Michael Bilirakis

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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 on H.R. 2508.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1791) to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to make certain technical corrections relating to physicians' services, as amended.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House is considering H.R. 1791, the Medicaid Certification Act of 1995. This legislation makes technical corrections to title XIX of the Social Security Act relating to payments for physician serves in the Medicaid Program. In OBRA 1990, due to an unintentional omission, Osteopathic Physicians were not included in provisions concerning Medicaid reimbursement for services provided to pregnant women and children. The legislation before us today corrects this by adding that Medicaid may allocate funds for services to pregnant women and children when provided by physicians who are certified by the American Osteopathic Association. This bill also clarifies that services provided in emergency departments of a participating hospital will be covered as well. Finally, the legislation includes current HCFA practice that any physician certified by a State Medicaid plan will be allowed to participate in the Medicaid Program. Mr. Speaker, this bill has 60 cosponsors and broad bipartisan support. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I thank the minority members of our committee, the gentleman from California [Mr. Waxman] and the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell], and, of course, the staffs on both sides for their hard work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I commend to my colleagues the following speech which I will give on Friday, September 20: Good afternoon everyone. I am pleased and privileged to be here to commemorate national POW/MIA Recognition Day. I would like to thank Jack Kinny for inviting me to speak to you today. As we commemorate national POW/MIA Recognition Day, it is appropriate that we pay homage to those Americans who were taken prisoner and have since returned, and those who are listed as missing in action and presumed dead. It isn't easy to wear the uniform of one's country. No one knows that better than a former prisoner of war. All those who have been POW's know the true meaning of freedom and have paid a tremendous price for the liberty we all cherish. Their service and sacrifice, and that of their fellow veterans, make possible our way of life. Throughout the history of the United States, in six major wars spanning 219 years, more than 500,000 Americans have been taken prisoner. Each of these courageous men and women has experienced horrors unimaginable in the annals of civilized existence. Most endured long-term deprivation of freedom, the loss of human dignity, and many today continue to experience prolonged battles with various disabilities. How can we possibly acknowledge their sacrifices or their memories in the context of how they survived or how they perished? National POW/MIA Recognition Day provides us with a limited comprehension of the terror that these great Americans endured in service of their country. While we can never fully comprehend the suffering they experienced, we must respect their unwavering dedication to life. Despite the suffering inflicted upon them, American POW's have demonstrated an unfailing devotion to duty, honor and country. Their service helped preserve our freedom through two World Wars, regional conflicts of the cold war era and since. They have given more than most Americans will be called upon to give for their country. An inscription of a World War II cemetery reads: When You Go Home Tell Them of Us and Say For Your Tomorrow We Gave Our Today. In the Revolutionary War, more than 20,000 Americans were taken prisoner and 8,500 of them died in captivity. During the Civil War, an estimated 194,000 Union soldiers and 214,000 Confederates became prisoners of war. Between the North and the South, 56,194 Americans died in captivity, mostly from disease. In World War I, 4,120 Americans were taken prisoner--147 of them died in captivity forcing a third Geneva Convention covering the humane treatment for prisoners of war. No one could ever perceive or comprehend the absolute barbaric treatment American prisoners experienced in World War II, especially at the hands of the Japanese. In the Pacific, 11,107 Americans, or 40 percent of those taken prisoners died in captivity. In contrast, of the 93,941 taken prisoner in Europe, all but 1,121, or 1 percent, were released. Once again, outrage prompted the world community to pass four new Geneva Conventions. In August 1949, the new treaty strengthened the former ones by codifying the general principles of international law governing the treatment of civilians in wartime. Included in that treaty was a pledge ``to treat prisoners humanely, feed them adequately, and deliver relief supplies to them.'' Additionally, prisoners of war would not be forced to disclose more than minimal information to their captors. These new provisions were soon tested during the Korean war where 8,177 Americans were classified as missing in action, and another 7,140 were identified as prisoners of war. Between April and September 1953, a total of 4,418 POW's were released by the Communist Chinese, leaving 2,722 Americans unaccounted for. Five months later, in February 1954, the United States declared the remaining 8,177 Americans missing and presumed dead. Perhaps more than any war, Vietnam continues to illustrate the complexity of the POW/MIA issue. In 1973, the Pentagon listed almost 3,100 Americans as POW/MIA's. In April 1973, 591 Americans were released by the North Vietnamese. Currently, 2,146 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam war. For more than 20 years, the families of those men classified as missing in action have suffered the anguish of now knowing whether their sons, their fathers or husbands are alive or dead. Throughout my congressional career, I have cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation designed to resolve this issue once and for all. The 1996 National Defense Authorization Act codified and made more rigorous the policies and procedures for the accounting of military personnel who are missing. As a cosponsor of the Missing Service Personnel Act, I was pleased that the provisions of this bill were finally enacted into law with passage of the Defense Authorization Act. Unfortunately, the gains that were made just a few months ago, have been mitigated in the 1997 Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 3230, which was recently approved by Congress. This bill includes provisions that make the statutes enacted earlier this year substantially less rigorous and restrictive. As a long-time activist on the POW/MIA issue, I am extremely disappointed by this latest turn of events. Therefore, I became an original cosponsor of H.R. 4000, legislation which was introduced by Representative Dornan on August 2, 1996. This bill restores the provisions of the Missing Service Personnel Act which will be repealed upon the enactment of H.R. 3230. H.R. 4000 is supported by all major veterans organizations and POW/MIA family organizations including, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the National Vietnam Veterans Coalition, the Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America, the Korean and Cold War Families Association and the National Alliance of POW/MIA Families. The bill has 255 cosponsors and was recently approved by the National Security Committee by a vote of forty-five to zero. You can be certain that I will work with my colleagues to secure the passage of this important legislation. Recently, the board of commissioners for Pasco County passed a proclamation recognizing and expressing its gratitude to those who have sacrificed their freedom in service of our country. The commission pledged to do all it could to ascertain information regarding the well-being of any Pasco County resident who has been declared missing in action or taken prisoner and to act to ensure their safe return. I understand there is an effort under way to have similar proclamations approved by other counties across Florida and the Nation. We have a responsibility to determine to the fullest extent possible the fate of our missing personnel and to share that information with next of kin. A service member deserves to know that we will do everything in our power to account for their whereabouts if he or she is reported missing. Therefore, I want to commend the members of Florida VETPAC who initiated the proclamation and the Pasco County board of commissioners for their actions. Recently, we lost a great American and a patriot, Jimmy Young, who was committed to resolving the fate of our missing service members. He played an important role in the passage of this POW/MIA proclamation. With his wife Maria, his family and fellow veterans, I mourn the passing of a fine military veteran, and I salute his memory. I also want to commend those of you here who have also made the fate of our missing service members a matter of personal concern. Gaining the fullest possible accounting for our MIA's must be a high national priority, not just in word, but also in deed. Your efforts have brought America's missing to the forefront of the Nation's conscience--which is just where they should be. National POW/MIA Recognition Day allows us to keep the memories of our missing service members alive and it serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifice and commitment of all the American men and women whose patriotism has been tested by the chains of enemy captivity. Their experiences underscore our debt to those who place their lives in harm's way and stand willing to trade their liberty for ours. As a nation, we must always remember the sacrifices made by Americans who were captured and returned home as well as those still listed as missing in action.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very special occasion, and that is the enthronement of the newly elected Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Archbishop Spyridon. On September 21, 1996, the enthronement ceremony will take place in New York for Archbishop Spyridon--the first American-born leader of Greek orthodoxy in the United States since the Archdiocese was founded in 1922. Born on September 24, 1944, in Warren, OH, George Papageorgiou is the one of Clara and the late Dr. Constantine P. George. Spyridon is actually the Archbishop's religious name which he took in honor of a fourth-century Cypriot saint who was revered for his skills as a shepherd. He choose this name when he was ordained a deacon in 1968. For the past 5 years, Archbishop Spyridon has lived in Venice, Italy, I would like to be one of the first to welcome him back to his homeland here in America. In fact, it gives me great pleasure to note that he graduated from Tarpon Springs High School which is located in my Florida congressional district. I might add, proudly, that I was born in that city and that my wife's and my parents and grandparents immigrated there in the early part of this century. After high school, he returned to Greece to prepare for priesthood. He studied at the famous Theological School of Halki in Turkey where he graduated with highest honors. Unfortunately, the renowned Orthodox school was closed by the Turkish Government in 1971, contrary to Turkey's obligations under international law. It is my hope that our new Archbishop will work with me and others to see that this school is again open to train such talented people. With a thirst for knowledge, Archbishop Spyridon pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Having been awarded a scholarship by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, he then studied Byzantine literature at Bochum University in Germany. Archbishop Spyridon has served as secretary at the Permanent Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the world council of churches from 1966 to 1967, and later as secretary of the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at Chambesy, Geneva. He was also the director of its news bulletin from 1976 to 1985. Also from 1976 to 1985, he was assigned duties as dean of the Greek Orthodox community of St. Andrew in Rome. Prior to his post as metropolitan of Italy, he was assigned to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Austria and Exarchate of Italy. Certainly, his achievements are many and varied. Archbishop Spyridon is fluent in English, French, German, Greek, and Italian. His Eminence brings with him the knowledge and insight that comes from having lived in America and Europe. I am confident that his energy, enthusiasm, and leadership will serve the Church well, as he pursues church unity between the Greek Orthodox Church and the other Orthodox communities in the United States. In addition, I am sure that his dynamic personality will help him in addressing the interests and needs of both, the American-born and immigrant members of our church. I wish him all the best for a bright future as the new spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox Church of America.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, honor is always most gratifying when it comes from those who know us best. I rise today to honor a very close friend, Mr. Demos Megaloudis, who was taken from us this past Wednesday, September 11, 1996. He was a man whose life was an example for us all. As a husband to his wife, Stella, and father to his son, Gary and daughter, Chris he was a loving, committed family man, who clearly put them first. As a businessman he established a name associated with honor and service, not personal gain. Within the community, although well known, he was not a sophisticated man, aloof with self importance. He was a man who showed deep care and concern for his fellow man. Seeing needs in the community he was willing to step forward--but not for recognition. Many, many have benefited from Demo Megaloudis' personal investment in their lives--from the crippled and burned children helped by the Shriners' Hospital, to the children given love and care by the Elk's Harry Anna Crippled Children's Home, to those in need of the Lion's Club projects for the blind and those of poor eyesight, to the local Tarpon Springs residents of our African-American community--he was always there to roll up his sleeves to do whatever he could. When his father died at the same age Our Lord decided to take Demos from us, he gave up his dreams of going to college to run the family cleaning and dry cleaning business. But that dream stayed with him and instilled in him the importance of education. Thus, Demos worked hard as vice chairman of the St. Petersburg Junior College Board of Trustees. He knew the importance of education as life's stepping stone for young people. I personally have lost as fine and loyal a friend as any man could hope to have. Our area and the world are better places for his having lived. His legacy of love, kindness, and purity of heart will live on and hopefully guide all of us. My Demos, we will miss you. May your memory be eternal.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join my colleagues in supporting H.R. 3871. This measure amends section 1903 of the Social Security Act to extend the ``75-25'' waivers of three worthy health plans. As such, it represents a positive step in our efforts to build a better Medicaid Program. In the past, the Federal Medicaid statute has been amended to address needs and concerns specific to the role of health maintenance organizations [HMO's] in the Medicaid Program. As in the commercial sector, HMO's increasingly play a valued role in providing high- quality, efficient health care services. Nevertheless, there have been instances where intervention has been necessary. Early State experimentation with managed care resulted in occasional reports of inaccurate information dissemination to enrollees, restricted access to nonparticipating providers, inconsistent provision of benefits, and, in certain cases, financial instability of the enrolling plan. In response, Congress has undertaken various actions over the last 20 years to ensure that all managed care enrollees receive the quality care for which the industry is known. Unfortunately, certain unintended consequences resulted. For example, the Health Maintenance Organization Amendments of 1976, which limited the percentage of Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in risk contracts to 50 percent, had the unintended effect of sharply limiting managed care enrollment by Medicaid beneficiaries. In fact, by 1981 little more than 1 percent of the Medicaid population were enrolled in HMO's. Just as startling, 85 percent of those beneficiaries were located in just four States. Congress sought to correct this problem in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 which, among other changes, increased the allowable percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries that could be enrolled in HMO's from 50 percent to 75 percent. But as we have seen in far too many instances, current Medicaid law still creates significant obstacles for plans that focus on the needs of low-income communities. Although these plans have achieved notable success in enhancing the quality of care received by area Medicaid beneficiaries, they have been less successful in attracting commercial clients from outlying areas. The current law requirement that one-quarter of their enrolled population consist of such customers, therefore, often places them in the difficult position of having to choose between devoting resources to their Medicaid-funded enrollees or to the expense of competing against broader-based firms for commercial clients. Clearly, fundamental reform of the Medicaid Program is needed. Until such time as a more favorable climate for such reform exists, however, measures like H.R. 3871 are necessary to relieve well-performing health plans of the unreasonable and often counterproductive requirements of title XIX. In this case, I am glad to say, we will remove the obstacles that threaten three noteworthy plans: Health Partners of Philadelphia, Fidelis Health Plan--operated by the Catholic Health Services Plan of Brooklyn and Queens--and Managed Healthcare Systems of New York. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for supporting this measure. With it, the Medicaid recipients of the Philadelphia and New York City regions will continue to receive high-quality, efficient, and responsive health care services. I thank you.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, let us get to the bottom line here. The conference has done its work and has produced a bill which will meet all of our objectives, every single one. First we have reformed and reauthorized one of our Nation's key environmental statutes. We have fundamentally changed the way the statute works and the way that the Safe Drinking Water Act allocates responsibilities between the Federal Government and the States. Second, as opposed to previous mandates emanating from the ivory tower that is Washington--we are actually paying for new regulations up front. The conference agreement provides authorization for a $7.6 billion State revolving loan fund to meet both past deficiencies and new requirements. I think this bill makes it clear that we are no longer doing business as usual in Washington. Instead, we are producing legislation which advances the public health while making our laws and regulations more flexible, more sensible, and more responsive to local conditions. The old Safe Drinking Water Act simply did not work well enough. Evidence of that fact is no more than a few steps away at any drinking water tap in the U.S. Capitol. The smell of extra chlorine lets you know we have a problem. I believe we have a large part of the solution in this bill and expect that appropriations will be made available, starting in October, to provide money to the State Revolving Loan Fund. In addition, the conference report authorizes new studies on the health effects of drinking water contaminants, the biomedical effects of contaminants in the human body and on the occurrence of waterborne disease. These efforts should help reassure all Americans that we are taking problems, such as those experienced by the District of Columbia this year and Milwaukee in 1993 very seriously. The final legislation will enhance both our knowledge and our ability to take corrective measures. But these efforts are only part of the solution that this conference report offers. Under the legislation, EPA will have to ``right size'' its regulations--identifying affordable technology which can be used by public water systems as small as 25 customers. In addition, public water systems are offered relief from requirements which only increase their costs without a resulting benefit. We also are promoting the establishment of State programs to train public water system operators and to help ensure that both new and existing systems have the technical, financial, and managerial capacity to meet drinking water standards. Altogether, we are telling the States to develop individual solutions to their local problems and are rejecting the notion that each and every regulation must come from EPA headquarters. But more than that--I believe this legislation will help to reassure people that the water which flows from their faucets will not cause them harm. In this legislation, we have accelerated public notice of drinking water violations and incorporated a new consumer confidence report to keep people informed, on an annual basis, of the quality of their water. All of these things are accomplished in a bill which literally pays for itself. According to the Congressional Budget Office, and I quote, ``the bill would change the Federal drinking water program in ways that would lower the costs to public water systems of complying with existing and future requirements. On balance, CBO estimates that the bill would likely result in significant net savings to State and local governments.'' Mr. Speaker, this legislation passed my subcommittee on a unanimous vote of 24 to 0. It then passed our full committee by a vote of 42-0 and was approved by the full House without dissent. This conference report represents a further refinement and improvement of the underlying statute. I urge its immediate adoption.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make two points here, and in a way I suppose at least one has already been made. First, we are not losing money today here, as people on the other side are saying. It is unfortunate, we have all worked so well together on this piece of legislation, and all of a sudden we are throwing stones at each other. It is just a terrible thing to see. We are not losing money today, because the States could not possibly have been prepared to use the money effective yesterday, which is when this thing was supposed to go into effect. We are not talking about the States sitting there basically just waiting for this money to start putting it into effect right off the bat. It is impossible. What we are doing today, of course, is granting the legal authority to spend the $7.6 billion on safe drinking water. Actually providing this money, as we all know, but nobody seems to be saying it, is the job of the Committee on Appropriations, as it always is. Can we guess what the Committee on Appropriations is going to do in forthcoming years? I think not. Second, my colleagues complained rather loudly about so-called pork. They do not talk about the 99.75 percent of the bill that they agree with. Let the record show that the funding under attack here represents less than one-quarter of 1 percent of all funds authorized.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, those of us who have been fighting for the passage of health reform legislation for many years are pleased and proud to see that it finally has arrived and that by the end of this week Congress will send President Clinton a bipartisan health reform bill that he will sign into law. During the 103d Congress, then Congressman Rowland and I introduced consensus health reform legislation. The Rowland-Bilirakis bill was the only true bipartisan bill considered during the Congress and included health consensus items for which there was broad agreement in Congress. Unfortunately, the Members of the House were not given the opportunity by the leadership then to vote on any health reform package. Almost 2 years later, attitudes have changed dramatically. Today the House of Representatives will cast a historic vote on a health reform package that is similar to the Rowland-Bilirakis bill. Is it perfect? No. Should it include other needed provisions? Yes. But at least it is a good start by this Congress. The items in our conference agreement are nothing new. Many of the components, insurance portability, fraud and abuse reform and administrative simplification, have all been included in past health bills. These issues have been discussed in great detail by Members of both the House and Senate, including these vital components essential to any health reform bill. Everyone agrees that people should not be denied health coverage because they have been sick. Everyone agrees that job lock must be unlocked so that people can move from job to job without losing health insurance. The conference agreement addresses these and others of our Nation's most critical health problems. These are problems we can solve now, and in doing so, we will improve the lives of millions of working Americans. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the Committee on Commerce, I am pleased and proud to be a part of this historic and bipartisan agreement. Today we make health care in this country both accessible and, just as important, affordable.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, although I intend to support the conference report for H.R. 3230, I do have concerns about several aspects of the bill. Congress included H.R. 945, the Missing Service Personnel Act, in the FY96 Department of Defense Authorization Act. As a cosponsor of H.R. 945, I was pleased that this important legislation was finally enacted into law. The Missing Service Personnel Act, as contained in Section 569 of P.L. 104-106, consists of a number of critical provisions that provide due process for the families of missing service members who are desperately seeking honest information about the fate of their loved ones. The conference report revokes key provisions contained in this law. As a result of the these changes: Civilian Defense Department employees stationed in hostile fire zones will no longer be covered by the Missing Service Personnel Act, meaning that DOD will not be required to account for civilian employees who might be captured by enemy forces or who disappear during combat. Unit commanders will be permitted to wait 10 days--rather than 48 hours, as required by current law--before reporting that a service person is missing or unaccounted for. Criminal penalties for someone who knowingly and willfully withholds information about the disappearance, whereabouts or status of a missing person will be repealed. Missing service persons can be declared dead without credible proof. If a body is recovered and is not identifiable by visual means, forensic certification will no longer be required. In addition, current law provides for automatic review every three years after an initial report of disappearance. The enactment of H.R. 3230 will repeal this requirement and provide that cases will be reviewed only when information is received. We have a responsibility to determine to the fullest extent possible the fate of our missing personnel and to share that information with next of kin. What kind of message are we sending to the brave men and women in the Armed Forces if we repeal the Missing Service Personnel Act? A service member deserves to know that we will do everything in our power to account for their whereabouts if he or she is reported missing. The POW/MIA issue is one in which I have been involved during my entire Congressional career. As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and as an Air Force veteran, I made a vow to myself long ago never to give up the search. I am disappointed that H.R. 3230 repeals the Missing Service Personnel Act which was only enacted into law earlier this year. I am also disappointed that conferees did not include provisions from the Senate bill, S. 1745, which would have benefited certain widows of military retirees. As my colleagues may know, several legislative changes have been enacted over the years to allow regular and reserve retired members to ensure that their survivors will continue to receive a percentage of their retired pay upon their death. However, these changes have created two categories of forgotten widows by omitting any benefits for survivors of members who died before they could participate in the new Survivor Benefit Plan. The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP), enacted in 1972, replaced an earlier unsuccessful program. DOD offered an 18-month open enrollment period for members already retired. This SBP open enrollment period inadvertently created the first category of forgotten widows--widows of retirees who died before the SBP was enacted or during the open enrollment period before making a participation decision. In 1978, the law was changed to allow Reservists the opportunity to elect survivor benefit coverage for their spouses and children when completing 20 years of qualifying service. However, it did not provide coverage for widows of Reserve retirees who died prior to its enactment. Thus, the second category of forgotten widows evolved--the pre-1978 reserve widows. Additionally, in 1948, when the Civil Service Survivor Benefit Plan was enacted, it also created some civil service forgotten widows. This was resolved 10 years later in 1958 by authorization of an annuity of up to $750 per year for the widow of a civil service employee who was married to the employee for at least five years immediately before the retiree's death, had not remarried and was not entitled to any other annuity based on the deceased employee's service. As a group, forgotten widows are older women 60 to 90 years of age whose husbands retired with 20 to 40 years of service to our country. Despite all of the efforts to bring in other groups of survivors into the SBP, widows, whose husbands died in retirement prior to 1972, have remained forgotten. Today, all military forgotten widows have to show for their husbands' career service is memories, while the 1958 $750 civil service benefits equates to more than $3,600 in 1994 dollars. The military forgotten widows deserve at least the minimum SBP annuity allowed under current law. Section 634 of the Senate Defense Authorization Act addressed this important issue and would have provided forgotten widows with a monthly annuity of $165 per month. This provision of S. 1745 was similar to a bill which I introduced. My bill, H.R. 1090, has received bipartisan support and has over 40 cosponsors. I was hopeful that the conferees would retain the language from the Senate bill in the final conference report for H.R. 3230. Unfortunately, it was excluded for budgetary reasons. I will continue to work on this important issue in the 105th Congress. Military service does not take place in a vacuum and I hope that we will provide these elderly widows with the help they deserve.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, as representatives of the people we do not get as many opportunities as we would like to do something that would truly help improve the lives of the people we serve. This bill presents us with just such an opportunity. This conference report is more than just a prescription for much needed welfare reform, however. It is what I hope will be the first step in our bipartisan efforts to improve the public assistance programs on which disadvantaged families depend. After all, welfare as we know it means more than AFDC. It includes food stamps, housing assistance and energy assistance, and it includes medical assistance. That is right. For millions of Americans, Medicaid is welfare. That is because income assistance alone is not sufficient to meet the pressing needs of disadvantaged families. For States, too, Medicaid is welfare. In fact, it makes up the largest share of State public assistance funding. As a share of State budgets, Medicaid is four times larger than AFDC. If President Clinton does the right thing and signs this welfare reform bill into law, Medicaid will still be caught up in the choking bureaucratic red tape of Federal control, and that is why the Medicaid Program must be restructured if States are to fully succeed in making public assistance programs more responsible and effective. Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their commitment to true welfare reform, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to making all sources of public assistance work better for those who need a helping hand up.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join in supporting the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. As representatives of the people, we do not get as many opportunities as we would like to do something that will truly help improve the lives of the people we serve. This bill presents us with just such an opportunity. The landmark welfare reform plan before us today will bring education, training, and jobs to low-income Americans. It will replace welfare dependence with economic self-reliance. And it will create more hopeful futures for the children of participants. This conference report is more than just a prescription for much- needed welfare reform. It is what I hope will be the first step in our bipartisan efforts to improve the public assistance programs on which disadvantaged families depend. Last February, the Nation's Republican and Democrat Governors unanimously endorsed welfare and Medicaid reform plans. And although the conference report before us today will give States the tools they need to improve their public assistance programs, our work is not done. After all, welfare as we know it means more than AFDC. It includes food stamps, housing assistance, and energy assistance. And it includes medical assistance. That's right--for millions of Americans, Medicaid is welfare. That is because income assistance alone is not sufficient to meet the pressing needs of disadvantaged families. For States, too, Medicaid is welfare. In fact, it makes up the largest share of State public assistance funding. As a share of State budgets, Medicaid is four times larger than AFDC. If President Clinton does the right thing and signs this welfare reform bill into law, Medicaid will still be caught up in the choking bureaucratic redtape of Federal control. That is why the Medicaid program must be restructured if States are to fully succeed in making public assistance programs more responsive and effective. I commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their commitment to true welfare reform. And I look forward to continuing our efforts to making all sources of public assistance work better for those who need a helping hand up. Thank you.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3118, the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Act. I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks. Eligiblity reform is an issue that the Veterans' Affairs Committee, the VA and veterans service organizations have been working on for a long time. I am a cosponsor of the Veterans' Health Care Eligibility Reform Act and am pleased that we are moving this important bill forward through the legislative process. Today's complex and confusing eligibility criteria represent a continuing source of frustration for both veterans and VA personnel. Moreover, it is often an impediment to providing veterans with the kind of health care they really need. As most health care providers move toward a new model of care that emphasizes primary and preventive care in outpatient settings, the VA must also shift its focus from inpatient to outpatient care. Without meaningful eligibility reform, it will be extremely difficult for the VA to remain a viable health care provider. H.R. 3118 is a step in the right direction for the VA and simplifying the VA's eligibility criteria will greatly benefit veterans. H.R. 3118 will expand veterans' access to VA care, particularly for those with service-connected disabilities or limited means. It will eliminate statutory rules which for years have barred the VA from providing many veterans with routine outpatient treatment, preventive health care services and home care. Eligibility reform is long overdue and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3118.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding this time to me. I, too, would like to make a few brief points concerning the legislation before us today. The Food Quality Protection Act is more than just an important reform initiative. It is, as others have already said, the culmination of intensive bipartisan negotiations and, as we have heard here today, has the strong support of Members on both sides of the aisle. The high level of support for this bill is actually not very surprising when we stop to think about it. Food safety reform has been a primary focus of Congress for more than a decade. That is because for farmers, for processors, manufacturers and of course for consumers the zero risk standard of the Delaney clause has served to freeze 1950 science into law. When the Delaney clause was enacted in 1958, the body of scientific knowledge on cancer was very limited. Of course we have made tremendous strides, thank God, in detecting and fighting cancer but our pesticide regulations have not been allowed to keep pace with scientific advances. As a result, it is essential that we adopt a modern consistent standard for determining the safety of our food supply. H.R. 1627 has the support of the Food Chain Coalition which includes the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Meat Institute, Grocery Manufacturers of America, the Independent Bakers Association, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the National Farmers Union, the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, and, of course, so many others that I have not mentioned. The legislation before us is a long-overdue step forward in the Nation's efforts to produce the best food supply possible. It establishes a unified general risk-setting standard for pesticides based on a standard of safety which is defined as a reasonable certainty of no harm. It contains requirements for tolerance setting which are directly responsible to the recommendations of the National Research Council's report on ``Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children.'' It allows the use of benefits in specific situations, such as where the risk of not using the pesticide is greater than the risk of using it, and where the pesticide is needed to avoid a significant disruption in the domestic production of an adequate, wholesome, and economic food supply. It retains the national uniformity for Federal pesticide residue tolerance except in limited cases. It gives the administrator the authority to require data or information to determine whether a pesticide chemical may have an effect similar to an effect produced by a naturally occurring estrogen or other endocrine effect. It provides for a consumer information booklet to be distributed by EPA to large retail grocers. It establishes limited civil penalties as an alternate to the current heavy-handed enforcement tools of seizure, injunctions, and criminal action. I am very pleased, as my colleagues might imagine, Mr. Speaker, with the bipartisan spirit that has helped craft this legislation. I want to commend the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bliley], the chairman, the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell], and the gentleman from California [Mr. Waxman] for their great contributions to this effort and, most important, the staffs who worked long and late hours to get us to this point. This is a reform measure of which we all have reason to be proud.

Mr. BILIRAKIS

Mr. BILIRAKIS. I thank the gentleman for joining us this evening, this late evening, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Turkey also deployed, in addition to all of these other transgressions that we have heard here tonight, nearly 100 American- made tanks on northern Cyprus this past January; I repeat, nearly 100 American-made tanks on northern Cyprus, this is the occupied territory, this past January, in direct violation of agreements between Turkey and the United States. We have to ask ourselves, finally we have to ask ourselves, what are we doing in protest of these violations? Rhetoric after rhetoric after rhetoric, and nothing is being done. I am not just referring to the administration, but I am referring to the Congress, even though we have had a couple of votes in the last couple of years particularly focusing on human rights violations which would be sending a message to Turkey. Turkey's recent actions have caused me, as I am sure I speak for all members in this House, great concern. I am still particularly troubled about the claims Turkey made over Imia. It has been mentioned twice already tonight two or three times. I have followed this dispute closely, and in fact recently returned from Greece, where I had the opportunity to visit not only my ancestral homeland, Kalymnos, the island the ancestors of the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Klink] also come from, but also this disputed island of Imia. I was accompanied by the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Porter Goss, and the gentleman from Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Bobby Rush. As we sailed through the Dodecanese Islands, a group of 12 islands down in that southern part of the Aegean, I wanted my colleagues to understand that Imia is Greek. Indeed, it has always been considered, and, as the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Klink] said, as Greek by those living nearby and by the international community. Despite these recent tensions, I am confident that they will not hinder, I am hopeful they will not hinder the administration's push to resolve the Cyprus issue. Cyprus is the only country in Europe, the only country in Europe with 37 percent of its land under the occupation of an invading force. Resolving the division of Cyprus will not only reunite Cypriots, but will also help lay the foundation for better relations between Greece and Turkey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez] who was also in Cyprus on my last trip there. (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BILIRAKIS. I certainly agree with the gentleman. His points are very well taken and you are right, we have the power, we have the wherewithal to do what needs to be done there. It is so very frustrating that we are not really trying. There is an awful lot of rhetoric, an awful lot of words to the effect that we will try, we are going to continue to try. We can do it if we really want to. All we have to do is put our mind to it and basically roll up our sleeves and put our energy behind our words.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, the green line that the gentleman just refers to divides northern and southern Cyprus. It not only divides a nation but it divides a people. I might add since the Berlin Wall went down, it is the only wall left in the entire world that divides a people, and we sit back and talk about it, do not do anything about it. The invasion and subsequent illegal occupation of Cyprus by Turkey left thousands, thousands without a home, and because it is late the gentlewoman wants to get home, I know where I would like to go in a few minutes, I will yield at this point to the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney], who has just been a wonderful partner on all of the issues involving Greece and Cyprus.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Well, I thank the gentlewoman. She has just been great to work with, and I am just proud again to be a cochair of the Hellenic Caucus with the gentlewoman. Mr. Speaker, while chairing hearings of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus in 1992, I had the opportunity to hear first-hand the heart-wrenching stories of people who had relatives abducted during and after the illegal Turkish invasion. Throughout these hearings, a common theme emerged: The families want concrete answers regarding the fates of their loved ones. Mr. Denktash, the Turkish Cypriot leader, made a recent statement referred to by the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Klink] on a Greek Cypriot television station that the missing in Cyprus were turned over to the Turkish militia and killed. While shocked by this statement I question it, given the fact that there is much evidence to the contrary. We must know conclusively what happened to the five Americans and the 1,614 Greek Cypriots that have been missing since 1974. I have sent a letter to President Clinton urging him to do everything possible to determine once and for all the fate of the missing in Cyprus. In addition to the missing, as the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney] just mentioned, I also have serious concerns about the enclaved people in Cyprus. I am pleased to have cosponsored H.R. 2223, the Freedom and Human Rights for the Enclaved People of Cyprus Act. I would advise my colleagues that the enclaved are a group of people in a certain part of Cyprus who have refused to leave their homes. Those who have left their homes over the years have lost all of their property. These people just do not want to leave their homes and, consequently, they have stayed there and we call them ``enclaved'' because that is exactly what they are. This legislation will implement efforts to eliminate restrictions on the enclaved people of Cyprus. Besides cosponsoring the bill, I also am very proud to say one of the finest experiences of my life, I visited this area last August accompanied by the gentleman from Ohio, Martin Hoke. We visited the area. We saw and heard firsthand the life experiences of these people. We were accompanied by a couple of top leaders from the Turkish side who were delegated by Mr. Denktash to accompany us. Both of these people were born, as I understand it, as I remember it, but in any case raised in a part of southern Cyprus, the nonoccupied part of Cyprus called Paphos. They speak Greek fluently. I might add that they visited these coffee houses with us. They spoke Greek so very fluently that when the people, in the process of communicating with us regarding all of their problems and sharing with us all their problems and the enslaved nature of them all, they also communicated the same thing to them because they thought that they were also Americans, or at least they thought that they were Greek Cypriots rather than Turkish Cypriots because they spoke Greek so very well. The point was made, I think, by the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez], the fact that these people got along over the years and it was these outside forces that basically split everything up. But we visited this coffee house there, we sat down and had coffee with the people and heard their problems. We visited a monastery, we call it Apostle Andrew, which is Apostle Andrew. It was a monastery that was the subject of pilgrimages by families over the years. The monastery had been closed for better than 20 years, had not been opened, and to the credit of the people in charge, they opened it for us. We visited, we went into the monastery, we lit candles, we drank of the holy water, and we also captured some of the holy water that came from the base of the monastery. The story goes that the Apostle Andrew struck his staff against the rocks on the side of the mountain and water came out just as fresh and as cool and as beautiful as could be. We visited a schoolteacher by the name of Eleni Foka, we call her Kitty Eleni. That means Miss Helen Foka, F-O-K-A, a lady who is very vocal, a lady who is, based on what Mr. Denktash told me personally, is a thorn in the side. She still teaches school, I might add there. We asked her, ``Well, since you live under these types of conditions, why do not you just get up and leave? Why do not you just go over the line into the Greek Cypriot side where there is freedom at least?'' She very tearfully and very emotionally said to us, ``This is my paradise. Why should I leave it?'' That I think says it all. ``This is my paradise, why should I leave it?'' I would add that just this week I received a letter from this lady that I have had interpreted. My Greek is not good enough to be able to do too well with it, so I was able to have it interpreted. It is addressed to me and I would like to read this. ``First I would like to thank you for your great interest and love and also thank you for your visit to our enslaved village, where you saw with your own eyes our living conditions. You witnessed a very cruel reality, that we are living under `medieval' conditions that nowhere in the civilized world can be found. We are denied the right to religion, education, movement, correspondence and so much more; in a few words, our human rights are flagrantly violated. The barbarian Turkish invaders appear to fear no one, because none of the powerful people in the world,'' and I think we know who she is referring to when she says that, ``and no international organization compels them to respect international law and order, human rights and freedom. ``On June 3, while we are absent from the school, Turkish occupation soldiers and settlers went to my school and with wood cutting machines cut the trees and with excavators destroyed all the area.'' She sent me photographs of the area as it was destroyed. ``Their target was to demolish the school and force me to leave my occupied village, thus, closing down the school forever. They claim that the property of the Greek school belongs to them after the invasion and, therefore, they can do whatever they want. In addition, they provocatively tell me that they will turn the school into a field for them to play soccer. This is their respect for education. The photographs I am sending to you are speaking for themselves. Unfortunately, I do not have the strength and the courage to describe all that is happening. ``After your visit here,'' she is referring to our visit there,'' the conquerors, declared that they would improve our living conditions. However, the situation is becoming worse and worse. Moreover, myself and many other enslaved Greeks are being threatened, blackmailed and humiliated. Recently, for instance, some people that are not even `policemen', visited us and asked to take pictures of us, saying that they were going to issue us their so-called ``State's'' photo IDs. They want us to denounce our ethnicity and our identity as enslaved Greeks to become Turkish citizens. ``For all of the above, we call you, our free brothers and Greeks all over the world, to help us. Our brothers, we ought not to waste precious time; 23 years of slavery are too long; we are begging you to find ways to save our country. Today is Cyprus, tomorrow is the Aegean sea, later will be Thrace; please do not delay, you can help us. ``We wish the best for you and for ourselves. We wish only freedom. ``With my best regards, your enslaved sister, Eleni Foka.'' And she goes on with a note, ``Please accept this small gift that was made by an enslaved sister in an enslaved Agia Triada Karpasias. It is made on a black background, symbolizing our black slavery, using silk which symbolizes the strength of our endurance. Please to not be late. Unfortunately, as you realized yourself during your visit, we are facing a deadline.'' Mr. Speaker, although the rights of those enclaved are intended to be protected by the 1975 Third Vienna Agreement which States that the Greek Cypriots, and I quote, that the Greek Cypriots present in the north are free to stay and they will be given every help to lead a normal life, end quotes, a recent United Nations report paints a far different picture of their fate. According to the report, the life of the Greek Cypriots is anything but normal. In fact, according to the report, quote from that full report, ``Much of the time they live in trepidation and even fear, due to the constant Turkish Cypriot police presence in their lives.'' I would tell my colleagues that the focal theme of all the remarks that we received from those people at the coffeehouse and throughout that entire area was fear. They lived constantly in fear. Mr. Speaker, the time has come to reunite Cypriots who have been separated from their brothers and sisters by an arbitrary boundary for so long. Surely it is in Turkey's best interest, surely it has to be in their best interest to resolve this conflict as expeditiously as possible. Turkey's actions are keeping it from becoming an accepted part of the European Community. Meanwhile, Cyprus is moving forward with its aspirations for membership in the European Community. As Cyprus takes steps to improve itself, so, too, must we. We must do our utmost. We have to do our utmost to end the division of Cyprus. The administration's push to settle the Cyprus issue was slated to begin after the May 26 parliamentary elections in Cyprus, and I am hopeful those efforts will complement our own in the House. As we in Congress focus on settling this issue, I am reminded of what Alexis Galanos, president of the Cyprus House of Representatives, has stressed, and I quote him: Any initiative that is not focused on the respect of Cyprus' sovereignty, on respect for the rule of law, on basic freedoms and on the termination of any foreign intervention, including the termination of the policy of illegal settlers in Cyprus is bound to fail. As many of my colleagues may know, the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney] and I recently formed--she referred to it proudly, as I am proud of it too--formed a Hellenic Caucus to foster and improve relations between the United States and our important ally, Greece. A principal purpose of the caucus is to educate more Members of Congress about the need to resolve the long-standing dispute on Cyprus. I am pleased to announce, and I think she has already done so, that the caucus already has over 40 Members. I know there are many others out there who would like to join. I guess they need an invitation. We have sent out the ``Dear Colleagues'' and some of these things sometimes fall in the cracks, but we have held meetings with His Eminence, Greek Ambassador Tsilas, Greek Speaker Kaklamanis, and Hellenic President Stephanopoulos. This important caucus gives Hellenic and Cypriot causes additional clout so that, along with grassroots efforts, we can better succeed in our constant effort to achieve justice for Cyprus. As co-chair, I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that justice for Cyprus is achieved. We have a responsibility, Mr. Speaker, to use our influence to see Cyprus made whole again, to rescue the thousands of Greek Cypriots who have become refugees in the land of their birth. Unbelievable, refugees in the land of their birth. Like those faithful Cypriots in my district, in Clearwater and Tarpon Springs, FL, and my entire district of the Tampa Bay area and elsewhere, we must stand up for the values so important to us. We must continue to press for a just resolution to this long-standing dispute. Every year since first coming to Congress, I and so many others haveworked hard to give Cyprus the attention it deserves, and this year will be no exception. Mr. Speaker, before I close I would like to particularly thank and express my apologies, I guess, to the reporters, to the members of the staff, to you, and to so many others who we have kept here late tonight, but this is a very important cause and I think you all understand that.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, here we are again, year after year, doing this special order marking the 22 years of division of the Republic of Cyprus as the result of an unlawful invasion 22 years go by the Turkish military. I am saddened by this so-called anniversary but, of course, we are all hopeful that this will be the year that the division of Cyprus is finally resolved. And I guess year after year after year we are always hopeful that this will be the year. And, of course, it never turns out to be that way. And then here we are again, the esteemed gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman], the esteemed gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter], the esteemed gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Klink], so many others, doing this. We will continue to do it because we feel that possibly we may penetrate the consciousness of the people responsible. General Leave

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks regarding the subject of my special order.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman].

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, nobody deserves more credit than the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman] on the issue of human rights all over the world, and I really thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, Cyprus is roughly the same size as the State of Connecticut with approximately 660,000 inhabitants. Turkish and Greek Cypriots lived together on the island side by side for almost five centuries. However, the landscape, Cyprus, was dramatically changed when Turkey invaded the island in 1974. On July 20 of that year Turkish forces, some 6,000 troops and 40 tanks, landed on the north coast of Cyprus and captured almost 40 percent of the island, and the international community has strongly condemned the military invasion from the beginning. On the very day of the invasion the United Nations adopted Resolution 353, which called upon all states to respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Cyprus and demanded an immediate end to military intervention in the Republic of Cyprus. However, Turkey ignored the edict of the international community and launched a second offensive in August, 1974. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] at this time.

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Long before I got here you were very much interested in this issue, and you are the chairman of the Human Rights Caucus, ranking member of that caucus for many, many years, and I know your interest in human rights, and this is a human rights issue. It is an issue of right versus wrong, but also very much so human rights, and I know that it is something that you have been greatly concerned with. As a result, Mr. Speaker, of Turkey's illegal invasion, 1,619 people are missing. Among these missing, five are U.S. citizens. In addition, more than 200,000 Cypriots were forcibly driven from their homes and are now refugees, a people without a home. To date, Turkey continues its illegal occupation of the northern portion of Cyprus, maintaining more than 35,000 troops and some 80,000 settlers there. Clearly, this occupation continues to serve as a wedge among Cyprus, Turkey, and Greece. In fact, relations among these three countries have recently deteriorated from the dispute over the island of Imia, as Mr. Gilman mentioned, this past January, to the shooting of an unarmed Greek teenager by the Turkish occupation army in Cyprus this June. These incidents, Mr. Speaker, are just a few of the many hostile actions taken by Turkey and are indicative of Turkey's aggressive behavior towards Cyprus and Greece. Mr. Speaker, I would yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania, my fellow Greek American, Mr. Klink.