Extensions of Remarks 7597 Extensions of Remarks
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April 14, 1994 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 7597 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS NURTURING THE AFRICAN-AMER- a country engaged in civil war for at least 26 One of the most destructive forces a family ICAN FAMILY: A CONGRES- years; and can face is joblessness. Joblessness has SIONAL RESPONSE The number of African-Americans in their been linked to divorce, crime, drugs, poverty, twenties who had completed college dropped and family violence. It is hard to head a family HON. BARBARA-ROSE COWNS 6 percent between 1982 and 1991. if one lacks self-respect. One cannot pass on The challenges confronting our children are the values of hard work, self-discipline and OF MICHIGAN becoming increasingly difficult to address. Vio IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES perseverance if one has no work. lence and drug and alcohol abuse are ramp In my home of Detroit, over one-third of the Thursday, April 14, 1994 ant. Liquor stores sit on virtually every corner population lives in poverty, while 26 percent Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, where there should be schools, recreation receive public assistance. Not coincidentally, the structure of the American family varies centers and parks. Gang life is replacing fam 19.3 percent of African-Americans are without greatly today. Indeed, many question whether ily life. For African-American boys, firearm jobs. there is in fact one model of "the American homicide is the leading cause of death. Our Americans want jobs. Last October, over family." children are having sex earlier without taking 20,000 men and women showed up to register No one can question the fact, however, that the necessary precautions. for U.S. Postal Service jobs that will not even I know firsthand the conditions that have American families of all colors have under be available until 1996. Later, 10,000 Detroit brought despair and paralysis to many African gone many changes in recent decades. We ers showed up to apply for 4,500 jobs in a ca American families. As a single parent, I raised sino, jobs that do not yet exist. have seen lower marriage rates, higher di my son and daughter in the face of many ob vorce rates, earlier sexual activity, and higher I introduced the Infrastructure Jobs Act, a stacles. At times, I worked three jobs to pro bill that would authorize three types of grants proportions of births to unmarried mothers. vide for my children, and I had no family These changes have been more pronounced, for local public works projects. The first are di health insurance. Exhaustion was a close rect grants to State and local governments to however, for African-American families. The companion. But I still found time and energy to August 30, 1993, Newsweek magazine went complete "ready-to-go" public works projects love my children. I still found time and energy where architectural design or preliminary engi so far as to call the African-American family to help them with their homework, and I found neering has already begun. The second are "endangered." the time to teach them right from wrong. That supplemental grants to increase to 100 per A brief historical view offers perspective. was my responsibility as their parent. I was cent the Federal share for a project for which Many historians have documented the impor very lucky. Unfortunately, as a female single tance, the strength and the varied forms of the parent, I could teach my daughter how to be Federal financial assistance is already author African-American family throughout our Na a woman, but I could not teach my son how ized. The third are grants for all or any portion tion's history. For example, during slavery, the to be a man. of a State and local share on projects author family was a powerful, cohesive force. Gerald I am thankful that I was not totally alone. I ized by State or local laws. The bill would give D. Jaynes and Robin M. Williams put it this knew I could turn to my family, my friends, my priorities to areas of long-term, hardcore un way: neighbors and my church for support. In my employment. In this way, money will go to Blacks evinced a remarkable loyalty to the neighborhood, my children had surrogate areas with the direst needs. family unit in the face 'of the disruptive mothers on every block that took responsibility We know from experience that this type of treatment of their families by many slave not only for their own children, but the other legislation will work quickly to create jobs and owners. When families were not broken apart children in the neighborhood. When I was at reduce local unemployment rates. During the by the slavery system, nuclear family units my wits end, I could depend on them. When 1970's, a $6 billion local public works program of two parents and their children were com I needed guidance, they were there. This is a created more than 340,000 full-time direct and mon. Some families were headed by females indirect jobs. and many kinship units were extended, often real strength in so many American commu including grandparents and grandchildren. nities, black, white or whatever. PROVIDING MEANINGFUL JOB TRAINING Other relatives and their young children The problems facing African-Americans As companies become leaner in an effort to could be part of a single household. Near today are not solely the problems of African compete globally, many low-skill jobs vanish dwelling relatives formed networks of mu Americans. In one form or another, we are all or are replaced by new high-tech, high-skills tual aid and social support. For enslaved touched by them. We all ultimately pay. jobs. As a result, many families are headed by Blacks, the family was important since it It is time for Americans to discuss these is Americans trapped in a cycle of joblessness, was the primary Black institution to which sues openly. Government has the responsibil poverty, and out-of-date work skills. These they could openly be committed. ity to ensure that every American has equal Americans have not only lost hope in their African-Am3rican families, whatever form opportunity to achieve the American dream. .ability to find a job, but in their ability to ac they take-nuclear, single-parent, extended or While there is no question that no level of gov quire skills needed to hold down a job. otherwise, face unprecedented threats today. ernment can legislate family values, as policy Many folks don't even look for a job be Held hostage are innocent victims, African makers, we must promote policies that support cause they know they are considered unquali American children. The African-American families as the basic units of our country. fied. They know that the workplace is chang male, faced with an uphill struggle, has be To enhance what Government can do, yes ing. They have seen firsthand the results of come increasingly invisible, particularly in Afri terday I introduced five bills, a first step of a the loss of about 1.5 million jobs in basic man can-American family life. Female-headed, sin coordinated effort to bring hope and oppor ufacturing. gle-parent households, are becoming the norm tunity to African-American families and restore Studies of the Job Training Partnership Act in many communities. Here are a few telling their strength. To do otherwise would be irre found that the program largely ignores the statistics: sponsible and deny future generations of Af ri needs of the most disadvantaged. The Labor Ninety-four percent of those single mothers can-Americans hope and opportunity. Department acknowledged this problem when are unmarried teenagers: PROVIDING GOOD JOBS it issued new regulations to address concerns Nearly half of the children in single-parent Jobs are critical to holding families together. that the program benefits white males almost homes live in poverty; In the words of Robert Griswold, a historian exclusively. Only 1 African-American child in 5 will be and author of "Fatherhood in America," My second bill, the Full Employment Oppor raised in a traditional two-parent home; "When men lose their ability to earn bread, tunity and Infrastructure Improvement Act of An American child is 15 times more likely to their sense of self declines· dramatically. They 1993, would give hard-to-employ Americans a die from gunfire as a child in Northern Ireland, lose rapport with their children." chance at a job and, more than that, a chance e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Mem_ber of the House on the floor. 7598 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS April 14, 1994 at a career. This legislation would enable un gangs and juvenile delinquency, including drug parenting, child development, conflict resolu employed Americans in economically dis and alcohol abuse; second, to preserve or re tion and stress reduction, in an effort to help tressed areas to learn a trade by working side unite families, particularly projects that empha families avoid placing their children in foster by-side with skilled craftsmen, artisans and size fatherhood; and third, to help youth enjoy care; and second, it would provide assistance other professionals. and appreciate learning. for community-based programs to train foster This is accomplished by providing assist At present, Federal agencies make grants to parents and the people who work with them in ance to service delivery areas under JTPA to States and localities with little to no coordina parenting, conflict resolution and coping with set up new public works and public services tion with other agencies.