John Boehner

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Iowa for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I am proud to stand before the House this morning in support of a budget blueprint that represents America's families and America's priorities. Our colleagues on the Committee on the Budget have presented us with a common sense plan to improve education, strengthen the economy, and secure America's future. It reflects President Bush's efforts to close the achievement gap in education between disadvantaged students and their peers, and to work with States to push America's schools to be the best in the world. Despite a decade of economic growth in the 1990s, the achievement gap between students, Anglo and minority, remains very wide. Washington has spent more than $130 billion since 1965 in a well-intentioned effort to close this gap. We spent more than $80 billion on that goal since 1990 alone; and, unfortunately, those efforts have not worked. Nearly 70 percent of inner city and rural fourth graders cannot read on a basic level, and low-income students lag behind their counterparts by an average of 20 percentile points on national assessment tests. The hard lesson of the last 35 years is that money alone cannot be the vehicle for change in our public schools. There must also be accountability. To ensure that Federal education dollars are being used effectively, we must ask States to assess student achievement in academics. One cannot correct a problem if one does not know that it exists; and for far too long, we have been spending Federal tax dollars in education without being able to track our students' progress and make certain that they are learning. The budget before us today provides a framework for the most important change in Federal education policy since President Johnson. It paves the way for us to rededicate the Federal role in education to helping students who might otherwise fall through the cracks. It provides the resources needed to implement a system of accountability so parents will be able to know whether their children are learning. This budget provides the resources necessary to accomplish these bold goals. It provides money to States to develop the test to track student performance each year, the centerpiece of the President's plan to leave no child behind. It targets resources to those who need it most by providing substantial funding for title I which provides aid to low- income students. Federal education funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the principle Federal law to aid disadvantaged students, is increased significantly. Funding for reading programs is tripled, increasing to $5 billion over 5 years. This program will help reduce the number of children placed in special-education classes simply because they have not learned to read, moving the Federal Government closer to its original promise of providing up to 40 percent of the average per-pupil expenditures in IDEA to the States. This budget also provides $2.6 billion for States to improve teacher quality through high-quality professional development, recruitment, and retention activities. It addresses other educational priorities as well in higher education. An additional $1 billion is included for Pell Grants, increasing the maximum award for all students to provide more need- based grant aid to low-income college students. Mr. Chairman, until we have a real system of accountability in place, it is truly unfair to our children to enact massive increases in Federal education spending beyond the reasonable steps outlined in this budget resolution. Spending without accountability is the approach that Washington has followed in the past; and as a tragic consequence, many children have been trapped in chronically failing schools and denied the opportunity to realize the American dream. This budget provides a framework that allows Republicans and Democrats to work together to close the achievement gap and to improve education quality and hope to our Nation's most disadvantaged students. I commend the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) for his leadership in crafting a budget that represents the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all Americans, particularly those of the next generation of American students.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce President George W. Bush's education plan, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This legislation, a comprehensive reauthorization of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, reflects President Bush's efforts to close the achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers and to work with States to push America's schools to be the best in the world. No Child Left Behind will refocus federal efforts to close the achievement gap by giving States and local schools greater flexibility in the use of Federal education dollars in exchange for greater accountability for results. The bill also includes a school choice ``safety valve'' for students trapped in chronically failing schools that fail to improve after three consecutive years of emergency aid. In short: H.R. 1 will give students a chance, parents a choice, and schools a charge to be the best in the world. Despite almost a decade of uninterrupted prosperity in the 1990s, nearly 70 percent of inner city and rural fourth-graders cannot read at a basic level, and low-income students lag behind their counterparts by an average of 20 percentile points on national assessment tests. The academic achievement gap between rich and poor, Anglo and minority remains wide, and in some cases is growing wider. Washington has spent more than $80 billion since 1990, and nearly $130 billion since 1965, in a well-intentioned but unsuccessful effort to close the gap. The hard lesson of the past is that money alone cannot be the vehicle for change in our schools. If our goal truly is to leave no child behind, there must be accountability for results. It is a tremendous honor to introduce the No Child Left Behind Act on behalf of President Bush. We look forward to working with members of all parties in the coming weeks to ensure that every American child has the opportunity to learn.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), the chairman of the OSHA subcommittee.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood).

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Flake).

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, this really is a historic day in the people's House. This is the first time that the Congressional Review Act of 1996 is actually working its way through Congress and for the first time in the 10-plus years that I have been a Member of Congress that the Congress has stood up to the bureaucracy. Yes, the gentleman from California is right, there are nine pages of regulations; but it took OSHA 600 pages to try to explain this to American businesses. And it would take any business owner in America a lawyer, a lawyer, to read through this to figure out exactly under what conditions the employer had to live by this regulation. Now, we have heard a lot of debate today about the fact there is only 1 hour that we are going to have this discussion today. Now, all of the Members who have been here, more than those who were just here the last month and a half, know that we have debated this issue for 10 years; and for the last 6 or 7 years we have voted, the Congress, every year, to stop this and told OSHA to go back and take a look at it because it is too broad, it is too complicated, and it is too excessive on American workers and the people that they work for. And what happened? The bureaucracy never listened. OSHA continued down their path of trying to shove this down the throats of the American people. This Congress today is standing up, finally, to the bureaucracy and saying, enough is enough; it is time to do something reasonable or not do it at all. Now, why do I get a little excited about this? Well, let us go back. Let us go back to October when Congress voted again to make sure that this study did not go into effect. Four days after the election, the Clinton administration and OSHA decided they were going to proceed with this regardless of what the Congress thought. Why 4 days after the election? So it could take effect 4 days before the new administration came to office. I do not think that is what the American people want. And I am proud of the fact that my colleagues today will stand up and tell the bureaucracy, enough is enough; that they are going to do things in a reasonable, responsible way or they will not do them at all. Who are the people who are most concerned about their workers in this country? It is American small businessmen and small businesswomen who know that their workforce is the heart and soul of their business. The chances for them to succeed are based on their workers and the relationship they have with their workers. They are the ones that are interested in them. We heard about the FedEx drivers with the bands around their waist, or the UPS drivers. Why do they wear that? Not because of OSHA. Because their employer wants to make sure that they keep them healthy and on the job. How about the Home Depot worker? Same kind of waist band, and Amazon.com, we see them running around. How about the people at the Kroeger store who stock the shelves? Those companies are there looking out for their workers, as all employers are. And for Kroeger, as an example, when it comes to the checkout person and the height of that table they operate from and that cash register, that is all designed to protect those workers. So I would ask all my colleagues today to stand up on this historic day and do what is right. Do what is right for American workers and do what is right for American business, and let us once and for all tell the bureaucracy here in Washington, enough is enough.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, just to keep the record straight, there is no doubt President Bush and Secretary Dole should be applauded for bringing up ergonomics in 1990, but there is absolutely no reason to suspect they would be for this rule. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Callahan). (Mr. CALLAHAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske), a surgeon in the House.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), chairman of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Mr BOEHNER

Mr BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the chief deputy whip of the House.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Ballenger).

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on S.J. Res. 6.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 79, I call up the Senate joint resolution (S.J. Res. 6) providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, relating to ergonomics, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring this matter of great importance to our economy to the floor of the House for debate. For the first time the House will act under the auspices of the Congressional Review Act of 1996. We do so because of the over-reaching ergonomics regulation finalized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration last November. The ergonomics regulation has long been the subject of much debate in this House. Yet despite the efforts of so many in Congress to get OSHA's attention about specific concerns with ergonomics regulations, the regulators have not listened. Well, contrary to the belief of many, Congress is neither a bit player nor an innocent bystander in the regulatory process. In considering this joint resolution, Congress will demonstrate that we do indeed read the fine print in the Code of Federal Regulations. Since the ergonomics regulation went into effect 4 days before the start of the new administration, I have heard from numerous companies and associations employing hundreds of thousands of workers. Each one has asked that the House pass a joint resolution of disapproval on this ergonomics regulation. And why is that? Not because they are anti-worker or opposed to safety and health protections in the workplace. Many of these employers already have their own well-established ergonomics programs in place. Now they find themselves confronted with an unworkable, excessive regulation that will create more problems than it solves. We will hear much today about the congressionally mandated National Academy of Sciences study on musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace. Let me make two important observations about that study. First, despite Congress' desires that OSHA wait until completion of the National Academy study before going forward with an ergonomics regulation, OSHA completed its ergonomics regulation without the benefit of the National Academy study. Secondly, while the study confirms that MSDs are a problem and there are ways to help alleviate them in the workplace, many of which are already being done by employers, the National Academy of Sciences study does not offer an opinion or endorsement of this ergonomics rule. Again, no one is opposed to providing appropriate ergonomics protections in the workplace. The Secretary of Labor has indicated her intent to pursue a comprehensive approach to ergonomics protections. I look forward to working with her and my colleagues on such an effort. But this ergonomics rule that we are debating today cannot stand, and I strongly urge my colleagues to support the resolution of disapproval. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Rule XI, Clause 2 of the Rules of the House of Representatives, I respectfully submit the rules for the 107th Congress for the Committee on Education and the Workforce for publication in the Congressional Record. The Rules of the Committee on Education and the Workforce for the 107th Congress rule 1. regular, additional and special meetings: vice-chairman (a) Regular meetings of the committee shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., while the House is in session. When the Chairman believes that the committee will not be considering any bill or resolution before the committee and that there is no other business to be transacted at a regular meeting, he will give each member of the committee, as far in advance of the day of the regular meeting as the circumstances make practicable, a written notice to that effect; and no committee meeting shall be held on that day. (b) The Chairman may call and convene, as he considers necessary, additional meetings of the committee for the consideration of any bill or resolution pending before the committee or for the conduct of other committee business. The committee shall meet for such purposes pursuant to that call of the Chairman. (c) If at least three members of the committee desire that a special meeting of the committee be called by the Chairman, those members may file in the offices of the committee their written request to the Chairman for that special meeting. Immediately upon the filing of the request, the staff director of the committee shall notify the Chairman of the filing of the request. If, within three calendar days after the filing of the request, the Chairman does not call the requested special meeting to be held within seven calendar days after the filing of the request, a majority of the members of the committee may file in the offices of the committee their written notice that a special meeting of the committee will be held, specifying the date and hour thereof, and the measure or matter to be considered at that special meeting. The committee shall meet on that date and hour. Immediately upon the filing of the notice, the staff director of the committee shall notify all members of the committee that such meeting will be held and inform them of its date and hour and the measure or matter to be considered; and only the measure or matter specified in that notice may be considered at that special meeting. (d) All legislative meetings of the committee and its subcommittees shall be open to the public, including radio, television and still photography coverage. No business meeting of the committee, other than regularly scheduled meetings, may be held without each member being given reasonable notice. Such meeting shall be called to order and presided over by the Chairman, or in the absence of the Chairman, by the vice-chairman, or the Chairman's designee. (e) The Chairman of the committee or of a subcommittee, as appropriate, shall preside at meetings or hearings, or, in the absence of the Chairman, the vice-chairman, or the Chairman's designee shall preside. rule 2. questioning of witnesses (a) Subject to clauses (b) and (c), committee members may question witnesses only when they have been recognized by the Chairman for that purpose, and only for a 5-minute period until all members present have had an opportunity to question a witness. The questioning of witnesses in both committee and subcommittee hearings shall be initiated by the Chairman, followed by the ranking minority party member and all other members alternating between the majority and minority party in order of the member's appearance at the hearing. In recognizing members to question witnesses in this fashion, the Chairman shall take into consideration the ratio of the majority to minority party members present and shall establish the order of recognition for questioning in such a manner as not to place the members of the majority party in a disadvantageous position. (b) The Chairman may permit a specified number of members to question a witness for longer than five minutes. The time for extended questioning of a witness under this clause shall be equal for the majority party and the minority party and may not exceed one hour in the aggregate. (c) The Chairman may permit committee staff for the majority and the minority party members to question a witness for equal specified periods. The time for extended questioning of a witness under this clause shall be equal for the majority party and the minority party and may not exceed one hour in the aggregate. rule 3. records and rollcalls (a) Written records shall be kept of the proceedings of the committee and of each subcommittee, including a record of the votes on any question on which a rollcall is demanded. The result of each such rollcall vote shall be made available by the committee or subcommittee for inspection by the public at reasonable times in the offices of the committee or subcommittee. Information so available for public inspection shall include a description of the amendment, motion, order, or other proposition and the name of each member voting for and each member voting against such amendment, motion, order, or proposition, and the names of those members present but not voting. A record vote may be demanded by one-fifth of the members present or, in the apparent absence of a quorum, by any one member. (b) In accordance with Rule VII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, any official permanent record of the committee (including any record of a legislative, oversight, or other activity of the committee or any subcommittee) shall be made available for public use if such record has been in existence for 30 years, except that-- (1) any record that the committee (or a subcommittee) makes available for public use before such record is delivered to the Archivist under clause 2 of Rule VII of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall be made available immediately, including any record described in subsection (a) of this Rule; (2) any investigative record that contains personal data relating to a specific living individual (the disclosure of which would be an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy), any administrative record with respect to personnel, and any record with respect to a hearing closed pursuant to clause 2(g)(2) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of Representatives shall be available if such record has been in existence for 50 years; or (3) except as otherwise provided by order of the House, any record of the committee for which a time, schedule, or condition for availability is specified by order of the committee (entered during the Congress in which the record is made or acquired by the committee) shall be made available in accordance with the order of the committee. (c) The official permanent records of the committee include noncurrent records of the committee (including subcommittees) delivered by the Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Archivist of the United States for preservation at the National Archives and Records Administration, which are the property of and remain subject to the rules and orders of the House of Representatives. (d)(1) Any order of the committee with respect to any matter described in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be adopted only if the notice requirements of committee Rule 18(c) have been met, a quorum consisting of a majority of the members of the committee is present at the time of the vote, and a majority of those present and voting approve the adoption of the order, which shall be submitted to the Clerk of the House of Representatives; together with any accompanying report. (2) This subsection applies to any order of the committee which-- (A) provides for the non-availability of any record subject to subsection (b) of this rule for a period longer than the period otherwise applicable; or (B) is subsequent to, and constitutes a later order under clause 4(b) of Rule VII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, regarding a determination of the Clerk of the House of Representatives with respect to authorizing the Archivist of the United States to make available for public use the records delivered to the Archivist under clause 2 of Rule VII of the Rules of the House of Representatives; or (C) specifies a time, schedule, or condition for availability pursuant to subsection (b)(3) of this Rule.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of House Resolution 28, which recognizes and honors the contributions of Catholic schools in the United States. Our Nation's Catholic schools have a long tradition of academic excellence, and I am pleased to join in recognizing them today. As this new Congress begins, it is fitting that we are focusing on the impact and the important role that Catholic schools play in providing a well-rounded education for America's young people; one that gives special attention to the academic, moral, and social development of our children. One of the top priorities for the Committee on Education and the Workforce will be to reauthorize this year the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provide benefits to both public and private schools. Across our country, many Catholic schools participate in many programs and activities assisted by these funds. Last year, Catholic schools around the country enrolled more than 2.6 million children in more than 8,000 Catholic schools across the country. The student-teacher ratio in most Catholic schools is 17-to-1, and more than 24 percent of their students come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Mr. Speaker, 95 percent of Catholic school students graduate; and 83 percent of their high school graduates go on to pursue a higher education. It stands to reason that if it were not for our Nation's Catholic schools, and the dedicated teachers who serve them, the achievement gap between the disadvantaged students in our society and their peers would be even wider. Moreover, I would point out that of the total students enrolled in Catholic schools, about 13 percent are not of the Catholic faith. These students come from a wide variety of faiths and have chosen to attend a Catholic school. I think that it speaks to the mission and success of Catholic educators to reach out to all students and their parents who are seeking the best possible education for their children, especially for inner-city schools in which the majority of students enrolled are non-Catholic. Mr. Speaker, I can attest to the outstanding contributions, dedication, and accomplishments of Catholic schools, because I and my 11 brothers and sisters are products of Catholic schools in Ohio. I attended St. Peter and Paul Elementary School in Reading, Ohio and Archbishop Moeller High School in the Cincinnati suburbs. I then went on to attend and graduate from Xavier University. Catholic schools have made a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students in my State and around the country. Outstanding schools such as Archbishop Fenwick High School in Middletown, Ohio; Stephen T. Badin High School in Hamilton, Ohio; and Sidney Lehman High School in Sidney, Ohio; and countless Catholic elementary schools throughout my district, they have shaped the lives of countless students and continue to make a profound contribution on our communities. I am proud of how these and all Catholic schools emphasize intellectual, spiritual, moral and social values and produce well- rounded citizens. Catholic schools have found a way to teach students not only academic knowledge, but also real-life lessons in service to mankind and respect for one's neighbors. This resolution is very simple. We want to rightly honor and congratulate Catholic schools, students, parents, and teachers for their ongoing contributions to education and for the key role they play in promoting and ensuring a brighter and stronger future for this Nation. I want to commend the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) for his leadership in sponsoring this legislation and urge my colleagues to vote in support of it.

Mr. BOEHNER

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

Mr. BOEHNER. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding and thank all the members of the Committee on Ways and Means, especially the chairman, for moving this piece of legislation. This was, in fact, an oversight that was affecting thousands of businesses if not more across the country. I know a number of people in my district, small- business people, have asked to have this corrected. I am glad that we are, in fact, doing it. Let me add to the chorus of remarks to my good friend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer). The gentleman from Texas and I have worked very closely together during the years that I served in the Republican leadership and as the gentleman from Texas was the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. I do not think one could find a more dedicated public servant, someone who believed in reforming the Tax Code and worked hard on behalf of not only his constituents but taxpayers all across the country. After 30 years in the Congress, he deserves a little rest. He has been a pleasure to work with and I think a model Member of this body. I wish him well in his retirement.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Bob Murphy, publisher of the Hamilton Journal-News, of Hamilton, Ohio, the largest newspaper in my District. For more than four decades, Bob has been in the business of keeping citizens informed about what's happening in their community, country, and the world around them. He has been in the newspaper business for more than 42 years and has been publisher of the Journal-News since January 1, 1994. Before that, he was publisher of the Middletown Journal, another newspaper in the 8th District, from October 1981 through December 1993, when he was appointed to his current post. Before coming to Middletown in 1981, Bob had been publisher of the Times-West Virginian in Fairmont, West Virginia, for three years. Before that, he had been general manager of the Dominion-Post in Morgantown, West Virginia, for six years. Bob started in the newspaper business in the late 1950s in his hometown, Bayonne, New Jersey, with the Bayonne Times. He worked there for 13 years, seven of them as vice president and general manager. Educated in local schools in Bayonne, Bob went on to Cornell University on a Teagle Scholarship. He graduated with a degree in economics and later received an MBA in personnel administration from New York University. He served in the Army for two years, most of that time in Munich, Germany, with the Counter Intelligence Corps. Bob and his wife, Mary Jane, have six children. I have known Bob Murphy for a long time. You always know where you stand with him--a trait that has won my respect and that of countless others during his long career. Bob's commitment to bringing the news accurately, fairly, and comprehensively is reflected in the legacy of success he leaves behind. I am honored to stand before the House today to pay tribute to Bob Murphy as our community says thanks and bids good luck to a dedicated public servant.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I find it unfortunate that we are having the type of debate here on the floor today that we are, because the fact is that 96 percent of the words in the bill that we are considering have already been voted on in the House and been passed overwhelmingly in a bipartisan way, and for the gentleman from Texas to refer to the fact that there is no marriage penalty relief in here, nor any estate tax relief in here, is the height of hypocrisy, given the fact that the President of the United States decided to veto both of those bills. But, Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this conference report, and especially the inclusion of the Retirement Savings and Pension Coverage Act, based extensively on a bipartisan package of reforms developed by my friend, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman), and my colleague from the other side of the aisle, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin). I think this is practical common sense legislation that will lead to a safer, more secure and more prosperous retirement for millions of American working men and women. ERISA is the source of our Nation's pension laws, and it was passed 25 years ago when the American economy was dominated by large corporations and most Americans relied on pensions from those corporations for their retirement. Well, today we are a Nation of small employers and individual investors. Nearly one out of every two American families has invested in the stock market, more than three times the percentage 25 years ago. This bill today helps workers maximize their retirement opportunities by expanding small business retirement plans, allowing workers to save and invest more, and cutting the red tape that has hamstrung employers who want to establish pension plans for their employees. The basis for these pension reforms in this conference report is H.R. 1102. It was reported out of the Committee on Education and the Workforce on July 14, 1999, on a bipartisan voice vote; and we believe on a bipartisan basis this is a very good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4541, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act, which provides for the deregulation and modernization of the U.S. futures industry. It also reforms the antiquated Shad-Johnson accord to allow U.S. futures exchanges to trade single stock futures. Finally, the bill provides legal certainty for the $90 trillion financial derivatives industry that really has become critical to the operation of American finance and industry. This important legislation was negotiated between the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, and the Committee on Commerce to provide real reform. It places our financial industry on solid ground for the highly competitive future. Without it, many of these important financial products will move overseas, threatening the growth of the American economy. I especially want to compliment my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing), who worked tirelessly on this bill. The gentleman from Illinois is retiring this year, and his leadership on this issue will be sorely missed. I think this landmark legislation is a compliment to his years of service as a legislator. I also want to congratulate all of the chairmen of the relevant committees, the three committees and subcommittees, and their ranking members for their efforts in bringing this bill together so it can be on the floor today. The Commodity Futures Modernization Act is right for our economy and it is right for our financial industry. I am proud to lend my support to this important bill.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I support and urge my colleagues to support the Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002 (H.R. 4205) which contains an important provision to the friends, relatives, and military colleagues of William H. Pitsenbarger. The provision permits the Medal of Honor to be awarded posthumously to Airman First Class William H. Pitsenbarger, a pararescue crew member from Piqua, a town in my district. He was killed in a military operation assisting in the rescue of Army personnel who were severely out numbered and surrounded by Vietcong troops near Cam My, Republic of Vietnam on April 11, 1966. I have included a short article describing his heroic action from the Air Force Association magazine, Valor, published in October 1983. `That Others May Live' (By John L. Frisbee) A1C Bill Pitsenbarger knew the risks involved when he volunteered to drop into the midst of a jungle firefight. By April 1966, 21-year-old A1C William H. Pitsenbarger, then in the final months of his enlistment, had seen more action than many a 30-year veteran. Young Pitsenbarger had gone through long and arduous training for duty as a pararescue medic with the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service and had completed more than 300 rescue missions in Vietnam, many of them under heavy enemy fire. He wore the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters; recommendations for four more were pending. A few days earlier, he had ridden a chopper winch line into a minefield to save a wounded ARVN soldier. His service with ARRS convinced Pitsenbarger that he wanted a career as a medical technician. He had applied to Arizona State University for admission in the fall. But that was months away. He had a job to do in Vietnam and, as rescue pilot Capt. Dale Potter said, Pitsenbarger ``was always willing to get into the thick of the action where he could be the most help.'' On April 11 at 3 p.m., while Pitsenbarger was off duty, a call for help came into his unit, Detachment 6, 38th ARR Squadron at Bien Hoa. elements of the Army's 1st Infantry Division were surrounded by enemy of forces near Cam My, a few miles east of Saigon, in thick jungle with the tree canopies reaching up to 150 feet. The only way to get the wounded out was with hoist-quipped helicopters. Pitsenbarger asked to go with one of the two HH-43 Huskies scrambled on this hazardous mission. Half an hour later, both choppers found an area where they could hover and lower a winch line to the surrounded troops. Pitsenbarger volunteered to go down the line, administer emergency treatment to the most seriously wounded, and explain how to use the Stokes litter that would hoist casualties up to the chopper. It was standard procedure for a pararescue medic to stay down only long enough to organize the rescue effort Pitsenbarger decided, on his own, to remain with the wounded. In the next hour and a half, the HH-43s came in five times, evacuating nine wounded soldiers. On the sixth attempt, Pitsenbarger's Huskie was hit hard, forced to cut the hoist line, and pull out for an emergency landing at the nearest strip. Intense enemy fire and friendly artillery called in by the Army made it impossible for the second chopper to return. Heavy automatic weapons and mortar fire was coming in one the Army defenders from all sides while Pitsenbarger continued to care for the wounded. In case one of the Huskies made it in again, he climbed a tree to recover the Stokes litter that his pilot had jettisoned. When the C Company commander, the unit Pitsenbarger was with, decided to move to another area, Pitsenbarger cut saplings to make stretchers for the wounded. As they started to move out, the company was attacked and overrun by a large enemy formation. By this time, the few Army troops able to return fire were running out of ammunition. Pitsenbarger gave his pistol to a soldier who was unable to hold a rifle. With complete disregard for his own safety, he scrambled around the defended area, collecting rifles and ammunition from the dead and distributing them to the men still able to fight. It had been about two hours since the HH-43s were driven off. Pitsenbarger had done all he could to treat the wounded, prepare for a retreat to safer ground, and rearm his Army comrades. He then gathered several magazines of ammunition, lay down beside wounded Army Sgt. Fred Navarro, one of the C Company survivors who later described Pitsenbarger's heroic actions, and begin firing at the enemy. Fifteen minutes later, as an eerie darkness fell beneath the triple-canopy jungle, Pitsenbarger was hit and mortally wounded. The next morning, when Army reinforcements reached the C Company survivors, a helicopter crew brought Pitsenbarger's body out of the jungle. Of the 180 men with whom he fought his last battle, only 14 were uninjured. William H. Pitsenbarger was the first airman to be awarded the Air Force Cross posthumously. The Air Force Sergeants Association presents an annual award for valor in his honor. The Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service is legendary for heroism in peace and war. No one better exemplifies its motto. ``That Others May Live.'' tan Bill Pitsenbarger. He descended voluntarily into the hell of a jungle firefight with valor as his only shield--and valor was his epitaph. Bill Pitsenbarger showed honor in a time of tremendous pressure. He put other lives before his own. He put his country before his self- interest and he proved that America would remain the land of the free and fight for the freedom of others by showing it was still the land of the brave. The town of Piqua still holds enormous pride for Bill Pitsenbarger and the community as well as Pitsenbarger's colleagues and friends wholeheartedly join me in supporting the award of the Medical of Honor. Pitsenbarger's heroism is well known in the Air Force. In fact, the Air Force Sergeants Association has named its award for heroism after him. More than a dozen other military and civilian buildings, organizations and monuments around the world that have been named in his honor. I have worked with numerous organizations and individuals in researching and investigating the Pitsenbarger record. On behalf of these supporters, I submitted to Air Force Secretary Whitten Peters in March 1999 a package of materials to upgrade Pitsenbarger's award to the Medal of Honor. In the past 18 months. Pitsenbarger's file has been reviewed by Pentagon officials including the Secretary of the Air Force, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, The Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Defense. They have recommended posthumously awarding him the Medal of Honor. I believe this Medal of Honor is long overdue. My fellow Ohioans, Pitsenbarger's colleagues and Air Force enlisted personnel join me in the belief that this finally corrects the injustice and gives Mr. Pitsenbarger the recognition that he so deeply deserves.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Peterson) for yielding. Mr. Speaker, let me join with my colleagues in thanking Bill Goodling for having the honor to have served with him, in my case, for 10 years, but for his service in the House for 26 years. Bill's background as an educator for 20 years, as we have heard, brought him to this Chamber with a wealth of experience. He had seen a lot of programs out of Washington, some that worked, many that did not, and brought that knowledge and that background in working with parents and teachers at the local level here to Washington. And over the 10 years that I have been here, I do not think there is any Member of Congress, not of the 435 that are here today, or the hundreds that have come and gone in just my short tenure, who have cared and delivered more on the issue of education than Bill Goodling. It really is his passion. And we have heard much about that this morning, but knowing Bill Goodling for the years that I spent on the committee with him, what a lot of people do not realize is that his interest in music is far beyond superficial. Not only is he part of a singing group, and has been here in town for some 20 years-plus, but he is known for waking up his neighbors and keeping the janitorial staff awake at night as he is playing his piano that he keeps in his office. Mr. Speaker, I think all of us here are going to regret his leaving and his decision to retire. I can say as someone who spent an awful lot of time with him in an awful lot of battles, I would want him on my side every time.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dr. Kent Vosler. On September 16, 2000 Dr. Vosler will be admitted into the Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In addition to his contribution to the Buckeye Diving team, Kent was also on the 1976 Montreal Olympic team. Kent is one of a long list of great Ohio State divers. His accomplishments at Ohio State were many. He was a four time NCAA All- American and a four time Ohio State Scholar Athlete. While a senior in high school he won gold medals in 1 meter diving and in 10 meter platform diving at the national age group championships, and was coached at various times by Ohio State Hall of Famers Ron O'Brien, Vince Panzano and Hobie Billingsley. He later won four National AAU diving championships, was a member of the 1975 Pan American Games American team, and the 1976 Olympic team. Kent was born December 6, 1955 in Dayton, Ohio but he now considers Eaton, Ohio, in the heart of Ohio's 8th Congressional District his home. He is the only Olympian to ever hail from Preble County, Ohio. All of Ohio is proud of Kent and I congratulate him on his many accomplishments.

Mr. BOEHNER

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in commemoration of The National Safety Council's announcement that AK Steel Chairman and CEO Dick Wardrop Jr. has been selected as the inaugural recipient of its Green Cross for Safety Medallion. The National Safety Council is a non- government, non-profit international membership organization dedicated to promoting safety, health, and environment quality in the nation's workplaces. Their award is presented annually to the American corporate leader who has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to workplace safety and corporate citizenship. NSC President and CEO Gerald Scannell recognized AK Steel as one of the nation's leaders in creating and maintaining a safety culture throughout the company; as well as communicating its commitment to safety to its shareholders and the public, and making safety a core value within the AK Steel organization. Forbes Magazine, in its January 11, 1999 issue, named Dick Wardrop to its ``Platinum List'' for leadership in steering AK Steel to its position as the best-performing company in the metals industry. AK Steel has also been named to the Fortune 500 list, Fortune Most Admired Companies list, Industry Week's 100 Best Managed Companies in the World list and the Cleveland Plain Dealer 100. Wardrop joined AK Steel in 1992 and was instrumental in turning the troubled firm, then known as Armco Steel Company, L.P. into one of the country's most successful steel companies. AK Steel has led the steel industry in operating profit per ton, a key industry measurement, for more than six consecutive years. Since 1992, AK Steel's financial performance has been as much as four times higher than the industry average. AK steel could not have reached such a high standard without the dynamic leadership and personal commitment to being ``first in safety,'' the consistent message of the company's top officer, Mr. Wardrop. In addition to his zero injury and injury prevention policy, Mr. Wardrop has led AK Steel as the nation's leader in quality of life for its plant environment and corporate grants and donations to the community. AK Steel has its headquarters in Middletown, Ohio and has about 11,000 employees in plants and offices in Middletown, Coshocton, Mansfield, Warren and Zanesville, Ohio: Ashland, Kentucky; Rockport, Indiana; and Butler, Sharon and Wheatland, Pennsylvania. Mr. Dick Wardrop Jr. is a true leader whose 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 Mr. Wardrop and AK Steel Congress. As Mr. Scannell said, ``Dick Wardrop has set an extremely high standard of corporate citizenship against which all future nominees will be judged.''