricane Katrina and the tragedy that followed forced many people to revisit an issue that had been ignored by this Nation for far too long--the high rate of poverty in the United States. There is no question that one of the root causes of the tragedy that occurred in New Orleans was poverty. The people with the economic means to do so left the city prior to the storm. Those left in the city were unable to flee because they could not afford to do so, thereby forcing them to ride out the storm in their homes or in the shelter of ``last resort.'' Many of those left behind were from predominately low-income areas, such as the city's ninth ward. Ironically, the day after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, the Census Bureau reported that nearly 30 percent of the city's residents were living in poverty, making it the second poorest city in the Nation. Meanwhile, the overall poverty rate for the Nation increased for the fourth year in a row. An additional 1.1 million Americans fell into poverty last year, bringing the total number to 37 million. It is clear that although many residents of New Orleans waited for days to be rescued from flood waters, they, and millions of other Americans, were abandoned by this administration a long time ago. Programs designed to alleviate poverty and assist working families struggling to make ends meet have seen their funding cut in recent years. Critical programs such as child care assistance, job training, low-income housing assistance, and after-school programs have seen their budgets reduced in favor of tax cuts for the wealthy. Meanwhile, the Republican leadership plans to continue to pursue its irresponsible plan to further dismantle what is left of this country's safety net by making additional cuts to entitlement programs. Many of these programs are going to provide critical services to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Repairing the damage from Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath will take more than repairing broken levees and rebuilding homes and businesses. If we truly want to ensure that the death, destruction, and human suffering that was caused by the storm and its aftermath does not happen again, we need to remove the hurdles that force people to live in poverty. We should work to ensure that all workers receive a livable wage so that they are able to support themselves and their families. Also, we need to guarantee that every American has access to all of the educational opportunities that are available so that all of our citizens have the means to live a better life. Finally, when families fall behind and need additional assistance to get them through tough times, we need to ensure that the Federal Government has the resources to assist our most vulnerable citizens. Let us use the tragedy that occurred in the Gulf region as a catalyst for eradicating poverty in this Nation. In memory of those who were lost in the storm and its aftermath, and for the survivors, let us do everything we can to ensure that no one is abandoned again.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Eleanor Farrar who passed away at the age of 79, on August 25, 2005 from breast cancer. She was a founder and former Vice President of the Joint Center for Political Studies. Born Eleanor Schneider in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Farrar immigrated to New York with her family in 1939, when she was 14. She received an undergraduate degree in political science from Mount Holyoke College in 1946, a master's degree in political science from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in 1947 and a PhD in international relations from the London School of Economics in 1952. From 1954 to 1963, Ms. Farrar lived in Pakistan and Cambodia, working as a lecturer in political science and international relations at the University of the Panjab, Forman Christian College, both in Pakistan and the University of Karachi. When she returned to the United States, she taught political science at Howard University, where she met Eddie N. Williams, who had served as a reserve officer in the Foreign Service, and Kenneth B. Clark, the psychologist whose work on the self-esteem of black students in segregated public schools became essential to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the monumental case Brown vs. Board of Education. She worked with the two men in attempts to increase the participation of blacks in the Foreign Service. Subsequently, in the 1960's and 1970's, Eleanor Farrar worked as the director of Clark's think tank, the Metropolitan Applied Research Center. In 1970, however, that think tank entered into a partnership with Howard University to establish the Joint Center for Political Studies, established to provide training and technical assistance to black elected officials. Ms. Farrar served as the organization's Vice President for twenty two years. The Joint Center for Political Studies has become nationally known for its research on minority economic and social issues and black political participation. She leaves behind four children, Jon, Cynthia, Andrew, and Erin; two siblings; and seven grandchildren. Eleanor Farrar will always be remembered as ``a woman of profound strength of character, who expressed her commitment to the study of race relations and development of sound policies with every endeavor she undertook.'' She will be truly missed.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life and legacy of the publishing mogul Mr. John H. Johnson, who died on August 8, 2005 at the age of 87. Mr. Johnson rose from extreme poverty to become founder and chairman of Johnson's Publishing Company, the world's largest African-American owned publishing Company. Mr. Johnson is one of America's most distinguished entrepreneurs, whose publications have helped to change the landscape of American history. Mr. Johnson was born on January 19, 1918, in Arkansas City during southern segregation, which played an integral role in shaping his successful future. Another element that helped shape his path was his mother. When Mr. Johnson was 8 years of age, his mother moved the family up to Chicago with the belief that the Jim Crow south was no place to nurture and raise a Black child from whom she expected greatness. Like so many other blacks from the South, his mother believed that the North provided better economic and social opportunities for African Americans. Therefore, Johnson's family took part in The Great Migration of the early 1900's and moved north. During his high school years, Mr. Johnson worked part time for the Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Company (he would later become chairman of the board). Part of his duties was to prepare a digest for the company president of Black or Black-oriented stories in the American press. This gave inspiration to the establishment of his first magazine the ``Negro Digest''. After being refused business loans from banks and other financial institutions, Mr. Johnson used his mother's furniture as collateral for a $500 loan. In 1942, Negro Digest was first published and became an instant success. This became the first of his many future capital ventures. Subsequently, in 1945 Mr. Johnson launched his most successful magazine Ebony, which sold 25,000, making it the largest circulated Black magazine of the time. Today, with its 60 year history, Ebony is still a success with a circulation of 1.6 million. In 1951, 10 years after the start of Ebony, Mr. Johnson started Jet magazine, which became the number one Black newsweekly. Subsequently, he invested in book publishing and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, which was designed to fit the needs of African American women by offering a complete line of high-quality beauty and skin care products for a wide variety of skin tones. Moreover, he has invested in several radio stations, and has majority ownership in the company that inspired it all, Supreme Liberty Life Insurance. The success of his magazines and other business endeavors were supported by Johnson's objective to show ``not only to the Negroes, but also white people that Negroes got married, had beauty contests, gave parties, ran successful businesses, and do all the other normal things of life.'' His publications became a vehicle for his civil rights activism. Mr. Johnson purposefully presented positive imagery of blacks as professionals, movie stars, activists, and more, to combat the many negative stereotypes that permeated throughout the collective conscience of this country, which was overwhelmingly manifested through mainstream media. Ebony magazine highlighted the success and achievements of African Americans, taking a more glamorized prospective of Black America, while Jet magazine focused on the politics, entertainment, business, and sports. President Clinton, observed that Mr. Johnson ``gave African-Americans a voice and a face, in his words, `a new sense of somebody-ness,' of who they were and what they could do, at a time when they were virtually invisible in mainstream American culture.'' John Johnson made history when he published the unedited and notorious 1955 pictures of the mutilated body of 14 year old murder victim Emmett Till, who was slain in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white girl. Johnson published the pictures to show the world the cruel reality of Jim Crow, and the violent results of legal segregation. As a result, the images of Emmett Till became the catalyst that sparked the flame that fueled the Civil Rights Movement. It was the pictures that Mr. Johnson published that inspired Rosa Parks to refuse to acquiesce and relinquish her seat to a white man, which in turn led to the kindling of the Civil Rights Movement. As a result of Johnson's success, both in his publishing and activism, he has received many accolades and awards. In 1982 he was the first African American ever to be on Forbes Magazine's 400 Richest Americans. He was a member of the Publishing Hall of Fame, the National Business Hall of Fame, the Advertising Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame. He also received the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In addition, he received the Salute to Greatness Award, the highest award for the Martin Luther King Jr. center for Nonviolent Social Change. In 1972 he was named Publisher of the Year by the Magazine Publishers Association. Lastly in 1995 he was awarded America's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Clinton. As a visionary, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civil rights activist, Mr. Johnson's life has become one of the greatest ``American dream'' success stories of all time. Through his publications and other media ventures, Johnson has managed to transform the mainstream image and self-image of African Americans throughout the world. The legacy Mr. Johnson leaves is one of constant challenge. Throughout his life he has challenged and overcome the validity of old norms and has presented new ones that have helped to change both the face of African-Americans, as well as the face of our Nation.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend Congressman Danny Davis for his leadership in launching the State of the African American Male Initiative (SAAM). This is a much needed initiative to improve the conditions of Black men and boys who continue to be marginalized in communities throughout the U.S. Their condition in this country is currently in a state of emergency and requires governmental, community, and corporate solutions to this crisis. The SAAM initiative facilitates dialogue between individuals and organizations addressing the issues significantly affecting African Americans males. These issues center around health, education, economic empowerment, criminal justice and civic participation. The initiative will have regional meetings and conferences in New York, NY; Houston, TX; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; Memphis, TN; Detroit, MI; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; and Oakland, CA. In addition it seeks to ensure a national impact through its website and the creation and utilization of partnerships with Members of Congress, grassroots organizations, and individuals throughout the country. Young Black males in contemporary American society face major challenges to their development and well-being. I applaud the efforts of my colleague in taking an active role in reaching back to other Black men and boys to address the issues most affecting them. Black males in this country are facing a state of emergency and the social and economic indicators of Black male development provide profiles of individuals whose quality of life is in serious jeopardy. Essentially Black males are becoming an endangered species and more must be done to ensure the survival of future generations. The SAAM initiative is a good start. It is a positive way for we as lawmakers to take a hands on approach in making our communities better and safer places. As an African American male this initiative is particularly special to me. I know how important it is to have strong Black leaders, fathers, activists, and mentors to guide, develop, and structure the community and its future generations. I think it is incredibly important to equip African American males with the tools they need to affect positive change in world events. The tireless efforts of Congressman Danny Davis and his staff for organizing this effort are to be commended. The SAAM initiative is a positive step in moving our country closer to the day when African American males will no longer be the first to drop out of school, last to become employed, first to get arrested, last to get a quality lawyer, first to die, last to see a doctor, first to be homeless, and last to get a house.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to outline how President Bush's policies contribute to the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe that took place in the Gulf Coast area of our nation. Just as in Iraq, the President's policies and unbelievable mismanagement on the domestic front have brought pain and suffering to American people. Thousands of people may have been killed by Hurricane Katrina and many more could die in its aftermath because of the President's refusal to heed the calls of the governors for help in repairing the infrastructure in their states. In Louisiana, everybody knew that the levees that hold back flood waters were in disrepair. But instead of listening to the governors, the President cut funding for this purpose. Again and again vital domestic priorities have been sacrificed in order to pay for the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq, and these choices are now being revealed as harmful to our nation and people. In addition to depriving the affecting areas of the funding that would have enabled them to prepare for Hurricane Katrina. The President's commitment to Iraq has impaired the response to the crisis. It is this commitment that has contributed to the slow response of federal troops who should have been on alert before the hurricane struck. Now, as bedlam reigns in New Orleans, 35 percent of Louisiana's and 37 percent of Mississippi's National Guard troops are in Iraq. The hurricane is clear evidence of how the war directly affects the domestic security of our country. The President is destroying the fabric of America with a combined policy of war, tax cuts for the wealthy, and reductions in spending for domestic needs. These policies are supported by the Republican- dominated Congress. Even so, it was shocking to read reports that Dennis Hastert, the Speaker of the House, said that rebuilding New Orleans made no sense to him. The President's policies have not only made us less secure, they have widened the chasm between the well-to-do and the poor. The people who couldn't get out of New Orleans to escape the storm were predominantly Black and poor. They stayed behind not because they wanted to risk the danger of the hurricane, but because they don't have cars or any other means of escape. No one is even talking about the poor in more rural areas--Blacks and Whites--who have not even been reached by rescue teams. President Bush has tried to turn this tragedy into a political victory by flying in on a helicopter to examine the damage. But he is in store for more genuine outrage resulting from his failed policy in Iraq and the anger of the U.S. governors whose constituents are paying the price for the domestic policies of the ``war president''. Please find below my letter to President Bush about the Federal Government's response to Hurricane Katrina. September 2, 2005. President George W. Bush, The White House, Washington, DC. Dear President Bush: I am writing to strongly urge you to use your power and leadership to provide the most aggressive possible response to the humanitarian crisis taking place in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The response so far has been unsatisfactory. Food, water, medicine and emergency housing is in critical need. In addition, with the crisis seemingly affecting poor people most, arrangements should be made for emergency short term grants and loans to individuals, particularly those who head families and are taking care of children and the elderly. Further, while we are all dismayed by television pictures of looters, we must not allow the focus of our humanitarian efforts to be diminished in any way by those actions. While criminal activity that threatens lives should not be tolerated, we must use maximum discretion in the use of force against individuals who may be motivated by poverty and hunger. I have received many calls from constituents as well as Americans across the country, who believe that the victims of this catastrophe are receiving a lesser government response than would be provided for people of means. True or not, this perception will be aggravated if in coming days Americans do not see a more forceful and creative response to this crisis, whether it means using large military planes to bring in supplies, including temporary housing and the use of hotels or even cruise ships. Mr. President, we must raise the level of response to this crisis, the greatest natural disaster in the nation's history, and it must be done immediately. Thanks for your consideration. Sincerely, Charles B. Rangel, Member of Congress.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of legendary Cuban musician Ibrahim Ferrer, who died Saturday August 6, after suffering multiple organ failure. Ibrahim Ferrer was at the center of the Buena Vista Social Club, a phenomenon that brought long delayed international fame to a group of older Cuban musicians thanks to a Grammy-winning 1997 album produced by Ry Cooder and a subsequent film by Wim Wenders, both by that name. Besides offering American audiences a musician's-eye view of Cuba, the film created a recognition of Mr. Ferrer as an unlikely musical icon. Mr. Ferrer's story is particularly inspiring to me because it speaks to the limitless possibilities of talent and chance. He was a gifted musician but of all the larger-than-life personalities that make up the Buena Vista Social Club, Ibrahim Ferrer seemed the least likely to emerge as an international superstar. Yet within three years of his first international tours with the Afro-Cuban All Stars outside of Cuba in 1996, Mr. Ferrer was filling the world's great venues and receiving rapturous ovations from audiences for whom he had become the embodiment--the heart and soul--of the multimillion-selling Buena Vista phenomenon. Mr. Ferrer, a bolero singer who was compared to Nat King Cole, was born in Santiago in eastern Cuba on February 20, 1927, and began singing professionally in 1941. In the 1950s, he was an established singer who performed with well-known Cuban bands, including that of the legendary Benny More. But sadly, Ferrer was a forgotten name by the mid-1990s, supplementing a meager state pension by shining shoes. He was lifted from obscurity by the 1997 Buena Vista Social Club recording brought together by Texas guitarist Ry Cooder that shot a group of vintage Cuban musicians to international fame and an unexpected second career. Mr. Ferrer was a man who was full of life and energy. Even in his seventies he could still salsa dance with the best of them. He was a musical powerhouse and an animated figure that clearly enjoyed performing Cuba's traditional ``son'' music of the 1940s and 1950s for new generations of fans. I extend my condolences to his lovely wife and six children. Mr. Ferrer and his music are truly an inspiration to both Cubans and people throughout the world. His life and music are a testament to the vibrancy and resilience of Cuban people. Creating some of Cuba's most rhythmic and dynamic music, Mr. Ferrer accomplished an enormous feat because despite the constraints of the U.S. embargo, his music was able to break through and Americans responded to it with overwhelming enthusiasm. His life legacy as a musician demonstrate the kind of beauty and musical genius that can come out of a relationship with Cuba and it is my hope that the failed U.S. embargo against Cuba will be lifted soon to permit the enrichment of an enhanced cultural exchange to the benefit of the people of Cuba and the U.S. Mr. Ferrer paved the way for generations of Cuban singers to come and it is my hope that their music will continue to reach the hearts of Americans and people throughout the world. I would like to submit for the Record an obituary from the August 8th edition of the New York Times. [From the New York Times, August 8, 2005] Ibrahim Ferrer, 78, Cuban Singer in ``Buena Vista Social Club,'' Dies (By Ben Ratliff) Ibrahim Ferrer, the Cuban singer whose life included one of popular music's most triumphant second acts, died on Saturday in Havana. He was 78. The cause was multiple organ failure, his manger, Carmen Romero, announced. Mr. Ferrer was at the center of the Buena Vista Social Club, a phenomenon that brought long-delayed international fame to a group of older Cuban musicians thanks to a Grammy- winning 1997 album produced by Ry Cooder and a subsequent film by Wim Wenders, both by that name. Besides offering American audiences a musician's-eye view of Cuba, the film set up Mr. Ferrer as a particularly sympathetic figure--tall, distinguished and lively, an excellent bolero singer who used space and silence in his relaxed elegant delivery to increase the drama, a man who had been rolled over by history and was now simply trying to enjoy an absurdly lucky situation. At the time that he war enticed out of retirement to make the album, Mr. Ferrer was living on a small state pension and shining shoes in Havana for extra money. He was not interested in recording anymore; he had retired from singing in 1991. ``An angel came and picked me up and said, `Chico, come and do this record,' ``he said in 1998. ``I didn't want to do it, because I had given up on music.'' Born in 1927 at a social club dance in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba--his mother went into labor on a night out-- Mr. Ferrer's first professional involvement with music came at age 13, a year after he became an orphan, when he joined a band, Los Jovenes del Son. Later he sang with groups that included Conjunto Sorpresa, the Orquesta Chepin Choven (with which he had a local hit, ``El Platanal de Bartolo,'' in 1955) and the Beny More orchestra, with which he was a background vocalist; in 1953 he began working with Pacho Alonso's band, Maravilla de Beltran, in Santiago. The band later moved from Santiago to Havana and called itself Los Bocucos. For most of his career Mr. Ferrer generally sang uptempo numbers, guarachas and sones, not the slow romantic boleros, even though he loved them. But his chance finally came on ``The Buena Vista Social Club,'' when Mr. Cooder and Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the album's musical director, persuaded him to sing songs like ``Dos Gardenias,'' which he had learned decades before when singing with More. In 1998, the Cuban Egrem label released ``Tierra Caliente,'' an album of older songs he had made with Los Bocucos. In 1999 the British World Circuit label (with Nonesuch in the United States) released Mr. Ferrer's first solo album, and in 2003 his second, ``Buenos Hermanos''; both were produced by Mr. Cooder. In ``Buenos Hermanos'' Mr. Cooder took more artistic liberties, stirring the very un- Cuban accordion and the gospel singing group the Blind Boys of Alabama into the mix. Though by this time he was in his 70's, Mr. Ferrer won a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2000. ``Buenos Hermanos'' won a Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album of 2003, but Mr. Ferrer was denied a visa to enter the United States for the awards ceremony last year. His last performance in New York was in April 2003. He was on a European tour in the week leading up to his death. Mr. Ferrer is survived by his wife, Caridad Diaz, 6 children, 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, Ms. Romero said.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous contributions that Jamaican Americans have made to our society and to join with them in celebrating their 43rd anniversary of independent rule on August 6, 2005. Jamaicans have been immigrating to the United States for centuries and have undeniably left their mark on cities throughout our Nation. Their contributions can be seen at the center of our neighborhoods and industries, everywhere from New York to California. They are skilled business people, engineers, doctors, lawyers, and have produced some of our Nation's greatest leaders including former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell, and basketball star Patrick Ewing. Despite the many challenges that this group has faced both in Jamaica and the U.S. they continue to hold fast to the Jamaican spirit of perseverance and continue in an extraordinary way to defy the odds. Theirs is a history of an effort that while marked with a host of successes and some failures, just like all nations, has shown that Jamaica is in a much better position today than when it became the first English-speaking Caribbean nation to assume the responsibility of nationhood. Jamaica's record has proven that a relatively small but powerful nation can take charge of its own affairs and be a vital and vibrant member of the international community. Instead of tearing itself apart as other developing and developed nations have done, Jamaica and Jamaicans have held firm through thick and thin. Having earned its place among the best-known developing countries at the United Nations, whether in international diplomacy, culture or excellence in sports Jamaica has been able to move far forward. Today, its people enjoy some of the longest life spans in the Western Hemisphere, about 74 years, poverty has dropped dramatically in recent years, educational opportunities continue to escalate, demonstrating the nation's commitment to invest in its people's future. Jamaica has come so very far in the last 43 years and I look forward to its continued growth and prosperity in the future. Jamaica and Jamaicans will always hold a special place in my heart. It is impossible to imagine New York or Harlem without the contributions of Jamaicans. They are an ever-present and important part of our community from whom a great deal of our Nation's diversity is derived. I would like to submit the following statement from Jamaican Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to commemorate this historic occasion. Independence Day Message From the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson, ON, PC, QC, MP Prime Minister August 6, 2005 My Fellow Jamaicans: Every year at this time we pause to reflect on the progress we have made as a people in this great country we call home. In our National Anthem, we ask for the blessings and guidance of the Eternal Father on this land. We know so well that God helps those who help themselves, but that none but ourselves can free our minds. We realize that it is by our own efforts we can rid ourselves not only from the obstacles of the past, but also dissipate the inertia that would prevent us from overcoming present difficulties. We have to create our own path to the future of which we dream--the future which we would want our children and their children to inherit. More and more we have come to appreciate that Independence is not simply a single event that took place in August 1962 but a process which allows us to build a nation for ourselves. Our Founding Fathers based the pursuit of Independence on the firm conviction that we can be the creators of our own destiny. In this changed, and still rapidly changing world of this twenty-first century, it becomes even more urgent that we hold on to that conviction. We are, after all, a people of proven grit and resilience whether we reside at home or abroad. We must use these attributes to creatively explore our potential and the opportunities that exist for economic, social and spiritual growth and development. To do otherwise, is a defiance of commonsense and a devaluation of the gift of life we have been given. Fellow Jamaicans: You have a right to expect from your leaders and the society at large: proper healthcare; affordable housing; a sound education that can facilitate and ease the journey from childhood to adulthood. You are right to expect opportunities for gainful employment which is sustained and adequate to meet the vicissitudes of life. And it is right that you should want to have the assurance of individual safety and collective security since all such rights herald the great freedoms from hunger, from ignorance, from disease and from fear. But none of these can be achieved without the strategic alliances we must make between each other with all the caring, trust and compassion that a civilized society demands of all who inhabit it. Forty three years in the life of a nation is short compared to the four and more centuries of degradation and deprivation. Through the struggles, the wisdom, foresight and example of our Founding Fathers, we have developed, and continue to develop, even greater self-esteem and self- confidence. We have seen over the years that, despite the challenges and inherited disadvantages, we are not only fit to rule ourselves but also able to make a remarkable contribution on the regional and international stage. In today's competitive global economy comparative advantage rests on intellectual skills and the mastery of technology. It is for this reason, that I have been stressing the importance of investing in our human resources--in ourselves--through education. Today, education is the most effective means of shaping values, attitudes, behaviours and skills. Education is the key driver of economic transformation. It is our solemn responsibility to equip the future generation with the thinking skills that will assure their individual growth and development and the creation of a habitable society. It is for this reason, that I have been stressing the importance of investing in our human resources--in our young students and adults--through education and training. To do so, we are harnessing the resources to create an education system that is viable and relevant in the global marketplace. The challenge is immense! It is indeed a challenge for all Jamaicans: civil society; our private sector; the Church; the family in whatever form; our energetic and talented youth population; our workers and their trade unions; and, of course, our elected representatives. Let us view ourselves as custodians of our nation's resources which we must invest in a broader purpose--the betterment of all our people. This is a time for both celebration and renewal. On this 43rd anniversary of our Independence, I once again summon every Jamaican in town or country, at home or overseas, to re-commit yourselves to giving to this our beloved country the loyalty, caring, dedication it so richly deserves from us all. I wish everyone a peaceful and reflective Independence. May God bless us all and bless Jamaica, this beautiful land we love.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to draw attention to the crisis taking place now in the nation of Niger. Niger is currently facing one ofthe worst hunger crises in its history following severe drought and the country's worst locust invasion in 15 years. The World Food Program maintains that 3.6 million of Niger's 11.5 million people face food shortages, while 2.5 million are on the brink of starvation. Some families are trying to survive by eating leaves and wild roots. The most vulnerable are young children, with 800,000 ``at risk'', according to WFP. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) reports that 10-15 are dying every week. The United Nations' initial efforts to address the food crisis have been severely hindered by the slow response of the international community. It first alerted the international community to Niger's food shortages in November 2004. Subsequent appeals in March and May were both left unfulfilled. By July 2005 its $30.7 million appeal had still not been fully funded. Government officials in Niger and international aid workers say a slow response from donor countries to months of appeals has allowed the situation to spiral to emergency status. Recent images coming from Niger over the last few days, along with increased calls from media and aid groups, has elicited an international response. Desperately needed food aid is now starting to get into the hands of the people, but more is needed. The U.S. announced on Tuesday, that it would be sending $7 million of food related assistance to the region, in addition to $1.6 million in emergency assistance it gave in May, and $4.6 million in overall 2005 assistance. While this is welcomed, the slow pace of the response is cause for concern, especially after the Bush Administration announced in June that it would allocate $674.4 million in emergency food aid to Africa in 2005. Aid experts have asserted that the cost per person of addressing the Niger crisis has increased nearly 100 fold because of the delay in assistance. Unfortunately, the situation in Niger had to deteriorate to a point where the world was again seeing emaciated children on the brink of death before it acted. This simply cannot continue to happen if we are to end the unnecessary occurrence of famine. Indeed, leaders in the field of humanitarian assistance are asking for a shift in the way that the world responds to such challenges. A July 26th article in USA Today entitled ``Aid Workers Say Niger Crisis Illustrates Need For Reform'', includes the opinions of Clare Godfrey, head of humanitarian advocacy for the aid group Oxfam. Ms. Godfrey argues that the United Nations should establish a $1 billion emergency famine relief fund to quickly respond to potential famine crises at the very first signs of trouble. Such a system would be much more cost effective, and prevent the unnecessary loss of life that we have seen in Niger. Ms. Godfrey further argues that such a mechanism could be agreed to at the upcoming U.N. Summit in September. One could also argue that the famine fund approach may be a more efficient use of the $674.4 million in African emergency food aid which President Bush pledged in June. All one can say for sure is that the current international response to famine crises is inadequate--the people of Niger can attest to that. [From USA Today, July 26, 2005] Aid Workers Say Niger Crisis Illustrates Need for Reform (By Francis Temman) London--Repeated U.N. appeals for money for Niger to save starving children were not answered until the situation became desperate, showing why the world needs to change the way it responds to humanitarian crises, aid workers say. Donations have jumped dramatically in the last week because of increased media attention and TV images of the famine, U.N. humanitarian chief Jan Egeland has said. Mike Kiernan, a spokesman for Save the Children USA, said children are especially vulnerable when food is in short supply, so the world must respond quickly. ``We believe that governments and the United Nations must and can do more to help protect children in every stage of a humanitarian esponse,'' Kiernan said Tuesday. A key, he said, was mobilizing public opinion. He said Save the Children had seen an extraordinary response from Americans to appsals made on its behalf by actor Brad Pitt for another African country, Ethiopia. John O'Shea, chief executive of the Irish aid agency Goal, said one way of shocking the world into action might be for the United Nations to declare itself incapable of responding. He said the international community too often sits back and expects the United Nations to act as its ``fire brigade''-- which ``it isn't.'' ``It's a collection of organizations, some good, some reasonably good, some bureaucratic, some full of corruption, some wasteful,'' O'Shea said. ``The bottom line is they are not doing the job.'' The United Nations first appealed for help for Niger in November and got almost no response. A March appeal for $16 million got about $1 million. A May 25 plea for $30.7 million has received $7.6 million--about 25 percent of the amount requested'' U.N. officials say. The British aid agency Oxfam said the United Nations should instead have a $1 billion emergency fund to draw on when it sees situations like the one in Niger developing. Oxfam said the emergency fund should be adopted at a summit in September at which U.N. states are to consider proposed reforms. ``It's a real opportunity to change things around . . . how the world responds to crises like Niger,'' Clare Godfrey, Oxfam's head of humanitarian advocacy, said in an interview. If the fund had been in place in November when the U.N. first pleaded for help for Niger, the money could have been drawn from it immediately, Godfrey said. Hilary Benn, Britain's Cabinet minister for international aid, proposed such a fund last year, Godfrey said. ``The Nigers of the world won't happen again if there's commitment behind the rhetoric,'' Godfrey said.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to your attention a crisis which is before many of our public schools today--the shortage of highly skilled teachers in our city's worst schools. This problem has not only affected schools in my state of New York, but is nationwide. Excellence should be expected of every child. And the opportunity to excel must be guaranteed to every child. The right to a free, world- class public education has been the birthright of Americans for well over a century. It is a moral imperative that forms the foundation of democracy, the underpinning of the economy, and the cornerstone of America's greatness. To provide every child the opportunity to excel, America must ensure that qualified, caring teachers educate and inspire their students in an environment that supports a love of learning. That means a vibrant classroom in a safe, modern school building equipped with the best learning technologies; supported by active, involved parents; and driven by a collective passion for educational excellence. This opportunity must be guaranteed within the Nation's public schools and these sentiments are echoed by the outstanding staff and leadership at Teachers College at Columbia University. I commend them for not only seeing that the problem exists, but in advocating that something be done to address it. I'd like to take this opportunity to submit to the Congressional Record, an article written by Arthur Levine, President of Teachers College at Columbia University and Darlyne Bailey, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College which speaks to this issue and what our priorities should be. Bringing Great Teachers to Struggling Schools: The Moment Is Now (By Arthur Levine and Darlyne Bailey) We live in a time when people rightfully have become skeptical about the political process and the possibilities for moving beyond rhetoric to action. Yet every now and then, like the inverse of a perfect storm, forces align themselves in ways that permit substantive change. In New York City, we have just such a moment before us right now--an opportunity to dramatically improve our public school system by addressing the issue that, more than any other, has limited the hopes and prospects of vast numbers of low-income and disadvantaged children. That issue is the dearth of highly skilled, experienced teachers where they are needed most: in the city's worst schools. Some 60 percent of our city's low-performing students are concentrated in just one-third of our schools, nearly all of them in high-poverty areas such as Bedford Stuyvesant, Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx. The prospect of failure in these schools is so overwhelming that teacher turnover is constant, with even the best and most dedicated decamping for districts where the pay is higher and working conditions allow them to be more effective. Back in April, a special commission of the New York City Council outlined highly detailed recommendations for righting these wrongs. In addition to calling for system-wide caps and reductions in class sizes, the Commission recommended that all teachers to be awarded salary incentives of 3 percent (to be added to any negotiated increases) in order to align local salaries with the regional labor market. To increase the number of qualified teachers in low-performing, high need schools, teachers in the most challenging schools would receive as much as an additional 23 percent if they teach in target schools that adopt an extended-year (11-month) calendar. Teachers whose skills qualify them for a newly- instituted designation of ``Master Teacher'' would receive a further 10-percent increase, and Master Teachers who chose to work in targeted high-needs schools would join the ranks of the most highly paid teachers in the state. This is not a giveaway to teachers. To assure high quality, these changes would be directly tied to rigorous performance assessments. In fact, the entire structure of reform would be subject to ongoing review by an Independent Office for Research and Accountability that would identify target schools for augmented support and determine whether the Commission's intensified strategies are producing desired results. What hope is there that these ideas will be acted upon? After all, similar proposals have been floated in the past. The answer is that at this particular moment, we are blessed with a rare opportunity that combines a potential multi-billion dollar windfall for the city's school system with contract renewal negotiations between the United Federation of Teachers and the city and an upcoming Mayoral election. Clearly the biggest barrier to school reform has been money. For decades, the city has been unable to offer the kind of teacher salaries found in the suburbs and upstate because it has not received a proportionate share of funding. More recently, under the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, city schools have been asked to meet clear and specific targets for student achievement even as they have been denied the wherewithal to do so. Now the courts have recognized that this amounts to a violation of our children's Constitutional right to a sound, basic education. A panel of special judges has recommended that the state make amends by providing the city with an additional $14 billion in operating and facilities funds over the next five years. That decision is being appealed, but many believe that within the next year, money will actually change hands. That's a huge step, and certainly little else can happen without it. But it is only the beginning. Plaintiffs have won similar lawsuits in other states, gotten their money, and still were unable to enact meaningful reform. Usually this was because they failed to bring together all school stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue. In New York City, the City Council commission began such a dialogue with the public hearings it held during this past year. But obstacles remain. One of the long-standing bones of contention has been the seniority system that allows the most experienced teachers to essentially choose their placements. Given the low pay and working conditions in struggling schools, most elect to work in higher-performing institutions where they can make a decent living and be effective. Not surprisingly, the union has fiercely defended this system. The city government, for its part, has responded--with justification--that its hands are tied. Lately, however, there have been encouraging signs. Both Randi Weingarten, the UFT president, and Joel Klein, the city schools chancellor, have said that in principle, they believe the key to turning around struggling schools is to populate them with excellent, experienced teachers. Mayor Bloomberg, who has made education reform the centerpiece of his first term, is running for a reelection. It is a moment, in short, when promises are being made; when compromise is in the air; and when unprecedented new financial resources seem likely to come our way. That said, the beginning of the new school year is almost upon us. The teacher contract talks are at a critical point. So let's make the most of our opportunity. We have identified a clear priority--to put great teachers in the schools that need them most, as rapidly as possible. We have the political will to do so, and soon we will have the money. If we fail to deliver, history--and our children--will judge us harshly indeed.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to submit to the Record an article from the July 26, New York Carib News in support of citizen rights for Caribbean immigrants. Caribbean migrants have worked in the country for centuries. The Caribbean is the source of the U.S.'s earliest and largest Black immigrant group and the primary source of growth of the Black population in the U.S. The region has exported more of its people than any other region of the world since the abolition of slavery in 1834. The fact that there are close to 50 major Caribbean carnivals throughout North America attests to the permanence of the Caribbean immigration experience. Caribbean music, such as soca, calypso, reggae, and now reggaeton, is having a profound impact on U.S. popular culture. Other Caribbean cultural expressions, like food, dance and art, are becoming established in mainstream America. The prominence of first-and second- generation Caribbean figures in U.S. labor and grassroots politics for many decades also testifies to the long tradition and established presence of the Caribbean population. Today many Caribbean workers can be found in the hospital, construction, service and hotel industries, but there is also a growing professional sector. Estimates of the Caribbean population in the U.S. range upwards from 2.6 million, depending on how one defines the Caribbean. While the largest Caribbean immigrant sources to the U.S. are from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Haiti, U.S.-citizen migrants also come from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Many of the undocumented immigrants from the Caribbean islands have been living, working and making vital contributions to our country for many years. In New York it is almost impossible to walk down the streets of Harlem or Brooklyn without hearing a Caribbean accent or coming across a Jamaican eatery. The members of the Caribbean community are hard working, pay into our social security system and have U.S.-born children who do not know a home other than the United States. In the great state of New York alone, undocumented workers pay more than $1 billion in taxes a year. I believe that members of the Caribbean community who have had a long working record and qualify for U.S. naturalized citizenship should apply. The United States is historically a nation of immigrants. Our ancestors all had the possibility to fulfill their American Dream and I think that the same opportunity should be given to hard working newcomers who came to this country from the Caribbean. I introduce in the Record the article from the July 26 NYCarib. The Importance of Citizens--We Must Hear It Over And Over It may have not been a fresh bit of advice and it certainly wasn't an observation by an elected official that we hadn't heard before. Still, when U.S. Representative Gregory Meeks, a democrat of New York City said it, his point resonated with a lot of us. Yes, they should become citizens, it makes a lot of sense, said the member of the U.S House of Representatives from Queens when asked about Caribbean immigrants becoming citizens of the United States. ``Too many people from the Caribbean are eligible for citizenship but they fail to step forward,'' he complained. Perhaps, he needs to repeat it again and again so that more people in and out of his Sixth Congressional District and across the country would act. People from the Caribbean, who have made the United States their home have every good reason to become naturalized American citizens. One is that it opens opportunities, such as jobs, scholarships and the like that are often reserved for citizens. Another, it protects them from capricious actions by immigration authorities who would like to do nothing more than to ``send them back where they came from.'' Thirdly, it enables them to vote so they can make choices about who should run the country, state or city. Voting is something that comes naturally to people from the English-speaking Caribbean where parliamentary democracy is taken seriously. People routinely join political parties, become candidates for elected office or campaign for persons they believe are best suited to serve in national parliaments or local government bodies. That experience should prove to be a powerful magnet for citizenship and political participation. That's why it is so baffling that so many of them fail to become citizens. The reluctance can't be explained simply by a devotion to their original nationality. After all, almost every Caribbean state recognizes dual citizenship, meaning that naturalization adds to their life but doesn't detract from their standing as people from the Caribbean. One possible explanation is that some can't be bothered to go through the process. The result is they often end up placing their children and themselves at a disadvantage. That's a crying shame. It explains why Congressman Meeks' appeal was relevant and should be listened to.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of the G-8 summit, there has been much hope for the prospects of the African continent. While I too share in these hopeful sentiments I am well aware that we must remain vigilant in guarding against threats to the continent's development. A July 28th report from the San Diego Union Tribune entitled ``South American drug cartels lured to West Africa,'' is one of a number of recent reports which detail the increasing presence of narco-traffic in West Africa. Apparently, international drug cartels are increasingly using West Africa as a hub for drug shipments into Europe and North America. The political instability and inadequate government capacity which these countries experience provides the perfect environment for these cartels to operate. Even countries such as Ghana, which have been lauded for their good governance, will be challenged to dedicate resources to stopping this activity, when they have so many other issues to address. The increasing problem of African drug trafficking is just one more reason why the Bush Administration must keep its promise to significantly increase aid to Africa, as the stakes continue to grow. [From the San Diego Union Tribune, July 28, 2005] South American Drug Cartels Lured to West Africa (By Nick Tattersall) Dakar.--South American drug cartels are moving their logistics bases to West Africa, lured by lax policing in an unstable region and the presence of small, underground criminal groups, United Nations experts say. Drug cartels are increasingly using West Africa as a hub for smuggling, working with criminal networks from the region who market cannabis, cocaine and heroin in Europe and North America, according to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). ``If you look at recent seizures of cocaine, the biggest are all linked to groups with operations on the West African coast,'' Antonio Mazzitelli, head of UNODC's regional office for West and Central Africa, told Reuters in an interview. Consignments of cocaine would mainly come in from Latin America through the Cape Verde islands off the Atlantic coast, or through Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, from where they would be re-exported to markets including Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Spanish authorities seized nearly three tons of cocaine on a Ghana-registered vessel in international waters off the African coast just three days ago, arresting 12 Ghanaians, four Koreans and two Spaniards. Spain said the traffickers had picked up the drugs in an unidentified South American country and refuelled along the African coast before setting off for Europe. Major shipments of heroin produced in southern Asia were also transiting through West Africa, particularly Ivory Coast, after being flown by air couriers from Kenya and Ethiopia, UNODC said in a recent study on crime in Africa. hard to crack West Africa is seen as an attractive transit centre for international drug traffickers because the criminal networks already in place around the region have proven notoriously difficult for police and customs officers to break. Operating as flexible networks of individuals rather than large-scale, hierarchical organizations, they can market illicit products to diaspora populations in drug consuming countries and recruit couriers among a cheap labor force available at home. ``One of the reasons these networks can abandon traditional command-and-control relations is that many of them are grounded in a common ethnicity,'' UNODC said in its study. ``Betraying compatriots is not only in violation of deeply ingrained values, it can result in exclusion from this vital support base,'' it said. While war crimes prosecutors in Sierra Leone have said international terrorists have used the West African diamond trade to fund their operations, UNODC said no clear links had been established to the drugs trade, though that could change. ``This is the sort of environment within which organised criminal and terrorist groups can grow. There are many well- proven cases of terrorist groups going hand in hand with drug cartels,'' Mazzitelli said, taking Taliban fighters in Afghanistan and rebel groups in Colombia as examples. ``In Spain the terror attack was financed if not entirely then partially through drug trafficking,'' he said, referring to bomb attacks which killed 191 people in packed rush hour trains in Madrid in March 2004. Mindful of the threat posed by criminal groups operating across borders, police forces around Africa have linked up to a global satellite communication system run by Interpol which is supposed to track fugitives and stolen goods. Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble told reporters in Ghana this month that 31 African countries were now connected to the system.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in the Caribbean celebration of the 167th anniversary of their emancipation from slavery, which was achieved on August 1, 1838. This day of celebration and love for freedom is commemorated by the former British colonies in the Caribbean in appreciation of their collective independence. No longer were the inhabitants of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, or the rest of the West Indies held in bondage as slaves in their homeland. No longer were they unjustly enchained at the hands of the European colonists. Emancipation Day in the Caribbean is akin to Juneteenth Day for African-Americans. It is a time to recognize and celebrate our independence and freedom. Emancipation Day provided the Caribbean people with opportunities to direct and control their daily lives and to live and strive for greater independence. I have long believed that the struggles for freedom of African- Americans and Afro-Carib-beans were connected. Slavery and injustice have been our common experience. Slavery drew lines between slaves and masters that would be difficult to break. We--African-Americans and Afro-Caribbeans--still struggle with breaking those barriers, stereotypes, and misperceptions that are the vestiges of the transatlantic slave trade. The major difference is the history and mechanisms at our disposal for the erosion of these ill effects. For Afro-Caribbeans, Emancipation Day has emerged as an important reminder of their struggle and a significant enforcer of their dreams to be a better people. It is a reminder of their strength, determination, and willpower in fighting against their oppressor. There is a famous story in the Caribbean that I like to tell around this time. It is about a young lady who was brought to the shores of Jamaica to work as a slave by the British in the early 1700s. Like the Caribbean countries themselves, her roots were African. Her name was likely Ashanti as she hailed from that great African kingdom, but upon arriving she was stripped of her given name and was known among her fellow slaves simply as ``Nanny.'' The lost of name, heritage, and history is a practice that has long afflicted Africans in the Americas as a result of the brutal and tragic transatlantic slave trade. While slavery existed outright in the Caribbean until 1834, and then under the name of ``apprenticeship'' until 1838, Nanny resisted it at every opportunity. Soon, after her arrival in Jamaica, she displayed that Caribbean proclivity for cutting her own path and escaped from her master's plantation with her five brothers. Granny Nanny of the Maroons, as she is popularly referred to today, traveled around the countryside organizing free Africans in the towns of Portland, St. James, and St. Elizabeth. She eventually established Nanny Town and based the community's governance on the Ashanti society. She held fast to her culture and incorporated into her new world. Nanny was small and wiry, like many of the Caribbean nations. She was also singularly focused in her pursuit of self-determination. The vast British military presence on the island launched numerous attacks on Nanny and her comrades, hoping to force them back into slavery. For nearly 20 years, Nanny evaded the British and withstood their aggressions. She placed guards at lookout points, sent spies to live among the slave populations, and ordered her fighters to dress like trees and bushes to avoid detection. Slave resistance and rebellions were not just an American phenomenon. In 1737, the British offered Nanny a truce. The maroons would be given land and rights as free men, but only if they promised to help capture and return runaway slaves, assist the government in putting down revolts, and cease their battles with the British. Their alternative would be to continue in their campaign against the massive British military, pitting 800 former slaves against the strongest army in the world at the time. To proud, determined, and resourceful Nanny, this was an easy decision. She flatly turned down the British offer. Her freedom and the freedom of her people could not be bought. It would not be traded. It would not be negotiated away. She fought to her dying breath for that freedom and remains a powerful legend and force in the Caribbean today. In that same vein, the nations of the Caribbean will not and have not wavered from their commitment to freedom. Go to Barbados, Nevis, the Bahamas, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent, Grenada and St. Lucia. There you will find the tales of Granny Nanny and her fight for freedom. For centuries, the people of these countries refused to accept colonialism and fought stubbornly for their freedom in hideaways in cities, mountains, and forests. In 1838, the British gave up and emancipated the peoples of the Caribbean. The love of the Caribbean people for their freedom and the strength of majesties, like Granny Nanny, was too much to overcome. When I think of the importance of Caribbean Emancipation Day, I think of the struggle and actions of individuals like Granny Nanny of the Maroons, the hero who typifies the spirit of these great nations. They remind me of American warriors such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman. Caribbean Emancipation Day belongs to the people of the Caribbean, but the celebration is truly an African celebration.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, on August 17th a very important occasion will be observed--the 118th birthday of Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey is widely considered a monumental figure in world and American history. In the 1920's, his message of unity, cultural pride, and self-sufficiency inspired millions of people around the world. In this country, Garvey's message of pride in heritage and identification with African roots inspired African Americans at a time when we were oppressed by the impact of slavery and segregation. The Harlem based movement he started with the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) during the early 1900's is still the largest that the modern Black world has ever seen. His efforts would be a major impetus in the later movements that would free black peoples from the shackles of colonization and legalized discrimination. Indeed, his life and philosophy were embraced by influential Black leaders of the 20th century such as Kwame Nkrumah, Malcom X, and Martin Luther King. He is a national hero of almost mythic proportions in his native Jamaica, and was an inspiration for the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica during the 20th century. Indeed, his praises have been sung in reggae songs up to the present day. Despite his future impact, the America in which he lived was a much different place then it is today. African Americans did not have rights, and were expected to accept their inequitable position in society. Many became threatened by the size and implications of Marcus Garvey's movement, and he soon became the target of significant government harassment, led by a young J. Edgar Hoover. Eventually, Mr. Garvey was convicted on a single charge of mail fraud--a charge that experts agree was spurious. Marcus Garvey has been an inspiration to me since I was a child. I was born, raised, and still live in Harlem, where Garvey established the Headquarters for the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Though I was born three years after Garvey was, deported from the United States, his imprint on Harlem was still evident throughout my childhood and adolescence. I often met followers of Garvey's movement, known as Garveyites, who would preach his philosophy. Their words encouraged me to do my own research. As I grew older, I came to fully understand the importance of Garvey and the injustice of his wrongful conviction. Since 1987, I have endeavored to restore the good name of Marcus Garvey, and my effort is continuing in the 109th Congress. I now have the support of an ever-increasing number of individuals, organizations, constituencies and legislators. Cities from Hartford, Connecticut to Lauderhill, Florida have passed resolutions calling for Mr. Garvey's exoneration, and Rep. Rangel's current Marcus Garvey resolution, H. Con. Res. 57, has garnered the most House support since it was first introduced in 1987. A Presidential pardon is the final and most important step in restoring the good name of Marcus Garvey and preserving his legacy for future generations. To that end, I sent an official request to President Bush this week urging the granting of a posthumous Presidential pardon to Marcus Garvey. It is my hope that President Bush will take the time to investigate the merits of my request, as such consideration on behalf of Marcus Garvey is long overdue. I will also attend a ceremony in St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica--the birthplace of Marcus Garvey--in August, to commemorate the 118th anniversary of Mr. Garvey's birth. We here in the House recently passed a resolution, H. Con. Res. 175, which acknowledged African descendants of the transatlantic slave trade in all of the Americas and recommended that the United States and the international community work to improve the situation of Afro- descendants in our hemisphere. That was one of the goals of Marcus Garvey--the improvement of Afro-descendents. As we continue to make progress on that front, we must continue to remember Marcus Garvey, and restore to him the honor which he deserves.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, August 31st marks the 43rd anniversary of the independence of Trinidad and Tobago. The Caribbean nation gained independence from Great Britain in 1962, and has since gone on to become prosperous and influential member of our hemisphere, and a loyal ally to the United States. Trinidad is a country of immense ethnic diversity. People of African, East Indian, European, Chinese, and even Middle Eastern descent coexist peacefully on this island of over 1.3 million. Many of Trinidad's citizens have migrated to the United States over the years, and have established sizable communities in many cities around the country, especially in the New York City area. This community has given much to our Nation by their presence. Trinidad has also given much to the United States in other ways. The country hosted thousands of U.S. servicemen during World War II, and the immediate post-war years. Several U.S. bases were stationed on the island, and the U.S. presence left a deep imprint on the culture and character of Trinidad, which is still evident today. The era also exposed a generation of Americans to the beautiful island nation and its wonderful Calypso music. This exposure spurred an influx of American tourists to the island over the next half century. Today, Trinidad is major U.S. tourist destination, as are many other locales in the Caribbean. In addition, Trinidad and Tobago has positioned itself as a significant component of America's energy supply over the last few years. Already an important regional exporter of crude oil, Trinidad is now the leading exporter of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) in the Western Hemisphere. After 9-11, the U.S. sought to find energy sources beyond the Middle East and Persian Gulf. Additionally, rising gas prices, and increasing domestic shortages increased U.S. demand for LNG. Trinidad has impressively stepped in to fill that demand. In 1999, Trinidad exported about 50 billion cubic feet of LNG to the U.S., accounting for only 31 percent of total U.S. LNG imports. By 2003, Trinidad was the leading exporter of Liquid Natural Gas to the United States, totaling nearly 400 billion cubic feet, or 75 percent of all U.S. LNG imports. These numbers are projected to further increase over the next decade. More than anything, however, the most important factor in the U.S./ Trinidad relationship will be the genuine respect and admiration we hold for one another. As for Trinidad itself, the future looks bright. During his 1962 Independence Day Speech to the nation, Dr. Eric Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, asserted that the ``strength of the Nation depends on the strength of its citizens''. Based on that criteria Trinidad is a strong nation indeed, and I wish a Happy Independence Day to her and her citizens.