May 15, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E959 THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY OF ing, educational technology, after-school pro- Business from New York University, Myron BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION grams, and safe and drug-free schools are fro- was vice president of Bloomingdales for 34 zen; while for the second year in a row he al- years where he routinely answered his phone HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON locates no money for school modernization. with ‘‘Save Hempstead Harbor’’. Myron’s com- OF TEXAS It is time we say, ‘‘Enough is enough!’’ We mitment to the environment was quickly recog- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cannot afford to loose one more brilliant Black nized by then Governor Cuomo who appointed mind because the opportunity for a quality Myron as Chairman of the Long Island Parks Wednesday, May 14, 2003 education was not available to him or her. Fi- Commission. As Chairman, Myron initiated the Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. nancial constraints should not hinder our youth first Long Island Parks environmental edu- Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 49th from exploring knowledge and expanding their cation program. Myron also served as Chair of Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education minds. We must make sure that the people we the Sierra Club’s Atlantic Chapter and formed decision, which declared segregation of public vote into office do not ignore our desire to the Sierra Club’s first Long Island Chapter. In schools illegal. The case was sparked by educate our youth by selecting judicial nomi- addition, Myron served on the boards of the Linda Brown, a black girl denied admission nees that rob us of equal access to education, Environmental Planning Lobby and American into a white elementary public school in To- just as it was robbed from us before Brown v. Friends of Neot Kedumin. In November of peka, Kansas. The NAACP took up her case, Board of Education. And we must educate the 2002, Myron and the Residents for a More along with similar ones in Kansas, South populace on legislation that threatens to take Beautiful Port Washington received the well Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware. All five away our hardearned rights, rights that we deserved Environmental Advocates of New cases were argued together in December, should have never had to fight for in the first York State Award. 1952 by . place, rights to receive equal and quality ac- Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent such I am proud to stand here today in honor of cess and opportunity to education. an exceptional individual and commend Myron one of our country’s pioneers in the history of Education is not a luxury item that can be Blumenfeld for his dedication to preserving civil rights. Before serving 24 years as the first trimmed when more enticing budget items and working for the beautification of Port African-American on the United States Su- beckon. It is an essential element that should Washington. On May 18, 2003, Residents for preme Court, Thurgood Marshall served as be our highest national priority. Now is the a More Beautiful Port Washington will recog- legal director of the NAACP. Marshall was time to increase education spending. nize Myron’s important contributions at its 35th once asked for a definition of ‘‘equal’’ by Jus- Mr. Speaker, I would like to close by asking Annual Gala. I ask my colleagues in the tice Frankfurter. He responded, ‘‘Equal means my colleagues in the House of Representa- House of Representatives to please join me in getting the same thing, at the same time, at tives to join me in extending my appreciation wishing Myron Blumenfeld and the Residents the same place.’’ to the legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall, for a More Beautiful Port Washington many As a tribute to Thurgood Marshall and his the Brown family, and all of the unsung heroes more years of success as they celebrate their lifelong plight, the Congressional Black Cau- who worked so tirelessly for equality and jus- 35th Anniversary. cus, Microsoft and the Thurgood Marshall tice in America’s public institutions of learning. f Scholarship Fund recently announced the cre- f ation of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship INTRODUCTION OF G-8 Fund Technology Initiative. This initiative will HONORING MYRON BLUMENFELD RESOLUTION support technology, training for students at public Historically Black Colleges and Univer- HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN HON. BARBARA LEE sities. OF NEW YORK OF CALIFORNIA I am grateful to have contributed to the leg- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES acy of such a great American. As immediate Wednesday, May 14, 2003 Wednesday, May 14, 2003 past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, I am pleased that the seed planted under my Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today Ms. LEE. Mr Speaker, today I am intro- administration has now blossomed into a fruit- to honor the 35th Anniversary of Residents for ducing a resolution calling on the President to ful initiative. a More Beautiful Port Washington and its encourage members of the G–8 and rep- Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank all of Chairman, Myron Blumenfeld, for his strong resentatives of the European Union to pledge my colleagues for being here today to com- leadership, dedication and commitment in and contribute a substantial amount of money memorate this important event, so funda- making Port Washington a more beautiful to the fight against global AIDS, tuberculosis, mental to our societal growth. I am here today town. and malaria, in order to complement the re- because I believe that education must be our In 1968, Myron and a group of concerned cent commitment of the United States to number one national priority. In my almost thir- citizens founded Residents for a More Beau- spend $15 billion in the next five years. ty years as a legislator, I have fought to en- tiful Port Washington with the simple plan to The resolution clearly lays out the history of sure that education is at the forefront of the plant a tree by a gas station. Soon, the people the G–8’s involvement in the global HIV/AIDS legislative agenda. of Port Washington began to organize daily for fight, beginning in 1987 at the summit meeting The President has promised to ‘‘leave no environmental action and Myron’s organization in Venice, where the G–8 first recognized child behind,’’ unfortunately, the current ad- slowly grew from a handful of members to a AIDS as one of the biggest potential health ministration is not getting the message. The prestigious and influential non-profit action problems in the world. It was at this meeting President’s budget falls $9.7 billion dollars group. Today, Residents for a More Beautiful that member states first agreed to expand short of the funding commitment made in No Port Washington boasts more than 2,000 ac- international cooperation and intensify national Child Left Behind to K–12 education and $5.3 tive members who cross political, racial, reli- efforts to educate the public and prevent AIDS billion dollars short of level provided in the gious, ethnic and economic divides to pre- from spreading even further. Senate Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year serve and enhance the environment of Port Today, 15 years later, HIV/AIDS has be- 2004. How can we ask educators to meet high Washington and the surrounding communities. come an even greater threat to humanity than standards at the same time we hand them a Among the major projects the group has we would have ever envisioned back in 1987. budget that forces class size increases, cuts in spearheaded are: protecting drinking water, AIDS has already devastated the continent of academic programs, and teacher layoffs. De- building waterfront trails, contributing thou- Africa, where over 30 million people are cur- manding more but paying less does not work. sands of dollars to the Port Washington Board rently living with AIDS, and where hundreds of In fact, President Bush proposes a second of Education to fund projects which helps stu- millions more are still in danger of getting in- year of historically low federal investments in dents to learn about our ecosystem, planning fected. And now AIDS is poised to wreak educations, with an increase of only 5.6 per- the Main Street Park and Town Dock, and of havoc in India and China, as each country’s cent. This is contrast to the average increase course, planting hundreds of trees throughout large population has the potential to mask ris- of 13 percent over the past seven years. That Port Washington. ing trends of infection and understate the true doesn’t even keep pace with inflation. The As the founder and chairman of Residents reach of the pandemic. President’s budget also cuts targeted funding for a More Beautiful Port Washington, Myron As the leading killer of HIV/AIDS infected in- for assistance for school dropouts and higher Blumenfeld has consistently displayed his life- dividuals, tuberculosis is on the rise, and in education programs. long passion and spirit to improve our environ- virtually every country surveyed by the World Other programs barely survive the budget ment and our quality of life. A graduate of Syr- Health Organization, drug resistant strains of chopping block—resources for teacher train- acuse University with a Masters Degree in tuberculosis have already been found. Malaria

VerDate Jan 31 2003 05:36 May 16, 2003 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A14MY8.045 E15PT1 E960 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 15, 2003 is also experiencing a resurgence, as AIDS this resolution, and I hope that it will be con- laws and the Constitution, passionate belief makes it easier for the parasite to survive sidered on the floor. in the court’s role in protecting civil rights, once it enters the body. Together these dis- a commitment to community service and, f most significantly, an independence of mind eases represent an incredible challenge to to do what’s right that is at the core of his public health systems worldwide, but particu- DAMON KEITH—GUARDIAN OF THE CONSTITUTION view of professional responsibility. larly in developing nations that lack the infra- In 2001, the ABA also conferred on Judge structure or resources to adequately deal with Keith its ABA Spirit of Excellence Award. these three epidemics. HON. , JR. This brief recital illustrates Judge Damon Back in 1998 when I was first elected to OF Keith’s extraordinary standing within the Bar. Congress, we already knew that AIDS in com- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES In order for you to understand how he has bination with tuberculosis was creating a hu- Wednesday, May 14, 2003 earned that reputation, however, it is helpful to manitarian disaster in many parts of Africa. recall several of his most noteworthy opinions. Together with my good friend and colleague, Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remind America what we all owe to the Honor- THE ‘‘PONTIAC SCHOOL DESEGREGATION CASE’’ former Congressman Ron Dellums, and with This weekend, many of us in will be able Damon J. Keith, who has faithfully served strong support and help from Congressman celebrating the anniversary of the Supreme on the Federal Bench for some 35 years. His JIM LEACH, we helped create the first truly Court’s historic opinion in Brown v. Board of giant legacy looms large on America’s legal global response to this pandemic through pas- Education, unquestionably one of the greatest landscape. He is widely respected by his fel- sage of the Global AIDS and Tuberculosis Re- of that court’s decision in our history. As you low judges, by the Bar and by informed citi- lief Act of 2000—which established the frame- well know, however, it took decades of deter- zens throughout the land, not only for his con- work for what would become the Global Fund mined labor by many dedicated people to ac- stitutional scholarship, but also for the courage to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. tually implement the proud promise of Brown. of his convictions and his judicious compas- At the same time, the G–8 had also reached They were led, in the North as in the South, sion. a watershed moment in its response to AIDS by brave federal judges who simply believed Judge Keith has had a truly illustrious ca- and other infectious diseases at the Okinawa that the Constitution, as interpreted by the Su- summit meeting in 2000. Recognizing the link reer. Above all, his decisions have protected preme Court, must be enforced. between HIV/AIDS and poverty, the G–8 pro- the Bill of Rights from assaults by the Execu- Judge Keith’s opinion in the Pontiac school duced an ambitious plan to combat AIDS, tu- tive; and they have vindicated the Founding desegregation case will always be remem- berculosis and malaria. And yet, overall global Fathers’ wisdom in giving us an independent bered by those in the struggle as a profile in funding for these diseases was slow in rising. Judicial Branch. Like his namesake, the courage. Judge Keith was not eager to reject The UN Secretary General’s formal call for ‘‘Damon’’ of Greek mythology, Judge Keith’s the benefits of neighborhood school assign- the establishment of the Global Fund in the boundless love of the law and steadfast devo- ments, nor unmindful of the very strong com- summer of 2001 did produce a total of $1.3 tion to justice has won the respect of allies munity feelings. Still, he stayed true to his billion in pledges of support from members of and adversaries alike. oath to uphold the Constitution. He enforced the G–8. Although this was a noteworthy de- Judge Keith was appropriately born on the the necessary remedies of past de jure school velopment, it represented only about a tenth of Fourth of July in 1924. He holds a law degree segregation. the total estimated need. Coming from the from Howard Law School and a masters de- THE ‘‘KEITH CASE’’ world’s richest nations, this was a paltry com- gree in law from Wayne State University. Perhaps Judge Keith’s most famous deci- mitment of resources. Judge Keith’s accomplishments and commit- sion is aptly now known among constitutional At the same time, here in the House of Rep- ment have garnered awards too numerous to scholars as the ‘‘Keith case.’’ Prior to 1970, resentatives we were working on legislation enumerate fully. I will cite just a few. every modern President had claimed ‘‘inherent that would authorize about $1.4 billion for Both the State of Michigan and the City of Executive power’’ to conduct electronic surveil- global AIDS programs, while the Senate was Detroit have repeatedly honored their native lance in ‘‘national security’’ cases without the seeking to provide around $5.5 billion over two son. The Michigan Chronicle chose Judge judicial warrant required in criminal cases by years. Both efforts recognized the importance Keith to represent the legal profession as one the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. of international institutions like the Global of Ten of ‘‘The Century’s finest Michiganders.’’ Then Attorney General John Mitchell, on be- Fund, and committed between $750 million to The Detroit Legal News recognized him as half of President sought to wire- $1 billion for the Fund in FY’03. Ultimately we one of Michigan’s 16 ‘‘Legal Legends of the tap several alleged ‘‘domestic’’ terrorists with- were unable to reconcile these two bills. Trag- Century.’’ In recognition of his dedication to out warrants, on the ground that it was a na- ically, another opportunity was lost. quality education for all, the Detroit Board of tional security matter. Judge Keith rejected In 2002, at the summit meeting in Education named the Damon J. Keith Elemen- this claim of the Sovereign’s inherent power to Kananaskis, Canada, the G–8 drafted and en- tary School in his honor. He was honored by avoid the safeguard of the Fourth Amendment. dorsed in partnership with a variety of African the Detroit Urban League with its Edward J. He ordered the government to produce the countries, the G–8 Africa Action Plan. This Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. wiretap transcripts. When the Attorney Gen- plan laid out a specific set of strategies to help (He was nominated for the Devitt Award by eral appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the empower Africans in combating the AIDS pan- judges and attorneys throughout the country.) Court unanimously affirmed Judge Keith. demic. Despite pledging their whole-hearted The national legal community has equally The Keith decision not only marked a water- support for the initiative, little new actual fund- recognized his contributions to the rule of law shed in civil liberties protection for Americans. ing materialized from the G–8 in the months and his devotion to the Constitution. In 1990 It also led directly to the current statutory re- following the meeting. President George Bush appointed him to the striction on the Government’s electronic This year, AIDS has become an even more National Commission on the Bicentennial of snooping in national security cases. The Su- urgent issue for us to deal with. The Presi- the Constitution. Judge Keith’s rejection of dis- preme Court had limited its agreement with dent’s pledge to provide $15 billion to combat crimination in any form earned him the Distin- Judge Keith that judicial warrants were re- AIDS stimulated our negotiations on this guished Public Service Award from the Anti- quired in cases involving alleged domestic se- year’s authorization bill, and finally provided Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith. The curity threats. The Court left open the question the extra push to dramatically increase our NAACP awarded Judge Keith its highest acco- of whether judicial warrants also were required level of funding. lade, the (whose previous re- in the case of suspected foreign threats to na- House passage of H.R. 1298, The United cipients include Rev. Martin Luther King, Jus- tional security. Nevertheless, the Nixon Admin- States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuber- tice Thurgood Marshall and General Colin istration was afraid to risk a subsequent Su- culosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, on May l, Powell.) Almost 40 universities and colleges preme Court ruling that they were required in 2003, and the pending action on the bill in the have conferred honorary degrees on Judge that area, as well. Therefore, President Nixon Senate provides us with an even greater in- Keith. reluctantly agreed to sign the Foreign Intel- centive to encourage the rest of the inter- In 1997, The American Bar Association ligence Surveillance Act creating a special national community, particularly the G–8, to summed up why Judge Keith is universally ‘‘FISA Court’’ to hear applications for warrants match our commitment to defeating these held in such high esteem when it gave him its in foreign national security cases. three pandemics. prestigious Thurgood Marshall Award: THE ‘‘HADDAD CASE’’ My resolution follows on the recent passage Judge Keith represents the best in the Some thirty years later, history has come of H.R. 1298, and would accomplish this ob- legal profession. His work reflects incisive full circle. Once again, an overreaching Attor- jective. I encourage all members to support analysis of issues, principled application of ney General is undermining the Bill of Rights

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