March 13, 1996 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E337 permitting States to decide whether to use SPEAKER PRINGLE’S STRAIGHT nately, the Clinton administration is stand- Medicaid funds for abortions in the case of TALK ON WELFARE REFORM ing in our way. rape or incest. In July 1994, California passed common- This provision is cruel, unfair, and has no sense ‘‘family cap’’ welfare reform legisla- HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH tion to end the perverse practice of increas- place in any legislation, but most particularly OF CALIFORNIA ing payments to welfare recipients who have not in this already troubled omnibus appropria- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES additional children. This practice usurps the tions bill. Tuesday, March 12, 1996 role of husbands and drives men away from States should not be given the option of their families. But officials at the federal providing coverage of these services under Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, President Department of Health and Human Services the guise of States' rights. States have the Clinton has talked a good game on welfare re- have denied the necessary federal waiver choice whether or not to participate in the form, particularly when the cameras were fo- that would allow California to implement its Medicaid ProgramÐthey do not and should cused on him during the State of the Union law. Our citizens are being held hostage by the not have the option to pick and choose which Address. But his two vetoes of welfare reform federal welfare system, and there is nothing procedures they will cover. legislation speak much louder than his crowd- we can do about it. The provision in this bill clearly discriminates pleasing rhetoric. As we, in Congress, con- How can we possibly move Californians against victims of crime. It blames the victim tinue to pursue an overhaul of the current sys- into the work force when federal welfare pro- and forces her to accept the responsibility and tem, the California legislature has moved grams pay them the equivalent of $11.59 an consequences resulting from the violent crime ahead with its own welfare reform legislation, hour not to work? That’s 270% more than perpetrated against her. Indigent women who designed to restore work incentives and help they can earn with a full-time, minimum- are victims of rape or incest have already people on welfare become independent and wage job. And how can we discourage teen- been brutally assaulted once by their age girls from getting pregnant and dropping productive citizens. out of school when Washington tells them attackerÐthis provision will make them victims The speaker of the assembly, Curt Pringle, that for as long as they don’t work, don’t get of a second brutal assault, this time by the has been a leader in California's welfare re- married and don’t live at home, the govern- Government that pledges to assist and protect form effort. In the March 4, Los Angeles ment will provide them with free money, them. Times, Speaker Pringle correctly pointed out free food and a free apartment? I urge my colleagues to protect the rights of that President Clinton, far from being a leader We must take matters into our own hands. poor and vulnerable victims and vote ``yes'' on in welfare reform, is actually its major impedi- California will soon pass the most sweeping the Lowey amendment. ment. California and the other States cannot welfare reform legislation in the nation’s history. The plan will replace the current f reform their welfare programs without Federal welfare system with temporary assistance approval. If President Clinton had approved CONGRATULATIONS ON 25 that focuses on reuniting broken families the legislation sent to him by the 104th Con- SUCCESSFUL YEARS and moving the abled-bodied back into jobs. gress, California would not have to go through The plan also removes disincentives to an extremely difficult and time-consuming Fed- marriage, work and self-responsibility by es- HON. JOE KNOLLENBERG eral waiver process in order to implement its tablishing flat grants, no higher than mini- OF MICHIGAN own reforms. California could be moving for- mum wage, that do not increase according to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ward with its reforms right now. family size. After all, it is unfair to tax low- Tuesday, March 12, 1996 Given the continued urgency of this issue, I income working mothers whose wages are not based on family size and use the money Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I rise would like to request that Speaker Pringle's to subsidize welfare recipients who choose to today to honor any friends at Southfield Chris- excellent commentary be entered into the have more children. Fairness and self-reli- tian School on their 25th anniversary celebra- RECORD at this point. ance will be the cornerstones of California’s tion. [From the Los Angeles Times, March 4, 1996] new welfare system. With a deep-seated commitment to a strong CLINTON ISN’T DOING CALIFORNIA’S POOR ANY But without federal approval, these re- FAVORS forms cannot be implemented. program of moral and character development, The president says that states must be (By Curt Pringle) Southfield Christian has set new standards for given more flexibility to do the things they excellence among Christian schools. President Clinton said, ‘‘I believe we want to without seeking waivers. But by In fact, Southfield Christian was one of only should ship decision-making responsibility blocking reform efforts in Washington, the two schools nationally to receive the pres- and resources from bureaucracies in Wash- president has proved again that he cannot be tigious Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Award ington to communities, to states and, where trusted. we can, directly to individuals.’’ When he from the U.S. Department of Education. California must be allowed to implement makes statements like that about welfare re- its welfare reform measures without seeking With a program emphasizing both academic form, does he seriously expect us to believe excellence and a commitment to developing waivers. him any more? We will fight destructive federal welfare character and integrity, Southfield Christian Since his campaign pledge in 1992 to end programs all the way to the Supreme Court has a solid track record of success. welfare, the president has blocked every seri- if necessary, until out citizens and families More than 75 percent of their student body ous reform effort presented. Last year he ve- can once again set their own course for op- achieves honor roll status. The annual college toed important congressional block grant portunity. legislation, for which he had earlier indi- acceptance average is over 95 percent and, in f last year's senior class, 99 percent were ac- cated support, which would have given state and local governments more flexibility and TRIBUTE TO JOEL VATTENDAHL cepted to colleges. And finally, nearly 77 per- control over reform efforts. And last week cent of the students at Southfield Christian before a Senate panel, Health and Human score nationally in the top quarter on national Services Secretary an- HON. GERALD D. KLECZKA standardized tests. nounced that the president will reject the OF WISCONSIN Not only are they academically outstanding, National Governors Assn.’s bipartisan plan IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the school and its student body is involved in to salvage welfare reform this year. Tuesday, March 12, 1996 the local community as well. The annual fall The president’s words of reform offer up drive for the needy yielded more than 800 win- hope, but his actions betray us at our most Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to desperate hour. pay tribute to my friend, Mr. Joel Vattendahl, ter coats, hundreds of cans of food and more California, like so many states, is hurting. than 7,000 quartersÐin honor of their 25th an- Our social fabric is being ripped apart by fed- who retired from the United Steelworkers of niversaryÐfor the purchase of children's Bi- eral welfare programs that discourage work, America in December 1995. bles. deprive citizens of self-respect and dignity, Throughout his career, Joel worked tire- With state-of-the-art facilities and a loyal, create long-term intergenerational depend- lessly on behalf of the working men and committed alumni, the future looks very bright ency and compromise the well-being of our women of Wisconsin. Joel's career in the labor for the next 25 years and beyond. children. After $5.4 trillion spent over the movement began in 1965 when he was ap- Strengthened by their commitment and re- last 30 years for social welfare, we now real- pointed staff representative with the United solve to install morals and values in our future ize that the federal government’s failed ‘‘war Steelworkers. In 1981, he was elected to the on poverty’’ has actually been a war on the leaders, I extend my heartiest congratulations values of its own citizens. position of director of United Steelworkers Dis- on your 25th anniversary. I am very proud of We must replace the welfare system in trict 32. Joel effectively served in this position Southfield Christian, their staff, and the stu- California immediately, before we lose an- until June 1995. He announced his retirement dent body. Keep up the great work. other generation of poor children. Unfortu- in December 1995. E338 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 13, 1996 In addition to his outstanding work with the . We should remember aims at removing the obstacles to women's Steelworkers, Joel has played a crucial role in and honor women scientists, such as Marie active participation in all spheres of public and directing the course of Wisconsin's labor Curie, , and ; private life through full and equal share in eco- movement and has also been very active in a and women educators, such as Mary McCleod nomic, social, cultural, and political decision- variety of local and community affairs. From Bethune and Maria Montessori. making. It promotes the principle of shared 1981 until his retirement, Joel served as a We should remember and honor women power and responsibility between women and member of the executive board of the Wiscon- writers, such as Jane Austen, Mary men at home, in the workplace, and in the na- sin State AFL±CIO. He also was a member of Wollstonecraft Shelley, , tional and international communities. It advo- the Worker's Compensation Advisory Council Gertrude Stein, Virginia Woolf, Amy Chan, cates eradication of all forms of discrimination and the University of Wisconsin Board of Re- Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, Toni against women. gents. His outstanding efforts with these and Morrison, Simone de Beauvoir, Bing Xin, and The Platform for Action calls for strategic many other organizations have helped to im- Taslima Nasrin; and poets, such as Elizabeth action in the following areas of concern: pov- prove and maintain the quality of life for peo- Barrett Browning, , Maya erty, education and training, health care, ple throughout our State. Angelou, and Juana Ines de la Cruz. We women-focused violence, armed conflict, eco- Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the working men should likewise remember and honor women nomic structures and policies, the sharing of and women of the State of Wisconsin, I would artists, such as Georgia O'Keefe, Maria Mar- power and decision-making, advancement of like to thank Joel Vattendahl for his three dec- tinez of San Ildelfanso, and Frieda Kahlo. women, promotion and protection of women's ades of service and dedication. I wish him a And we should remember and honor women human rights, stereotyping of women in the happy and healthy retirement. government leaders, such as , media, natural resources and the environment, f , , Geraldine Fer- and discrimination against girls. raro, , Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Wilma Realizing these goals and addressing these COMMEMORATION OF WOMEN’S Mankiller, and Agnes Dill; and such inter- areas of concern will require a commitment by HISTORY MONTH national women leaders as Sylvia Kinigi, governments, international institutions, non- Prime Minister of Burundi, Lidia Geiler, Presi- governmental organizations, and the private HON. RONALD V. DELLUMS dent of Bolivia; Siramezo Bandaranaike, Prime sector throughout the world. Let us all here in OF CALIFORNIA Minister of Ceylon; Corazon Aquino, President Congress commit to doing our part to help re- alize these goals and address these concerns IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES of the Philippines; Indira Gandhi, Prime Min- in our country and in other countries. To this Tuesday, March 12, 1996 ister of India, Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan; and Mary Robinson, President of end, I am pleased to join my colleagues in the Mr. DELLUMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Ireland. We should also remember such inter- House in cosponsoring and supporting H. commemorate Women's History Month. This is national leaders as Wangari Maathai, Kenyan Con. Res. 119, a resolution to support the a time to remember that women in this country environmentalist; Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese commitments made by the at and all over the world have historically been democracy activist and Nobel Peace Prize the Fourth World Conference on Women, and subject to oppression. This is a time to re- winner; Rigoberta Menchu', Guatemalan Nobel ask the entire body to do so. Additionally, we member that women in this country and all Peace Prize winner; Radhika Coomaraswamy, should ask our colleagues in the Senate to do over the world have been fighting and over- Sri Lankan academic and U.N. Special their part by immediately considering giving its coming this oppression within the context of Rapporteur on Violence Against Women; advice and consent to the Convention on the their own cultural traditions. This is a time to Gabriela Mistral, Chilean educator, poet, and Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination mourn the oppression of the past and present member of the U.N. Subcommission on Against Women, now before the Senate. This and celebrate the empowerment of women in Women; Sonia Picado, Judge on the Inter- Convention will do much to help realize wom- the present and in the future. American Court of Human Rights; and Ger- en's rights around the world. It entered into Let us remember that the same fundamental trude Mongella, Tanzanian government min- force on September 3, 1981, and more than rights and freedoms held by men are also held ister and organizer of the Fourth U.N. Con- 80 nations are already parties. Again, Mr. Speaker, on this day, it is an by women, that women have the same rights ference on Women. to freedom of expression and religion, to indi- These are only a few of the many noted honor to pay tribute to women and celebrate vidual autonomy and privacy, and to vote and women of the arts, sciences, and leadership Women's History Month. hold government office; that women have the who deserve mention. In addition to these f right to an equal education, equal opportunity women, we should acknowledge and honor all URGING MEMBERS TO READ in employment, and equal pay for equal work; the unsung women who work tirelessly for little ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN BOLIVIA and that women have the right to be free from or no pay in the home and in the charitable sexual discrimination and harassment, sexual sector. HON. JIM McDERMOTT and physical assault, and spousal abuse. Women's rights has been on the inter- OF WASHINGTON I challenge my colleagues to remember and national agenda since 1975, when the U.N. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES honor women who have made their mark on General Assembly declared 1975 the Inter- history, and whose work for recognition of national Women's Year, and when 1976±85 Tuesday, March 12, 1996 women's rights and freedoms has benefited was declared the U.N. Decade for Women. In Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, I would like both women and men. These countless 1985, a U.N. Conference on Women was held to take this opportunity to enter into the women include: Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner to evaluate achievements made and work still RECORD this letter to Secretary of State War- Truth, Belle Hooks, and Flo Kennedy, advo- to be done to realize women's rights. Much ren Christopher regarding human rights in Bo- cates for the rights of women and African progress has been made since 1975, but still livia. Twenty-eight nongovernmental organiza- Americans; , Lucy much remained to be done. tions from the United States wrote this letter to Stone, , , Hil- Consequently, last September, in Beijing, ask the United States Government to ensure lary Clinton, , Eleanor Smeal, China, the United Nations held the Fourth that Bolivian antinarcotics police receiving and Dr. Homa Darabe, advocates for women's World Conference on Women. At that con- United States assistance comply with Bolivian rights; and and Emma Gold- ference, women from all over the world came and international laws when carrying out ar- man, advocates for education, autonomy, and together. These women came from every con- rests and that the United States support Boliv- responsibility concerning sexuality, reproduc- tinent, from every cultural and religious tradi- ian measures to improve human rights. tion, and birth control. tion, from countries of every economic situa- I am particularly interested in this letter be- We should also remember and honor tion, but these women all agreed that women's cause it highlights the human rights situation women civil rights leaders, such as Rosa rights are human rights. They reached con- in the Andean nations receiving antinarcotics Parks, Dorothy West, , Juanita sensus on a Platform for Action that will be assistance from the United States. I think it is Jones Abernathy, LaDonna Harris, Loretta the cornerstone for realizing equal rights and important that we monitor how U.S. assistance Armenta, Nadine Gardimer, Lani Guinier, and freedoms for women throughout the world. is used to ensure that it is used for its stated . We should remember and The Platform for Action recognizes that purpose, and that it does not contribute to honor other social reformers, such as Harriet empowerment of women and equality between human rights violations in the Andean nations. Tubman, , , Doro- women and men are prerequisites for achiev- Our commitment to support human rights thy Day, , Dorothy Dix, Helen Kel- ing political, social, economic, cultural, and en- around the globe requires congressional atten- ler, Florence Nightingale, Mother Theresa, and vironmental security among all peoples. It tion to this matter.