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Edited on Wed Jun-30-04 10:14 PM by G_j
she was on some very powerful committees and always spoke up for important issues like NO other.
read this
from her website:
<snip>
A PROVEN LEADER
During her tenure in the U.S. Congress, Cynthia McKinney became a household name in Georgia and in many states across America, as well as in many countries around the globe. Cynthia easily won recognition as an outspoken leader for human rights; an ardent advocate for peace, and a determined worker for justice.
Cynthia succeeded Colorado's Pat Schroeder and California's Ron Dellums on the House Armed Services Committee, with both of them supporting her nomination to that Committee. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, Cynthia passed legislation to extend health benefits for Vietnam War veterans still suffering the health effects from exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange.
As reports now surface that our soldiers are returning from Iraq and testing positive for depleted uranium, it is important to note that Cynthia McKinney sponsored legislation to end the use of all depleted uranium weapons until their health effects are known.
Cynthia voted against near-record Bush Administration Pentagon budgets and challenged the Pentagon to explain how it "lost" over $2.3 trillion in un-trackable transactions. She decried the Pentagon's sweetheart deals with Halliburton, the funding of an unworkable weapon system built by the Carlyle Group, and the administration of the Pentagon's anthrax and smallpox vaccine program by a well-connected corporate friend.
Cynthia spoke out against the loss of our fundamental freedoms during Bush Administration prosecution of the War on Terrorism and reminded Committee members of the well-known and documented abuses during the COINTELPRO era.
Cynthia helped Department of Defense and Department of Energy workers who suffered exposure to nuclear material and she also spoke out for families that lived around these sites. Cynthia worked with the Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee to strengthen money in the budget for homeless veterans and to protect the Atlanta Regional Veterans Affairs Hospital located in the 4th District. Many overlooked veterans were able to get their medals because of the work Cynthia did to make sure that all veterans were recognized for the sacrifices they made. Before the August 2002 primary election, Cynthia had begun a special effort to look into the treatment of women members of the Armed Services.
Cynthia also served on the House International Relations Committee where she was the highest-ranking Democrat on the Human Rights Subcommittee. Cynthia took the time to help those in need who had a human rights claim. Cynthia felt that it was important that US policy reflect a deep respect for human rights. So she worked tirelessly on legislation to stop conventional weapons transfers to governments that are undemocratic or fail to respect human rights. Her legislation to end the mining of coltan in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was mentioned in a United Nations special report. Almost single-handedly, she forced the United Nations to convene an independent commission on the Rwanda genocide and the role of the US and the UN in failing to stop Africa's most horrific genocide.
Cynthia hosted the first delegation of Afro-Latinos from Central and South America and worked with the World Bank and the U.S. State Department to recognize Afro-Latinos. She stood with Aboriginals against Australian mining companies; and with the U'wa people of Colombia in their fight to save their sacred land from oil rigs.
She stood with poor Georgia farmers, black and white, against South African mining companies operating in the US. During her tenure on the House International Relations Committee, Cynthia recognized others who championed peace and nominated President Jaochim Chissano, President of Mozambique, for the Nobel Peace Prize and he made it to the final group. In her final Congressional act, she nominated Juan Carreras for the same honor, for his work to bring peace to Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes region of Africa.
Cynthia had also begun to focus on COINTELPRO and Hip Hop empowerment. Cynthia held three Hip Hop Powershops featuring Kevin Powell, Afeni Shakur, Li'l Zane, and media executives.
She also held two COINTELPRO hearings: one on US Political Prisoners, the other on the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Cynthia used her positions of influence on both the House Armed Services Committee and the House International Relations Committee to apply international human rights standards to US conduct at home and abroad.
CYNTHIA STANDS WITH COURAGE
Cynthia was tapped by the Congressional Black Caucus to lead its effort on the Durban World Conference Against Racism. With her leadership, the Congressional Black Caucus spoke on this United Nations effort and at this important event, never once compromising on the rights of all peoples to come together and express their pain and suffering and ways to end it. Cynthia was unwilling to be silenced in the face of injustice.
Despite all her efforts on behalf of the poor and dispossessed, in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and in the United States, Cynthia learned from news reports that AIPAC, The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, had targeted her for defeat. Cynthia never lost her courage and refused to compromise her strong American values. However, when Cynthia McKinney became one of the first Members of Congress to demand a thorough investigation into the events of September 11, 2001 and responsibly asked the question, "What did the Administration know and when did it know it about the events of September 11th?" she was vilified and targeted by Georgia and national Republicans. As a result of her thought-provoking question, an estimated 40,000 Republicans voted in the Democratic Primary to oust Cynthia. It is called "crossover" voting and her supporters have filed a lawsuit against this practice so that no voice of the people like Cynthia's will ever be silenced again in such an unfair electoral practice.
Cynthia McKinney is an independent thinker. Cynthia is running to regain her seat in Congress; and when she goes back to Washington, she will not be beholden to any special interests--just the people. And when Cynthia goes back with ten years experience, she will hit the ground running with a long and determined stride.
Earlier this year Cynthia was invited to Mumbai, India to speak at the World Social Forum. There, she was recognized for her tireless voice on behalf of justice in the United States. We need that voice again in the United States Congress.
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