Congressional Record—Senate S265
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February 1, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S265 S. 2060. A bill to provide for the pay- Whereas his father, Joseph C. White, a leg- (A) recognizes that Kevin White forever en- ment of a benefit to members eligible islator of the Commonwealth of Massachu- riched the Boston political landscape and for participation in the Post-Deploy- setts; his maternal grandfather, Henry E. forged a new path for the City of Boston; ment/Mobilization Respite Absence Hagan; and his father-in-law, William (B) pays tribute to the work by Kevin White to improve the lives of the residents of program for days of nonparticipation Galvin; each served as presidents of the Bos- ton City Council; the City of Boston; and due to Government error; to the Com- Whereas Kevin White earned a bachelor’s (C) requests the Secretary of the Senate to mittee on Armed Services. degree from Williams College in 1952, a law prepare an official copy of this resolution for Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise degree from Boston College in 1955, and also presentation to the family of Kevin White; today to introduce the Fair Military studied at the Harvard Graduate School of and Leave Act. This legislation fixes a Public Administration, now the John F. Ken- (2) when the Senate adjourns today, it problem that is preventing some of our nedy School of Government; stand adjourned as a mark of respect to the brave servicemembers from using bene- Whereas in 1956, Kevin White married memory of former Boston Mayor Kevin fits that they earned after serving mul- Kathryn Galvin; Hagan White. tiple or extended deployments over- Whereas in 1960, at the age of 31, Kevin f seas. White was elected Secretary of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts and was reelected 3 SENATE RESOLUTION 366—HON- In 2007, the military established the ORING THE LIFE OF DISSIDENT Post-Deployment/Mobilization Respite times, serving until 1967; Whereas in January 1968, Kevin White be- AND DEMOCRACY ACTIVIST Absence Program, or PDMRA, to assist came the 51st Mayor of the City of Boston, WILMAN VILLAR MENDOZA AND men and women who are ordered to de- Massachusetts; CONDEMNING THE CASTRO RE- ploy beyond the established standards Whereas within months after taking office GIME FOR THE DEATH OF for troop rotation by providing extra as Mayor of Boston, Kevin White was instru- WILMAN VILLAR MENDOZA paid leave when they return home. Un- mental in helping guide the City of Boston fortunately, a mistake during demobi- after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. lization prevented some soldiers from King, Jr.; RUBIO, Mr. NELSON of Florida, and Mr. receiving the paid leave they earned. Whereas on April 5, 1968, Mayor White CASEY) submitted the following resolu- The Army’s records indicate that this asked that the James Brown concert at the tion; which was considered and agreed problem affects 577 soldiers across the Boston Garden be televised rather than be to: cancelled, as many suggested; country, including 80 in Wisconsin. Whereas during the concert, Mayor White S. RES. 366 These soldiers have since gotten addressed the citizens to plead for calm and Whereas, on Thursday, January 19, 2012, 31- their military records corrected to re- said, ‘‘Twenty four hours ago Dr. King died year-old Cuban dissident Wilman Villar Men- flect the days of PDMRA leave they for all of us, black and white, that we may doza died, following a 56-day hunger strike to were supposed to receive. However, the live together in harmony without violence, highlight his arbitrary arrest and the repres- only way for these soldiers to use this and in peace. I’m here to ask for your help sion of basic human and civil rights in Cuba benefit is to take extra paid leave on a and to ask you to stay with me as your by the Castro regime; future deployment. For those soldiers mayor, and to make Dr. King’s dream a re- Whereas, on November 2, 2011, Wilman ality in Boston. No matter what any other Villar Mendoza was detained by security who will not deploy again or who have forces of the Government of Cuba for partici- left the military entirely, this remedy community might do, we in Boston will honor Dr. King in peace.’’; pating in a peaceful demonstration in Cuba does not work. calling for greater political freedom and re- Mistakes happen, but they need to be Whereas during his time as Mayor of Bos- ton, Kevin White undertook a program of spect for human rights; fixed. The Fair Military Leave Act urban revitalization of the downtown areas Whereas Wilman Villar Mendoza was sen- gives troops the option of cashing out of Boston that forever transformed Faneuil tenced to 4 years in prison after a hearing the leave they were incorrectly denied Hall and Quincy Market; that lasted less than 1 hour and during which when they came home. This solution is Whereas during his time as Mayor, Kevin Wilman Villar Mendoza was neither rep- modeled after legislation Congress White brought the residents of each neigh- resented by counsel nor given the oppor- borhood of Boston, from Mattapan to tunity to speak in his defense; passed in the National Defense Author- Whereas, on November 25, 2011, Wilman ization Act for fiscal year 2010. As with Charlestown, from South Boston to Brigh- ton, from East Boston to West Roxbury, to- Villar Mendoza was placed in solitary con- that bill, the Fair Military Leave Act finement after initiating a hunger strike to reimburses soldiers at a rate of $200 per gether through programs like Summerthing, Little City Halls, and jobs for at-risk youth; protest his unjust trial and imprisonment; day of PDMRA that they were incor- Whereas in 1974, Judge W. Arthur Garrity Whereas Wilman Villar Mendoza was a ´ ´ rectly denied. Jr. of the United States District Court for member of the Union Patriotica de Cuba, a I am pleased to have the senior Sen- the District of Massachusetts ordered Boston dissident group the Cuban regime considers illegitimate because members express views ator from Oregon join me as an origi- to begin busing children to integrate its critical of the regime; nal cosponsor of this legislation. My schools; Whereas security forces of the Government Whereas during a difficult period of racial friend from Oregon led the effort to fix of Cuba have harassed Maritza Pelegrino tension for the City of Boston, Mayor White the earlier problem with PDMRA bene- Cabrales, the wife of Villar Mendoza and a urged the people of Boston to remember fits in the 2010 defense authorization. member of the Ladies in White (Damas de their common identity; The men and women of our Armed Blanco), and have threatened to take away Whereas from 1984 to 2002, Kevin White was Forces have done so much for our coun- her children if she continues to work with the director of the Institute for Political the Ladies in White; try, and we should not drag our feet in Communication at Boston University; Whereas Human Rights Watch, which doc- making this right. These troops earned Whereas Mayor White valiantly fought umented the case of Wilman Villar Mendoza, their PDMRA benefit, and they should against Alzheimer’s disease after his diag- be allowed to use it. stated, ‘‘Arbitrary arrests, sham trials, inhu- nosis in 2003 and despite this debilitating mane imprisonment, and harassment of dis- f challenge, he never stopped being an exam- sidents’ families—these are the tactics used ple of strength for the City of Boston and his SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS to silence critics.’’; family; Whereas Amnesty International stated, Whereas Kevin White is survived by his ‘‘The responsibility for Wilman Villar wife, Kathryn; a brother, Terrence, who Mendoza’s death in custody lies squarely SENATE RESOLUTION 365—HON- managed his early campaigns; his sons, Mark ORING THE LIFE OF KEVIN with the Cuban authorities, who summarily and Chris; his daughters, Caitlin, Beth, and judged and jailed him for exercising his right HAGAN WHITE, THE MAYOR OF Patricia; his 7 grandchildren; and his sister, to freedom of expression.’’; BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS FROM Maureen Mercier; Whereas Orlando Zapata Tamayo, another 1968 TO 1984 Whereas the most famous campaign slogan prisoner of conscience jailed after the coined Kevin White, ‘‘A loner in love with Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. ‘‘Black Spring’’ crackdown on opposition the city’’; and groups in March 2003, died in prison on Feb- BROWN of Massachusetts) submitted Whereas the irony of the slogan is that the following resolution; which was ruary 23, 2010, after a 90-day hunger strike; Kevin White was never lonely and that the Whereas, according to the Cuban Commis- considered and agreed to: people of Boston who he loved so much, loved sion on Human Rights, the unrelenting tyr- S. RES. 365 him back: Now, therefore, be it anny of the Castro regime has led to more Whereas Kevin White was born in Boston Resolved, That— than 4,000 political detentions and arrests in on September 25, 1929; (1) the Senate— 2011; and VerDate Mar 15 2010 02:29 Feb 02, 2012 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A01FE6.051 S01FEPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with SENATE S266 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 1, 2012 Whereas Cuba is a member of the United to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2038, ing and maintaining a legitimate definition Nations Human Rights Council despite nu- supra; which was ordered to lie on the table. of the term long-term price stability, as such merous documented violations of human SA 1503.