Bennie Thompson

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey.

Mr. THOMPSON. If the gentleman will yield, I agree wholeheartedly, this is a great country. All of us opted not just to be citizens, but to participate in the process by getting elected to Congress. That in itself is a noble gesture, but I think the fact that we agreed to challenge the system inside the system, that is important, just like we are having this debate tonight on affirmative action. Clearly we have to highlight affirmative action as we go along. I look forward to it. We have now been joined by the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Donald Payne, who as we know is the new chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. The caucus has taken a leadership role in the affirmative action debate that will be going on over the next few weeks and months to come. Mr. Speaker, for the sake of the Record, I would ask the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Payne], where is the caucus with respect to this notion of revisiting affirmative action?

Mr. THOMPSON. I think that is the question of leadership, and the question of leadership in the affirmative action debate is whether or not the leaders of this country are strong enough to recognize that we do have individuals and groups in this country that have not established a parity with the rest of the country. And we have to create opportunities for those individuals to move up. But the leadership is very important in this issue. It is easy to talk about we live in America, I want America to be color-blind. But the test of leadership is whether or not we can put together legislation that would allow opportunities for all Americans to rise to the top. If corporate America recognizes that diversity is important in doing business, then why can we not in government assume our rightful place in creating those opportunities too? I venture to say that, as we all know, minorities are great consumers of service. And if corporate America understands that minorities spend money and they approach that, why can't we in government reciprocate by allowing minorities to participate in all levels of Government? And when that participation is not there, we should crate the vehicle to allow that participation to occur.

Mr. THOMPSON. I think one of the notions also is the fact that affirmative action in the minds of some people has failed, and I think it is clear that of the statistics that we have been able to find in this country, the good that has come about has been because of affirmative action programs, and I shudder to think what and where we would be as a Nation if, in fact, many of the laws that we are presently operating under would not be in place. For instance, if we had parity in this country as African-Americans with whites, according to the census there would be 9,559 fewer unemployed black adults because parity would mean that more African- Americans would be employed. But more so than that, there would be 6.9 million fewer black persons in poverty, and one of the things I am trying to relate to it, there is a correlation between discrimination and poverty as we talk about affirmative action. Because if the job market, if the contract market, if the educational market is not available to certain individuals, then the likelihood that they will live in poverty is greatly increased. So what we are trying to do is provide a vehicle for individuals to move upward in this country. We would not like to see race, section, or age as an impediment to moving forward. And the framers of many of these affirmative action goals have outlined that these are ways you move up. As we look at some of the other statistics, let us talk about Federal contract procurement. Of the $182 billion percent going to minorities. Well, that is not where it should be. It has been only because we have had some affirmative action laws on the book that we have that much. The same goes for higher education. If we look at almost $20 billion in grants going from the Federal Government to universities, we find less than 4 percent going to historically black colleges and universities. Well, the numbers go on and on. Until we are able to find a replacement for affirmative action, because clearly most of us will agree that affirmative action, if we did not have it, minorities would be further back than they are now. So I subscribe to the notion that we have to not throw the baby out with the bath water. What we have to do is strengthen the existing law, so that all minorities can in fact one day have that parity that I am talking about that is not here. The numbers bear that out. So without this parity, we have to have laws on the books to encourage opportunities for minorities. So I am convinced that we have to have it.

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. I am glad you made that point, Mr. Clyburn. I think the point we have tried to make so far is that affirmative action recognizes that this country in its history has not been fair to everybody. And what we have done by those various laws is to enact opportunities for the affected class so that they can in effect compete. But if you look at the statistics, as you talked about the studies, we see that of all the physicians in this country, only 2 percent are minority. Of all the engineers in this country, only 3 percent are minorities. But as you move forward and look into the professional schools, if you look at the law schools in terms of the ABA-sanctioned law schools and approved, the majority of them have only one African-American faculty member, and a substantial number have zero. So what we have to do in this country is encourage diversity, we have to encourage inclusion. But for the most part we still have a long way to go. And in this entire discussion of affirmative action, nobody has talked about a remedy to replace it. They are just saying that in effect we have to do away with it. I submit to you that if we do away with it, and again another quote that came up over the weekend says that as we move toward a color-blind society, which we do not have, the shock therapy of eliminating all preference will defy and destroy our society. It is wrong. Another Republican made that statement. They recognize that this is political dynamite that you are playing with, because all the people that most of us know feel very dear about that. You know it is being debated in California. Some of us are prepared from a remedy standpoint to encourage our friends and associates to look at doing like we did in the State of Arizona. Perhaps if they had gone so far as to deny minorities opportunities or to take affirmative action laws off the books, then we should perhaps look toward going elsewhere and spending our dollars. And that is one of the responses to this madness over affirmative action that I think you will see more of. But clearly we cannot allow in the freest country in the world people to start moving backward, taking freedoms and opportunities away from many of the people who built this country by the sweat of their brow, for slave wages, even though most of us were slaves at the time. And we cannot continue to let this go. So I submit to you the statistics bear out that there is still a need for affirmative action. The statistics bear out the fact that even though there are a lot of laws and orders on the book, that we still need to work at it. And now is not the time to take those laws off the book. Because indeed if we do, we would in fact inflict such a wound on this country that I am not sure that it would ever heal.

Mr. THOMPSON. If the gentleman will yield on that point, I served on the board of supervisors in the largest county in the State of Mississippi, and one of the notions we looked at was inclusion. When we looked at employment, when we looked at contracts, when we looked at the whole county government, we saw a void of minorities, both women and people of color. We devised a minority preference program, we created an affirmative action program for employment, and I am happy to report that over a period of 6 years to 7 years we increased our contracting from less than 1 percent with minorities to over 25 percent. We had very little opposition to it. We presented this as the right thing to do, that you cannot expect people who are taxpayers, who make up a significant portion of a community, to just be totally ignored. To ignore it would be in effect illegal in my estimation, especially when you know it is wrong, and you have to plan the corrective action. We did it, it worked, and I am happy to report, as I said to the gentleman, that our county now leads the State in contracting as well as employment. So, it works if you are committed to it. But if you are not committed to making it work, it will not work.

Mr. THOMPSON. I thank the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Clyburn], and I applaud him for reserving this time to talk about what probably will be the most explosive issue debated during the 104th Congress. What I would like to do is, believe it or not, to quote a Republican on the affirmative action issue before I start. Last Sunday in a ``Meet the Press'' program, Jack Kemp said that affirmative action is a dagger pointed straight at the heart of America. Basically what he is saying is, if this country plays the race card, in effect, we are going to split this country right down the middle. I submit that we can do better. This is the greatest country in the world. We have risen to the occasion in times of adversity in the past, and I think before we succumb to what is called the angry white male syndrome, we need to take a deep breath and look. While we will do that, Mr. Speaker, let me just say that sometimes, being from the State of Mississippi, I am convinced that many of the affirmative action and civil rights laws that we have on the books came because my State did not treat African-Americans properly. Our history is a history that is laden with bodies, it is laden with blood, it is laden with a lot of things we are embarrassed about. Just to give a few indications, my State is one of a few that is yet to adopt equal opportunity in employment and other things as a law of the land. You, yourself, directed for a number of years the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission. We tried unsuccessfully for about 10 years to get our State to adopt it. The only recourse we had was to go to the Federal laws through EEOC and others to get employers and other people to do the right thing. Clearly there is a need for affirmative action. But taking it along with what the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Hilliard] said earlier, the history of it from the standpoint on education and any other prerequisite you can look at, all of us went to school systems that operated under the dual system, supposedly separate and equal, but, as we know, they were separate and unequal. Much of the education and experience we received was inadequate. Nonetheless, some of us survived. But the point to be made is that if we had not had affirmative action, many of the schools that are now integrated would not be there. For myself, I wanted to be a lawyer. Unlike Mr. Hilliard and most of the other Members here, law school was not an option for me in my State, but nonetheless some other people went. My State went so far as to say we will send you to any school out of State you want to go to as long as you do not want to go to a white school. That was unfortunate. They paid 3 times the money to send me out of State to school than to let me go to a school in that State. So there are a number of things that we have to understand. But I think we cannot let this color-blind notion fool us. If we think America is a color-blind society, we are fooling ourselves. It is a good code word but it does not work. It does not work simply because all of the Presidents since that initial Executive Order that you referred to earlier, every President since Kennedy has renewed that Executive Order. So, up until now we are operating under executive orders that talk about affirmative action being the law of the land. As we go into this discussion we will quote some statistics to the people listening to show that even with the laws on the books we still have a long way to go. So what I would like to do is reserve the balance of the time for the colloquy that we will enter into to just discuss the whole notion of affirmative action and make sure there is some understanding. But the last point is, without moving it too far, you really have to have been a victim of what we are talking about to really understand it. For most of us who are over 45, we never had new textbooks in our community, we never had the opportunity to play in a public playground or swim in a public swimming pool, and so some of us take very was the only opportunity that many of us ever received. Many of our relatives left our communities because they had no opportunity, they had to go north, they had to go west, so affirmative action programs allowed me to stay in Mississippi and pursue a career and ultimately end up in Congress. But had we not had those programs that allowed that opportunity to exist, many of those individuals who are here today would not be here because there was no cover or no support for that effort. So I look forward to the debate and the discussion on this, and there are some very startling statistics from the employment standpoint and other things that will highlight what we are talking about.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I would congratulate the gentleman from Louisiana, [Mr. Fields], and other Members who put this special order on. Indeed, this is, as you know, Black History Month. I think it is fitting and proper that at every opportunity we get we should highlight the importance of African-Americans to this country. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Black History Month by paying tribute to the late Fanny Lou Hamer, who rose from a sharecropper on a Mississippi plantation to a prominent position as one of America's most distinguished human rights leaders. Mrs. Hamer revolutionized the Mississippi Democratic party by helping to organize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which was established in 1964, to organize disenfranchised citizens. The party's primary goal was to challenge the exclusion of African- Americans from the Mississippi Democratic party. Mrs. Hamer was a powerful orator, a courageous leader who led by example. She encouraged people to register and vote. In 1964 Mrs. Hamer ran for Congress on a Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party ticket. Because of the discriminatory practices of the Mississippi Democratic Party, Mrs. Hamer led the fight to challenge the seating of the delegates of the Mississippi Democratic Party at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City, NJ. Even though she was unsuccessful in this effort, the State Democratic Party eventually became a diverse party. The most visible result of her struggle is the fact that an African- American is now serving as chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. In addition, Mississippi currently has more African-American elected officials than any other State in the Nation. Even though Mrs. Hamer had little formal education, she always encouraged young people to obtain a good education. She was the recipient of honorary doctorate degrees from numerous colleges and universities across the country for her civil rights activism. In the 103d Congress, I introduced a bill, which became law, that designated the post office in Ruleville, MS, in honor of Mrs. Hamer. Last Saturday, we dedicated the post office in her honor. Last Saturday we dedicated the post office in her honor with over 700 people present. It is ironic that with the assaults on affirmative action and the playing of the race card by many Members of this body that Fannie Lou, if she was here tired. So, again, I compliment the people for putting this special order on. I compliment the gentleman from Louisiana for taking the leadership in this, and I look forward to the debate on other issues as they come forward.

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of livable wage for all Americans by the year 2000. Congressmen Clyburn and Hilliard and I have introduced a bill, H.R. 768, that moves the debate from a minimum wage to a livable wage. Many Americans who work in retail establishments such as McDonald's already earn more than $5 per hour. The current minimum wage of $4.25 per hour amounts to approximately $9,000 a year. No individual or family can live at a decent level on this income. Contrary to popular belief, two-thirds of minimum wage workers are adults and not teenagers. The minimum wage has not been raised since April 1, 1991, nearly 4 years ago. For the richest country in the world, this is a national disgrace. All of us know that the cost of goods and services have risen over this time period. By supporting a liveable wage, we send a clear signal to the Nation of our support for the working poor. Let us vote for a livable wage and index future increases so that all American families can keep up with the rising cost of living. My constituents in Mississippi deserve it. Your constituents deserve it. We must demand it.

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize Mr. Fred Jackson, Sr. of Jackson, MS. Mr. Jackson reached the age of 115 in January 1995. Thus, he is one of the oldest persons in the United States. He was born in the Cauldville community near Canton, MS in 1880. He was married to Mrs. Fronie Jackson who is now deceased and is the father of one son, Mr. Fred Jackson, Jr. Mr. Jackson worked as a farmer and carpenter for many years. He has been a devoted member of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. He enjoys fishing, hunting and helping people. Mr. Jackson also enjoys reading the Bible. He attributes his long life to his strong religious beliefs and treating every person with respect. I congratulate Mr. Jackson on a long and fruitful life and his important contributions to the Jackson community.

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to congratulate the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. and the National Eldercare Institute for a historic conference which honored older women. In October 1991, the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, to establish a National Eldercare Institute on Older Women [NEIOW]. Dr. Dorothy Height, the president of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Dr. Height's vision was to bring issues concerning older women onto a national platform. A major goal of the NEIOW, 1 of 13 institutes nationwide, is to advocate for the diversity of experience and broad spectrum of needs, issues, and concerns of older women. Collaborative and cooperative relationships were established and maintained with national aging and women organizations, voluntary and professional organization, private businesses, churches, and other entities. These efforts resulted in the Administration on Aging and the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., National Eldercare Institute on Older Women, sponsoring the first National Conference on Older Women: Challenges in an Aging Society. The conference brought together over 60 organizations and approximately 400 participants working cooperatively to implement the first national conference on older women. There were five main objectives of the conference: First, offer participants indepth experiential training based on three tracks i.e., consumer/senior advocates, service providers and education research; second, increase awareness of cultural diversity and needs of women; third, expand knowledge of multicultural issues; fourth, improve skills in working effectively in multicultural settings; and fifth, encourage networking with aging specialists and national aging and women's organizations. Mr. Speaker, I also want to salute Dr. Dorothy A. Idleburg of Hinds County, MS. Dr. Idleburg, currently the director, of the National Eldercare Institute on Older Women, is on leave of absence as associate professor and chairperson of the sociology department and director of gerontology program, Tougaloo College, Tougaloo, MS. As director of the National Institute on Older Women, Dr. Idleburg took great pride in planning and implementing the national conference held in Washington, DC in September 1993. The institute under the leadership of Dr. Idleburg, continues to serve as an advocate for issues affecting older women.

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I stand before my colleagues today to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Dr. Walter Washington, a distinguished educator and community leader of Jackson, MS. Dr. Washington retired as President of Alcorn State University in Lorman, MS, in 1993 after serving as president for 25 years. Prior to his service as president of Alcorn State University, he served as president of Utica Junior College in Utica, MS. Thus, for several years, Dr. Washington held the distinction of being the longest serving college president in the United States. Dr. Washington, a native of Hazlehurst, MS, was educated in the public schools of Copiah County, MS. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Tougaloo College, and graduate degrees from Indiana University, Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, and the University of Southern Mississippi. Under his leadership, Alcorn State University increased its enrollment and expanded its academic programs and facilities. He also served as an excellent role model for college students because of his strong emphasis on academic excellence and community service. In addition, Dr. Washington has held leadership positions in numerous local, State, and national organizations. He has been president of the Mississippi Teachers Association, national president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and national president of the Alumni Council of the United Negro College Fund. Dr. Washington has also been a member of the board of directors of the Mississippi Power and Light Co., the Entergy Corp., Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Mississippi, and the Southern Regional Education Board. He has been listed in Outstanding Educators of America, Who's Who Among Black Americans, and in Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 most influential Black Americans. I congratulate Dr. Washington for an outstanding career in education and public service and wish him well in his future endeavors. Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1995 No. 17 House of Representatives

Mr. THOMPSON

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to recognize the outstanding achievements of William ``W.C.'' Gorden of Jackson, MS. Gorden, a long- time instructor, coach and athletic administrator at Jackson State University, is an outstanding educator, civic leader, and mentor to many young people. He has a national reputation for his athletic accomplishments and community involvement. During his extensive professional career, he has been recognized by his peers as one of the top football coaches in the National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] Division 1-AA. When he retired from coaching in 1991, he ranked third among active NCAA Division 1-AA football coaches in winning percentage. During the decade of the 1980's, he led Jackson State University to eight Southwestern Athletic Conference [SWAC] football championships. He has been named ``Coach-of- the-Year'' by the Clarion Ledger newspaper, the Sheridan Broadcasting Network and the National Sports Foundation. During his tenure as Head Football Coach, many players have been drafted into the national Football League. Another measure of his success is the fact that several members of his former coaching staff are currently serving as Head Football Coaches at other universities. Under his leadership of the Athletic Department, all of Jackson State University's sports programs have been strengthened, the football program has led the nation in home attendance among NCAA Division 1-AA teams, and the university has received several awards from the SWAC conference for its outstanding athletic programs. Coach Gorden's community involvement is very extensive. He lectures at numerous youth clubs and organizations and elementary and secondary schools. He has also been active in the local Easter Seal telethon and has organized free football clinics for underprivileged youths. He has also encouraged JSU athletes to register to vote and become active in civic affairs. I salute Coach Gorden for his outstanding accomplishments at Jackson State University and in the Jackson community.