Hilda Solis

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. SOLIS. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 188 on H. Res. 426, rule providing consideration of H.R. 3129, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I am looking at the clock now and wondering what my constituents are doing on the west coast in Los Angeles, California; and I know that they are probably just finishing up their dinner, and maybe not dwelling on what we are doing here in the Congress. But I can tell my colleagues that the people in my district would be shocked. They would be alarmed to know that language has been inserted in this bill that is going to be voted on tonight to allow for a huge increase in the national debt limit, and I think it is irresponsible; and I know that many of them would feel that same way. Worst yet, it forces us to play Russian roulette with the livelihood of our Nation's seniors and the future of America's children. Social Security should provide just that: security. But by raising the debt limit today, we endanger our Nation's safety net which allows our senior citizens to live out their golden years with dignity and respect. We are playing with the lives of our senior citizens, men and women who have worked hard for our Nation and deserve the full benefits of Social Security to help pay for their rent, their food, and their prescription drugs. We are playing with the lives of our baby boomers, who must not only help care for their senior citizen parents, but also have to plan for their impending retirements. What about those people? We are playing with the lives of our young people who every day pay into Social Security, but which may not be there to provide for them when they need it. Just last year, our Nation enjoyed one of the largest surpluses in American history, but then the Bush administration and the Republican leadership ran through what I call a reckless series of tax cuts designed to provide the most benefit to the richest 1 percent of Americans, many of whom are not seen on this floor tonight. By raising the debt limit, this administration continues to rob the working poor and middle class by stifling them with the additional debt. Raising the debt ceiling weakens Social Security for our current senior citizens and baby boomers like myself. Look in the mirror. Look at the American future. Last August the Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill, predicted that the United States would not reach into its debt ceiling until late 2003, but now that the Republican leadership has passed its huge tax breaks for the very wealthy, we are quickly being forced to juggle our Nation's accounting books. Raising the ceiling steals, literally steals hundreds of billions of dollars from the Social Security trust fund, from that fund which my parents rely on right now. It is a backwards Robin Hood policy, stealing from the poor and our Nation's seniors to give to the rich. Mr. Chairman, every day Americans pay $1 billion in interest on our national debt. That is about 16 cents for every dollar we pay into taxes. Raising the debt ceiling will do nothing to alleviate the problem; it just gets worse. I am staunchly opposed to this plan. I support a responsible budget that makes needed investments in our national security, protects our Social Security, Medicare, and does not saddle our children and our grandchildren with enormous national debt.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Monterey Park Democratic Club. Founded on May 19, 1952, the Monterey Park Democratic Club has made many achievements over the years. One of their most important efforts has been to increase voter turn out. This has given a voice to numerous residents of Monterey Park who otherwise would not have had one. Since the 1950s, the Monterey Park Democratic Club has also sponsored and promoted several important community events, including roundtable discussions on local issues. Club members are not afraid to tackle sensitive issues like the Nuclear Freeze campaign of the 1980s, lobbying to close the nearby landfill or opposing billboard signs and gambling. Their passion and leadership is commendable. I applaud President Irv Wilner and other club leaders for their leadership. It is clear that the Monterey Park Democratic Club has done much to enhance people's confidence in government and faith in democracy. I ask you to join me in honoring their celebration.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, we need to send this bill back and report a new one out that really meets the child care needs of families struggling to escape poverty. The Republican bill ignores the fact that only one in seven of the children in this country who need child care are actually getting it. Their proposal sorely underfunds child care at a time when States are faced with huge deficits and waiting lists go on. In fact, I have a list here that says in my own State of California, 280,000 children are now awaiting child care services, and the list continues to grow daily. States are crying out for support and for help in this matter. How can my friends on the other side of the aisle turn their backs on these children and these families? I urge them to recognize the child care needs of working families and increase child care funding by $11 billion over a 5-year period by voting for this motion to recommit. Voting for this motion will serve an additional 2 million children by the year 2007. Let us be clear. Let us be clear. Caring for children is not a partisan issue. It does not matter if one has an R or a D behind their name. It is about the kids. It is about the future of our economy and getting these working mothers back on their feet. These mothers want to work. Let us help them get there. In conclusion, I would just state that I would hope that my friends on the other side of the aisle would understand that the women that I see on welfare now want to have that dignity and respect. Will my Republican colleagues not allow them to have the courtesy to have funding so that when they do choose to spend 40 hours or 35 hours at a work site, that they do not have to leave those children with someone or somewhere that is not a qualified child care center? Mr. Speaker, I think our children and our families deserve a break and I think now is the time to do it. In fact, many of our Governors across this country support the notion of providing more funding for child care.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this welfare bill. It does nothing to help people get the education and training they need to earn high-paying jobs that will lift them out of poverty and support their families. In California, more than half of our welfare caseload doesn't have a high school degree. And in my community in Los Angeles County, 41 percent of the welfare caseload has limited proficiency in English. These women and men want to be working, but they need education and training that includes English as a Second Language courses, high school equivalency programs, and college courses first. Only the Democratic substitute allows this kind of education. So I urge my colleagues to vote against the Republican bill.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in strong opposition to this unfair rule. I am strongly disappointed that my friends on the other side of the aisle decided that a debate about the future of working families, working poor families in this country does not deserve more than a few hours of discussion. And I am disappointed that they decided that amendments on important issues like child care and restoration of benefits for legal immigrants, legal immigrants, does not deserve to be heard on the floor of this House. These are vital issues to my community. In Los Angeles County alone, there is a child care crisis. Only 16 percent of the children in my community there receive child care. And for a family earning the minimum wage in my community, it takes about 61 percent of their income just to place one infant in child care. So I attempted to offer an amendment to allow mothers who are receiving welfare benefits and have infant children or a child or a disabled child to stay at home and care for that child because it is so costly to place these children in child care. It is hard to get, and it costs a lot of money. This request was denied. Mr. Speaker, I also represent a community with a large number of immigrants, many from Mexico, Central America, and Asia. I attempted to offer an amendment with the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra), the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) to restore welfare benefits to legal immigrants. But this request was also denied. I cannot support a rule which does not even allow me to debate the issues that matter most to men and women from my district who are struggling to get out of poverty. They want to have dignity. They want to have a job. But they also need assistance from this government. I urge my colleagues to oppose this unfair rule and oppose the previous question so we can make our voices heard and allow for a free and fair debate.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions made by Lieutenant William D. Risen to the Monterey Park Police Department. After 30 years of dedicated service, Lieutenant Risen will retire on May 10, 2002. A native of Monterey Park, Lieutenant Risen's commitment to his community characterizes his career. After receiving his Associate degree from East Los Angeles College, Lieutenant Risen served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972. While in the Army, he earned several medals including the distinguished National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Monterey Park and joined the Monterey Park Police Department. While at the police department, he was one of the police department's first K-9 officers. Lieutenant Risen and his trusted K-9 partner, Xello, worked side by side to arrest numerous felony suspects. Lieutenant Risen was part of the Investigations Bureau where his excellent investigator skills and strong work ethic earned him his appointment as Investigations Bureau Commander. As a Commander, he trained and mentored many of the police department's investigators. Lieutenant Risen also supervised the Asian Gangs and Narcotics Task Force. It was in this capacity that his investigations and role during a narcotic shoot out, earned him the Distinguished Service Medal in 1998. During the course of his career, he received numerous letters of appreciation and commendations for his work. Several of those letters recognized his compassion and aid to victims of violent crimes. Fellow law enforcement officers, friends and neighbors can all testify to his strength of character. I commend Lieutenant Risen's commitment to public service. He will be missed by many, but we all wish him the best in his retirement and thank him for his many years of service.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Deputy David William March of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who was tragically killed in the line of duty on Monday, April 29, 2002. Deputy March, a resident of Saugus, California, lost his life while making a routine traffic violation stop in Irwindale, California. A seven-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, he was honored to become part of this esteemed agency. His tenacity and dedication became trademark qualities for which he was known. Deputy March will be remembered as a kind, gentle man who was compassionate to all creatures. He would regularly bring home stray dogs to his wife of five years, Teresa, and his stepdaughter, Kayla. His mother, Barbara, remembers her son as a caring man who always defended the little guy. Deputy March's colleagues recall him as an honest, hard-working man who loved his job. Deputy March will be deeply missed by his family, including his father, John, his brother, James, and his sister, Erin, as well as his friends and coworkers. I am saddened by the loss of such a fine member of our community and wish his family and loved ones my deepest sympathy by acknowledging him today. Let us remember Deputy David William March as a loving husband, father, son, brother, and hero.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, during these delicate times of instability, I do not believe that this Congress should be voting on a resolution regarding the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian territories. I believe that this resolution we are debating today--H. Res. 392-- does not serve any great purpose but only serves to undermine the Administration's efforts to negotiate a peaceful settlement to the conflict in the Middle East. Our overall mission should be a resolution to the fighting; debating this measure at this time does not accomplish that mission.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Barbara McGrath as she completes her fellowship in my office this week and returns to her permanent position at the U.S. Department Defense's National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Barb joined my office last May and quickly became an integral part of my staff. As a full time Legislative Fellow, Barb handled several key issues that are important to my constituents--tax relief for working families, the preservation of Social Security for our senior citizens and the viability of our community's small businesses just to name a few. She worked tirelessly to research the background for my bill H.R. 3015, The Working Families Tax Rebate, which would provide an immediate $300 payroll tax refund to families that didn't qualify for one under President Bush's plan. If passed, this law would have benefited the 29 million workers who paid payroll taxes but did not earn enough to receive an income tax rebate last year. Barb also coordinated the multiple newsletters we have sent to my district's senior citizens, informing them about Congressional efforts to guarantee the security of Social Security adjust the Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment and provide an affordable prescription drug benefit under Medicare. And she was instrumental in helping arrange a small business fair for my community. Her knowledge of defense issues was also especially important in the days following the tragic events of Sept. 11. In fact, Barb made such a contribution to my staff that we negotiated with NFMA to extend her fellowship, which was scheduled to end in December, through early May. But Barb has been more than a dedicated staff member. She has also become a key contributor to the camaraderie in my office. The unique perspective she brought to her fellowship enabled everyone in my office to approach their jobs from a different angle. And with her witty and insightful comments about everything from personal Issues to professional ones, she was quickly dubbed the office favorite. I know she will be dearly missed, and I wish her well in her future endeavors.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, as we work to create welfare reform legislation, we must make sure that TANF recipients have access to higher education and suitable child care. Recipients need to earn higher wages that will lift them out of the cycle of poverty. Forty-four percent of adults receiving TANF cash assistance in 1999 lacked a high school diploma or a GED certificate. In my district alone, the female recipients there had less than an eighth grade education. In Los Angeles County, about 41 percent of the TANF caseload are limited-English proficient. That is to say that they do not speak English. Their primary language may be Spanish or even Chinese. Clearly, TANF recipients need educational opportunities before they can qualify for high-quality paying jobs and livable wages, not just minimum-wage jobs. Given this reality, I am disappointed that the Bush administration has chosen to ignore the need to extend educational opportunities. We cannot get people into good jobs if they only have 12 months of training. We need to extend that to 2 years, at a minimum, so that they can go on into higher education.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a Member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues to recognize the horrific Armenian Genocide. Today we mark the 87th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, where, in 1915, 1.5 million men, women and children died at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Another 500,000 Armenians were forcibly deported, deprived of their homes, their possessions and their homeland. Many of these refugees made their way to the United States, and it is with pride that we recognize today the more than 1 million people of Armenian descent who live in our great nation. However, it is with regret that we admit today that our nation, which has seen first-hand the effects of that brutal genocide, still refuses to acknowledge this crime against humanity. This injustice must be corrected. Today our children learn about other plights in our world's history, such as slavery and the Holocaust. But our voices remain mute when it comes to the genocide of innocent Armenian men, women and children. But our children need to learn that on April 24, 1915, hundreds of Armenian leaders were murdered in Istanbul after being summoned and gathered. Soon, the rampage spread to the Armenian people who were led to slaughter across the Ottoman Empire. It is imperative that these events be recognized as a genocide, and this recognition can only be realized if our government has the courage to stand up and proclaim the truth. Unless this crime against humanity is acknowledged and compensated for, we run the risk of somehow repeating it. I urge my colleagues and President Bush to do the right thing and join me this evening in affirming the existence of the Armenian Genocide.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) as it celebrates its 25th year of working towards strengthening the participation of all Latinos in our great democracy. Founded in 1976, NALEO was established as a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization of the nation's Latino elected and appointed officials. Later in 1981, NALEO Education Fund was instituted to politically empower the greater Latino community. Because of such efforts, NALEO has significantly contributed to the sizeable increase of Latino elected officials over the past couple decades. Today, NALEO is well recognized as the leading nationwide organization of Latino political empowerment. I especially applaud the efforts of the NALEO Education Fund, which conducts a series of programs geared towards integrating Latino immigrants into American society, developing future leaders among Latino youth, providing assistance and training to the nation's Latino elected and appointed officials, and conducting research on issues important to the Latino community. I would like to congratulate Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of NALEO for his excellent leadership. I have long supported NALEO and the NALEO Education Fund and offer my sincerest congratulations on a very successful 25 years.

Mr. SOLIS

Mr. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the El Monte Women's Club as they celebrate their Centennial Anniversary of service to the community. On April 18, 1902, 34 women converted a three-year old Shakespearean Club into the El Monte Women's Club. A year later, the El Monte Women's Club became chartered as a San Gabriel Valley District, California Federation of Women's Clubs. The guiding principle of the Club is to unite women's clubs and like organizations throughout the world to benefit and promote their common interests in education, public welfare, moral values, civic, and fine arts. Throughout its 100 years, the El Monte Women's Club has instituted a tradition of community service benefitting the residents of El Monte. Today, the club is the largest non-denominational women's volunteer service organization in the city. Members of the club are largely women that take great pride in their commitment to provide scholarships for youth in the community. Among the many programs sponsored by the club, the El Monte Women's Club actively sponsors programs on gerontology, environmental issues, and DARE Red Ribbon celebrations. Membership in the El Monte Women's Club today consists of 65 women dedicated to serving the community's needs, while providing opportunities to develop personal leadership skills, educating the public, stimulating civic consciousness and commemorating women's history. It gives me great pride to honor and congratulate the El Monte Women's Club for its 100 years of contributions to the community.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, what an interesting debate to talk about welfare when I know we are really trying to talk about hunger and poverty and children and the fact that legal immigrant children should not be treated differently just because maybe they speak a different language. Maybe they have parents from another country. Maybe they even have parents who are serving this country in the military. Some of those very parents represent children in my district. They are serving us right now proudly in Afghanistan and my colleagues are telling them that they cannot have food on the table, that they are not going to get a meal even though their dad or mom is probably out there serving our country on a 24-hour watch. That is what we are talking about. The face of these children is not someone who just came over the border, and let me further say that some of these immigrant families, a majority happen to be children. They are not all on welfare. Many of them just lost their jobs. Believe it or not, there is a recession that is going on; and in our districts where unemployment is up to 9 and 10 percent, there are people who are very hungry. They are not looking necessarily for a free handout. They are going to have to be here for 4 years and work. They are going to have to be here to prove themselves worthy of this kind of assistance that our great country should make available. I think immigrants come to this country because they know there is a better life here for them; but most come with the thought that they are going to be working hard, and we should justly support this motion to instruct the conferees to reinstate those benefits and allow for children as well as seniors and as well as families, working families who are in this situation now, where recession is hitting them hard, they do not have enough food to provide three meals a day. Some are lucky enough at school, our children, that they get maybe a snack there; and my colleagues are telling them that they cannot have the opportunity to have a full stomach for tonight. I think that is a bad message to send.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in disappointment at the action that will take place today on the floor, and that is to instruct conferees on the farm bill to remove the provision of food stamps for legal immigrants. We talk about legal immigrants. Let us really put a face to it. Let us look at who these people are. They serve in our wars; they are serving in the military. Many of them are grandparents, many are children. They are here legally. They are playing by the rules. Their families pay into the tax base. The President has said he wants to honor them and give them food stamps; but his own party, the Republican Party, wants to take that away. We are sending mixed messages here, and I would hope we could unite around this whole concept of compassionate giving to people who earn their way here in the country. I would ask that the conferees and everyone please take hold of this situation, address it, and help to feed the children, the hungry children, in our districts. Right now in my own district there are about 37 percent immigrant families. Of that, those kids do not have enough to have food on their table. They do not have cereal. They did not have a banana. They did not have milk today, like you and I may have had. Let us make sure we do our best to defend those children.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, the Bush Administration has broken promise after promise in their attempt to destroy our country's most basic environmental laws. These broken promises and bad decisions are not hurting big corporate contributers. Instead, they will hurt those families who are working to put food on their table. In particular, President Bush's recent decision not to reinstate the Superfund tax will ensure that the cost for cleaning up polluted communities will be paid by taxpayers instead of those who made the mess. President Bush's decision is no better than another worthless tax break for the rich. By failing to reinstate the Superfund tax, President Bush is saying that he believes that families fighting to make ends meet should foot the bill while polluting industries profit. Polluters should pay to clean up their messes, not profit from destroying the environment and their neighbor's health. How can we in good conscience allow corporations to profit without making them pay to clean up their pollution? I am hopeful that this chamber will address this issue in the near future before families have to pay one more cent for a mess that they didn't make.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Republican's misnamed pension protection bill. Rather than prevent future Enrons, the Republican version of their plan only weakens our current pension laws and ignores the very basic reforms that Enron's disaster created for us. Mr. Speaker, unlike the Republican version of pension reform, our bill would give employees a voice about their pension plans. It requires a employee representative to serve on pension boards. What a great idea. I am sure that the Enron employees who recently lost their life savings would have loved to have had an opportunity to be at the table to discuss how their pension plan funds would be spent. Eliminating the disparity between employer and employee pension protection goes way beyond just making up the composition of a board. We must also close the loopholes that provide greater legal protections for executive retirement plans. Because of this loophole, Enron executives not only rescued their money from a sinking ship, but they were also able to shield their luxurious homes and other assets from attacks by general creditors during the bankruptcy. Once again, the hard-working rank-and-file men and women of Enron do not enjoy such protections. Instead, they are vulnerable and left to defend for themselves. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic substitute eliminates this special treatment for executives and levels the playing field for employees. I urge my colleagues to support the Democratic substitute.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be here tonight with the gentleman from Washington to talk about this issue. It is something that is very, very deeply felt amongst my community. Many from my district and the 31st Congressional District in California know that we are faced with some tremendous challenges, some that the gentleman spoke about tonight, that resonate with the constituents that I represent. The district that I represent is, for lack of a better word, one under siege because we have a lot of environmental impacts that have affected this district for the last 50, or maybe 75 years. I happen to represent a district that has 17 abandoned mining pits, pits that will never be filled at this point in time, that affect the health of children and seniors that live in the surrounding community. Businesses do not want to locate in that surrounding area because property values have gone down. What do we do with those empty pits and the families and children that are faced with increasing rates of asthma, heart disease and cancer attributed to the deaths and the particulate matter the gentleman spoke of earlier? We need to do something besides talk about it. We need to provide legislative relief and funding so research can be done into this area. I am very concerned about the lack of leadership on the part of this administration to move forward in putting forth environmental justice legislation. I have to say, while as a member in the State Senate in California, after two trials of getting a law put forward, we finally were able to get environmental legislation passed and signed by our Governor. That was the first piece of legislation signed into law in the country. Shame on us, and shame on this administration and others that have not taken note of that dire need to do something for our communities. People in my district right now are crying out to see that laws that are currently in place are enforced. We find also that many of the water tables that are in my district are also contaminated and polluted. I represent a district that has four Superfund sites, two that were just recently closed. The BKK, now in my neighboring district, will be in my new district. People are concerned. The city wants to build a golf course and other entertainment and physical activities, sports related; but what measures are being put in place to safeguard the people that will use that facility? EPA needs to be at the table to have the resources to clean up these toxic sites and do something about it. I am also concerned about the fact that materials are not published in different languages for communities that I represent. My district is 58 percent Latino. Many in that community are not English speakers. They are either Asian or Latino. What are we doing about making sure that our communities of color, just because they are low income does not mean that they do not care about environmental justice and how their children are raised. We need to put some enforcement and make sure that the language capabilities are put in place so people can understand the dangers of having their house next to a site that is toxic. Or if there is a landfill that a person lives nearby, that the contaminants that are in that landfill, while they seep through our water table, how that affects our drinking water. The gravel pits, what about the dust and particulate matter that has an adverse effect on the health of children and senior centers? We need to do much more in terms of enforcement and protections for our communities. In fact, Latinos, almost by 96 percent, feel we ought to be doing more to prioritize the environment. Study after study after study show that the Latino community is ready to see these protections put in place. Let us put our money where our mouth is. As Earth Day approaches, I would ask my colleagues to join in activities at our districts to help bring greater awareness amongst people of color and the disadvantaged who need to understand that policymakers like ourselves truly want to see some changes with respect to the environment so that we protect and value Mother Nature and our Earth. I am working very hard to try to get the National Park Service to come in and do a study on one of the largest urban conservancies in the country where 7 million people reside. Many of those people are low income, many are people of color. This is one of the last acreages that is available where we still see wildlife and habitat, where the watersheds are not paved over like the L.A. River in California. We do not want our rivers paved. We want open space and ability for our communities to recreate, to enjoy open habitat and wildlife. Mr. Speaker, we need to have resources and we need to have a hearing on this bill. That is why I am joining with the gentleman and congratulate the gentleman for bringing this issue to the floor, because it is something that is imperative for the community I represent. Mr. Speaker, ``muchos en mi districto quieren mejorar esta communidad y limpiar el agua y el aire.'' The translation is, ``Many in my district are supportive of improving our community and cleaning the water and air.''

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the end of a five- year ban on girls attending school in Afghanistan. On Saturday, for the first time since the oppressive Taliban regime usurped control of Afghanistan, young women will finally be able to return to the process of learning without fear of punishment, violence or even death. It is fitting that we celebrate this new beginning today--March 21st, New Year's Day in Afghanistan--for today is truly a new day for this desert nation in central Asia. Today, home schools that were deemed illegal under Taliban rule are moving out from beneath the cloak of secrecy and into the light of legitimacy. Today, girls who once shared a few outdated books and a handful of pens and notebooks now have access to some of the 40,000 stationary kits, 10,000 School-in-a-Box kits, 7.8 million, textbooks and 18,000 chalkboards provided by the UNICEF Back-to-School Campaign. Today, women and girls who once hid their instruments of learning under their shawls as they cautiously made their way home after a lesson can now carry books through the streets without fear. Prior to the civil war that propelled the Taliban to power, women in Afghanistan, and especially the capital of Kabul, were highly educated and employed. Seventy percent of school teachers, 50 percent of civilian government workers and 40 percent of doctors in Kabul were women. And at Kabul University, females comprised half of the student body and 60 percent of the faculty. In fact, the Afghani Constitution, which was ratified in 1964, had an equal rights provision for women contained within it. It is clear that in order for women in Afghanistan to regain a position of equality, quality education programs must be made available to the girls in Afghanistan. I commend UNICEF and the Interim Afghan Government for the Back-to- School effort and look forward to seeing more than 1.5 million children on the school-house steps on Saturday.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today as a Member of the Hellenic Caucus to recognize the great nation of Greece and celebrate its 181st anniversary of independence from the Ottoman Empire. We all know of ancient Greece as the birthplace of democratic ideals, from Solon, the lawmaker who framed Athens' Constitution; to Pericles, the leader of that City-State's democratic political movement; and the philosophers Socrates and Plato. However, 181 years ago Greece engineered a new democratic movement by overthrowing the Ottoman Empire which had ruled the nation for more than 400 years and declaring independence. The war for independence began on March 25, 1821, in the monastery of Hagia Lavra, Kalavryta. It was here that Germanos, the bishop of Paleon Patron, raised the banner of the revolution and blessed the arms of the captains of the revolting Greeks. The Greeks' struggle for freedom inspired many Americans, who noted the parallels to our own revolutionary battle just 46 years prior. In fact, many Americans left our country to fight for Greek independence, and the U.S. Congress also provided financial assistance for the war effort. And today, many citizens of Greek descent--including nearly 1,000 in my district, the 31st District of California--call the United States their home. Indeed, with more than 3 million people of Greek descent living in the United States, our commitment to this great Hellenic nation has not diminished. Indeed, it grows stronger every day. From our mutual efforts to establish peaceful relations in the Balkans to the transfer of the Olympic Games from Salt Lake City to Athens, the United States and Greece have worked hand-in-hand. It is my hope that this relationship will grow and prosper as the years continue. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in commemorating Greek Independence Day and saluting the people of Greece for their contributions to our own wonderful nation and the world.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my disappointment and discouragement with respect to the Republican budget proposal. We are failing the working men and women, children and seniors. My constituents elected me to come here to talk about issues that we are not having a fair chance to discuss. That is why the other side of the aisle hears our loud tone of voice and our cry. There are thousands of people in our districts who are unemployed who were affected long before September 11, who had some hope, who thought that our leadership, that our President, was going to leave no child behind. The President has decimated our budget with respect to education. He has made promises and broken them. People will have their energy bills cut. The LIHEAP program is going to be slashed. People will have to make a decision whether to buy food or pay the light bill. This is a harsh reality of the Republican proposal, and I stand here to say this is not acceptable and that my constituents in the 31st Congressional District want their voices heard. We want to be able to have our amendments in our presentations in our committees. I ask for a ``no'' vote on the Republican budget proposal.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Chairman, during rollcall vote No. 63 on an amendment to H.R. 2146 to provide for a study of the impact of the legislation I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Stated against: