Diane Watson

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, Veterans Day, a few days ago, was very significant to someone in my district. I want to pay tribute to Benny H. Potter, a resident of the West Adams community in Los Angeles. He lived there for a decade, and was a veteran of the Second World War. He passed away recently. He was greatly loved and respected by all in the community who knew him. Mr. Benny, or Uncle Benny as he was affectionately called, was born on August 21, 1919, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His family migrated to Los Angeles in 1925. During World War II, he was assigned to the 10th Cavalry Division, which sent him to North Africa to serve under General George Patton. He later served in Italy and Germany and had the honor of marching in the V-E Day Parade in Paris, France. Mr. Potter served his country with distinction. His family recently received a letter of commendation from the President of the United States for his distinguished service. He received four decorations for his service: The American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Victory Medal. At Mr. Potter's memorial service, four generations of relatives spoke. Two generations still live in the West Adams area. Numerous friends and neighbors saluted him with songs and words of praise, and I promised to give him the flag in his memory that I received after I served as Ambassador to Micronesia because he so well represented our country and our family abroad. At 81 years of age, Benny Potter was still the neighborhood gardener and handyman. He would bring magazines to elderly neighbors and was always ready with uplifting stories or sage advice for everyday problems. Mr. Potter was also the hub of an informal neighborhood news network. One neighbor described him by saying simply: ``He was the best. He was CNN, the Sports Channel, the Weather Bureau, and he was my friend.'' On this Veterans Day past, I think we should look back on all the contributions of our veterans, as we will be looking forward on those who have fought in this most recent war in Afghanistan. Veterans like Benny Potter risked their lives to protect our country and their communities. But once back home, his contributions continued. Benny H. Potter, a man who never met a stranger, leaves a legacy of which we all may be proud, and he made us so much better. He serves as a shining example of the spirit which drove our veterans to serve their communities in both war and peace and the spirit with which many of our young men and women will be coming back from fighting in a country so far away that they really did not know where it was on the map. This is a tribute to that kind of spirit that honors our country and makes us the greatest country in the world.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Madam Speaker, I am proud to be one of the 47 cosponsors of this resolution honoring our Nation's postal workers. I would like to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) for drafting this resolution, as well as the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) for his support. I grew up in the post office. My mother worked for the Postal Service in Los Angeles at the Old Terminal Annex for 3 decades. And as a working parent, one could say that she raised my sisters, my brother and myself there. I myself worked there for seven Christmas seasons, sorting the Christmas mail. My mother worked hard for the post office, as do all the other postal workers who each day labor to keep millions of letters, checks, cards, packages, and even bills moving around our country. These hard-working Americans provide a vital link for each and every community across our country, across our world, no matter how remote. One irony of the Information Age is that it has made us more dependent on the mail. There has to be some way to get packages we order over the World Wide Web; and the Postal Service has seen their duties expanded with the expansion of the Internet. It should come as no surprise then that postal workers would be on the front lines, exposed to a bioterrorist threat that tried to exploit our society's infrastructure for the free exchange of information. What is surprising and galling is that it took so long for the authorities to respond to the threat that anthrax posed to our postal workers. When anthrax was discovered on Capitol Hill, Congress moved quickly to seal off the impacted buildings and protect ourselves and our staff. It pains me that the authorities failed to act in a similar manner to protect the postal workers who faced an even greater threat of exposure. It took the death of postal worker Thomas Morris, Jr. for postal officials and law enforcement to acknowledge that they had failed to respond in time to the threat anthrax posed to Postal Service employees. The debate in this resolution is not the forum to analyze what went wrong to lead to the unnecessary deaths of Thomas Morris and the others, or the dangerous exposure of his colleagues to anthrax. However, I hope that this is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of American postal workers, and I hope that with our greater awareness of their roles comes a renewed commitment to provide for their safety. Madam Speaker, one might remember and recall that I dedicated a post office in the 32nd district to our late Congressman Julian Dixon. I think he would be very proud of the work that is being done here with the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. McHugh) and all of the other colleagues of Congress to recognize our committed, loyal and dedicated postal workers.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I come in support of the Senate bill that will come to the floor on airline security. I formerly represented Los Angeles Airport, LAX. As I go in there to come back to Washington, D.C., there is not a time that the staff at whatever airline does not approach me to secure the planes that they have to fly and serve on. It is an essential move that we have to make now. People do not want to fly because they think it is unsafe. We have to have a force checking everyone, checking bags. We have to have them uniformed. We have to renew the spirit of flying in this country. We have to save the industry. We have to encourage the American people that they can feel safe on their airlines. We must pass the bipartisan bill now. We must secure the safety of our planes, our passengers, our airports. I would encourage everyone to vote ``aye'' on the compromise bill.

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, when anthrax was discovered on Capitol Hill two weeks ago, the House Leadership acted quickly and prudently to protect Congressional employees from the threat of terrorism. I support that decision. But the speed with which Congress moved to protect itself stands in stark contrast with our failure to provide for the security of the flying public. Mr. Speaker, it has been fifty days since September 11th, and yet the House of Representatives has still not acted to pass an airline security bill. It has been forty days since the House of Representatives voted to authorize a fifteen billion dollar bailout for the airlines, and yet the House still has not passed an airline security bill. It has been twenty days since the other body voted unanimously to provide for airline security, and still, the House has not yet passed an airline security bill. You might think that this delay was because our leaders were searching for a novel approach, or a well-calibrated solution. But, in fact, it was because of a partisan dispute about whether the screeners should be Federal employees. This despite that the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans have said that they want the Federal Government to run airport security. In the wake of the September 11th attacks, Americans asked for, and received, an outpouring of bipartisan leadership from their elected officials. How sad that the one key thing that Congress must do to safeguard their security has been held up by a partisan dispute. I urge my colleagues to support this motion, and I urge you, Mr. Speaker, to bring the Senate's bipartisan airline security bill to the floor without delay.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, Breast Cancer is at an epidemic level and will affect more than 100,000 women in the next five years. I have followed the development of information on this issue and I have carried legislation providing screenings, testing, mammograms and treatment for women, particularly poor women. I have found that women of color are less informed and are likely to receive treatment too late. As a result, when cancer is detected, it is often too late! We need to provide free Breast Cancer screenings, mammograms, adequate treatment and posthesis for poor and underprivileged women. I firmly believe that outreach programs are necessary to disseminate important information and are essential in protecting the lives of our loved ones!

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2454, a bill I introduced to name a United States post office in my congressional district, and Julian's, after the late Congressman Julian C. Dixon. Julian Dixon dedicated his life to serving his community. He ably represented his friends, his neighbors, and his constituents from Los Angeles and Culver City in Congress for over 2 decades. We went to high school together. I graduated the year ahead of him, and I followed him into the legislature. When he went to Congress, I went to the Senate. I took his staff, who remained with me for over a decade. During his tenure, Julian served his community, his country and this institution by often taking on some of the toughest jobs here in Congress. Among those tough assignments was his chairmanship of the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. As chairman of this ethics panel, Julian was praised for the even-handed and deliberate manner in which he handled difficult cases involving his colleagues in the House. Julian also served as the most senior Democrat on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. His colleagues in the House and within the U.S. intelligence establishment have often commented on how they valued Julian's experience and wisdom on questions of national security. With the risk and challenges of America's current struggle against terrorism, Julian's contribution to this effort will be sorely missed by his friends, his colleagues and his constituents. While serving his Nation, Julian never forgot about serving his community back home in Los Angeles, California, and in Culver City. When the 1992 civil disturbances tore apart neighborhoods in Los Angeles, Julian responded with creative ideas to rebuild neighborhoods and restore the hope. He fought for aid to small businesses and families impacted by the emergency. Typical of his approach was the ``Angel Gate'' program, which takes disadvantaged youth from inner city schools and gives them the opportunity to get additional math and science education from the California National Guard. When the Northridge Earthquake struck Los Angeles in 1994, Julian once again responded quickly to help his community recover. Julian's commitment to Los Angeles was not limited to responding to crises. He was a tireless booster of his community and worked to bring improvements to the lives of his constituents. Many Angelenos probably remember him as a moving force behind the construction of the region's public transit infrastructure. Anyone from Los Angeles knows that traffic is a constant challenge. Julian worked hard to find solutions to improve mobility for all Angelenos. But I believe that Julian's most lasting legacy will be his commitment to civil rights. Julian represented a district that is still one of the most diverse in the country, both in ethnic origin and social economic status. Throughout his career, he worked to promote policies that would give all Americans the opportunity they deserve to share in the American Dream. Julian was a tireless advocate for his constituents, his community, and his Nation. The ``Congressman Julian C. Dixon Post Office'' can only be a small part of the legacy of this great American; but I am so proud to play a role in serving the memory of my classmate, my friend, my neighbor, and my congressman, Julian C. Dixon. H.R. 2454, I am proud to say, has been cosponsored by 69 of Julian's House colleagues from both parties; and I would like to thank Speaker Hastert, Leader Gephardt, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), and the entire California delegation for their cosponsorship. I am certain that Julian would be honored by the amount of support that this bill has received. Once again, I thank my colleagues, and I urge a huge vote for H.R. 2454.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Johnson-Payne-Watson amendment to H.R. 2646 the ``Farm Bill''. This amendment establishes a grant program under the Secretary of Agriculture to support research and development of American programs in agricultural biotechnology. Information provided by these programs can address the food and economic needs of the developing world. Biotechnology can help developing countries produce higher crop yields while using fewer pesticides and herbicides. Biotechnology can also promote sustainable agriculture, leading to food and economic security. Biotechnology offers the prospect of delivering vaccines to immunize against life-threatening illnesses through agricultural products in a safe and effective manner. Advances in biotechnology can overcome the infrastructure and cost limitations faced by traditional vaccination methods in the developing world. One obstacle for biotechnology in the developing world is the capacity of scientific organizations and public funding for agricultural research. For example, Africa's crop production is the lowest in the world. 200 million people on the African continent alone are chronically malnourished. Increased funding for international programs from the United States would have a great impact on the problem. Eligible grant recipients include historically black colleges and universities, land grant colleges, Hispanic-serving institutions, and tribal colleges, or universities. Non-profit, for profit, and other in-country agricultural research centers are also eligible. Mr. Chairman, I encourage my colleagues to vote for vitamin-enhanced foods, higher in protein, fruits and vegetables with longer shelf lives, reduced rate of habitat destruction, increased crop yields and sustainable agriculture. These are just a few benefits that would result from the $5 million per for 5 years, beginning in fiscal year 2004. Vote ``yes'' on the Johnson-Payne-Watson Amendment to H.R. 2646.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution authorizing the use of force against those persons responsible for recent acts of terrorism against the United States. The resolution is balanced and seeks to ensure that the Congress will be included in the consultative process when and if U.S. troops are introduced into hostilities. I strongly believe that the resolution will continue to enjoy strong bipartisan support only if the Executive, in good faith, consults with and informs the Congress in a timely manner. I should also note that the resolution is not a carte blanche endorsement for the use of force against any suspected terrorist group anywhere in the world, but is more narrowly crafted to endorse all necessary and appropriate use of force against nations, organizations, and persons that participated in the attacks that occurred on September 11. Mr. Speaker, although I support the resolution, I am mindful of the gravity and seriousness of putting U.S. troops and other governmental personnel in harms way. It is highly probable that more U.S. lives will be lost in our struggle to excise the cancer of terrorism wherever it poses a threat to the U.S., the Western world, and our allies in the non-West. Other countless innocents will also lose their lives. This is not Desert Storm, an operation of relatively short duration that witnessed minimal loss of American lives. Our national commitment to the task ahead of us will require vigilance and forbearance. It will also require that we remain mindful of the fact that the United States is an open society and that any policy or action implemented by the U.S. Government will ultimately fail if it does not have the support of the American people. Mr. Speaker, in this time of tragedy that has provoked visceral outrage, we must, nonetheless, continue to exercise prudence and good judgment in the prosecution of the U.S. response to these terrorist acts. Indeed a military response alone could ultimately prove to be counterproductive, instead fueling anti-U.S. sentiment, increased alienation, and heightened fanaticism. Instead of eliminating the virus of terrorism we could be creating a new and more virulent strain. Any military action must also be accompanied by a sustained economic and diplomatic response aimed at eliminating all centers of terrorist activities while enhancing the stability and strength of our regional allies. The task ahead of us is complicated and any resolution will not be quick or easy. Our ultimate success in rooting out terrorism will require patience, sustained commitment, and more, not less, engagement in the world. I pledge my support to the President as he leads the United States forth to meet this historic challenge.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler) for bringing this bill to the floor and join my colleagues from New York and other places in the extensions of sympathy. Over the past few days, many of us have spoken up to commend public safety personnel across the country for their bravery, to thank them for their tireless efforts, and to offer our condolences for the loss of their colleagues. Their courage in the face of danger and ongoing struggle under the burden of great fatigue has given our Nation hope in otherwise bleak circumstances. It indeed was a 911 emergency call. But words cannot match the sacrifices of the police, fire and rescue personnel who have paid the dearest price for their valor. We owe it to them and to their families that we provide the injury and survivor benefits promised to them, in the quickest and most efficient manner possible. By passing this bill, we will in Congress match our words of thanks with real actions to support the men and women on the front lines of their struggle. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill without delay.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Yesterday was an emergency 911 call for every American in this Nation, black, white, Latino, Jew, Gentile, Christian, and non-Christian, to stand united in our utter condemnation of these brutal and inhuman acts. Clearly, it is too early to identify with precision the source of the terrorist attack. But I am confident, with all of our resources brought together in the coming weeks and months, with our intelligence, law enforcement and military agencies, we will be able to piece together a coherent and credible story; and we will act precisely. In closing, my prayers go out to the hundreds, thousands, perhaps millions of Americans who have been directly affected by these terrorist acts. In addition, the courageous acts of rescue workers, volunteers, our fire and police departments must be acknowledged and praised. It is now time to honor them all. We are all and they are all true American heroes.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I attended the conference in Durbin on racism with the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee). The Congressional Black Caucus had seven members there, and I think we were the ones that gave credibility to the United States, because I really feel that we missed an opportunity. So I would like to read to this body my statement that was delivered while we were there in Durbin, South Africa, at the United Nations Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and Other Intolerance, because I think it states the point. ``It is a distinct honor to participate with representatives from around the world who are joined in one common concern, and that is the elimination of the scourge of racism. No nobler intent can there be to express our support for eradicating this menace that has permeated our halls of justice, our halls and places of power, our board rooms, our schoolrooms, and our main streets. I use as a frame of reference my own place of birth, the United States of America, which has failed to send a high-level delegation. So I have to say, shame, shame on America. You have demonstrated your reluctance to sit at the table of nations to discuss past policies that have contaminated our relations between the majority and the minority in our own country. So deep are the wounds that healing appears to be unattainable and the political will evasive. The legacy of slavery not only has broken the spirit of many African Americans in the Diaspora, but also left generations to come without the hope to look ahead with clarity. We seek a future without the pain of suffering from the indignities and intolerances spawned by the involuntary seizure of a people from the very continent on which we stand today. The Congressional Black Caucus stands with the participating nations asking for a healing that will repair the broken and make them whole. But first our country must recognize its past mistakes and own up to them. It is disingenuous for critics to harp on the theme that the past is the past, which they had nothing to do with, and now we must fast- forward to the future. It loses sight of the psychological and sociological damage remaining from the harsh and unjust treatment of the past. This refrain, ``the past is the past,'' cannot be washed away with only an apology, but could with a series of meaningful discussions held in the United States that acknowledge the past and develop plans for the future to eradicate racism. I therefore call on the United States to host its own conference on racism in the near future and to support the legislation of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), H.R. 40, which will ask for a discussion, a study on racism. Reparations can consist of a variety of approaches that indeed further the advancement of those oppressed and provide benefits for their offspring. We need to look at better educational opportunities for our young people from kindergarten to college; health insurance coverage, maybe; the unjust justice system; racial profiling; affordable housing; environmental racism; job opportunities; creation of entrepreneurships. There are many, many ways in which 40 acres and a mule can translate into productive activities without the need for budget-busting expenditures. Let us start the debate here, and then go to our respective homes and continue these dialogues until the culture of racism and intolerance is eliminated from the face of the Earth, and especially, from the soil that we tilled and sowed.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Chairman, we are certainly not for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas drilling. The amount of recoverable oil would last an estimated 6 months. This drilling will occur in the very same refuge that President Dwight Eisenhower set aside, and is the last place in North America where the entire arctic ecosystem is protected. I urge a no vote. This is irresponsible and shortsighted. Please, we know we are in a crisis, but this is not the way to solve the problem.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 305, had I not been detained at a speaking event, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 305.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Chairman, I would like to begin by thanking the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Hastings) for offering the amendment. As he has said, we are running out of time to fix our broken election process in time for the next elections. The confusion surrounding last year's presidential election in Florida brought national attention to the failures of our voting process in many communities. I was in the Federated States of Micronesia at the time, and I could not believe what I saw. We resembled a banana republic. In the 9 months since then, studies by the press, by universities, and even this House have all detailed the same problem, that too many Americans are forced to use outdated or faulty voting equipment. The vast majority of these faulty machines are concentrated in the communities of poor and minority voters. No single act is more central to the American democratic process than casting a vote for the candidate of one's choice. The idea that some Americans might have their votes discarded because they live in the wrong neighborhood or they live as the wrong people should spur every Member of this body into action. This amendment would finally give the Federal Election Commission the resources it needs.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my strong support for the bipartisan Patient Protection Act, H.R. 2563, that will come before the House later this week. The Ganske-Dingell bill is a step in the right direction for American health care. Doctors and patients must live with the outcome of their decisions. Now it is time for the health maintenance organizations to do the same. Mr. Speaker, in many instances, HMOs have streamlined services and cut the cost of health administration. Spiraling costs seem to be contained, and medical options seem to be plentiful. However, containment of costs have also adversely affected the quality of patient care. We now know that reform must happen. We now know that the middleman must be held accountable and liable for medical decisions. We now know that the basic American principles and values must be inherent in medical public policy. The bipartisan Patient Protection Act gives all Americans the right to choose their own doctors, to hold a plan accountable when the plan makes a decision that could kill.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to speak today in support of the Lee-Leach amendment to dedicate resources to the fight against the global HIV/ AIDS crisis. The scope and severity of this crisis are not just a global health challenge but one of economics as well. The crisis has been felt harshly by less developed countries, the very countries whose governments are least equipped to handle this scourge. Critics of this amendment are concerned that it would reduce foreign military spending. But the global HIV/AIDS crisis poses as direct a threat to the security of many nations and the safety of their citizens as a more conventional military challenge would. The global fight against HIV/AIDS requires at least the same commitment that this Nation has made to training foreign militaries or fighting our war on drugs. If we do not take part in funding the research and the treatment, it could wipe out our forces, not only abroad but here in this country, too. Let us shift our priorities. Let us train an army of doctors to fight the global HIV/AIDS crisis. Let us declare war on this dreaded disease. And, most importantly, let us vote for the Lee-Leach amendment which will take a strong first step at addressing the economic challenge of the global HIV/AIDS crisis.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, one of the most fundamental guiding principles of our Nation is that individuals should be judged on their talents rather than on their heritage or their beliefs. It has been a long struggle for many Americans to secure the benefits of this principle. Even today, unfair discrimination prevents many Americans from achieving all they can. But most Americans can agree that our Federal Government should not sanction unfair discrimination but rather should fight it wherever it exists. Last week, Congress took a decision that compromised this principle. The passage of the Community Solutions Act last week by this House would permit groups to discriminate unfairly against certain Americans. Worse yet, the bill actually would take away the right of communities to establish their own antidiscrimination laws. Mr. Speaker, it is not too late for Congress to correct this House mistake. I encourage you to work with the Senate to see that any final version of this bill respects the rights of communities to enforce their own antidiscrimination laws and thereby protect one of our most cherished American principles.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, it has now been almost 9 months since the election fiasco of the year 2000, and for 9 months America's leaders have talked about election reform, but little has been done. This week yet another report was released detailing the breakdown of our voting process in America. A joint study by CalTech and MIT found that 4 to 6 million Americans lost their right to vote because of outdated or faulty voting equipment and a flawed process. This might come as a shock to some people, but it should not. Last week my colleagues and I on the House Committee on Government Reform released another study detailing the same problem. Too many Americans are forced to use outdated or faulty voting equipment and too many of these faulty machines are concentrated in the communities of the poor and minority voters. Mr. Speaker, we have had 9 months of study, 9 months of research, 9 months of reports. Now the American people want and deserve action. Mr. Speaker, please make election reform the number one priority of this House in time to make real lasting changes before next year's election.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on December 8, 2000, Julian Dixon, a Member of Congress, died of a heart attack at age 66. On that day, Congress lost an experienced leader, and California lost a tireless advocate. But the loss of Julian Dixon was felt the hardest in the 32nd Congressional District of California where Angelenos lost a beloved friend and neighbor. Yesterday, I introduced a bill to rename a post office in the 32nd district as the ``Congressman Julian C. Dixon Post Office.'' This one small effort pales in comparison to the years of devoted service Julian provided to his community. But as a friend and a school chum of Julian Dixon, I know that my neighbors in the 32nd Congressional District would be proud to have Julian remembered in this way. What an appropriate way to honor him, since he was well known for corresponding with his constituents by mail. Mr. Speaker, I ask the entire California delegation, as well as any other Member, to join me in cosponsoring this piece of legislation.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, today I stand before this august body to pay tribute to a superb colleague, friend, and fighter for justice, the late Honorable California State Supreme Court Justice Stanley Mosk. As a State Supreme Court Justice, Stanley Mosk fought repeatedly for civil rights and individual liberties. He constantly strove for fairness for all Californians. Judge Mosk did not view his judicial task as a job, but as a mission for humanity. Judge Mosk understood the pain of racism. It was during his election to statewide office that his faith was made an issue. Judge Mosk, as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, threw out a restrictive real estate covenant that prevented a black family from moving into a white neighborhood. A year later, the U.S. Supreme Court voided such covenants. It was Judge Mosk's ability to relate to the pain caused by racism that allowed him to approach legal decisions with a touch of humanity and fairness. Even before his career as a judge, Mosk had the ability to tell the difference between right and wrong. As a State Attorney General in the late 1950s and early 1960s, he established the office's civil rights division, and helped to persuade the Professional Golfer's Association to drop its whites-only rule. Judge Mosk, a longtime Democrat and self-described liberal, was appointed to the State's highest court in 1964 and served until his death, a 37-year tenure that made him the State's longest-serving Justice. During that time, he wrote 1,500 opinions. Judge Mosk often produced opinions separate from the court majority. He opposed the death penalty, but also showed flexibility and a knack for anticipating political currents. His decisions continued to reflect his quest for fairness and the desire to correct existing wrongs. In 1972, Judge Mosk's ruling extended to private developers a law requiring a study of each major project's likely environmental impact and ways to avoid the harm. In 1978, Judge Mosk ruled to ban racial discrimination in jury selections. He rendered this decision 8 years before the U.S. Supreme Court made the same decision. In light of his judicial decisions and opinions, Judge Stanley Mosk remained a champion for fairness and humanity. Today, I am honored as a Californian and as a former State Senator to pay homage to the career and the legacy of this great man.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 days to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special order.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 168, the resolution that expresses the sense of Congress in support of victims of torture. But first I wish to commend the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for introducing this important legislation. I also wish to express my gratitude to the honorable gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), the ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, for allowing me the opportunity to speak on this very important international issue. As both a former Ambassador and member of the Committee on International Relations, I stand before this esteemed body to speak on the necessity of highlighting the plight of the many victims of torture around the world. Today, there are over 500,000 survivors of torture who live in the United States as a result of fleeing from those repressive governments that use various tactics to torture to combat democracy. This bill is very significant, for it pays tribute to all the victims in the United States and the world who are struggling to overcome the physical and mental scars of torture on the occasion of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Torture is a violation of international law as reflected in the convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to which the United States is a party. Furthermore, such actions are an attack on the decency of every human being who lives in a world where such horrible practices exist. In light of these atrocities, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 190, I was delayed because of constituents in my office, however, I would have voted ``no'' on the question of consideration.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee). It is a pleasure and a delight to be here joining her in her commendation to Representative Shirley Chisholm, a woman that I met too many years ago to really account for. In meeting Shirley Chisholm, it was an experience. And when I say an experience, she was a teacher and a mentor, and there is never a time when you meet with Shirley Chisholm that you do not feel her inspiration, that you do not hear her wisdom, that you do not notice how profound she really is. Shirley Chisholm serves as a major role model for all women and all Americans. As has been said here before, she did not only focus on African Americans and women, but all Americans. She showed those of us who were young and aspiring how to get the job done. She was knowledgeable almost in every area that one could raise with her. She tells the story of how she was called on in New York to train a young man who was a labor leader to prepare himself to run for elected office. And she told him that she did not have much time because she was teaching, but she would take on a new project. This new project was so enamored with her, so touched by her warmth, her knowledge, and her concern for him, that at the end of their session he asked to marry her. She eventually married him. He prepared her for life alone, and the story really brings tears to your eyes. He discovered that he was a cancer victim. And rather than let her know, he said he was going to work on a private job every Wednesday. He was preparing for his departure and trying to get affairs ready so Shirley could take over after he had passed on and be able to run things on her own. He did pass on, and Shirley took on a new life. And I tend to think of that new life as enjoying life as he would have enjoyed it with her as he had lived. These are the kinds of stories that one heard often from Shirley. Not only did she advise you on how to work through the political arena, but she advised you on how to live life. And I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Shirley Chisholm, because whoever met her learned a little more about life and how to live life more successfully and beneficially.

Ms. WATSON of California

Ms. WATSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to a bill that has already passed this House, H.R. 1699, by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown). It had to do with the reauthorization of the Coast Guard budget. I just returned as a U.S. ambassador from the Federated States of Micronesia; 607 islands stretching across a million miles of ocean. Without the United States Coast Guard, we would have lost many citizens and many visitors. We found a package of white substance being handled by a group of children on the beach of Yap. We found it to be cocaine. It was the Coast Guard that moved in. Right after that, we found a headless, armless, legless body. A torso. It was the Coast Guard that my embassy called to contact the FBI and DEA to investigate. We had many, many occasions to call on the Coast Guard for search and rescue. Many of the native boats would go out, and in these shabby craft would end up missing. The motor broke down, the boat came apart, there were high waves. Without the Coast Guard being called in for search and rescue, we would have lost many of our countrymen there in the Federated States of Micronesia. Boat safety training was something that was done often on the request of the embassy, and we went to the Islands of Chuuk, where we trained 19 young people to go back to their respective islands and to train others to do boat safety. There were so many occasions on which I had to request the services of the United States Coast Guard. Their services were done courageously, bravely, and effectively, saving the lives and crafts of many, many people, many islanders, but most of all serving our country well and with distinction. I am very pleased and proud to have my first vote recorded on this particular bill, H.R. 1699. I commend the authors, and I also commend the House for their support of the reauthorization and for supplementing the budget of the United States Coast Guard.