Lynn Woolsey

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ellen Straus of Marshall, California, who died on November 30, 2002, after a lifetime of vision, leadership, and dedication to protecting agriculture and assuring its viability in West Marin. Ellen was born in Amsterdam in 1927 to a Jewish family. In February, 1940, fearful of the Nazi threat, they immigrated to New York where her father was able to continue his work as a diamond broker. Ellen, a bright 13-year-old who knew no English, began attending school right away and in 1948 graduated from Bard College with a major in Natural Sciences and Mathematics. When she applied for research jobs, she was asked if she knew typing and shorthand, so, in order to find work, she enrolled in Katherine Gibbs School in New York City to obtain a Business Degree. In 1949 in New York Ellen met William Straus, a rancher from Marin County, California, who, like herself, came from a European Jewish family that had immigrated to the U.S. Bill had received a degree from UC Berkeley in animal husbandry and bought a dairy ranch near Marshall in 1941. Bill and Ellen were married in New York and moved to their ranch on Tomales Bay. Although the work was hard, Ellen loved the ranch and the beautiful Tomales Bay area. She raised four children and taught them what she had learned by observing Hitler's rise to power--the importance of individuals becoming politically involved to create and preserve what is valued in life. Ellen was active in politics, including 14 years on the Democratic Central Committee of Marin. During the 1960's she was a key supporter of the effort to create Point Reyes National Seashore, establishing herself as a visionary who understood that ranchers and conservationists need to work together to preserve open spaces for both agriculture and recreation. She worked hard to develop cooperation between the two groups, and her husband Bill became the first rancher to join the Marin Conservation League. This vision continued to motivate Ellen and Bill as they fought for a new general plan for Marin County in the 1960s to prevent rural West Marin from being carved up for subdivisions and freeways. Realizing that even this successful effort was not enough, Ellen co-founded Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) with Phyllis Faber in 1980. MALT was the first land trust in the country focused on the protection of agriculture. Under MALT, ranchers are paid for the development rights to their land which they continue to own. Under the agreement, they can live on the property and farm or sell to other farmers, always keeping the land in agriculture. Ellen's energy and commitment were key in MALT's success. She served for many years as a Board Member and Chair, and today the agency, with 32,000 acres preserved, is a national model for developing partnerships to protect agricultural land. Ellen also understood the importance of educating the public in the value of agriculture. In the early 1970s she began hosting school groups at the ranch. Soon she was welcoming adults, from politicians to budding environmentalists, including visitors from abroad. Along with a good education and a up-close look at cows, Ellen served homemade apple pie. Today visitor programs to West Marin ranches continue to play a key role in informing the public about the role of agriculture in the community. Ellen cared not only about preserving agriculture but also improving it. Concerned about the quality of food people eat and chemical and hormone additives, Ellen was a leader in developing organic products. She worked with her son Albert, who currently operates the family dairy, to produce the first organic milk west of the Mississippi. The Straus Family Creamery is now well-known for its high quality dairy products and environmental practices. Numerous awards are a testament to Ellen's leadership. These include the Marin Women's Hall of Fame, the White House ``Points of Light,'' and America's highest honor from the American Farmland Trust, the 1998 Steward of the Land award. Ellen was also active in the the Greenbelt Alliance, the Eastshore Planning, Group, the Marin Conservation League, the Marin Community Foundation Neighborhood Achievements program, the Environmental Action Committee, the Tomales Bay Advisory Committee, the Environmental Forum, and West Marin Growers. Ellen was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She is survived by Bill, her husband of 52 years; sister Anneke Prins Simons; her four children: Albert and his wife Jeanne Smithfield; Vivien; Miriam and her husband Alan Berkowitz; and Michael; her four grandsons Isaac, Jonah, Reuben and Eli . . . and 270 milking cows. Mr. Speaker, Ellen Straus will be missed by so many who shared in her work and her dreams. It is fitting to recognize her visionary efforts in preserving open space in West Marin and helping to create Point Reyes National Seashore that have left a legacy that all can enjoy. Her pioneering work in organic dairying is creating a new future in agriculture. I will always remember Ellen Straus as a wonderful, warm friend and committed steward of the land.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Thomas R. Golden who died at home in Freestone, CA, on November 3, at the age of 81. Mr. Golden and his partner Jim Kidder had lived in Freestone since 1970, turning the old Freestone Hotel into a center for culture and politics in Western Sonoma County. Tom Golden was well-known as a patron of the arts, and in this capacity was the friend and collaborator of artists Christo and Jean- Claude whose Running Fence snaked through Sonoma and Marin Counties in 1976, a 24-mile curtain that ran from Cotati to the Pacific Ocean. Tom met the artists during one of the county hearings on the controversial project and immediately became an advocate and supporter. He continued his association for the next 28 years, traveling around the world to help on other Christo projects. During this time, Tom collected works by the couple that became the largest private collection in the world and have now been donated to the Sonoma County Museum. Tom was born in Indiana and moved to California in the 1930s. He spent time as a Trappist monk, in the Merchant Marine, and as a buyer for a grocery store chain before becoming a real estate broker. He and Jim renovated San Francisco properties before moving to Sonoma County where Tom pressured officials to adopt strict historic preservation laws and served on the Sonoma County Historic Landmark Commission. He is survived by Kidder, his partner of over 50 years, as well as by his sister Joan Sonsini, his brother Jim Golden, and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Speaker, Thomas Golden was known for the warmth and liveliness he brought to his friendships, his commitment to the culture of his community, and his world-wide collaborations with Christo and Jean- Claude. Many considered him the unofficial mayor of Freestone. It is fitting to honor him today for a life that meant so much to the art world in general and to Sonoma County in particular.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for including me in this, my friend from Oregon, and I would like to remind Americans that one way that we as Americans define ourselves as a Nation is through the Federal budget, and right now, we have to make decisions about our values and our priorities, and we have choices: on the one hand, an unjustified war with Iraq that could cost more than $200 billion, and I am sure it will, on top of an additional $670 billion tax cut that primarily benefits the wealthiest Americans, or an investment in our children, an investment in their future. We have to make these decisions. We cannot do it all because there is not enough money to cover both agendas without plunging the United States and those very same children deep into debt. As President Bush puts forward his plans in the State of the Union address tomorrow night, I urge him, I urge him to remember that our country's future depends on today's children. Of course, since September 11 we have had to reevaluate some of our spending priorities, but without investing in our children, we risk ills far worse than those from terrorists. That is why the wisest investment we can make in our Nation's security is strengthening our children's lives and those of their families, and we can do this. We can do this by preventing war, first off. We must provide for real international security that has alternatives to war as its cornerstone, and we can invest in renewable energies. This will not only make for a cleaner environment. It will also help us achieve independence from fossil fuels, particularly from foreign oil. Fossil fuels must become a source of the past. We must invest in sources of energy that will provide for the prosperity of our children, the protection of their environment and the security of their future. We must change our national energy policy by supporting conservation and renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, biomass and fuel cells. We can invest in our future by increasing the child care option, and we must do that by ensuring that working families have access to quality child care. Children must not be the first to suffer when budgets tighten. If children were our number one priority in this country, then programs to provide for their welfare would be the last programs to be slashed. Instead, we would be clamoring to help working parents by expanding child care and after-school programs. We would be creating a world- class public education system. We can provide quality education. We can make sure that teachers are adequately compensated for their important role in our children's lives, because we have a responsibility to do that. And we have a responsibility to fully fund programs for disadvantaged children. We can invest in our future by making health care universally available. The United States is the only industrialized country in this world in which all citizens do not have access to medical coverage. Until we have universal coverage, more than 40 million Americans, nearly 15 percent of the population, will go without. If we choose to make health care a priority, we will provide children, their parents, and America's seniors with universal coverage, including affordable prescription drugs. While putting a universal health care plan together, we can do something immediately, and that is to increase the number of children in the Medicaid and State Children's Insurance Program, to expand SCHIPs also to include parents of eligible children and low-income pregnant families. We must also seek to provide a prescription drug benefit under Medicare. But these priorities and others that help fulfill our commitment to our families, our seniors, our veterans will only happen when we demand that they take precedence. Excessive military spending in the past has not made us more secure. American political leaders must acknowledge the truth, that peace and security cannot be achieved through violence. We must never lose sight that real security is an educated, healthy society where everyone benefits from our Nation's abundant resources. And that is what I will remind President Bush as he outlines his agenda Tuesday night. The future of our Nation belongs to our children. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman again for including me in this Special Order.

Ms. WOOLSEY. I thank the gentleman.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in support of H. Res. 10, congratulating Ohio State University for winning the NCAA Division I football championship. Last Friday, Ohio State captured its fifth national football championship, winning one of the most closely fought college football games in recent memory. College football fans, student athletes and the general public were treated to an exciting Fiesta Bowl and end to this college football season. I want to extend my hearty congratulations to head coach Jim Tressel, Ohio State University president Karen Holbrook, and Ohio State's student athletes for a job very well done. I also want to extend my congratulations to the University of Miami and their student athletes for a great season. The University of Miami won all of their games during the regular season and produced two leading Heisman trophy contenders in Ken Dorsey and William McGahee. I know that I speak for all of this Congress as we wish Mr. McGahee a speedy and thorough recovery from the knee injury he sustained during the game. Winning a championship has brought national acclaim to Ohio State University, and I hope the fans at the university and the university community treasures this moment for many, many years to come. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, and I rise in support of H. Res. 13, congratulating the Grand Valley State University Lakers for winning the NCAA Division II National Football Championship. This national championship is a special moment for Grand Valley State's fans and its university community. It is the school's first national championship in any varsity sport. This is an outstanding achievement, especially when we consider that Division II football athletes do not have the benefit and publicity garnered by Division I schools. I know that as a fact because one of my sons was an All American Tackle for a Division II school and it was exciting, but they did not get any of the recognition that the Division I schools garnered. I want to extend my hearty congratulations to Head Coach Brian Kelly, the Grand Valley State community, all of their fans, and most importantly their student athletes. Grand Valley's athletes have certainly performed admirably, and they deserve all the praise that we can give them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 17 congratulating the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky for winning the 2002 Division I-AA national football championship. It is quite an achievement to win a national championship at any college level, and this championship is even more noteworthy due to the fact that it is Western Kentucky's first national championship since 1913. Student athletes split their time between their athletic and academic pursuits. The student athletes that make up this year's national championship Hilltoppers' team must be commended because they did such a good job for their dual pursuit. I want to especially congratulate them for all their hard work, and also extend my hardy congratulations to head coach Jack Harbaugh for a great season and great win. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Everett H. Shapiro of Santa Rosa, CA, on the occasion of a tribute to his role as Trustee Emeritus of Social Advocates for Youth (SAY). SAY has focused services on children and their families since 1971, and Mr. Shapiro has been a trustee for 13 years. SAY operates 25 programs in Sonoma County that assist 10,000 families per year in becoming caring, productive, and responsible members of the community. Mr. Shapiro's life embodies a spirit of dedication to children that makes him a perfect match for SAY's mission. In addition to his support of children's causes, he is well-known to thousands of young locals as the man who has handed out an estimated 250,000 Tootsie Rolls to them over 50 years. As a fan of Don Quixote, Snoopy, and the Marx brothers, Mr. Shapiro's focus has always been on doing good deeds with a sense of humor as strong as his sense of caring. To many who have received his phone calls, he will always be known as ``God'' or ``Robert Redford.'' Mr. Shapiro is proud of having lived his entire life in Santa Rosa, the son of Russian Jewish emigrants. He and his wife Phyllis raised their two sons, Tad and David, in the community. After graduating from UC Berkeley and serving two years in the army, he joined the family wool buying business. He learned to value the diverse agriculture of Sonoma County and appreciate the ranching life style, but when Tad began kindergarten, Mr. Shapiro began law school. He graduated in 1967 just before his fortieth birthday and began practicing business, probate, and personal injury law. He has served in numerous professional organizations such as California Trial Lawyers Association, Sonoma County Bar Association, and American Arbitration Association. Tad and David, are now lawyers as well. Always devoted to Santa Rosa and the community at large, some of his other community activities have included The Boy Scouts of America, Sonoma County Junior Achievement, B'nai Brith, Special Olympics, Red Cross, Kid's Street Theatre, Santa Rosa Human Rights Commission, Canine Companions, Rotary Club, Gray Foundation, and the Schulz Museum. He has received numerous awards including the Spirit of Santa Rosa Award from the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce and is recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation. Mr. Speaker, Everett Shapiro's record of caring and leadership embodies the term he often uses to describe the folks in his home town--he's a ``quality human being'' whose life shows us how much this means to the community of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to recognize Elberta Eriksson, who is retiring as the Director of the Family Service Agency of Marin's Multi-cultural Outreach Program after thirty years of dedicated service to her community. Through the years, Elberta has been committed to community service, dedicated to strengthening families and children and advancing human rights. In the early 1970's, as a professional social worker, Ms. Eriksson was one of the first to bring mental health services to Marin City. Through Operation Give a Damn, a grassroots organization that brought a unique mentoring program to the youth of Marin City, Elberta developed a cultural competency program for professional and para- professional mental health providers. Under Ms. Eriksson's visionary leadership, the Multi-Cultural Outreach Program, sponsored by the Family Service Agency of Marin, was launched. Through this esteemed program, Elberta personally provided hundreds of hours of family counseling as well as supervised graduate students from San Francisco State University during their internship, adding a rich, multi-cultural counseling program for the entire county. In addition to working full-time and raising her young family, Elberta made time in the evening to work as one of the first hot line volunteers at the Marin Suicide Prevention Center. Always generous with her skills and time, Ms. Eriksson has served on many boards and committees, including the Marin County Human Rights Commission, the Marin County Women's Commission, ISOJI of Marin City, America's Angel Campaign, and the Marin City Community Services District. Ms. Eriksson has contributed her leadership and commitment to provide a model of the importance of community service with the highest ideals for the benefit of many. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is fitting for us to rise today to honor Elberta Eriksson and wish her well in her next adventure.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Paul Martin of Petaluma, California, who has just received the Award of Distinction from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California at Davis. This highly competitive award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated leadership and achievement or brought distinction to the College through their careers. During the ten years I have been in the U.S. Congress, Mr. Martin's in-depth knowledge of agricultural issues has been invaluable as a resource to me and my office. Paul has given unsparingly of his time to educate me and my staff on the needs of the dairy industry as it relates to federal legislation and the Sixth Congressional District. We have also worked together on our shared goals to preserve family farms. In fact, although he typically votes Republican, his campaigning on my behalf is a reflection of his commitment to those goals. Paul Martin graduated from UC Davis in 1965 and from the California Agricultural Leadership Program in 1980. Next year he will receive an MA in Public Policy from Sonoma State University. In addition to operating two dairy ranches and working for Western United Dairymen as coordinator of Environmental Services and Field Representative, Mr. Martin has been a leader in a wide range of agricultural, environmental, and community causes. Some of these include service with the California Air Resources Board, State Water Resources Control Board, USDA Sonoma-Marin Diary and Range Belt, Chief of Two Rock Volunteer Fire Department, Petaluma American Little League, Two Rock 4- H, Sonoma County Farm Bureau, and Petaluma High School District Facilities Committee. He also served as a First Lieutenant, USAR in Viet Nam and received a Bronze Star. A third generation dairyman on his family's ranch, Mr. Martin has lived in Petaluma his entire life. His son John now raises heifers and beef cattle on the dairy while his daughter Betsy and daughter-in-law, Natalie use the ranch to raise dairy cattle for showing and sales. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Martin is respected as a leader within the agricultural community whose advice and knowledge I value highly. I am proud of his award and his many contributions to his community and to the diary industry. And I am especially proud to call Paul Martin my friend.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Lee amendment because it recognizes that in this time of crisis we have the opportunity to pursue a new vision for the world. This vision affirms the character of our Nation and refutes mistaken attempts to use violence to bring about peace. We have been down that road before. It is time to choose a new way. My constituents understand this. They are overwhelmingly opposed to the war. In fact, they wish I had more than one vote today. A woman from Santa Rosa wrote to a local paper asking, and I quote, what would war with Iraq accomplish? U.S. aggression would only create more homeless and victimized refugees, more hatred of the United States by the rest of the world, and the death of our sons and daughters in the military. She continues: Violence only creates more violence. The United States is the greatest, the most powerful country in the world. We have the opportunity to be leaders of peace. Mr. Speaker, that is why I support the Lee resolution and oppose authorizing force in Iraq.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, Polly Klaas was a vibrant, talented child, full of life with the promise of a bright future. When she was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom slumber party on October 1, 1993, in my hometown Petaluma, California, our community responded with an unprecedented effort to find her. The Polly Klaas Foundation was formed October 23, 1993, to help continue that search for Polly. Following the discovery of her murderer, the Foundation adopted a new mission: ``Make America Safe For Children.`` As part of their efforts, they've been working hard at the state level to enact Amber Alert plans. Amber Alerts empower the community to take action--immediately. From Southern California to St. Louis to Philadelphia, the recent wave of child abductions has kept our nation riveted, angry, and scared for the safety of our children. The Amber Alert Plan is a voluntary cooperative program between law enforcement agencies and local broadcasters that sends emergency alerts to the public when a child has been abducted. Amber Alerts leap into action in the first crucial hours of a kidnapping when the tracks left by the abductor are still fresh. Like a modern day, high-speed Paul Revere, Amber Alerts spread the word fast so we don't have to rely on slower methods like handing out flyers, or word of mouth for news of the abduction to catch on from one city to the next. Just two months ago, only 14 states had statewide Amber Alerts. Now, thanks in part to the Polly Klaas Foundation, 28 states have statewide Amber Alerts. However, our work is far from done. We must continue to work towards a national network for Amber Alerts so that law enforcement can use Amber Alerts across state lines. The Senate passed an excellent bill in September that would do just that. The House Judiciary Committee had a chance to pass that bill, H.R. 5326, on the House floor yesterday. Instead, they unfortunately chose to pass H.R. 5422, the Child Abduction Prevention Act. While this bill contained the non- controversial Amber Alert provisions, it also contained far more controversial provisions concerning death penalties, mandatory minimum sentences, wiretap extensions, pre-trial release, and a whole host of other unrelated provisions which will impede this bills chance of final passage in the Senate. It was a poor decision by the House leadership that will doom the Senate's good work. At the White House Conference on Missing and Exploited Children last week, President Bush announced that the Justice Department would develop a national standard for the Amber Alert, and named a new Amber Alert coordinator at the Justice Department who will work on increasing cooperation among state and local plans. Congress must pass legislation to give the new coordinator the legal authority; funding and programmatic guidelines needed to effectively perform his duties and help to protect our children. It is impossible to overstate the importance of AMBER Alert legislation. The statistics and the facts are clear: Amber Alerts are already being credited with saving the lives of 31 children around the country. But the real people, the real stories, the real lives saved are far more convincing than any statistic. Just look in the eyes of the parents of the two Riverside, California teenagers whose lives were saved because of the Amber Alert, and you will know why this law is so important. I am proud of the Polly Klaas Foundation and would like to thank the foundation for all of the hard work they have been doing to enact Amber Alert programs. Mr. Speaker, we still have time in this legislative session to bring the Senate bill to the House floor, and we should do just that. Every day that a national Amber Alert system is not in place, is another day that law enforcement and the public have inadequate tools and resources needed to protect our children.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Reverend Norman Pott, a retired pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael. Rev. Pott died on September 1, 2002, after a two-year battle with bone marrow cancer. Rev. Pott was a leader in fighting for the inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in the leadership of the Presbyterian Church. During his eleven years at the First Presbyterian Church in San Rafael, from 1986-1997, he promoted inclusion and acceptance of diversity within the church. While at the Church in San Rafael, Rev. Pott ran for moderator, the top job in the Presbyterian Church USA. Although he lost the election, he ran on a platform calling for ordination of lesbians and gays that brought the issue national attention. Before coming to San Rafael, Rev. Pott was a minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Berkeley where he worked for the rights of migrant farm workers, supported the work of Martin Luther King Jr. and counseled students at the University of California Berkeley during the Free Speech Movement on campus. After leaving Berkeley, Rev. Pott worked in Davis with Cesar Chavez for the rights of farm workers and was also a vocal leader for women's rights. Norman Pott was born in Summit, New Jersey. He attended Wheaton College in Illinois where he married his wife, Enid, on graduation day in 1954. He was drafted to the National Basketball Association from Wheaton, but rejected the offer in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a minister. He received a master's degree in divinity in 1957 from Princeton Theological Seminary and a doctorate in philosophy in 1960 at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Norman Pott for his many contributions to the community and the Church. His vision for the Presbyterian Church will continue to inspire both the Church and the communities in which he served.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent George Goddard who died on August 15, 2002, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Mr. Goddard was born in Chicago in 1923. After graduating from Yale with a commission as Lt. (jg) in the U.S. Navy, he served on board the communications ship USS Panamint, which, during World War II, took the Japanese surrender of the island of Hokkaido. After moving to Massachusetts in 1948, Mr. Goddard studied architecture at the Harvard School of Design where he was influenced by Walter Groplius and Mies van der Rohe. He moved to Belvedere in Marin County, CA, with his growing family and started his architectural career with Skidmore, Owens and Merrill. He later practiced independently and as a planning consultant designing teaching hospitals and medical and dental schools. As a lifelong activist in social, political, and conservation causes, George stayed involved. He served on the Belvedere Planning Committee and played an integral role in acquiring Richardson Bay tidelands to save them from development. He also served as supervising architect during the move by barge of Lyford House, an 1870s dairy residence about to fall under the wrecker's ball, to its current home at the Richardson Bay Audubon Sanctuary. George Goddard loved hiking, backpacking, sailing, and politics. In the 1990s, he organized a group of fellow navy officers into what became known as the Liars Club. Calling themselves Admirals, they met periodically to embellish their war experiences. As no one paid any attention to anyone else, they could go on for years retelling the same enhanced stories. He is survived by his wife Sheret, six children, two grandsons, and six stepchildren. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Goddard was a valued member of the Marin community who will be missed by all who had the opportunity to know him.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor San Francisco Network Ministries on the occasion of its 30th anniversary. Since its founding in 1972, this group has had a significant impact on the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco, a neighborhood that 25,000 call home and a neighborhood that has been No. 1 in homicides, assaults, drug use, and incidence of HIV. The mission of SFNM is a true reflection of who they are and of their significance in the Tenderloin: ``San Francisco Network ministries is devoted to the people of the Tenderloin neighborhood with whom they work cooperatively for the empowerment of all, proclaiming good news for the poor and seeking liberty for those who are oppressed. SFNM believes that everyone has been given gifts for the common good, and they seek to draw out and affirm those gifts through personal, face-to- face ministry.'' The work of Network Ministries' focuses on serving the multicultural population of the Tenderloin neighborhood as well as 6,000 frail elderly persons and 4,000 children. Programs include a computer training center, construction of and services to low income apartments, SafeHouse for women leaving prostitution, memorial services for the poor and homeless, a residential hotel ministry, an AIDS Resource Center, and a support program for volunteers in pastoral care among the frail elderly. Network Ministries has always drawn together partners and entered into coalitions to work on specific issues of importance to the people of the Tenderloin and other poor people. This approach enables the organization to be a leader in bringing compassionate, effective service to those who need it. It has fostered and/or created other agencies, serving as a role model for those who believe that you can get a lot more done when you don't focus on who gets the credit. Mr. Speaker, San Francisco Network Ministries is an inspiration to its partners, to the community it serves, and to all of us who care about our fellow human beings. I am proud to honor the work they have been doing for 30 years, important work that will continue to have an impact on the lives they touch. And, I am particularly honored to be the long-time friend of the Rev. Glenda Hope who, with her late husband Scott Hope, founded this exemplary organization.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Disability Employment Awareness Month to honor Jacqueline Esmeijer of Santa Rosa, California. Born 27 years ago with cerebral palsy, Jackie has demonstrated throughout her life that the condition does not define who she is or what she can do. Jackie recently completed a video, ``Positively Enabled,'' that conveys just this message. A student at Santa Rosa Junior College, Jackie made the film as a psychology project. It shows the normal life that she leads and her many accomplishments at school including founding Tech Savvy, a club that takes students behind the scenes of Telecom Valley companies. She also served as vice-president of the Petaluma Campus Council. She plans to produce a series focusing on how someone with a different physical or mental challenge can change preconceptions. In Jackie's words, her life and her video make a statement that ``people with disabilities accomplish much more than is often seen and deserve credit for doing so.'' Mr. Speaker, President Bush has designated October National Employment Disability Awareness Month. It is with great pride that I salute Jacqueline Esmeijer during this time for showing us all that disabilities are only challenges and not the essence of a human being.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, we are at a very important place in the history of our Nation and I believe a turning point for the future of our world. The United States, as the world's wealthiest economy, the superpower and leader, is faced with a decision that will truly mark who we are as Americans, as participants in the world community, and as human beings. Our choice is whether we use our power to make the future better or whether we repeat the mistakes of the past, like World War I or Vietnam, mistakes that do not work, do not solve the problem, do not make the world safer for our children. I will vote against the President's resolution because I do not believe we are making anyone safer if we alienate our allies or set a precedent that it is acceptable to preemptively attack other countries because we do not like their leader or because we think that country could be dangerous someday. I will vote against the President's resolution because we must not risk the lives of our sons and daughters or the lives of Iraqi civilians when we have no evidence that our country is in imminent danger. I will vote against the President's resolution because we should not spend our scarce tax dollars on war when money is so desperately needed here for education, for prescription drugs, health care, Social Security, and Medicare. Americans demand that we fix the economy. Workers want to know what has become of their pensions. Families worry about their health care. Seniors question whether they will ever be able to afford prescription drugs. Yet we stand here listening to those who are threatening war. We have no business voting on a resolution while there are so many unresolved issues on the table. What happened to finding Osama bin Laden? What happened to rebuilding Afghanistan? What happened to helping create an Israeli-Palestinian peace? My constituents want us to concentrate on saving Social Security and Medicare. They want us to pass an energy policy that will make us a safer, more secure Nation; and they want us to prosecute corporate criminals and prevent corporate crime. I believe, as my constituents do, that we need to work through the United Nations to remove weapons of mass destruction, working multilaterally to address the lack of cooperation or aggression that would put the United States or our allies in imminent danger. I would make certain that the energy policy of the United States will become independent from fossil fuels, especially foreign oil. Finally, Madam Speaker, realizing how small our world has become, with communications and transportation bringing us together as one big neighborhood, I would invest what this war will cost, $100 to $200 billion, in the human infrastructure needs in our country and in other nations around the globe. Because in a neighborhood we are only as well off as the least of us, it is time in our history to invest in humanity, not destruction. It is time to protect the earth's environment, the resources we have been given. And it is time to make a safe and peaceful world for our children, all children around the world, now and forever. To that end, I will vote against this resolution and any resolution that I believe will not make the world a safer and better place.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to remind Members that the President had a bipartisan vote on a bill called Leave No Child Behind. It was a good bill, but what the President forgot is we have to fund good bills. He is leaving 99 percent of our children behind by not including full funding for his bill in this budget.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5331 would ensure that the educational records of home-schooled students are provided the same protections as the education records of non-home-schooled students. This legislation evens the playing field, and we have no objection to its passage. However, I am concerned that this House has the time to debate this legislation, yet has been unable to pass a Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. H.R. 5331 focuses on protecting the educational records of home-schooled students. Unfortunately, by our inaction on the education budget, we have failed to provide vital funding that benefits the remaining 99 percent of our children, those who attend public schools. President Bush's fiscal year 2003 budget provides for the smallest increase in education funding in the past 7 years. His budget provides only a 2.8 percent increase. Mr. Speaker, Congress has increased the education budget by 15 percent annually over the past 7 years. President Bush's proposal is absolutely unacceptable, and our time today could be much better spent if we address that issue instead of an issue we all agree on. I support passage of this legislation, but believe that the American people would be better served by the passage of an education budget. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.J. Res. 113, which recognizes the many contributions that Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink from Hawaii made to the people of this country, particularly to girls and women. That is why it is fitting that this resolution renames title IX of the Higher Education Act amendments of 1972 the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act. In the early 1970's, Patsy played the key role in the enactment of title IX, which prohibits gender discrimination by federally funded institutions. When most people think of title IX, they think of women's sports, and the impact of title IX on women's sports can clearly be seen. In fact in 1972 scholarships for women's sports nationally added up to $100,000 and in 1987 the scholarships equaled over $200 million. Did she make a difference? Yes, she did. We can see the impact of title IX in the impressive accomplishments of American female athletes at the Olympics and when we turn on the TV to watch professional women's basketball or soccer, but we should not forget that title IX has also been a major tool for increasing women's participation in other aspects of education as well. As we stand here on the floor today, title IX ensures that girls have equal access to classes that lead to high-wage jobs so that women can support themselves and their families as well as their male counterparts. But title IX was only one of Patsy's contributions to girls and women of America. She also authored the Women's Educational Equity Act, known as WEEA, in 1974. WEEA remains the primary resource for teachers and parents seeking information on proven methods to ensure gender equity in schools and communities. WEEA represents the Federal commitment to ensuring that girls' future choices and successes are determined not by their gender but by their own interests, aspirations, and abilities. Mr. Speaker, there has been no stronger voice in Congress for girls and women and minorities than Patsy Takemoto Mink, and it will do Congress proud to remember her and honor her by passing H.J. Res. 113 and renaming title IX The Patsy Takemoto Mink Act. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. WOOLSEY

Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues that although this is a good thing we are doing for Pennsylvania and co-workers that there are steps we are not taking to protect American workers. First of all, we have an inadequate minimum wage. We also have failed to reform managed care, and we have exhausted unemployment benefits for many, many of our workers who are part of this horrific economy that we are faced with. We must deal with the big picture also. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.