Charlie Rangel

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.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to share with my colleagues a wonderful meeting I had this morning with a group of bright, engaged, and active young Dominican Americans from the Dominican American National Roundtable, an organization which is becoming increasingly recognized for its advocacy on behalf of the Dominican American community. Today, the inaugural group of its Dominican Leadership Institute--all young men and women attending some of the best colleges in this Nation--visited my office to discuss their views on a variety of important issues facing this country today. From immigration to education, we had a lively thoughtful exchange about the future and direction of this Nation and ways that they can get involved and make an impact on this country. In 2005, the Dominican American National Roundtable joined with the Coca-Cola Bottling Company and the Bert Corona Leadership Institute to host the Dominican Leadership Institute. The program is designed to expose college students to the range of opportunities and skills needed for the next generation of Dominican American leaders. The Leadership Institute trains, empowers, and motivates these future leaders in the research, command and advocacy of important issues facing the Nation and, specifically, Dominican Americans. This inaugural class of the Dominican Leadership Institute includes Edwin Zambrano, Nassar Fand Mufdi Ruiz, Pablo Rodriguez, Ysaira C. Paulino F., Bethsaida George John A. Meche, Amaris Guzman, Evelyn Ng Duran, Suhaly Bautista, Natalie C. Archibald, Karla Acevedo, and Arlenis Almonte. These students and future leaders have been exposed to the challenges of leadership, the need for innovation and creativity, and the importance of civil engagement in the political system. During their visit to my office, we spoke about the need for a more humane and effective immigration policy, the challenges in integrating new citizens into the country, the problems of the modem family in major urban communities, and the need for a really fair trade policy. They were thoroughly knowledgeable of the topics and presented ideas and suggestions that would be quite useful to this chamber. I was impressed by the civility, awareness and thoughtfulness of this group. They approach each issue with a determination for justice and an ear for understanding. They were articulate about their views and thoughts and shared with me their life experiences and their reasons for wanting change. While we seldom disagreed on the policy implications of the concerns they raised, I was also impressed by their willingness to hear and sympathetically comprehend all sides on each issue. This group clearly represents a promising future for the leadership of the Dominican American community and our Nation. However, I was a bit disappointed to hear about a disturbing experience of these bright champions of change in the offices of the House. As intelligent young Americans of Dominican origin concerned about the welfare of their families and other citizens of the Dominican Republic, they rightfully were opposed to CAFTA and met another group of people who supported the bill in the Longworth Cafeteria where they were having lunch yesterday. When they initially asked the supporters about their support, they received information about the background of CAFTA. When they expressed their awareness of the trade bill and opposition to it, the supporters became rude and hostile to them and would no longer explain their rationale. This was a grand opportunity for an exchange of ideas, a meeting of the minds, but it failed, and it failed shamefully. While unsettling, this experience did not deter these young Dominican Americans from their commitment to highlight the issues of importance to them. It is a shame, Mr. Speaker, when students cannot come to their House and freely, comfortably, debate the issues of the day. This should be a place for open debate, a free exchange of ideas, and a respect for different and diverse opinions. I am glad these young men and women were not deterred by this instance; this is another example of their considerable maturity, comprehension of the issues, and respect for their fellow Americans. I am grateful to have had such an opportunity to exchange views with such young outstanding Americans. I encourage them to continue in their diligence, dedication, and search for the truth. I look forward to seeing them in the future and to knowing of their success and the great contributions they will make in their professional careers to this Nation. I urge my colleagues to find ways to reach out to the Dominican American National Roundtable and obtain information on how you can recruit members of this group for internships in your congressional office. These students are bright, motivated, and promising. All they need to reach their great potential is opportunities for exposure to the policymaking and legislative process. And you will find that your exposure to this fine group of Americans will be thoroughly rewarding and insightful. I submit to the Record a copy of the statement that this group presented to me on their policy recommehdations for this Congress. It is important that we carefully consider the thoughts of our young people. We represent the Dominican community as members of the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR), and we are before you today to discuss issues that affect our community and to propose a number of solutions. Education In order to allow the United States' economy to prosper, we propose that Congress pass the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act due to its potential to increase the country's economy by the work of those future taxpayers. In order to decrease the poverty level, we propose that Congress pass the DREAM Act so that it may increase the quality of life for those who are young and undocumented in the United States. In addition, we support the Equal and High Quality Educational Amendment to the Constitution because the law would create and sustain high standards in all the schools within the Nation. Health Care We propose that Congress provide programs and services that may educate people on obtaining healthcare and create reasonable qualifications for those who are underprivileged. We recommend that Congress provide free, complete, and quality healthcare for children under the age of eighteen (18). Furthermore, we request that adequate health information be provided by local clinics and health professionals regarding issues of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases to their communities. We propose that Congress internally restructure and organize Medicaid and Medicare so that private specialists will accept public healthcare. Quality of Life We propose that Congress counter the inevitable effects of gentrification (i.e., displacement due to the higher priced housing in our neighborhoods) by establishing Community Land Trusts, where the residents would own the buildings they live in and a non-profit neighborhood membership organization would own the land under the buildings. These Trusts would uphold living and maintenance standards and, more importantly, would safeguard low-income communities. We propose that Congress provide ample funding to Community Centers within these neighborhoods in order to educate the residents as to this new protection, and to provide educational and extracurricular opportunities.

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 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, 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 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 the attention of my colleagues an important festival in my district this Sunday. On July 31, the Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation will be hosting the 6th anniversary of ``El Carnival del Boulevard,'' the Carnival of the Boulevard. ``El Carnival'' is an important celebration of the Dominican presence in the Washington Heights community. The festival will honor the memory of Juan Pablo Duarte who died July 15, 1844. Juan Pablo Duarte is one of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic. In resistance to the rule of the Haiti, Juan Pablo Duarte helped formed a secret dissident society, La Trinitaria, to support the Dominican demand for freedom and justice. Because of his heroism, the Dominican Republic was able to gain their independence form the Haitians on February 27, 1804. This year will mark the 161st anniversary of the independence of the Dominican Republic. The pride and love of the Dominican people is alive and well in my district. This festival will celebrate and commemorate with honor and esteem the freedom and beauty of the Dominican Republic, its people, and its culture. I look forward to festivals as my district once again demonstrates its love and appreciation for our freedoms and its status as the soul of America.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John L. Procope, who was my friend and an extraordinary African-American businessman, entrepreneur, and role model. His passing earlier this month is a source of great sadness to a community of colleagues and friends who will greatly miss him. I know that Riverside Church, where he is being memorialized this morning, is filled with many tears, but with many more memories. When the Black newspaper, the Amsterdam News, faced financial troubles and was threatened with closure, John L. Procope stepped forward to ensure that the African-American community in New York continued to have a voice and reliable source of information on the day's news. Knowing the important and significance of the Amsterdam News and other Black newspapers, John ensured that there would continually be a voice for a community that had so long been limited in its advocacy, expression, and information. For generations, the Black press had been the communication hub of the Black community. It had been the voice for the community to its leaders and to each other. It connected the individuals of the community to one another and told the news and events of the day from their perspectives. The Black press questioned and challenged the system of segregation, highlighted and pointed out the social, political and economic inequalities of the community, and disputed and countered the official positions on issues of race and class. The Black press has historically been the pipeline of the concerns and issues of the Harlem community and other Black communities throughout the nation. It remains the compelling, focused, and thoughtful voice of the community and its residents, and it works against financial challenges, to maintain that role. John recognized this important role of the black press as a voice to and of the community. He knew that for the community to flourish the press would have to remain strong. So, when John and his fellow investors saw the Amsterdam News faltering, they came to its rescue and the rescue of the community. John invested in and resurrected the paper. He ensured and maintained its role in Harlem and in Black communities throughout New York City. He continued the paper's important role as advocate, informer, and champion of the Black community. The newspaper nonetheless was not John's only legacy. He ventured his business and economic skills into other arenas to become a successful entrepreneur and a powerful role model. He showed generations of African-Americans that to be successful, you had to be committed and dedicated, and that being successful did not mean forgetting your roots and your community. I submit for the Record two articles from the July 26, 2005 edition of the CaribNews praising John's dedication and commitment to Harlem and the Black community. He will be missed in this community for all that he has done, but he may rest peacefully knowing that he has sowed the seeds for generations of progress. [From the CaribNews; July 26, 2005] Celebrating The Life of John Procope John L. Procope, an entrepreneur and former publisher of The New York Amsterdam News, died on Friday, July 15. He was 82 and lived in Queens. The cause was complications from pneumonia. Mr. Procope, a graduate of Morgan State University, was a marketing and advertising executive at several companies before he joined a consortium that bought The Amsterdam News in 1971. He was one of six co-owners of the newspaper when he succeeded Clarence B. Jones as publisher in 1974. Mr. Procope earned his bachelor's degree in business from Morgan State University, attended business school at New York University and began his career in advertising. A native New Yorker, he was a former president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He was also a president of the Harlem Business Alliance and served as a trustee of Howard University for 15 years. The Amsterdam News was founded by James Henry Anderson in 1909. W.E.B. Du Bois, Adam Clayton Powell and Malcolm X are among the famous black Americans who have written for the newspaper. Mr. Procope made waves in the Black community when he denounced the looting that took place after the 1977 blackout in New York by publishing a blistering editorial charging an apparent vacuum of leadership in the Black communities. Subsequently, he was appointed chairman of an Emergency Aid Commission which disbursed about $3 million to grants to businesses hurt by the looting. Mr. Procope left the newspaper in 1982 to focus on E. G. Bowman, an insurance company that had been founded by his wife, Ernesta G. Procope, that was one of the first major African-American-owned businesses on Wall Street. The company's client list started with underserved Brooklyn homeowners but grew to include Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Procope and his wife were a driving force behind the creation of the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements plan in 1968 to help make insurance available to all residents of New York State. He and his wife were also highly visible in political and philanthropic circles. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sisters, Dr. Jean Martin of Bloomfield, Conn. and Jonelle Terrell of Manhattan.

Mr. RANGEL

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge). (Mr. ETHERIDGE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to note that when the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means indicated that the speech and debate clause of the Constitution allowed us to distort the truth, I had no idea where he was coming from. But I now truly understand why he opened up the debate that way. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our gentle minority leader, who made certain that we did not make this a partisan issue, who struggled hard to keep this agreement and to try to get it open so that we could have input and have a bipartisan agreement, and who will close on behalf of the minority.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to a gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), who was a Peace Corps volunteer in South America. (Mr. FARR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, how much time remains?

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gene Green). (Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), a former Presidential candidate.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Michaud).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the outstanding gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Melancon).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), who has worked very hard in trying to perfect this legislation.

Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) for purposes of correcting the record.