Spencer Abraham

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I respond. Earlier today a resolution was introduced to commemorate the victory of the Detroit Red Wings. I would like to complete the action on that, and if we had 5, no more than 10 minutes, certainly this would be done.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize an important event in the State of Michigan. St. George Antiochan Orthodox Church will be holding its Grand Banquet on Saturday, June 20, 1998, at the Troy Marriott Hotel. This event promises to be the high point of the 1998 Midwest Regional Parish Life Conference, hosted by St. George Church, June 17-21. It will be presided over by Metropolitan Philip Saliba, the Hierarch of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. I want to extend my warmest wishes to everyone at St. George Antiochian Church. The banquet, as well as the 1998 Midwest Regional Parish Life Conference will undoubtedly be very successful.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise to raise concerns about the Reed amendment to the pending tobacco legislation. The amendment offered by the Senator from Rhode Island may sound appealing on first impression, but could have some harmful consequences. While I believe that the amendment is offered in all sincerity, in my view it would be wrong for us to take this approach to tobacco use. In particular, this amendment would establish a dangerous precedent by using federal tax policy as the primary enforcement penalty for federal agency rules issued by an agency other than the IRS. Let me give a few examples to highlight the concerns I have: First, imagine that General Motors has announced its fall line of new Chevrolets, but that the Department of Transportation determines that the cars fail to meet the minimum fuel consumption standards. Now imagine that the Department of Transportation could instruct the Internal Revenue Service to disallow as a business deduction the cost of all General Motors advertising for 1998. That could be devastating, and it would place tremendous and potentially destructive power in the hands of the federal government. Another example: Say the Department of Agriculture conducts a routine inspection of one of the nation's largest food processing facilities in the Midwest. Upon finding unsanitary conditions, the Secretary of Agriculture might announce under a similar regulation that the food processing company that operates the plant and every company that markets its products will be punished by losing the entire deduction for 1998 of all of their food product marketing and advertising costs. Again, the result could be disastrous. The pending amendment would make such scenarios all the more likely. Under the Reed amendment, if the FDA found that one advertisement of a tobacco product failed to comply with marketing and advertising rules issued by the FDA nearly two years ago and still under litigation, the offending company would lose the entire business expense deduction for all of its advertising. This is unsound public policy, unsound tax policy, and an unwise expansion of federal regulatory authority. Federal agency rules are generally enforced with other fines or penalties that are tailored to the violation. The Reed amendment would allow the same result--a higher tax payment, which could in some cases be quite substantial--regardless of whether a violation was inadvertent or inconsequential. In addition, the financial impact could itself be tremendous and could get into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Congress should not be giving the FDA such expansive and punitive authority. The possibility of such a penalty could chill advertising and deter legitimate, protected speech. In my view, this raises constitutional concerns and liberty interests that should at a minimum be seriously considered in the appropriate committees, including the Finance and Judiciary Committees, before we consider placing such an unprecedented and potentially damaging provision in the pending legislation. We should be especially careful about creating a precedent that will not only distort the Tax Code but will lead to more expansive and intrusive authority on the part of regulatory agencies. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record a letter by Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, expressing strong concerns about the tax implications of the Reed amendment and about the significant increase in governmental authority contemplated by that amendment as well. While I believe Senator Reed to be well-intentioned, I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today as an original cosponsor of legislation increasing the authorization for the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center program from $9 million in 1999 to $12 million in 2001. These centers provide management, marketing, and financial advice to women-owned small businesses. Mr. President, the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center program finances a number of very important initiatives at the state and local levels; initiatives that have proven crucial to women struggling to enter the job world and to start their own businesses. These initiatives have changed the lives of a significant number of women in Michigan and throughout the United States. For example, Mr. President, Ann Arbor's Women's Initiative for Self- Employment or WISE program was started in 1987 as a means by which to provide low-income women with the tools and resources they need to begin and expand businesses. The WISE program provides a comprehensive package of business training, personal development workshops, credit counseling, start-up and expansion financing, business counseling, and mentoring. In addition to helping create and expand businesses, WISE fights poverty, increases incomes, stabilizes families, develops skills and sparks community renewal. In addition, Mr. President, Grand Rapids' Opportunities for Women or GROW provides career counseling and training for women in western Michigan. This nonprofit group serves about 250 women per year. GROW helps women get jobs by providing them with basic training and helping them get funds for more specialized training. In addition, they help women obtain appropriate clothing so that they can start work in a professional manner. I salute the good people at WISE and GROW for their hard work helping the women of Michigan. They provide the kind of services we need to revitalize troubled areas and empower women to build productive lives for themselves and their families. Because the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Centers program makes these kinds of efforts possible, I believe it deserves our full support, and merits the increase in funding called for in this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today as an original cosponsor of legislation increasing the authorization for the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center program from $9 million in 1999 to $12 million in 2001. These centers provide management, marketing, and financial advice to women-owned small businesses. Mr. President, the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center program finances a number of very important initiatives at the state and local levels; initiatives that have proven crucial to women struggling to enter the job world and to start their own businesses. These initiatives have changed the lives of a significant number of women in Michigan and throughout the United States. For example, Mr. President, Ann Arbor's Women's Initiative for Self- Employment or WISE program was started in 1987 as a means by which to provide low-income women with the tools and resources they need to begin and expand businesses. The WISE program provides a comprehensive package of business training, personal development workshops, credit counseling, start-up and expansion financing, business counseling, and mentoring. In addition to helping create and expand businesses, WISE fights poverty, increases incomes, stabilizes families, develops skills and sparks community renewal. In addition, Mr. President, Grand Rapids' Opportunities for Women or GROW provides career counseling and training for women in western Michigan. This nonprofit group serves about 250 women per year. GROW helps women get jobs by providing them with basic training and helping them get funds for more specialized training. In addition, they help women obtain appropriate clothing so that they can start work in a professional manner. I salute the good people at WISE and GROW for their hard work helping the women of Michigan. They provide the kind of services we need to revitalize troubled areas and empower women to build productive lives for themselves and their families. Because the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Centers program makes these kinds of efforts possible, I believe it deserves our full support, and merits the increase in funding called for in this legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the expansion of the Glenn. T. Seaborg Center for Teaching, Learning Science and Mathematics at Northern Michigan University. On Thursday, June 11, 1998, a groundbreaking will take place for the new complex. The Seaborg Center is named for Nobel Laureate Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Dr. Seaborg is perhaps the most important scientist of his time. A native of Ishpeming, he was co- discoverer of Plutonium, ten elements and more than 100 isotopes. Dr. Seaborg's list of achievements extends far beyond these discoveries, therefore, it is quite appropriate for this educational facility to be named after him. The Center will provide educational institutions at all levels with materials, consultative services and training in math and science education. It serves the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan, over 56 school districts from the Northern Michigan University campus and from three satellite centers. I personally visited the original facility and recognized the importance of obtaining funding to upgrade the facility. It is for this reason that I submitted a request for funding. I am very pleased to see that this project is getting underway. It could not be happening at a more exciting time, in light of Northern Michigan University's upcoming centennial celebration. I extend my best wishes and congratulations to everyone involved with making the Seaborg Center project possible. I know it will be a great success.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize and honor a very important woman in the Michigan religious community. Sister Monica Kostielney, R.S.M. is celebrating 25 years with the Michigan Catholic Conference this year. Presently, she serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Conference, however, her list of accomplishments extends far beyond her work in this capacity. Prior to joining the Catholic Conference, Sister Monica taught elementary and secondary school for thirteen years. She began her career with the Catholic Conference of Michigan as a staff member in 1972. She served as Executive Vice-President for public affairs from 1983 until 1994, and has served as President and CEO since then. For 25 years, in addition to her service to the Michigan Catholic Conference, Sister Monica has advised many on important issues affecting all facets of society. She has given selflessly of her time to many other organizations and charities including, the Midwest Hispanic Catholic Commission, the Michigan Department of Education Legislative Advisory Council, the Governor's Blue Ribbon Welfare Reform Committee and the Board of Directors of St. Lawrence Hospital and Healthcare Services Divisional Board. From 1980 to 1984, Sister Monica co-hosted ``Reel to Reel,'' a weekly Sunday television show produced by the Diocese of Lansing. These are just a few examples of Sister Monica's unwavering devotion to her community and the entire State of Michigan. I want to join with Sister Monica's friends and family in congratulating her on this very special occasion. She is a remarkable woman whom the state of Michigan is fortunate to benefit from.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues Senator Coverdell and Senator Craig in offering the Drug Free Neighborhoods Act as an amendment to the tobacco bill. I fervently believe that we must do everything we can to reduce teenage smoking. But we are not here to deal with one issue a year. We are here to deal with the priorities of our constituents and our country. So I think we also must address the serious problem of teenage drug use in America today as well. In my view it is crucial, given our continuing struggle in the war on drugs, that we send an unwavering and unambiguous message to all Americans, and to our children in particular, that the use and sale of illegal drugs is dangerous, wrong, and will not be tolerated. As the father of three young children, I am deeply disturbed by recent trends in drug use. Indeed, since 1992 Washington has been losing important ground in the war on drugs. Let me cite just a few of the alarming statistics: First of all, over the past five years, the average number of Federal drug defendants prosecuted has dropped by almost 1500 cases from the 1992 level. And the average number of drug convictions has gone down by a similar amount since 1993. The drug interdiction budget was cut by 39 percent from 1992 to 1996 and drug surveillance flights were cut in half. The impact on our kids has been serious. In the last six years, the percentage of high school seniors admitting that they had used an illicit drug has risen by more than half. Incredibly, 54 percent of the Class of 97 had used an illicit drug by graduation. For 10th graders during that same time, drug use has doubled. And--perhaps worst of all--nearly 20 percent of our 8th graders use illegal drugs. Faced with this bad news, this year the Administration finally submitted a comprehensive long range National Drug Strategy to Congress. Unfortunately, it took them nearly five years to take this step. And, as the numbers show, our children have been paying the price. That is why today we are offering the Drug Free Neighborhoods amendment. This amendment addresses the alarming trends in drug use among teenagers. Let me describe briefly what this amendment entails: First, it provides additional resources for drug interdiction programs in the U.S. Customs Service, the Coast Guard, and the Department of Defense. It would double the interdiction budget for each of these departments. Second, this amendment provides additional resources to combat drugs that reach our schools and neighborhoods. For example, it authorizes $50 million per year for the Drug Free Communities Act. It also promotes drug free schools by allowing federal funds to be used for voluntary random drug testing programs--and to provide school choice for K-12 students who are victims of drug-related school violence. Third, the amendment increases disincentives for teens to use illegal drugs through the Drug Free Student Loans Act. This act would deny student loans to those convicted of drug possession. In addition, the amendment's Drug Free Teen Drivers Act, would provide grants to States that enact and enforce laws to crack down on teen drivers who use drugs. Finally, this amendment would ban taxpayer funding for needle exchange programs. In my judgment, Washington must constantly reinforce the message to our kids that drugs are dangerous, and drug use is unacceptable. Federal funding of needle programs sends the wrong message. And the statistics gathered from programs in Vancouver, Montreal, Zurich and Manhattan all clearly show that these programs significantly increase drug use. Every program studied has shown a significant increase in the use of narcotics among those receiving free needles--every study. Mr. President, we owe it to the thousands upon thousands of families struggling to protect their children from the scourges of drugs and drug violence to stay tough on the criminals who prey on their neighborhoods. Washington has to renew the war on drugs. We must provide needed resources, and we must reinforce the message that drugs aren't acceptable and that drug dealers belong in prison--for a long time. Our kids deserve no less. Mr. President, let me close by just commenting briefly on the majority leader's earlier remarks. There are, obviously, a lot of issues that are on this floor. I don't want to attempt to address every one of them. But I think the point the majority leader is trying to make, as he outlined some of his thinking as to the final version this legislation might take, is a very important point for us to remember, which is that the tax dollars we are talking about here are not coming from tobacco companies. They are coming from taxpayers. They are coming from citizens. They are coming from people, for the most part, in lower-income categories. So I think we do have a responsibility to determine, if we are going to increase taxes on working families in this country, exactly how those resources ought to be spent. The notion that we cannot, in any sense, change any of the formula for the expenditure of those resources or we are somehow undermining this legislation, I think is an incorrect conclusion. This bill, like every other bill we have, is about priorities. In offering the amendment that we are offering, that the majority leader spoke to in his comments, we are trying to establish as a priority of this Congress that we will do more in the battle against illegal drugs. There may be some Members--I am not sure in which States--but there may be some Members in some States where illegal drug use is not a significant problem in their communities, where they are not hearing from their constituents about this, where this is not a serious problem. Maybe that is the case. I do not know. I cannot speak for other States, but I can speak for my State, and when I go around my State I hear families in virtually every corner of Michigan talking about the problems, the threat to their kids, of drugs. If we are going to tax the families of this country to the tune of billions of dollars a year--not the tobacco companies but the families--billions of dollars a year, and the notion we are not going to do anything about illegal drugs, that this is somehow inappropriate on this legislation, that the majority leader is wrong to come to the floor and say there needs to be a drug component here--I don't know what State that represents, but it doesn't represent mine. I think the majority leader is right on target, and I think this amendment is a critical part of this legislation. I think it makes sense for us to do this now. We are not going to have many more opportunities to do this, and I think we will be sending a terrible message to the people of this country and our kids if we pass this legislation and say we are worried about tobacco and we are worried about smoking, but drugs can wait for another day. In my State, that won't sell. Maybe it will in other places. The majority leader is right, Senator Coverdell is right, Senator Craig is right, and I am happy to join them. Mr. President, I yield the floor. Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I am compelled to rise today to comment once again on what I consider to be the troubling path that the Federal Government has taken with respect to this nation's high-tech industry. It has come to my attention that on Monday, the Federal Trade Commission will vote on whether to bring an antitrust action against Intel Corp. In November of last year I warned the Senate Judiciary Committee during a hearing on the Department of Justice's investigation of Microsoft of the slippery slope of more government regulation of, and intrustion into, America's high-technology sector. Monday's proposed vote makes clear to me that we are well into our slide. We are now witnessing a revolution in antitrust action in which it appears the federal government seeks to influence the very terms on which intellectual property is shared within an industry. We already have an entire field of laws that deal with this Mr. President. They are called ``patents,'' and to the extent that there are deficiencies in patent law, this Congress is attempting to address those concerns through legislation. We do not need the Federal Trade Commission's help in this endeavor. Let me make clear, I do believe in appropriate antitrust enforcement. In this industry, however, overzealous pursuit of alleged antitrust violations sends a chilling signal to one of this nation's most prized industries: Success is illegal, violators will be punished. It is extremely important to keep in mind that our antitrust regulation is intended to protect consumers. I believe our central concern in looking at antitrust as it relates to the high-tech industry should be to ensure that consumers continue to see prices go down as the quality and variety of products go up. American consumers are presented with a vast number of choices in the high-tech marketplace. One need only walk into one of the thousands of computer and software stores in America to find an enormous, even bewildering selection of hardware for every imaginable need. The overwhelming evidence indicates that competitiveness is alive and well in the high-tech industry--indeed, virtually the only monopolies that exist today are those that have been created by government. Mr. President, it is time for Washington to get out of the business of picking winners and losers in the free market, and I am deeply concerned about the FTC's actions to this effect. I intend to closely monitor this matter, and I encourage my colleagues to join with me in expressing their concerns about the increasing amount of government intrusion into this sector of the economy.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to cosponsor a resolution offered by my colleague the Senator from Hawaii, Mr. Akaka. This resolution commemorates 100 years of relations between the people of the United States and the people of the Philippines. 100 years ago, Mr. President, the Philippines gained their independence from Spain. This was the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between our two countries and our two peoples. The people of the Philippines have shown a strong commitment to free government, individual liberty and a market economy. Over the last 100 years they have worked hard to establish democratic institutions and to develop a thriving free market economy. The Philippines has served as an important ally to the United States, protecting the peace and security of South Asia as it provided an example of the human desire for freedom. What is more, Mr. President, Filipino soldiers have fought side by side with American troops in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The people of the Philippines have shown themselves to be strong and loyal friends of America. The significant number of Filipinos who have come to the United States also have made great contributions of our nation through their culture and their individual initiative. The Philippines has become a major trading partner for the United States and remains a strong ally in our efforts to maintain regional stability. It is my hope that our two nations will enjoy another 100 years of mutual respect and support, and that my colleagues will join me in congratulating the Philippines on the anniversary of its independence from Spain.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to mark National Small Business Week. This is the week when we honor, as we have for the past 35 years, the American entrepreneurs who have done so much to make ours a prosperous, thriving nation. America's 23 million small businesses employ more than half our country's private work force, create two of every three new jobs, and generate a majority of American innovations. Mr. President, it would be impossible to exaggerate the contribution of small business to America's economy. Small business is our engine of economic growth. Small business-dominated industries produced an estimated 64 percent of the 2.5 million new jobs created during 1996. Small businesses also account for 28 percent of jobs in high technology sectors--the sectors of our economy pushing us into the future and keeping us competitive in world markets. Small businesses also serve as the training ground for America's workforce, providing 67 percent of workers with their first jobs and initial on the job training in basic skills. Small business is especially important in my own state of Michigan, where almost half a million small businesses and sole proprietors created every net new job in our economy from 1992 to 1996. How did Michigan's small businesses accomplish this? Ask Pamela Aguirre of Mexican Industries in Michigan and Cheryl Hughes of C&D Hughes. Both these women are being honored by the Small Business Administration for their efforts in expanding their small businesses against great odds through hard work, perseverance and devotion to quality. Ms. Aguirre has taken the eight employee leather and soft trim automotive products manufacturer she inherited from her father and turned it into a 1,500 employee eight plant corporation with 1996 sales of $158 million. Her company had plants in Detroit empowerment zones before they were empowerment zones. Hundreds of local residents have found training, skills and careers thanks to her. Cheryl Hughes started running her highway construction company in 1980 out of her home. Now, after weathering reductions in federal highway funding, C&D Hughes employs 60 people, has achieved annual sales of over $7 million, and is recognized as one of the fastest growing privately held companies in Michigan. Entrepreneurs like Pamela Aguirre and Cheryl Hughes deserve our respect, Mr. President. Their efforts make their communities and our nation better and more prosperous. By providing jobs they help people learn skills and build lives for themselves and for their families. But they also need our help. If small business owners like Pamela Aguirre and Cheryl Hughes are to continue to grow and to provide good jobs to millions of Americans, they must be freed from excessive federal regulations and mandates, and from frivolous lawsuits that drive up the cost of insurance and can drive a small business owner into bankruptcy. For example, Mr. President, current regulatory costs are staggering-- $647 billion in 1994 according to the General Accounting Office. Our small businesses cannot afford to bear this kind of burden. What is more, many small companies refuse to grow because doing so would subject them to a number of costly, unnecessary regulations. The answer, in my view, is real-world cost benefit analysis. No one wants to put our families and children at risk from unsafe products or procedures. But the federal government must implement strict policies seeing to it that scientific data is used to determine whether any proposed regulation will cause more harm than good--to people, to the economy and to small business. In addition, Mr. President, Washington too often imposes unfunded mandates on America's job creators. The benefits of government programs are there for all to see. But the costs imposed by these programs on workers, consumers, and small businesses are not so clear. Reduced wages, increased prices and stagnant growth all can result from unfunded federal mandates. That is why I believe it is crucial that we institute mandate reform legislation that would direct the Congressional Budget Office to study the effects of proposed private sector mandates on workers, consumers and economic growth, and provide a point of order allowing members to call Congress' attention to these costs. Finally, Mr. President, entrepreneurs increasingly are being forced out of business, or deciding not to go into business for themselves, out of fear of lawsuits. One recent Gallup poll reported that fear of litigation has caused 20 percent of small businesses not to hire more employees, expand their business, or introduce new products. And that figure does not include those who have decided not to go into business at all. The culprit is the frivolous lawsuit. The stories are well-known: A Northridge, California woman claims damages from a store after she pulled out the bottom box in a blender display stack and brought it down on her. A former smoker in Seattle sues a supermarket and Washington dairy farmers for failing to warn him that a lifetime of drinking whole milk might clog his arteries and cause him to have a heart attack. A teenager in Nashau, New Hampshire sues the manufacturer of a basketball net after he attempts a slam dunk and looses two teeth when they get caught in the net. We must put a stop to this lawsuit abuse before it stifles our economic growth, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. Ideally, we would pass legislation discouraging all frivolous lawsuits. Unfortunately, while we have tried several times to enact broad-based legal reform, the President has successfully opposed it. That is why I have sponsored the ``small business lawsuit abuse protection act.'' For small businesses, this legislation will limit the punitive damages that can be awarded against the company. Punitive damages would be available only if the injured party proves convincingly that the harm was caused by the small business through at least a conscious, flagrant indifference to the rights and safety of others. And punitive damages would be limited to the lesser of $250,000 or two times the compensatory damages awarded for the harm. The bill also would limit joint and several liability for small businesses. This doctrine, according to which a company that caused, say, two percent of the harm could be held liable for the full amount of damages, has forced many companies related to an accident tangentially if at all (including, for example, Mr. Van de Putte) to pay the entire amount of the settlement because others are bankrupt or otherwise not subject to being sued. Under this legislation a small business would be liable for pain and suffering and any other noneconomic damages only in proportion to its responsibility for causing the harm. They would still be fully, jointly and severally liable for economic damages. For the sake of our small businesses, and for the sake of the millions of Americans who rely on those small businesses for goods, services, training and jobs, we must address the costs Washington and our broken civil justice system impose on entrepreneurial activity and business growth. It is my hope that National Small Business Week will provide all of us with the opportunity to reflect on the tremendous debt we owe the entrepreneurs of our country and that we will do our best to encourage them to continue making life better for all Americans.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I will be brief tonight. I will speak at greater length about this amendment tomorrow. I want to thank my colleagues. I am pleased to join Senators Coverdell and Craig on this amendment. Tomorrow I will be citing some statistics, Mr. President, that reveal the extent to which the young people of this country confront an ever increasing and alarming rate of drug usage. We obviously are attempting, in the context of this tobacco bill, to address one of the problems and challenges facing young people, but I think as I talk to at least the families in my State, as high as any challenge or problem that they see confronting their kids, particularly children starting as early as seventh and eighth grade, is the illicit use of drugs, and, unfortunately, the growing number of individuals who are making those drugs available to our young people. Our amendment is designed to begin the process of addressing that in a far more aggressive fashion than has been the case during the recent 4, 5, 6 years. We have seen, as I think most of the Members of this Chamber know, that during the last 5 years, the use of drugs among young people has gone up after a lengthy period of decline. And it is important, I think, as we confront the issue of tobacco, that we likewise confront the issue of drugs. I join both of my colleagues in saying that I fervently believe no legislation should leave this Chamber absent provisions that are strong and tough antidrug provisions. So I thank my colleagues and I will speak more about it tomorrow. I am glad it is now before the Senate so that we can proceed on this amendment. I yield the floor. Mr. CRAIG addressed the Chair.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, today I submit a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that the President of the United States should reconsider his decision to be formally received in Tiananmen Square by the Government of the People's Republic of China. I submit this resolution, Mr. President, because I am convinced that the President of the United States, the leader of the world's first free nation and indeed of the free world, should not give the slightest reason for anyone to believe that he or the United States has forgotten the crimes against liberty and humanity committed by the communist regime in Beijing. As we mark the ninth anniversary of the massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen square, I think it is important that we consider our own role in bringing those students, mothers, fathers and children into the streets to demand their freedom. We must never forget, in my view, that it was to the United States, the birthplace of freedom, that these brave people looked in seeking a new path for China. ``The Goddess of Democracy''--our own Lady Liberty--and our Declaration of Independence were, despite long-standing government bans, constantly on the minds and in the hearts of those who demanded freedom and democracy. The shot fired at Lexington and Concord continues to be heard round the world. The natural human desire for freedom, for the liberty to worship, to enjoy the fruits of one's labor, to tend one's family and community, will not die, despite the tanks and armored personnel carriers of a despotic regime. We have a responsibility in my view, Mr. President, to stand up for the principles on which our nation was founded, the principles that brought virtually all of our ancestors to these shores, the principles that won the cold war and that continue to fire the hearts of all peoples the world over. Now is the time for President Clinton to stand up for these principles. More than 2,000 freedom loving people, including children holding their mother's hands, were killed by the communist Chinese government in Tiananmen Square. Hundreds of innocent men and women continue to be held under inhuman conditions simply for standing up for freedom, democracy, and the truth of individual human dignity. And the Communist regime in Beijing continues to claim that it was right to act so brutally in putting down what it calls a ``counter revolutionary riot.'' Now is not the time, Mr. President, to greet Chinese officials in Tiananmen Square. Now is the time to speak out for the oppressed, those who have died and those who are imprisoned for their beliefs. I have submitted this resolution because I believe it would be inappropriate, and a show of disrespect for those who have died for freedom, for our President to be formally received in Tiananmen Square by the Chinese Communist Government. It is my hope that the President will heed this call to stand with the people of China, to uphold the principles of our nation, and to say not to tyranny. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a letter signed by several human rights, religious, and pro-family leaders urging the President to reconsider his decision to go to Tiananmen Square be printed in the Record.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today as an original cosponsor of the ``Crime Identification Technology Act'' recently introduced by my colleague from Ohio, Senator DeWine. I applaud the Senator from Ohio's fine efforts in getting this important bill introduced and shepherding it through the Senate Judiciary Committee so quickly. In my view S. 2022 will provide significant assistance to federal, state, and local law enforcement groups as they work to integrate their identification, information, communications, and forensic systems. Currently, federal, state, and local crime databases are not universally maintained in a format that makes them compatible with one another. Right now law enforcement officials often have trouble accessing information and transferring it among themselves. Important technologies such as the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) which is operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Integrated Ballistics Network, and the National Incident-Based Reporting System all would be much more effective if all states and localities had compatible systems. The federal government has provided agencies with the funds necessary to create this technology. Unfortunately, a number of states, and local communities in particular, often have not had sufficient funds to implement them. Moreover, particular states and localities often lack sufficient incentive to standardize because standardization's benefits become clear only if all states and localities participate. Thus it is important that the federal government provide assistance in order to maintain a uniform national system. The ``Crime Identification Technology Act'' will better enable federal, state, and local governments to work in tandem in the fight against crime. In a nutshell, this bill authorizes $250 million in grant money over five years to states in conjunction with local governments and Indian tribes, to establish or improve information and identification technologies and make them more compatible with one another and with federal systems. Grants will be distributed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which will consult with the Governor of each state to determine how much money is needed and for which programs. For example, some states may feel they need better fingerprint-scanned devices while others may want to integrate their ballistics programs into the National Integrated Ballistics Network. Federal and state governments share an interest in the interstate compatibility of these technology systems and in quickly identifying whether an individual has a federal, state, or local record. Ensuring the accuracy and accessibility of criminal history records must be a joint endeavor among law enforcement agencies at all levels. This legislation will be of critical assistance in bringing this about. I urge my colleagues to join me, my colleague from Ohio, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, and a number of other colleagues in supporting this important piece of legislation.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today as an original cosponsor of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Authorization Act of 1998. I applaud the Senator from Utah's fine efforts in support of this important legislation. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has an extraordinary record of success. The Center boasts a recovery rate that has grown from 62% to 91% over the past 14 years. This particular legislation directs the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJDDP) at the Department of Justice to issue annual grants to the NCMEC in the amount of $10 million for fiscal years 1999-2003. The $10 million is an authorization and is subject to appropriations procedures. The bill will allow the Center to bypass the competitive selection process it must go through to obtain grant money from the OJDDP on an annual basis. Moreover, by providing an authorization, the bill will also allow for increased Committee oversight of the Center's activities. This bill will better enable the Center to pursue national efforts to locate and recover missing children. It will also aid the NCMEC, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice, in raising public awareness about ways to prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation. I urge my colleagues to join me, Senator Hatch, Senator DeWine, and a number of our colleagues in supporting this worthwhile bill.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, yesterday I toured the Michigan communities of Walker and Merrill, two of the cities in Michigan which suffered considerable destruction from severe storms that swept through our State on Sunday. These storms devastated communities ranging from Grand Traverse County, which is up in the northwest part of our State, to Kalamazoo County, which is in the southwest part of our State, as well as from one side of the State, the west side, all the way across to Wayne County in southeastern Michigan. According to the latest count, four people were tragically killed as a result of these storms. Thunderstorms, with winds of more than 90 miles per hour, knocked out power to over 860,000 homes and businesses. As of last night, more than 300,000 were still without power. School districts in Oakland and Macomb Counties closed schools because they had no power. In Walker, MI, which I visited, the local officials told me approximately 60 people had been injured. Estimates of the costs are still coming in. In the village of Spring Lake in West Michigan, for example, the village manager has estimated millions of dollars in private and public losses. Having seen firsthand the destruction wrought by this severe weather, I would like to say two things. First, as an elected official, I pledge to do everything I can to make available all possible resources of the federal government to those who need help. Second, as a citizen of Michigan, my thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of those who lost their homes, and especially those who lost their lives. Today I will contact with the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). My first priority is to deliver to FEMA a damage assessment and formally request that the federal government move forward in helping these communities. In the difficult days ahead my offices in both Washington and Michigan will offer assistance to all who need help in the complex process of securing federal aid. While touring Walker and Merrill I witnessed awesome destruction; entire properties--farm barns and homes--were reduced to rubble by the forces of Mother Nature. However, the greatest impression left upon me came from talking with government officials, emergency workers, local volunteers and affected residents. Every individual I encountered exhibited the same optimistic determination to recover and to rebuild. It is my intention to make certain the federal government is a proactive partner in this effort. I yield the floor.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 25th wedding anniversary of my dear friends Clark and Susan Durant of Grosse Pointe, Michigan. The Durants have shared a very special marriage over the last twenty- five years and have produced four wonderful children. Their friends and family have witnessed them grow stronger together over the course of the last twenty-five years. Not only do these two individuals have a strong and successful marriage and family, they have contributed tremendously to both their community as well as State of Michigan and have touched the lives of many. Once again, I would like to congratulate Clark and Susan on this blessed occasion. I wish them continued happiness and success. I send my warmest regards to the entire Durant family.

Mr. ABRAHAM

Mr. ABRAHAM. Parliamentary inquiry. Have the yeas and nays been ordered on final passage?

Mr. ABRAHAM. I ask for the yeas and nays.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I move to table the second Kennedy amendment numbered 2417, and I also seek unanimous consent that the following rollcall votes be 10 minutes in duration.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, our legislation puts America's workers first, and it severely punishes anybody who tries to do otherwise. But the provisions in the regulations that would be necessary to implement this amendment would give the Department of Labor dramatic intrusive powers to intervene in hiring decisions of high-tech companies involving temporary workers. In the permanent worker category, these kinds of provisions typically delay a hiring decision by as much as 2 years. We oppose that in the temporary category. It would have the effect, Mr. President, of setting back the entire temporary worker program when we need it most--as we are trying to address the year 2000 problem and other immediate emergencies before us. For that reason, I propose that we vote to table.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I did move to table earlier. I guess the Presiding Officer did not hear.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the motion to lay on the table was agreed to.

Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.