José Serrano

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to H. Con. Res. 393, the Republican budget resolution. There are so many things wrong with this budget resolution and the President's budget request that I would not know how to even begin listing all of them. But I am especially concerned about how this budget hurts our Nation's low-income minority communities. Instead of providing adequate funding for job creation, healthcare, education, and housing, House Republicans have instead ignored or cut funding in these areas to finance the President's ill-conceived tax cuts to the wealthy. At a time when well over 3 million African-Americans and Hispanics are out of work, the President's budget proposes cuts to the Small Business Administration by $78 million, despite SBA's proven effectiveness in helping minority-owned businesses grow. On education, the President's budget is devastating to programs designed to help minority students gain an even footing. It freezes funding for bilingual education, cuts funding for Head Start, and eliminates Even Start and dropout prevention programs. Only 17 percent of African-Americans and 11 percent of Latinos have their college degrees, but this administration has frozen funding for Pell grants and cut funding for Perkins loans by nearly $100 million. The misled priorities do not stop there. According to top level officials of the administration, the President's budget underfunds the Department of Veterans Affairs by $1.2 billion and falls short on veterans' health benefits. Furthermore, for nonveterans, the budget does nothing to address skyrocketing healthcare costs of low-income individuals. Recklessly slashing or neglecting non-Homeland Security domestic discretionary spending, which comprises a mere one-sixth of the total budget, will not make a dent in the astronomical budget deficit that Republicans have proposed. That is why I support the substitute offered by the Congressional Black Caucus, which will not only restore funding to veterans and other domestic priorities, but also including funding for essential priorities such as local law enforcement, schools and job training. Mr. Chairman, we in this body have an obligation to represent all Americans, not just the wealthiest ones. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the Republican budget and supporting the CBC substitute, and if that fails, supporting the Democratic substitute, which is still vastly superior to the Republican resolution.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Madam Speaker, I thank both Members for bringing this resolution to the floor. When I introduced this resolution, I did it with the full understanding that we would be honoring the legacy of Luis A. Ferre, a true Puerto Rican visionary who wanted so much to continue to be part of this great Nation of ours. As many of my colleagues know, Luis lived 99-plus years and, during that time, he dedicated most of his life to public service. We usually do not like to talk about people's personal financial situations, but it is no secret that he was an extremely wealthy man who could have very easily just sat back and enjoyed spending money and living the life of someone who was very well off. Instead, he chose both to move forward what he felt was his vision of what the Puerto Rican society should look like and be like and act like and, at the same time, his deep belief to make Puerto Rico the 51st State of the Union. In fact, when he started this movement, it probably would have been the 48th or the 49th or the 50th State of the Union. He did that with the full understanding that the Puerto Rican community had a lot to offer to the United States and that the United States had a lot to offer through statehood to Puerto Rico. At the same time that Luis pushed for statehood and advocated for what he believed was the proper route for Puerto Rico to take, he went about building the island's economy and building the island's cultural institutions. Museums, concert halls, television work and radio work all were part of his vision, and he pushed this to the very, very end of his life. Every time he would visit Congress or come to Washington, he would visit my office. I was always taken by the fact that this man was such a gentleman, such a soft-spoken yet strong believer in everything that he stood for. One of the things that he stood for was his belief that the poor had to have a better way in Puerto Rico. In fact, he gets credit for building the statehood movement amongst the poor by making sure that he expressed to them that statehood was not for the wealthy, but that statehood was for the poor. Before he came along, it was always seen as simply a Republican, wealthy kind of a situation. He took it and brought it to everybody. I think it is important to note that in Puerto Rico the political structure is based on Commonwealth, statehood, or independence. But in those parties there are people who associate nationally with either the Republican or the Democratic Party. Within the statehood party there are people who are Democrats, there are people who are Republicans. It will please my colleagues to know that he was a staunch Republican who was very close to the Bush family and very close to Republican leaders throughout the country. It is for that reason that he received so many accolades from our government. In fact, in 1991, former President George H.W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I remember once I was talking, and I will be very brief, but I was talking to a member of the Independence Party, the people who are totally opposed to statehood. And I think the greatest compliment that you hear for someone like Luis Ferre came from this member of the Independence Party. We were talking about him and he said, ``This man is a true patriot.'' I said, ``Wait a minute. You are calling a person who pushes statehood a patriot and yet you are for independence?'' He said, ``Yes. He is a patriot because everything Luis Ferre has ever done is in Puerto Rico's best interest and mine. And that is what signifies who is a patriot and who is not.'' And I will always remember that there is no greater tribute from someone who is totally opposed to your philosophy to say that you are for the good of the people. He never saw his dream come true of Puerto Rico becoming the 51st State. But he did see Puerto Rico grow from a poor economy to a vibrant economy, from an island considered by many to be somewhere in the Caribbean to an island that became very much a part of the American family, and an island that became very much a part of the Caribbean family. He is truly one of the greatest Puerto Ricans and certainly one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived. And he will be missed. I will miss him as a friend, I will miss him for the gentleman that he was, I will miss him as a leader. And today we honor that legacy through this resolution. I want to thank all of our colleagues for honoring the life and legacy of Luis A. Ferre.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. The big question on this bill is why now? There are enough laws in place and regulations to deal with this issue. I feel that some of the good, well-intentioned Members have been caught up in this desire to all of a sudden clear up the airwaves. I believe it is a distraction. It is a weapon of mass distraction, to keep us away from the real issues at hand. The fact is that this is part, in my opinion, of the continuing thinking of the PATRIOT Act, the philosophy of the PATRIOT Act, that says we will read your e-mails, we will find out what you take out from the library, we will hold you in detention without charges or a lawyer, and we will then tell you what you can listen to on the radio. Now, let us understand something: The target here is coming from the political and religious right, and it is directed only at that which they think is bad anti-American or indecent. Right-wing radio, which demonizes liberals, minorities, environmentalists, pro-choice and animal rights activists, they are fine. They will not be touched. And let me, for the record, say that I support their right to say whatever they want about me and other liberals and Democrats and minorities. They can say whatever they want. But what we are doing in this country is curtailing only people who are saying something else. The main target these days is Howard Stern. Now, what does Howard Stern have to do with this issue and the political agenda? Well, for years he supported the administration on the war, he supported the administration on capital punishment, he supported the administration on just about everything. In the last couple of months, he has had a change of heart and started opposing the war, started opposing the opposition to research, opposing the opposition to pro-choice, and, all of a sudden, he is in deeper trouble than he has ever been before. How else can we explain that the day before his bosses, Clear Channel, were to face a Congressional committee, they fired him from six markets throughout this country? The FCC has been complaining about his locker humor jokes for years. Some people have suggested that he was not in good taste for years. But now, the big bang to get him off the air. He is left now on Infinity Radio, and he says he will be gone in about another 2 weeks. Why? Was he okay when he was supporting the administration and in trouble, and how did Clear Channel decide to knock out its number one money maker one day before facing Congress? I wish I was the telephone company and could have heard those phone calls coming in with the political pressure. My friends, this is a dangerous time. This bill should be defeated, if, for no other reason, than to send a message that there is something larger here at work than simply something you do not like. What I do not like may be something you like and vice versa. The best protection we have is not this bill. Just turn the channel, switch the station.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Pedro Pietri, a fine Puerto Rican poet, who passed away on March 3, 2004, just weeks short of his 60th birthday. Pedro was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico on March 21, 1944. He moved to Harlem in New York at the age of 3. Under the influence of his aunt, Irene Rodriguez, Pedro became very interested in poetry and as a teenager began to compose his own poems. After graduating from high school, Pedro worked a variety of jobs before being drafted. He served in a light infantry brigade in Vietnam. His experience in this war, he claimed, further radicalized his beliefs. Upon his return, he began to seriously pursue his interest in poetry in order to address the social ills that plagued not only his community but America as a whole. In 1969, a Puerto Rican activist organization named the Young Lords briefly took control of the church Pedro attended as a child. It was during this takeover that Pedro gave the first public reading of what has arguably become his most notable poem, ``Puerto Rican Obituary''. Juan, Miguel, Milagros, Olga, Manuel All died yesterday, today and will die again tomorrow passing their bill collectors on to the next of kin All died waiting for the garden of eden to open up again under a new management All died dreaming about america . . . This powerful poem, published in 1973, traces the lives of five Puerto Ricans who came to the mainland hoping to fulfill their dreams of a better life, but whose dreams soon become nightmares as they found themselves shut out of America's economic opportunities and lifestyle. All of Pedro's works, though at times humorous, contain a powerful political message. Mr. Speaker, Pedro was not special because he was a gifted writer, he was special because he used his gift to inspire his community to rise above the oppression they had endured. In his countless poems and plays Pedro defined the Nuyorican (Puerto Rican New Yorkers) experience, inspiring a new generation of Nuyorican poets to take up the cause he dedicated his life to. In addition, his works have inspired poets of oppressed peoples in the United States and abroad since the 1960's. Pedro's publications include Illusions of a Revolving Door: Plays (1992), The Masses are Asses (1984), Traffic Violations (1983), Lost in the Museum of Natural History (1980), Invisible Poetry (1979), and Puerto Rican Obituary (1973). His work has also been included in anthologies such as The Prentice Hall Anthology of Latino Literature (ed. Eduardo del Rio, 2002); The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry (ed. Alan Kaufman, 2000), The Latino Reader (eds. Harold Augenbraum and Margarite Fernandez Olmos, 1997), Inventing a Word: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Puerto Rican Poetry (ed. Julio Marzan, 1980), and The United States of Poetry. He was the recipient of several New York State Creative Arts in Public Service grants and a grant from the New York Foundation for the Arts. Mr. Speaker, for his invaluable contribution to American literature and his commitment to addressing issues of great importance to our nation; I ask that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to Pedro Pietri.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry, a national hero who paid the ultimate price for his country on February 14 in Baghdad, Iraq. This brave, 19-year-old soldier from Maryland's Eastern Shore, fresh out of basic training, had been in Iraq just over a month when he died. Bryan was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and raised in Chestertown, Maryland, in Kent County on the Eastern Shore. I had the privilege of knowing him personally and found him to be a friendly, gregarious young man who loved the outdoors, baseball and the idea of being a soldier. Mr. Speaker, on the night of February 13, Bryan attempted to drive his Humvee across a bridge which collapsed, dumping the vehicle into the water said Bryan's mother, Mrs. Beverly Couch Fabri. Three of the Humvee's passengers got out and swam to safety. But Bryan was unconscious when they pulled him out of the murky water. His lungs were filled with water. He died the next day, Valentine's Day, in a field hospital in Baghdad. As a boy growing up on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, he idolized his older brother, Michael, a professional baseball player. Michael plays right field for the River City Rascals, a St. Louis area club that competes in the independent Frontier League. The two boys and their father often went deer hunting together. But instead of shooting the animals with a gun, Bryan preferred to shoot them with his camera. On one of those hunting excursions, when his brother was about to pull the trigger on his target, he saved the deer's life by scaring it off, his mother recalled. ``After that, his brother didn't take him along [on hunts] for a very long time,'' Fabri said. Mr. Speaker, I am told that both of Bryan's grandfathers fought in World War II, and growing up he loved to run in the woods, playing army with his brother and friends. As a child he decorated his bedroom with GI Joe action figures, said one his boyhood friends. Bryan attended Kent County High School where he was an outfielder on the baseball team. Twenty-one days after he graduated from high school, he made good on his dream to become a soldier, shipping off to basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After successfully concluding his training, he was detached to the 82nd Airborne Division's Company D, 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry, based at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. On Friday, February 20, visitation was held for Bryan at the Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home in his hometown of Chestertown. A memorial was also held that night at Mear's Great Oak Landing, a waterfront complex in Chestertown, with money raised from a silent auction and raffle to go into a fund in his name that will help military families. How fitting! Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday in the auditorium at Kent County High School in Worton. Bryan was laid to rest with full military honors at St. James United Methodist Church Cemetery, a final tribute to a paratrooper who, colleagues said, understood the meaning of duty and sacrifice. Major Marvin Luckie, deputy division chaplain for the 82nd Airborne read from the 23rd Psalm and from the lyrics to ``Taps.'' As the chaplain finished reading the psalm and a 21-gun salute broke the quiet, an honor guard slowly folded the flag and presented it to his weeping mother. ``In life, he honored the flag,'' Luckie said. ``In death, the flag will honor him.'' On Wednesday, February 25 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division held a memorial service in Iraq to remember him. Mr. Speaker, the number of fallen heroes emerging from the war in Iraq, unfortunately, continues to grow. Our brave men and women who risk their lives daily are national treasures. I ask my colleagues to join me today in commemorating one of these treasured heroes; Army Pvt. Bryan Nicholas Spry.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Woman's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Noris Colon, president and chief executive officer of H.O.G.A.R. (Housing Options & Geriatric Association Resources, Inc.), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless, elderly, mentally ill, physically challenged, and HIV/AIDS- infected individuals in the Bronx. Noris was born in Salinas, PR, and is very proud of her family and heritage. She comes from a family with a long tradition of public service. In her home town of Salinas, there is a street named after her late father, Juan Manzanet, who was the first chief of the fire department. Mr. Speaker, in 1996, Noris founded H.O.G.A.R. to fill a gap in the social service delivery system in Bronx County. The organization's mission is not only to raise awareness of the housing and health issues facing burdened groups of society, but also to provide ways of remedying these issues. As a result of her strong leadership, H.O.G.A.R. was selected as the ``Outstanding Agency of the Year'' by the Bronx Psychiatric Center and the State Office of Mental Health. Noris has an extensive background in social and rehabilitative services and mental health administration. Her experience encompasses personnel management, psychiatric rehabilitation, community relations, and the development of special needs housing programs. She graduated from Nyack College, where she specialized in organizational management. Mr. Speaker, Noris resume is impressive. She was the first administrator of the Mental Health Program of Hunts Point Multi Service Center. She has also served as director of Community Residences of South Bronx Mental Health Council and has worked at Casa La Esperanza and Harlem Hospital. In addition, Noris has served as chief of staff for City Councilman Federico Perez and was appointed Human Rights Commissioner of New York by Mayor Abraham Beame. Mr. Speaker, for her immeasurable contributions to those most in need and most overlooked, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this incredible woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Paloma Izquirdo-Hernandez, a remarkable woman who has dedicated most of her life to the serving others. Paloma, who was raised in the Bronx, New York, attended Boston College as an undergraduate and holds two masters degrees, a MS and a MPH from Teachers College, Columbia University and the School of Public Health, Columbia University, respectively. She is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Health Plan Inc. Paloma has been steadily associated with Urban Health Plan since 1980 and has risen to the top of the organization by dedicating over 23 years as the organization's Administrator, Executive Director and currently as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Throughout her tenure with Urban Health Plan, Ms. Hernandez has worked, despite monumental challenges, to deliver care in a culturally and linguistically competent manner while increasing the number of services offered to patients that her agency serves. She takes pride in acknowledging that despite the dramatic changes that she has witnessed both in her community and in the health care environment she has had the will to persist to fulfill the mission that was set before her. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that today over 30,000 community residents are provided with top quality health care and in the past year over 120,000 primary and specialty care visits were rendered at Urban Health Plan. Paloma can also add to her list of achievements the successful relocation of Urban Health Plan's main site, a project she embarked upon over 15 years ago. Through her spearheading efforts, financing was secured through municipal tax free bonds as well as a New York City Council Grant. The new site is a 40,000 square foot state of the art medical facility that will further support Urban Health Plan's ability to continue to provide medical services to its community. Paloma currently serves on multiple boards and organizations. She is a true example of the consistent and outstanding leadership that exist in our cities' community based organizations. For her service to the people of her community, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Heidi Hynes, a remarkable woman who has dedicated most of her life to the service of others. A native of Kansas City, MO, Heidi moved to the Bronx, New York, to attend Fordham University in the fall of 1986. After graduating with a B.A. in philosophy she became an associate of the Friars of the Atonement and subsequently volunteered for a year of service in Jamaica. In Jamaica, Heidi worked at a pre-school, distributed food, tutored, provided assistance at a local clinic and did other activities related to the Friars Parish. Upon the completion of a year of volunteer work with the Friars Parish, Heidi returned to New York and worked as a full time volunteer with the Catholic Worker on the lower East Side. In this role, she lived with former homeless men and women, ran a soup-line, assisted with the distribution of their newspaper and was active in peace and justice campaigns. In 1995, after marrying Bryan Hynes, a man she met while at the Catholic Worker, Heidi began working as a community organizer for the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition. In that capacity she organized tenants, homeowners, and park groups in the Fordham Bedford community. In the fall of 1997, Heidi began working as the Executive Director of the Mary Mitchell Family and Youth Center in the Bronx. Through her work providing and developing youth and family programs she has learned a great deal about the Croton Community, non-profit management and youth development. Mr. Speaker, such selflessness must not go unnoticed. Since graduating from college, Heidi has dedicated herself to uplifting others. For that reason, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Iris Fernandez, a phenomenal woman who has devoted her life to enhancing the lives of others. Iris, a native of Puerto Rico moved to New York at the age of 18. While attending college in New York she began serving her community as a youth advocate by helping children with their schoolwork. Later, as a parent, Iris continued advocating for children's education as a school board member. She chaired the District 7 School Boards Facilities where she brought together the Parks Department, the Department of Education Facilities and CPB No. 1 to build speed bumps around the school where speeding cars were a concern. In addition she orchestrated the building of a fence around P.S. 49 which potentially saved the lives of many children as it once prevented a man with a gun from entering the school premises. Mr. Speaker, Iris has a long history of service to her community. She is the President and Founder of the Community Enhancement Organization which serves to create new initiatives to help families move from welfare to work and serves to help community residents find decent apartments or become home owners. If that is not enough, she also created the Youth Advisory Council to address the issues that the youth in her organization face on a daily basis. Ms. Fernandez has also demonstrated that she is a capable business woman. In 1989 she became a financial officer for a home care agency named P.R.H.A.S., Inc. During her fourteen years of service she was instrumental in moving their revenue from $7 million to an impressive $14 million. The works of this young woman has not gone unnoticed. In 2002, her community elected her to serve as Assembly Female District Leader for the 84th district. Mr. Speaker, for her willingness to go beyond the call of duty in service to her community, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Martha Watford, an incredible woman who has dedicated most her life to the service of others. For 38 years, Martha has been an active member of the community. She has served as parent, staff and currently Executive Director of the La Peninsula Community Organization. Serving over one thousand families annually, it is one of the largest community based organizations in the South Bronx. In her position as Executive Director, she has been responsible for expanding what was once a two room operation to what is now a facility with six centers and 33 classrooms. This new facility is due to open in September 2004 and will aptly be named the Martha Watford Center. Mr. Speaker, Martha is always eager to incorporate new initiatives into the program in order ensure that the families and children that her organization serves are given every opportunity to achieve all that they possibly can. As a result of her unyielding commitment to her community, Martha was the recipient of the Robin Hood Foundation Heroes Award in 1996. She leads her staff by demonstrating unfailing strength and passion in serving the families of our community. For her commitment to the families of our community, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring this remarkable woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise during this month of March, which has been designated Women's History Month, to pay tribute to Ms. Nellie McKay, an incredible woman who has dedicated most of her life to the service of others. Nellie was born in 1929 to two hard-working parents, Polly and Alex Brown. She grew up with 10 brothers and sisters and learned the importance of sharing and support at a young age. Nellie has applied these values throughout her life as a community activist. New York was fortunate enough to become home to Nellie in 1950, when she immediately became a volunteer with the Baby Tracks program at the old Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx. She also lent her time and energy to the Prosthesis Clinic at St. Luke's Hospital, easing the spirits of patients there. Nellie was a key player in the immunization program at local public schools, which is a crucial initiative for underresourced schools, especially during that era. Mr. Speaker, Nellie has always been committed to educating and fostering awareness in those around her. Having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Norwich University, she champions the importance of education. She has facilitated countless workshops on Black History to empower members of the Black community with knowledge of their history and culture as well as to inform members of other ethnic communities. Her main goal was to bring people together through learning. Many young people and adults throughout the South Bronx consider Nellie a second mother. She has cared for hundreds of children in her home and coordinated numerous events with young people in the community. The fashion shows she organized with Mott Haven HeadStart children created wonderful memories for many. While Nellie may have a special place in her heart for children, she is also very concerned with general community development and giving everyone, children and adults alike, a sense of pride in their neighborhood. She has spearheaded the reparation of abandoned buildings and vacant lots and the repaving of roads and sidewalks. Knowing that she and her neighbors deserved quality public transportation service, she called for and received improvement of the local bus line. Nellie has also helped empower fellow Bronx residents by participating in a number of voter registration drives, encouraging her neighbors to make their voices heard. Mr. Speaker, at 74 years of age, Nellie continues to work hard and is currently the chairperson of the Housing Committee of Planning Board I, assistant chairperson of the Patterson Volunteer Committee, a lifetime member of the National Council of Negro Women, and a member of the New York NAACP, as well as many other prestigious organizations. In a day in age when many people do not pay attention to their neighbor, Nellie's selflessness is refreshing. For that reason, I ask that my colleagues join me honoring the contributions of this remarkable woman.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 287, a resolution to honor the life and achievements of the late great actor, Raul Julia. Julia was born in San Juan Puerto Rico on March 9, 1944. A precocious child, Julia discovered his talent for acting at the young age of 5. From then on he knew his destiny was the theatre. Upon graduation from the University of Puerto Rico, Julia was faced with a difficult choice between his parents' wishes and his own. They wanted him to continue to law school. He wanted to pursue an acting career. Finally, like so many Puerto Ricans, and so many aspiring actors, he left for New York. In New York, it was Joseph Papp, founder of the New York Shakespeare Festival, who gave Julia his first break after casting him as a lead in Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus. With the support of Papp and following in the paths blazed by native Puerto Ricans Jose Ferre and Rita Moreno, who had won acclaim for their stage and on screen performances, Julia became a Broadway star. He was nominated for four Tony awards and more importantly demonstrated that Puerto Ricans could play more diverse roles than the stereotypical roles they were usually given. While the theatre was Julia's passion, it was film that made him immensely popular. On screen Julia once again proved that he was a diverse actor, starring in comedies, dramas and action films. Perhaps, most of us know him best from his role as Gomez Addams in the hugely successful Addams Family movies. Julia passed away on October 24, 1994, at the age of 54. He left behind his wife of 28 years, two sons, and a multitude of shocked fans. He is sorely missed, not only for his great acting but for being such a great human being. He never succumbed to pressures to abandon his Latino-Puerto Rican heritage in order to succeed and as a result he opened doors for nontraditional parts for Hispanic Actors. What was more impressive about Julia was his dedication to the uplifting of others. He was a passionate supporter of The Hunger Project, a foundation devoted to the elimination of world hunger. For 17 years, he served as the Project's spokesperson. He also was a dedicated leader in the fight against the rising rates of teen violence and encouraged teenagers to express their emotions through art rather than violence. Since his death, there have been many awards and honors created in his name. They include a scholarship at Julliard, the Raul Julia award given annually by the National Endowment for the Hispanic Arts in Washington, DC, and the Raul Julia Global Citizen Award. I am also proud to say that in June 1996, a new elementary school in my district in the Bronx, New York was dedicated as the Raul Julia Micro Society Dual Language School. Mr. Speaker, for his accomplishments on stage and on screen and his unyielding desire to help those less fortunate than he, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life of Mr. Raul Julia.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to Major General Amato Matty Semenza, a dedicated and determined community leader who passed away suddenly on Sunday, February 1, 2004 at his home. Friends, family and community members will gather on Friday, February 13 at 11 a.m. at St. Edward's the Confessor Church in Clifton Park to honor his memory. General Semenza was appointed commanding general of the New York State Guard by Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller on July 20, 1973, after serving as deputy commanding general. He served as commander until 1987. The General served the United States with distinction during his military career. The numerous decorations, citations and commendations bestowed upon him, speak volume about the character of General Semenza. He was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, the World War II Victory and Occupation Medals, the New York State Conspicuous Medal, the NYG Commendation Medal, the NYS Long and Faithful Service Decoration for 25 years of military service and the New York Guard Medal. General Semenza also served as the president of the State Defense Force Association of the United States. General Semenza earned his Bachelor of Science degree and master's degree in education from Fordham University. He began his teaching career in 1946 and 2 years later joined the faculty of Fordham College, where he met his wife, Renata Gouthier. In 1955, General Semenza began his work with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. He served as diocesan superintendent of schools, director of the Diocesan Development and Stewardship Office and executive director of the National Catholic Stewardship Council Inc. He was appointed to the New York State Council of Catholic School Superintendents, chief administrator of the National Catholic Education Association and the American Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. Beyond General Semenza's ceaseless civic work, he managed to be a loving and involved husband, father, and grandfather. To be well-known as not only a giving and determined individual, but also as a devoted family man, is a remarkable honor. I am sure that his family is very proud of the wonderful life he led. General Semenza was a wonderful individual who showed us the beauty and power of dedication, leadership, and wisdom. He was truly an inspiration to all who knew him. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the life of Major General Amato Matty Semenza.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Private First Class Luis Moreno, a Dominican American who gave his life while serving our country in Iraq. Pfc. Moreno, who was only 19 years old, was born in the Dominican Republic but immigrated to this country with his family in 1991 in search of a better life. Hoping one day to serve as a police officer, Pfc. Moreno made the courageous decision to dedicate his life to protecting the lives of others. Pfc. Moreno enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from Taft High School in the Bronx. He had been deployed in Baghdad for only three months with the Army's 1st Armored Division before his untimely death. Mr. Speaker, I was inspired by this young man's courage and conviction and sadly reminded of the high cost of war. Pfc. Moreno, like so many other young soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. As we mourn the life of this brave soldier, let us remember the sacrifices of all our service members and work to ensure that their heroic deeds are never forgotten. For his heroism and service to his country, I ask my colleagues to join me in mourning the loss of Pfc. Luis Moreno.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Mary Davis, a resident of the Bronx, New York who will turn 108 this month. Ms. Davis is a living testimony to the indomitable spirit of our great nation. Born December 12, 1895 in Florida, Ms. Davis was the granddaughter of slaves, whom she still has very clear memories of. This incredible woman witnessed an America that almost none of us can say we truly knew; an America that wrestled to establish the ideals of democracy and freedom while continuing to oppress and terrorize those of African descent. However, like many African Americans of her time, Ms. Davis transcended that oppression and in doing so helped bring a nation closer to its great potential. The proud mother of five daughters, grandmother of 10 grandchildren and great grandmother of 30 great grandchildren, Ms. Davis spent most of her life working as a nanny and housekeeper to support her family. Today, she lives alone in the Bronx and is described by those close to her as being a lovable, God fearing woman who still attends her church, the Great Methodist Baptist Church of Manhattan, regularly. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Davis lived through two World Wars, the Cold War, Vietnam, and two wars in Iraq. She has seen 20 Presidents enter the White House and witnessed America's role in the world evolve from a non-influential nation to the most powerful nation the world has ever known. She was here before Henry Ford introduced the Model T, and even before the Wright Brothers took their famous flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. There are only a few people on earth who can say that they have witnessed all of these events first hand and Ms. Davis should certainly be proud to be one of them. For her many contributions to her community and to this nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ms. Mary Davis on her 108th birthday.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, we are nearing the finish of this session of the 108th Congress, and I am sure most Members will be heartily glad to see it end. Today, we are considering an Omnibus bill making appropriations for departments and agencies that ought to be funded in seven separate appropriations bills, which have been held up by various obstacles, including insufficient allocations and controversial riders--or riders to stop controversial administration policies. On the matter that should be in a separate bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Federal Judiciary, and several important related agencies, we began with a bad budget allocation that has gotten worse and will be further reduced by across-the-board cuts, both within our division of the Omnibus and across the government. I must say that our chairman, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) is not to blame for the deficiencies in our portion of this bill. Throughout the process, he has been very fair and has sought to produce the best possible bill, given the limited resources his leadership gave him to work with. For that, I thank him very much. I also cannot thank the staff enough for all their hard work, long hours, and time away from their families. Mike Ringler, Leslie Albright, Christine Ryan Kojac, and John Martens for the majority, as well as Anne Marie Goldsmith and Alan Lang, this year's detailees, have worked closely with Rob Nabors and David Pomerantz of the Democratic staff and Lucy Hand, Nadine Berg, and Diaraf Thiouf of my staff and my Presidential Management Interns Pete Balfe and Erin McKevitt. However, the allocation is still too small, and I am seriously concerned about its impact on very important government functions in law enforcement, the judiciary, foreign affairs, and other areas. I am alarmed that the amounts we have worked out in conference with the Senate will be reduced by across-the-board cuts. We fought hard for adequate funding, for example, for the FBI and other law enforcement, but even those amounts face devastating cuts. Among the most worrisome deficiencies are the State and local law enforcement programs. Most of them are at barely acceptable levels, before the across-the-board cuts, but the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, funded at nearly $400 million last year, falls to $225 million this year, before the across-the-board cuts. Even relatively small programs had to be cut, such as the Police Integrity grants, which falls from nearly $17 million in fiscal year 2003 to $10 million. We are asking State and local governments to do more to protect our people, as the resources available to support this work decline. Another alarming problem is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which this year falls from over $106 million to just under $40 million, before the across-the-board cuts. This is a severe blow to a very important program, at a time when manufacturers need help. I can only hope that in fiscal year 2005 we can get back to a more appropriate level. One last agency I would like to mention is the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) We had tried to stabilize LSC's funding this year, but across-the-board cuts will undercut that goal. Beyond that, there is growing concern that limits on the uses of private money donated to independent LSC grantees are hurting America's low-income families and imposing unwarranted government restrictions on the private sector. The administration does not tolerate such interference with the privately funded religious activities of its faith-based grantees. It--and we-- would not tolerate such interference with privately funded secular activities also dedicated to helping families in need. I am hopeful that next year we can address these restrictions on privately donated funds. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to submit for the Record letters I have received on this issue. I am also alarmed by the process that got us to this point. The Republican leadership has imposed policies that are not supported by the majority of the American people, the Congress, or the conferees--in our subcommittee's division, the dead-of-night ``compromise'' on media ownership. The gun provisions are also different from what was agreed to by the conferees. Mr. Speaker, if we can find $87 billion for a war we didn't have to fight, we ought to be able to find the resources to support our domestic law enforcement agencies with the personnel and resources they need; the commercial, statistical, and environmental activities of our Commerce Department; our foreign policy establishment; and such crucial agencies as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Mr. Speaker, in the end, however most Members vote on the Omnibus Appropriations bill--and I recognize that many crucial programs would suffer under a long-term continuing resolution--I must emphasize that the resource allocation that has yielded Division B of the Omnibus, which funds the agencies in the jurisdiction of the Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, is grossly inadequate and may prove damaging to the national interest. November 20, 2003. Hon. Frank R. Wolf, Chairman, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary, Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC. Hon. Jose E. Serrano, Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State, and Judiciary, Committee on Appropriations, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Wolf and Congressman Serrano: We write to thank for your tremendous leadership on behalf of America's families by supporting increased funding for the Legal Services Corporation in the Fiscal Year 2004 Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill introduced in your Subcommittee. However, we also write to express our regret that for the past several years this bill has included a restriction that severely limits the manner in which independent civil legal aid programs funded by LSC can spend their own private, state and local funds. This ``private money'' restriction annually encumbers more than $300 million in non-federal money, and harms communities in two distinct ways. First, the restriction imposes costly government obstacles to private philanthropy. Second, the restriction closes the doors of justice to many low-income individuals and families unable to afford necessary legal representation in civil matters. The undersigned groups write to express our support for amending the LSC appropriation in order to end this governmental interference with non-federal funding for legal aid nonprofits. We urge you to continue your tremendous leadership on behalf of America's families by guiding efforts to end this unfairness. In particular, we hope you will support removal of the private money restriction because the restriction improperly interferes with the right of private philanthropies and other non-federal donors--including state and local governments--to determine the purposes for which their charitable donations will be used. In addition, the restriction interferes with the right of non-federal donors to select those local institutions best equipped to carry out the purposes of their charitable donations. By removing the private money restriction, but keeping intact restrictions that control activities financed with federal LSC funds, Congress would properly place independent LSC recipients in the same position as nonprofit grantees of other federal entities which are permitted to use their non- federal funds free of unwarranted restrictions. This would bolster the mission of LSC as a model public-private partnership dedicated to supporting independent and accountable local programs that set their own priorities based on community need. Furthermore, Congress's removal of the LSC private money restriction may well encourage increased charitable donations to the more than 150 independent LSC recipients that serve the working poor, veterans, the elderly, victims of domestic violence, family farmers and people with disabilities in every county and Congressional District in the Nation. Thank you very much for your support and continued leadership on behalf of America's families. Sincerely, Brennen Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; International Union, UAW; National Legal Aid and Defender Association; Center for Law and Social Policy; National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320; National Immigration Law Center; Open Society Policy Center; Association of the Bar of the City of New York; Community Service Society of New York; National Council of La Raza; Council on Foundations Independent Sector; National Council of Nonprofit Associations; National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy; OMB Watch; Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest; Alliance for Justice; Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the conference report on H.R. 1, the Republicans' Medicare ``reform'' bill. On procedure and on substance, the legislation is deeply flawed and the best course now would be to start all over and work toward a bipartisan package that truly provides benefits to our elderly and disabled Medicare participants. Others have eloquently expressed the reasons to oppose this legislation, so I will not take much time to repeat what has been said. But I will quickly mention the major flaws. This enterprise was meant to help seniors and the disabled get the prescriptions they need at affordable prices, but that's certainly not where it is ending up. This bill both increases the burden on seniors and lays the groundwork for taking Medicare apart altogether. Coverage is limited and complicated, and there is a huge ``donut hole'' in coverage that, when combined with premiums, deductibles and copayments, can leave seniors paying up to $4,000 of the first $5,000 of prescription expenses as well as paying premiums but receiving no benefits for part of the year. Worse, dual eligibles, the Medicare beneficiaries who are poor enough also to be eligible for Medicaid, will end up worse off under an all-Medicare regime. Drug prices in this country are high and rising fast, keeping even seniors with drug coverage through their employers facing difficult choices between medicines and other necessities. But the bill before us explicitly prohibits the Federal government from negotiating lower prices for Medicare beneficiaries. It also ignores the will of most Members of Congress who support reimportation of prescription drugs from Canada and other select countries. What a windfall for the pharmaceutical companies! Millions of retirees who now have coverage through their former employers may end up without it when the bill's incentives cause employers to drop retiree health benefits. The premium support demonstrations present insurers with the opportunity to cherry-pick healthier, wealthier beneficiaries, leaving Medicare covering the high-cost sicker and poorer elderly and disabled, which would force fewer beneficiaries to pay higher premiums until Medicare became unaffordable and unsustainable. There are many other reasons to oppose this conference report. Let me just note that it does not include the Senate provision to remove the 5-year bar on federal health benefits for legal immigrant children and pregnant women. The Republicans have not been shy about announcing their intention to dismantle the Medicare program, and this bill is a major step down that path. Mr. Speaker, this is a profoundly bad bill that should go back to the drawing board. As the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare wrote to Members yesterday ``. . . a bad bill is worse than no bill at all''. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank both gentlemen for the time and for bringing this resolution to the House floor. I cautiously stand to celebrate and with great joy 100 years of Yankee baseball. I do that because the gentlemen were very clear that they are not Yankee fans, that they are just carrying on their legislative duties today. I am a very happy man. As a lover of music and of baseball, today's a great day for me. We will celebrate Johnny Cash later on and Bob Hope, and now we celebrate 100 years of Yankee baseball. I grew up in the Bronx, coming from Puerto Rico; and if you grow up in the Bronx, you, of course, are aware of the fact that the Bronx Bombers reside within your neighborhood. I am a fortunate man still. I reside a few city streets, or as we call them city blocks, from Yankee Stadium; and my office is a few city blocks from Yankee Stadium. In that stadium for 100 years now, some of the best and most successful baseball has been played. If you are a Yankee fan, you deal with the fact that you have people who are very passionate about the Yankees and others who would want nothing more than to see them lose, starting today, they are playing right now, and never win again; and I understand that. What we do here today, and I know the gentlemen have said that, is to celebrate America's pastime, baseball, and in so doing, celebrate the most successful franchise within that sport. The Yankees have had, as has been stated here, many eras; and when you get into overlapping eras, you run the risk of leaving people out, but there was a Ruth-Gehrig era. There was the overlapping DiMaggio era. There was the area of Mantle and Berra and Rizzuto, Ford and Maris. There was later the exciting era for my children, where they became aware of baseball, with Jackson and Mattingly and Winfield and Guidry; and lately, we have the Williams-Posada-Jeter-Pettite era, joined very recently by, and I am sorry to say this for our Yankee and Orioles fans, by Clemens, Mussina, Wells, Giambi, Soriano and, of course, Joe Torre. Just think of it, when the Yankees first started out they were made up of players from different baseball teams. This year, the winning Yankee team is made up of players from no fewer than six nations, including our latest additions of Cuban All Star pitcher Jose Contreras and Japanese Central League MVP Hideki Matsui. Yankee baseball is, therefore, the American Dream personified. It is success on the field. It is a behavior for most of the time outside the field, off the field, which typifies how we are as a people and how we care for each other; but to celebrate the Yankees without speaking to some of their stats would be totally improper. So at the expense of being driven out by the chairman and the ranking member, let me just remind my colleagues of a few. This was the Yankees' 42nd first-place finish. Of the 97 World Series played, the Yankees have won 26 of them or 27 percent. They have won 38 of 101 American League pennants. Since 1921, they participated in 38 of the 81 World Series seasons, played 47 percent, and they have won 127 World Series games. That is more victories than any other team has played in the World Series, and this will not end. Trust me, I just spoke to The Boss this morning; and there are a lot of Yankee players available, either through free agency or in the minor leagues. This is, again, the beginning of another play-off season; and we celebrate this team's success, and we celebrate what the Yankees mean to America, to the world now, to New York and to the Bronx. At different times in the history of my congressional district, at different times in the history of the Bronx, some negative things have been said about our neighborhoods; but never has anyone questioned the success of the Yankees, and these new Yankees, the Yankees who take players from all over the world, personify truly what the Bronx is. It is a place where people come together to work, to live, to be patriotic, and to enjoy baseball. So let this Yankee fan in the most diplomatic way, not to anger any Boston or Oriole fan, say that we are happy to celebrate 100 years of the Bronx Bombers, 100 years of New York Yankees baseball, and as the great Ernie Banks used to say, let us play two today, let us play three, and that is how many we can watch on TV today.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to St. David's Church in the Bronx, New York, a treasured Bronx institution and a historic house of worship that celebrated its 108th anniversary on September 26, 2003. St David's Church was founded in 1895 to address the needs of poor blacks, especially the dining car waiters and Pullman porters who roomed in the area of the New York Central Railroad Depot and had no place to worship. Mr. Speaker, as a part of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, St. David's strongly believes in the Diocesan mission objective of effective church presence in poor communities. In order to meet that objective, St. David's is constantly involved with community outreach. Presently, it has after school programs, summer day camps, and senior citizens programs to provide structured educational and recreational activities to the people who live, work, and worship in their community. For the past 108 years, St. David's has been a cornerstone of the Bronx community, providing its parishioners not only with a place of worship, but also with invaluable services in order to assist them in enriching their lives. Institutions such as St. David's Episcopal Church give life and vitality to distressed areas throughout the United States. The services they provide to their communities deserve recognition. Therefore, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing and honoring St. David's Episcopal Church for 108 years of service to the people of the Bronx, New York.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to The Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, Inc., an organization dedicated to improving the lives of low income minority seniors and their families in the city of New York. This invaluable organization will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Friday, October 3, 2003. The Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, Inc., was founded in 1978 to remove communication and other service barriers that separated Puerto Rican and Hispanic seniors from their rights and entitlements under the law. Today, the Institute is the premier Hispanic non-profit organization serving New York City's ethnic minority seniors and their families, with the mission to improve their quality of life. Serving more than 140,000 seniors annually, the institute's services are delivered in a citywide complex of offices, facilities, programs and senior centers. In addition, the Institute has four subsidiaries: El Cemi Houses, which provides affordable housing for homeless seniors; the Institute Home Care Services; the licensed Innovative Home Health Care Systems; and Clinica Nueva Esperanza, a mental health clinic for seniors. The Institute also serves as an important resource for non-profits, government agencies and businesses, providing technical assistance and consultation in areas such as management training, culturally responsive service delivery, and access to minority communities. Mr. Speaker, under the leadership of Suleika Cabrera Drinane, this fine institution has helped to provide essential and quality services to the low income minority seniors of New York City for a quarter of a century. Because of its pioneering and outstanding work, the Institute has received awards and recognitions from city, state, and federal agencies, as well as by other organizations in the community. For their long standing commitment to the disadvantaged seniors of New York City, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the Institute for the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Elderly, Inc., on their 25th Anniversary.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in October of 2002. High on a hill overlooking the Harlem River in the Bronx, New York, is the Fordham Hill community. Its nine buildings are situated on 12 acres of beautiful landscaped property; lofty trees of many varieties reach skyward and the rare black furred squirrels give Fordham Hill a suburban feel. The residents of the Fordham Hill complex are among the fortunate few to have discovered this hidden oasis; where residents enjoy the benefits of the community's close proximity to various sites such as Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo, and the Bronx Botanical Garden. In addition, a wide variety of nearby services, recreational activities, dining, shopping, schools, universities, hospitals, and churches add to the quaintness of the community. Mr. Speaker, this beautiful community was planned, designed and completed by the Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States in 1950. Initially created to serve as apartments for rent, this complex was transformed by E. Thomas Williams Jr., a skilled real estate investor and entrepreneur, who in 1980 outlined a plan to convert the financially troubled apartments into co-op dwellings. Williams, determined to buy the complex, raised funds, took out loans and eventually gained ownership of 65 percent of the complex. He and members of the original co-op committee worked diligently to gain support for the conversion by convincing tenants that a major benefit of buying their apartments was an opportunity for them to accrue some equity in their property after years of paying rent. By 1982 the conversion was in place, the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation was established, and Fordham Hill became the largest privately funded cooperative complex in the city of New York. The Fordham Hill Owners Corporation is a diverse community of people from all backgrounds and professions who take pride in the community and play an active role in preserving the quality of life at the co-op. As a result of the direct involvement of co-op members, the community is thriving and continues to add splendor to the Bronx. I ask my colleagues to join me today in honoring the Fordham Hill Owners Corporation for maintaining a well-run corporation with a high quality of life for residents for more than twenty years.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I come to join today in celebrating what is a fabulous career and a fabulous human being. Just think of it, over 15,000 people, men have played professional major league baseball and only 19 have hit over 500 home runs. And Rafael Palmeiro has done it, and this is my personal opinion, in a way that is really unique. He is not 6'5". He is not 250. He is not muscular, but he has one of the prettiest swings you will ever want to see on the baseball field. Every time he connects, somebody my size wonders how is that ball going to take off, and it always manages to take off; but I also come for a special reason. Through a dear friend of mine, Juan Gonzalez, the Texas Rangers outfielder, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Palmeiro this summer and sit with him a couple of hours and speak with him about baseball and other things; but I was amazed at how warm and strong he was in dealing with everybody around him, especially when you are sitting somewhere in public and every fan comes over for an autograph, every fan comes over to talk to you; and he took the time to speak to every child, and he took the time to speak to every fan that came over. That meant a lot to me, but a lot of folks just do not want to be bothered when they play ball, and they take the money. So I wanted to come and join this tribute. Rafael Palmeiro is without a doubt a future Hall of Famer and he has done it in typically following the American Dream, coming from Cuba looking for a better way, a better life for his family, for himself, as a child, graduating from college, being drafted and playing day after day after day. I am always amazed also at the fact that this man does not ever seem to get hurt. He just continues to play and play and play. I, like so many other Americans, so many people throughout the world, love the game of baseball. It is part of who I am as a person; and to have him play it the way that he does is just absolutely great, and because I got to know him, I got to even enjoy his baseball even more. So I want to thank the sponsors on both sides of this resolution. This gentleman really deserves this tribute. He is one of the all-time greats. Baseball is still, in my opinion, the best game and certainly our greatest export throughout the world and Latin America; and I come to celebrate Mr. Palmeiro today on his career and what would certainly be induction into the Hall of Fame very soon.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John A. Rosa and Carmen T. Rosa who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 22nd 2003. I take great pride in honoring these two remarkable individuals for their enduring dedication to one another and to the community in which they reside. Mr. Rosa was born on September 7, 1929, in New York City and his wife Mrs. Rosa was born May 17, 1936. They were married on August 22, 1953, at St. John Chrysostom in the Bronx. Mr. Rosa, a Korean War Veteran, worked with the Art Steele Company in the Bronx, first as purchasing manager and later as export manager before retiring in 1985. In addition to being a devoted housewife and mother, Mrs. Rosa worked in the healthcare industry primarily in the area of patient care. She also made time to be an active member of the Parent Teacher Association at P.S. 59 and 69. Mr. Speaker, this union that began 50 years ago has brought about nine lives spanning two generations. The Rosas have four children including Manuel; Vivian, Teresa and Sally. In addition, they are now the proud grandparents of Jonathan, Michael, Justin, Andres and Adrianna. Marriage is no easy feat. It is a union that demands commitment and sacrifice from both parties if it is to succeed. The Rosas' ability to make this union last for 50 years is quite remarkable and demonstrates the strong love they possess for one another. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. and Mrs. John A. Rosa on their 50th anniversary and in wishing them many more years together.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the Third Annual Fiesta Day at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Long Island, NY, which will take place on August 29, 2003. This important event is eagerly anticipated by the Latino community of Long Island each year. It is a wonderful celebration of the noteworthy contributions of the Latino community to the horse industry in the United States. First held in 2001, Fiesta Day developed after a few thoughtful members of the Long Island thoroughbred industry made the effort to recognize the dedicated Latino grooms for the thousand-plus horses that compete at the classic. After further discussion, it was agreed that a broader format for Fiesta Day would be more appropriate for an area of Long Island that is showing tremendous growth in its Latino population. Mr. Speaker, today Fiesta Day reaches out to the entire Latino population of Long Island and offers special educational programs, cultural activities including music and horse-related performances from several Latin American countries, and special food booths that reflect the diversity of Latino cuisine. The Day also includes an on-field ceremony to honor leading members of different segments of the Latino community--local, regional, and national--with special recognition given to one outstanding horseman of Latino descent for his or her contributions to the horse industry. In addition to the celebratory events of the day, the management of the Hampton Classic encourages the event's 75 corporate sponsors to staff booths promoting diversity in the workplace and to outline employment opportunities for qualified members of the Latino workforce. Mr. Speaker, without the thousands of Latinos who work with the thoroughbred industry, this multi-million dollar establishment would come to an immediate halt. They serve as jockeys, trainers, blacksmiths, grooms, exercise riders as well as cooks, vendors and suppliers. Often unrecognized, they are the proverbial backbone of this industry. Fiesta Day is a great opportunity not only to celebrate the contributions of these hard working Latino Americans to the horse industry but to celebrate the growth of the Latino community in this nation. Accordingly, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Fiesta Day.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. I yield to the gentleman from New York.