E1360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks June 26, 2003 CBC SPECIAL ORDER ON Along with Reverend Jackson, and many fifty-year old executive directive to end seg- AFFIRMATIVE ACTION others, I was at the Supreme Court the day regation in the military. when this case was heard. I was very proud Again, these retired military officers, like to speak to the thousands and thousands of their business counterparts, stressed that af- HON. young people led by the students firmative action is essential to the success of OF and BAM who had come to from their mission. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES all over the country to protest the effort to Diversity is a critical component of our de- eliminate affirmative action. mocracy as well. That is why I joined my Wednesday, June 25, 2003 Believe me, I see a new sense of energy and congressional colleagues, led by Michigan Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our involvement by our young people, and as Congressman , ranking member adults we must support their organization of the Judiciary Committee and long a war- CBC Chairman, , for holding efforts. Thank God, they are preparing them- rior in the fight for civil rights, in submit- this special order. I wish to contribute this selves to take over the world. This victory ting our own amicus brief to the Court. evening by inserting into the RECORD the fol- speaks volumes to their efforts. We asked the Court to recognize the edu- lowing speech which I delivered on Monday I was sitting in the audience when Solic- cational and political benefits of diversity; June 23, 2003 at the Rainbow Push Coalition itor General Ted Olson, the Administration’s to uphold the use of race as one factor and the Citizen Education Fund’s Women’s attorney, passionately argued against af- among others that can be considered in gov- Luncheon in Chicago. firmative action, declaring that the Univer- ernment decision-making; and to reaffirm that the role of race in this decision making Thank you very much for that kind intro- sity of Michigan—and by implication all is not limited to remedying specific in- duction and thank you for inviting me here other universities and institutions—should stances of identified discrimination. today. I want to acknowledge and thank use race-neutral means for its admissions. I thought how sad it was to witness our The fact is we don’t have a level playing Reverend Jesse Jackson for staying the own government arguing against the inter- field in this country. course, for continuing to speak truth to ests of so many of its own people. People of color and women earn less power and for your friendship and support I would suggest race-neutral admissions money, own fewer assets, and enjoy less ac- throughout the years. I want to thank you would be fine—just as soon as this becomes a cess to the nation’s elite institutions. Afri- for the act of courage Award presented to me race-neutral country. And not a day sooner. can American unemployment is twice as last year in Los Angeles. Believe me, the in- In upholding the University of Michigan high as that of whites. spiration and encouragement that I have re- law school’s affirmative action program, Affirmative action is still necessary, not ceived from you during very difficult and race will continue to be a critical component just in the interests of minorities but in the challenging times has given me strength. in achieving parity and equal opportunity interests of the country as a whole. Reverend Barrons, your guidance spirit for all. We must be the active watchdogs This decision upholds justice, access, and and commitment has touched my life. To over this decision and how it is implemented. fair play. Let me tell you what has happened Mrs. Jacqueline Jackson, thank you for your I was there when Justice Scalia told the in my home state of California. leadership and for being an exemplary role University of Michigan that it had a choice: In California, we have seen the devastating model for women. You are our first lady and it could either be an elite, first-rate school effects of the assault on affirmative action. we are so proud. or it could lower its standards and pursue ra- When I was in the state legislature, I fought To the entire Rainbow PUSH family, your cial diversity. tooth and nail against efforts to end affirma- commitment to work for justice and peace How sinister—and wrong—can you get? tive action. has shown the world ‘‘a better way.’’ You Justice Scalia was, in fact, offering a false Reverend Jackson and the Rainbow Coali- continue to fight to make the American dichotomy: in reality, you cannot be a top- tion not only stood with us, they actively op- dream a reality, not just for the select few flight university without diversity. posed Prop 209 by marching, engaging in but for ‘‘all God’s children.’’ While that fact eludes the Bush Adminis- peaceful protests, and organizing. I also want to acknowledge the many tration, it does not escape corporate Amer- All the ‘‘street heat’’ that could be brought elected officials, members of the clergy, and ica, the military, or many members of Con- to bear, Reverend Jackson helped bring it. community leaders, and phenomenal women gress, all of whom voiced their support for During those years, I was chair of the Cali- here today and to acknowledge everyone who the University of Michigan and the principle fornia Legislature Black Caucus, and we de- is part of the struggle to compel our nation of affirmative action. feated each and every anti-affirmative ac- to live up to its own promises of liberty and Sixty-five major businesses, all Fortune tion legislative measure that then Governor justice for all. And in the memory of our 500 companies, submitted a brief as a friend Pete Wilson wanted to sign into law. fallen hero Mayor Maynard Jackson, let us to the court on this case. But a member of the University of Cali- rededicate ourselves to our work for polit- These global businesses have annual reve- fornia Board of Regents, and African Amer- ical, social and economic justice. nues of over a trillion dollars. ican, yes, a brother, well, I should say, a Today, the Supreme Court issued a deci- As employers, they are deeply interested in black man, Ward Connely, led the ballot ini- sion on a monumental affirmative action this case because they recognize, and I quote tiative to end Affirmative Action. case. This morning the Supreme Court re- here from their brief, ‘‘the existence of racial These efforts resulted in a state constitu- jected the Bush Administration’s efforts to and ethnic diversity in institutions of higher tional amendment and action by the Board eliminate affirmative action as we know it. education is vital to [our] efforts to hire and of Regents to end affirmative action on all I say monumental because this judgment maintain a diverse workforce, and to employ campuses. will echo far beyond the boundaries of the individuals who have been educated and So, while we won in the legislature, misin- University of Michigan and far beyond the trained in a diverse environment.’’ formation and prejudice helped carry the day realm of higher education. Affirmative action, these corporate giants at the polls when California voters passed We are still studying the Court’s ruling to explained, does not only benefit minorities Proposition 209 in 1996. understand its ramifications; however, the or the economically disadvantaged: affirma- That initiative eliminated affirmative ac- Supreme Court did uphold affirmative action tive action benefits everyone by offering tion programs for women and people of color and that is a clear defeat for the Bush Ad- cross-cultural experience and understanding. run by state or local governments in the ministration. This decision is a testament to Without that interaction, they argued, we areas of public employment, contracting, the broad mobilization to defend civil rights, all suffer, and without such a workforce, and education. it validates the ‘‘power of the people’’ and these companies will be hard-pressed to com- California and some other states have tried the legality of affirmative action and re- pete in the global business environment. to create alternatives to affirmative action, quires us to be vigilant as we move forward. Those same views were echoed by many of but these alternatives depend on and rein- Many of you, including myself, are proud the highest ranking retired military officers force residential segregation and fall short products of affirmative action. We are duty- in this country, including former Chiefs of in other ways. They just don’t work. Now, bound to protect it. Staff, former Secretaries of Defense, General very few minority and women owned busi- This is one of the most important civil Norman Schwarzkopf, and other decorated nesses have state contracts, and very few are rights cases in the last quarter century. Af- veterans representing all four service employed in key positions. firmative action is still necessary, not just branches. Alumni legacies—such as those President in the interests of people of color, but in the They wrote the court, ‘‘Based on decades of Bush undoubtedly benefited from when he interests of women and country as a whole. experience, [we] have concluded that a high- was admitted to Yale with an exceedingly What was at stake here is the University of ly qualified, racially diverse officer corps’’ is mediocre academic record, to say the least— Michigan’s attempts to create a classroom ‘‘essential to the military’s ability to fulfill combined with emphasis on test scores that that reflects the diversity of this country as its principal mission to provide national se- favor both white applicants and the economi- well as its persistent economic inequalities. curity.’’ cally advantaged are creating campuses that What is also on trial here is the principle ‘‘Limited race-conscious recruiting and ad- are increasingly segregated. of affirmative action, and in this case the missions policies’’ at universities such as In California, we are undergoing the re-seg- Bush Administration weighed in on the side Michigan, they continued, is critical to both regation of our colleges and universities. At of reversing progress rather than pursuing meeting the security needs of this country many of the top schools in the state, minor- justice. and to following through on Harry Truman’s ity enrollment has been cut in half since

VerDate Jan 31 2003 06:11 Jun 27, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A25JN8.051 E26PT1 June 26, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1361 Prop 209 passed. Thank God for our histori- tions, just like it’s trying to wipe out affirm- ommendations made by the Taxpayer Advo- cally Black Colleges. Our African American ative action and the Clean Air Act. cate at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to students are now going south benefiting This is an administration that wages war improve services of the agency and protect from their excellent education. But what we abroad while also waging war at home, on consumer rights. Most of these provisions are have learned is that 70 percent of these stu- the nation’s poor, on people of color, on dents do not return to California. What a women, on the environment, on seniors, and broadly, if not unanimously, supported. brain drain we have in California. on working families. However, what started as a good bipartisan Shame on California. What can we do in the face of these as- bill has been tarnished by the addition of an One observer described the process of saults? Fight back! Believe me, we must be anti-consumer provision that is troublesome eliminating affirmative action, at Boalt vigilant to stop any legislation—illegal leg- enough that I cannot vote for it. Language was Hall, the University of California’s premiere islation that the Republican House and Sen- added to this bill to strip essential consumer law school, as ‘‘watching justice die.’’ ate will put forward. protections for those purchasing health insur- In looking at the Administration’s position We must take back the House, take back on affirmative action, we have to place that the Senate, and take back the White House ance using tax credits granted under the particular choice within the larger context in 2004. Trade Assistance Act (TAA). These existing, of the Bush Administration’s class war on To do that, we must educate, organize, mo- carefully negotiated consumer protections are America’s working families and their poli- bilize, and vote! in place to ensure adequate coverage for cies of rewarding the rich. We must register our folks to vote, we those using the tax credit. They are enjoyed This Administration and its allies in Con- must vote and we must demand that our by every member of this Congress, and they gress are rolling back advances in racial votes be counted. No more stealing elections. are critical to providing meaningful health cov- equality, economic opportunity, and gender Democracy is at a crossroads. We must make erage. equity. democracy real. First Trent Lott lamented the defeat of Rainbow PUSH represents the very diver- Proponents of removing these consumer Strom Thurmond’s white supremacist Dixie- sity that is under attack. And diversity is a protections call it ‘‘consumer choice.’’ But as a crat Party in 1948. tremendous strength. Use it! former insurance regulator, I can tell you that The Administration may have rushed to If people tell you their vote doesn’t mat- families facing unemployment and possible disown itself from those remarks, but its ter, remind them about . loss of health insurance due to U.S. trade pol- policies are taking us back to those days Each and every vote the Supreme Court icy need health insurance that is both afford- nonetheless. chooses to count matters. We must demand able and provides adequate coverage. They The Administration is creating massive that they all be counted! should not be forced to ‘‘choose’’ one over the tax cuts for the rich, but twelve million chil- This is a critical moment in history and other. dren of America’s working families were left you have to make it our moment. off their master plan for the child tax credit. I am reminded of the Book of Esther and Under current law, insurance companies They did this deliberately. It was not a mis- the conversation between Mordecai and Es- who agree to offer coverage to displaced take. ther when she faced her moment of truth. workers under this program are substantially So were single mothers who apparently Mordecai turned to Esther as she paused in limited in their ability to turn down applicants, don’t deserve tax credits in the world of the face of what looked to be an insurmount- charge excessive premiums or otherwise seek George Bush. They also left out over 200,000 able obstacle, and he said to her, ‘‘Who to cover only the healthiest individuals. With- military families. What a disgrace. knows whether you have not come to the out these requirements, the promise of help We have an Administration that preaches kingdom for such a time as this?’’ leave no child behind, but then wants to gut for most of these people and their families Let me pose a similar question to you here, would be meaningless. Understand, however, Head Start and leaves tens of thousands of today. Who knows whether or not you have children on waiting lists instead of in pre- come for such a time as this? these are not special protections. These are school. They want to block grant head start, Queen Esther and her forces were vic- standard protections and they are being remove it from the Department of Health torious. This too is a battle we can win. We, stripped in this bill. and Human Services, put it in the Depart- too, will be victorious. And, again, women Making coverage cheaper by restricting it to ment of Education and require four year olds will help lead the way. the healthy undermines its purpose—health to take a literacy test. Their proposal would Thank you for all that you do. Let us take end head start as we know it. security for those who need it most. It’s like from this moment the determination to fol- making automobile air bags out of tissue We have an Administration that would like low in the footsteps of our heroes—Dr. King, to privatize both Social Security and Medi- Justice Marshall, Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Till, paper—a tactic sure to make cars cheaper for care, leaving our parents and grandparents Ida B. Wells, Sojourner Truth, Maynard all and hurt only those few who are in acci- with neither financial security nor real pre- Jackson, and Reverend Jesse Jackson—and, dents—those whose goal it is to protect in the scription drug coverage. like Esther, seize our moment. first place. We have an Administration that is trying I say again, Rainbow Push, you have come to block grant Section 8 housing programs, Only healthy people can afford to ‘‘waive’’ for a time such as this. the protections. If the waiver is available, the dismantling Section 8 as we know it. Thank you and God bless you. And we have an Administration that is insurance industry would likely gladly enter stripping away our civil liberties, one by f into arrangements to cover only the young and one. We must stop Patriot Act II from get- healthy displaced workers and walk away from TAXPAYER PROTECTION AND IRS ting through Congress. those who need help most. This would make ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2003 It’s an Administration that is wiping out a mockery out of the agreement the members decades of progress on Clean Air and Clean of this House voted for in passing the TAA. Water, even though asthma, childhood can- SPEECH OF cer rates, and scores of other health prob- Or worse yet, perhaps those most in need lems associated with pollution are on the HON. EARL POMEROY of coverage would indeed be issued policies, rise, especially among people of color. It’s an OF NORTH DAKOTA using this credit, but only coverage that ex- administration that puts our tax dollars into IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES empts any pre-existing conditions. In other a $400 billion dollar defense budget to build words, this credit could be used to under- more missiles, yet cuts after school pro- Thursday, June 19, 2003 insure individuals or families, leaving them vul- grams and won’t fully fund education. Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to nerable without the protection they need most. This is an administration that is launching Is it really helpful to displaced workers to pro- a similar assault on women’s rights. say that I cannot support this bill. I do support Look at its attack on Title IX, for exam- nearly everything in the underlying bill. It is vide a tax credit to purchase coverage that ple, a program that is featured in this con- mostly the product of a bipartisan effort to ad- doesn’t cover what they need most? Of course ference. Title IX has opened up opportunities dress taxpayer rights issues and those provi- it isn’t, and that’s why we included standard for girls and women on the sports field that sions should be enacted. Unfortunately, the consumer protections in the first place. have also opened up opportunities in life. addition of ‘‘poison pill’’ language into this bill Mr. Speaker, aside from this anti-consumer Our beloved, recently deceased Congress- prevents me from supporting this legislation provision related to health care tax credits, I woman Patsy Mink of Hawaii, sponsored today. strongly support the underlying bill. The major- Title IX. In honor of her memory and legacy, we must not let this Administration turn This bill has many good components, in- ity of this bill is good for taxpayers and would back the clock. cluding provisions I worked on personally with serve to improve the operations of the IRS Title IX is about banning sex discrimina- Mr. HOUGHTON. There are several excellent and the services they provide to our constitu- tion, pure and simple. And the Bush Admin- provisions from members of both sides of the ents. However, as long as this poison pill pro- istration is trying to wipe out those protec- aisle, in addition to a number of important rec- vision remains in this bill, I will oppose it.

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