Bobby Rush

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters]. I would also like to make note for the Record that I know the gentlewoman was on the other side of town, and she told me on the floor, as soon as you start I want to stop whatever I am doing and take the long trip back and make sure I have my remarks on behalf of Charlie. I certainly appreciate that, the Hayes family appreciates it, and certainly the people of the city of Chicago appreciate this and the gentlewoman's other work. Mr. Speaker, we are joined now by a freshman, a freshman in the House but not a freshman in the fight, a man who comes to this Congress with outstanding achievements of his own, achievements that he has secured in the fight for social and economic justice in this Nation. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the Seventh District of Illinois, Mr. Danny K. Davis.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his words of memorialization for Congressman Charlie Hayes. I share the gentleman's sentiment and his sincerity and his outlook. I share the gentleman's admiration for this giant. Mr. Speaker, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus has come into the Chamber and she also served with Charlie Hayes. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say that the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters] took time out from her very, very busy schedule, both as an outstanding Congresswoman from her district in California and also as the chairperson of the Congressional Black Caucus, she took the time out from her busy schedule to come in to Chicago to attend the home- born services for Charlie Hayes. Mr. Speaker, at this point in time I would like to recognize the gentlewoman for her remarks.

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, on last Monday I attended a funeral held in Chicago, IL, a funeral, a home-grown service, for former Representative Charles A. Hayes, a former Member of this body. At that funeral, Mr. Speaker, at that home-grown ceremony, the many people from Chicago, from the First Congressional District, from the State of Illinois, indeed from this entire Nation came to Chicago to the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church located on the south side of Chicago in the First Congressional District to pay homage and give their final respects to a giant within this Nation, a man who, despite tremendous odds, was able to speak up, speak out, to stand for the little guy, the working person, the disadvantaged, the poor persons of this Nation. Mr. Speaker, Charles Hayes' history is unparalleled in the annals of this Nation. His commitment to the working people, to poor people, to people who needed to have a voice, his commitment was deep seated and long lasting. When he was elected to Congress in 1984, representing the First Congressional District of Illinois, he followed in the footsteps of many giants who represented the First Congressional District, people who, as he did, succeeded against some tremendous odds. Some of those Members were involved in this body passing legislation that had an effect on making this Nation the great Nation that it is today. Oscar De Priest was the first African-American to be elected to Congress since the Reconstruction. He came from the First Congressional District. Following Oscar De Priest, we had Arthur Mitchell, the first black Democrat to represent a district in this august body. Following Oscar De Priest we had Congressman William L. Dawson who represented this district for many, many years. Congressman Ralph Metcalf represented this district. Congressman Harold Washington. Congressman Benny Stewart. They all represented this district. When Charlie Hayes was elected to succeed Congressman Harold Washington, who was elected the first black mayor of the city of Chicago, he immediately began to pick up the baton and to carry forth the battle for equality and justice and fairness within this Nation and within this body. Charlie was well prepared for this task. Going back many, many years, he had prepared himself for this task. Charlie Hayes, as far back as 1938, after he found employment at a little hardware store in Cairo, IL, making 15 cents an hour, Charlie was sensitive enough, understanding enough that he noticed the blatant racism that existed at that plant where black workers faced insults, indignation, and were forced to work in the lowest-paying and least desirable positions. The black workers did what most workers did at that time. They formed an union, a local union which was later recognized by the company as the Carpenter's Local Union 1424, and Charlie Hayes was elected president at the age of 20 years old. This action, this standing up for the downtrodden, the poor, the oppressed, started him on his long career of social action and concern for people and their rights as Americans. Mr. Speaker, I have many, many things I want to say about Charlie Hayes, but I am joined at this moment by the outstanding Member of this House from Illinois' Third Congressional District, a colleague of Charlie Hayes, Congressman Bill Lipinski.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the previous order of earlier today concerning the gentleman from California [Mr. Torres] be vacated.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I am saddened this afternoon, as I have the responsibility to announce to the Members of this body, to the Nation, and to the residents of the First Congressional District that on last evening our friend, our colleague, former Representative Charles G. Hayes, died last night. Charlie Hayes, Mr. Speaker, as we know, was a man who was at the forefront of the struggle of poor people, minorities, women, trade unionists. He dedicated his entire life, Mr. Speaker, to promoting the interests of the disadvantaged, the downtrodden, the poor, the oppressed. Mr. Speaker, those of us who served with Charlie Hayes during his tenure, beginning in the 90th Congress, recall affectionately and vividly his loud voice at the rear of the room when things got unruly here. He would call out ``Regular order, regular order,'' in a distinctive manner, and everyone would be brought to attention because of his commanding voice. Mr. Speaker, his commanding voice called ``Regular order,'' indeed, in the affairs of this Nation, certainly as he saw injustices throughout the land, as he saw injustices in the union, trade union movement, as he saw injustices occurring in the city of Chicago and throughout the Nation. Charlie Hayes was one of the giants of this Nation. America could not have produced a more sincere, a more dedicated, a more courageous leader than Charlie Hayes. I knew Charlie Hayes on a lot of personal levels. I can recall moments when our community felt as though we were not being represented in the city of Chicago in a fair way, and Charlie Hayes was at the forefront, the leader of an organization, a committee, called the Committee to Elect a Black Mayor in the City of Chicago. The culmination of that committee's work was to elect Harold Washington mayor of the city of Chicago. Charlie Hayes was a man who reached out to all races, to all elements in this society. All that you required in order to get Charlie Hayes' commitment to you was that you be discriminated against, that you be disadvantaged. If in fact you had those requirements, those prerequisites, then Charlie Hayes was indeed your champion and your leader. Charlie Hayes served gallantly in this Congress. He was the first trade union leader to become a Member of Congress. He served gallantly on behalf of the people who reside in the First Congressional District. He was indeed a man whose every step was on behalf of the poor and the downtrodden, whose every act as a Member of this body, whose every act as a member of the trade union leadership movement, whose every act as an adult individual, his every act was characterized by his commitment to humanity, to the upliftment of humanity. Mr. Speaker, I am very, very saddened as I stand before this body to deliver these few words of announcement that my friend, your friend, your colleague, Charlie Hayes, has passed on. Mr. Speaker, as I sit back and I reflect for a moment on what Charlie is doing now in the assembly of God, in the heaven, I too know that he is looking here among us, and he is seeing and observing some of the things that are occurring here. I know that he is particularly saddened by that. I can just vividly imagine hearing his voice from the heaven calling down upon this body, addressing us all and saying, ``Friends, colleagues, regular order.''

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I speak today in strong opposition to H.R. 1, a bill to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to provide compensatory time for workers in the private sector. This bill represents a draconian piece of legislation. It is aimed at dismantling basic protections for hourly workers--protections that were won nearly 60 years ago by organized labor. H.R. 1 poses a serious threat to the basic concept of the 40-hour workweek and requirements that hourly workers are paid overtime. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues and the media are trying to portray this initiative as being prowomen, profamily, and proflexibility. In reality, H.R. 1 is extremely antiworker and antifamily. H.R. 1 is dangerous because it opens the doors for employers to avoid paying hourly workers overtime. Therefore, H.R. 1 threatens to reduce the income and standard of living for working families. Millions of hourly workers, predominantly women, people of color, and people with disabilities, depend on overtime pay to maintain a decent standard of living of their families. H.R. 1 would allow employers to avoid paying overtime. H.R. 1 is particularly onerous because of mounting evidence that privatization is plunging hourly workers and their families closer to the edge of poverty. A recent study by the Chicago Institute on Urban Poverty examined the impact of contracting out the work performed by entry-level employees in 12 job categories. After privatization, wages and benefits fell 25 to nearly 50 percent, and half of the job titles studied each lost $10,000 or more in annual wages. H.R. 1 is anything but family friendly. Under the proposed law, employers have the power to constantly change a person's work schedule--60 hours 1 week, 20 the next--without any requirement to pay overtime. Can you imagine how difficult it would be for a parent or other caretaker to arrange child care to plan time with their families under these conditions? Under the Republican bill, management, not workers, hold the power to decide when it is most convenient for workers to take their comptime. Instead of considering H.R. 1, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to pass legislation that expands the Family and Medical Leave Act. That is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 234, the Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act, introduced by my colleague from New York, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. H.R. 234 will allow workers to take unpaid leave to seek medical care for their children or elderly parents, or to participate in their children's education. And more important, it allows workers to have a voice in decisions about when they can take time off from work without risking their overtime pay. The 104th Congress is already remembered for turning back the clock for working people when it passed welfare reform--abandoning a 60-year Federal commitment to helping those in need. Let us make sure that the 105th Congress does not go down in history for overturning another Federal guarantee to working people that has been in place nearly 60 years--the right to overtime pay.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, on March 5, 1997, I voted ``aye'' for rollcall No. 31, which expressed the sense of Congress that the display of the Ten Commandments in public buildings should be allowed. My vote was based on my personal brief in the Ten Commandments as a basic fundament of Christian doctrine. After further examination I came to the realization that, in spite of my personal beliefs, I must recognize that one's personal beliefs, including my own, cannot usurp the tenets which our country is based upon. One of those tenets is the separation of church and state. This measure is in direct opposition to the aforementioned principle. Thus, I would like the Record to reflect that I am not in support of this measure.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Performance Cluster Choir and their 72nd observance of Black History Month. The Chicago Post Office Choir reorganized in September 1994 under the direction of Carolyn Y. McQuerter. During this period of reconstruction, the choir was renamed the Performance Cluster Choir. The choir represents employees from all crafts, and includes a husband and wife, four sisters, and numerous cousins and friends. The talent and tremendous sound of this choir has enabled them to perform at the installation of Rufus F. Porter, the District Manager/ Postmaster in Chicago, and for Etta J. Williams, Postmaster in Oak Forest, IL. This gifted choir has also performed at the Annual Picnics of Alderman John O. Steele, and for the 1st anniversary of the Million Man March, celebrated at DuSable Museum. Mr. Speaker, this choir has truly been a blessing to the Chicago District Post Office, and to the African-American community in the city of Chicago as well. I am proud to enter these words of recognition into the Record.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor and reverence that I offer this tribute to a fellow Chicagoan, Poetess Gwendolyn Brooks. Her writings have painted the picture of African-American people. A picture that is often filled with deep emotion, resounding character, and gallant triumphs. The depth of her talent has allowed her writings to reveal the character and experiences of America as a whole. The quality and importance of her poetry to this Nation is evidenced by the fact that in 1950 she became the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. As further evidence of her contribution to American letters she has been awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships, has served as a poetry consultant to the Library of Congress, and currently serves as State of Illinois poet laureate. My words of praise cannot convey the depth of my gratitude for her contribution to her community and her Nation. The writings of Gwendolyn Brooks have the quality of a hand that rocks a baby's cradle. For the hand that soothes a baby by rocking it to and fro is also the same hand that disciplines the child--both done with love. Her style of writing welcomes and embraces. It is this characteristic of her work that allows her to address difficult if not disturbing issues we have addressed as individuals, as a people, and a nation without being haughty or magnanimous. Gwendolyn Brooks is an American treasure. A treasure whose brilliance will never fade. It is with deep affection that I offer this tribute.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today disillusioned and greatly saddened by acts of cowardice violence that continue to beset our Nation. To the great dismay of many citizens, the growing sophistication and fearlessness of criminals and vigilantes have made it necessary for law enforcement to be granted greater means and authority with which to pursue and capture those who seek to do harm. And the unfortunate price that law-abiding citizens must pay for these extra security measures is to compromise their civil liberties. Therefore, I rise today as a reluctant supporter of the antiterrorism legislation contained in H.R. 2703. Certainly, there is an unfortunate pressing need for harsher punitive measures against those who burn churches or assault the citizenry with bombs and other weapons of destruction. And certainly our law enforcement officials must be given new tools to crack down on and fight both foreign and domestic terrorism. As a nation, we must give clear, strong signals that such acts will simply not be tolerated and if individuals seek to test our will, they must understand that their actions will be met with equally forceful consequences. Despite such obvious need for this bill, I have great reservations about the affect of this measure on our civil liberties. Increased access to our personal records and wiretap surveillance by law enforcement and the Government allows for great temptations for abuse. There is great potential that this bill will have the unintended affect of victimizing innocent, law-abiding citizens and allowing improper behavior by law enforcement to go unchecked. Furthermore, this bill unfairly penalizes minorities, particularly African-Americans, due to the new restrictions it places on appeals by death row prisoners. It is well-known that the death row population is disproportionately African-American. And it is this community and this community alone that will bear the brunt of this unnecessarily harsh provision. Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day in America when our only recourse to protect the lives of some is by restricting the rights of others.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, the minimum wage and efforts to increase it, have been focus of many inaccurate comments by Members in the Republican majority. Some have said that there are no heads of households supporting families on a minimum wage. Others have proclaimed, an increase in the minimum wage would cause jobs to decrease for low-skilled workers. Mr. Speaker, the truth is--an increase in the minimum wage is the only way working Americans will be able to sustain decent living for themselves. The truth is--that 12 million Americans, most of them women, would benefit from the minimum wage increase. The truth is--that a raise in the minimum wage is the least this Congress can do for Americans, after cuts in education, Medicare, school lunches, and environmental protections. The fact that we are even having a debate on the merits of a minimum wage increase shows that the majority cares little for those who are struggling. The majority feels the need to debate the merits of a bill that will provide extra pay that would mean 7 months of groceries, a year of health care costs, 9 months of utility bills or 4 months of housing. We must stand strong for those who have the least. We must fight for those who are trying to better their situations through good, honest, hard work. We must be sure that a minimum wage is truly a living wage. Since businesses are enjoying record profits, we must ensure that profits are shared with the persons who made the records possible.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, the minimum wage and efforts to increase it, have been the focus of many inaccurate comments by Members in the Republican majority. Some have said that there are no heads of households supporting families on a minimum wage. Others have proclaimed, an increase in the minimum wage would cause jobs to decrease for low-skilled workers. Mr. Speaker, the truth is an increase in the minimum wage is the only way working Americans will be able to sustain decent living for themselves. The truth is that 12 million Americans, most of them women, would benefit from the minimum wage increase. The truth is that a raise in the minimum wage is the least this Congress can do for Americans, after cuts in education, Medicare, school lunches, and environmental protections. The fact that we are even having a debate on the merits of a minimum wage increase shows that the majority cares little for those who are struggling. The majority feels the need to debate the merits of a bill that will provide extra pay that would mean 7 months of groceries, a year of health care costs, 9 months of utility bills, or 4 months of housing. We must stand strong for those who have the least. We must fight for those who are trying to better their situations through good, honest, hard work. We must be sure that a minimum wage is truly a living wage. Since businesses are enjoying record profits, we must ensure that profits are shared with the persons who made the records possible.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I stand here in the well today in disgust. I am outraged at what we are about to do to our Nation's low income, elderly, and disabled. Forty percent of Chicago public housing residence are my constituents. And there are thousands more waiting to get a place to shelter their families. This Republican-led Congress has been attacking poor people with every breath they breathe and every word they speak. There is no help for those in need in our cities--only a boot on their neck. We are not giving these people incentive to work, we are not helping them to a transition to a self-sufficient lifestyle--this Congress is not even giving them a reason to live. People in our Nation's public housing do not want to live there--they don't want to be reminded that they haven't obtained the American dream of owning a home. They don't want a Federal Government to house them. They don't want the local governments to house them. They need programs to help transition these neighborhoods to encourage residents to make their lives better. The Republican proposals are answers that don't answer, explanations that don't explain, and solutions that don't solve.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a very special man, Ronald H. Brown. Most Americans will remember him as the Secretary of Commerce. However, he was much more. He was the personification of the concept of a bridgebuilder. In his role as the Secretary of Commerce, Ron constantly promoted American trade. His zeal was premised upon the notion that if the commerce of the United States thrived it would directly translate to increased economic vitality for our Nation. Ron, who never forgot where he came from, knew that his efforts would result in jobs for the common man. As chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Ron Brown set the stage for a resurgence of the Democratic Party. This is a resounding testament to his ability, for it was under his leadership that the Democratic Party was able to elect Bill Clinton as President. Ron accomplished this task on the heels of three consecutive Presidential defeats of Democratic candidates. His memory deserves more than the mere recognition of his official position. For his title was but a small reflection of what he was. Drive, tenacity, compassion, and loyalty were his trademarks. Most of us hope to attain all of these attributes. Few of us attain them with the proper balance. And even fewer attain these attributes and are able to parlay them into avenues for even greater achievement. Ronald H. Brown was one of these rare individuals. Whitney Young once said, ``We can't * * * sit and wait for somebody else. We must go ahead--alone if necessary.'' Ron Brown was a trailblazer and a visionary. He never waited for opportunities, he created them. Because of this, all American people have benefited.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the amendment offered by my colleague, Mr. Burr from North Carolina, that will extend the H- 1A non-immigrant nurse program for 6 months. Mr. Chairman, the effect of the sunset of this program was brought to my attention by Sister Elizabeth Von Straten, who is my constituent and who serves as the President-CEO of Saint Bernard Hospital which is also in my district. Saint Bernard Hospital has employed nurses solely from the H-1A program since 1991 when it was determined that they could save over 3 million dollars a year in nursing salaries. Without this program the hospital is forced to rely on registry nurses. Registry Nurses require a salary that is double that of the H- 1A nurse or they will not work in the Englewood area. This program provides qualified foreign nurses at a cost saving that enables Saint Bernard to continue to serve as the only remaining hospital in an area designated both as one of Chicago's health professional shortages area and also as a medically undeserved area. Mr. Chairman, the Englewood community needs to have this hospital. Of the patients that are served by Saint Bernard, 86 percent are below 150 percent of poverty. These is a 3,600 to 1 patient to physician ratio and all of the hospital patients are on Medicaid or Medicare. The Hospital is also the largest employer in Englewood with 640 full time positions in an area that is one of the most economically depressed communities in the Chicago area. Mr. Chairman, I want to give my colleagues a thumb-nail sketch of the role Saint Bernard Hospital plays in one of Chicago's most impoverished neighborhoods. It represents their only beacon of hope. The glow of that beacon dimmed last September 30. That's when the H-1A visa program for nonimmigrant nurses was sunseted. If we do not extend this program in order to determine the impact that ending the program will have on Hospitals like Saint Bernard's and communities like Englewood then the beacon of hope will become pitch dark. Mr. Chairman, Saint Bernard Hospital must have at least this temporary 6 month extension of the H-1A visa program to determine how to keep serving the residents of Englewood who depend on them for jobs and health care. This is truly a matter of life and death. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the Burr amendment to extend the H-1A visa program for 6 months.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, the concept of continuity of care is an essential component of today's health care delivery system. The professional responsible for continuity of care comprise a variety of disciplines, educational backgrounds, and practice in diverse setting. These professionals function as facilitators, caregivers, and advocates to ensure that patients receive quality, cost-effective health services. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of these individuals' dedication and commitment to health care, the third week of September 1996, and each September thereafter, shall be known as ``Continuity of Care Week.''

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, the National People's Action is a national network of more than 300 community organizations from 38 States across the country. The National People's Action is made up of thousands of members in many different organizations that work together to resolve neighborhood problems at local and national levels. The enactment of the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act which protects urban areas and minorities from loan discrimination, and providing technical assistance to community groups which directly led to over $25 billion in Community Reinvestment Act lending agreements are a few of the numerous major accomplishments of the National People's Action. Mr. Speaker, Saturday, April 27 to Monday, April 29, 1996 National People's Action holds its 25th national neighborhoods conference. In recognition of this organizations dedication and commitment to community service let it be known that Monday, April 29, 1996 and each April 29, thereafter, shall be known as ``National People's Action Day''.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honor and a privilege to join with you this evening to honor black women, African-American women, yesterday, today and tomorrow. And, Mr. Speaker, I also join with you and other members of the caucus to express our considerable remarks and regards for the work that Congressman Lou Stokes from Ohio has put into making this an annual event. His work is certainly commendable, and we all wish him Godspeed in his current illness, and we look forward to working with him and look forward to his return to this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I want to look at and focus the light of history on a woman from Illinois who serves as a member of this body, Cardis Collins, the Representative from the 7th Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, there are literally legions of strong, remarkable women who have crossed my path and who I have read about and who made history who have contributed all that they could. All that was asked of them, to learn that the African-American community, the Nation, was the best that it could possibly be. These women have made tremendous sacrifices and we have heard names from speakers before me. But, Mr. Speaker, I want to take a note and I want to take a moment and I want to reflect and focus on Cardiss Collins. I happen to believe, Mr. Speaker, that history and historians and indeed historical figures have a special meaning to some of us because they guide our paths. I believe that people who make history are not by definition artifacts on a shelf, but I believe that they are living, working, breathing, caring, committed people. Cardiss Collins is such a person. Cardiss Collins is a trailblazer. We must note that she was the first African-American Congresswoman from the great State of Illinois, and for nearly a decade she was the only black woman in Congress. She was the first African-American to hold party rank; that is a leadership position. She was the Democratic whip at large. And Mr. Speaker, we have got to take a moment to pause to honor Cardiss Collins because at the end of this term, the 104th Congress, she will retire. She will retire from a Congress where she was indeed, if not the longest serving woman in the Congress, certainly one of the longest serving women in the Congress. She has a long list of firsts, a remarkable record of accomplishment and achievements. She was the first African-American woman and the first woman to chair the House Government Operations Subcommittee on Manpower and Housing. She serves as chair of the Congressional Black Caucus of the 96th Congress. And she was the first woman to head the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. She made many achievements. She accomplished many firsts. But I know Cardiss Collins as a tireless worker, a person who spends enormously long days working on behalf of the poor, the downtrodden and minorities. She is a person who would not stop until she gets her task fulfilled. She is relentlessly pursuing all kinds of causes and battles that do not make the evening news, that do not make the headlines. Cardiss Collins in 1991 became the first African-American to chair a subcommittee on the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Back in 1990 she wrote the law which expanded Medicare coverage for screening mammography for millions of elderly and disabled women. She authored the Child Safety Protection Act of 1993, legislation that required warning labels on dangerous toys, and Federal safety standards for bicycle helmets. Cardiss Collins today is leading the fight to protect Medicare for the elderly. Mr. Speaker, I know of no other female legislator, black, white or any other racial group, I know of no one who has throughout her history led the charge for justice and humanity like Cardiss Collins. She is a person that in a very, very humble and quiet manner wields a mighty influence on all those who come within her view or within her realm or in her world. Cardiss Collins has the respect of some of the great powers that be, both in the State of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and indeed throughout the Nation. Mr. Speaker, I just had to take a moment this evening to recognize a friend and a colleague, a person who, if in fact had not been called upon to serve in this Congress, this Congress would certainly not be as great as it is. This person, this individual, this African-American woman, certainly epitomizes the kind of persons whom we have honored in our discussions and our speeches on this floor today, and she is also the kind of individual that they will honor in the future, and I want to today recognize our colleague Cardiss Collins, as an African- American woman whose contributions we all admire, respect, appreciate. She is an African-American woman for yesterday. She is an African- American woman for today. And certainly history books will show that she is an African-American woman for tomorrow.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Monroe Woods who is retiring as the Midwest Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Consumer Service. An event will be held in his honor on Thursday, February 1, 1996, in Chicago, IL. Mr. Woods joined the Food and Consumer Service in 1966 as a member of the Los Angeles Field Office staff. He has held various positions in Oakland and the San Francisco Regional Office, the New England Region in Boston, MA, and the Mountain Plains Region in Denver, CO, before his appointment in July 1978 as Regional Administrator of the Midwest Region in Chicago. As Regional Administrator of the Midwest Region, Mr. Woods administers the agency's food assistance programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin; oversees annual expenditures of $5.6 billion; and manages approximately 200 employees. His service, and outstanding dedication to his work and to the citizenry, have merited him appointments on a number of national and local advisory boards, task forces, and councils, including the National Advisory Council for the Child Nutrition Programs and the Institute of Labor and Industrial Relations, University of Illinois. Mr. Woods also served as Chairman of the Chicago Federal Executive Board in 1987 and 1988, and is an alumni of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA. Mr. Woods received a Presidential Rank Award at a private White House ceremony in 1984, where he was conferred ``distinguished executive status''. In 1991, Mr. Woods was named to Who's Who in Government Service. In 1992, Mr. Woods was presented with a medallion of the city of Detroit by the President of the Detroit City Council. In 1994, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Consumer Service became the sponsor of, and Mr. Woods was named chairperson of, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Opportunity Committee. It is in this capacity that I became most familiar with Mr. Woods. Mr. Woods' dedication to the Inclusion of minority and women- owned businesses in the Federal procurement process have been well documented. This dedication led him to willingly take responsibility for the continued mission of the Minority Business Opportunity Committee to increase the participation of such businesses in the marketplace. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Monroe Woods, an outstanding community and business leader and role model. I wish him the best of luck in his retirement. May he continue to share his talent and love of community that he has given to the Federal Government and the community at large.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 4 on H.R. 2076. I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in heartfelt support of this measure. It gives me great honor to speak in support of the postal facility being named in honor of my predecessor in the First Congressional District of Illinois, the great Charlie A. Hayes. Charlie Hayes was the first international union leader to be elected to Congress. He rose through the ranks of the Chicago stockyards to become International Vice President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, then the largest union in the AFL-CIO. He has been characterized as the working man's man. His passion for changing unjust practices in the Chicago stockyards made him one of the most important labor leaders in America. His commitment to working people extended to his tenure in Congress. Charlie Hayes continued his fight for the ordinary man in Congress. His concern for the young, and less privileged was evidenced by his introduction of legislation that was aimed at guaranteeing opportunity and quality of life for all Americans. His empathy was exemplified by his actions, for he was an ardent spokesman for the working class, senior citizens, and the underprivileged. Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Charlie Hayes makes me proud to be a Chicagoan. His character and commitment are worthy of both praise and emulation.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. We have sent troops to Bosnia to protect people who cannot protect themselves. They were killed and slaughtered because another group felt that the region in which they lived needed to be cleansed. I mention this because, the provisions in this bill bring to mind the tragedy in Bosnia. The motivation behind these provisions which deny Medicaid, social services, and welfare for assistance to legal immigrants, children, and the disabled reeks of all sorts of machinations. I am concerned that the Republican majority feels that this Nation needs to be cleansed of those who do not speak English as their native language, those who are poor, those who are disabled, those who are sick, and those who dare to ask for a helping hand, whatever the reason might be. Mr. Speaker, this bill sounds like, smells like and is an elitist manifesto. Some may characterize this bill as immoral, but I feel that would not be accurate. This bill goes further--it is amoral--totally devoid and lacking of consideration of laws of human civility. We must change the welfare system, however, it must not be done without compassion and sensibility. This bill will only harm those who are already in need.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 846, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay''. I ask unanimous consent that my statement appear in the permanent Record immediately following the above rollcall votes.

Mr. RUSH

Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Earnest Griffin, a pioneer in the mortuary business, who passed away this week at the age of 83. Mr. Griffin was 1 of only 6 licensed practicing morticians with over 60 years of experience. Since his graduating from the Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1934, Mr. Griffin has conducted the final rites of such noted figures as the Hon. Elijah Muhammad and Olympian Jesse Owens. Mr. Griffin also gained the honor of being the first African-American invited to join the International Federation Thantologist Association, a funeral directors association. Mr. Griffin was also an avid pursuant of the events that surrounded the Civil War. So much so to this fact, he erected a wall honoring his grandfather, a Civil War veteran, at Civil War Camp Douglas. He had written extensively on preserving the history of the Civil War. Mr. Griffin loved his community, and in living he tried diligently to show that. He served on the board of directors for Lakeside Bank for over 20 years. Mr. Griffin was also awarded the Community Service Award from Illinois Institute of Technology and he also added to the beauty of his community by having his architecturally distinctive Griffin Funeral Home building built in his own neighborhood. Mr. Griffin was a caring family man, as well, as can be attested to by his wife Alyce and his two daughters Ethel and Pearl. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Earnest Griffin was a loved and respected man within his home and within his community. He spent his life serving the needs of others, It is not often that we are honored to know such a man. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to have known him. I am proud to enter these words of remembrance into the Record.