[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 56 (Tuesday, April 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2916-H2917]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IMPORTANT TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.


       Honoring Officer Charles Clark, A Dedicated Public Servant

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, many times we come, sadly,

[[Page H2917]]

to the floor of the House to acknowledge a valiant citizen of our 
community. All of us have been giving our praise and our commitment to 
the valiant troops who are now representing us, and we wish them well, 
we wish them a safe return, we wish for them the resources that they 
need to finish the job and to return to their families. But in our own 
communities we have valiant individuals who offer their lives so that 
we might be safe.
  Today in Houston, Texas we laid to rest Charles Clark, Officer 
Charles Clark, an individual who was selfless in his commitment to our 
community, a member of the Houston Police Department who lost his life 
tragically in a brutal robbery that also saw the loss of Alfredia 
Jones, the mother of two children.
  Officer Clark was born and raised in the community which he served: 
South Park, Texas. Married for 24 years, with a lovely wife by the name 
of Hilda, and he was almost about to see 20 years of service with the 
Houston Police department. He was known as the consummate police 
officer. He loved his job. We are told that he wanted to serve in the 
South Park community, where he did not live, because he had been born 
and raised there. The tragedy of his death is that he was rushing to 
the scene to help this young mother, a young mother who was working to 
support her children at a cash-checking place, when three or more 
brutal individuals who could find nothing in their life to do but to 
kill two innocent human beings on that day.
  Mr. Speaker, we ask the question: Can we do better as Americans?
  I believe this valiant soul should be laid to rest with our respect 
and admiration, Mr. Speaker. So I come to the floor today to pay 
tribute to Officer Charles Clark, to tell him that may he rest in peace 
and may he be considered forever and ever in the annals of the history 
of the Houston Police Department, our dear friend. I thank him for his 
service. May he rest with the angels.


                        Helping Fellow Americans

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn to 
another subject, and that is a cry that has been amongst us for a long 
time, and that is helping fellow Americans. Just recently we provided a 
bailout for our airlines. I am gratified that today we 
enthusiastically, although I wish it had been unanimous, voted to 
instruct the conferees to assist the airline employees. These are our 
neighbors, hardworking neighbors who have been laid off because of the 
tragedy of 9/11 and the war. I hope that the conferees will not ignore 
helping fellow Americans by providing them with the 26 weeks of 
extended pay. These are mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, some 
of them single parents who are supporting their children, some of them 
going to school and, frankly, they are suffering. We can bail out the 
airlines, we can cause them to pay off some of their debt, but that 
does not deal with the human failure or the human need, and that is 
those who are not working because of where we find ourselves.
  So to the appropriators who may be listening to the sound of our 
voices: We have been trying to do this since 9/11, and it has gotten 
worse. Let us do something that is gratifying in helping our fellow 
Americans.


                          The Aftermath of War

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Let me simply close by saying that as we 
wish well for our troops, we have something to deal with: the aftermath 
of war, Mr. Speaker. I intend to engage in a vigorous discussion so 
that we as Americans can pull together, so that the aftermath of this 
war can be one of reconciliation, working with our world allies.
  I will be dropping legislation that deals with the putting back 
together of this Nation, but also putting back together the world 
feelings, relationships. I hope that we will work with NATO and the 
United Nations in a working group, if you will, scenario where we work 
together with the United States involved and all of those who are with 
us or against us, because, Mr. Speaker, that is the right thing to do. 
We must ensure that we reignite the war against terrorism where all of 
us were working together. We must reinsure that we work on the Mideast 
peace process, giving humanitarian aid, rebuilding families, helping 
schools and hospitals being built, as well as recognizing the needs in 
this Nation. We cannot do it unless we do it together.
  I will be looking forward to dropping that legislation and having my 
colleagues go forward and not go backwards.
  Mr. Speaker, also, we will be looking to give a briefing or to 
present a briefing with several of the caucuses in this Congress to 
deal with the aftermath of war, the plight of the children. We have not 
looked to the damage and the danger of children, not only of those in 
Iraq, but the children of our soldiers. What has been the damage? What 
can we do to assist or to help their lives be better?
  So I hope this Congress will join together in a bipartisan manner, 
Mr. Speaker, to address the questions of the aftermath of war. Peace 
still is a possibility, that we may live in peace in this world.

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