Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, many times when my colleague, the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin), and I are back in our districts, we have constituents who ask us, ``Why are you a Republican?'' Tonight the gentlewoman from Wyoming and I are going to address that question. For me as a hispanic woman who is a refugee from Communist Cuba, I know that our Republican party is the party which is most likely to stand up for individual liberty both abroad and here at home. But the fact is that our party's message of smaller government, of less bureaucratic regulation and lower taxes has got to get through to the individuals that it will help the most, small business owners, women and minorities. This vision, which is shared by the vast majority of Republicans, is simply one of practical, commonsense, limited government which has made our country the beacon of liberty to the world. It is based on simple principles, simple principles that say that government cannot solve all of our problems, that individuals need to be held accountable for their actions and for their choices in life, that Washington does not always know best, principles that say that the free market is the greatest engine of prosperity in the history of the world, that no Nation in history can be successful without strong families and strong values, a principle which says that peace is best preserved by a strong national defense, that America must stand up against Communist tyranny and refuse to accommodate evil regimes which extinguish the freedom and the hope of their people. Mr. Speaker, a great number of my constituents know about having their freedom extinguished, about having their hopes destroyed and their lives held in bondage based on their personal experiences with totalitarian regimes from Castro's Cuba, to Cedras' Haiti, to Hitler's Europe. The thousands of people, for example, who have fled Fidel Castro's Communist regime are in little doubt about the nature of his lies. Where I come from there is not much confusion about the false promise of socialism, the reality of a one-party State or the empty slogans mouthed by leaders who use words to hide their true agenda. We are under few allusions, and we have little tolerance for those who are apologists for corrupt and dictatorial Communist regimes. So for me the choice to become a Republican was easy. The Republican party prides itself in its realistic world view, a world view that is not given to pie in the sky schemes to manipulate human nature, to make everyone fit a cookie cutter mold or to blame others for our failures. No, our vision is simply one given to us in the Constitution and in our Bill of Rights. Taking the Constitution as our framework and trusting experience over the social experiments dreamed up by Washington bureaucrats, I stand today for the same principles that I have been standing for my entire adult life. I think that average Americans are overtaxed, that the middle class, hard-working Americans are not getting their tax dollar's worth. I think that small businesses are the backbone of America and that entrepreneurs should be encouraged, not penalized, and certainly not demonized for the so-called crime of creating jobs and for producing prosperity. The facts show that small business have always provided the best way for women, for minorities and for immigrants to achieve the American dream. I think that our public educational system is nearly broken, but I do not think that what ails schools today can be fixed in Washington, D.C. If it could, I think that we would have done it long ago and many billions of dollars and thousands of bureaucrats ago. I think that Social Security and Medicare are vital programs for millions of seniors who depend on them but that we will be shortchanging our current and future seniors if serious reforms are not enacted soon. I would also like to add that I supported our successful effort to balance the budget so that long-term solvency of these programs will be insured and that we will have a retirement system that will protect seniors into the next century. I think that Ronald Reagan was right, that military strength, not fine words or unwise arms control agreements with evil regimes, is the key to preserving the peace, and I think that we should not take our freedoms for granted, a freedom that is all too rare in the world, a freedom that does not exist in Cuba or China or in North Korea and so many other lands which are untouched by the democratic spirit. Mr. Speaker, that is what I stand for, and that is why I stand before my colleagues today as a proud Republican and a proud citizen of the greatest country on this earth, and that is why I know that the Republican party is going to grow and grow because it stands for the very principles that founded our great country.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, in this National Missing Children's Week, I urge my colleagues to support S. 249, the Missing, Exploited and Runaway Children's Act. In my own district, Jimmy Ryce and Shannon Melendi were preyed upon by monsters. Jimmy was abducted, raped, killed, and dismembered as he walked home from his school bus stop. Jimmy's parents channeled their grief into the establishment of the Jimmy Ryce Center. Shannon disappeared from a softball field and was never seen again. Shannon's parents have taken their daughter's case to the public, pushing for stronger laws to keep sexual predators off the streets. Shannon's father, Luis, said, ``What happened to us cannot be changed, but because of what happened to us, changes can be made.'' Passage of this bill will help protect our children from the predators who prey on our most innocent victims.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, did my colleagues know this year alone one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and did they know that of those positively diagnosed women 75 percent will have had no family history of breast cancer? It continues to be the leading cause of cancer deaths for all women ages 35 to 54. My home State of Florida has the third highest rate of breast cancer. These numbers have caused champions like Jane Torres, President of the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition, to dedicate their lives on heightening awareness. Due to the work of groups like the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition, Federal funds for research have now increased by as much as sixfold. Eager advocates like Jane, Jill Lawrence, Shelly Greenberg, Midge Blumberg-Krams, Teresa Menendez, Claudia Dobelstein and all of the members of the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition will continue to fight until this treacherous disease is eradicated. Congratulations to them.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, senior citizens have always served as the cornerstone of our country's population and as America's aging generation continues to rapidly increase, the health and well being of our nation's elderly becomes more and more important. The Senior Friends Chapter at Columbia Deering Hospital has recognized the importance of fitness among the senior population and are taking the initiative of spearheading Senior Health and Fitness Day in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Exercise has been clinically proven to help fight many ailments that affect seniors, such as osteoporosis, heart disease, and arthritis, and is highly recommended to improve the overall quality of life at any age. On May 26, the Senior Friends Chapter at Deering Hospital will host activities such as fitness walks, exercise demonstrations, health screenings, and health information workshops to educate Miami's seniors about the many benefits of fitness and to encourage their participation in a more active lifestyle. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to The Senior Friends Chapter for their focus on senior's health.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize a man for whom the South Florida Community has the utmost respect, esteem and admiration, Reverend Monsignor Gerard La Cerra, who will celebrate 30 years in the priesthood on May 24th. Monsignor La Cerra was ordained into the priesthood in Miami in 1969 and has been indispensable to our community from that moment on. He has been a driving force in our city, possessing a truly ``God- given'' ability to bring people together from different cultures, religions and walks of life, for a greater good, both encompassing and dispensing brother hood, fellowship and most of all, love. He was instrumental in the very inception of the Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School and involved in every step of its formulation from the initial groundbreaking to the final ribbon cutting ceremony. In 1995, this extraordinary man was designated Prelate of Honor with the title of Reverend Monsignor by His Holiness, Pope John Paul, II. In addition to the many honors and accolades that Monsignor La Cerra received, he has been a tireless worker and advocate for the people of Miami and has served selflessly. I would like all my colleagues to join me in honoring someone who is truly an inspiration and role model to everyone in the way that he has lived every single day of his life.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Room 2200 of the Rayburn Building, the House of Representatives will have a unique opportunity to meet modern-day heroes. Angel Cuadra, Carmen Arias, Alberto Grau Sierra, and Ana Lazara Rodriquez are men and women of principle, lovers of freedom and democracy, defenders of human and civil liberties. In Castro's island prison, they risked their freedom, their lives, to speak out against the inhumanity and brutal injustices that that regime imposes upon the people of Cuba. They bring with them not only a message of hope about the Cuban people's struggle against the cruel nature of the oppressive Castro regime, but also a message from those who still languish in Cuban jails for expressing their God-given rights as free human beings. I welcome all Members and visitors to join us tomorrow at 1 p.m. in room 2200 of the Rayburn Building to listen to their testimonials and in rendering our support for their continuing struggle for freedom and democracy for the enslaved people of Cuba.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, as we watch the developing human catastrophe taking place in the Balkans on our television sets night after night, we must not forget that in our own hemisphere our neighbors in Central America have undergone a humanitarian crisis of their own, one caused by a hurricane which ravaged homes and wiped out entire communities. More than 6 months after Hurricane Mitch swept through Central America, the region is still waiting for the much-needed funds to rebuild their infrastructure and to start healing the wounds that the hurricane left long after the rains and the floods have stopped. But today we have an opportunity to end their suffering, to help revitalize the economies of our neighbors to the south, to give children back their schools, families back their homes and their churches, communities back their sense of normalcy. The funds are not a handout. They are a helping hand to those who have suffered almost insurmountable hardships. My district in south Florida has experienced the disastrous effects of a hurricane. It is not an easy task to rebuild, even less so for those who have limited resources on hand. It is within our power and it is indeed our duty and responsibility as brothers and sisters in the greater hemispheric family to help them with this aid and to stop prolonging their suffering. Supporting this measure is not only beneficial to Central America but to the greater economic stability and prosperity of our hemisphere. Under the leadership of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) with this measure, Mr. Speaker, we are helping both American farmers and our American troops as well as storm victims here in the U.S. and in Central America. I urge my colleagues to adopt this measure today.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and wish to be recorded as a ``yes'' vote on the motion to instruct conferees on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for FY 1999 H.R. 1141, rollcall 130.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, tonight the Cuban American community honors the Czech Republic and Poland for their recent successful efforts to condemn the ongoing human rights violations in Cuba before the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. The Czech President said recently that both the Czechs and the Cubans encountered similar political fates, suffering the multiple adverse effects of the same ideology still advanced by the government of Cuba. The Center for a Free Cuba event tonight will also serve to commemorate Cuban independence, which will be celebrated during the month of May, and the role of women in the struggle for freedom in Cuba. Because of that, Elena Diaz Verson Amos will be honored for her commitment to the cause of freedom and democracy and human rights. I urge my colleagues to join us tonight at 6 p.m. in room 106 of the Dirksen building for the Center for Free Cuba reception.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate my constituent, Ms. Selma Gomez of Miami, Florida for her service as a prestigious White House Fellow for 1998-1999. The daughter of Cuban refugees in Miami, Ms. Gomez has an outstanding record of academic achievement, business leadership and community service which made her well qualified for this high honor. She earned four degrees from Harvard University including a PhD in decision sciences and has taught at the University of Miami's engineering department. In addition to extensive community service, Dr. Gomez also excelled in the business world as the president and founder of Applied Consulting Services Corp. after serving as a senior manager at KPMP Peat Marwick LLP. Assigned to the State Department, Dr. Gomez specialized in the critical Y2K issue. She has traveled around the world on fact-finding missions regarding the Y2K problem, as well as representing our nation at the G-8 Year 2000 Working Group and the Year 2000 meeting of international Y2K coordinators at the United Nations. A leading highlight of her fellowship was briefing Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and other top State Department officials on Year 2000 Challenges and Responses. I am honored to recognize Selma Gomez for her outstanding work as a White House Fellow. Her service in this position makes all of us in South Florida very proud.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for the leadership which he has shown on all of the issues pertaining to Central America. I also want to congratulate another colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch), whose motion we are debating today. He is very attuned to the needs of our hemispheric neighbors and also on the impact that this has on our South Florida region. So I commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for their leadership. Mr. Speaker, over 6 months ago, our Central American neighbors were ravaged by Hurricane Mitch. The death and destruction of homes, of farms, entire communities were broadcast for the world to see: small children displaced from their homes, families divided, the entire livelihood of thousands washed away with the rains and the flood that followed the eye of the hurricane. Our district, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) and my district in South Florida, has experienced the wrath of a hurricane. We know what that destruction is like. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew swept through our portion of the State, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Seven years later, we have recovered physically and economically. However, the emotional scars that are left long after the homes have been rebuilt have still not healed. The communities have been restored somewhat, but those difficulties remain. But, Mr. Speaker, in Central America, these scars run even deeper, as thousands of lives were lost following what seemed to be endless days of floods and rains. In Central America, the healing process has yet to begin. As Congress holds up these much-needed funds to provide regional fund and relief to the regions, families continue to go without shelter, to go without safe drinking water, and their children are going without education. The bill before us would provide the necessary funds to help our neighbors begin to rebuild their infrastructures, their families, their economies, their communities. Currently, our inability to reach an agreement on the relief package has significantly delayed the reconstruction of roads, schools, and health clinics; but we know that our leadership is working toward that final end that is going to be very positive. We congratulate them for their leadership on this issue. But the more that we delay, Mr. Speaker, these are the things that will happen. USAID has said that the health situation in Honduras and Nicaragua in particular will continue to deteriorate because of a lack of medical resources and facilities to monitor and care for those who have been affected by the outbreaks of malaria, of cholera, of dengue, and other infectious diseases that have resulted following the hurricane. Also, close to 200,000 children will continue to go without adequate schools, without their facilities, without their supplies. Food shortages will result as 100,000 small-scale farms will not receive credit and inputs for their first crops. Let us not help to prolong the suffering of our hemispheric neighbors by continuing to not pass this critical funding package because the support of the revitalization of Central America region will be helped by us voting in favor of this bill. The Central American countries have been long-time allies of the United States. Notwithstanding the lamentable decisions of Guatemala and El Salvador to abstain from voting in the recent U.N. vote in Geneva, which correctly condemned the human rights violations in Cuba, these nations routinely stand with the U.S. in our battle in favor of freedom, of democracy in our hemisphere. Parenthetically, these countries could demonstrate their solidarity with the Cuban people by not participating in the November summit in Havana. But Central America has survived revolutions. They have survived natural disasters to become symbols of democracy in our hemisphere. Let us help them to further solidify their freedom-loving institutions by aiding them with these much-needed funds. They are our hemispheric neighbors, and we need to help them get back on their feet. This is not a bailout. It is a helping hand. Let us not turn our backs on Central America now. They need us. We will be there for them.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 19, the members of this body will have an opportunity to hear the testimonials of former political prisoners and prisoners of conscience who have survived Castro's gulags. For over 40 years, the brutal Castro regime has systematically violated the basic human rights and civil liberties of the Cuban people. During the 4 decades it has been in power, thousands of innocent people have been executed or subjected to beatings, torture or arbitrary detentions. For some lucky enough to have survived, the opportunity to inform the international community about the Cuban reality has become a mission. Their stories are graphic, compelling and horrific examples of the oppressive, violent and diabolical nature of the Castro regime. Next Wednesday, we will hear these firsthand accounts of the physical and psychological torture of those who are willing to risk life and limb for freedom, liberty and democracy for Cuba. I invite all of my colleagues to meet some of Cuba's true heroes, the survivors of Castro's gulags, on Wednesday, May 19, at 12 p.m. in room 2200 in the Rayburn Building.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Jesus Galvez who will be honorably installed as Postmaster of Miami. In 1984, Jesus joined the postal service as a letter carrier. Embodying the definition of dedication, hard work and service to his community, he was quickly promoted to Acting Supervisor, Supervisor of Mails and Delivery and Supervisor of Customer Service. Jesus was soon appointed to the position of Officer in Charge of Miami, Florida where he continued to serve South Floridians by utilizing his talents and abilities to fulfill and supercede his duties. His outstanding character and extraordinary effort enabled him to be the recipient of many prestigious awards, including VP Accomplishments for two years in a row, the UP Award, the Achievement Award, the Leadership Award and the Exceptional Individual Performance Award. On May 14th, Jesus will be joined by his wife, Marlene, sons, Christopher and Michael, mother, Clara Fernandez and brother, Jose Galvez to be prestigiously installed as Postmaster. His commitment to excellence and extraordinary leadership will ensure his resounding success as Postmaster of Miami.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize an outstanding group of girls from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy who won third place at this year's national We the People competition. Sacrificing their weekends, evenings, and spending countless of hours in preparing diligently for the state and local tournaments which they won, 17 students of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy proudly represented Miami and the state of Florida this year in yesterday's national competition on the Constitution. I ask my Congressional colleagues to join me in paying tribute to devoted teacher Rosie Heffernan and to the following 17 young girls who made evidence their pride in our country's heritage and demonstrated their vast knowledge of the United States' history and of current events: Deerack Asencio, Deanna Barkett, Melissa Camero, Carly Celmer, Catherine Cone, Jessica Fernandez, Tanya Garcia, Diana Kates, Ingrid Laos, Vivian Lasaga, Claudia MacMaster, Tanya Nelson, Sonya Nelson, Tatiana Perez, Flavia Romero, Melissa Sanchez, and Kristina Velez.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to congratulate my constituent, Mrs. Rosa Sugranes, who was recognized recently in ceremonies at the U.S. Capitol by the Small Business Council of America as the Small Business Person of the Year for 1999. Rosa has built Iberia Tiles into one of our nation's largest independently owned distributors of ceramic tiles, marble and stone. Starting out as a 22-year-old college student with just a $100,000 investment, she opened a tile warehouse in 1980. Her hard work and dedication helped create today's major corporation which has annual revenues of over $24 million and offices throughout South Florida and the Atlanta area. Miami's Bayside Marketplace, Joe's Stone Crabs and the World Trade Center in Panama are among the many famous buildings which have used Iberia tiles. Among the many roles she is being honored for by the council include her commitment to the vital cause of multilingual education, as well as her many civic and charitable contributions which have greatly benefited our community and nation. She heads the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's multilingual task force and is chairwoman of the Multilingual Development Committee of the Miami-Dade Public Schools. Rosa also serves on the board of trustees of Florida International University and the United Way, and has played a major role in Miami- Dade County' Efficiency & Competition Committee and Cultural Affairs Council. This is definitely a fitting tribute for Rosa Sugranes who, over the past twenty years, has very ably served as an entrepreneur, civic leader, education crusader and mother of two children.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, it is ironic that as NATO forces are bombing the Butcher of the Balkans, the Clinton administration is cozying up to the Butcher of the Caribbean, Cuba's Fidel Castro. In the aftermath of the tragedy in Colorado as we search for answers and discuss role models and values, it is ironic that the United States is preparing to play ball with the regime that violates the human rights and civil liberties of its people. Monday's game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Cuban team will send a message to our children that America's pastime can also be an instrument for dictators; that money, power and individual interests are more important than freedom and democracy for the oppressed people of Cuba. The May 3rd game, as the one played in Cuba, will be a political and public relations home run for Fidel Castro but it will be a strikeout for political prisoners, for human rights dissidents and the Cuban people as a whole. Let us send the right message to our young people and to the international community as a whole that the U.S., its institutions and its symbols will not be accessories to the crimes committed by the Castro regime and that we will not be manipulated into covering up those crimes.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, this Monday the latest U.S. concession to the Castro dictatorship will take place just a few miles from the Capitol when the Baltimore Orioles will play the Cuban national team. This event is nothing but a propaganda bonanza for Castro as it helps the dictatorship divert attention from the repression that continues on the island. For every pitch thrown in the game, one more person in Cuba will be fearing that one of Castro's thugs could come knock on his door and arbitrarily arrest him. For every hit, one more political prisoner in Cuba will be hungry and needing the medical attention that the regime denies him. For every inning that goes by, one more dissident will be harassed for speaking merely about bringing freedom to the enslaved island of Cuba. And let us not fool ourselves. Playing ball with Castro will do nothing to help the Cuban people achieve their long-sought freedom. Just last Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Commission condemned the atrocities of the Castro tyranny. Yet on Monday we will play ball with that same dictatorship. We must stop rewarding the Castro tyranny while the regime continues its brutal repression on the people of Cuba, who desire to live in freedom.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Enrique V. Iglesias who was recently named ``Man of the Year'' by Latin Finance. Mr. Iglesias, the former foreign minister of Uruguay and ex- executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, was also unanimously elected in 1997 to a third five-year term as president of the Board of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank. Enrique Iglesias is a visionary--a man of insight and ability who has helped transform the IDB into an engine for reform, economic expansion, growth, and prosperity in the Western Hemisphere. As its President, he has led the IDB like a skilled navigator through tumultuous and sometimes uncertain waters in the last eleven years. During his tenure in office, the Bank has become the leading multilateral provider of resources for Latin America and the Caribbean. Last year, the Bank recorded a figure of $10 billion with heavy investments in such areas as education, health, environmental protection, structural modernization, and reconstruction from natural disasters. He has actively supported the development of the private sector and capital markets in the region by promoting investment, lending, and innovation and has allocated the necessary resources to foster the growth of small and medium-size businesses in the region toward sustainability. His ability to develop and guide policies that will address the changing dynamics and economic landscape of the Hemisphere led to the establishment in 1994 of the Private Sector Department, a specialized operational department within the Bank, to provide long- term financing and guarantees for private infrastructure projects in the region. I commend his dedication to mobilizing resources for the region and his commitment to the social and economic development of the Hemisphere.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to pay tribute to Dr. Caridad Perez, a dear friend and an outstanding educator who had completed thirty years of excellent academic achievements. As Principal of Edison Private School, Dr. Caridad Perez has been a positive influence in the lives of the many students with whom she actively interacts, as well as with the teachers and faculty members who seek her wisdom and experience for guidance. It is through Dr. Caridad's leadership, hard work and dedication to improving the lives of youth that she has helped scores of students acquire not only an exceptional, solid education, but a strong sense of values and morals that will help carry each student through a lifetime of success. On Sunday, April 25th, at the Tropigala Fontainbleu Hilton in Miami Beach, many of Dr. Caridad's grateful students and highly appreciative staff will gather for a festive luncheon accompanied by music to honor the loyal and beloved principal of Edison Private School for the praise and honor that she so earnestly deserves. I ask that my Congressional colleagues join me in celebrating Dr. Caridad's thirty years in educational excellence.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, every 18 minutes a new name is added to the list of those who wait for an organ transplant. With the current supply of donors, unfortunately, someone dies every 2 hours and 24 minutes because an organ was not available. These are the grim statistics. The University of Miami Organ Procurement Organization and the Transplant Foundation of South Florida, however, are doing something to improve these dismal numbers. They have undertaken a donor education program designed to target young audiences, helping them to understand at an early age the need for organ donations and the benefits of transplants. This program, entitled ``Life 101,'' has been presented at 58 high schools, reaching over 50,000 local area students in Miami-Dade and Broward County in South Florida. This Friday, ``Life 101'' will be unveiling its new web site dedicated to providing an exciting and informative forum for students to learn more about organ donations. I encourage America's youth to visit their web site beginning Friday and learn how they can make the difference in the lives of others.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, over 40 years ago, Rosa Parks, a Montgomery, Alabama seamstress, showed how one woman, no matter what her background, can light a spark which changes the world. By refusing to give up her bus seat to a white man on a dark December day in 1955, Rosa Parks defied the oppressive legal system of segregation and set off a bus boycott that became one of the first victories in the civil rights revolution of the '50s and the '60s. For this brave stand for liberty and her many other contributions to our Nation and her community, she definitely deserves the Congressional Gold Medal which we are voting to award her today. Her heroic action resulted in her arrest and the loss of her job, but the ensuing struggle resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling just a year later which declared that the Montgomery segregation law was unconstitutional and that Montgomery officials must desegregate their bus system. This courageous act changed her life and our Nation forever, but it did not change the character and the humility of Rosa Parks, who still shuns the spotlight and has never sought the recognition which she so richly deserves. After moving to Detroit in 1957, in which she continued to work hard for the many causes which benefited both our Nation and her community, she worked for the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), running his Detroit office until her retirement in 1988. Rosa Parks also founded the Detroit-based Raymond and Rosa Parks Institute for Self-Development, which helps young people gain self- esteem through a variety of programs, as well as assists them with their education. By honoring Rosa Parks today, we are also endorsing her message which she so eloquently addressed in her book ``Quiet Strength: The Faith, the Hope and the Heart of a Woman Who Changed a Nation.'' It ends with a plea for people of all races to work together for a world free of violence and racism, where all races and religions unite to improve the quality of life for everyone. Amen. Passage of this bill will be our contribution to her legacy today.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, Miami maintains its ties to our rich cultural and architectural history through the preservation of historical sites, and one of these is Stiltsville, a community of homes located in the pristine waters of Biscayne Bay. These seven wood frame homes have provided a source of pride and enjoyment for locals and visitors alike, but Stiltsville is facing the possibility of demolition as early as July of this year. A group of dedicated organizations throughout the south Florida area have come together in an effort to save this historic architectural wonder and to allow future generations to be able to enjoy this unique feature of our area's history. Our goal is twofold, to obtain a declaration for Stiltsville as a national historic site and to stop its pending demolition. Stiltsville is unique in its cultural and historical significance for our area and, were it to be demolished, a structure with such rich design could never be replicated. We need to do what we can to save this piece of our precious south Florida history.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained and wish to be recorded as a ``yes'' vote on final passage of H.J. Res. 37 (rollcall 90) and H.R. 1376 (rollcall 91).

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, there is a saying, nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength. I can think of no better person who personifies those words as does my constituent and friend, Betti Lidsky. Yesterday, before the House Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Betti testified about her experiences as the mother of three children, Ilana, Daria, and Isaac, who are stricken with retinal degenerative diseases. Betti and Carlos, her husband, came to deliver a message that is not only close to their hearts, but close to the hearts of the millions of family members across America who have a loved one who suffers from this disease, for which there is no treatment nor cure. Let us help give the Lidsky family and indeed those families across America who are impacted by this disease hope by supporting, promoting, and funding research through the National Eye Institute and the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Working together, there is a cure in sight.

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.