Diane Watson

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. I yield to the gentleman from Rhode Island.

Ms. WATSON of California. Well, answer my question, answer it.

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for recognizing me. I would like to thank the Committee on Appropriations for doing a fine job. But I have to say this, I am really sorry that when our children were in these Chambers they saw the most deceptive tactics being used. They saw people trying to paint us as unpatriotic. No one can question my patriotism. I have taught children overseas on Air Force bases. I represented this country as an ambassador; and I always stood tall because I represented America. How dare you question my patriotism. What I am questioning you about is why did you take a good bill that we could all vote for and show our solidarity, to support our fighting men and women, to take care of those people that suffered losses during September 11, and throw in something that you know we could not support? I will not abandon the trust my constituents put in me when they sent me here. And I came to this honorable House wanting to do the people's work in the sunlight, not in the darkness of these Chambers. How dare you put that position on all of us? I would like somebody over there who is part of this to answer my question. Why did you take the bill that passed out of appropriations and throw all of this in, throw all of this into it knowing that we would break trust?

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I am personally offended by the reference by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) to ``that California cesspool.'' Many of us in a bipartisan fashion worked for many, many months to come up with the California experiment. That was very, very successful. Why do I support the Democratic substitute to welfare reform? Because the substitute provides the necessary funding to carry out needed revisions in welfare reform. The Republican bill imposes massive and costly new mandates on States that they cannot afford. The billions of new costs that States are being asked to burden will force many States to raise taxes and cut necessary services. Cutting services will include a reduction in welfare programs such as child care, transportation, and skills training to make recipients job ready. Is this reform? No, it is not. Implementing the Republican proposals in California will cost the State an additional $2.8 billion over the next 5 years. I am expecting that apology.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, do Members hear the children crying? We will surely hear them cry if we vote to support the administration's proposal to reauthorize TANF. The primary goal of most Democratic Members of Congress has been to reduce poverty and to ensure the well-being of children in the welfare system. The proposals in H.R. 4700 would adversely affect hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients. The administration's welfare reform proposals are restrictive, and will severely limit the State of California's ability to respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of its welfare recipients. The long-term fiscal impacts of this legislation will cost California $2.8 billion over a 5-year period because these proposals do not include increases in the TANF block grants. California's options for funding the projected costs will be limited to using State resources. This will essentially mean deep reductions in the TANF programs, and this is not right. Quite simply put, H.R. 4700 will turn back the clock on welfare reform. Please vote no.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the underlying democratic substitute. Assuring the availability of quality, affordable child care is an essential component of any welfare reform proposal. The current child care system is already severely underfunded. While Los Angeles County spends over 27 percent of its budget on child care, 280,000 children remain on the wait list for child care services. The $1 billion the Republicans have added in the child care funding only covers inflation for a program that is currently failing to meet the needs of 6 in 7 eligible families. Without restructuring and funding child care, the costs for California are projected to increase an average of $130 million a year for the next 4 years. Simply put, more children will be without proper care while their parents work minimum wage jobs. These children's lives are at risk. Physical abuse is one of the leading causes of death among small children. Mr. Speaker, children's lives are valuable. They are our future. We must care for our children. Let us defeat the rule, and let us vote for a bill that is comprehensive and sincerely helps our families and their children.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support my Democratic colleagues in their approach to welfare reform. Voters overwhelmingly believe that expanding training opportunities that will help new people from welfare to good jobs should be a top priority of this Congress. The voting public supports a TANF reform agenda of expanded access to training, education and flexible time limits. The polling data demonstrates that 82 percent of Americans favor increasing funding for job training and child care. Mr. Speaker, this is what the Democratic proposal presents. The Republican proposals do not represent the voice of America or our welfare recipients. The one-size-fits-all, Washington-knows-best unfunded mandates of Republican proposals will not work. We need to build upon the success of the past by increasing funding flexibility. We need to assist TANF recipients to get living wage jobs so that they have access to upward mobility. Mr. Speaker, the Democratic proposals will do just that.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, asthma has become epidemic. Over 2.3 million Californians have asthma, a chronic illness that makes breathing difficult and causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. Nationwide, the number of asthma sufferers has increased 50 percent since 1980. Nearly one in thirteen children in the U.S. have asthma and this percentage is growing more rapidly in preschool age children than in any other group. Between 1982 and 1995, incidents of childhood asthma increased by 87 percent and is now the most common chronic illness among children. Asthma accounts for approximately 17 percent of children's emergency room visits and is the major cause of school absences. Asthma can be fatal. Rates of death from asthma, hospitalizations and visits to emergency rooms have been increasing for more than 20 years, particularly among children and African Americans. During 1979 to 1982, the death rate from asthma for all blacks has increased 71 percent while for whites it has increased 41 percent. Asthma episodes can be triggered by dust, pets, mold, air pollution, tobacco smoke, some insects, certain chemicals, cold air and stress. Managing asthma includes proper diagnosis, access to high quality medical care and monitoring the condition and avoiding the things that trigger attacks. In Los Angeles, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America-- Southern California chapter, working in conjunction with the California Department of Health Services--Childhood Asthma Initiative and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, is sponsoring a community-based initiative to identify ways to control inhalation exposures that trigger children's asthma attacks. The Healthy African American Families has established an asthma intervention program called ``Breathe Free'' that is targeted for African American children in South Los Angeles communities. I applaud the efforts of these organizations to identify the asthma risk factors, educate the public, provide intervention measures in homes and child care centers and make progress in reversing the terrible trend of childhood asthma.

Ms. WATSON of California Mr

Ms. WATSON of California Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose the President's proposal to increase TANF work requirements. The proposed 40-hour work week will cripple the State's ability to continue to move TANF recipients out of poverty and into self-sufficiency. It will require States to make work. Despite recent trends, poverty has grown in my State of California. Hispanics and African Americans have higher rates of poverty in California than anywhere else in the country. Furthermore, most poor families in California are working. Simply working more hours is not the solution. Education is. Research has shown that welfare recipients who are able to attend community college increase their median earnings by 43 percent. More than half of the people on welfare in Los Angeles lack a high school diploma. Clearly, the educational needs of these people are not being met. TANF reauthorization needs to address the educational needs of welfare recipients. Simply working more hours is not the solution.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, for two hundred and twenty-six years, the United States Congress has expressed its highest regard for exemplary and extraordinary accomplishments by awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to its most outstanding citizens. It is now time to include among these laureates Dr. Dorothy Height, lifelong social worker, internationally known and respected human rights activist, who celebrated her 90th birthday earlier this year. Dorothy Height, whose public service career spans over 65 years, has created an enviable legacy of advocacy and leadership in the cause of social justice for the whole nation, and particularly in her advocacy for the needs and rights of women, children, and families. She has constantly inspired others, from the poor to world leaders, to achieve at the highest level. As an advisor to Presidents through their First Ladies, Dr. Height has effected significant change in the lives of not only African-American women, but all women and their loved ones. She counseled Eleanor Roosevelt and prodded President Eisenhower to desegregate the nation's schools. She pressed President Johnson to appoint black women to sub-cabinet posts. As one of the ``Big Six'' civil rights leaders, she was the only woman at the table when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and others made plans for the civil rights movement. Dr. Height's many achievements and her distinguished service to the Nation and world has earned her over 50 awards and honors from local and State governments as well as the Federal Government, including the following: In 1965, she received the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award from the National Council of Jewish Women. For her contributions in interfaith, interracial and ecumenical movements for over thirty years, she was awarded the Ministerial Interfaith Association Award in 1969. In 1968, she received the Lovejoy Award, the highest recognition by the Grand Lodge. Elks of the World for outstanding contribution to human relations. In 1974, Ladies Home Journal named her ``Woman of the Year'' in recognition of her work for human rights; The Congressional Black Caucus presented her with the William L. Dawson Award for decades of public service to people of color and particularly women. For her tireless efforts on behalf of the less fortunate, President Ronald Reagan presented Dr. Height the Citizens Medal Award for distinguished service in 1989, the year she also received the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Freedom Medal from the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute. In 1994, President Bill Clinton presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom Award. Other awards include: 1993 Springarn Medal from the NAACP; 1993 Induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame; 1990 Oleander Foundation's Generous Heart Award; 1990 Camille Cosby World of Children Award; 1987 Essence Award; 1990 Steller Award. Dorothy Height has sought no reward, because her monumental achievements were comfort and compensation enough. But this Congress and the nation owe her a debt of gratitude and should commission a Gold Medal for all her contributions. In her own words, `I want to be remembered as someone who used herself and anything she could touch to work for justice and freedom. I want to be remembered as one who tried.' It is with knowledge of your enthusiastic support of these noble causes that we respectfully request your endorsement of this measure. Please contact Alice Holmes at 202-225-7086.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Madam Speaker, I rise to strongly oppose the President and Republican leadership proposals for TANF reauthorization. On February 26, the administration announced an agenda for welfare reform to strengthen families and help more recipients work towards independence and self reliance. In keeping with the principles outlined by President Bush, the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger), chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Resources of the Committee on Ways and Means, introduced H.R. 4090, the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2002 on April 9. On that same day, the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), chairman of the Subcommittee on 21st Century competitiveness of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, introduced H.R. 4092, the Working Towards Independence Act. Let it be known, Madam Speaker, none of these proposals will strengthen families, move families towards self reliance and independence, or reduce poverty. To the contrary, the proposed changes to welfare will erode the successes of the past and severely limit the States' flexibility. The Republican bills, while largely similar in most respects, promote increased work requirements, introduce an acceleration in the number of families in specified work activities, and devote $300 million a year to marriage and family formation. The problem with these proposals is that States are expected to make sweeping changes to their programs and move more welfare recipients into work with the current level of funding. Flat level funding will erode the States' ability to provide services such as child care, transportation, vocational training, skills, and barrier assessments, all of the important ingredients of work promotion, poverty reduction, and self-sufficiency. Recent analyses have indicated that these proposals will cost the States $15 billion over the next 5 years. Any plan must avoid imposing unfunded costs upon the States that could lead them, shift resources away from low-income working families in order to finance new requirements. Furthermore, 41 governors from the States, both Republican and Democratic, have voiced their concerns about the fundamental changes proposed in these bills. A new 40-hour work requirement would be an enormous burden on the States, and the new rules would be far too rigid. These proposals decrease State flexibility, one of the champion successes of the past legislation that enabled States to move families off of welfare. In addition to these concerns, the 40-hour work week is counterproductive and makes no sense, given the rules and limited flexibility. If TANF participants work off their benefits in a work fair or community service job, and if their job is valued or paid at State minimum wage rates, these individuals would earn their benefit in fewer hours than the required 24 hours. Let me give my colleagues an example. In California, my constituents would work off their benefits in just 19.3 hours in a work fair or community service job. These individuals would then face noncompliance and sanctions. This is true in 26 other States as well. If, on the other hand, a welfare recipient finds an unsubsidized job at a minimum wage, they would earn too much money to qualify for the benefits and would move into a class of the working poor. The proposals really do not add up. In addition to this dilemma, the proposals do not account for the large number of families needing child care or transportation in order to work. By demanding increased work requirements and an acceleration in the number of families in specified work activities, the demands for child care and transportation will only increase. Flat level funding will not suffice. The need, in closing, for child care has increased by 21 percent over the past few years. Madam Speaker, we need to relook at these proposals, for they simply do not add up.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 81, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary life and contributions of Glenna Hayes, a true American hero. Ms. Hayes received her B.A. degree from Spelman College in 1940 and married her college sweetheart, Joseph Hayes, in 1943. A year later she received her R.N. and Public Health Nursing degrees. Her husband and she moved to Los Angeles in 1945, and Ms. Hayes quickly devoted herself to the children of Los Angeles. In 1950 she became involved in organizing an auxiliary to the Children's Home Society of California, a statewide organization placing children for adoption. During a time of great segregation, the CHS was responsible for finding families for children from all ethnic backgrounds. In an effort to honor this commitment, Ms. Hayes was instrumental in helping to create the Lullaby Guild in 1950, which was organized with 27 interracial members. The Lullaby Guild played a pivotal role in identifying homes for many African American children who faced the dim prospect of not being adopted. Members of the Lullaby Guild actively sought and identified families that were willing to adopt and then assisted them through the adoption process. The Guild also transported babies from their foster homes to CHS clinics for monthly medical checkups. Ms. Hayes was elected treasurer of the Council Auxiliaries in 1963 for two terms, and elected president in 1965. In 1968 she became a school nurse in charge of employee health for the Los Angeles Unified School District. Throughout her life, she continued to volunteer her time to causes that helped protect the children and the health of the wonderful people of Los Angeles. Glenna Hayes was a remarkable member of the community and an American devoted to helping better the lives of children and families. Now let us all celebrate Glenna Hayes's life and spirit of volunteerism and racial equality. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to present a celebration for the life of John Thomas Riddle, a sculptor, painter, printmaker, and educator. John Riddle was born in Los Angeles in 1933, educated in the public schools, and graduated from Los Angeles City College. John taught art at Los Angeles High School and Beverly Hills High School before moving to Atlanta, Georgia, where he taught at Spelman College and received many awards, as well as public arts commissions. He was eventually appointed to the post of administrative assistant for the city of Atlanta. In 1984, he was commissioned by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority to create four wall sculptures for the Tenth Street Midtown Station. In 1999, John joined the California African American Museum as its curator. John Riddle's early artworks have been described as figurative. However, the Watts civil disturbance of 1965 changed his views on the purpose and the worth of art. He began to search for ways in which he could artistically expose the harsh realities of living and working in South Central Los Angeles. John's works are now found in the collections of the Oakland Museum, the California African American Museum, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Schomburg Center in New York City, and the Harriet Tubman Museum in Macon, Georgia. His works have been collected by numerous celebrities, including Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby, Roberta Flack, and Jasmine Guy. In 1971, he was one of the subjects of the NBC Emmy Award-winning television presentation entitled ``Renaissance in Black: Two Artists' Lives.'' John came from a highly distinguished family. His father, John Riddle, Senior, was an architect and former USC fullback who held many school records during the first half of the 20th century. His mother, Helen Louise Wheeler, was believed to be the first African American woman to have graduated from USC's School of Law. But most importantly, John was a family man, and has been described by his oldest son, Anthony Riddle, as a great father, a great artist, and a good man. He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, my classmate, Carmen Garrett Riddle; four daughters; two sons; and 12 grandchildren. We pay a great deal of attention and celebration to his life.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, March 5, and Wednesday, March 6, I was absent due to the California State Primary Elections. During that period, I missed four recorded votes: S.J. Res. 32, Congratulating the United States Military Academy at West Point on its Bicentennial Anniversary, and Commending its Outstanding Contributions to the Nation; H. Res. 354, Providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules; On Approving the Journal; and H. Con. Res. 305, Permitting the Use of the Rotunda of the Capitol for a Ceremony to Present a Gold Medal on Behalf of Congress to Former President Ronald Reagan and his Wife Nancy Reagan. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' for S.J. Res. 32, H. Con. Res. 305, and Approving the Journal. I would have voted ``nay'' for H. Res. 354.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to commend Lifetime Television for all their efforts in putting together End Domestic Violence Week, and I thank you for inviting my colleagues in the Women Caucus to participate and lend our voices and support to this important cause. As we celebrate Women's History Month and commemorate International Women's Day tomorrow, March 8, we must applaud the progress women have made globally as we address the problems that continue to impede this progress. The issue of domestic violence is a great concern. In the 32nd Congressional District of California, I have worked diligently with the Jenesse Center, the oldest sustaining domestic violence intervention program in South Central Los Angeles. I recently commended the Center, on the occasion of their 21 years of dedicated service to women and children. While in the State Senate, one of my first pieces of legislation addressed domestic violence. I authored the first domestic violence training legislation, which required law enforcement officers to maintain a written report when responding to domestic violence calls. My concern was to make law enforcement sensitive to the cultural, social, economic and personal issues that complicate domestic violence cases. Today, California has implemented laws that remove the abuser from the home and to provide assistance to the victim. But Mr. Speaker, domestic violence is more than a criminal offense, it is an attack on our families and our communities. Without question the violence in our homes has contributed to the violence on our streets. It is contributing to health care costs that are escalating, and it is tearing apart our communities. Mr. Speaker, I encourage you to work with the House and the Senate to continue funding programs that ensure the protection of women and children, provide adequate health care for domestic violence victims and to ensure that local law enforcement has the monetary resources to tackle this problem. Let us rededicate ourselves to continuing the fight against domestic violence.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I stand in support of H.R. 1343, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. I am so pleased to see that this issue is coming up to the forefront here nationally. In California we worked long and hard and had a task force that looked at hate crimes up and down the State. We compiled valuable information that assists law enforcement in identifying hate crimes and enforcing the law. The events of September 11 have continued to demonstrate the destructive power of hate to tear apart the unity of an entire Nation. In the wake of the terrorist attacks, the Arab American Anti- Discrimination Committee has investigated, documented and referred to Federal authorities over 500 instances. Moreover, the Council on American-Islamic Relations has compiled over 1,400 complaints of hate attacks directed against American Muslims. This is a 51 percent increase in reported crimes. These instances include the murders of a Muslim Pakistani store owner in Dallas, Texas, and an Indian American gas station owner in Mesa, Arizona, where a suspect was arrested shouting, ``I stand for America all the way.'' The Department of Justice, however, has opened only approximately 250 investigations of hate crimes directed against institutions or people who appeared to be Arab or Middle Easterners. September 11 and the Arab American situation only represents the tip of a proverbial iceberg. Hate crimes against any group regardless of race, color or creed should not be tolerated in our great American democratic society. As the James Byrd and the Matthew Shepherd tragedies demonstrate, not only can the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes strain the resources of State and local law enforcement agencies, but social unrest is even more of a drain on the fabric of our society. Current law limits Federal jurisdiction over hate crimes to federally protected activities such as voting and does not permit Federal involvement in a range of cases involving crimes motivated by bias against the victim's sexual orientation, gender or disabilities. This loophole is particularly significant given the fact that five States have no hate crime laws on the books, and another 21 States have extremely weak hate crimes laws. H.R. 1343 will remove these hurdles so the Federal Government will no longer be handicapped in its efforts to assist in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, when I think of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), these words come to mind: N, never fearing to move; A, aggressively; N and C, sensitive to needed causes; Y, yielding a great foresight; P, progressive; E, energizing; L, loving; O, overwhelmingly; S, spelling; and I, intellect. That is our ``Nancy Pelosi.'' I am so happy to be from the State of California that produced this woman that will guide this country in the future. I salute the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our newest whip.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I come to pay tribute to a couple that exemplifies strong family values and ideals, Ulysses and Christine Kinsey, who celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on December 28, 2001, in Florida. Ulysses Bradshaw Kinsey, or U.B., as he was lovingly called, and Christine Teresa Stiles, met while attending college at the Florida A&M University, and married in Tampa, Florida. The wedding ceremony was performed on December 28, 1941, at the home of Christine's parents. U.B.'s values of compassion, fairness, and integrity were instilled while working in his father's grocery store. He closely observed his father's treatment of people regardless of race, color, creed, or status. U.B. also admired his mother for her kindness and thoughtfulness towards others. By watching her mother, who was an enterprising and industrious role model during the Depression, Christine learned the art of making ends meet and training others to do so. Christine epitomized both her parents in her development of compassion and values about hard work. These lessons helped for her to become an excellent homemaker, a caring mother, a resourceful wife, and are reflected in the way she and her husband raised their six children: Eula, Bradshaw, Bernard, Cassandra, Cheryl, and Linda. The cultivation of U.B. and Christine's relationship over the years has given stability, guidance, structure, and a positive role model, and the results were shown in their children. This husband and wife team, residing now in West Palm Beach, Florida, has far-reaching influence across the country and out to California, in California's 32nd District. My constituent, Bernard William Kinsey, is the former senior vice president of Xerox Corporation and President of KBK Enterprises, a consulting firm located in Los Angeles, California. Bernard was a member of Our L.A. and instrumental in rebuilding Los Angeles after the 1992 uprising. The other Kinsey children, teachers, executives, and operating an elderly care home, have all contributed to the progress in this great Nation. U.B. Kinsey retired July 31, 1989, after 39 years of service as the principal of Palm View Elementary. While there, he watched more than 30,000 students enroll and graduate. The school was renamed U.B. Kinsey Palm View Elementary School, an unprecedented action in recognizing a living African American former principal. Christine Kinsey has provided care, love, and support to her husband, her family, and her community for over 60 years. Among other organizations, Christine has been involved with the YWCA, the Tabernacle Baptist Church, and the Palm Beach County School District. Mr. Speaker, U.B. and Christine Kinsey serve as a shining example of America's family values and ideals. This congressional tribute to the 60th wedding anniversary of the Kinseys exemplifies what is good in our country, and makes us, because of their contributions, the greatest country in the world. Congratulations and commendations. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown). Tribute to Honorable David S. Bonior, Member of Congress

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1, the ``No Child Left Behind Act.'' I comment the sponsors and conferees of this ambitious bill that seeks to address many educational reform goals. H.R. 1 is a bill with good intentions that moves education in the right direction. My question is, ``Are we going to see the results that we want, given the proposed authorization levels?'' Mr. Speaker, new federal mandates without providing the necessary resources to implement them will simply set children and schools up for failure. Funding has increased, yet many key education programs, such as Title I, are currently unable to serve all eligible students. In addition, states facing serious economic downturn coupled with rising school enrollments are already moving to cut critical education programs. Mr. Speaker, directly after the tragic events of 9-11, President Bush asked for $40 billion dollars to fund home land security and emergency relief efforts. Congress moved quickly, in a bipartisan manner, to address our national security needs. Education funding is just as critical to our national security. Education is the cornerstone of our society. Education of our children is important to the American ideal of democracy. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to consider seriously increases in education funding next session so that we can truly ``Leave No Child Behind.'' Mr. Speaker, I submit for the Record a letter from the NSBA regarding this bill: National School Boards Association, Alexandria, VA, December 12, 2001. Re Conference Report on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Member, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative: On behalf of the nation's 95,000 local school board members, we wish to express our disappointment that the conference report on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) fails to address the ever-expanding financial burdens that the federal government imposes on the nation's school systems and local taxpayers. Unfortunately, the conference committee rejected an opportunity that would have recognized both the financial realities confronting local school systems and the opportunity to make this legislation the full success it should be. Had the conferees accepted the Senate provision for the mandatory funding of the federal share of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), some of the pressure that this special education mandate places on school districts would have been relieved and more local funds would have been released to at least partially support compliance with the new federal ESEA provisions. The legislation does provide a promising framework for raising standards and accountability for all students--with an important emphasis on raising the achievement of educationally disadvantaged students. However, the accomplishment of that goal also involves new mandates; some are explicitly set forth in the legislation while others will naturally result from the additional classroom resources that will be needed. Unfortunately, the legislation does not contain any commitment by the federal government to adequately fund these new costs or its ongoing obligation under IDEA. Meanwhile, across the nation virtually every state is experiencing revenue shortfalls. Even small states are experiencing shortfalls in the billion-dollar range over their biennial budgets. As a result, reductions in state aid are forcing cuts in school district budgets. Now, as school systems must also look toward funding the new requirements in this bill, as well as serving expanding enrollments of Title I eligible students, as well as meeting the expanding costs of the under-funded federal special education mandate (IDEA), they will have no choice but to raise local property taxes where they can or suffer severe cut backs in their general programming. This should not become the local legacy of ESEA. Given the unique and historic role that this important legislation can play in American education, state and local policy makers should not, as a result of inadequate funding, be forced to lower their sights on high academic standards, limit their use of the many public school choice options that are now available, or lose the opportunity to enrich classroom instruction by having to settle for cheap test prep programs to drill lower achieving students to pass a test. Without adequate resources what other results can we expect? With the shortfall in state and federal funding, what other impact can we expect than increases in local taxation? The stark financial reality of the ESEA reauthorization will become clear across the nation when school opens next fall. As attractive as the incremental increase to the pending FY 2002 education appropriations bill may appear, it does not match the needs under IDEA or the new ESEA requirements, which the Congress is about to adopt. Local educators and local school board members want this legislation to work, and more importantly, they want the nation's 47 million public schoolchildren to reach higher levels of academic achievement. They are also very appreciative of the increased flexibility that the legislation provides in their use of federal funds. But they do not want to be set up to fail because of a lack of financial accountability by the federal government. Despite our financial concerns, NSBA does not oppose the passage of this legislation because the bill does establish a promising framework for raising student achievement. However, we urge Congress to view the passage as the first of a series of steps during the remainder of the 107th Congress to ensure that both the new requirements of ESEA and the federal share of the cost of IDEA are fully funded. Sincerely, James R. Ruhland, President. Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Madam Speaker, we have already heard the figures of the number of Africans infected with HIV and AIDS. They are staggering, but deserve to be repeated once again: sub-Saharan Africa has only 10 percent of the world's population, but accounts for 70 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases and 80 percent of all HIV/AIDS-related deaths. The infection rate in some African nations now exceeds 30 percent; and in a few countries, it is approaching 40 percent of the total population. Finally, the United States National Intelligence Council estimates that the disease could reduce the gross domestic product in some sub- Saharan Africa countries by as much as 20 percent or more by 2010. The social and economic consequences of this disease are not like any other public health threat that the world has faced in modern times. Important and hard-won economic gains made by African nations could be wiped out in less than a decade. Moreover, social dislocation caused by the high rates of death among HIV-infected mothers and fathers is already straining the outer bounds of fragile African nation states. H.R. 2069, and I commend the sponsors, authorizes additional spending levels in excess of $1 billion for bilateral and multilateral HIV/AIDS assistance to African nations that is more in keeping with our international assistance obligations. Madam Speaker, the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa not only presents us with a profoundly humanitarian, economic, and social dilemma, it also, in the very near term, if more is not done, may challenge the very notion of law-based nation states. I support this legislation, and I would urge everyone else to do so.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, in honor of World AIDS Day, we must remember that it is estimated that by 2010, one-quarter of South Africa's population will be infected by HIV-AIDS. Other African nations are suffering similar rates of infection. In late August, I traveled to South Africa to examine the HIV-AIDS pandemic firsthand. While there, I visited KwaZulu-Natal, a region with the highest HIV infection in the world. In that region, an estimated 1 in 3 adults tests positive for HIV. The time has come for the United States to treat HIV as the threat to global security that it is. Let us not forget that Osama bin Laden has exploited the misery of another state where civil society has collapsed, Afghanistan, to serve as a base for his terror network. The United States must act to prevent HIV from destroying an entire generation, not only of Africans, but those in Afghanistan. I urge my colleagues to remember this day on the 1st of December and ask for a renewed effort to fight against HIV-AIDS in Africa.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 77. I would like to commend my colleague and fellow California delegation member Mr. Becerra for his insight and hard work on this issue, as well as the chairman of the International Relations Committee, Mr. Hyde, and its ranking member, Mr. Lantos. Mr. Speaker I rise today to champion an American ideal, and an ideal revered throughout the world: the family. The family is the bedrock of America, and the foundation of our society. It is a fitting time to discuss H. Con. Res. 77 right now, in the midst of our holiday season, in the middle of time we value with our families. War can have a terrible impact on civilians. Not only are family members killed, totally removed from society, but the very fabric of society can be torn, as we witnessed in the Korean War. After the DMZ was established, and the dust settled, millions of Koreans found themselves separated from their husbands, wives, children, parents, and extended family members. For over 50 years, separated Korean family members have had limited information about their loved ones. June of 2000 was a historical moment for the world. The leaders of North and South Korea held a meeting in North Korea's capital. The leaders have started down the path to resolving the humanitarian, political, and economic issues that separate them. I commend the Korean officials who understand that family reunification is essential to the political reunification of Korea. Mr. Speaker, I recall the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney, Australia Olympic Games in September 2000, which I attended, and the excitement of the 100,000 spectators who all stood and cheered as North and South Korean athletes emerged from the tunnel under one flag. I will never forget the overwhelming emotional response of the stadium fans to this symbolic display of unity. Mr. Speaker, according to the 2000 census, approximately 1/10th of the 1.1 million Koreans in the United States reside in, or very near to, my congressional district. The resolution before the House today expresses the sense of Congress that the scope of Korean family reunification visits, of which there have been three so far, should be expanded to include Korean-American families. H. Con. Res. 77 expresses the value Americans place on the family unit. This resolution is positive for America, for American-Korean relations, and as a message for the world.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I come to memorialize someone who was not only a constituent but a minister and a friend. The Reverend O.C. Smith was a jazz singer, a pop singer and minister. O.C. Smith, a one-time jazz singer in the Count Basie band, found popular success in the late 1960s with songs like ``That's Life'' and the Grammy-Award-winning ``Little Green Apples.'' When we walked into the sanctuary of his church on Sunday, there were big baskets of little green apples that were given out as a souvenir of his life; and little green apples grow into ripe red apples, such a symbol of who he was. Smith officiated at a Thanksgiving service Thursday. I do not know whether he foresaw his immediate demise, but he had all of his children come from around the country. He had asked the Reverend Barbara King to preach for him on Sunday, and she was on her way from San Diego to Los Angeles when she heard about his death. In early 1961, Smith auditioned successfully for the Count Basie band. He was the one who replaced the legendary Joe Williams. After the Count Basie band, Smith worked the club and concert circuit across the country, toured the Far East for several months, and settled in Los Angeles afterwards. Columbia Records soon signed him on and expanded his repertoire. Many Members probably remember the successful ``That's Life'' which Frank Sinatra turned into a golden record years later. He obtained his first commercial breakthrough with ``Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp'' which became a big hit in Britain. Then came his version of Bobby Russell's ``Little Green Apples,'' winner of the Grammy Award in 1968. A year later Smith had another big R&B single, ``Daddy's Little Man'' in 1969 which hit number 9. I guess there was a calling or an avocation. In 1980, Smith's life began to take a new direction after friends invited him to attend a Science of the Mind service, and later on he became the Reverend O.C. Smith. He felt the presence and he was called to come and administer to many celebrities, many professionals and just regular people. The O.C. Smith I knew was kind, loving and always full of joy. He always had an uplifting word for you whenever you saw him, on the streets, in the theater performing, or in his church. I am very proud to say I was the only politician that he would allow to come up to the podium and speak and that he would endorse. The last time I saw him was in his church, but as we attended his church on Sunday, he was seen in spirit throughout that sanctuary. We have lost not only a minister but a person who could make one believe in the Supreme Being being inside of you. We lost a performer. We lost a great and spiritual man which we shall remember forever, and particularly when we hear his version of God's ``Little Green Apples.'' May he rest in peace and always be with us.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, our airline industry is vital to America's economic health. Our airlines not only employ over 1 million Americans, but they also provide the mobility upon which our modern economy and society is based. In the wake of September 11, Congress passed a short-term boost for the airline industry. But the only way to ensure the long-term stability of our air transport system is to reassure the public that air travel is safe. In contrast to the speed with which this Congress enacted the $15 billion quick-fix for airlines, the House dragged its feet on passing an airline security bill. This week, another aircraft accident has caused further alarm for the flying public. While there is no reason to believe terrorism was involved, Americans need assurances that air travel is safe. Mr. Speaker, please urge the conferees to finish their work this week and give us an aviation security bill that, like the original Senate version, can be passed unanimously into law.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow American, I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Yeneneh Betru's friends and family, as well as the numerous and untold victims of the tragedies that occurred on September 11th. Dr. Betru was aboard the American Airlines Flight 77 bound from Washington Dulles Airport to Los Angeles which crashed into the Pentagon. A native of Ethiopia who was raised in Saudi Arabia, Yeneneh Betru came to the United States for an education. ``Ever since he was a little kid, he always wanted to be a doctor'' said his brother Sirak, ``he always wanted to help people.'' Yeneneh realized his dream before his life tragically ended. Dr. Betru was a pioneer in the hospitalist movement and he personally trained hundreds of hospitalists. His passion and legacy was a project distributing dialysis equipment to Ethiopia. May we honor his legacy and cherish his memory forever and always.