[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 5, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E310-E313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE 25TH SILVER ANNIVERSARY OF THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS VETERANS 
                               BRAINTRUST

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 5, 2014

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate March 5, 
Boston's Crispus Attucks Day, and to celebrate the 25th Silver 
Anniversary of the Congressional Black Caucus Veterans Braintrust which 
took place this past September within a truly unique historical and 
contemporary context of Black, or African American military service and 
sacrifice. First, a series of national commemorations: the 200th 
anniversary of the War of 1812, the 150th anniversary of the Civil War 
to Save the Union and End Slavery, the 100th anniversary of the death 
of Harriet Tubman, known as ``The General,'' the 90th anniversary of 
the burial of Col. Charles Young, the third black graduate from West 
Point, the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Invasion, the 60th anniversary 
of the Korean War, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Medgar 
Evers, World War II veteran and Civil Rights Hero, 50th anniversary of 
the Vietnam War, and the 12th anniversary of 9/11; and second, amid the 
drum beat of war, with the U.S. threatened bombing of Syria, the 
senseless violence of Aaron Alexis and the Washington, DC, Navy Yard 
shooting rampage, and the battle of the budget, or yet another 
governmental shutdown on October 1st, affecting more than 800,000 
employees at a cost of $25 billion. According to the U.S. Office of 
Personnel Management, a disproportionate number of the furloughed 
federal workers were Black, or African American, who made up 17.7 
percent of the workforce.
  Chaplain Michael McCoy, Sr., provided the Veterans Braintrust forum's 
invocation and benediction because we know from experience that 
Washington forums that start with an invocation and end with a 
benediction are blessed occasions. Welcoming remarks were given by 
Representatives Charles Rangel (NY-13), Sanford Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), 
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) and myself. With Representative Sanford 
Bishop, Jr. speaking in his role as the Ranking Democrat on the House 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans 
Affairs, and as

[[Page E311]]

Co-Chair of the bi-partisan Congressional Military Family Caucus 
expressing a keen awareness of the dangers sequestration and furloughs 
are having on our nation's servicemembers, military families, and 
veterans, and further reductions to the active-duty Army, National 
Guard and the Army Reserves. In addition, as the representative in the 
U.S. House for Fort Benning, the third largest Army Base in the country 
where sequestration will have a dramatic impact on the soldiers, their 
families, and the Columbus, GA, community. Further, he emphasized, if 
sequestration goes forward, the Army will reduce over 210,000 soldiers 
to meet their budgetary requirements. Afterward Members were called 
away to the Capitol to talk on the floor and vote on the budget, and 
the forum was turned over to moderator Ron E. Armstead, Executive 
Director. Yet the forum remained well attended, powerful, and there was 
a tremendous amount of energy in the room.
  The keynote address was given by the first African American to obtain 
the rank of Three Star Admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Manson 
K. Brown, a native of Washington, DC, who brought greetings from the 
24th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr. As 
Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Headquarters he asked all veterans to 
stand and be recognized, and to let our Navy friends, colleagues and 
family members know that our thoughts and prayers continued to be with 
them over the tragic loss of so many lives at the Washington, DC, Navy 
Yard. Adm. Brown went on to say the key objective during the sequester 
has been to preserve the ability of the Coast Guard to meet the highest 
priority mission activities, including search and rescue, critical 
security operations, and emergency response. In addition, he pointed 
out that as part of Adm. Papp's commitment to support the President and 
First Lady's efforts to strengthen military families over the last 
three years, the Coast Guard has strengthened their military housing 
program, enhanced child development services, and improved 
communications between operational commanders and families by 
strengthening their Ombudsman network. They also launched a military 
family campaign, bringing a specific focus to strengthening their 
linkage with retirees, over the year, in order to create a vibrant 
national retiree network as a way to enhance outreach to Coast Guard 
veterans at large. In short, he reported that the Coast Guard as a 
military service is managing through sequestration and shielding the 
impacts where they can for military families and veterans. However, 
this is a delicate balancing act based on tough choices that senior 
Coast Guard leaders must make between military families and veterans, 
or non-mission-critical training, air and surface operations 
reductions, ships, aircraft and shore facilities deferred maintenance, 
as well as personnel staffing and travel cuts. In closing, Admiral 
Brown said, ``In terms of today's important Congressional budgetary 
discussions, this situation bears watching into an uncertain future.''
  The keynote address was followed by two very special presentations. 
The first recognized Harlem's own, the late Dr. Joseph Warren, a gifted 
scholar, teacher and leader who inspired many. Second, the Montford 
Point Marines Associations recognized my efforts in the 2012 awarding 
of the Congressional Gold Medal, including Rebecca Lungren of 69 
Productions for the upcoming Montford Point Marines movie ``Black 
Boots.''
  Our distinguished panel consisted of Keith Miller, President, 
Foundation for Advancement in Science and Education (FASE); Dr. Mike 
Haynie, Executive Director and Founder of the Institute for Veterans 
and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University; Darlene Young, 
National President of Blacks in Government (BIG); Col. Kevin Preston, 
USA, Ret., Director of the Veterans Initiative for the Walt Disney 
Company/ESPN; Lewis Runnion, Director of the Military Affairs Advisory 
Group at Bank of America (BOA); Mayor Setti Warren of Newton, 
Massachusetts, Chairman of the Community Development and Housing 
Committee, U.S. Conference of Mayors; Mike Betz, General Manager, 
Military Student Initiatives, Education Corporation of America (ECA); 
Edward Jennings, Jr., U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
Southeast Regional Administrator; John Moran, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary, U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training 
Service (VETS); Everett Kelley, National Vice President for the 
American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE); and Dr. Shelley 
MacDermid Wadsworth, Director, Military Family Research Institute and 
Center for Families at Purdue University. Their presentations were 
lively and moving, but also very informative and focused to the point, 
thus holding the audience to the end and well worth it.
  Mr. Miller read a statement about DC resident Shirley Gibson, a real 
hero. She and other critical incident stress management team members, 
along with rescue workers, put their health on the line in the 
aftermath of New York City's 9/11 tragedy, and were later helped by an 
innovative detoxification treatment that was made available to them. 
Such innovative treatments as this rely on research funding. 
Unfortunately such funding is often the first to go when there are 
budget cuts. Consequently, sequestration is a threat to both the 
quality of life and health of our veterans.
  Dr. Haynie commented on the applications of sequester, and more 
broadly programmed reductions in federal spending, as the reductions 
are positioned to impact the employment situation of our nation's 
veterans and their families. To begin, one of the most immediate 
consequences of sequester for veterans is the fact that 27.3 percent of 
the federal workforce is composed of military veterans, many of which 
will more than likely be furloughed. The DoD workforce will be 
particularly impacted, as it will sustain approximately 52 percent of 
the total planned budget cuts. 44 percent of the DoD workforce are 
military veterans--which speaks volumes about the potential effects on 
our military readiness, due to the resulting loss of valuable 
knowledge, skills and experience. In the end, adding veterans currently 
employed by the federal government to the ranks of the nation's 
unemployed is positioned to potentially overwhelm supportive services 
and community-based infrastructure already strained by limited 
resources. Research also suggests that many of our military and 
veterans families are already economically vulnerable, and in the face 
of Congressional budget battles those families are likely to become 
``collateral damage'' of sequester--an indiscriminate and ill-conceived 
approach to addressing the Nation's fiscal challenges.
  Retired Army Colonel Preston commented that our nation's veterans 
represent a value-added proposition for the business community, and 
hiring a veteran is not only the right thing, but also a smart business 
decision. Also when considering a veteran, do not fixate on their 
military rank, or job title--instead, view their attributes. Equally 
important, realize they are coming from a very different culture, have 
convertible task-oriented skill, years of leadership experience, a code 
of ethics, and winner's attitude. Moreover, our nation's veterans 
represent our society's best, so ``hire a vet.''
  Mr. Runnion described how Bank of America's (BOA) Military Affairs 
Advisory Group was formed to bring together partners from across the 
company to help service members reintegrate into the civilian workforce 
through education, employment, wellness and housing. Additionally, how 
BOA supports our nation's active-duty military and veterans in three 
major areas: (1) Recruiting and Employment, (2) Customer Support, and 
(3) Community Outreach. One specific example he shared was BOA's three-
year commitment to make up to 1,000 properties available to military 
veteran support organizations and other non-profit, community-based 
groups, which provide housing to military veterans and their families. 
Again, he reasserted, BOA has supported the U.S. military for more than 
90 years, by contributing to military non-profits, providing banking 
services to military service members, and recruiting and retaining 
military veterans, Guard and Reservists, and military spouses.

  Mayor Warren cited the U.S. Conference of Mayors Hunger and Homeless 
Survey (December, 2012), sharing excerpts from the executive summary--
lack of affordable housing as a leading cause, followed by poverty, 
unemployment, evictions and violence. In addition, he discussed 
sequestration's impact on U.S. cities at the local level. While 
pointing out that cities are the laboratories of innovation, and along 
with their surrounding suburbs represent 90 percent of the nation's 
wage and salary income, which drives the national economy. 
Subsequently, 163 mayors have signed the U.S. Conference of Mayor's 
letter expressing opposition to sequester cuts that will deeply impact 
cities, for example, Community Development Block Grants (the largest 
and most flexible stream of federal dollars to cities and 
municipalities), particularly in addressing the needs of homeless 
veterans and homeless veterans supportive services organizations, now, 
and leading up to 2015, or President Obama's promise to end chronic 
homelessness among veterans.
  Mr. Betz, discussed today's trends in education, as a result of troop 
drawdown and increased separation from the military. First, at a time 
when overall educational enrollment is declining, student veteran 
enrollment continues to increase. Second, additional assistance and 
coordination with the private employment sector is needed to insure 
employment opportunities for our transitioning student veterans where 
they may provide adequately for their families. Third, he cautioned 
against our growing regulatory environment, which threatens to restrict 
awareness and access to training for our transitioning veterans and 
limits institutional choice.
  Mr. Kelley, an Army veteran stressed how AFGE's members know 
firsthand the pain that sequestration and furloughs inflict on lower 
wage federal workers and their families. Stating ``the current assault 
on federal employers is one of the most vicious we have ever seen.

[[Page E312]]

We all know the real agenda behind sequestration and reduction in 
force: weakening government programs that try to level the playing 
field for the other 99 percent.'' Further, for the past five years, the 
VA has targeted low wage positions filled primarily by minorities, 
veterans, the disabled and women for ``reclassification.'' Or those 
positions that Congress created after the Vietnam War to provide entry-
level job opportunities for disabled veterans. Similar, to broader-
based budget cuts at other federal agencies under sequestration, VA's 
downgrading initiative is both arbitrary and vicious. Furthermore, we 
still have a great deal of work to do to fulfill President Obama's 
mandate in Executive Order 13518 to make federal government the leader 
in creating new job opportunities for veterans. Veterans comprise 
nearly 42 percent of DOD's workforce, nearly 25 percent of Homeland 
Securities workforce, and nearly 28 percent of VA's workforce. In 
conclusion, he said, ``we need to find a solution to the sequester, and 
not hold our military and their civilian supporters hostage.'' That is 
why AFGE is supporting HR 2785 introduced by Congressman Timothy Walz 
(MN-01), to expand veterans preference rights for reservists, and for 
employees of the VA health care system who do not have title five 
appeal rights.
  And Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth, reiterated, African Americans comprise a 
significant percentage of service members and veterans, and have fought 
for the right to fight. And there is solid scientific evidence that 
shows the military has provided an environment for African American 
service members and their families that allows them to avoid some of 
the significant inequities that plague civilian society. For example, 
in civilian society, Black men are far less likely to marry and far 
more likely to divorce than their white counterparts. In the military, 
these differentials disappear, largely because economic resources are 
less likely to be tied to race. The military has also provided career 
opportunities and resources for single parents, ensuring that their 
children have access to health care and childcare--something their 
enlisted parents would have great difficulty obtaining in the civilian 
labor force with just a high school education. Moreover, she said, the 
sequester and the military drawdown pose a number of significant 
challenges.
  First, the sequester has had a cascading effect on family support in 
DOD. Because the rules of the sequester limit the ways that DOD can 
implement reductions, the pressure to cut programs that help to 
minimize the corrosion that military service can impose on families is 
especially intense. The furlough's have effectively reduced much of the 
workforce by 20 percent, and prevented the replacement of departing 
workers. For example: 30 percent of family support positions in the 
Army are currently unable to be filled.
  Second, the sequester is causing reductions that may be 
disproportionately hurtful to the programs that prevent and reduce 
child maltreatment, interpersonal violence, and other important family-
related issues.
  Third, the drawdown will pose difficult challenges in terms of 
reducing military opportunities in the future for African Americans to 
pursue careers in an environment free of many inequities we have been 
unable to erase in civilian society. Careers already underway will be 
cut short. The black service members who are unwillingly sent to the 
civilian job market will need much more special assistance to ensure 
that they find jobs and/or positions that maintain their present 
trajectories.
  A fourth challenge that is in part an artifact of the sequester and 
in-part a result of the always-evolving diversity of families, 
especially now that it is clear that marriage is an imperfect way to 
define military families. Because it doesn't address the families of 
single service members whose parents, or sibling may constitute their 
primary support system, and it doesn't address committed partners who 
are unmarried. In this period of financial constraint, it might be 
tempting to forget about families. But every First Sergeant knows that 
families are key in the minds of service members, families are who they 
worry about while they serve, families make it possible for them to 
serve, families support them while they serve, and families care for 
them when they come home, especially when they are wounded or injured. 
Consequently, families are far too important to ignore, but she feels 
that is what could happen because of the perfect storm of sequester and 
policy complexities.
  The question and answer period provided the attendees a long awaited 
opportunity to both comment and ask questions of the panelist.
  While the government shutdown lasted 16 days, five fewer than in 
1995--the budget battles, partisanship, gridlock and Congressional 
inaction have left many Americans confidence shaken with respect to the 
government according to several recent polls. American trust in 
government, and belief that it can solve pressing problems is at an 
all-time low. However, despite highly negative views of government, 
particularly Congress, according to Representative Sanford Bishop, Jr., 
the recent veterans unemployment rate, the lowest since 2001, tells a 
very different story. Post 9/11 veteran's unemployment is now below the 
national average, and for the first time since 2001 veterans are being 
hired at a faster rate than non-veterans. This improvement demonstrates 
that when Congress works together for a common cause we can make a 
difference.
  The 25th silver anniversary gala reception and awards ceremony was 
held in veterans hearing room 334 of the Cannon House Office Building, 
and consisted of both church, and club music. Church in terms of the 
fellowship, spiritually uplifting and awe inspiring presentation of 
special Congressional Awards to Sgt. James Guilford, Jr., USA, WWII 
(102 years old); Kenneth Guscott, U.S. Army Air Force, WWII; Hon. 
Federal Judge George Leighton, Ret., USA, WWII (100 years old); Dr. 
Rodney Atkins, Co-Chair, Annual Texas African American Soldiers 
Recognition Day; Johnnie Collins, Jr., Executive Director, AMVETS, 
Department of DC; James ``Jack'' Hadley, Founder & Curator of the Jack 
Hadley Black History Museum; Chaplain Michael McCoy, Sr., National 
President of the Military Chaplain Association & Associate Director 
Diversity Development, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; 
Philadelphia City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, Widow of Hon. Lucien 
Blackwell (PA-02), a decorated Korean War veteran, Ari Merretazon, 1st 
Vice President of Pointman Soldiers
  Heart Ministry & 2012 Black Male Engagement (BME) Leadership Award 
Winner for Veterans Community Development, Rev. Marsena Mungin, 
Commissioner of Women at Veterans Are Still Warriors, Veterans Serving 
Veterans, Inc., Ervin ``Tootsie'' Russell, USA, Vietnam veteran, 
AMERICAL Division. Posthumous: Capt. William Cooke, USA, WWII; John D. 
O'Bryant, USA; Dr. Jay Carrington Chunn, II, USMC; Eddie Lee 
Washington, USA, an accomplished musician & educator and Sgt. John 
Wesley Motley, Jr., USA, Korean War. Historic Groups, and Film: the 
Crispus Attucks Museum of Indianapolis, Jack Hadley Black History 
Museum in Thomasville, GA, and the film ``Veterans of Color,'' produced 
by the Manasota Branch of the Association for the Study of African 
American Life and History (ASALH) in Florida, and music culminating 
with Ray Charles soulful rendition of ``America the Beautiful.''
  Equally important, our once in a lifetime awards guest speaker was 
none other than Dr. Mark Attucks, the fifth generation descendant of 
Crispus Attucks, the first American martyr to die during the Boston 
Massacre on March 5, 1770, a prelude to the American Revolution, 
accompanied by his father Jesse Attucks, Jr., a decorated U.S. Marine 
who served in Vietnam. His ancestor was the first of more than 5,000 
African American Patriots who served our country in the Revolutionary 
War. In 1888, a monument was built to honor his forefather and the 
events of that fateful day in our nation's history. The following poem 
was written and read at the dedication ceremony by John Boyle O'Reilly.

     ``Where shall we seek for a hero, and where shall we find a 
           story?
     Our laurels are wreathed for conquest, our songs for 
           completed glory; But we honor a shrine unfinished, a 
           column with pride,
     If we sing the deed that was sown like seed when Crispus 
           Attucks died.

     ``Honor to Crispus Attucks, who was leader and voice that day
     The first to defy, and the first to die, with Maverick, Carr 
           and Gray
     Call it riot or revolution, his hand first clenched at the 
           crown
     His feet were the first in perilous place to pull the King's 
           flag down
     His breast was the first one rent apart that liberty's stream 
           might flow
     For our freedom now and forever, his head was the first laid 
           low
     Call it riot or revolution, or mob or crowd, as you may
     Such deaths have been seed of nations, and such lives shall 
           be honored for aye.''

  In 1998, the U.S. Mint authorized a commemorative silver dollar 
honoring Crispus Attucks and the Black Revolutionary War Patriots. 
However, two little known facts standout: First, his name Attucks does 
not have any European roots. Simply speaking the current spelling is 
not a ``slave'' name. Second, from the American Revolution to the 
present day an Attucks has served in the military, fighting for 
America's freedom, making Attucks the nation's longest serving military 
family.
  Lastly, special 25th Silver Anniversary thank yous go to Dr. Frank 
Smith, Jr., Dr. William Lawson, Dr. Donna Holland Barnes, Shannon 
Gopaul, Clyde Sims, Jr., James Gordon, Jr., Charles Henderson, Edward 
Daniels II, Lela Campbell, Carolyn Williams, Rev. Marsina Mungin, Cathy 
Santos, Chaplain Michael McCoy, Sr., Ralph ``Coop'' Cooper, Ernest 
Washington, Jr., Anthony ``Tony'' Hawkins, Clarence ``Tiger'' Davis, 
LeRoy Colston II, Thomas ``Tom'' Harris, Mildred ``Milli'' Smith,

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Morocco ``Roc'' Coleman, Robert ``Big Bob'' Blackwell, Cheryl Holland-
Jones, the Educational Corporation of America (ECA), T. Michael 
Sullivan and the William Joiner Institute for the Study of War and 
Social Consequences, and Congressional staff members Ronnie Simmons, 
Lee Footer, Stephanie Anim-Yankah, Jonathan Halpern, Adam McCombs, 
George Henry, Hannah Kim, and Reba Raffaelli.
  Congratulations on 25 years, during which the journey has been the 
destination.

                          ____________________