June 28, 2000 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 12897 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS

NATIONAL JUNETEENTH The Juneteenth Festival has grown to be a ovations of existing ones has always been left CELEBRATION vitally important part of not only Baltimore, but to the states and local school districts. And it African-American culture as well. True to tradi- should continue to be that way. HON. ELIJAH E. CUMMINGS tion, this year’s celebration proved to be as Instead, the Classroom Modernization Act is OF MARYLAND exciting as ever. responsible to the needs of the American tax- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES I congratulate Juneteenth National Museum payer, our school boards, and our children. Tuesday, June 27, 2000 on a successful Juneteenth celebration! It is responsible to the American taxpayer f because it provides for a limited program Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, today I pay aimed at fulfilling the most important needs of tribute to the Juneteenth National Museum, lo- IN HONOR OF THE LATE WILLIAM America’s schools. We do not open the fed- cated in my home district of Baltimore, MD., SENQUIZ eral coffers to a broad, new—and potentially and in observance of the National Juneteenth very costly—construction plan. Celebration. HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH It is responsible to our school boards be- On June 17–18, 2000, the Juneteenth Na- OF OHIO cause it doesn’t make promises the federal tional Museum held its 12th annual IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES government cannot keep. Instead of promising ‘‘Juneteenth’’ celebration commemorating the Tuesday, June 27, 2000 them new schools paid for with federal dollars, Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is we are promising them assistance to meet generally celebrated on June 19, which is con- Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, today I honor mandates and standards imposed on them by sidered as the day of emancipation from slav- the memory of William Senquiz on the tenth the federal government. ery of African-Americans in Texas. It was this anniversary of his death. Finally, it is responsible to our children be- day in 1866 that Union Major General Gordon William Senquiz was the first director of cause through this legislation, we will give Granger read General Order #3 to the people Esperanza, Inc., a non-profit organization special needs students access to school build- of Galveston, Texas, informing them of their which provides educational services to His- ings; we will make schools safer; and we will new status as free men. Since then, panic students from elementary school provide them with the resources they need to Juneteenth was celebrated in Texas, and through college. This organization, whose be ready to join the New Economy of the 2st quickly spread to other southern states, such name, Esperanza, means ‘‘hope’’ in Spanish, Century. as Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and even- has given assistance to Hispanic students in To conclude, I want to thank Chairman tually the rest of the country. In addition to a the Greater Cleveland area since 1983. GOODLING, Chairman CASTLE, Mr. ISAKSON, festival, the celebration included the purchase William Senquiz, the first director of the pro- and the other Members who have worked to of lands or ‘‘emancipation grounds’’ by freed gram, was a native of Lorain, Ohio, and a put this legislation together. It was truly a col- slaves in honor of the celebration. On January graduate of Bowling Green State University. laborative process. 1, 1980, under the provisions of House Bill He died in June, 1990, at the young age of I want to urge all my colleagues to support No. 1016, the 66th Congress of the United 32. In his honor, Esperanza, Inc., along with this legislation. Thank you. States declared June 19th ‘‘Emancipation Day several other organizations, established the f in Texas,’’ making Juneteenth a legal state William Senquiz Endowment Fund in 1990 to holiday. realize Willie’s dream of establishing a fund H.R. 4365, THE CHILDREN’S Juneteenth is an important event in Balti- that would serve as a continual source of HEALTH ACT more that celebrates American history and his- scholarship funds for the Hispanic community. torical figures. The annual occurrence of Willie Senquiz was a mentor and teacher HON. J.D. HAYWORTH Juneteenth attracts people from across the whose deep commitment to the Hispanic OF ARIZONA state to downtown Baltimore in observance of youth in the Greater Cleveland area is an ex- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES this event. Among the various festivities, the ample to us all. Tuesday, June 27, 2000 celebration included lectures on important his- My fellow colleagues, please join with me in torical figures and events, spoken word read- honoring William Senquiz’s memory on the Mr. HAYWORTH. Mr. Speaker, autism is a ings, and food venues that satisfied every tenth anniversary of his death. severe, lifelong neurological disorder that usu- taste imaginable. There were shopping oppor- f ally manifests itself in children during the first tunities for antique buffs, and a vast array of two years of life and causes impairment in lan- arts and crafts available for purchase. INTRODUCTION OF THE guage, cognition and communication. For over Attendees were able to tour the Underground CLASSROOM MODERNIZATION ACT forty years autism was thought to be an emo- Railroad site, the Mother Seton House, the tional disorder caused by trauma or bad par- Hampton National Park, Auburn Cemetery, HON. HOWARD P. ‘‘BUCK’’ McKEON enting. This tragic mistake resulted in the loss and Historic East Baltimore on one of the OF CALIFORNIA of an entire generation of children to medical Juneteenth van tours. Festivalgoers were also IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES progress. Now that we know that autism is, in able to see slave artifacts and collect the fact, a medical disorder for which medical Juneteenth commerative plates by Terra Tuesday, June 27, 2000 treatments and a cure can and will be found, Treasures. Stamp collectors appreciated the Mr. MCKEON. Mr. Speaker, today, I join we must devote appropriate resources. first Juneteenth Post Office cachet. with my other colleagues on the Education Autism is the third most common develop- Further, the Juneteenth festival also fea- and the Workforce Committee—Committee mental disorder to affect children, following tured a Sweet Potato Pie contest, folklore and Chairman BILL GOODLING, Early Childhood mental retardation and cerebral palsy. Autism street dance, a Musical Craft Show, Double Subcommittee Chairman MIKE CASTLE, and currently affects over 400,000 individuals in Dutch rope, and an Islamic Exhibit. Lastly, the JOHNNY ISAKSON—to introduce the Classroom the U.S. and I in every 500 children born festival would not be complete without the Modernization Act. today. Autism is more prevalent than Down sounds of gospel and jazz. The attendees I support this legislation because it is a rea- syndrome, childhood cancer or cystic fibrosis. celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Negro sonable and, more importantly, a responsible Because we currently don’t know what National Anthem ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’’ solution to our nation’s school improvement causes autism, it is imperative that we seek a and the winner of the Billie Holiday Blues Con- and construction needs from a federal level. better understanding of its origins. Some be- test graced all with moving hymns. The building of new schools or the major ren- lieve passionately that vaccines cause autism.

● 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 Member of the House on the floor.

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