July 17, 1998 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1343 and native violet, the Illinois state flower. Those sailors were neither traitors nor de- THE FOOD SAFETY ENFORCEMENT Bringing this native vegetation back to an en- serters, as some have suggested. They ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 1998 vironment that is now urban, has not been an sought the same post-traumatic leave as was easy task. For example, Mr. Kline has had to allowed their white officer counterpartsÐleave HON. JOHN ELIAS BALDACCI replace the garden's urban soil. Mr. Kline has they were denied because of their race. They OF MAINE sought remediation of the unquestionably haz- upheld his strong determination to complete IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES his vision for the garden, diligently researching ardous conditions involved in loading the ships native plants and remaining patient with the which undoubtedly contributed to the events Friday, July 17, 1998 garden. Mr. Kline is growing non-native flow- leading to the explosion, including the dan- Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker today I, along ers such as tulips to provide some color to the gerous competition among loading crews pro- with a host of my colleagues, am introducing garden, while he is waiting for the soil to be- voked by officers. the Food Safety Enforcement Enhancement come rich enough for a complete native gar- Now, along with 40 or our colleagues in the Act of 1998. I believe that one of this govern- den. House of Representatives, I am seeking the ment's fundamental responsibilities is ensuring Mr. Kline's hard work and dedication to the personal intervention of President Clinton to that Americans have the safest food possible. 225 square foot library garden was featured in clear these records. As many of you know, the The recent outbreaks of E. coli across the a recent article in the Chicago Tribune. Mr. Navy has already acknowledged that race was country have caused illnesses and at least Kline has also received the Library Volunteer an important factor in many aspects of life in one death. A woman in her 90s from Wash- Recognition Award in 1996 and 1997 for his the Navy and at Port Chicago in 1944. Their ington County, Maine, died after becoming in- hard work and numerous volunteer hours. race denied black sailors the opportunity to fected. I hope that you will join me in recognizing serve in combat situations. They were as- The outbreak has shaken the confidence of Mr. John Kline's strong dedication to the bet- signed to loading operations exclusively be- American consumers. Americans are stunned terment of the people of his community, as cause of race, and they were subjected to when they learn that the Secretary of Agri- well as the land on which they live. hazardous conditions in those loading oper- culture does not have the authority to demand f ations because they were black. And ulti- a recall of contaminated meat. The Secretary mately, they were denied equal treatment from cannot impose civil fines on a company that ANNIVERSARY OF THE TRAGIC the Navy after the explosion solely because of PORT CHICAGO EXPLOSION: OP- knowingly or repeatedly violates food-safety their race. laws. PORTUNITY TO CLEAR THE Their convictions were wrong because they NAMES OF CONVICTED SAILORS Consumers, farmers and ranchers are all resulted from a system that the highest mili- asking that more be done to prevent food- tary officials of this nation now acknowledge borne contamination and that something be was racially biased against black people. The HON. GEORGE MILLER done to stop the spread of contaminated meat OF CALIFORNIA time has long passed for these convictions to once it is discovered. be overturned. As the San Francisco Chron- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The legislation, developed with the United icle editorialized on March 1 of this year: Friday, July 17, 1998 States Department of Agriculture, and intro- The United States should be a strong Mr. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, enough country to acknowledge that it duced as a companion to a bill sponsored by today is the 54th anniversary of the terrible ex- makes mistakes, especially in the fervor of a Senator HARKIN, would give the Department plosion and loss of life at Port Chicago Naval world war, and its harsh judgment of these some common-sense powers. Weapons Station during World War II. A num- men was indeed a mistake. It requires notification of the USDA when ber of survivors, their families and community That is why the State Legislature unani- contaminated meat or poultry products are dis- supporters are gathering today at a memorial mously voted to ask President Clinton to inter- covered. It gives the Secretary the authority to on the site of the explosion to mark the anni- vene: when race taints one aspect of an issue, recall contaminated meat and poultry as soon versary and continue the effort to clear the when it creates the context in which a condi- as it is discovered. It also gives the Secretary names of sailors that were wrongly convicted tion exists, it is a factor in what results from the authority to levy civil penalties on slaugh- of mutiny after refusing to resume loading mu- those conditions. That is why these convic- terhouses and processors for violations of nitions in the aftermath of the tragedy. tions must be expunged. food safety laws. I was proud to write the law in 1992 that es- Whenever I speak out on behalf of the Port I view this as the beginning of a process to tablished a National Memorial at the site of the Chicago sailors, there is always someone who identify ways to foster improvements in the explosion and where the ceremony today is writes to criticize my efforts. But recently, meat and poultry food chain that can lead to being held. someone wrote with another perspective that I improved public safety, enhanced consumer A little over a half century ago this site was want to share with you today, a man in Ran- confidence and acceptance by producers, a vital supply center during the crucial phase cho Mirage, California, whose late uncle, a processors and consumers of their shared re- of World War II in the Pacific. From this site, long-time Navy man, was severely injured by sponsibilities in ensuring that Americans con- the munitions that liberated much of Asia from the Port Chicago explosion. Here is what he tinue to enjoy the safest and most abundant totalitarianism were shipped, and the history of wrote: food supply in the world. the world was changed. [I]t certainly is understandable that those f But as we know, we remember Port Chi- who were loading the ammunition and who cago today for another reason as well. Fifty- were treated so shabbily by their superiors AFFORDABLE HOUSING SHORTAGE four years ago tonight, one of the largest pre- (almost as if they were completely expend- AND FEDERAL MORTGAGE PRE- able fodder) would definitely not want to go PAYMENTS nuclear explosions in world history occurred back into the situation. I wouldn’t either. right here. Two supply ships, a supply train, These men deserve to have their names and hundreds of brave and dedicated sailors cleared and their dignity restored. I don’t HON. MARTIN OLAV SABO were vaporized. The devastation was unparal- doubt that my uncle would have wanted the OF MINNESOTA leled in the history of World War II here in the same thing. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES United States with the singular exception of So, on this 54th anniversary on this historic Friday, July 17, 1998 Pearl Harbor. tragedy, let us both recall the bravery and sac- Today, most of the scars of WWII have rifice of those who served and those who died Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ex- healed, and from the ashes of that war a new here at Port Chicago in pursuit of peace and press my serious concerns about the critical Asia has arisen. But not all the scars are justice. And let us include a prayer for those shortage of affordable housing across our healed. who served here and who still seek justice country and its devastating impact on a grow- For several years, as many of you know, I from the government they risked their lives to ing number of peopleÐparticularly in my home have been leading an effort, along with the defend. city of Minneapolis and in the Twin Cities met- help of our colleague Representative PETE I will continue my efforts to secure a fair ropolitan area. The Twin Cities have a rental STARK and our former colleague Ron Dellums, hearing and justice for the sailors of Port Chi- housing vacancy rate of less than 2 percentÐ to close the books on the one remaining issue cago, and their families and survivors, and 5 percent is considered full occupancy. in the Port Chicago story: purging the convic- with the support of the survivors, their families, The lack of sufficient new production of af- tions of the sailors who did not return to ship the families of the victims and the community fordable rental housing is now being exacer- loading operations immediately following the at large we will secure that justice that has bated by the increasing number of federally- explosion. eluded these men for a half century. subsidized mortgages that are being prepaid.