[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1548-E1551]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

TRIBUTE TO VIKKI BUCKLEY

______

HON. BOB SCHAFFER

of colorado

in the house of representatives

Wednesday, July 14, 1999

Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and
contributions of Vikki Buckley, Colorado's Secretary of State, who
passed away this morning after suffering an apparent heart attack on
Tuesday. Quoting a friend of hers, ``Vikki's no longer in the hands of
doctors. She's now in the arms of God.''
Vikki, who proudly proclaimed herself to not be a hyphenated
American, but a proud American. She held the distinction of being the
first Black Secretary of State and the first Black Republican woman
elected to a statewide constitutional office. Winning her first
election by 57 percent to 36 percent in 1994, she was re-elected last
November. Running for office for the first time, Vikki was selected for
the Republican ballot after defeating several opponents at the Colorado
Republican State Assembly in 1994. She distinguished herself from her
opponents when she stood up and delivered one of the best speeches I've
had the pleasure of hearing.
An outspoken conservative, Vikki served as the state's chief election
official and traveled around the state and country continuing to speak
out on varying issues of importance to her, enduring the wrath of
liberals. Most recently, she gave the opening remarks at the National
Rifle Association's annual meeting in Denver, CO. Her speech has been
acknowledged nationwide and most insightful concerning the heart of
humanity and the preservation of the entire Constitution of the United
States, including the Second Amendment.

[[Page E1549]]

Mr. Speaker, I hereby submit Vikki's speech for the record.

Welcoming Remarks of the Colorado Secretary of State Ms. Vikki Buckley

Good morning! I greet you as Secretary of State of Colorado
and I welcome you to Colorado, a state where some of us
believe strongly in the entire Constitution of these United
States, including the Second Amendment.
Isn't it ironic that many who would run you out of town
would themselves be unable to even vote had we as a nation
not honored all provisions of the United States Constitution?
To them I say--shame on you!
I stand before you today as one who has worked closely with
the family of Isaiah Shoels. Isaiah was the Columbine High
School student who was killed in part because of the color of
his skin.
I must agree with Isaiah's father Michael who has stated
that guns are not the issue. Hate is what pulls the trigger
of violence.
We are witnesses to new age hate crimes which we must
eliminate if we are to remain the greatest nation on earth.
What is a new age hate crime?
When our children leave for school without a value system
which places a premium on human life--we are accessories to a
new age hate crime.
Parents, when you raise your children and send them to
school without a value system which teaches the difference
between right and wrong; then parents, we have committed a
new age hate crime.
I say to those who run our schools, when you allow children
to graduate who are technologically and functionally
illiterate--you have committed a new age hate crime because
those children are destined to be economically tortured to
death as though they had been chained and dragged behind a
pickup truck in Jasper, Texas.
Those who would run the NRA out of town need to look at our
own children who are engaging in irresponsible sex and having
children they cannot take care of. Such irresponsible sex is
a new age hate crime--raise as much heck about that as you do
the NRA and you will save more lives in 5 years than are
taken with guns in a century.
If we allow the language of hate in our homes--when terms
such as ``nigger'' are freely used then we are laying the
foundation for new age hate crimes. The language of hate must
be challenged.
Just before a skinhead gunned down a black man on a
downtown Denver street last year he asked, ``Are you ready to
die, nigger?'' Columbine eyewitness accounts reveal that just
before Isaiah's killers fired they asked, ``Where is that
little nigger?'' The language of hate must go.
Now I know that some of what I say here today can make some
of us squirm a little bit. We are all guilty of harboring
some prejudices and stereotypes. But it is when we are most
uncomfortable about addressing an issue that we become so
close to real problem solving.
People we can do better. I am not a hyphenated American. I
am an American. That is why I know we can do better.
I find it difficult to discuss--but I have been a victim of
a gun-shot wound. I know first hand the pain and fear--but
that experience has not made me an opponent of the NRA or the
Second Amendment.
That is why I stand before you today and ask you to join me
and commit NRA resources to combat violence and hate. I am
not talking a slick PR campaign, I am talking about a
programmatic approach designed to combat violence and hate. I
will be in touch to make this proposal a reality.
Together, we can work for a living memorial to those who
perished at Columbine. But we must stand ever strong against
those who would ignore sections of the U.S. Constitution
which they do not like. We are a strong democracy because the
guiding principles of our Constitution and all of its
amendments including the Second must be adhered to in its
entirety, not selectively.
Thank you and God bless America.

Vikki, the mother of three sons and the grandmother of two, was once
on welfare to support her children. She left public welfare 25 years
ago when she became a clerk typist in the Secretary of State's office,
the office which she eventually directed as Secretary of State. She
attended Heritage Christian Center and was a board member of Project
Heritage. She was a founding member and director of the Colorado Stand
Up for Kids Organization, and mentored young ladies in the nonprofit
organization Empowering Young Ladies for Excellence, and spoke to
international women's organizations regarding bridging differences to
make a stronger global community. She has worked to help homeless kids
and has worked tirelessly in the cause of stopping youth and gang
violence.
Vikki was twice featured in significant publications, the December
1995 Ladies Home Journal--``Against all Odds'', and Atlantic Monthly,
1996, ``America's Conservative Women.'' She received numerous awards
including the Political Award from National Federal of Black Business
Women and numerous ``Breaking through the Glass Ceiling'' awards.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a
snapshot of Vikki Buckley's life and the contributions she has made to
the state of Colorado and this Nation. Our lives have been enriched for
having known Vikki.

[[Page E1550]]

SENATE COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Title IV of Senate Resolution 4, agreed to by the Senate on February
4, 1977, calls for establishment of a system for a computerized
schedule of all meetings and hearings of Senate committees,
subcommittees, joint committees, and committees of conference. This
title requires all such committees to notify the Office of the Senate
Daily Digest--designated by the Rules committee--of the time, place,
and purpose of the meetings, when scheduled, and any cancellations or
changes in the meetings as they occur.
As an additional procedure along with the computerization of this
information, the Office of the Senate Daily Digest will prepare this
information for printing in the Extensions of Remarks section of the
Congressional Record on Monday and Wednesday of each week.
Meetings scheduled for Thursday, July 15, 1999 may be found in the
Daily Digest of today's Record.

MEETINGS SCHEDULED

JULY 16
9 a.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
To resume oversight hearings to examine damage to the
national security from alleged Chinese espionage at the
Department of Energy nuclear weapons laboratories.
SD-366
10 a.m.
Judiciary
Administrative Oversight and the Courts Subcommittee
To hold hearings on S. 253, to provide for the
reorganization of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals;
and review the report by the Commission on Structural
Alternatives for the Federal Courts of Appeals
regarding the Ninth Circuit.
SD-628

JULY 20
9:30 a.m.
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
To resume hearings on proposed legislation authorizing
funds for programs of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act, focusing on improving use of funds.
SD-430
Environment and Public Works
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Drinking Water Subcommittee
To hold hearings on the habitat conservation plans.
SD-406
Governmental Affairs
Investigations Subcommittee
To hold hearings to examine deceptive mailings and the
need for legislation to curb the deceptive practices
used in the sweepstakes, skill contests and government
look-alike mailings.
SD-342
10 a.m.
Budget
To hold hearings to review the President's budget for
fiscal year 2000.
SD-608
11 a.m.
Foreign Relations
To hold hearings on the nomination of A. Peter Burleigh,
of California, to be Ambassador to the Republic of the
Philippines and as Ambassador to the Republic of Palau;
the nomination of Robert S. Gelbard, of Washington, to
be Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia; the
nomination of M. Osman Siddique, of Virginia, to be
Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji, and as Ambassador
to the Republic of Nauru, Ambassador to the Kingdom of
Tonga, and Ambassador to Tuvalu; and the nomination of
Sylvia Gaye Stanfield, of Texas, to be Ambassador to
Brunei Darussalam.
SD-419
2:30 p.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
Forests and Public Land Management Subcommittee
To hold hearings on S. 729, to ensure that Congress and
the public have the right to participate in the
declaration of national monuments on federal land.
SD-366
Aging
To hold hearings to examine the effects on drug switching
in Medicare managed care plans.
SD-106

JULY 21
Time to be announced
Intelligence
To hold closed hearings on pending intelligence matters.
SH-219
9:30 a.m.
Indian Affairs
To hold hearings on S. 985, to amend the Indian Gaming
Regulatory Act.
SD-106
Armed Services
To hold hearings on the nomination of F. Whitten Peters,
of the District of Columbia, to be Secretary of the Air
Force; and the nomination of Arthur L. Money, of
Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense.
SR-222
Environment and Public Works
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Drinking Water Subcommittee
To continue hearings on the habitat conservation plans.
SD-406
10 a.m.
Budget
To continue hearings to review the President's budget for
fiscal year 2000.
SD-608
Judiciary
To hold hearings on combatting methamphetamine
proliferation in America.
SD-628
2 p.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
Forests and Public Land Management Subcommittee
To hold hearings on S. 1184, to authorize the Secretary
of Agriculture to dispose of land for recreation or
other public purposes; S. 1129, to facilitate the
acquisition of inholdings in Federal land management
units and the disposal of surplus public land; and H.R.
150, to amend the Act popularly known as the Recreation
and Public Purposes Act to authorize disposal of
certain public lands or national forest lands to local
education agencies for use for elementary or secondary
schools, including public charter schools.
SD-366
Judiciary
Criminal Justice Oversight Subcommittee
To hold oversight hearings on Federal asset forfeiture,
focusing on its role in fighting crime.
SD-628

JULY 22
Time to be announced
Intelligence
To hold closed hearings on pending intelligence matters.
SH-219
9:30 a.m.
Environment and Public Works
To hold hearings on S. 835, to encourage the restoration
of estuary habitat through more efficient project
financing and enhanced coordination of Federal and non-
Federal restoration programs; S. 878, to amend the
Federal Water Pollution Control Act to permit grants
for the national estuary program to be used for the
development and implementation of a comprehensive
conservation and management plan, to reauthorize
appropriations to carry out the program; S. 1119, to
amend the Act of August 9, 1950, to continue funding of
the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and
Restoration Act; S. 492, to amend the Federal Water
Pollution Act to assist in the restoration of the
Chesapeake Bay; S. 522, to amend the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act to improve the quality of beaches
and coastal recreation water; and H.R. 999, to amend
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to improve the
quality of coastal recreation waters.
SD-406
10 a.m.
Foreign Relations
Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs Subcommittee
To hold hearings on the United State's policy with Iran.
SD-419
2 p.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
Forests and Public Land Management Subcommittee
To hold hearings on S. 1320, to provide to the Federal
land management agencies the authority and capability
to manage effectively the Federal lands, focusing on
Title I and Title II, and related Forest Service land
management priorities.
SD-366
2:30 p.m.
Foreign Relations
To hold hearings on the nomination of J. Brady Anderson,
of South Carolina, to be Administrator of the Agency
for International Development.
SD-419

JULY 27
9:30 a.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
To hold hearings on S. 1052, to implement further the Act
(Public Law 94-241) approving the Covenant to Establish
a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in
Political Union with the United States of America.
SD-366

JULY 28
9:30 a.m.
Indian Affairs
To hold hearings on S. 979, to amend the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act to provide
for further self-governance by Indian tribes.
SR-485

[[Page E1551]]

2:30 p.m.
Energy and Natural Resources
Water and Power Subcommittee
To hold hearings on S. 624, to authorize construction of
the Fort Peck Reservation Rural Water System in the
State of Montana; S. 1211, to amend the Colorado River
Basin Salinity Control Act to authorize additional
measures to carry out the control of salinity upstream
of Imperial Dam in a cost-effective manner; S. 1275, to
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to produce and
sell products and to sell publications relating to the
Hoover Dam, and to deposit revenues generated from the
sales into the Colorado River Dam fund; and S. 1236, to
extend the deadline under the Federal Power Act for
commencement of the construction of the Arrowrock Dam
Hydroelectric Project in the State of Idaho.
SD-366

AUGUST 4
9:30 a.m.
Indian Affairs
To hold hearings on S. 299, to elevate the position of
Director of the Indian Health Service within the
Department of Health and Human Services to Assistant
Secretary for Indian Health; and S. 406, to amend the
Indian Health Care Improvement Act to make permanent
the demonstration program that allows for direct
billing of medicare, medicaid, and other third party
payors, and to expand the eligibility under such
program to other tribes and tribal organizations;
followed by a business meeting to consider pending
calendar business.
SR-485

SEPTEMBER 28
9:30 a.m.
Veterans Affairs
To hold joint hearings with the House Committee on
Veterans Affairs to review the legislative
recommendations of the American Legion.
345 Cannon Building