Michael Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for always joining me year after year after year in this special order. Mr. Speaker, we all know that the price of liberty can be very high, hundreds of thousands of lives. Socrates, Plato, Pericles, and many other great scholars throughout history warned we maintain democracy only at great cost. The freedom we enjoy today is due to a large degree to the sacrifices made by men and women in the past, in Greece, in America, and all over the world. Unfortunately, there are several countries where the struggle for freedom continues, and tensions persist in the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, the Middle East, Africa, Greece, and Turkey, and particularly in the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey still illegally occupies a large part of Cyprus, as it has since its brutal invasion in 1974. The United States has exerted its influence to improve chances for peace in the Middle East and Northern Ireland. Now it is time for the U.S. to promote a fair solution for Cyprus. Turkey continues to refute U.N. resolutions on Cyprus. Our Nation has the influence to encourage to Turkey to abide by the U.N. resolutions which set out conditions and suggestions for a settlement. Turkey also needs to respect international law regarding Greek sovereignty in the Aegean. Mr. Speaker, on a more optimistic note, the chronically strained relations between Greece and Turkey have recently become less in the aftermath of severe earthquakes that hit both countries last summer. The acts of humanity that Greece and Turkey demonstrated in aiding each other generated a new favorable world sentiment and opened a new chapter in the relations between the two countries. Consistent with this new spirit of cooperation, Greece has moderated its previous inflexible objection to Turkey's acceptance to membership in the European Union. Hopefully, this new spirit will gain momentum and thereby help to restore harmony and peaceful coexistence between the two countries. Mr. Speaker, we celebrate Greek independence to reaffirm the common democratic heritage we share. Greek Independence Day, like the Fourth of July, reminds us that we have the duty to defend liberty--whatever the cost. To maintain our freedom, we can take neither it nor its architects for granted. That is why we honor those who secured independence for Greece so many years ago.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my special order this evening.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War. It is often called ``the forgotten war,'' but for the men and women who served there and for the families of those who did not return, the Korean war will never be forgotten. Only 5 years had passed since the end of World War II when another international conflict erupted. On June 25, 1950, the communist forces of North Korea crossed the 38th Parallel and invaded South Korea. The American response was almost immediate. Two days later, President Harry Truman called upon America's military to intervene, and the United States led a United Nations force to the Asian peninsula. Over the next 3 years, over 5 million American men and women answered the call to duty, eventually defeating communism's attack on South Korea. Over 92,000 of these brave Americans would be wounded during the conflict. Approximately 8,100 would become missing in action or prisoners of war. By the time the fighting ended, 54,260 Americans would have paid the ultimate sacrifice--giving their lives in the defense of freedom. While communism's defeat would come almost 40 years after our victory in the Korean War, the significance of what our soldiers won there cannot be understated. Our Korean War veterans must never be forgotten. As a Korean War era veteran, I salute these brave men and women. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.J. Res. 86 and urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Ombudsman Reauthorization Act of 2000. This legislation is a companion to S. 1763, which was introduced last year by Senator Allard of Colorado. The bill reauthorizes the Office of the National Solid Waste and Superfund Ombudsman within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. I have experienced first-hand the important work of the National Superfund Ombudsman in connection with the Stauffer Chemical Superfund Site, which is located in my congressional district in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I fought tirelessly with my constituents for years to have the Stauffer site designated as a federal Superfund site. In 1994, the Stauffer site was finally included on the National Priorities List. It has been a long and tedious process since then. After six years, we are still waiting for the cleanup to begin. Clearly, this process is taking too long. The Supefund program must be streamlined to make it work within reasonable time frames--consistent with public expectations. All of my constituents agree on the need for prompt cleanup of the Stauffer site. The question is how and when this will be accomplished in a manner consistent with protecting the public health and safety. I joined with many of my constituents in repeatedly urging the EPA to carefully consider the unique geography of the Tarpon Springs area, with a particular focus on our sources of drinking water. In 1996, I was pleased to help secure funding for the Pinellas and Pasco County Technical Assistance Grant (Pi-Pa-TAG) to monitor cleanup activities at the Stauffer site. Throughout the years, I have sponsored several public meetings and written many letters regarding necessary standards for the cleanup of the site. The process of selecting a remedy that is both cost-effective and protective of the public health and safety has been extremely difficult. The affected parties have different opinions regarding the most appropriate solution to the problem, and many area residents feel that they have been ``shut out'' of the process. Mr. Speaker, if anyone deserves to have their voice heard in the debate on cleanup of a hazardous waste site, it should be the local citizens who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. At my request, the National Superfund Ombudsman, Robert Martin, has launched an independent review of the EPA's proposed cleanup plan for the Stauffer site. To date, Mr. Martin has participated in two public meetings I have sponsored, which were held on December 2, 1999, and February 12, 2000. These discussions have provided an opportunity for local residents, technical experts, Stauffer company representatives, and federal, state and local officials to express their concerns directly to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is continuing to gather additional information and will not make recommendations until the investigation is completed. During the course of the public meetings, it has become apparent that certain hydrogeological issues were not addressed before the proposed cleanup plan was advanced by the Stauffer Management Company and the EPA. For example, no studies regarding the possibility of sinkholes were conducted prior to the proposal of the remedy outlined in the Record of Decision. Because of Florida's unique environment, sinkholes pose a serious concern for the residents of the surrounding community. If contaminated soil collapses into the groundwater, more than 30 contaminants could be introduced into the area's drinking water supply. The effect of contaminants from the site on local groundwater is an issue that demands further scrutiny. There has been conflicting evidence regarding the direction of groundwater flow, and it is critical that more comprehensive studies be undertaken to identify the potential for groundwater contamination. Mr. Speaker, without the involvement of the Ombudsman, my constituents' concerns about sinkholes and groundwater would not have received the attention they deserve. My constituents have welcomed the Ombudsman's participation in discussions about the proposed cleanup plan. Many of them have renewed confidence that their concerns will be seriously considered in this process. The Ombudsman has been their advocate, giving a voice to those who might otherwise have limited input in the design of a remedy for the site. The Ombudsman has worked effectively and aggressively to uncover the facts surrounding the Stauffer site, as well as other Superfund sites around the nation. In fact, he has been so successful that EPA officials are considering eliminating his office. This cannot be allowed to occur. Without the Ombudsman's investigation of the Stauffer site, the residents of Tarpon Springs would have been left in the dark and without a voice. I applaud the Ombudsman for his advocacy on their behalf and for bringing integrity back into the process. The Ombudsman Reauthorization Act will ensure that the Ombudsman is allowed to continue his critical work. This bill reauthorizes the office for ten years, allowing the Ombudsman to carry on the fact- finding investigations that lead to better solutions for communities burdened with Superfund sites. Mr. Speaker, our constituents benefit enormously from the advocacy efforts of the National Superfund Ombudsman. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor and support passage of this important legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 247, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage today. This resolution encourages all Americans to learn about the importance of organ, tissue, bone marrow and blood donation and to discuss these issues with their families and friends. It also urges the President to promote activities to demonstrate public support for organ, tissue, bone marrow and blood donation. As Chairman of the Health and Environment Subcommittee, I have worked to identify ways to increase the supply of organs available for transplantation. Last year, I introduced H.R. 2418, legislation to reauthorize the National Organ Transplant Act, which includes provisions to promote organ donation. My Subcommittee's review of these issues has highlighted statistics that are deeply disturbing. This year, approximately 20,000 people will receive organ transplants--but 40,000 will not. In the last decade alone, the waiting list for transplants grew by over 300 percent. Much of this increase is due to improvements in medical treatments for transplant patients. However, the gap between organ supply and demand remains enormous. Two years ago, my Subcommittee held a joint hearing with the Senate Labor Committee to review our nation's system for organ allocation, and more specifically, the changes proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Despite strong differences of opinion, all of the witnesses recognized the severe shortage of organs for transplantation. At a hearing in April 1999, my Subcommittee focused on ways to increase the supply of organs for transplantation, including what the federal government can do to improve this situation. Witnesses emphasized that many successful programs to encourage organ donation have been developed at the state level, and we should support--not undermine--these ongoing initiatives. This is literally a matter of life and death for tens of thousands of Americans each year. Given the enormity of these issues, we have an obligation to work together to address these concerns on a bipartisan basis. I was pleased to join my Florida colleague, Mrs. Thurman, as a cosponsor of this resolution, and I applaud her commitment to this cause. Clearly, the solution to this complicated problem is not entirely legislative. By working to increase public awareness about the need for organ donations, we can all save lives. The resolution before us represents an important step toward achieving that goal, and I wholeheartedly support its passage.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6, the Marriage Tax Elimination Act of 1999, because it is designed to provide significant tax relief to over 21 million married couples. According to a recent report by the Heritage Foundation, there are currently 53,928 married couples in my district who are affected by the marriage penalty. This year we have the chance to do the right thing and help numerous families by eliminating the marriage penalty. Our current tax code punishes working couples who file jointly by pushing them into a higher tax bracket. The marriage penalty taxes the income of the second wage earner--often the woman's salary--at a much higher rate than if she were taxed only as an individual. Not only does the marriage penalty financially penalize married couples, it also discourages single people from getting married. This bill will provide $182.3 billion in marriage penalty tax relief over 10 years by allowing the average dual-income family to keep $1,400 more of their money each year. These savings can make a significant difference to many families. Families will be using this extra money to improve their current lifestyle, secure their future or save for their children's education. Most importantly, it would encourage single people in love to join not only their lives together but their 1040 forms!

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1230, ``The Hillory J. Farias Date Rape Prevention Drug Act of 1999.'' This important, bipartisan legislation was unanimously approved by my Health and Environment Subcommittee in July of last year, and the House passed the bill in October. Today, the House will consider the Senate-passed version of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this measure. H.R. 2130 was introduced by Representative Fred Upton, joined by Representatives Tom Bliley, Bart Stupak and Sheila Jackson-Lee. The bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to make GHB a Schedule I drug, the DEA's most intensively regulated category of drugs. GHB is a central nervous system depressant that has been abused to assist in the commission of sexual assaults. As a further protection, H.R. 2130 lists GBL, the primary precursor used in the production of GHB, as a List I chemical. These compounds-- GHB and GBL--are more commonly known as ``date-rape'' drugs. The bill before us includes language designed to protect very important and promising research on an orphan drug that contains GHB and is used in the treatment of narcolepsy patients. These provisions were adopted as an amendment when the bill was considered by my Health and Environment Subcommittee. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2130.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1180, the Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. I am a cosponsor of this important legislation and was proud to expeditiously move this proposal through my Subcommittee and support its passage through the House Commerce Committee. My Subcommittee held a hearing at which we heard from federal, state and local officials, as well as individuals living with disabilities. All of the witnesses emphasized the need for this legislation. They noted that the current system unfairly forces people to choose between work and health care. H.R. 1180 was introduced in March by our colleagues Rick Lazio and Henry Waxman, and this bill underscores the positive power of bipartisanship. The bill removes barriers for individuals who want to work. By encouraging work over welfare, it also promotes personal dignity and self-sufficiency. Two federal programs--Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)--provide cash benefits to people with disabilities. By qualifying for these benefits, individuals are also eligible for health coverage through Medicare and Medicaid. These programs provide comprehensive services that people with disabilities value and need. Ironically, individuals with disabilities risk losing these health protections if they enter the work force. Under current law, earnings above a minimal amount trigger the loss of both cash benefits and health coverage under Medicare and Medicaid. H.R. 1180 would allow states to expand the Medicaid buy-in option to persons with disabilities through two optional programs. The bill also creates a trial program to extend Medicare Part A benefits to SSDI recipients. Further, it provides infrastructure and demonstration grants to assist the states in developing their capacity to run these expanded programs. Finally, the bill creates a new payment system for vocational rehabilitation programs that serve individuals with disabilities. Similar provisions were passed by the House of representatives last year. As I have emphasized before, H.R. 1180 will help people help themselves. Approval of this bill by the House of Representatives today is an important step in improving the quality of life for millions of Americans who live with disabilities.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support consideration of S. 580, the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999 by the House today. I introduced H.R. 2506 in the House on September 14, 1999. Following approval by my Subcommittee and the full Commerce Committee, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass H.R. 2506 on September 28, 1999. Late last week, the Senate passed S. 580 by unanimous consent. The bill before us today represents a bipartisan agreement between the House and Senate authorizing committees on a compromise version of the bills previously approved by each body. This widely supported, bipartisan measure is critical to improving the quality of health care in this country. The ``Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999'' will significantly increase health care research and science-based evidence to improve the quality of patient care. S. 580 reauthorizes the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) for fiscal years 2000-2005, renames it as the ``Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,'' and refocuses the agency's mission to become a focal point, and partner to the private sector, in supporting of health care research and quality improvement activities. Equally important, the bill authorizes critical funding for our nation's children's hospitals. I was pleased to support the adoption of these provisions when this bill was previously considered by the House. Passage of this legislation today is an important step in ensuring that America's children's hospitals receive the resources that they need.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cook).

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I understand I have the right to close. Right now it does not appear like I have any further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I made the comment earlier that I call this the invisible disease, but God knows even though it has been an invisible disease its effects are far from invisible. We heard here today the tremendous effect that diabetes has on the blood vessels. It causes poor circulation, which leads to so many other terrible things. The eyes, decreased vision and ultimately blindness. Poor kidney function and kidney failure. It affects the nerves, the autonomic nervous system. It affects the skin, with sores and deep infections; diabetic ulcers, poor healing, the blood, an increased susceptibility to infection, especially the urinary tract and skin. Mr. Speaker, this resolution, of course, calls for increased funding for research, and many of us recently signed a letter to the administration suggesting again very strongly the need of increased funding for research. We here in the House have been reluctant in the past to earmark funding for specific diseases, feeling it is not really our purview, that we do not have the knowledge to know and leaving it in the hands of NIH. But there have been times when we have basically said to them, even though we do not want to specify specific dollars, that there should be increased dollars for things such as Parkinson's, diabetes, cancer, et cetera, et cetera. So, Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that research continue and be improved so that we can finally lick this disease, because as we said earlier, insulin and some of the treatments do not really lick it, but it is also important for the American people to realize there are things they can do to maybe keep from getting diabetes, particularly when it is genetically in their family and they know that they are very susceptible to it. So I am hopeful what we are doing here today will be very helpful in that regard. Mr. Speaker, I thank again the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette), along with the others, the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) for bringing up the resolution, the gentlewoman from Colorado and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt), who have been fantastic about teaching us about diabetes, and, of course, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and the others, who have been so much at the forefront.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray), a member of the committee. (Mr. BILBRAY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 325. Over 16 million Americans suffer from diabetes and its complications. Tragically, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. I call it the silent disease, if you will, the silent killer. As we all know, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Therefore, we must increase funding for the research necessary to end this terrible disease. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the Committee on Commerce and a member of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, I am committed to achieving that goal. I have endorsed, along with so many others, a proposal to double Federal funding for the National Institutes of Health over 5 years. The budget agreement passed by Congress last year made a sizeable downpayment toward that goal by providing a 15 percent increase in funding for the NIH. I am hopeful that we can continue that promising trend this year. I have heard from many constituents about the lack of sufficient funding for diabetes research. I had the opportunity to share these concerns directly with Dr. Harold Varmus, the NIH Director, in a meeting in my office earlier this year. I was also pleased to secure enactment of new preventative health benefits under Medicare as part of the 1997 balanced budget law. Under these provisions, which were based on legislation which I helped to author, Medicare beneficiaries who are diabetic are reimbursed for outpatient self-managing training and supplies, such as blood testing strips. House Resolution 325 serves to remind us all of the terrible toll diabetes extracts each year in our Nation. We should also take this opportunity to commend the tireless efforts of advocates of diabetes research. Mr. Speaker, for the millions of people whose lives have been touched by diabetes, we must renew and strengthen our commitment to end this terrible disease. I urge my colleagues to support passage of House Resolution 325. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous matter on House Resolution 325.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 325) expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of increased support and funding to combat diabetes.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt), who cofounded the Diabetes Caucus here in the House with our former colleague who retired after last year, Mrs. Elizabeth Furse from Oregon. I hope that Elizabeth is viewing in now to see that we are trying to carry on the fight, and she is being replaced, if that is the right word, by the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) who is constantly talking in committee about the need to do something about diabetes.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Sweeney). (Mr. SWEENEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise, too, in strong support of H.R. 2116, the Veterans' Millennium Health Care Act. In addition to making comprehensive reforms to the veterans health care system, which others have and will describe, this legislation includes provisions to assist the surviving spouses of certain former prisoners of war. These provisions, Mr. Speaker, are similar to legislation that I introduced earlier this year. Specifically, the provisions included in H.R. 2116 will allow certain spouses of former POWs to qualify for survivor benefits. These women might not otherwise be eligible for such benefits under current law. The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, the DIC program, provides monthly benefits to the survivors of veterans who die of service- connected conditions. Under current law, DIC payments may also be authorized for the survivors of veterans whose deaths were not the result of a service-connected disability. In this case, the spouse only qualifies for DIC benefits if the former POW is rated totally disabled for a period of 10 years or more immediately preceding his death. There are approximately 20 presumptive service-connected conditions for former POWs who were detained or interned for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, some of these presumptions have been in effect for less than 10 years. This means that a spouse of a former POW may not qualify for DIC benefits if the veteran dies of a non-service-connected condition before meeting the 10-year time requirement. Even if a presumption has been in effect for 10 or more years, many ex-POWs will not have been rated as totally disabled for the minimum period of time required before their deaths. This may occur for a variety of reasons. For example, the POW may not have filed a disability claim as soon as the presumption was enacted, or it may have taken a while for his claim to be adjudicated. Alternatively, the POW could have a lower disability rating that worsened over time. This issue was first brought to my attention by a very close friend of mine, Mr. Wayne Hitchcock of Dunedin, Florida. Wayne is the past national commander of the American Ex-Prisoners of War, and is now seriously ill and in the hospital. I credit this portion of H.R. 2116 to ex-POWs Wayne Hitchcock and recently deceased Bill Rolen. After talking to Wayne, I introduced the bill to waive the 10-year time requirement for the surviving spouses of former POWs. The bill was incorporated into a larger benefits bill which passed the House in June. The provisions that have been included in H.R. 2116 are slightly modified. They will allow the surviving spouse of a former POW to receive DIC compensation if the veteran is rated totally disabled for 1 year prior to his death. We all know, Mr. Speaker, that military service does not take place in a vacuum. Many POWs experience unimaginable horrors. Today many continue to experience prolonged battles with various illnesses and other disabilities. Consequently, their spouses have spent years caring for them after their release from prisoner of war camps. These women deserve DIC benefits. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, in early 1997, a Medicare trustees' annual report confirmed that the Medicare hospital insurance trust fund would exhaust its resources faster than previously anticipated. The part B trust fund was in similar straits. Its board of trustees issued its own report warning that prompt, effective and decisive action is necessary. And so the Congress addressed this problem with BBA 1997, as we so fondly refer to it. BBA 1997 was the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. It saved Medicare. It did something that the prior Congresses had not done. It saved Medicare for an additional 14 years until the year 2015. It represented the most comprehensive Medicare reform since the program's establishment in 1965. It made many changes, expanding Medicare's coverage of preventive benefits. It hadn't been done before. Providing additional choices for seniors through the Medicare+ program; implementing new programs to combat fraud, waste and abuse; and establishing new initiatives and modernizing and strengthen the Medicare speed for service payment system. But it also established new payment provisions, bold steps to control Medicare spending by changing the financial incentives inherent in payment methods that, prior to the BBA, did not reward providers for delivering care efficiently. Unfortunately, as quite often happens, there are unintended consequences; and, consequently, a lot of the reimbursements we have determined now have not been adequate. So we tried to address this with the BBA fixes. I would say to this Congress through the Speaker that, as far as the Committee on Commerce was concerned, I cannot speak for the Committee on Ways and Means, although I am sure the same thing happened there, as far as the Committee on Commerce is concerned, the majority staff and the minority staffs worked many, many hours over many, many days, sitting with HCFA, I might add, trying to work things out. Things seem to have been going along really well. Many of the ideas that the minority had are incorporated in this particular BBA 1997 fix. I ask for support for this legislation.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor John V. Lombardi, who has served with distinction as the president of the University of Florida for over 9 years. In that role, he has taken this distinguished institution to new heights of academic performance. I had the pleasure of meeting John Lombardi shortly after his inauguration as president of the University of Florida. Since that time, I have come to know Dr. Lombardi well. I have seen firsthand the profound impact he has had at the university in the intervening years. Quite frankly, Dr. Lombardi has been unique among university presidents in his ability to relate to students, staff, faculty, and all those who support the University of Florida. As a Member of Congress, I am well aware of the difficulty in maintaining close contact with one's constituents. It takes work; it takes prioritizing--but it is vital to accurate representation. Dr. Lombardi has set as his priority the ``pursuit of ever-higher quality'' in every area throughout the University of Florida. To achieve this goal, he has made himself available to the students, to the faculty and to the staff, among others. He has been a leader of efforts to improve and diversify programs and to secure financial and community support. I want to publicly commend Mr. Lombardi for his dedicated service to the University of Florida. Throughout his commitment, he has helped to provide direction and positive growth for a generation of Floridians.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time and for the cooperation of the gentleman and his committee and his staff on this piece of legislation. As a sponsor of the bill, I rise to urge my colleagues, as others have done, to support H. Con. Res. 188. Mr. Speaker, this bill commends Greece and Turkey for their mutual and swift humanitarian assistance to one another following two devastating earthquakes which rattled these two neighbors. Tensions between these two countries have always been high, and they have come to the brink of war on more than a few occasions. Although they share a history strong with conflicts, devastation and war, they revealed to the world that, in time of need, all human lives carry the same weight. In this devastating time, Greece and Turkey were successful in putting aside their differences in order to provide assistance for all those people who were injured, buried under the rubble, or left homeless by the earthquakes. Each country sent rescue workers, doctors, life saving equipment, blankets, and other forms of humanitarian aid to their neighbor. Greeks donated blood and provided schooling to Turkish students, all in the name of saving lives and building bonds of friendship, squashing previous animosity. The acts of humanity that these countries have shown towards one another have generated a new favorable world sentiment. They prove once again that we can achieve a more peaceful future for our people, our world, and our planet, through good will, communications, and cooperation. In recent months, government leaders and private businessmen from both countries have been meeting in the hopes of focusing on the similarities, rather than their differences, in order to forge a new positive relationship. They are presently holding their third round of talks on issues that affect both countries. These negotiations have created a feeling of optimism that these two nations will finally be able to resolve their differences. Mr. Speaker, we need to send a message to Greece and Turkey that we recognize this renewed spirit of cooperation and the importance of the talks between them. We should encourage Greece and Turkey to persevere in resolving their outstanding issues. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the actions of these two governments and these two peoples. I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Greece and Turkey for their heroic and achievements by supporting H. Con. Res. 188. Let this be a lesson to us all.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2130, ``The Hillory J. Farias Date Rape Prevention Drug Act of 1999.'' This important, bipartisan legislation was unanimously approved by my Health and Environment Subcommittee in July of this year, and the full Commerce Committee passed the measure in August. H.R. 2130 was introduced by Representative Fred Upton, joined by Representatives Tom Bliley, Bart Stupak and Shelia Jackson-Lee. The bill amends the Controlled Substances Act to make GHB a Schedule I drug, the DEA's most intensively regulated category of drugs. GHB is a central nervous system depressant that has been abused to assist in the commission of sexual assaults. H.R. 2130 also schedules ketamine, an animal tranquilizer that has been similarly abused, as a Schedule III drug. As a further protection, H.R. 2130 lists GBL, the primary precursor used in the production of GHB, as a List I chemical. These three compunds--GHB, ketamine, and GBL--are more commonly known as ``date rape'' drugs. The bill before us includes language designed to protect very important and promising research on an orphan drug that contains GHB and is used in the treatment of narcolepsy patients. These provisions were adopted as an amendment when the bill was considered by my Health and Environment Subcommittee. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting passage of H.R. 2130, the Hillory J. Farias Date Rape Prevention Drug Act of 1999.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert). (Mrs. BIGGERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)