CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE June 24, 1997
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H4334 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE June 24, 1997 education situation unless we have a why can we not have $5 billion over a 5- relations in America. I have no prob- critical mass. We need enough. One of year period for school repair, renova- lem adding a multiracial category to the versions of charter schools is sup- tion and construction? If the Speaker the census. I do not know how it is posed to be that they will give com- agrees and if he has on his list of 10 going to improve race relations, be- petition to the traditional public things that need to be done to promote cause in the history of America, they schools. race relations, to provide opportunities have always insisted that anybody who What is the difference between char- for individuals, then why can we not had one drop of black blood was Afri- ter schools and traditional public have an agreement to put back into the can-American. If you had one drop of schools? It is not the funding base, be- budget the $5 billion initiative for black blood, you were deemed African- cause they both are supposed to be school construction? American. So these race classifications funded by taxpayers' money, fully Another point, and I want to finish seem to me to be no solution. funded. Charter schools are to receive a the Speaker's points and do justice to In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I applaud per capita amount, which is the same his points. Small business. Set a goal Speaker GINGRICH for his rapid re- as the local education agency pays for for tripling the number of minority- sponse to the President's challenge. We their children. The only difference be- owned small businesses. I agree, Mr. need more discussion on race relations. tween charter schools and the local Speaker, let us triple the number of We certainly need powerful people like education agency's traditional schools minority-owned small businesses. He Speaker GINGRICH to make proposals as would be in the governance and man- wants to bring successful small busi- to what it is we should do, what we agement. They would have to abide by ness leaders together to identify and should do concretely. There are people all the rules and terms of any State re- then eliminate the government im- out there who are dying because we are quirements, requirements for integra- posed barriers to entrepreneurship. not acting fast enough. The death of tion, requirements for curriculum, ev- That is what he says is the cause of the Marsha Motipersad is just one example erything would still be there for the paucity of small businesses in the mi- of how there is needless suffering be- charter schools. It is a matter of how nority community. I agree with the cause we have rushed into public poli- they are governed and who is in charge goal. We need to triple the number of cies and programs that are harmful to of the management and what kind of minority-owned small businesses. I do people. It is more than race relations. things can you do if you are out from not agree with his concern about gov- It is human relations, it is human under the local bureaucracy and how ernment-imposed barriers. I live in a rights, it is concern for human welfare. much freedom for innovation will lead community where small businessmen All this goes together. to real improvements, real change, and struggle all the time. I do not get any I want to end on a positive note. how much your freedom to govern as complaints about government barriers. Overall, I applaud the Speaker. I hope you see fit and manage as you see fit The government does more to help he will continue the dialogue and he can allow you to do the things that than anything else. The complaint is will go and meet with the Commission have to be done to improve the schools against the private sector capital. the President has set up and I will without the burden of having to get ap- They cannot get capital. Or they have come right behind him. I think that provals from people in the hierarchy on to pass scrutiny that other businesses there are many areas that we agree on top of you. The great challenge is gov- do not have to pass. All kinds of prob- and that the President's initiative has ernance and management. Let us go on lems I hear about, I do not hear that shown that it has paid off already. The at the Federal level to create some in- the government has imposed barriers. dialogue has begun. centives. Let us have a piece of legisla- That is an ideological blind spot that f tion which provides incentives for the Speaker is off into. It is not a mi- charter schools. If the Speaker wants nority business problem that we have IN HONOR OF THE PRESIDENT OF to do something about creating better too much regulation or government THE REPUBLIC OF THE MAR- opportunities for all children to learn, barriers. I have heard the speeches a SHALL ISLANDS, HIS EXCEL- there is one area which there is agree- thousand times about what is wrong LENCY IMATA KABUA, AND THE ment, charter schools, why do we not with America. That has nothing to do MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, do something about it. with what is really impeding small HIS EXCELLENCY PHILLIP Opportunities to learn also involve, business development in the minority MULLER of course, children having a decent community. The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. place to study. It is most unfortunate In summary, I think I have covered PEASE). Under the Speaker's an- that the Speaker is concerned about all the Speaker's points. His 10 propos- nounced policy of January 7, 1997, the creating better opportunities to learn als to improve race relations are to gentleman from American Samoa [Mr. for children and yet in the budget create better opportunities for all chil- FALEOMAVAEGA] is recognized for 60 agreement that was made with the dren to learn, to develop more minor- minutes. President at the White House, the ini- ity businesses, to create 100 renewal Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, tiative for construction of new schools communities, to clear the existing I rise today on behalf of our colleagues and renovation of unsafe schools was backlog of discrimination cases at the in the Congress to extend a warm and taken out. $5 billion over a 5-year pe- Equal Employment Opportunity Com- heartfelt welcome to the President of riod. That is all they proposed. $5 bil- mission. He wants to make America a the Republic of the Marshall Islands, lion over a 5-year period to help to ren- country, and I missed this one, he His Excellency Imata Kabua, and the ovate and repair and actually con- wants to make America a country with Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, struct new schools. It would make a equal opportunity for all and special His Excellency Phillip Muller. Mr. big difference in terms of opportunity privileges for none by taking away all Speaker, President Kabua and Foreign to learn for all children. Because across preferences, set-asides, and govern- Minister Muller have been in Washing- America, according to the General Ac- ment contracts. We disagree on that ton for meetings with the administra- counting Office, the GAO, $120 billion is one. That is clearly one we disagree on. tion and our colleagues here in the needed for school construction in the I do not have time to explain why. The Congress, representing the interests of next 10 years, to rebuild the infrastruc- background of the history of the de- the good people of the Marshall Is- ture of public schools. We are not talk- scendants of African-American slaves lands. ing about colleges and universities. has to be considered when we talk His Excellency Imata Kabua was Just elementary and secondary about set-asides and special govern- elected President of the Marshall Is- schools. ment programs for minorities. Racial lands in January of this year. In his Why can we not have in a situation classification is another he added here long distinguished career of public where we are adding billions to the de- which I find very strange in this set of service, he has served as Senator in the fense budget, and yesterday we voted proposals. Racial classification. A first Parliament or the Nitijela from 1979 to to continue the B±2 bomber, while we step should be taken to add a multira- 1996, when he was appointed Minister refused to reduce the budget for the cial category to the census. He thinks representing the Ralik Chain of the CIA even though the cold war is over, that is very important to improve race Marshall Islands. President Kabua June 24, 1997 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE H4335 presently occupies the rotating chair- b 2230 the tribunal has already exhausted its manship of the South Pacific Forum of Between the years 1946 and 1958 our funds and projects valid personal in- Nations, the preeminent political orga- Nation tested approximately 66 atomic jury claims for cancer and radiation- nization for the nations of the South and hydrogen nuclear bombs at Bikini related illnesses to a total of over $100 Pacific. and Enewetak Atolls in the Marshall million. And not yet considered by the His Excellency Phillip Muller was Islands. In their destructive capacity Tribunal are the claims to losses of elected in 1984 and has likewise been a the nuclear blasts literally vaporized properties and lands for our nuclear long-standing member of the Par- six islands in the Marshalls.