Hilda Solis

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 3 on January 23, 2002 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 2 on Jan. 23, 2002, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, there's been a lot of talk here about the need to get our economy jump-started and about the best way to get that done. We've heard talk of tax cuts for big business that will eventually trickle down to the rest of America. We've heard talk of tax breaks for wealthy individuals. Well, I'm here to tell you that won't work for the community I represent! Some of the cities in my congressional district are facing unemployment levels as high as nine percent. Nine percent! People who are being laid off need help now--not in the future. They need to make sure their unemployment benefits last long enough to help their family make it through the new year. They need to make sure their health care doesn't disappear, leaving their families in the lurch. I urge the leadership of this House to do the right thing for American families and pass a real economic stimulus plan which gives hard-working families a real boost!

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) of the University of California for being selected as one of the five most innovative public programs in the country by Innovations in American Government, a project of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, the Ford Foundation, and the Council for Excellence in Government. I have long supported MESA, which helps educationally disadvantaged students to excel in math and science. MESA encourages students to develop an academic path to college and attain baccalaureate degrees in math and science fields. Parents are encouraged to become involved and learn that college can be a reality for their children. In addition, MESA brings in industry representatives in science fields to introduce the students to science-based career options. Eighty-five percent of MESA's graduating high school seniors go on to college, compared to only fifty percent of California's graduating high school seniors overall. Seven other states have established programs based on California's MESA model. Today, more than twelve percent of the nation's historically underrepresented students who attain baccalaureate degrees in engineering are MESA students. The Innovations in American Government program identifies outstanding problem-solving and creativity in public sector programs. This year 1,200 programs were nominated for the award. These programs underwent an extremely rigorous assessment process before Innovations determined its winners. I applaud MESA on its accomplishments and wish the program continued success in helping California students succeed.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mrs. Cora Hidalgo Holland, my dear friend Michael Aldaco's aunt, who was a victim of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Mrs. Hidalgo Holland led an exemplary life that touched many people's lives. She exercised a subtle kind of leadership and made numerous contributions to her community. Throughout her life of service she became a role model to many. She was very active in her community, helping young, severely ``at-risk'' mothers, Spanish-speaking teenagers, who were largely on their own. Mrs. Hidalgo Holland taught them the basics of parenting and basics of child-rearing and about nutrition, hygiene and intellectual development. She also volunteered at a center that collected and provided free groceries to needy families. Mrs. Hidalgo Holland played an integral role in her family. She showed her unbounded love to those dearest to her because family was of utmost importance to her. Thus, she contributed greatly to their development and happiness. She will be missed by those who loved her dearly for the many blessings she brought. Although her death brought much pain, it served to bring her family closer and to realize the fragility of life and the importance of voicing our love for those we love. I am saddened by the loss of such a fine member of our community. I extend my sincerest condolence to Mrs. Hidalgo Holland's family, as we all mourn the loss of a role model and a exceptional person.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise again to support the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2001, introduced by my good friend, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). The act promotes a strict enforcement of hate crimes, providing Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to prosecute these cowardly crimes. In my own district, in the city of Azusa, we have experienced several hate crimes. In fact, in 1999, 11 hate crimes were reported, Latinos fighting with African Americans. Unfortunately, in this past year, Azusa has already experienced nine hate crimes alone, and those were the only ones that were reported. What about the ones that were not reported? Earlier this month, a Molotov cocktail was maliciously thrown at three different homes, African American families, and almost killed a young child. In one of these outrageous attacks, the bomb landed in the bedroom of a 6-year-old boy. We must stand to protect our children and communities from these hateful actions. I want to be able to tell the people in my district that here in Washington, D.C. we are doing something about hate crimes. We need to empower our law enforcement and give more support to combat hate crimes.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I also want to join my colleagues in support of the rule and the conference report. I am proud to be here to support this education reform legislation. I know this measure is going to go a long way in helping all the students that I represent in my district. I want to applaud our chairman and our ranking member and all the members of the conference committee for their hard work in compromising in this whole area of education reform and making it work so that kids in my district, kids who do not have a fighting chance in many cases, will have an opportunity to learn, and those that are limited-English proficient will be able to acquire those skills, have testing and also be served by teachers that will have enough funding to be credentialed or get that credential. Not only that, I am very, very pleased that the conference committee also encouraged more support for paraprofessionals, paraprofessionals that also work sometimes as instructors with our students, and they help provide a helping hand to many of our students. I want to also commend our side as well as the other side for providing so much support in title I funding for low-income disadvantaged students. Now we can honestly say that we are doing the right thing; that hopefully no child will be left behind; and that in years to come when we look back at the work that has been done here, we can with all assurances know that our effort was not for naught, that we really did do something good to make our children of all cultures and all races a part of the American dream. That American dream means do not leave any child behind and make education available to them in what language they need to acquire English skills. I applaud the conference committee.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the death of Mr. Joe Figueroa Barragan, a labor leader and a dear friend. Mr. Barragan passed away on Sunday, November 18th from a heart attack. Joe Barragan was born in Jalisco, Mexico on May 12, 1957. He immigrated to America at the age of six along with his family and at the age of 31 became a U.S. citizen. Joe Barragan lived a life reflective of the inspiration he gained from Cesar Chavez, the great labor and civil rights leader. Mr. Barragan was often quoted saying ``I believe that we are blessed by God to be in the Labor Movement and we should do our best every day to help improve the lives of others.'' Mr. Barragan's career in the retail grocery business began as a clerk's helper in 1977. A decade later, he became a union representative and field director for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). In 1991, Joe Barragan became President of Local 1428 of the UFCW. During his ten years as President of Local 1428, he earned the reputation of being one of the most progressive and innovative union in the nation. Mr. Barragan also served as National President of United Latinos of UFCW and was former President and Vice President of Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA). Mr. Barragan was also very active in the Democratic Party, having been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1996, participated in the Convention in Los Angeles in 2000. I am pleased that he supported me throughout my career, Mr. Barragan will be truly missed by his wife of 21 years, Renata, his daughters, Lauren and Taylor, his family, friends, and fellow labor brothers and sisters. I am saddened by the loss of such an important member of our community. Mr. Barragan is a true leader that will be remembered for his personal sacrifice and service to his community.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of the most influential Spanish Language newspapers in the United States on its 75th anniversary. Founded on September 16, 1926, La Opinion has played an important role in the development of the Hispanic community by reporting on issues relevant to the many Hispanic subgroups in the United States. La Opinion's journalistic contributions to the Hispanic community are many. Sixty percent of my constituents are Hispanic, they range from newly arrived to fifth generation immigrants. As the leading Spanish language newspaper, my constituents depend on La Opinion for various types of information, including news from their home countries, national events and learning about America's way of life. La Opinion provides useful information for everyday life, creates awareness of local, national and international issues, and promotes political consciousness. La Opinion has established itself as a leader in the information world. It has demonstrated its true commitment to inform and educate the community objectively. However, its success rests most importantly in the ability to present material in a human way and making every story applicable to the reader's life. Once again, I congratulate and commend the staff of La Opinion for their commitment to inform the Latino community in the 31st District of California for the last 75 years.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, For my colleagues pondering their vote on Fast Track Trade Negotiating Authority. And for the American public. I ask you to envision this scene. It was August, 1995. In my district--El Monte, California. Not two years after the North American Free Trade Agreement narrowly passed this House. During a pre-dawn raid, the Immigration and Naturalization Service comes to the rescue, literally, of seventy-two Thai immigrants working in a garment factory. I say ``working,'' but what I really mean is involuntary servitude. These women, forced into slave labor, worked eighteen hours a day in a seven-unit apartment building that served as a sweatshop. Actually, a prison. Some of the women had not been let out of the filthy factory surrounded by razor wire for seven years. Now, many of you find it hard to believe this kind of horrific scene could take place in the United States. Well, it did happen. And not only did it happen in my community, it happens in communities throughout the world. The United States should not reinforce the existence of such horrific practices. And yet, we do--at the behest of a global economy. The presence of sweatshops here and abroad corresponds directly with trade levels. The number of workers employed by maquiladoras in Mexico has tripled since the passage of NAFTA. Now, that may sound good to some. But, you must look close at the picture. Workers caught in maquiladoras on our Southern border are faced daily with extremely low wages and unsafe labor practices. Take the Han Young factory in Tijuana, Mexico for instance. The Han Young factory manufactures parts for Hyundai trucks. This factory has repeatedly failed to provide a safe working environment for its employees. The company refused to provide safety shoes and glasses, chemical resistant gloves, respirators, and face shields. There are even puddles of water beneath high-powered cables--and faulty cranes that repeatedly dropped tractor trailer chassis while they were being worked on. And when the workers tried to band together to create a bargaining unit in order to remedy these serious health risks--the company engaged in a campaign of intimidation in order to stop unionization. Our unbridled pursuit of trade is leading to the further exploitation of the poor throughout the world. I agree that we must engage in trade. However, the most powerful country in the world should be committed to engaging only in fair trade. Our trade agreements must include labor and environmental protections. For, if we do not take the lead on these issues, who will? And, if the plight of the working poor is not enough to persuade you to support a fair trade agreement, please consider the harm that will come to our environment. Many of my Republican colleagues understand the importance of protecting our global environment. And we need only look to the Qatar World Trade Organization negotiations to understand that our U.S. Trade Representative does not consider the environment to be priority. In fact, while in Qatar, the USTR agreed to revisit the status of international environmental treaties already in effect. These negotiations could lead to further destruction of our environment by enabling the WTO to review these agreements. Environmental agreements should not be subject to review by an organization whose sole purpose is to promote business and trade. As we have learned from our environmental movement here, business interests many times conflict with environmental interests. Trade agreements and environmental agreements should remain independent of each other in order to maintain the integrity of both. Join me in opposing H.R. 3005. This version of Fast Track does not ensure safety to workers nor safety to our environment. The world looks to us as leaders in trade. Therefore, we should fulfill that role responsibly and include enforceable labor and environmental protections in all of our trade deals.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. I also want to point out, Mr. Speaker, this other chart that I have before me. What this indicates here is all the layoffs and different service sectors or industries that have been affected from September 12, 2001, to November 19. What these figures portray here is, as the gentlewoman and I know, and as the gentlewoman from Florida stated earlier, large segments of our communities, service employees in the airline industry, lost many jobs. They did not receive one penny of that bail-out that was passed by this House. I, too, did not vote for that legislation because I knew that the workers were not going to receive any type of benefit. According to this chart, it says in transportation alone over 137,291 jobs were lost in that sector alone. In the hospitality, tourism, and entertainment industry we lost 135,783 jobs. Communications and utilities, and I do not think I need to remind folks that in California we were hit pretty hard with our energy crisis. We lost 68,671. This is nationally. In the manufacturing industry, one of the largest segments that has been affected here, 286,717 jobs lost. In retail trade, that is our small businesses, where people are really striving to try to make a difference, we lost 20,000 jobs. In the services, 47,000. In finance, insurance and real estate, 31,000. In public administration, over 12,000 jobs. Other jobs, 82,000 jobs. A total of 747,850 jobs lost that we know of, and this information is being provided to our offices by the AFL-CIO. I would yield time to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for being here tonight, also, and helping to clarify that the stimulus plan that was passed out of this House a few weeks ago did not address those workers that are in need of unemployment insurance. Many Latino workers, because of the fact that they may not work 40 hours and are viewed as part-timers, will not qualify for any assistance. That means their children, their families will go hungry. We cannot ask charities to pick up that, because many of those folks are also hurting. We need to do something here in the House to extend that coverage beyond that, qualify people to make sure that their earnings can be calculated according to a sound method that would treat human beings adequately, because these are workers that support our economy. I appreciate the statements of the kind gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). I yield time to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield time to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman for coming forward today and helping to provide a picture of what is happening in America, the face of the minorities, Latinos, African Americans, people who are disadvantaged, who do not have a voice at the table. The gentleman said that the unemployment rate in some of his cities is as high as 9 percent. In Los Angeles, in East L.A., we have upwards of 9 percent and more, and it is higher for the youth. We know that we are always the last hired and the first fired. We need to do something here to provide a stimulus, to get the Senate, the other House, to understand that these are some major concerns that we have, and they can help work this out.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for joining us here. Joining us here is the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).

Ms. SOLIS. Reclaiming my time, I think the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) makes an excellent point, and in that stimulus program that was passed on the floor Members voted on putting aside $3 billion that would go out to States. Now, if the States have an astute governor, that might make sense because he could be creative and hopefully draw down that money and give it to these people who would not otherwise qualify for unemployment insurance. I am not sure that all the governors in this great country are going to be mindful of these people that we are talking about here tonight. I hope people will heed our concerns and talk to their elected officials as well about garnishing that money and making sure that it goes to those particular families that are not going to be eligible under the categories of unemployment insurance, as well as the loss of health care, COBRA. Many people, because they work for small businesses, did not have health care coverage. We need to put money into Medicaid so that when they do go to the emergency hospital or go get a flu shot, they are going to have something there for them, not next year but this year. I yield time back to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus to highlight the immediate need for an economic stimulus plan in the minority communities we represent. Many minority communities throughout our country have been disadvantaged in various ways throughout our country's history. Historically, Latinos and Latin Americans have had higher rates of unemployment, lower rates of health care coverage, and fewer educational opportunities than do their Anglo counterparts. Now, I know most Members know what I am talking about here. However, I would ask that my colleagues in this House and in the other body keep in mind these historical facts as we seek to craft a meaningful economic stimulus plan. My district and those of my colleagues joining me here this evening are in desperate, desperate need of assistance. We need an economic stimulus package now. Although tax cuts have a role in our economic plan, especially ones similar to a bill that I introduced earlier this year that would grant tax rebates to low-income families who did not receive a rebate as a result of the tax cuts that the President enacted, the most important aspect of any economic stimulus plan is unemployment protection. Latino and African American families in the Los Angeles area, in California, and throughout the country, are being forced to endure the harsh consequences of high, alarmingly high unemployment rates. We know that brings on problems. All I have to do is point out what those current rates are here in my own district and in Los Angeles County. I would like to point out for my colleagues that in one of the cities that I represent in Los Angeles, in South El Monte, we know at the national level right now the unemployment is at 5.9 or 5.4 percent, and in the city of South El Monte, which is largely minority, it is up to 9.3 percent. In the city that I live in alone, it is 7.6 percent. In other areas that I can point out here where high numbers of minorities live, such as in the city of Baldwin Park, a largely working class blue-collar community, unemployment levels are up to 6.8 percent. These figures are already dated, and I can tell the Members now in all honesty that these numbers are going to keep going up. These people have not seen the relief that we have talked about in this House. In the economic stimulus plan we passed a few weeks ago, I know that my residents, the people that I represent, have not seen anything that is going to give them the assurance that we in fact are doing our job here in the House to take care of them. Mr. Speaker, I know that there is much more that we can do. I am also pleased to have join me tonight the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown), the distinguished gentlewoman who is also helping me provide this important information about our minority communities. I know she has a lot to say, and I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I would ask the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Rodriguez) to join us and also ask the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) if she would like to finish up.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I know her district is a lot like mine, many folks that maybe just got laid off from the hotel and restaurant industry that was shattered by the September 11 attack. It hit all of us, no matter where the worker is, and on the chart here, 137,000 or more jobs were lost. What about the people already on the short stick that got pink slips before that disaster? One of things that was an eye-opener for me, I visited one of the unions that had a lot of employees laid off. The union decided to put together a food bank to bring together resources to try to help these people out. What are we doing in this stimulus package that got passed here that is going to provide coverage for those families? I go back to that same thought that the governors can take hold of $3 billion that is earmarked for every State. Every State can go into that pot and get money, but which astute governors are going to do that?

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I just want to encourage the public to know that many of us here in Congress do want to have this very serious debate, but we have been left out. In fact, we have been left out all the time. We are losing jobs. In my district, we are looking at unemployment rates of over 9 percent. I am going to talk about that later on this evening. But the fact of the matter is that the people we are inspiring here in our country to support us, to stick with us, we are telling them one thing and we are doing another. Our actions are showing them that we do not care about the quality of life for our families here. We have to make a statement, and I am proud to be here to say that we cannot go home and turn our backs on working families. Working families want to know that we are going to take care not only of the domestic front here but also those relationships that we want to set across the country. I know that in Tijuana, for example, there is a Hyundai factory along the border there. People tried to organize there, some Mexican workers. They were told not to worry, they will get their opportunity. Women and men were stuck in a situation there that was very unsafe. There were pools of water, electrical lines running, and no safety protections whatsoever. These people were putting their lives at risk to build automobiles that were going to be shipped all over the world and probably right here in our own home States. I know if people in my district knew the conditions that other people were being forced to work under, they would think twice. And nobody talks about that.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, would the gentleman yield?

Ms. SOLIS. The gentleman just hit a real soft spot for me in my heart. My mother, who is now retired, worked for about 25 years for a big toy maker in my district, standing on her feet most of her 20 years there, and now has some very serious problems with her legs. That company employed over 2,000 people in our community. They left. They went to Mexico, then they went to China. We now import those same toys. Many of those toys place harm upon our children because they do not meet our consumer safety standards. And nobody is crying out saying, wait a minute, what have we done here. We let go of these jobs, we let go of those pensions, those health and welfare benefits that went with those families and jobs. They went somewhere else, yet the people making those same items do not have any protections and maybe get 10 cents a day for producing products that they end up sending back here that somebody buys for $20 or $30. That is wrong.

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, just to touch briefly and say, on NAFTA and what is happening in Mexico, there is a big discussion about the rain forest and the decimation of the rain forest in Mexico and South America. There is a big issue regarding timber coming into this country and people from the Mexican side that are saying we are also losing our well-being and our livelihood because we are forced by big corporations to cut down the timber and then send it here and into other parts of the world. We are talking about erosion of our environment. We are talking about degradating the quality of life for Mexicans as well. So who is winning? The big corporations, the big factories. The folks that run those operations do not live there. They live in the ivory tower, but they are taking and reaping some of the resources, the natural resources that currently exist in that country. I can tell my colleagues that Mexico still has a long way to go in terms of providing protections for the working class people there that are suffering every single day and not seeing any kind of return on their work.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise again to urge this chamber to bring the Hate Crime Legislation H.R. 1342 to the floor for a vote. This Nation has seen a sharp rise in hate crimes against individuals perceived to be of Middle Eastern decent or Muslim. I stood right here 3 weeks ago and said there had been over 1,100 reported complaints since September 11th. That number has now jumped to almost 1,500. What is it going to take to get people to realize that hate crimes aren't like other crimes? People are attacked and intimidated because of how they look or where they pray. Assault, harassment, discrimination, death threats, hate mail, and even death are occurring in schools, workplaces, airports, and homes. My own family received a threat. My sister received a call about an anthrax letter being sent to her. Hate crimes terrorize their victims. When a group is targeted no member of the group can feel completely safe. There have been stories of Muslim men shaving their beards and removing their turbans just to feel safe. Our Nation has the will to fight for the freedom of others in Afghanistan. We should make sure we have the will to fight for the freedom from hate crimes in our own country. California has seen one of the largest increases in hate crimes of all the states. Since September 11th in Los Angeles county alone, there have been 156 reported incidents against those perceived to be Arabs or Muslim. This includes 2 homicides. This is a huge increase over last year, when there were just 12 reported incidents in Los Angeles County. I am alarmed at these shameless acts. Our diversity is our strength and we must remain united. Our children learn prejudice and intolerance from us. If we ignore acts of discrimination or make derogatory comments about other cultures, religions or ethnic groups what are we teaching our children? Haven't we had enough? The violence, discrimination and intimidation against our Arab and Muslim neighbors must stop now. Our children must be taught that it's not okay to use derogatory words against people of another race, religion or ethnic group. A hate crime does not have to involve an actual act of violence to start the cycle of tension and deterioration of civil society that leads to violence. Juveniles represent about half of hate crime offenders. Our children need our help to understand hate crimes and to stop the cycle of senseless acts of hate. It's time for Congress to take action against hate and intolerance and bring H.R. 1343, the Hate Crimes bill, to the floor for a vote.

Ms. SOLIS

Ms. SOLIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend on the subject of my Special Order.