José Serrano

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Johnston].

Mr. SERRANO. Yes, I am, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion to recommit.

Mr. SERRANO. In that case, Mr. Chairman, if that is the ruling of the Chair, is it still in order for this gentleman to ask that the gentleman's words be taken down?

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Ros-Lehtinen]. (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my strong support for H.R. 885, a bill I introduced with Mr. Rangel to designate the U.S. Post Office building located at 153 East 110th Street, New York, NY, as the ``Oscar Garcia Rivera Post Office Building'' and to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the first Puerto Rican elected to public office in the continental United States. Oscar Garcia Rivera, Esq., was elected Assemblyman in the State of New York from the 14th District, on March 7, 1937. Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, on November 6, 1900, Oscar Garcia Rivera was raised on a coffee plantation. As a young man, Garcia Rivera demonstrated talent and leadership. He was president of his high school senior class in 1925, and excelled in his studies. After graduation from high school, Garcia came to the United States and began working part time in a factory in Brooklyn, while he continued to take courses to reach his goal of becoming a lawyer. He applied for a job at the U.S. Postal Service, obtained high recommendations, and was assigned to the post office in City Hall. He quickly became involved in union issues, and later encouraged the establishment of the Association of Puerto Rican and Hispanic Employees within the U.S. Postal Service. Garcia Rivera attended law school at St. John's University, and graduated in 1930. Dedicated and committed to the struggles of Pioneer Puerto Ricans and Hispanics in East Harlem, where poverty and discrimination were rampant, Garcia Rivera announced publicly in 1937 that he would seek a seat in the New York State Assembly. In March of the same year, he made history by becoming the first Puerto Rican elected to public office in the continental United States. He won re-election the following year and continued in this post until 1940. During the short time that he served in the Assembly, Oscar Garcia Rivera initiated legislation that offered valuable and lasting contributions to his Puerto Rican community, the labor movement, and the working class. He introduced a bill guaranteeing safeguards against unemployment; this revolutionary piece of legislation was enacted into law in February of 1939. Garcia Rivera defended minimum wage laws, fought for regulated hours of labor, worked to establish tariff agreements, and most importantly, he was committed to protecting the rights of manual laborers and encouraged workers to organize themselves into active unions. He also supported the campaign which established a law which punished lynching throughout the United States. The legislative career of Oscar Garcia Rivera ended barely 3 years after it began. He returned to Puerto Rico, and died in 1969 in the town where he was born, Mayaguez. The anniversary of Oscar Garcia Rivera's election as the first Puerto Rican who attained a public office marks a proud moment in our history. Although his career as assemblyman was brief, Oscar Garcia Rivera became a great leader in his community and a role model for young people. His actions transformed the Puerto Rican community, and improved working conditions for all in the State of New York. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this bill to honor Oscar Garcia Rivera and mark the beginning of Puerto Rican leadership in New York and the continental United States.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. Leo Corbie for his dedicated service as acting president of Bronx Community College. I will also like to honor Dr. Carolyn Grubbs Williams, who is succeeding Dr. Corbie as president of Bronx Community College. Dr. Corbie was born in New York City. He moved to the Bronx after spending his early childhood in Harlem. He received a bachelor of arts from Central State College and then went on to earn a master's degree in social work from Fordham University and a doctoral degree in social welfare policy and planning from Columbia University. Dr. Corbie joined The City University of New York in 1969 as a counselor in the Seek program at Lehman college and became director of the program that same year. The Seek program provides financial and academic assistance to students in need. Dr. Corbie has served as the vice chancellor for student affairs for the City University, from 1981 to 1991. In June 1993, Dr. Corbie was named acting president of the Bronx Community College. He took over the college at a time of instability and uncertainty. Through his leadership and dedication, Dr. Corbie managed to continue the Bronx Community College tradition of excellence and educational opportunity for all who seek to improve themselves. Today, Bronx Community College welcomes their new president, Dr. Carolyn Grubbs Williams. Dr. Williams has been president of Los Angeles Southwest College of the Los Angeles Community College district since 1992. In her first year, she eliminated a budget deficit of $1.6 million and increased student enrollment by 9 percent. She was able to obtain funding and State approval for three major construction projects. Dr. Williams earned her bachelor's degree in sociology, mater's degree in urban planning/social planning and her doctoral degree in higher education from Wayne State University in Detroit. Dr. Williams leadership has shaped Los Angeles Southwest Community College into an outstanding institution. Her outstanding record has earned her numerous accolades and has been elected to the board of directors of the American Association of Community Colleges and the AACC's National Council on Black American Affairs. Bronx Community College has benefited from the expertise and outstanding record of Dr. Corbie, and will surely continue to prosper under President Williams. Mr. Speaker I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Leo Corbie and Dr. Carolyn Grubbs Williams for their commitment to the advancement of higher education.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Madam Chairman, I rise in emphatic opposition to the Republicans' welfare reform bill. I am tempted to simply repeat the remarks I made last year, on the so-called Personal Responsibility Act, since the flaws in this bill are remarkably similar. But I do have a few new things to say. It is clear to all thinking people that our current welfare system fails the people it is meant to help, and every Member of this House, Democrat as well as Republican, has voted for some form of welfare reform in the last 2 years. But the Republicans' approach will make the situation of the poor--and of the charities that help them and the cities that contain them--much worse. The clearest sign that this bill is totally misguided is that it saves so much money. Everyone knows it takes more spending, not less, to give poor mothers the tools they need to get and keep jobs and to escape poverty. They need education, training, job-search assistance, day care and health care for their children, and jobs--and that means jobs that don't displace others. Cost is the main reason Congress has been slow to face welfare reform in the past. But this bill cuts the programs that sustain our neediest families. It slashes the safety net for the poorest children and families. And, Madam Chairman, it is incomprehensible to me that we have now reached a point where not one of the proposals before the House today preserves the entitlement--the guarantee that some modest assistance will be there for those families whose desperate circumstances make them eligible. What recourse will these wretched families have? A very, very big problem with this bill is how it treats our children. No child chooses to be born into a poor family, but an eighth of the country's children now receive some support from the welfare system, and the Republican bill will push more than 1 million additional children into poverty. But, Madam Chairman, I want to concentrate on provisions related to immigrants and public assistance. The immigrant provisions in this bill--and, sadly, in the otherwise superior Castle-Tanner substitute-- are a disgrace, and an absolute bar to my supporting either bill. The United States is a nation of immigrants. That is a cliche precisely because it is true. We all have roots beyond the borders of the United States; we all have ancestors, as near as our parents or as remote as our many-times-great grandparents, who, willingly or not, came to America. We know that immigrants don't come for public assistance; they come to join family members and to provide a better life for their children. They work, they pay taxes, they participate in their schools and churches and communities, and they play by the rules. Why should they be targeted by this bill? Why should fully half the savings in this bill be achieved on the backs of legal immigrants who are in trouble or who wish to better themselves? I can think of only one reason. For the past several years, this country has seen a rising tide of antiimmigrant feeling, whipped up by public officials who find naming scapegoats easier than dealing with the real problems facing their constituents. If the economy turns down, why, it must be immigrants. If schools are crowded, immigrants must be the reason. Crime? Immigrants. Deficits? Immigrants. Strange languages on the subway? Immigrants. The assault is broad and comprehensive. it may begin with legitimate concerns over control of our Nation's borders, but it quickly moves to encompass those immigrants who have done everything we have asked of them--and more--to qualify for the rights to live here, work and pay taxes, and become Americans. The antiterrorism bill has already made long-term immigrants with deep roots in America suddenly subject to detention and deportation for long-ago, mostly minor brushes with the law. The immigration bill--supposed to deal with control of our borders and enforcement of our employment eligibility laws--included provisions to deny citizens and legal residents the right to reunite their families in America. Both the immigration bill and this bill would go way beyond enforcing sponsors' obligations to support the immigrants they bring to this country. Instead, they would make it impossible for our society to meet its moral obligations to help people in trouble. It would also deny immigrants the ability to better themselves through education and training. Funds for bilingual education are slashed, even as some Members of this House would impose English-only policies on government. Bilingual ballots and voting assistance are under attack, when even life-long English speakers think they need law degrees to understand some of the propositions that appear on our ballots. Madam Chairman, one thing that disturbs me very much is that this assault seems to be related to changes in the ethnicity of many recent immigrants. This suggests that ethnic discrimination is likely to rise. If immigrants are singled out as the class of people who are not worthy of, or entitled to, assistance available to citizens, those who look or sound foreign are at risk of extra scrutiny. You may recall reports that, after proposition 187 passed in California, Hispanics' rights to buy a pizza were questioned. People who look like you, Madam Chairman, are unlikely to be asked, but increasingly, people who look like me are being questioned about our immigration status. This is illegal, undemocratic, unfair, but increasingly real. Madam Chairman, I could go on, but I will close by urging all of my colleagues to reject the Republicans' ugly, mean-spirited welfare reform bill. It is simply too far off course. We need to return to basic principles and start all over again if welfare reform is to result in a welfare system that is compassionate, workable, and, above all, fair.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Great Dominican Parade and Carnival of the Bronx on its sixth year of celebration of the Dominican culture in my south Bronx congressional district. It gives me great pleasure to once again join the members and friends of the Dominican community who will be marching along the Grand Concourse this Sunday in celebration of Dominican culture and its historic legacy. This year's parade will honor Juan Pablo Duarte, father of the independence of the Dominican Republic, which was achieved in 1844. The parade was born in 1990, following the vision of its president and founder Felipe Febles. Mr. Febles saw the need to provide Dominicans with a forum to educate them and to strengthen their sense of identity. In addition, its associated nonprofit institution offers English classes and other services to immigrants. The Dominican Republic has a long and distinguished history. Christopher Columbus visited in 1492, and named the island Hispaniola. Among other important legacies, Santo Domingo, the nation's capital, is the oldest settlement by Europeans and the location of the most ancient cathedral in the Americas. Dominicans are proud of their country's history, rich culture, natural resources, agriculture, and other industries. The Great Dominican Parade and Carnival of the Bronx has adopted as its symbol the map of the Dominican Republic containing in its center a portrait of Juan Pablo Duarte, the Dominican flag, and a depiction of the oldest cathedral and the highest mountain in the nation. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the members and friends of the Great Dominican Parade and Carnival of the Bronx for their 6 years of bringing joy and of strengthening the community.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Smithsonian Institution, which will be honoring the contributions Hispanics have made in the arts and sciences, and their role in our Nation's history during a special evening at the New York Coliseum. The event is among the many to commemorate the Institution's 150th anniversary, which includes the traveling exhibition, ``America's Smithsonian,'' being viewed by millions of citizens of New York City and millions of their fellow Americans in 11 additional cities across the Nation. Under the leadership of Smithsonian Institution Secretary J. Michael Heyman, the Institution has increased its efforts to bring the museum closer to Hispanics by reaching out to the community through traveling exhibitions, on-line home page, educational kits featuring Hispanic artists, musical recordings, and a variety of publications. ``America's Smithsonian,'' the 150th anniversary exhibition, represents the cultural contributions of all Americans, including Hispanic-Americans. The special evening at the exhibition in the New York Coliseum celebrates Hispanics by bringing together Hispanic curators, academics, corporate representatives, public affairs professionals, community leaders, elected officials, and members of Spanish-language media and the mainstream press. From the earliest arrivals on our eastern shores to the established settlements in the West and the Southwest, the large Hispanic communities in the north and south, and the diverse Caribbean representations, all clearly demonstrate the role Hispanics have played in our country's earliest history and development to the present day. Hispanic music, literature, visual arts, customs, and way of living are very much a part of this Nation's culture. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Smithsonian Institution in its 150th anniversary celebration for its efforts to reach out to the Hispanic community by expanding its collections and exhibitions in its museums, and traveling exhibitions like ``America's Smithsonian,'' which give an opportunity to the Nation's flagship museum to include Hispanic contributions to this Nation's culture in the arts, science, and history.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. I yield to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman for his comments, and I would hope that people in this country would understand that to speak more than one language actually strengthens you; it does not weaken you in any way.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I would like to speak in response to some of the comments that the gentleman from Wisconsin had made during the debate on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson- Lee], on which all time being used, there could be no response. There seems to be in this country a complete mistaken belief that bilingual education programs and the use of languages other than English in the classroom or anywhere else in this society somehow weakens the ability of a country and a society to move forward. One of the problems that we have in this country right now, I believe, is that some people have taken certain very emotional issues and put them forth in a way that scares the American public. And why not? If we tell the American people that bilingual education or any other program in the Nation threatens the use of English as the official language in this country or the language of this society, then certainly good-hearted, well-intentioned, and good patriotic Americans respond to that by saying, oh, my God, there is a problem here that we have to attack. But there is no problem. All we have to do is ask any parent of any child in this country where the family speaks a language other than English or a second language what they see, what they envision for their children, and every single one of their parents, unless they are not in their right state of mind, would tell you that they want the child to learn to speak English, to function within the society, to grow within the society. However, what we have done in this country in the last few years, and, unfortunately, it has been going on for much too long, is to suggest to people that there are a couple of things that are going to wreck this society and one of them is the existence of languages other than English in the society. Now, whenever I speak on this subject I use myself as an example. I speak Spanish, I speak English. I read Spanish, I read English. I write in Spanish, I write in English. I can listen to music in either language, I can read literature in either language, I can function in either language. I do not think that my existence in this House shows in any way, shape, or form that my knowledge of another language has caused a problem. I think in Spanish at times and speak in English, and it has not confused me. I understand the issues well and in no way am I handicapped. We are handicapped as a nation, however, when we send messages throughout the world that if you want to deal with us you must deal with us in English or we shall not speak to you. If you want to trade with us you should trade with us in English or we shall not speak to you. And if you want to play baseball on the ballfield we will only speak English, otherwise I will never speak to you. I suggest that that is a very narrow-minded approach, and all I would ask is people who support this movement of making English the official language, and therefore attack all other languages, to simply understand that the growth of a nation as great as ours is not just an economic growth, it is not just a military growth, it is not just a growth of a democracy; it is also the ability to work with other people throughout the world and to say to them we are not afraid of your language, in fact, we want to learn your language. We want to learn your culture. Let me make one last point. During the 1970's, as I have said on a couple of occasions on this floor, there were the famous spaghetti westerns that Sergio Leone put out. These were western movies made in Italy and the actors spoke in Italian and in French and Spanish and in English. It is sad to note that even then, and nothing has changed, it was only the American actors who had to have their voices dubbed in other languages while the European actors dubbed their own voice in various languages. What is the fear? Let us be honest about bilingual education. It is simply a program that takes you as a child speaking another language and teaches you information in your language until you learn to speak English, with the intent being that by the third grade or the fourth grade we will move you over to English, and then if in the process you maintain a second language, in my opinion, that only strengthens the society. That does not weaken the society. Mr. Chairman, let me just say that when I learned that ``Jorge Washington es el Padre de la Nacion'', I learned in Spanish that George Washington was the father of the Nation. It was the same information. I just learned it in another language first.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I do not want to beat this subject to death, but I think we really have to understand what we are talking about here. The new way that this Congress and everyone in this country will put forth information is through the Internet. Right in this Hall today, in the Capitol today, throughout Washington, DC, there are young people, for instance, who are visiting during summer vacation. These young people will go back in September and begin school once again. More and more every day they get their information through the Internet. One of the things that I tell people about my web page is that I want to reach a point where they can get as much information about government as possible from the Library of Congress to the Smithsonian to local institutions in my district to how I vote and how I think and what I feel about certain issues. To now tell people that they can visit the majority party but that they have no access to the minority party on its own with a different view is really from the beginning of this procedure to set out censorship rather than freedom. What kind of a message are we sending? This is totally improper. The best way to see what this is like is to look at it this way. Imagine if visitors were allowed to visit the chairman of the committee but were not allowed to visit the office of the minority leader of the committee. They visit the chairman but they are not allowed to visit the other person, and if they are going to speak to that ranking member, they have to speak to them in the presence of the chairman. They cannot exchange views on a private and separate basis. That is what we are talking about. Rather than doing this, we should be thinking about the future. I would like to see the day when the Internet for the House of Representatives personally reaches out to the world, not only in English but in different languages, so people could learn about us, learn about our democracy, read about us. How nice it would be if Latin American countries and students could read in Spanish about the House of Representatives of this, the greatest democracy on earth. Instead of thinking about that, you are saying no, you cannot put your words out, and if you put them out you have to check with us first.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, it would be helpful if the Environmental Protection Agency made an effort to evaluate and correlate the very specific air emissions that are present at the time that health problems affecting the children in my congressional district actually take place. Would the chairman agree that the Environmental Protection Agency should conduct air quality testing in conjunction with the occurrence of specific health incidents during the next phase of testing?

Mr. SERRANO. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I want to take this opportunity to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from California, Chairman Lewis, about the air quality crisis in the Hunts Point area of the South Bronx, NY, where there is a concentration of waste transfer and sewage treatment facilities. Mr. Chairman, I have been working closely with the Environmental Protection Agency and the regional authorities about this air quality crisis at Hunts Point over the past year. Over 43 waste transfer facilities are located in the Hunts Point community area, and over 70 percent of New York City's sludge is processed in this area. Asthma and respiratory illness in Hunts Point are higher than the city average. Over 25 percent of the 1,100 students at Public School 48 have asthma and are frequently hospitalized. In one first grade class alone 47 percent of the students have asthma and 33 percent have been hospitalized. Would the chairman agree that the Environmental Protection Agency should continue to commit resources and work closely with my congressional office and State and local officials to continue to identify and, if possible, mitigate any environmental causes of this problem?

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Ms. Ida Castro, an outstanding individual who has dedicated her life to the empowerment of Hispanic women. Ms. Castro was recently appointed by President Clinton as Director of the Women's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor. Mr. Speaker, Ms. Castro was born in Puerto Rico. On the island, she directed job training and job development programs. Later on she taught labor law at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and worked at Hostos Community College in my congressional district, the south Bronx, helping mothers who were receiving Aid for Families with Dependent Children become economically independent through full-time employment. Ms. Castro has been a long-time advocate of women's issues. She has fought to improve working conditions for women, insure equal pay for equal work, incorporate employment with family needs, and increase job opportunities for women in all fields. Prior to her appointment as Director, she worked as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Workers' Compensation programs and later as the Labor Department's Acting Deputy Solicitor. Through her new position at Labor's Women's Bureau, Ms. Castro will continue working to provide better employment opportunities for women and encouraging them to develop their full potential. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Ms. Ida Castro for her new post as Director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau and in recognizing her contributions to the advancement of women in this Nation.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy that I rise today to pay tribute to an historic event, the first National Puerto Rican Parade which was held on June 9, in New York City. As a Puerto Rican, a New Yorker, and a Member of Congress, it was an honor to participate in this national parade in which thousands of Puerto Ricans marched in celebration of our culture and achievements in this country. I was 7 years old when my family moved from Puerto Rico to the Bronx in search of employment opportunities and a brighter future. Leaving the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, its music, its traditions, and its people was no easy task for those who were born on the Caribbean island. In 1958, my father and I had the opportunity to celebrate our culture during the first Hispanic parade of New York City. As we cheered participants, my father quickly unfolded a Puerto Rican flag to show his love and pride for his heritage. Two years later, the Hispanic parade became the New York Puerto Rican Parade. From that day on, once every year, Puerto Ricans and friends of the Puerto Rican community from all of the 50 States and the island come to New York City to celebrate our heritage. This year, for the first time in its 39 years of history, the parade has been recognized as a national event--the largest and most colorful celebration of Puerto Rican heritage in this Nation. On this occasion, members of the Puerto Rican community will march along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to reaffirm our identity and pride of our heritage. Among many other achievements, Puerto Ricans have been instrumental in transforming New York City into a great bilingual city. Dr. Ricardo Alegria, a distinguished Puerto Rican anthropologist led the parade of thousands of participants. Dr. Alegria is internationally renown as an eminence in the restoration of historic cities, for his anthropological and archaeological studies on Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, as well as for his patronage of the arts.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Jose Ramon Quinonez, who was honored on Saturday by the members of the Holy Family Parish Council for his outstanding service to be community as the chairman of the board, at the Church of the Holy Family, in my South Bronx congressional district. Ray Quinonez, as he prefers to be called, was born in Puerto Rico and raised in South Bronx. He completed studies in metallurgy at the U.S. Marine Corps Institute of Technology, in Washington, DC and at Del Mar Technical College, in Oceanside, CA. Later on, he started working for Seandel Studios, Inc., in New York City. Mr. Quinonez served the country in the Third Marine Division in Vietnam. After his return from Vietnam, he married his wife, Edmee, with whom he has three children. Ray Quinonez has dedicated his life to helping our youngsters develop their full potential as community leaders of tomorrow. His service includes volunteer work at the Castle Hill Little League, where he was the field cleaner, coach, manager, treasurer, and vice president. He also served as a member of the league's board of directors, as well as moderator of the Holy Family Youth Leadership Group. Through the youth group, he inspired high school students from parochial and public schools to develop a sense of leadership and to strive for excellence. Other community service includes his work as chairman of the Center for Catholic Lay Leadership Formation and as a member of the Community Planning Board 9. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Jose Ramon (Ray) Quinonez for his outstanding commitment to the service of our youngsters, the Church the Holy Family, and our South Bronx community.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained yesterday evening, May 14, 1996, and missed two votes on amendments to H.R. 3230, the national defense authorization bill for fiscal year 1997. Had I been present I would have voted in favor of Congresswoman DeLauro's amendment to delete provisions that prohibit privately funded abortions at Defense Department hospitals overseas. I would also have voted in favor of Congressman Shays' amendment to require the President to seek increased cash contributions from U.S. allies to fund the nonsalary costs of U.S. troops permanently stationed in their countries.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Marco Antonio Muniz, one of the most loved and cherished singers among Hispanics in all of the Americas. This weekend Marco Antonio Muniz will be given two special performances at Hostos Community College in my congressional district of the South Bronx. Marco Antonio Muniz was born in 1933 in Guadalajara, Mexico. His passion for music started at a very early age, and even as a child he would take every opportunity to sing at events in Guadalajara. As a young man, Marco Antonio joined the musical group ``Veracuz'' and later on became a member of ``Los Tres Ases,'' a trio which brought him international fame. ``Los Tres Ases'' held performances in all of Latin America and recorded eight LPs, copies of which are still available in music stores. Among the many hits the group achieved include: ``Mi ultimo fracaso'' (``My last failure''), ``100 Mujeres'' (``100 Women''), ``Que Seas Feliz'' (``I Wish You Happiness''), and ``El Reloj'' (``The Clock''). While still at the summit of success, Marco Antonio decided to leave the trio and seek a new challenge as a soloist. He struggled in the beginning, but soon won the admiration of many in Mexico and the rest of the Americas. Although his repertoire ranges from traditional Mariachi music to romantic ballads, Marco Antonio Muniz is internationally acclaimed as one of the greatest singers of romantic music. He is commonly called ``The Most Beloved Voice of America,'' ``The Romantic Singer of America,'' ``The Luxury of Mexico,'' and ``The Uncontainable.'' His music has won the hearts of many Puerto Ricans. Marco Antonio has performed in Puerto Rico for the past 34 Christmas holiday seasons without a break. His simplicity of character and undeniable passion in his singing have gained him recognition as one of the most talented singers of the Americas. I have a collection of 50 LPs by Marco Antonio Muniz. His exceptional career has featured numerous hits and record sales. And among his recordings is a collection of albums dedicated to Puerto Rican composers Rafael Hernandez, Sylvia Rexach, and Pedro Flores. I am proud to say that my first son, Jose Marco, was named after him. The Hispanic community of the South Bronx is honored to receive this giant of Latin American music. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Marco Antonio Muniz, the most beloved singer of the Americas, for giving to the Hispanic community the gift of beautiful music.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Mr. Willie James, president of the Transport Workers Union of Greater New York, who will be honored tonight for his outstanding service to the community by members of the Society of African American Transit Employees at a dinner dance in the Bronx, NY. Mr. Speaker, Willie James was born in Harlem Hospital, in New York City. He started working as a bus operator in 1967 for the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority. This position marked the beginning of his involvement with the labor movement. Prior to his appointment as president, Mr. James served the transport union as director of education and training and later on as financial secretary-treasurer. Under his leadership in education and training, Mr. James developed training programs that enabled cleaning workers to advance their skills and attain higher paid positions within the industry. Mr. James currently serves as vice president of the New York State AFL-CIO and vice president of the New York City Central Labor Council. He is also an executive board member of the New York Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, an executive board member of the Black Trade Union Leadership Committee, and a member of the board of directors of the Municipal Credit Union, on which he served as president from 1985 through 1991. Throughout his life, Mr. James' philosophy has been one of helping those in need without expecting anything in return. He would often say: ``Just ask that person who you are helping to pass the baton of love and concern to others in this race of life.'' Besides his commitment to the labor movement, Mr. James was ordained deacon of the Harmon Baptist Church, and often serves as a soloist. He is married to Rosabelle and has two children, Daysey Moyd and Charles James. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Willie James for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of the labor movement and of the African-American community.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the 18th Annual Bronx Community College Hall of Fame Run, a 10-kilometer race sponsored by Bronx Community College. This year's race will be held tomorrow starting from Bronx Community College in my congressional district of the South Bronx, New York. The Bronx Community College Hall of Fame Run was established in 1979 under the leadership of former Bronx Community College president Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. and continues under the presidency of Dr. Leo A. Corbie. The race brings together runners of all ages from the five boroughs of New York City to compete in a wholesome community event. The run was named after the Hall of Fame for Great Americans, a national landmark established in 1900 to honor the achievements of men and women in science, the arts, humanities, business, and government. This beautiful landmark, designed by architect Stanford White, features a granite colonnade containing the bronze busts of 97 distinguished Americans. I have had the opportunity to participate in 15 of the 17 Bronx Community College Hall of Fame Runs and I am thrilled to be running in this year's race. The event, which was originally a 10-kilometer race, now includes a 10-kilometer walk and a 2-mile fitness walk. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Bronx Community College Hall of Fame Run in its 18th year of uniting the community through healthy competition.

Mr. SERRANO

Mr. SERRANO. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to pay tribute to a dear friend, Jose ``Chegui'' Torres, an accomplished boxer and writer whose 60th birthday will be celebrated today among family and friends at Jimmy's Bronx Cafe in the Bronx, NY. A fellow countryman, Chegui, as his close friends call him, was born in ``la Playa de Ponce,'' Puerto Rico. His talent in boxing was evident at a very young age. In 1956, Chegui won the silver medal in the Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. A year later, he migrated to the United States to continue his successful career in boxing. In 1965, Jose won the light heavyweight world title at a match at the Madison Square Garden, New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to ever win a medium weight world championship in boxing. Members of the East Harlem community, in which he lived, made him a hero that day and held a parade to celebrate his victory. It was during this parade that Jose took the stage to acknowledge the thousands of fans and distinguished himself as an eloquent speaker. Jose is characterized as a person who can talk to people from all socio-economic backgrounds. He is well liked and respected in the community. Throughout the years, Jose has been a community activist and a fighter for minorities and poor people. After retiring from his boxing career, Jose was appointed by former Gov. Mario Cuomo to lead the New York State Athletic Commission. He also served City Council President Paul D'wyer, and worked in the election campaigns of then candidate to Congress Nydia Velazquez, and Mayor David Dinkins. Most recently, Jose has collaborated with the daily newspapers the New York Post and ``El Diario/La Pressa,'' as a guest columnist. He frequently writes about a wide variety of subject matters, from boxing and city life, to the socioeconomic plight of the poor, the elderly, and minorities. He has also written books on Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. On his 60th birthday, his wife, Ramona, friends, and other relatives will gather at Jimmy's Bronx Cafe for a surprise birthday party. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Jose ``Chegui'' Torres, a remarkable friend and individual, a happy birthday and a long and healthy life.