Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 106th Congress, Second Session, Volume 146, Part 4 Page: 4,488
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD-HOUSE
April 5, 2000
Several weeks ago, the Central
Cabarrus High School men's basketball
team completed a truly amazing season
by winning the North Carolina High
School 3A Basketball Championship.
The Vikings successfully completed
the near impossible, defeating favored
Greensboro Dudley. Led by seniors
Mickey Mickens, David Hardy, Clayton
Russell, Dough Naumann, and sopho-
more Nathan Cranford, Coach Scott
Brewer's Vikings stepped up to the
challenge.
These players are not only winning
on the basketball court, they are also
excelling in the classroom. Eight of the
players' grade point averages are over
4.0 and the team's average is 3.71.
Clearly, these young men excel in the
classroom as well as on the basketball
court.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to con-
gratulate the students, teachers, par-
ents, head coach Scott Brewer, his as-
sistant coaches, and the 2000 North
Carolina State 3A basketball cham-
pions, the Central Cabarrus High
School Vikings.
This is a tribute to their entire
school and their team work.
HELP BRING OUR CHILDREN HOME
BY PASSING H. CON. RES. 298
(Mr. LAMPSON asked and was given
permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr.sLAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise
today to tell the House about Joseph
Cook and his children Daniel and
Michelle. Their story is one of the most
heartwrenching I have ever heard. In
1992, Joseph's ex-wife took his children
to Germany on what was supposed to
be a brief visit. Shortly after they left,
he was told by Christiane that she was
not coming back and that he would not
see his children again. Christiane had
been suffering from depression, had
checked herself into a clinic, and
placed Daniel and Michelle into the
German foster care system. The Ger-
man foster care system made no at-
tempt to contact Joseph.
In 1993, Christiane returned to the
United States but left Danny and
Michelle in German foster care. Mr.
Cook went to Germany with a full cus-
tody order in 1994, but the German
courts have refused to return his chil-
dren and the foster family has been ex-
tremely uncooperative.
Mr. Speaker, Danny and Michelle are
being left to languish in a foster care
system when they have a father who
loves them and desperately wants to be
with them.
Joseph Cook served in the United
States Army, and I am urging this
House to serve him in return. Pass H.
Con. Res. 298 and help bring our chil-
dren home.FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLIND-
NESS MAKES CONGRESS AWARE
OF EYE DISEASES
(Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was
given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend
her remarks.)
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker,
representatives from the Foundation
Fighting Blindness are visiting con-
gressional offices this week to discuss
the importance of funding research ini-
tiatives at the National Eye Institute.
This week my colleagues received a
set of paper glasses which may help
them to understand what individuals
suffering from retinitis pigmentosa and
macular degeneration see.
Isaac, Daria and Ilana Lidsky, young
adults from my congressional district,
are among the over 6 million Ameri-
cans who suffer from these retinal de-
generative diseases. Another 9 million
Americans have pre-symptomatic signs
of retinal degeneration and as the
baby-boomer generation ages, diseases
such as these are poised to skyrocket.
Promising experiments have already
been discovered in retinal transplan-
tation and in gene and pharmaceutical
therapies. However, additional funding
for the National Eye Institute is ur-
gently needed to advance these prom-
ising treatments to clinical trials.
I urge my colleagues to consider how
life is viewed through the eyes of those
going blind and to consider an increase
to the National Eye Institute at a per-
centage higher or equal to the other in-
stitutes of the National Institutes of
Health.
FOURTH ANNUAL U.S./MEXICO
BORDER CONFERENCE
(Mr. REYES asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, today and
tomorrow I, along with my colleagues
that represent districts along the bor-
der, are cohosting the Fourth Annual
U.S./Mexico Border Conference. Each
year we bring together leaders on both
sides of the U.S./Mexico border to look
at the problems that exist along our
border, to develop solutions, and to
convey these solutions to policymakers
of our Nation.
The border today looks much how
the rest of the Nation will look in 20
years. We are a young, growing, dy-
namic population that is facing prob-
lems and experiencing unique issues
that perhaps the rest of the Nation
needs to focus on.
If our problems are not addressed
now in the border region, we run the
risk of impacting the entire Nation as
well as affecting the critical tourism
and trade relationship between the
United States and Mexico.
At the conference, we are focusing on
four major areas: education and theworkforce, health and environment,
economic development and infrastruc-
ture, and border security.
I urge my colleagues to join me and
our other colleagues in learning more
about the border and provide the direc-
tion and leadership that is needed.
SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE
PEOPLE OF WESTERN SAHARA
(Mr. PITTS asked and was given per-
mission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his re-
marks.)
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today
out of concern over reports that the
United Nations may decide not to hold
the referendum for self-determination
for the people of Western Sahara.
Article 1 of the International Cov-
enant on Civil and Political Rights
states that, quote, "All peoples have
the right to self-determination," end
quote. Both sides, Morocco and West-
ern Sahara, in the U.N. Settlement
Plan and Houston Agreement, agreed
to self-determination for the Sahrawi
people.
The U.N. has spent approximately
$500 million on peacekeeping in the set-
tlement plan over 10 years and $30 mil-
lion on humanitarian aid in the same
time period. It would be a shame, no, a
disgrace, to waste $530 million.
The credibility of the United Nations
and the United States would be further
eroded if they are willing to give up on
the stalled agreements. The U.N.
should remain committed to the peace
agreement.
Mr. Speaker, the people of Western
Sahara deserve the same respect and
support of the people of East Timor or
any other country. A free, fair, and
transparent referendum must go for-
ward.
ONLY IN AMERICA, ONLY IN
AMERICA
(Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was
given permission to address the House
for 1 minute and to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, today
Congress will debate two bills. The
first bill is partial birth abortions. The
second bill is wildlife and sport fish
restoration.
Unbelievable. Kill the babies but save
the trout and the tit mouse. Beam me
up. In fact, beam me up, Scotty.
See, I believe that Congress and
America can and should save both the
babies and the wildlife. Think about it.
I yield back an old street saying:
Only in America, Mr. Speaker.4488
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United States. Congress. Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 106th Congress, Second Session, Volume 146, Part 4, book, April 2000; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc31038/m1/3/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.