422 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS January 25, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS A SALUTE TO THE HONORABLE and effectively increased the volume of dol· In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Los An­ SAMUEL R. PIERCE, JR. Iars available to the minority communities. geles, California, Secretary Pierce estab­ We decided to take a close look at the ac­ lished a program called "Operation Build." complishments, problems, failures or suc­ In this program rather than the mere dis­ HON. JERRY LEWIS cesses during the three years that Samuel bursal of funds, the Department of HUD OF CALIFORNIA Pierce will have completed as Secretary of has moved to impact upon the lies of the in­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HUD next month. Pierce, who was identi­ dividual project resident youth and their Wednesday, January 25, 1984 fied as being from the "liberal wing of the families directly. The purpose of the impact party from New York State" as well as is to divert their interests and activities • Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. being a black man suffered from some disad­ away from drug use, vandalism, and other Speaker, I have had the privilege of vantage at the beginning of his administra­ crime through a focus on development of serving on the Housing and Urban De­ tion. Much of the press coverage tended to self reliance, self respect, and skills of which velopment-Independent Agencies Sub­ seek to focus on the negative although he individuals can be proud. Adrianne Dove, committee of the Appropriations Com­ continued to move deliberately and consist­ the deputy director of the Los Angeles HUD ently to reshape his programs to optimize office, reported that the program is begin­ mittee this Congress. It has afforded the benefits delivered to the urban popula­ ning to succeed in the two L.A. city public me the opportunity to closely study tions, particularly the poor and minority housing projects of William Meade and Im­ the housing policies of this adminis­ that HUD serves. perial Courts. These programs are funded tration and its housing leader, Samuel Congressional committee leaderships and by private sector contributions in partner­ R. Pierce, Jr. OMB Director Stockman found Pierce suc­ ship with the public sector to provide guid­ I want to take this opportunity to cessful in preserving and expanding the ance, direction, and leadership in those congratulate Secretary Pierce on the Urban Development Action Grant <UDAG > areas not already covered by the public "Martin Luther King, Jr., Special program. The handling of housing for the schools and not available in social services, poor was carefully looked at the light of few of which venture into the public hous­ Award" he received this month in At­ budget limitations provided. It was noted ing projects. lanta. This special award was present­ while only 5 percent of the poor were previ­ Former world light heavyweight champi­ ed by Coretta Scott King and is be­ ously being served with selections being on Archie Moore was called upon by Presi­ stowed upon the person who has pro­ based on responding to those who made the dent Reagan and Secretary Samuel Pierce moted social justice and social respon­ most noise. Pierce restructured the pro­ to incorporate his long-tested "A, Band C" sibility in the tradition and spirit of grams to put principal emphasis on the per­ concepts in the Los Angeles pilot project. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Secretary manent poor who are bound in their status Moore has been working directly with the by incapacity either by age or by physical youth teaching them not just boxing <of Pierce has been exemplary in this handicap as the primary target group. which he is the world's best teacher), but regard; there is no finer choice for this Direct loans were made available to provide also, and most significantly, self respect, self award. housing for the elderly and handicapped in reliance, and a sense of responsibility as well I applaud the Secretary in his ac­ the Section 202 program. In all cases, these as a respect for leadership-these being the complishments at the Department of direct loans were rendered through non­ qualities required for success in the work Housing and Urban Development. His profit organizations, and the greatest per­ world. The Operation Build program has se­ innovative efforts like Operation Build centage of the non-profit organizations were cured several mini computers and computer have been quite successful. He recent­ those affiliated in the minority communities instructions to complement the physical by direction of Secretary Pierce. and psychological training provided by ly visited southern California and met New Section 8 reservations for subsidy to Archie Moore. Someone jokingly called it with many who are concerned about developers and owners of 221 programs were the "School of Fighting and Technology." urban renewal and adequate housing reduced in that these programs provide There is immerse enthusiasm in the support for moderate- to low-income families. more benefits to a few rich developers than by the youth in the public housing as well A weekly black newspaper in San Ber­ to the multitudes of poor. Secretary Pierce as their parents and all others who have nardino, the Precinct Reporter, accom­ has continued to pursue alternate methods been privileged to witness it. panied the Secretary on his tour. The of assisting the poor as directly as possible To illustrate his interest, last month Sec­ following is a report by Ms. Frances and in a manner that they are enabled to retary Pierce personally visited Los Angeles help themselves get out of a condition of spending an entire day touring the projects, Grice. poverty on a permanent basis. This was evi­ talking directly with the youth, even refer­ BLACK REAGAN CABINET MEMBER dent in the expanded use of UDAG and the eeing the boxing matches which were cor­ Samuel Riley Pierce, Jr, has now been revitalization of the 203-K program in nered by Archie Moore with the assistance Secretary of the U.S. Department of Hous­ which run-down neighborhoods can be im­ of former heavy-weight champ Mike ing and Urban Development <HUD> for proved house at a time by the small investor Weaver. I was there and observed the inten­ three years. He has also had the distinction whose investment may be limited to his or sity of feeling aroused in the people of the of being the only black appointed to a cabi­ her own home and were a single loan can be projects whose need for self expression, net level position in the Reagan administra­ secured to buy a house and finance the nec­ pride, and self development, and the private tion. Pierce came to the job with sterling essary repairs or even to buy a lot moving goals with having done it for self esteem. It credentials having served as a State Su­ onto it manufactured housing, mobile became clear to me in observing Secretary preme Court judge (justice> and as Superior homes, or houses from freeway clearance or Pierce as he moved in a relaxed manner Court Judge in New York as well as having other projects. through the crowds that this was a micro­ been on the board of several major corpora­ Secretary Pierce has increased the funds cosmic Representation of his plan for Oper­ tions. His career and dedication to excel­ for modernization and comprehensive im­ ation Build and for the self esteem and real­ lence goes all the way back to his youth and provement of public housing while all along istic hope for those in the project. There college days where he was an all-American providing a leadership to stimulate imple­ was no doubt that it was sincere. at Cornell. mentation of the programs in such a way Secretary Pierce's concerns extended also During a previous administration, he had that prevents generation after generation of to all of the employees inside the Depart­ served as General Counsel to the Secretary the same family making use of the tempo­ ment of HUD and accordingly he sat down of the Treasury, and in that capacity had in rary housing and cultivating a dependency and met with the black employees of the his traditional low-key approach accom­ from that could be in some cases even con­ Los Angeles office of HUD listening to the plished the advancement of minority enter­ strued as a perpetuation of the slave men­ impact of the departmental reorganization prise through a minority bank deposit pro­ tality. Self sufficiency and concern with the on the clients of the Department, as well as gram regulated by the Treasury Depart­ individual has been a trademark of the all people who need housing. Secretary ment. The program became institutionalized Pierce administration. Pierce left an immense impression during e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. January 25, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 423 his visit to Los Angeles, and he said that he false label is attached or designed to the whole burden alone but must work with wished to return and view progress being be attached to the work in question, local allies. Yet up to now we have had only made on Operation Build as well as in other would be expanded to include labels limited forms of cooperation with the most programs to build people from dependency for computer programs or data bases. effective country in the region and the one into self sufficiency to steer people into most likely to fight on our side. training programs and into jobs to provide The maximum penalty for this activi­ Israel has become of necessity a "middle them with the incomes that enable them to ty would also be 5 years and/ or power" comparable to many of our North afford decent housing and to provide con­ $250,000 .