Earl Blumenauer

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, as a person who came to Congress interested in support for the Federal government being a better partner to work to make communities more livable, I am exceedingly pleased that this bill is before us today. It is an important restatement, a recommitment, after 35 years of partnership that is frayed lately, of the trust fund concept; for example, the lands and water conservation fund and UPAR, which have not been funded on the State side since 1995. It will have key impacts in Oregon, the State that I represent, and in communities around the Nation. It means creating long-term investments that will create value for generations to come. I plan on speaking on the merits of this bill and a number of amendments as we proceed in the course of this debate. But I would like to make one brief comment because, as a Member here for the last 4 years, it seems to me we have occasionally lost our ability to legislate, to work together, to cross party, regional, and ideological lines. Mr. Speaker, I think this is important legislation not just as a tool for livable communities, but it is one of the clearest signals I have seen that we can send to one another in Congress that we can play the historic important role of debating, of listening to one another, of compromising and making decisions. I hope it sets the tone for bipartisan cooperation and progress for the remainder of this Congress. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to supporting the rule and the legislation.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, focusing on livable communities is an opportunity for the major Presidential candidates to give citizens relief from the standard political fare by embracing a positive message: how to make our families safe, healthy, and economically secure. One of the reasons this message has such potential for elevating the political discussion is because this is truly a national movement that is being driven at the grassroots level. Every year it seems more State and local ballot initiatives are passed protecting open space, giving more transportation choices to our communities and controlling unplanned growth. One grassroots effort was dealt with this morning in the Washington Post describing the efforts to protect the Chesapeake Bay, one of our Nation's most cherished waterway and, sadly, Governor Gilmore of Virginia's reluctance for Virginia to provide true leadership. For 15 years, citizens and communities across a six-State area and Federal partners and private citizens are developing solutions not necessarily to eliminate sprawl in this Chesapeake Bay watershed, but to cut it by one-third by the year 2012. The political leadership in Virginia, however, has been slow to respond and only recently provided its support for a new agreement, assuming that Virginians care less about the environment and protecting the Bay than their neighbors in the surrounding States. I think that is a sad commentary and a misreading of the citizens of Virginia. In sharp contrast, one of the most exciting stories of regional cooperation and addressing unplanned growth is unfolding now in the Speaker's home State of Illinois. Metropolitan Chicago has a long tradition of being a leader in the heartland; its importance as a national transportation hub with the transcontinental railroads, so it is today with O'Hare Airport, the busiest in the Nation; and the important role that Chicago has played in the City Beautiful Movement at the turn of the century with the magnificent Burnham plan, one of the most influential city plans in world history, illustrating the power of planning for growth in a fashion that balanced downtown interests with open space and access to that city's majestic waterfront. Chicago was unfortunately a leader in the consequence of unplanned growth. From 1970 to 1990, when metropolitan Chicago increased only 4 percent in population, it increased 46 percent in the urbanized area, 10 times faster than the rate of population increase and, clearly, a development pattern that is not sustainable. It has resulted in Chicago having the second longest average commute in the country, with 11 percent of its commuters traveling an hour or more each way each day. But in keeping with the tradition of leadership, Chicago is now providing important direction on livability. I have had a chance to review the Metropolitan 2020 plan, a visionary document preparing metropolitan Chicago for the 21st century. It recalls the history and provides a vision for the future. This fascinating study is one of the best that I have seen, providing a framework for developing a regional vision of growth over the next 20 years while it recognizes the realities and challenges facing the region. It addresses the reality of the present system's inability to pave its way out of traffic congestion; the importance of the productivity of the region's growing minority population, which will supply the majority of its future work force; the need on focusing the entire region's pool of talent to meet the specialized needs of a growing economy; and, most important, the symbiotic relationship between the suburbanites, who actually earn twice as much from their income from downtown as Chicagoans earn from suburban areas, $14 billion versus $21 billion. With over 1300 units of local government and almost 70 percent of the State's population living in the metropolitan Chicago area, the Metropolitan 2020 effort is a powerful example of the potential for business and civic leaders, community leadership, and the planning profession to come together to develop solutions to guide governmental investments. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me today at 2 p.m. in SC-10 of the Capitol for a joint briefing of the Senate's Smart Growth Task Force and the Livable Communities Task Force, hearing from a group from Chicago who will give a comprehensive overview of their initiatives. They will also focus on the important role of the Federal Government in assisting the regional effort to create more livable communities. Chicago is as good a model as we will find in an area of the country that a lot of us spend a lot of time in. It is a solution to make our communities more livable and our families safe, healthy and more economically secure.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the courtesy of the gentleman from Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, as an American and a Member of Congress, I am troubled by our lack of support too often on the issues and problems of Africa. Rising today to support the conference report for H.R. 434, the African Growth and Opportunity Act, is a small but important step toward strengthening the economies of Africa, the world's poorest continent, and the Caribbean Basin. I commend the leadership of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane), the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson). There are a number of heroes on both sides of the aisle moving this legislation forward. They are concerned and have focused, not on the areas of the greatest wealth, but on the areas of the greatest need. This bill will have negligible effect on American industries, as trade with sub-Saharan Africa represents only 1 percent of total United States exports and imports; and most of these were oil and natural resources. However, this bill holds a huge potential upside for American involvement, opportunity and engagement in countries that have struggled for decades to overcome poverty. The African Growth and Opportunity Act directs the creation of the United States sub-Saharan Africa Free Trade Area, which will increase trade between the United States and African countries. It also carries with it powerful incentives for countries to fully comply with international labor and transshipment standards. Mr. Speaker, Africa is at a critical turning point in its social and economic development. More than half the countries in sub-Saharan Africa today are now governed by elected leaders. This bill will provide much-needed economic growth and help all African countries to raise their living standards. This bill will aid those democratic governments by providing a solid foundation on which they can build for the future. Our Nation's ability or perhaps our will to provide direct economic aide to Africa is limited; and this bill, however, in the long run is a better alternative to those options. There is no real short cut to prosperity and democratic society. Free markets and economic activity are the key. This bill allows us to directly participate with and help strengthen these African and Caribbean Basin countries through global trade. I believe it will ultimately be the best long-term investment for the American taxpayer. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the conference report.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, my goal in Congress has been to promote more livable communities. Livable communities are those that are safe, healthy and economically secure. There are many things that we in Congress can do to enhance livability. Whether it is requiring the Post office to play by the same rules as the rest of America by following local land use and zoning laws or by having more rational water policies to help protect and renew our waterways. It is important that Congress lead by example and support policies and programs that contribute to the health, safety and economic security of our communities. One simple step we can take today is to support this resolution and the event that it will enable. On May 10th, Earth Force will hold their annual Bike Rodeo on the Capitol Grounds. This event is the culmination of a nation wide cycling education project. Children from all of our districts were asked to devise safe bicycling routes through their communities and share their proposals with their peers. To commemorate their efforts Earth Force holds the bike rodeo to promote youth civic involvement and teach children about safe biking techniques. This is a fun event with an important message. In 1998, 350,000 children 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Collisions with motor vehicles account for 90 percent of all bicycle related deaths and 10 percent of all non-fatal injuries. Bike safety education will go a long way to preventing these unnecessary fatalities and significantly enhance the livability of our communities. This event is the perfect way to celebrate May as National Bike Safety Month. I welcome the support of my colleagues on this resolution and encourage you to join Earth Force on May 10th to celebrate the leadership demonstrated by the youths they are honoring. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) to explain his request.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, my goal in Congress has been the promotion of livable communities. A community that is safe, healthy and economically secure must view educating our children as a priority. The well-being of our families depends upon the health of our schools. In the 94th Congress, we mandated--appropriately--that there would be special education access for children with severe learning disabilities. Along with that mandate came a promise that the federal government would pay 40 percent of the cost. This too was appropriate, for these children are the most difficult and expensive to educate. Unfortunately, the federal government has not met this important commitment. Funding has fallen as low as 9 percent, and currently, we fund only 12.6 percent of the average per pupil expenditure to assist children with disabilities. As a result, the financial burden has fallen on local districts. I am proud to support H.R. 4055, the IDEA Full Funding Act, which addresses the critical issue of assistance for the children whose needs are the greatest. This bill authorizes increases of $2 billion a year to meet the federal commitment of 40 percent by the year 2010. I have cosponsored similar legislation because programs such as IDEA offer the chance to improve the lives of more disabled people than ever before. Livable communities are for all of us, not just a select few. The federal government should lead by example in offering the best possible education to our nation's disabled children.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, my goal in Congress has been the promotion of livable communities, the Federal Government being a better partner with State and local governments than the private sector. In order to make our families safe, healthy, and economically secure transportation is clearly a central element of those deliberations and the bicycle is getting increasing attention as an indicator of livable communities. At the turn of the century, bicycling was a critical mode of transportation. It was cheaper than a horse. It was faster than walking, and it was more convenient for most than street cars. The demand for new and safe bicycle routes led to a national ``good roads'' movement; a successful cyclist who led lobbying of Congress won a $10,000 grant to study the possibility of a paved highway system. It is with some irony that this quest for quality biking led us down the path that ultimately led to the interstate freeway system; and now 100 years, we have come full circle, because the quest for relief from traffic congestion of automobiles is now having people look more attentively at the possibilities of cycling. Americans still view biking as a very favorable mode of transportation. A study by the New York Department of Transportation showed that in communities with bike lanes and bike parking over 50 percent of the people living within 5 to 10 miles from work would, in fact, commute by bicycle. Yet Americans are driving nearly 2\1/2\ trillion miles a year; they are spending the equivalent of over 50 workdays per year trapped behind the wheel of their car just going to and from work. Every day the average American adult drives close to 40 miles and spends over an hour in their car. When considering traffic and parking, 40 percent of our trips would be faster on a bike. I certainly found that to be the case, since in the 4 years that I have been on Capitol Hill being able to routinely beat my colleagues in trips to the White House and back on a bike rather than a car. Increasingly, communities are working to reintegrate cycling back into their transportation systems. Chicago; Philadelphia; Eugene, Oregon; Davis, California; Rockville, Maryland; Washington, D.C. are all actively promoting a more bicycle-friendly transportation system. My own hometown of Portland, Oregon, has been declared twice in the last 5 years as America's most bike-friendly community. These pro-bike efforts in cities around the country, this progress is due, in no small part, to the national leadership provided by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar). He was the champion of funding for bike paths in the 1991 ISTEA legislation and the T21 legislation last year for the surface transportation reauthorization. He continues to promote bike-friendly legislation as a ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. Madam Speaker, I am especially proud of his membership in our bike- partisan Bike Caucus, perhaps the most avid cyclist in American public office. These pro-bike efforts across the country are not asking everyone to trade in their car for a bicycle, but instead to encourage small but meaningful changes in our everyday transportation decisions and to expand the choices available to Americans. Biking, walking, or taking transit just a few short trips a week to school, to work, to the grocery store, other nearby errands can have a profound effect on the quality of life. It is estimated that a 4-mile round trip that we do not take by car prevents nearly 15 pounds of air pollutant from contaminating the air; and in a time of skyrocketing gasoline prices and questions about availability of oil, it is important to note that biking to work just 2 days a week or telecommuting or transit by American workers just 2 days a week would completely eliminate our dependence on oil imports. May is National Bike Safety Month, and in honor of this occasion and National Bike to Work Day, the Congressional Bicycle Caucus will be riding from Capitol Hill to Freedom Plaza this Friday, May 5. We are urging Members and staff to join us at 7:45 on the west side of Capitol Hill for this ride. Madam Speaker, in addition, we urge people now to earn their pin and join the Bicycle Caucus.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, since being elected to Congress, I have been focusing attention on the issue of creating livable communities where families are safe, healthy, and economically secure. The quality and quantity of our water supply is going to be the primary shaper of our communities in the next century. This is one of the reasons why I am here today, pleased to join in rising in support for the fine work that the committee has done, and thanking the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), and others in focusing attention and making sure that we are able to continue the great work that has been done in the Chesapeake Bay area. It has been documented already on the floor of the Chamber today the vast sweep of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, the 64,000 square miles covering parts of six States talking about the problems that are faced here that are serious but not unique to the Chesapeake Bay system, and how the Chesapeake Bay is a great example of watershed-wide management; how we are excited about the multijurisdictional involvement of many shareholders dealing with the EPA, dealing with State and local authorities, and other disciplines, and the legislative bodies of three States, bringing into involvement a vast coalition of people outside the government sweep, of agencies, nonprofits, and private citizens; the tributary teams in Maryland, divided into ten major tributaries and teams made up of citizens, farmers, business interests, environmentalists, and others, who determine the primary issues in their watersheds, and how to go about educating and involving citizens based on the idea that the problems are different depending on where you are. The good news is that through all of this effort, the Bay is improving, albeit slowly. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has put together a report card on the Bay. The score was up to 28 last year, up from the historic low of roughly 23 in 1983, on their way towards a goal or a rating of 70. I appreciate the elements that are included in H.R. 3039 to support the EPA Bay program and its activity in the watershed, the pollution prevention, restoring activities, monitoring, grants to States, and other stakeholders and citizen involvement. I am here, though, not just to commend my colleagues on the committee and the others who are involved. I do hope that we are able as a committee and as a Congress to incorporate the lessons that we have learned with the Chesapeake Bay clean-up, and perhaps even in this Congress have a comprehensive piece of legislation that we could advance to our colleagues to make sure that the important approach that has been taken with the Chesapeake Bay clean-up is not an exception, but in fact it is the rule governing how we will approach these important areas across the country. Under the leadership of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), with concerned members of the committee, with others in Congress, we can make sure that these lessons that have been learned, the dollars we are able to stretch, the engagement that we can have with our citizens, become an important part of Federal policy. If we are able to do that, Mr. Speaker, we will have given an important gift to American citizens for Earth Day, not just one or two models of an exemplary clean-up that hold a lot of potential for the future, but a template that will guide the authorizing committee, a template that will guide the appropriating committee, a template that will guide across jurisdictions in the Federal government to show how we can achieve a more livable community, looking at the way we can manage our water resources. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to greater progress in the future.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, national security is a powerful concept; and in the name of national security, we have done extraordinary things, perhaps none more momentous than the victory during World War II and the huge mobilization that it required. At times we use national security to cover up things perhaps we should not do, some tragic mistakes abroad, not being truthful with the American public. Here at home, we have occasionally used national security to rationalize good things we probably should have done anyway. Our interstate highway system was done in the name, in part, of national defense, or the student defense loans in the 1960s and 1970s, or research that led to the Internet. Today there is no greater threat to our national security worldwide than is posed by pollution, poverty, disease, and the unrest and misery that they produce. We have serious environmental problems here at home that are the terrible hidden legacy of 60 years of our defense activities, among them, in my own Pacific Northwest, the terrible pollution at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, or Rocky Flats in Colorado, chemical weapons, toxic waste. One of the most powerful ways to protect the environment and make community livable is for the Federal Government to lead by example, whether it is maybe requiring a post office to obey local land use laws and zoning codes and planning regulations, or have the GSA lead by example, being an exemplary landlord in our communities around the country, or maybe having the Federal Flood Insurance program reformed so it does not subsidize people living in places where God has repeatedly shown that he does not want them. But the biggest, richest, and most visible opportunity to lead by example is to be found in the Department of Defense, whether, as I mentioned on this floor before, dealing with model ways to environmentally sensitively dismantle ships, or look at the opportunities posed by base closings around the country. Our population is going to double in the course of this century. There are many great examples of over the long haul how, done right, base closings can help save the taxpayers' money and revitalize communities, not devastate them. Army facilities nationwide are rich in historic buildings, structures, and districts. These historic properties potentially represent a significant and valuable heritage not just for the Army but for the Nation and particularly for the community in which they are located. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has helped develop a methodology for this and has helped launch more than 1,500 commercial districts around the country to be revitalized. There is a tremendous potential for them to work with us nationally with military projects. Look at Fort Ord, with 28,000 acres, the largest military base closed in the country. It is now the campus for California State University at Monterey Bay. More than 1,100 new jobs have been created already. Seven thousand acres have been turned over to the Bureau of Land Management to be preserved as open space. Unfortunately, since the base was closed in 1993, the housing has not yet been returned to the community for reuse due to burdensome bureaucratic requirements and, even though some progress has been made in the course of this last year, not before much damage has been caused to the vacant housing and loss to the community. We could speak further about the opportunities before embarking upon new projects. I think it is important for the military to deal with the legacy of the problems we have now. One such legacy of military operations is the threat left by bombs and shells that did not go off when fired for testing and training. Commonly we are talking about 5 or 10 percent. It is estimated it is going to cost $15 billion to remove this unexploded ordnance in the United States alone. At the rate of $150 million that we are spending a year now, it is going to take over 100 years to deal with this problem. The budget for environmental security in the Department of Defense is $4 billion out of a total budget of $305 billion. It is time for us to take a step back to make sure that, if we can in the name of politics give the military money it cannot afford for projects that it does not need or want, then in the name of environment and livable communities, we can pay the bill and do it right. This is a special opportunity for the Department of Defense and Congress. We should not take shortcuts with the environment in the name of national security. Instead, the Department of Defense should lead by example for more livable communities.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, a livable community is one where our families are safe, healthy, and economically secure. A community without housing options to meet the needs of its residents is not livable. Clearly, action is needed since many throughout our country cannot afford to live in the places in which they work. I am pleased to rise in support of the American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act because it creates more housing options and will make our communities better places to live. This bill contains several employer-assisted housing opportunities. These are important tools for bringing the benefits of homeownership to the citizens who serve us every day. I want to highlight a couple of outstanding programs in my city of Portland, efforts that H.R. 1776 reinforces. Police At Home is a mortgage loan incentive program to help police officers purchase and live in homes in neighborhoods with higher crime rates. This program gives police officers a personal stake in their communities. It was created in 1995 through a partnership with our Mayor's Office, the Portland Police Bureau, the Rotary Club of Albina, and five lending institutions. Many of the neighborhoods that have attracted officers under this program have seen a decrease in crime. This is an excellent example of the kind of partnerships that are a cornerstone of community policing. The City of Portland's Hometown Home Loan program offers an array of benefits to city employees who are purchasing or refinancing a house within the city limits. A joint program of the City, Fannie Mae, and Continental Savings Bank, it is open to all benefits-eligible employees of the City of Portland. It was developed to help City employees become homeowners, as well as to encourage employees to live in the city where they work. Another important item contained in this bill is $275 million for the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) program. Portland's effective use of HOPWA dollars is a national model. It offers diverse housing stock including transitional housing for people who are homeless and living with AIDS. It also provides permanent housing for people living with HIV/AIDS at sites such as the Rose Wood Apartments that includes 36 units of rehabilitated affordable rental housing and has received HUD's Blue Ribbon Award for Best practice. Nathaniel's Way is providing housing for HOPWA-eligible families with children. Supported residential care is provided at such places as Swan House and Care House. People served by HOPWA funds receive not only housing but also a variety of social services: legal assistance, health services, mental health counseling and drug and alcohol intervention. But the need is greater than ever before. Death rates are declining and so more and more people are living with the epidemic. In the Portland region, the unmet need is at least 1000 units of permanent housing. The funding in this bill will help to address that need. This legislation represents efforts by the housing industry and the government to promote best practices and assure money is targeted to providing more housing. I'm pleased to vote yes.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today, I will vote against HR 3660. For the third time in five years, the House of Representatives is considering a bill to ban so-called ``partial birth'' abortions. For the third time since I came to Congress we will be voting on a bill that is almost certainly unconstitutional and will be vetoed by the President. The advocates of the bill suggest that this version has been changed to address some of the constitutional concerns. This bill does recognize that the lives of mothers have a claim to protection, but it remains silent when there is a threat to a woman's health. During the previous consideration of this type of legislation, Congress and the President heard from many women for whom this type of legislation would have dire consequences. These women and their families were all confronted with tragic situations and, with the qualified medical direction of their doctors, made the incredibly personal and difficult decision to terminate their pregnancy. Congress has no place in that decision. This legislation would have a catastrophic effect on the lives of families like these. HR 3660 is more about politics than good policy. If the Congress were serious about preventing abortion, it would not be fighting efforts to make family planning more widely available. If it were serious about protecting children, it would do much more to ensure available child care and quality schools. Proponents of this bill show gruesome pictures of objectionable procedures and ignore the pictures of the many real families who have had to make difficult decisions in the face of tragic circumstances. We cannot continue to ignore those pictures and the wrenching reality they represent. My position on this most sensitive of personal decisions is very simple: Congress should not interfere. I will oppose this legislation.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I join with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) in supporting House Concurrent Resolution 281, which authorizes a series of summer concerts sponsored by the JFK Center to be conducted here on Capitol Hill. These concerts are held from Memorial Day throughout the summer and conclude around Labor Day. I must say they have enriched my tenure here on the Hill. On Tuesdays and Thursdays during the summer months, residents, many tourists and other visitors to Capitol Hill are treated to wonderful, free concerts, with entertainment provided by some of America's most enduring and endearing artists. As with all events on the Capitol grounds, these concerts are free, open to the entire public, and will be arranged in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol Hill police. We do owe a debt of gratitude to the Kennedy Center for its sponsorship of the summer program which includes all types of music, dance, and vocal performances. I thank the chairman for his expeditious handling of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to support House Concurrent Resolution 281. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to rise in support of H.R. 1359 and I appreciate our colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant), for bringing it forward. The bill designating the new courthouse and Federal building under construction as the Frank J. Battisti and Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is an appropriate recognition for these two native sons of Youngstown, Ohio, who have contributed diligence and excellence to the judicial system and dedicated their lives to preserving the notion of equal justice under law. Judge Battisti was born and brought up in Youngstown, attended Ohio University in 1950, receiving his JD from Harvard Law School. He was an assistant Attorney General, law instructor at Youngstown State University and director of law in Youngstown. He was elected judge of Common Pleas Court in Mahoning County, Ohio. In 1991, he was appointed to the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Ohio by President Kennedy; and in 1969, he became chief judge. Judge Nathaniel Jones was also born and brought up in Youngstown, is a World War II veteran. His civic and public appointments include being director of the Fair Employment Practices Commission, and, as was referenced, Executive Director of the Mayor'S Human Rights Commission. He was appointed by Attorney General Robert Kennedy as assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Ohio in Cleveland. In 1969, Roy Wilkins, then executive director of the NAACP, asked Judge Jones to serve as the NAACP general counsel. He accepted that offer and served for a decade from 1969 to 1979, when he was appointed by President Carter to the U.S. Court of Appeals in the 6th Circuit. Both gentlemen have been active in numerous community and civic affairs. They were personal friends and professional colleagues, and it is entirely fitting and proper that we support this bill in both of their names. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant), the sponsor of this legislation

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones).

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as was mentioned by my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, H.R. 4052 is a bill to restore transportation reports that were to automatically sunset on May 15 pursuant to the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995, as amended. The Reports Sunset Act eliminated all annual or periodic reports listed in the 1993 report of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Some of those reports, such as the President's annual budget, are tremendously important and should not be eliminated. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, on a bipartisan basis, reviewed the reports that fall within our committee's jurisdiction and determined which bills are necessary to maintain. This bill ensures that those important reports will not sunset. These include a series of reports on such important items as water; air pollution; the safety, condition, and performance of our Nation's roads, highways, transit systems, bridges, and airports. I strongly support the passage of H.R. 4052, and want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for developing and passing this bipartisan legislation. I note in passing that this, as reflected by our colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), that there is in fact a better way of doing this, to take the sunset provisions and have them triggered by a proactive set of positive events, so that we are not in a position of unilaterally sunseting provisions that really should not be, but instead, having sort of performance indicators of why we want things to disappear, and that they would do so automatically when it is appropriate. I look forward to pursuing this concept with our committee and staff to see if there is not a way to avoid going through this process in the future.

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

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, recent disruption in oil supply has created problems with heating oil prices, costs to truckers for their diesel fuel, and increased gasoline prices. The response and the proposed solutions have ranged from the ridiculous to the absurd, even the destructive. Most reasonable people agree that the United States cannot always have unlimited supply of oil at the lowest cost in the developed world. Such assumptions are not just wrong headed, they are impossible to maintain and they encourage behaviors that are costly to the American public. We are, as a Nation, addicted to cheap oil. It skews our policy in the Mideast; discourages development of alternative fuels and energy conservation. It encourages waste, pollution and the negative side effects of our exclusive reliance on the automobile for personal transportation. It also makes us much more vulnerable to disruption in oil supply and price whether by natural market forces, unintended disaster or unfriendly policies from OPEC nations. It is important for us to acknowledge that the United States consumes three times as much fuel per capita as any other developed country. Just 5 percent of the world's population of the United States consumes over a quarter of the world's oil supply, equivalent to Western Europe and Japan combined. For all the hysteria about recent price increases, we are still well below the 1981 high of $2.49 per gallon in today's dollars, and a little over a year ago we had the cheapest gasoline prices in our history in real terms. Amongst the most unfortunate so-called solutions has been the proposal to cut the Federal gasoline tax 4.3 cents or more. There is no indication at all that a tax reduction will mean any reduction in price for the consumer. So long as supplies are constrained and demand is high, the market will charge what the market will bear. A tax cut will simply mean more profit for oil producers and distributors. This is also an invitation for people to manipulate oil supply and prices. If the United States Congress, led by the Senate, is so misguided as to cut the gasoline price to take the pain out of higher prices, even if it would work, and there is no evidence that it would, it is simply an invitation for OPEC or others to continue manipulation because Uncle Sam will take up the slack and reduce the pain. It is further ill conceived because the gas tax now is largely dedicated to funding our transportation infrastructure. At a time when communities are struggling to maintain the condition of their roads, wrestling with capacity questions and looking for ways to provide support for transit so that the traveling public has choices, losing $7.2 billion a year of infrastructure investment will be counterproductive, making our problems harder while costing us more money. How we move and organize our energy supplies and their environmental consequences has everything to do with a community's livability. Instead of pandering to OPEC and playing an elaborate game of pretend with the American public and certainly instead of making the problem worse, Congress should be part of the solution. We should now have an energy policy in this country. There has been little discussion in recent years. We ought to use this occasion to reexamine our attitudes regarding the utilization of energy. Instead of Congress interfering with the administration's efforts to increase energy standards for automobiles, we ought to have minimum fuel efficiency standards for all motorized vehicles. It is time to stop pretending that pickups and SUVs are anything but what the vast majority of people use them for, personal transportation. They ought to be subject to the same standards as cars. Instead of giving billions of dollars of extra profit to OPEC and oil distributors, if people really think that government does not need the money, we should invest it in the development of alternative energy sources. Wind, solar, fuel cells and higher-efficiency vehicles are all ways to cut down on our dependence on oil, and especially oil imports. There ought to be a premium placed on energy efficiency in building design and land use. This could have a huge impact on energy utilization. Most important, it is time for politicians to stop treating the public as spoiled children who cannot accept the truth or modify behavior. If we treat the American public like grown-ups, as full partners in the development of energy strategies and more livable communities, our families and businesses will, in fact, rise to the occasion. And our communities will be more livable, our families will be safer, healthier and more economically secure.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is, I think, appropriate for us to designate the United States Courthouse in Albany, Georgia, after one of Albany's great sons, C. B. King. As was referenced by my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), in terms of his history there is one other little item. He did attend Tuskeegee for a year before he joined the Navy and went on to Fisk. He is most remembered for his legal activism in the South. In Southwest Georgia, he became a leading civil rights attorney working closely with other lawyers from Macon, Atlanta, and Savannah. He believed in using the courts as an agent for change. He participated in numerous landmark civil rights cases, including cases to ensure the basic rights of American citizens to sit on juries free from racial discrimination. He was a firm believer in the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that provided equal job opportunities for African Americans. King was a superior legal scholar and an excellent orator. He joined scholarship with these oratorical skills to produce a powerful presence in courtrooms. It is most fitting that we honor C. B. King with this designation. I support the bill and commend our colleague, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop) for his diligence in pursuing this legislation.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

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

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, it is a genuine pleasure for me to rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 279. As my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, mentioned, it authorizes the use of the Capitol Plaza on April 24 for events commemorating the bicentennial of the Library of Congress. This institution is America's national library, the oldest Federal cultural institution. It is the largest collection of information in the history of the world. We are hopeful that this event will highlight the important role that this library and all libraries play in our democratic society. As the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) mentioned, the Library of Congress started with the magnificent sum of $5,000 authorized under the act, signed into law by President John Adams. But by 1812, the collection had grown to a phenomenal 3,076 books. However, during the war of 1812, the library, along with other prominent Washington buildings, was burned and the collection was lost. In 1850, Thomas Jefferson, who then had the largest personal library in America, sold his personal collection to the library for a modest sum, a few thousand more than that. It was very important not only because it helped restart the Library of Congress, but it changed the nature of the collection. Prior to that, the Library of Congress was very narrowly focused in terms of legal and historical topics, but because Thomas Jefferson was truly a renaissance man and had a wide sweep of volumes in a number of different languages that he had collected in his travels and service to our country, it included material on literature, and the nature of the library thus was fundamentally changed. I am proud to say that due to the diligence of our outstanding staff and a little bit of luck, many of the original Jefferson volumes are still present, available in the rare book room for viewing. I am proud to say that it was a lot of fun just a week ago to view them once again. Today's collection contains 119 million other items, books, photographs, maps, music, movies, manuscripts, microfilm, all viewed as the world's premier collection of knowledge. Of course, it is housed in the flagship building, I think the most magnificent in our Nation's capital, the Jefferson Building, which we recently celebrated its centennial in 1997 and its painstaking and loving restoration. We are here today to celebrate the potential on April 24 for a long series of events which shall include the unveiling of commemorative coins and stamps, the opening of a major exhibit on Thomas Jefferson, and a national birthday party consisting of free musical performances open to the public. I support this resolution, and I urge my colleagues, in joining me, to celebrate it in renewing our commitment to this important institution.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) for his heartfelt eloquence and advocacy. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, there is no more difficult job than those who have been charged with keeping public peace and order. They intervene under the most difficult of circumstances. We give them the power to use deadly force in connection with conducting their duties. Unfortunately, all too often, these men and women are themselves in harm's way. Houses concurrent resolution 278 authorizes the use of the Capitol grounds for this most solemn service. I strongly support the resolution which honors these police officers, men and women who died in the line of duty in 1999. During this last year, 134 brave peace officers from the ranks of State, local, and Federal service were killed in the line of duty. Mr. Speaker, 11 women lost their lives; 2 were members of the U.S. Army Police Corps. Sadly, history suggests that this week, 2 or 3 more officers will die in the line of duty; and there will be 350 more who will be injured or assaulted. Mr. Speaker, in 1962, President Kennedy signed the law establishing National Police Week. May 15 is designated Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and the Capitol Hill ceremony will take place on that day. It is a day during which a grateful Nation will pay tribute to the sacrifice of all peace officers. As a caring Nation, we deeply appreciate that sacrifice. Just 2 years ago in my district, on January 27, 1998, Portland police officer Colleen Waibel was killed during a drug raid. In honor of Officer Waibel and the other 28 Multnomah County, Clackamas County, and Portland police officers who were killed in the line of duty, I would like to enter their names into the Congressional Record at this time. Multnomah County, Clackamas County and Portland Police Officers Who Were Killed in the Line of Duty Thomas G. O'Conner Charles F. Schoppe Samuel S. Young Albert W. Moe James T. White Ralph H. Stahl James C. Gill John J. McVarthy Jerome Palmer Robert E. Drake Charles M. White Phillip R. Johson Charles E. Vincent James A. Hines Roy E. Mizner Vernon J. Stroeder Roger L. Davies Robert P. Murray Robert R. Ferron Stephen M. Owens Dennis A. Darden David W. Crowther Stanley Punds Thomas L. Jeffries Colleen Waibel Jimmy Shoop Robert ``Bobby'' Anderson Scott Collins Mark Whitehead Mr. Speaker, to remember these officers, my city of Portland has built a monument in the Tom McCall Water Front Park that serves as a permanent recognition of the great sacrifice our officers made, as well as a tremendous service that all our officers provide. I was proud that my community recognized the importance of remembering these slain officers, and I think it is all together fitting to use the Capitol grounds to recognize those officers nationwide who gave their lives in the line of duty in 1999. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support and urge passage of House concurrent resolution 278. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to yield such time as he may consume to my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant), who has provided such great leadership in the recognition of the sacrifice of police officers in the line of duty.

Mr. BLUMENAUER

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1605 is a bill to designate the courthouse building located at 402 North Walnut Street, Harrison, Arkansas, as the ``Judge J. Smith Henley Federal Building.'' Judge Henley served the citizens of Arkansas for his entire life and was a revered and respected figure in Harrison. His family and roots are deep and longlasting in the county and city of Harrison. Judge Henley's judicial career began with his appointment in October 1958 to the U.S. District Court for the eastern and western districts of Arkansas. He served as a chief judge of the eastern district during his entire tenure on the district bench. He also served as referee in bankruptcy for the western district and as associate general counsel for the Federal Communications Commission here in Washington, D.C. An active church member, devoted family man, and loving father are also characteristics of this beloved local figure. Mr. Speaker, it is proper and fitting to honor the contributions of Judge Henley with this designation. I support H.R. 1605, and I urge its passage. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.