John Boehner

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the chairman of the Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, beginning today, we have an opportunity to make a true difference in the lives of our Nation's children, particularly our most disadvantaged children in America. This rare opportunity presents itself in the form of No Child Left Behind, President Bush's plan to improve elementary and secondary education in America. This process began last December before President Bush technically was even President Bush. It began with a meeting in Austin, Texas when the President-elect invited Members of both parties to discuss education reform, the item at the top of his agenda. None of us knew what to expect from that meeting, but all of us left with a sense that something extraordinary was within our grasp. It was clear that our new President had a genuine interest in the issue of education. He had a powerful desire to bring Members of all parties together on this issue here in Washington just like he had done in the State of Texas. Now, just under 6 months later, we are here today together to consider the most important change in Federal education policy in 35 years. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked hard on behalf of American students: The gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson), the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer), and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer). I particularly want to thank the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle) on his tireless efforts on behalf of our Nation's students and the job that he has done as the subcommittee chairman on the 21st Century Subcommittee on Education Reform. I also want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) for his leadership and willingness to work in good faith for this bipartisan bill. The measure before us gives students a chance, parents a choice, and schools a challenge to be the best in the world. After 35 years of spending without accountability, it challenges States to use Federal education dollars to deliver results for our students. Instead of relying on money and red tape, it taps into our Nation's most precious educational resource, parents. In the hands of caring parents, information is a powerful tool for reforming our schools. Why ask States to evaluate schools annually? Because parents deserve to know how their child's school stacks up against the others. Why have a report card for States and school districts? Because parents deserve to know whether their children are being taught by qualified teachers and whether their child's school is failing and falling below expectations. The more parents know, the more they are likely to push for meaningful change in our schools. Without the ability to measure, there is simply no way for parents to know for certain that their children are, in fact, truly learning. There is no way to know for certain which students are in danger of slipping through the cracks. As Education Secretary Rod Paige has noted, President Bush's education plan rests on 4 pillars: accountability, local control, research-based reform, and expanded parental options. The legislation before us meets all of the President's principles. It challenges States to set high standards for public schools, demanding accountability for results. It provides unprecedented flexibility to local districts, letting them make spending decisions instead of letting Washington make decisions for them. It triples Federal support for proven reading programs rooted in scientific research. And it provides an escape route for students trapped in chronically failing schools. These reforms would mark the first time in a generation that Washington has returned a meaningful degree of authority to parents at the expense of the education bureaucracy. It would streamline a significant share of the Federal education regime in one swift stroke. It would provide new hope that the next generation of disadvantaged students can escape the misery of low expectations. I am grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have worked hard to turn the President's vision for education reform into reality. I believe we have produced a plan that is worthy, not just of the support of my Republican colleagues and my Democrat colleagues and independents, but of teachers, parents, and most of all our children. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. The gentlewoman is correct. I strongly support public school choice and eliminating the barriers for charter schools to educate children. The lack of funding for space is one of the biggest hurdles they face. We need to create incentives for States to provide funding mechanisms for charter schools without taking funds away from public schools. The gentlewoman has been a leader in these efforts to improve public education, and particularly crafting innovative financing mechanisms for schools. I was looking forward to working with the gentlewoman from New Mexico and the gentleman from Indiana to debate that issue on the floor. Unfortunately, the amendment was not made in order.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley), and members of the Committee on Rules, for their long hours last night in putting this together. Mr. Speaker, let me also congratulate the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) for the portrait that was unveiled yesterday, and congratulations to him and hopefully his health continues to improve. Let me, like my colleagues before me, thank the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), my partner in this process, along with those members of the working group, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson), the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon), the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer); and on the Democratic side of the aisle, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer), and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) who have spent months looking across the table at each other, trying to develop a bipartisan bill that follows the path that the President outlined. As the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) pointed out, we really owe a debt of gratitude to all members of the Committee on Education and the Workforce on both sides of the aisle who had their moments of disappointment, their moments of happiness, but a willingness all of the way through the process to see us produce a bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I can say that in the 10 years that I have been here in Congress, the method in which we moved the bill through the committee and the cooperation of all of the Members was absolutely stunning. We had not one ill word said in the committee. We worked together, even when we were disagreeing, to try to produce a bill that will help children in America. I want to thank my colleagues. As the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce) pointed out, this is an historic opportunity. President Bush has made education reform his top priority, and now the House has the opportunity to deliver on the President's promise. There are four main components of this bill. Four key principles that the President outlined during the campaign and has talked about all year: holding schools accountable to American parents; providing State and local school districts with unprecedented new flexibility; giving new choices to parents and students who are trapped in failing schools; and ensuring that student instruction is based on sound, scientific research. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1 that we have coming before us embodies each of those principles and closely tracks with the President's education reform plan. We are on the threshold of the first serious overhaul of Federal education policy since it was created in 1965. There is a lot of discussion that we will have about this bill when we get to it. First, however, we have to pass the rule that is before us. Mr. Speaker, I know there is some disappointment, disappointment on the Democratic side of the aisle and disappointment on the Republican side of the aisle on some amendments that were not made in order. However, we have produced a rule that is fair: fair for the Members, fair for the country, and fair for this bill. All of us know we have a very delicately balanced bill. The only way we are going to produce a solid, bipartisan bill is to keep a delicately balanced bill. Mr. Speaker, there are amendments that Members would like to offer, but I think that we have a fair representation embodied in this rule, and I would urge my colleagues to support the rule.

Mr. BOEHNER. As the gentlewoman is aware and the gentleman from Indiana is aware, similar language is in the Senate version of this bill. I will pledge to work with the gentlewoman from New Mexico and the gentleman from Indiana when we get to conference on trying to secure this language in the final version of the bill.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. BOEHNER. I would be happy as I mentioned to the gentlewoman, if she will yield further, that we will work together in conference to try to secure this language. I share their commitment to increased public school choice and to the growing movement of charter schools that are providing help for children in very needy communities.

Mr. BOEHNER. I would be happy to.

Mr. BOEHNER. Yes, I am very familiar with the gentlewoman's amendment.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 20 veterans of the United States Armed Forces who will be honored at a special ceremony on, May 11, at Lakota East High School in my congressional district. These men and women have made sacrifices that most of us cannot fathom. They left their homes, their schools, their families, and their friends to travel to far-away lands for a single purpose: the defense of freedom. On May 11, these exceptional men and women will be receiving honorary diplomas at this very special ceremony. They are: John L. Burden, Sr., who served in the Army from 1943 through 1945 and was stationed in Europe. Henderson Caudill, who served in the Navy from 1942 to 1965 and was stationed in both Europe and the Pacific. Everett Cole, who served in the Army and the Air Force from 1944 through 1946 and was stationed in the United States and the Philippines. Lorenzo Denson, Sr., who served in the Army from 1943 to 1945 and was stationed in the United States and Europe. LaMar G. Doutaz, who served in the Navy from 1943 to 1945 and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Doherty. Harry Thomas Falck, who served in the Army from 1945 to 1946, when he was stationed in Europe, and from 1950 to 1953, when he fought in the Korean War and was held as a Prisoner of War. Sam Fishman, who served in the Army from 1943 through 1946 and was stationed in the Philippines. Uell Flagg, who served in the Army from 1943 to 1945, when he was stationed in Europe, and from 1951 to 1955, when he fought in the Korean War with the Air Force. Louis E. Fox, who served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 and was stationed aboard the U.S.S. Sage. Wesley P. Gaunce, who served in the Marine Corps from 1942 to 1945 and was stationed in the Pacific. Ralph Grothjan, who served in the Army from 1950 to 1952 and fought in the Korean War. Robert H. Hale, who served in the Army from 1951 to 1953 and was stationed in Germany and Korea. Charles E. Hall, who served in the Army from 1952 through 1957 and was stationed in Korea. Andrea F. Hangbers, who served in the Army from 1979 through 1982 and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Carl C. Hess, who served in the Air Force from 1958 to 1959 and was stationed in Korea. James McGonigle, who served in the Marine Corps from 1967 through 1970 and was involved in the Vietnam War. Wilson W. Smith, who served in the Army from 1944 through 1946 and was stationed in Europe. David Thomas, who served in the Navy from 1943 to 1946 and was stationed in the Pacific. Also receiving honorary diplomas will be James Johnson and John Wilson, but they will be unable to attend the special ceremony. What these veterans have achieved in their lives is truly among the greatest feats in American history. Whether fighting against Nazi Germany, Imperialist Japan, or the communist forces in Korea and Vietnam, these brave men and women are to be commended for their strength, their commitment, and their patriotism. We owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. It is our responsibility to remember their courage, not just in ceremonies like the one being held on May 11, but everyday. They are Americans who have made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms that we so often take for granted. For that, and for the special recognition by Lakota East High School, I congratulate and thank them.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) mentioned, during the committee process certain numbers of Members did withhold amendments. We told them we would try, in fact, to work with them as we came to the floor. I would suggest to my colleague from California that we have worked together closely through the committee process, and as the Committee on Rules is doing the deliberations on the rule I would continue to work closely with the gentleman.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, today, it is my privilege to welcome Father Thomas Kuhn as our guest chaplain. Father Tom is currently pastor of the Church of the Incarnation in Centerville, Ohio, one of the largest Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Father Kuhn has been pastor at Incarnation since 1989. He is leading a delegation of some 75 8th graders from Incarnation School, which has won the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School award for excellence several times, most recently in 1999. A number of his students from Incarnation are with us this afternoon watching these proceedings from the Gallery. We want to welcome you. I am sure the gentleman from Dayton, Ohio (Mr. Hall) will join me in welcoming Father Kuhn and all of you to the Capitol today. Father Tom is the former principal of Cincinnati's Elder High School and the former assistant pastor of St. John's Church in West Chester, Ohio, and it was during that time that I came to know him, and he remains a great friend today. Please join me in welcoming Father Kuhn as our guest chaplain and the students of Incarnation School as they explore our Nation's Capitol.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 10. Improving retirement security is a top priority of this Congress as we work to secure America's future. Mr. Speaker, improving retirement security is not just about fixing Social Security. It is also about expanding access to private pension plans and making innovations that will maximize every American's opportunity for a safe and secure retirement. We are committed to strengthening the retirement security of workers and their families by expanding pension coverage and protecting their pensions and their retirement savings. Today, we take up a bill that will directly improve the retirement security of American workers. The Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act of 2001 makes retirement security more available to millions of workers by, one, expanding small business retirement plans, which cover 75 percent of the workforce; two, allowing workers to save more; three, addressing the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce through greater portability; four, making pensions more secure; and five, cutting the red tape that has hamstrung employers who want to establish pension plans for their employees. This legislation, introduced by my two colleagues, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), is truly bipartisan. They have done a great job for this House on this issue over 3 years now, and our committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, reported H.R. 10 by a bipartisan voice vote. In July 2000, the House passed a virtually identical bill, H.R. 1102, by a vote of 401 to 25. The committee has made every effort to maintain this bipartisan approach. Both this Congress and last, we have kept our Democrat counterparts and the administration fully informed as to procedural and substantive issues related to the bill. We have solicited their input and sought to accommodate their concerns. In addition, we have worked closely with our colleagues on the Committee on Ways and Means, and I want to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas) and his staff for their help and leadership in moving this bill to the floor. Rarely has such an ambitious piece of legislation earned such broad support. Today, about 175 Republicans and 130 Democrats are cosponsors of the bill. More than 100 groups have endorsed the bill, both businesses and unions, from AFSCME, the Teamsters, the Laborers International, and the NEA to the U.S. Chamber, the National Federation of Independent Business, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Benefits Council, and the American Council of Life Insurers. The bill contains 22 amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The important changes within our committee's jurisdiction include granting relief from excessive PBGC premiums for new small business plans; accelerating the vesting of workers' accounts; repealing and modifying a wide range of unnecessary and outdated rules and regulations; providing more frequent benefit statements to workers; requiring enhanced disclosure and other protections when future pension benefits are reduced, as in the case of conversion to cash balance accounts; and repealing the so-called full funding limit that arbitrarily limits defined benefit plan funding to a less than actuarially sound level. Pension reform is a critical issue for our Nation's increasingly mobile workforce, and it spans the generation gap. It concerns both younger workers, whose retirement security is most in doubt today, and older workers, the 76 million baby boomers who are now approaching retirement age. Whether you are an older worker, a member of Generation X or someone who falls in between, we all have a stake in this issue. Through passage of this bill, we can all take credit for making a real difference in the lives of our constituents. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, the motion to recommit deals with the issue of cash balance pension plans, which are a form of defined benefit pension plans that most of my colleagues on the Democrat side want. We have had this huge decline in defined benefit plans and a move toward defined contribution plans. And as a way to save defined benefit plans, they came up with this idea of a cash balance conversion. These are very, very good for younger workers. And I might also add that over 500 of these conversions have taken place. In almost every instance, the employer has in fact made all employees whole in the process. There were some mistakes early on, but they have been corrected. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) and I, during the last administration, worked with the Secretary of Labor, worked with the White House, and came to an agreement on this disclosure model contained in this bill. We should be very careful about the specific language in this motion to recommit that allows for choice, so that in the case of a cash balance conversion an employee could choose one or the other. This would require an employer to offer two separate plans. And they will do this: they will have no plan, or there will be no conversion and then no defined benefit plan. It is a very bad and dangerous idea, and we should reject this.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, let me salute the authors of this bill, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), who really have spent a great deal of time over the last 3 years building support and fine-tuning this legislation. They really have done very good work. I also want to thank my colleagues on my committee, both the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations; and most notably the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), who we have worked closely together with over the last 3 years as well. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) just pointed out, this is a very good bill that will help American workers. We do believe it will help employers who do not currently offer pensions; give them the ability and the flexibility and encouragement to offer pensions to their employees. Our goal ought to be to see that all American workers have access to high-quality pension and profit sharing plans. This bill is a major step in that direction. Let me also add to something the gentleman from New Jersey pointed out, and that is that the baby boomers are beginning to retire. Most do not have the kind of resources they need to get them through their retirement years. I think that the bill we are about to pass will, in fact, help baby boomers and younger workers begin to set aside more of their income so that when they get into their golden years, they will actually be able to have a happy and successful and productive retirement with the kind of financial security that they need in order to enjoy their retirement years. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Employer- Employee Relations.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Alcohol Awareness Month to recognize the Century Council and the distilled spirits industry for their latest efforts to fight drunk driving. On April 10, 2001, in a landmark announcement, the Century Council joined by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) announced that they will work together to help states implement comprehensive legislation to combat the devastating problem of drunk driving. America's leading distillers have had a long-standing commitment to fighting drunk driving and maintain that it is the responsibilities of the states to enact an appropriate blood alcohol concentration level. Launched in May of 1991, the Century Council is funded by America's leading distillers to promote responsible decision-making regarding alcohol consumption and to fight alcohol abuse, focusing on drunk driving and underage drinking problems. I am pleased to join President Bush and Secretary Mineta in commending the Century Council, the distilled spirits industry, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving for their lifesaving efforts.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, Nellie Irene Roop Franklin was born on a farm Southeast of Fort Recovery, Ohio, a farm that has been in the family since 1896. Nell graduated from Fort Recovery High School in 1934 and is married to Darrell Franklin. They will soon be celebrating 60 years of marriage. Nell and her husband attend the Fort Recovery Methodist Church. Nell began her career working for a beauty shop, where she continued to work until her retirement 40 years later. During this time she was elected to village council and then filled an unexpired term as Mayor. She was later re-elected and spent 19 years as Mayor of Fort Recovery. Following her retirement from the beauty business, she remained involved in local politics by working for the Mercer County Board of Elections. She spent 17 years serving as both Director and Deputy Director. She has a total of 16 years spent as Treasurer of the Mercer County Republican Central Committee and 10 years as the President of the Mercer County Republican Women's Organization. Nell attended two Republican National Conventions as a delegate and alternate delegate from the 8th Congressional District. Nell has never missed voting in an election since she was 21. Nell has received many awards for her community involvement including the Fort Recovery High School Distinguished Alumni Award given to her in 1997, the Service to Community Award presented to her by the Fort Recovery Masonic Lodge #539 in September of 2000, and the Mercer County Chamber of Commerce Achievement Award awarded to her in 1996. In addition, her name is listed in the Fort Recovery Hall of Fame. In both a professional and personal capacity, Nell has gone above and beyond in providing service to her community. Her hard work and dedication should serve as an example and an inspiration for us all. Every American should aspire to this kind of enthusiastic commitment to their community. I am proud to know and represent Nell Franklin in Congress--a hard-working woman who spent her life dedicating herself to the ideals that will help insure our country remains a great place to live with hope and opportunity for all.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Charter Schools Week, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 95. This weeklong celebration, which started yesterday and runs through Friday, is co-sponsored by more than seventy grassroots charter support organizations and is coordinated by the Charter Friends National Network. Although a relatively new phenomenon, charter schools have been at the cutting edge of educational reform for the past several years. In exchange for flexibility and freedom from regulations, charter schools are held accountable for improving the academic performance of their students. This newfound flexibility and freedom has not only translated into higher test scores, but also innovative practices. It has empowered parents with the ability to seek out the best education possible for their children. In fact, we have done our best to mirror these same principles of freedom, flexibility and accountability throughout the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in H.R. 1, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which we are marking up in committee tomorrow. Currently, 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have passed charter school laws and more than a half million students attend charter public schools nation-wide. My hope is that one day, in the not so distant future, every state will have passed a charter school law. That said, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate all the students, parents, teachers, principals and administrators who have embraced the charter school movement. I would also like to thank Mr. Tancredo, Mr. Keller, and Mr. Roemer for their efforts in bringing this important resolution to the House floor.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, at 78 years of age, Mr. J. Richard Harris remains an active member of the Piqua community. Dick is a Troy native and graduate of Troy High School. He served his country during World War II in the US Navy and saw active duty aboard the U.S.S. Bunker Hill and the U.S.S. Wasp. Upon his return to Ohio, he served on the Highway Patrol Auxiliary and worked for Waco Airplane Company in Troy before becoming advertising director and later publisher of the Piqua Daily Call. He also worked for the Piqua Battery Company for a number of years before opening a Development Office at the Lehman Catholic High School in the late 1980's. During his 12-year tenure at Lehman, he helped raise over $5.5 million in the Twenty-First Century capital campaign to benefit the school. He remains active with the Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce and founded the Piqua Ambassadors, a group dedicated to promoting the city of Piqua and its communities. He has served as a United Fund chairman and has continued his work with Border City Savings & Loan, the YWCA and the YMCA. In both a professional and personal capacity, Mr. Harris has gone above and beyond in providing service to his community. His hard work and dedication should serve as an example for us all. Every American should aspire to this kind of enthusiastic commitment to service. I am proud to know and represent a person like Dick Harris in Congress. A hard-working man who has spent his life striving to live up to the ideals that will help insure our country remains a great place to live with hope and opportunity for all.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, thank you for yielding. On behalf of us as individual Members, and even more importantly our offices, as Members go through the day all day long every day trying to find out when we are going to vote. All of our staff and all of us as Members talk to Joelle or others in the cloakroom on an ongoing basis from morning until late at night. As a Member who has been here for 10 years and on behalf of my staff who talks to her often, Joelle has been an invaluable asset to make our lives work, to make sure that we are here when we need to be here, and I know how much all of the staff across the street and all of the Members appreciate her worthwhile efforts.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?