Sanford Bishop

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. I have been on this committee now for a number of years, and in my work on the committee I have gotten to know a number of people in the intelligence community, and they are very, very fine people. I have a great deal of respect for the men and women who work to provide the best real-time information for our policy-makers and war fighters. The events of September 11, however, have caused Americans and people all over the world to ask the questions, to ask the committee members, to ask the Members of the Congress as they go back to their districts, how did this happen, how did we allow our guard to go down such that this could happen. We do not have the answers yet, but one of the vehicles to give the American people the understanding that we are seriously looking to find the real answers is to have a commission that is independent and that can give the clear perception that we are trying to get the truth. The way to do that is not, in my opinion, to have a closed club, a closed community reviewing itself and its performance. As we would say in Georgia, not to have the fox guarding the hen house. Instead, we need to have an open, independent group of well-thinking people who can, as Ms. Pelosi's amendment suggests, go about this work in a way that will give credibility and meaning and give reassurances to the people of our country and the world that we are sincerely going after the truth so that we can make sure that nothing like this will ever happen again. I would urge my colleagues to please let us have an independent commission that can do the work, the scope that needs to be done so that our people will have assurances that they need. Mr. Chairman, I yield to our ranking member, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. No one yet knows why we did not receive warning of this tragedy, and indeed whether such warning could have been acquired in this instance short of some stroke of luck. We must answer those questions in order to do better. But that will take time of course. I commend the chairman and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), our ranking member, as well as all my colleagues on the committee for thinking hard about what steps should appropriately be taken in this bill in the short time available between September 11 and today, and as the executive branch prepares for its upcoming global campaign. I believe the committee took sensible steps to mandate changes where needs and solutions seemed clear, and to inform the executive branch of issues and problems that as of now we think must be addressed in the coming months and years. Intelligence is clearly important to every step in the counterterrorism campaign: trying to detect plans and preparations, attempting to interdict the terrorists and their equipment and funds, helping the recovery from an attack, tracking down the perpetrators and striking back at them. I serve as the ranking member of the subcommittee overseeing the intelligence community's technical collection systems, such as satellites and aircraft and other means to take pictures and listen to communications. These systems contribute to all phases of counterterrorism. Besides human intelligence, signals intelligence offers the greatest potential to discern the plans and intentions of terrorists. It is well known that NSA, the largest and most important element of our SIGINT system, is handicapped by technical and management problems. The committee, for several years, has been trying to work with the executive branch to overcome these problems. It remains to be seen whether NSA's present difficulties played any role in our ability to get wind of this attack. The bill before the House sustains our emphasis on instilling rigor in NSA's program management processes and improves significant increases in resources. Imagery can provide good information on terrorists' infrastructure and training activities, but not on plans. Imagery also provides critical support to operations against terrorists because it can help to track them, to target them, to assess the effects of military strikes. The National Imagery and Mapping Agency, like NSA, has for years suffered from lack of expertise and program planning and management, and inadequate support from the DCI and Secretary of Defense. In particular, NIMA clearly has insufficient funds to meet even the minimum performance goals set for it by the intelligence community and the Defense Department. The committee, once again, is recommending steps to help remedy these changes. I point out also that NIMA and its predecessors have always helped in recovery from disasters, whether natural or man-made. The relationships with FEMA and the State and local governments are strong and efficient. Contributions to homeland security in the future will be very substantial, in partnership with the Geological Survey. Before September 11, the administration was exploring new approaches to satellite intelligence collections. The committee agrees that these ideas need to be looked at carefully, especially in light of new changes. Mr. Chairman, in the interest of time, I will confine the balance of my remarks to border security. As I think all of us understand by now, there is virtually no inspection of cargo entering the country by ship, rail, and truck. It is in practice very difficult to expand inspections substantially using current methods. We must instead use new information technologies and sensing technologies and forge new ways of inspecting and securing cargoes in cooperation with industry and trading partners. The bill begins to address this issue. It adds money to begin acquiring a capability to identify and track merchant ships. It also provides funds and direction to various executive branch agencies and Departments, including the Department of State, to expand cargo tracking capabilities. Finally, the bill would authorize funds to test new technology to detect dangerous and illegal material and any kind of container rapidly and automatically. The bill does not provide explanations or a cure for the crisis we are in, but it does provide the basis for conducting the coming campaign, sustaining our position with respect to all our other intelligence requirements, and preparing for future improvements. I urge its adoption.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. I would like to commend the chairman and the ranking member for the hard work that they and the committee staff have put into this very important bill. We in Congress have joined the President in urging America to get back to business, and our job today is a monumental one: to enact a farm bill that enables farmers and agri-businesses to survive during this economically challenging decade. After 4 years of depressed commodity prices and inflationary production costs, droughts and disasters, our whole agricultural system is at risk. This is not just rhetoric, it is simple math. Farm income has not been sufficient to sustain most producers, even though they adhere to sound farming practices. If it were not for a Federal farm safety net, the country would have experienced a catastrophic loss of farm operations and agri-businesses that serve them. Like oil, we would have become much more dependent on foreign producers for our food and fiber, the necessities of life. Mr. Chairman, the farm bill enacted in 1996 was a visionary bill that gave farmers greater flexibility, but which failed to provide the help needed when prices slumped and costs increased. The farm bill that we consider today continues that same flexibility, but with a stronger safety net that should eliminate the need for billions of dollars of ad hoc appropriations. It includes a more market-oriented peanut program which makes it possible for our growers to compete as tariff rates decline and that phases out the quota system. The bill provides a significant level of compensation to quota holders within the budget restraints that we face; but I believe the funding level should be higher, and I will continue to work for that. It includes a 75 percent increase for soil, water and wildlife conservation, a food stamp program that includes new transitional assistance for families moving from welfare to work, $785 million for rural development, including funds to improve drinking water, expand telecommunications and promote value-added market development, a 100 percent increase in funding for the market access program helping producers and exporters finance promotional initiatives abroad. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote for the Farm Security Act of 2001 and to help ensure a brighter future for America, for rural America, for our farmers, our agribusinesses, and especially for our consumers across the country.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, so far, nothing our country has done to deter terrorism has worked on an enduring basis. In spite of our intelligence operations, retaliatory strikes, and a few arrests and trials, the murderous attacks have continued unabated and have escalated in severity culminating in yesterday's slaughter of thousands of our citizens. Unless our nation unites behind a more forceful and relentless cause of action, whatever the risk may be, we may never be free of this evil threat; and we will continue to pay a terrible price. Mr. Speaker, many of us have been touched personally by this tragedy. One of my former staff members, Brittley Wise Salinardi, is the wife of the property manager of the World Trade Center, Rich Salinardi. Rich is missing and Brittley is devastated with anxiety, having no word of his fate. Our prayers are with these extraordinary young people and their families and with all those who have been touched and who have suffered so grievously from yesterday's attack. Let us stand together to rid the world of the evil forces responsible for the war they are waging against humanity. I support this resolution. Let us rid the world of this scourge of terrorism and make those responsible pay the price.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I think this is an excellent amendment. It gives us an opportunity to really reach out to those communities that have been so severely impacted with natural disasters and emergency situations. I believe that this will be a real opportunity for our government to be user friendly to the individuals and to the communities that often bear the brunt of the worst that nature has to offer. I would ask that we support this amendment. I thank the chairman and the ranking member of the committee, as well as the chairman and ranking members of the authorizing committees for their cooperation and support. We appreciate that very much; and we think that when we have completed our work on this bill, we will have done a day's work for the people of America. I urge passage. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance my time.

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan) for their hard work on this bill and also the Chair and ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the committee which has the authorizing jurisdiction. I stand before Members today to ask for their support for my amendment to the VA-HUD appropriations bill. My amendment appropriates no additional funds. It only authorizes the use of existing funds for an important program. In substance, it authorizes the director of FEMA to establish a minority emergency preparedness demonstration program utilizing grants, contracts and agreements with community-based 501(c)3 nonprofit corporations. The program will allow the nonprofits to research the status of emergency preparedness in minority households in urban, rural and suburban communities and to enhance emergency and disaster response preparedness. It would authorize the director to provide grants or to execute contracts and cooperative agreements with eligible nonprofit corporations to establish and to conduct these programs. Mr. Chairman, in just this past year, 51 disasters were declared in 33 different States. In fact, this year already 23 disasters have already been declared in 22 different States. These disasters include tornadoes, winter storms, floods, spring storms, earthquakes, and ice storms. Unfortunately, these numbers do not include the hundreds of fires that occur annually. According to FEMA, the impact on minority communities is 2\1/2\ times more than on any other group. It is my hope that all people in high-risk circumstances will benefit from this program which will document and make available information about the dangers that are present in different locations as well as the practical guidance on how to protect against these disasters. I ask my colleagues to support this amendment. I think it is good for America and it is good for the people. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis).

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 770, the Morris K. Udall Arctic Wilderness Act of 2001.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Committee on Appropriations for their hard work on the bill. I offered an amendment in the Committee on Rules which was not granted a waiver and that is very, very disappointing, because my amendment would appropriate no additional funds and it would only authorize the use of existing funds for an important program. It would have authorized the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to establish a minority emergency preparedness demonstration program to research and promote the capacity of minority communities throughout the country to get data, information, and awareness education through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements with eligible nonprofit corporations. These nonprofits would do research on the status of emergency preparedness and disaster response awareness in African American and Hispanic communities across the country, in rural areas, suburban areas and determine how they are impacted by natural and man- made disasters and emergencies. Also, they would be authorized to develop and promote awareness of emergency preparedness programs in minority communities and to develop competent educational materials that could be disseminated in these communities and to organizations and institutions. This was a good bill. It would be very helpful, particularly since in the past year there were 51 disasters in 33 different states, and this year there have been 23 disasters in 22 different states. The impact on minorities has been established by FEMA at 2\1/2\ times greater on minorities than any other group. This is a very, very much-needed operation, given the disasters we have had; and I am very, very disappointed that the rule does not allow a waiver to allow consideration of my amendment, which has been printed and is in the Record. I urge ultimate passage of the bill, but if we can defeat the rule and perhaps allow consideration of this amendment, I certainly would be appreciative. It would be good for America, good for African American and Hispanic communities that are impacted so greatly by our floods, tornadoes and natural disasters where there have been tremendous fatalities and loss of life over the past few years.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bill that will help minorities better prepare for tornadoes, floods, and other disasters, thereby raising the level of protection for segments of the population hit the hardest. This bill is entitled the ``Minority Emergency Preparedness Act of 2001'' and already has 25 original co-sponsors. I feel this initial response is a testament to the importance and value of this legislation. This bill will establish a research program to assess the impact of man-made and natural disasters on minority populations, especially low income, under served populations in rural communities and densely- populated urban areas. This information can then be used to help prepare for disasters such as tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, and storms involving heavy rains, high winds and ice and snow, and thus lessen their impact. According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), minorities are impacted by emergencies two and a half times more than others in the country, and this is unacceptable. We must do more to help those who need it, so that they will not be impacted as much at times of disaster. It is my hope that all people in high risk circumstances will benefit from this program, which will document and make available information about the dangers that are present in different locations as well as provide practical guidance on how to protect against disasters. I ask my colleagues to join with me in supporting this legislation, and lessen the harsh effects that disasters have on our communities in the states and regions most impacted by them.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, this Congress can make historic progress in making agricultural programs that enable farm producers to survive in today's markets and to continue providing the highest quality commodities at the lowest cost to consumers. The House has already passed a bill providing immediate farm relief, and the Committee on Agriculture has moved aggressively to draft a new multiyear farm bill to secure greater long-term stability. Today, we are considering a bill for the next fiscal year that provides $260 million more than the President's budget; more for research, including some $7 million more in Georgia; more for crop insurance; more in rural electric and communications loans; more for child nutrition and WIC programs; and sets aside more than $79 billion over 10 years in new emergency aid, including $7.4 billion for next year. While I support a higher overall agriculture budget, it is time to move the process forward and resolve any differences in House and Senate negotiations. Our goal is to save our agricultural system at a time of crisis, and today we can take another step in that direction. Mr. Chairman, while I am concerned that the bill does not give enough help to small and disadvantaged farmers and research and capacity grants for the 1890 Land Grant Universities, I support the amendment of the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) to do that. Today, Mr. Chairman, we can move the process forward to bring more help to American agriculture. I urge my colleagues to join in support of this bill. It is a good bill, it moves the process forward, takes drastic steps in the right direction; and, hopefully, we can do what we need to do for America's agriculture.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2311, the energy And Water appropriations bill. I commend the full committee, subcommittee ranking member Visclosky, and especially Chairman Callahan for all their hard work, particularly on the Tri-Rivers project. Commercial barging on the Appalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers system is an important issue for our region's economic infrastructure. I am pleased to see the increased level of funding that this committee has appropriated. Recently, I traveled to Georgia and Florida with Members of the House and Senator Graham of Florida to observe the Tri-Rivers process firsthand. This is a very, very intricate, sensitive area and issue, particularly with Representatives from the three States of Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The ports on these rivers provide jobs and revenue, particularly for my area of southwest Georgia. The ports of Bainbridge and Columbus generate 548 jobs and over $15 million in wages. These jobs have a direct impact on the economies of small river towns like Bainbridge, Georgia. Revenue generated at both of the ports, that is, Bainbridge and Columbus, total over $40 million and in turn contribute over $1 million in State and local taxes. The barge system has many economic and environmental advantages that are often overlooked. Barging is energy efficient. An inland barge can transport more materials using far less fuel than other means of transport. A navigable river system provides a competitive alternative that helps reduce rates for other modes of transportation. These rivers must remain navigable if we are to continue to see these economic rewards. In the past, the Corps of Engineers has done an environmentally messy job and caused a great deal of anguish in Georgia, Florida and Alabama, particularly in the Appalachicola, Florida, area. We know now that better management of system water levels upstream by the Corps and better care in the disposal of the waste from dredging will help all of us have a mutually enjoyable use of the river system. The money that is appropriated in this bill will help ensure that dredging has a minimal environmental impact. It is my vision to see continued economic success for the communities that take advantage of the Appalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers as one of their means of transportation. I encourage my colleagues today to support rural industry and efficient transportation by voting yes on this energy and water appropriations bill. I thank the chairman again; I thank the ranking member and all those who support this bill because I think it is much needed and it is a step forward.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2213 will provide the much needed help that my farmers in the Second Congressional District need today. The $5.5 billion is not sufficient to address all the farming needs, but it goes a long way in helping our family farmers. Input costs have skyrocketed for every one including our farming community. I hope this supplemental bill moves quickly to help alleviate some of these costs. I am happy with the way our peanut farmers concerns have been addressed in this bill, $25.83 a ton for quota peanuts and $13.55 for additional peanuts will help ease the burden that our peanut farmers face today. I am glad that we continue as we should standby our American farmers. This will provide immediate relief while our Committee continues to work hard on drafting the new Farm bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2213 and speedily get these funds to our farmers.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Madam Speaker, the National Guard personnel that are deployed in Bosnia are preventing widespread violence that could quickly reoccur if they were not there to serve their country in the cause of humanity. Every American owes them a deep debt of gratitude. They left their families, their homes, their careers behind to join our NATO allies on a mission that is saving lives and making the world safe from a cruel conflict, one that could spread uncontrollably if not held in check. This call-up is not fun. It is tough. It is grueling, and it is dangerous duty. But they willingly serve, and we are grateful. In March, 1,200 citizen soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade began a 6-month tour of duty in Bosnia, the largest Georgia Guard mobilization since Operation Desert Storm. Other Guard personnel from my State and from other States have also served as peacekeepers there, and I urge the House to pass this resolution to honor the commitment and the sacrifice of every National Guard soldier who has faithfully served and who faithfully answers the call.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing a bill that will make high quality child care available for children regardless of their families's incomes. This bill is entitled the ``Child Care Quality Incentive Act of 2001'' and already has 28 original cosponsors. I feel this initial response is a testament to the importance and value of this legislation. We all recognize the importance of a child's early development, however, we must make an investment early on if we are going to succeed in providing a meaningful and accomplished system that helps those who are trying so hard to help themselves. This help will come in the form of supplemental block grant funding to providers in order to cover the true costs of their services. In addition, this bill helps raise the level of care to those who can already afford the market rate. Small businesses also benefit from this legislation--more money means more providers. Finally, this bill has the support of many national, state, and local organizations and providers, including USA Child Care, the Children's Defense Fund, YMCA of the USA, Catholic Charities of the USA, and the National Child Care Association. I ask my colleagues to move swiftly to bring decent and affordable child care to America's children--those who are the least able to take care of themselves.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, last July I had an opportunity to participate in a day of celebration and remembrance of the great contribution to agriculture and the economy in general made by the late John Thomas Thornton, Jr., of the community of Parrott, Georgia. If you are not familiar with the name, you are not alone. Even in the area of southwest Georgia where he lived and farmed most of his life, many people are not fully aware of his contribution, which impacts our lives even today. J.T. Thornton invented the peanut shaker, a harvesting device that came into common use in the 1940's. His invention revolutionized the peanut industry. By making the harvesting process faster and more efficient, the peanut shaker contributed greatly to the economic growth of our area of Georgia and, in fact, to the country at large. Mr. Thornton spent some 40 years developing and perfecting his invention. It was a magnificent achievement. The history of this achievement was beautifully presented in an essay written by a student from Parrott, Bonnie West, who won high honors when she entered the paper in the National History Day competition. Her accomplishment helped revive community interest in Mr. Thornton's invention, which he called the ``Victory Peanut Harvester.'' The people of Parrott, including members of the Thornton family, are establishing a museum on the invention of the peanut shaker, and sponsored the day of celebration that included a parade and a number of other events. It was an exciting and enjoyable day, and it helped bring wider recognition of what this native southwest Georgian achieved. Although farmers did not have any more spare time back then than they do today, J.T. Thornton somehow found the time to apply his practical knowledge of farming, and his extraordinary grasp of engineering and mechanics, to overcome all of the difficulties he must have encountered until he produced something that raised the quality of life for countless Americans. This is a story we are proud of in southwest Georgia, and that can inspire other Americans, especially our young people. Mr. Speaker, it is, therefore, a story I want to share with our colleagues in Congress.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for the hard work that they have done in pulling this bipartisan bill together. Mr. Chairman, when we ask our fellow House Members how Congress can best help fix our schools, we get as many different answers as we have Members. We all feel strongly about education, and we all have our own ideas about what needs to be done; and many of these ideas have merit. That is why I rise today in support of H.R. 1, a bill that offers a balanced, thoughtful, bipartisan course of action for helping achieve the educational results that most of us seek; a bill offering more accountability without undue Federal influence; more flexibility while still targeting many special needs; options for children who are trapped in underperforming schools while retaining public funds for public education and without vouchers; and provisions I strongly pushed to update technology in rural schools and to double title I funding. We should ask not whether the bill achieves perfection but whether it is a fair, constructive compromise that can move the country closer to achieving better schools and a brighter future. And without question, the answer is yes. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting this legislation. It is a good bill. A lot of people have worked hard on it. It is a bipartisan consensus of what we need to do to move forward on education, and I think that it will make a difference.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Let me also commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the ranking member, along with the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Dunn) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) for an extraordinary job in working this issue. When America's families lose a loved one, their grief is often compounded by the loss of a farm or business, or other assets that have been held and nurtured for many generations and were expected to be passed along to future generations. For many families, this is what the unfair, confiscatory death tax does; it robs them of investments of a lifetime and their hopes and their dreams for the future. Studies show that one in every three family businesses and farms lack the liquid capital to pay the death taxes, which can amount to 55 percent of the estate's value. It will either have to be sold or liquidated, even more loss in an area like mine where family farms and small businesses are such a big part of the economic base. It is not only the families that suffer, but it is the employees of those businesses that suffer. I can cite many examples from my area of southwest Georgia, and in Georgia, the mom-and-pop service station that a couple struggled 40 years to establish and their three sons would run after they died, or the Atlanta Daily World newspaper, or the southwest Georgia newspaper, or countless funeral homes that have been passed down for one and two and three generations that could be threatened if this tax stays in effect. All segments of society are hit by the death tax, but none harder than minorities. More than 1 million minority-owned businesses are believe to be jeopardized by the tax. I have listened to both sides of the debate, and no one has explained what is fair about it; a tax that is levied on income that has already been taxed, that penalizes hard work and success, that encourages compliance costs that almost wipe out the relatively small amount of revenue it raises, and that robs families of their heritage. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues today to vote to eliminate this burden on America's families.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, today we're focusing on the right to vote. This is certainly an appropriate theme for this year's observance of Black History Month--coming, as it does, in the aftermath of a national election which may have been decided by breakdowns in voting machines and procedures, by faulty ballots, by voting place errors and abuses that effectively denied this most fundamental right to many citizens. Complaints of irregularities have been widespread in a number of states. Moreover, many of the absentee ballots cast by our military personnel--the men and women defending our freedom away from home, often in harm's way--were thrown out because of technicalities. I believe we can do better. In our country, the freest and most advanced in the world, there should be no excuse for not having a non-partisan, modern, well-managed system that ensures to the highest degree possible that qualified voters will have access to the polls and their votes will be fairly counted. If we could not do better, our form of representative government-- with its guarantee of freedom of speech and religion, from unjust fear, and from the denial of opportunity--would be on very shaky ground. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, let this Special Order serve as a reminder that it is the responsibility of each of us, as members of ``The People's House,'' to determine to the best of our ability exactly what went wrong in this last national election and to consider what should properly be done at the federal level to help ensure that it doesn't happen again. When I think of the voting franchise in the context of Black History Month, I first think of Selma. In the mid-1960's, this was the scene of a series of campaigns to secure the right to vote, which had been routinely denied to black citizens. People had lost their lives just for trying to get people registered. Black citizens who came to register were harassed and sometimes arrested on charges of unlawful assembly. Beatings had become commonplace. Many black people lost their jobs just for attempting to register and vote, suffering severe economic consequences. Today, this community presents keys to the city to those who fought for civil rights. But, back then, attempting to register and vote could be a perilous thing to do. These efforts culminated in ``Bloody Sunday,'' when our friend and colleague from Georgia, John Lewis, led demonstrators across the Pettus Bridge into the ranks of armed troops, rallying much of the country around the enactment of the Voting Rights Act--the crowning achievement of the Civil Rights Movement. That was a high point in a struggle that had been going on for nearly two centuries. In our country's formative years, it was thought by many that only people who owned property should be permitted to vote and participate in the political process. Free blacks were effectively excluded until after the implementation of the Voting Rights Act, even after the adoption of the 13th Amendment that granted the voting franchise to black males in 1866. This exclusion also extended to all women, who did not gain the right to vote until the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. In fact, not one country granted its citizens universal suffrage prior to the 20th century--not Greece in the 5th Century B.C., England with the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, or the United States with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I'm told that Finland, in 1906, was the first country to elect its government on the principle of universal suffrage in competitive, multi-party elections. But perhaps no one inspired the world more than those who valiantly carried the torch of freedom here in the United States, providing a beacon of light for the whole world to follow. Today, there are 119 countries with democratic forms of government-- almost two-thirds of the world's nations containing three-fifths of its people. For the first time in history, a majority of the world's people live under governments of their own choosing. Representative government can now be said to be a universal human value--a set of principles that are aspired to by the vast majority of people in our own country and around the world. In 1867, Sojourner Truth told a group of friends who gathered for her 80th birthday: ``It is about time for me to be going. I have been 40 years as a slave and 40 years free, and would be here 40 years more to have equal rights for all. I suppose I am kept here because something remains for me to do. I suppose I am yet to help to break the chain.'' This continues to be our task today: to make sure the inalienable right to vote is never taken from anyone, and the chain remains broken for ourselves and for all human-kind.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have concerns about the National Reconnaissance Office contracting issue, but I want to make it clear that nonetheless, the House should pass the bill, as modified by the Senate. The original conference report included a House provision that would require the National Reconnaissance Office to contract for satellite launch vehicles separately from the Air Force. The committee's action was based on a substantial review of several expensive launch failures involving the loss of very valuable intelligence satellites, as well as Inspector General reports describing significant problems in the NRO's relationship with the Air Force. I believe that the remedy that was fashioned by my subcommittee chairman and my colleague, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), was reasonable and would be effective. The conferees debated this matter, and there were votes taken. The House position prevailed. It is more than a little galling that the Senate committee would undo that agreement by exploiting the procedural and time constraints that were imposed by the President's veto of the original conference report over a completely unrelated matter. I fully appreciate and share the sense of wrong that is conveyed here today. Nonetheless, I think it is necessary to accept the bill now in the form in which it has been returned to us by the Senate because of the overriding importance of enacting an intelligence authorization measure. The overall benefits to the Nation's security outweigh, in my opinion, the loss of this particular provision. Instead, the committee should plan to take this issue up again next year as the chairman, (the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), indicated, and I would pledge to work with and support the efforts of the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) to correct the serious underlying problems in managing the launch of our critical intelligence satellites.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I, too, join with my colleagues in expressing our profound sorrow in the loss of our colleague, Julian Dixon. Julian was special to all of us; but he was particularly special to me because, when I came to this body some 8 years ago, I identified him quickly as a mentor. I talked with him. Mr. Speaker, I would seek his advice and his counsel. When I decided that I was interested in becoming a member of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I immediately sought out Julian Dixon, calling him long-distance from South Africa to get his advice and counsel on how to make that happen. I had the opportunity to work with Julian and to observe him in his relationship with the majority on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to see his relationship with his staff and the profound respect in which they held him. Julian could be summed up by saying he had character, honesty. He was hard working. He was diplomatic, but he was tough. He was a friend to so many of us. He has made a profound impact on this Congress, on the United States, and on the world. He carried the load for a lot of the dirty work. And I guess I must at this moment just remember Julian in the words of one of my favorite poems called ``A Bag of Tools'': Isn't it strange how princes and kings, and clowns that caper and sawdust rings, and common people, like you and me, are builders for eternity? Each is given a bag of tools, a shapeless mass, a book of rules. And each must fashion, ere life is flown, a stumbling block, or a Stepping- Stone. On behalf of all of my colleagues of all of those who knew Julian, and particularly the Democratic staff on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence who feel this loss so profoundly, I say we are so happy and America is happy and the world is better because Julian was not a stumbling block. He was indeed a stepping-stone for a better life for human kind in this world.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Paul Coverdell National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act. This bill covers issues that Senator Coverdell and I feel very, very strongly about. In fact, this bill will address concerns that almost every major law enforcement agency in the United States has a concern with. We hope that, by passage of this, that we will take another step forward in crime control and in our ability to move cases throughout our court system. Today we are responding to law enforcement and criminal justice professionals from Georgia and throughout much of the country who have called on Congress to help them overcome the alarming shortages in forensic science resource that confront our States and communities. These shortages in personnel, in modern equipment and lab space, in technology and computerization, in education and training have created what has been accurately described as a ``choke point'' in the country's system of justice. Due to the lack of adequate resources, nearly 70 percent of the 600 State and community forensic laboratories, medical examiner's offices, and coroner's offices are experiencing major backlogs in their forensic caseloads. In 8 out of every 10 labs, the forensic caseloads are increasing much faster than their budgets. These conditions have caused major delays, preventing the timely conviction of the guilty and exoneration of the innocent. These delays can be devastating to individuals and families, and dangerous for society at large. There are instances where suspects of violent offenses had to be freed because DNA testing could not get done. Several years ago, the States' Coalition was formed among State law enforcement agency directors that took the lead in addressing the crisis. The director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Buddy Nix, has been in the forefront of this effort which has the support of the entire criminal justice community. While calling on States to do as much as possible to alleviate the shortages, the coalition has also pointed out that this is a problem of national concern. And it is appropriate for the Federal Government to contribute to the solution. The result is the National Forensic Sciences Improvement Act which I, a Democrat, and the late Paul Coverdell, a Republican, introduced in our respective Chambers, backed by strong bipartisan cosponsorship. Following the tragic loss of Senator Coverdell, the sponsors dedicated this measure in memory of our esteemed friend and colleague from Georgia. This proposal simply provides block grants to States. To my knowledge, there is no real opposition to the bill's merits. The only question is whether it will be given the priority treatment many of us believe it deserves. Will a new program such as this be among those that prevail in the competition for limited Federal dollars? The Senate has answered that question, and today the House gives its answer, which I anticipate will be a resounding ``yes.'' Some people say the need to put more resources into the fight against crime is not as great as it was a few years ago. It is certainly true that FBI surveys show that the overall crime rate has steadily declined as a result of many factors, including a growing economy, tougher sentences, greater public awareness and involvement, and the high professionalism of today's criminal justice professionals. But it would be premature to declare victory. Although the crime rate is falling, it is true that one out of every four American families is still victimized every year by one or more serious crimes. One out of every four. The monetary losses are still huge, $19 billion or more a year. The suffering that many people experience continues to be incalculable. Again, I commend Senator Sessions and everyone involved in this initiative to finish the task that meant so much to Senator Coverdell. I thank the Democratic members of the committee in the House and especially thank the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), who really deserve the lion's share of the credit. I would also like to thank the staff on both sides of the aisle who have worked diligently to keep this legislation alive for over a year. I support the bill and ask my colleagues to support it, also.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honor to have an opportunity to serve with our friend and colleague Bill Clay, whose contributions during 32 years of service in this body have earned him widespread recognition as one of America's great voices for justice and opportunity during the last half of the 20th century. To me, and I'm sure to everyone who follows in his footsteps, he has been a personal mentor--one who has inspired us and guided us with his extraordinary skills; dedication and integrity; intellect and eloquence; and his thoughtful and gentlemanly demeanor that somehow makes his tenacious fighting spirit all the more effective. Many Americans believe that those of us who serve in public life may tend to overstate things from time to time. But that would be difficult to do in reference to Bill Clay's record of accomplishment. There is just so much that he has done that benefits people in his home state of Missouri and throughout the country. He fought for Hatch Act reforms for two decades, and eventually succeeded. In fact, he played a major role in shaping and passing a number of major initiatives that have helped ensure safety and fairness in the workplace. His imprint can be found on virtually every federal educational program that exists today, from Head Start to college aid. He was among those who engineered a student loan forgiveness program that eases the student payments on educational loans and provides an incentive to attract qualified new teachers into schools where they are needed the most. And this year, he is a leader in the effort to reauthorize the Class Size Reduction Act, which is adding 100,000 teachers in school systems throughout the country. He is a thinker and writer who has authored several important books; a philanthropist who founded a scholarship fund that has helped scores of young people to fulfill their potential; a public servant whose efforts have brought enduring changes; and a committed citizen who has more than lived up to his belief that everyone should have a decent home in a safe neighborhood; receive a quality education; have an opportunity to work at a job commensurate with his or her skills and abilities, and receive quality health care regardless of income or social status. I know I will personally miss Bill Clay's friendship and leadership in this body. More importantly, he will be missed by the country at-large. But anyone who knows him knows that he is not the kind of person who will just vanish from sight. Whether retired or on active duty, you can bet that Bill Clay will be a caring, involved citizen, continuing to do everything in his power to make life better for others and, in so doing, to provide inspiration and guidance for us all. And, for that, we can all be thankful.

Mr. BISHOP

Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the District of Columbia and Commerce, Justice, State conference report for some very parochial reasons. Specifically, I rise in support of the $1.25 billion Federal loan guarantee that this report provides for companies who wish to provide local satellite and cable services to our rural areas. Earlier this year, my district received direct hits from a series of tornadoes. More than a dozen people were killed and hundreds were left homeless as a result of the tragedy. It has been reported that these tornadoes were perhaps the worst in Georgia history. The outcome of these tornadoes may not have been so devastating if my constituents could have accessed our local weather service. The passage of last year's Satellite Home Viewer Act did eliminate a legal obstacle, but there are still some financial hurdles. As we know, the satellite companies claim that they are unable to provide local service to all 210 markets. Mr. Speaker, the people in my district need to be able to access their local channels in order to be aware of any emergencies. Today's report will perhaps put an end to those financial hurdles that prevent that and open up the satellite market to the majority of Americans and make satellite and cable TV available for the local people in my area, particularly in areas like those that were hit by the tornado in Mitchell and Grady Counties earlier this year on February 14. Mr. Speaker, I would like you to understand that my district is one of the many districts that cannot receive its local broadcasting. This issue is of vital importance to my district. After the storm, I have received numerous complaints from my constituents stating that they were unaware of the dangerous storm and unable to properly prepare for its arrival. If they were able to view their local stations, perhaps some lives might have been saved. In fact, they only plan to provide local broadcast service to the top 30 to 60 markets. The two viewing areas, of Thomasville and Albany, located in my district are ranked 114 and 148 in the market, respectively. Given this, my district would not receive their local broadcasting via satellites. Mr. Speaker, I urge immediate passage of this Conference Report.