[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2] [House] [Pages 2365-2366] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]CELEBRATING COMMUNITY: A TRIBUTE TO BLACK FRATERNAL, SOCIAL AND CIVIC INSTITUTIONS The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes. Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I just want to join my colleagues tonight, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) in reminding us of the terrible scar on our Nation's history: the internment of Japanese Americans. And I want to say to them that as an African American, as a person of color in our country, from California, that we join you in making sure that this body continues to remind the entire country that never again shall we allow such a gross violation of the human rights of any, any people in our country and throughout the world. So thank you, Mr. Honda and Ms. Matsui, for once again allowing us to participate and reminding us of this great atrocity. I want to also add tonight my voice to those of my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus in honoring an organization whose fight against the oppression and discrimination that all of us have felt in this country, whether we were directly victimized by it or not, it affected all of us, which gave birth to the modern-day civil rights movement, and that is the NAACP. Today, this body unanimously passed H. Con. Res. 335, which was a bipartisan resolution honoring the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on their 97th anniversary. This is the largest and the oldest civil rights organization in our country. Late last night, we concluded Black History Month by commemorating this month with activities led by the Congressional Black Caucus Chair, our great leader, Chairman Mel Watt, on the floor. But it was very late last night, and I hope people had an opportunity to listen to the few Members who were here to talk about the glorious history of African Americans in America. Today, in keeping with the ideals of Black History Month and the tradition of our ancestors, we must recommit ourselves to a plan of action. For generations, the NAACP has provided the blueprint for organizing the African American community and other communities, communities of color, throughout our country to build these coalitions for success. In December, the House unanimously adopted my resolution recognizing the 140th anniversary of the 13th amendment. The abolition of slavery in 1865 should have been, should have been, a new day for African Americans. Yet 40 years later, African Americans continued to fight the repression and discrimination. It was this continued frustration and pain that led to the birth of the modern civil rights movement. In Ontario, Canada, in 1905, a group of African American leaders developed an action plan and launched the Niagara Movement. Emerging from the Niagara Movement the call was issued and diverse progressives formed the National Negro Committee, which soon developed into the NAACP. For almost 100 years, since that historic meeting, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been the cornerstone of the social justice movement of minority communities. Mr. Speaker, last year, Mr. Hilary Shelton, the Director of the NAACP's Washington Bureau, delivered a Black History Month speech to the Federal Aviation Administration, the following excerpt of which outlines the development of the NAACP. From 1905 through 1910, an organization of African American intellectuals led by W.E.B. Du Bois and calling for full political, civil, and social and civil rights for African Americans. This stance stood in clear contrast to the accommodation philosophy proposed by Booker T. Washington in the Atlanta Compromise of 1895, You see, the Niagara Movement was the forerunner of the NAACP. In the summer of 1905, 29 prominent African Americans, including Du Bois, met secretly at Niagara Falls, Ontario, and drew up a manifesto calling for full civil liberties, abolition of racial discrimination, and recognition of human brotherhood, a forerunner to the United Nations U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. Subsequent annual meetings were held in such symbolic locations as Harpers Ferry, W.Va., and Boston's Faneuil Hall. Despite the establishment of 30 branches and the achievement of a few scattered civil-rights victories at the local level, the group suffered from organizational weakness and lack of funds as well as a permanent headquarters or staff, and it never was able to attract mass support. After the Springfield (ILL.) Race Riot of 1908, however, white liberals joined with the nucleus of Niagara ``militants'' and founded the NAACP the following year. The Niagara Movement disbanded in 1910, with the leadership of Du Bois forming the main continuity between the two organizations. Du Bois and the many other brave men and women of the Niagara Movement to the reigns of the challenges of there day to lead the Niagara movement and now the NAACP, we too must rise up to take on the challenges of our generation. Founded on February 12, 1909, the NAACP's diverse founders, Ida Wells-Barnett, W.E.B. Du Bois, Henry Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William English Walling, understood the importance of organizing and motivating people. Currently headed by Julian Bond and the President and CEO, Mr. Bruce Gordon, the NAACP exemplifies a movement that has transcended race, class, and generations in the fight for equal rights for African Americans and all disenfranchised people. The focus of the NAACP has always been working to build coalitions for equality and opportunity in the United States. However, they never forget to advocate for Africans throughout the Diaspora. In Washington, D.C., the NAACP's Legislative Bureau mobilizes communities on issues from the fiscal year 2007 budget shortfalls, to equal opportunity, to the importance of an independent judiciary and racial profiling. Every session, the NAACP's D.C. Bureau outlines what issues and legislation will impact minority communities both here in the United States and abroad. Their vigilance is a constant reminder of how much work there is to do. Recently, the NAACP's priorities have been rebuilding the gulf coast in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and addressing disparity in wealth, housing, and basic social services. That is the tragedy that unfolded, that we witnessed and which was exposed as a result of this tragedy of Katrina and Rita. Also, the NAACP is very committed to reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act, the culmination of a movement that took blood, sweat, tears, and lives, and the sacrifices of those who came before us. This is set to expire next year. [[Page 2366]] They are committed to reforming our prison system, where our country has the largest prison population in the world. This is especially important since six in ten of those persons are people of color. So let me just congratulate the NAACP on the 97th anniversary of this institution, and I urge everyone to use this occasion to recommit themselves to the struggle for freedom, justice, and peace. Washington Bureau, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Washington, DC, February 28, 2006. Representative Barbara Lee, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Lee: On behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), our Nation's oldest, largest and most widely-recognized grassroots civil rights organization, I am urging you, in the strongest terms possible, to reject provisions in President Bush's proposed budget for 2007 and instead pass a budget plan that supports and encourages low- and middle-income Americans. A Nation's budget reflects its priorities; our willingness ability to care for the sick and elderly, educate the young, protect our surroundings, respond to natural emergencies and protect those less fortunate. The budget proposal put forth by President Bush for fiscal year 2007 does not reflect the priorities of, nor does it serve the governmental needs, the majority of Americans. Rather, the President's proposal would benefit the wealthiest Americans while short-changing low- and middle-income Americans and saddling future generations with a debilitating deficit. I urge you to demonstrate the necessary leadership skills and to work with your colleagues to develop a budget proposal that ensures that the basic needs of all our citizens are met. This means rejecting the cuts in federal funding for education, health care, job training, small business promotion, the protection of our basic civil rights and liberties and energy assistance. This also means rejecting the President's proposed tax cuts, which have been proven to mostly benefit only the wealthiest Americans and cripple our ability to address some of the most basic needs of our society while at the same time ballooning our deficit. Although a majority of the Administration's proposed cuts or program eliminations are problematic for the NAACP, we are especially troubled by the provision in the budget to reduce funding for the crucial work of the EEOC. The President's budget for 2007 includes a cut in funding of the EEOC Budget from $333 million to $323 million, most of which would be taken from State and local operations. State and local enforcement agencies handle about 42 percent of the total Title VII caseload, yet, they are being asked to take 60 percent of the budget cut. Because enforcement of civil rights laws is a key element of the strategic goals and initiatives of the NAACP, we are especially troubled by these proposals. Again, on behalf of the millions of NAACP members and friends of civil rights across this Nation I hope that you will work hard to see that the values of supporting our young, our ill and our elderly as well as those less fortunate are addressed in this year's budget. I look forward to working with you to ensure that the needs of all Americans are met. Thank you in advance for your attention to the concerns of the NAACP. Sincerely, Hilary O. Shelton, Director. ____________________