Tammy Baldwin

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I, like many of my colleagues, have spent a great deal of time talking and listening to my constituents on the issue of granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations for China. I have heard from a wide range of voices. These voices represent America's broadly based interests, reflecting our democratic values, like free speech, freedom of religion, the right to privacy, and the right to organize. I have heard from workers in my district who fear they would lose their jobs to China. I have heard from environmental activities who are angry that China has made no attempt to adhere to environmental standards. And I have heard from many constituencies who are deeply troubled by the religious, political, and human rights oppression China has continued to engage in. Veterans have approached me with their concerns about the well-documented violations of human rights. Religious groups and individuals have called and written about China's lack of true religious freedom. Women activists are outraged by the forced abortions that continue in China. Students at the University of Wisconsin oppose the forced labor and inhumane working conditions that continue to plague Chinese workers. After listening to the broad range of my constituents's concerns, I cannot in good conscience vote to grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations and put profit over labor, environmental and human rights. China has violated every trade agreement over the past twenty years and Chinese officials are already backing away from commitments they made only months ago. I believe we must broaden our policy of engagement with China and restore the link between human rights and trade.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Chairman, I wish to lend my voice in support of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), H.R. 701. My district is one of the most beautiful places in the Nation. In fact, protecting the beauty of Wisconsin and the nation is what prompted former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson to come up with the concept of Earth Day 30 years ago. My district also has some of the most productive farmland in the Nation. But this fertile soil, and the family farms that are the backbone of Wisconsin's rural economy, are being overrun by development and sprawl. CARA will provide needed funding to protect these valuable and beautiful areas. Protection of these lands is paramount, for once the land is lost to development, it is very difficult to restore to its natural state. But this bipartisan bill does more than just protect open spaces and farmland. It is a wide ranging measure that will help states improve and maintain parks and recreational areas. It will provide much needed funding for historic preservation and it will help keep plant and animal species from becoming endangered. This bill will provide Wisconsin with over $25 million every year until the year 2015 for these and other vital conservation efforts. The time is now to protect our natural resources for future generations. I understand there are concerns from some that this bill may inadvertently increase exploration and drilling offshore for more oil and gas. I share these concerns, and I agree that this is not a perfect bill. However, this bill does go a long way in protecting, preserving and securing a wide range of public lands and addresses many vital conservation needs. Today, we can seize the opportunity to save America's amazing beauty for generations to come by passing this bill. I hope we will do so.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Chairman, I am in opposition to H.R. 3709, the Internet Nondiscrimination Act. This legislation extends the moratorium on State and local internet access taxes as well as on so-called ``multiple and discriminatory taxes'' imposed on internet transactions, subject to a grandfather on taxes of this nature imposed prior to 1998. I believe the current moratorium is good public policy. Internet commerce is an infant industry with huge potential growth and benefits. With numerous taxing jurisdictions, the practicalities of taxation of internet sales require extensive study and careful consideration. We need to ensure that internet commerce is not unduly burdened by the complexities of local taxing jurisdictions. Thus, the current moratorium, which does not expire until October 21, 2001, provides an appropriate period in which to examine this issue carefully. I am concerned, however, about a 5-year extension of the moratorium until 2006. The current disparate tax treatment between traditional ``bricks and mortar'' retailers and remote sellers has the potential to significantly harm existing retailers. Internet business ultimately should be competing with traditional businesses on an equal footing. An extended moratorium provides an advantage to internet commerce by, in effect, exempting those companies from sales and other state and local taxes. This advantage should not continue indefinitely. I am also concerned about the impact on state and local government revenues. Sales taxes are a significant source of revenue for many state and local governments. As internet sales expand at the expense of traditional retail sales, there could be significant revenue reductions to States. Congress should not simply create this problem for the States and then leave them to solve it. States collect more than 49 percent of their revenue from sales taxes, according to the Census Bureau. I fear this legislation could have a damaging impact on critical service such as police and safety, health, and education. Congress needs to work with the states to address this important issue. Let me be clear. I do not support discriminatory taxes on internet access. E-commerce should be treated in the same manner as traditional sales and services. Continuation of the internet tax moratorium beyond October 2001 is appropriate. I supported the Delahunt/Thune Amendment which would have extended the moratorium for an additional two years until October 2003. I believe that a two year extension is far wiser public policy than a five year extension or a permanent ban. I wish the House had seen fit to amend the bill with a two year limit. By 2003, the States could build on the very serious steps they have already taken to reform and simplify their tax laws. Congress could then consider whether we should approve any interstate compact that addresses the simplification issue. If the States were not making any progress by 2003, it would be a simple matter to extend the moratorium for an additional period of time. Mr. Chairman, I do not believe a five year moratorium is sound public policy. I urge my colleagues to defeat this legislation. The next Congress will have ample time to extend the current moratorium for 2 additional years.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, I pay tribute to the Reedsburg Area High School students and staff for their fantastic contributions in order to improve their environment, enrich their community, and celebrate Earth Day. This year's Earth Day will be the ninth that the Reedsburg Area High School students and staff celebrate by volunteering their time. In previous years they have worked to maintain trails, clean and restore wilderness areas, and plant thousands of trees. With this tireless volunteer work they are making Wisconsin a better place for every citizen. The students and staff at Reedsburg Area High School are also very special because of the amazing manner in which they celebrate Earth Day each year. As the Reedsburg students recently said to me in a letter, they are not ``just another high school planting a tree.'' The entire high school, including over 900 students and staff work together on this day. They also branch out to other communities. This year they will send an astounding 26 work crews to different locations surrounding the Reedsburg area! Americans are increasingly learning the benefits of youth service and focusing that work in the preservation of our environment. The students and staff of Reedsburg Area High School are pioneers in an effort that engages and empowers young people while connecting them with adults that provide education and guidance. It is an effort that views young people as assets and resources to their community. They are setting an impressive example for all people, young and old, across Wisconsin and the nation.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team for their outstanding season and their advancement last weekend to the NCAA Final Four. The Badgers demonstrated outstanding teamwork and sportsmanship at the Final Four. Not since 1941 have the Badgers advanced so far in the NCAA tournament. While they may not have scored more points than Michigan State, they played with heart and spirit. In doing so, they proved to everyone that they have what it takes to win a National Championship in the future. I applaud Dick Bennett and this exemplary team for an amazing season and a truly monumental tournament. The Badgers are a clear illustration that perseverance, determination, and hard work can take you to great places. The games over the past season have brought together the University of Wisconsin, evoked strong school spirit, and shown to everyone how thrilling it is to be a Badger! It has been an outstanding year for the Badgers and as an alumna it is exciting to be a part of something so special. I commend the basketball team and look forward to many exciting seasons to come!

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate the University of Wisconsin women's basketball team for their outstanding season which recently culminated in their WNIT Championship victory. The Badgers, led by Coach Jane Albright, advanced to the WNIT Championship for the second year in a row. However, this time their persistence was rewarded when they defeated Florida by a score of 75-74 and won the Championship! The Badgers started the tournament by defeating both Fairfield and DePaul. They then went on to the third round and easily handled rival Michigan State. With three solid victories in hand, the Badgers could see the WNIT Championship in sight and did not look back. The team then advanced to the semifinals and dominated Colorado State through the entire game. In the Final, the Badgers were in championship form and pushed through to beat Florida and take home the WNIT Championship Title! The Badgers are a role model for teamwork. The challenges they overcame would be difficult in the best of circumstances, but they overcame those challenges and achieved their goals in the high pressure atmosphere of the WNIT Tournament! I commend Coach Albright and the entire team for their exemplary performance. They represent well both the University of Wisconsin and the city of Madison. I would like to thank them for a very exciting season and congratulate them on their victory.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, in 1973, the Supreme Court held that women have a constitutional right to choose an abortion. That decision, Roe v. Wade, was carefully written to hold the rights of women in America paramount in reproductive decisions. This decision and those that followed have held that women have a constitutional right to choose an abortion. But, after fetal viabilities, States could ban abortions as long as they allowed exceptions for cases in which a woman's life or health is endangered. In essence, Roe v. Wade says that women matter, that women have the right to decide whether and when to have children, and that women shall not be forced to give their lives or sacrifice their health to carry a child. It also says that these choices are private, that they are to be made by a woman in consultation with her physician, her family, and whomever else she chooses to consult for counsel. Government has no place in this most private decision. The legislation before us today is in direct contravention of the court's ruling. It does not ban post-viability abortions as its sponsors have claimed. It bans abortion procedures regardless of how far along in a woman's pregnancy the decision occurs. This legislation as drafted does not provide an exception to preserve the health of a mother as required by law. Let there be no doubt about it, this legislation is nothing but a political issue. This legislation does nothing to end post-viability abortions as our alternative would. And it does nothing to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to make abortion rarer in the United States. Voters in Colorado, Washington, and Maine have recognized this and defeated similar bans on the ballot. And of the 30 States that have enacted legislation similar to the one before us today, 21 have been challenged in court and 19 of those challenges have been either partially or fully enjoined while their constitutionality is considered. While I am not willing to concede that this legislation describes a medical procedure that any doctor in this land would recognize, it is important to note that the graphic images being shown and described do not reflect the real life stories of families who have needed this procedure either to save the life or to preserve the health of the mother. As I hear stories from these women who courageously are willing to speak about this most personal decision, when they are willing to talk about the abortion and the medical care they received during crisis pregnancies, I am struck by a common remark these women have made, that these scenarios being described by proponents of the bill are not about them and their families, that they do not represent their cases. The women I have spoken to wanted nothing more than to have a child and were devastated to learn that their babies could not survive outside the womb. They made difficult decisions with their doctors and families to terminate pregnancies, to preserve their own health and in many cases their ability to try to have a child again.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the University of Wisconsin basketball team for their outstanding season which was recently gloriously culminated with their trip to the Final Four! The Badgers capped their NCAA tournament bid with astounding victories over Fresno State, Arizona, LSU, and Purdue. This is the first time since 1941 that the Badgers have been to the Final four. Not only have they shocked the world of college basketball, but they have also illustrated that we should never count out a victory when there is an amazing combination of both talent and heart. The Badgers have had an exceptional season which I hope is the beginning of a lasting legacy. I congratulate both Coach Bennett and the team on an outstanding start to such a fulfilling goal. These NCAA Tournament games have illustrated that they have what it takes to be successful for years to come. The entire Badger's team along with coach Bennett won a birth to the Final Four because they have the spirit that makes every University of Wisconsin student proud to be a Badger. I commend their exemplary performance for both the University and the entire State of Wisconsin. I would like to thank them for giving us such an exciting season and congratulate them on their monumental success. Most important, I would like to wish them luck in their quest to win a National Championship. They should be assured that myself and the entire State of Wisconsin will be rooting for them this weekend.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3908, the FY 2000 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. Since coming to Congress last year, I have been determined to carefully review federal spending to ensure we spend our taxpayers money efficiently and effectively. Our Nation has many needs and our government can do much to address these problems. Using our resources wisely is very important. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I have been fortunate enough to be able to focus on our federal budget and our priorities. Although not perfect, our budget and appropriations process allows for orderly consideration of spending requests. When unexpected expenditures are necessary, we have the flexibility to pass emergency supplemental appropriations bills. However, this process is for true emergencies, not for readily predictable expenditures that can be incorporated into the annual appropriations process. I don't understand why we are here today considering a bill that would spend more than $13 billion. We do not have $13 billion in emergency spending needs. Most of the money we are spending in this bill is not in response to real emergencies. These initiatives should be considered as part of the normal appropriations process. Is $1.7 billion in military assistance for Colombia to fight the drug war and its insurgency an emergency? Is $4.0 billion in military maintenance, health care coverage for our soldiers, and housing upgrades an emergency? Is $75 million for upgrades to the space shuttle and hiring of 300 new NASA employees an emergency? Is $73 million for the purchase of a used aircraft for the Foreign Emergency Support Team an emergency? Is $55 million for workforce and infrastructure improvements at nuclear weapons facilities an emergency? Is $37 million for operating expenses for the Coast Guard an emergency? None of these items need to be addressed this month. All of these can wait for the normal funding process. I support many of these spending priorities. For example, the $4.0 billion in benefits for our men and women in uniform is a very worthwhile expenditure, which I would otherwise support. However, this money can be provided as part of the regular appropriations process--it does not require an emergency spending bill. The majority talks a lot about spending discipline, but what we have before us today a huge spending bill that funds programs that were never authorized. This is not the right way to spend taxpayer money.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Chairman, on October 24, 1999, more than 10 million Colombians took to the streets of every major city in Colombia to rally for peace. These 10 million Colombians wanted to send a message that they were sick of war. They were terrorized by the kidnappings. They were exhausted with paramilitary violence and disgusted with drug trade. No mas, they said. No more. Peace is what Colombia needs. Peace will allow democracy to flourish. Peace will permit law enforcement officials to combat the flow of illicit drugs, and peace will create the conditions to address the income inequalities, the problems of displaced persons and economic development issues that will truly improve the lives of the Colombian people. Unfortunately, the aid package we are considering today will not help the peace process. In fact, it fails to address the underlying issues that are needed to promote peace in Colombia. I traveled to Colombia in 1993 to see the situation first hand. It was clear, then, that U.S. military aid and equipment that was intended to be used to stem the flow of illegal drugs was being misused, misused to suppress citizens in Colombia, including labor activists, community leaders, peace activists, human rights activists and collective farmers. The United States is properly concerned about the abuse of illegal drugs by our citizens. Interdiction and source reductions should be a part of a comprehensive drug control policy. This proposal does not reflect such a policy. The proposal we have before us today will do little or nothing to address the fundamental problems in Colombia; namely, economic inequality, civil war, lack of economic development, and judicial impunity. Unfortunately, we seem to be playing a game of public relations when we should be pursuing peace in the region.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Bernal W. Coy of Richland Center, WI. Mr. Coy has served as an elected official in Richland County for over 41 years. He will retire this April. I rise to congratulate him and thank him for his many years of public service. His exceptionally distinguished career has been marked with significant achievements. Mr. Coy was first elected to public office in 1958 as Richland County Clerk. He served honorably for more than 29 years, during an additional 14 terms. In 1988, Mr. Coy was then elected to the Richland County Board of Supervisors, representing the district of Richland Township. His leadership was recognized by his colleagues, who elected him to serve as Vice-Chairman of the County Board, a position he has held continuously ever since. During his 41 years of public service, he helped to ensure long-term economic growth and higher standards of living for Richland County through his work in establishing the University of Wisconsin at Richland. He also helped to ensure the public good with his work towards the establishment of the Pine Valley Manor, which was a much- needed replacement of the former County Home. He helped to ensure justice and public safety with his involvement in the building of a new Sheriff's office, as well as an expansion to the Richland County Courthouse. His public service was not without the strong support of one very important person, his wife Elaine. Together they have raised seven children. During the Second World War, Mr. Coy answered the call and served his country honorably. Amazingly, Mr. Coy still found time for civic involvement. Over the years he has served as a cornerstone of the Richland community in a variety of roles including the Richland Hospital Board, the American Legion, 40 et 8, the Lions Club, the Masonic Lodge, and as a Shriner. Mr. Coy's selfless and lifelong public contributions serve as a shining light for others to emulate. This, coupled with his extensive civic involvement, exemplifies our most longstanding national values. I thank him for his service to Wisconsin, and extend my very best wishes for a well-deserved retirement.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the men and women who served at a time in history when a war weary world longed for the quiet of peace. The dedication to duty by our service men and women during the Korean war is a testament to the strength of our Nation's ideals and principles of democracy. It is right and fitting that during the 50th Anniversary of that sometimes forgotten war, we in Congress and the Nation, honor the service of Americans who helped defend the rights and freedoms of the people of the Republic of Korea. We cannot forget and should not forget the countless sacrifices and hardships that these brave men and women endured at the outset of this war. We cannot forget the free nations of the world that banded together to fight the tide of aggression along the 38th parallel. We cannot forget the more than 36,000 American lives lost in the defense of democracy and freedom. We cannot and should not forget the hundreds and thousands of Korean War veterans whom we honor today on this House floor, who still suffer the scars and pains of this conflict. At a time in history where we see American service man and women deployed throughout the world, we cannot forget the men and women who went before them, who shouldered the burden of democracy and raised the torch of freedom for those who could not carry it by themselves. Mr. Speaker, this Congress will not forget, nor will future generations of Americans who owe their liberty to these dedicated men and women who served us during the Korean War. I am proud to support this legislation and urge my colleagues to continue to work on behalf of all our Nation's veterans that we may never forget to whom we owe our freedom.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain the reasons I voted against the Omnibus Appropriations Conference Report. This bill has both good and bad parts. But unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the bad outweighs the good. Mr. Speaker, this bill contains disastrous dairy policy. It allows the Northeast Dairy Compact, a pricing scheme that gives dairy farmers in the six Northeastern states higher prices for their milk, to continue for two more years. The House has never debated nor voted on this policy, which places Wisconsin dairy farmers at a disadvantage. It is wrong to add this measure to this must-pass legislation without debate. This bill also reverses what Congress asked the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to do in 1996--reform the antiquated milk market order system. For over sixty years, Wisconsin farmers have struggled with the inequity of the current pricing system, which sets milk prices according to the distance from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The USDA, doing Congress' will, revamped the current milk pricing system to be more fair, and more market oriented. But in this bill, Congress has reversed itself, and allowed the unfair, depression era status quo to prevail. Mr. Speaker, this bill does contain some of the important priorities that I strongly support. I wish they had not been packaged with the objectionable items that forced me to vote against the bill. The bill provides funding for the class size initiative that permits the hiring of 100,000 new teachers so that our children can have smaller, more effective classes. It also provides funding for the COPS program which puts more neighborhood police officers in our communities. These are both important programs that provide necessary resources to our local communities. I also regret that I was unable to vote to restore the Medicare cuts that were included in the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to next year's session, when I hope we will take up some of the unfinished business of this year.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and commend the life of Mr. Laurie Carlson and to extend my personal sympathies to his family and friends in his passing. Mr. Laurie Carlson worked to enhance the lives of many citizens of Wisconsin over the years. He was the founder of the Wisconsin Progressive Party in 1934 and was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1936, where he served for three terms. He then continued his life of dedication to public service as the Clerk of Courts for Dane County for another four terms. Mr. Carlson's simple message and instructions on, ``How to get the Voters Involved'' is one that I deeply respect and identify with. In this message he spoke of town meetings and always maintaining a strong personal connection to constituents. Upon reflection on his time in public service Mr. Carlson was quoted as saying, ``Shoe leather is cheap. We would go out and meet people. We would get ideas from them.'' He also believed that a strong focus on the issues, as well as on true bipartisanship would help Wisconsin and the Nation move forward. Mr. Carlson's political achievements were numerous and great, but there was also much more to this wonderful man. He was a devoted husband and proud father of four children. His commitment to his wife Helen and his children--Mary, Jay, Laurene, and Geraldine, was first and foremost in his life. Mr. Carlson was also a dedicated friend and community member. He tirelessly worked to share his knowledge and leadership in order to assist others to become successful. He empowered many people to prosper in business and countless other ventures while always maintaining his commitment to those less fortunate in our society. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to honor this fine gentleman for his life commitment to public service.

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Wisconsin's football team. This has been an exceptional season for the Badgers in many respects. For the second straight year, the Badgers are off to play in a major NCAA Bowl Game. The Badgers could go to the Rose Bowl, just as they did last year, or to another major bowl, depending on how other college teams fare in the closing weeks of the season. On Saturday, a beautiful and unusually balmy day at Camp Randall, the Badgers sealed their ticket to a bowl game by defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes, 41 to 3, and winning the Big Ten championship. But securing the championship was not all that was celebrated on Saturday. Before nearly 80,000 screaming Badger fans, tailback Ron Dayne made history as he became the all-time rushing leader in NCAA Division I football. Ron Dayne has finished his collegiate career with 6,397 yards--and is the favorite for winning this year's Heisman Trophy. Ron Dayne's historic record and going to a major bowl game for the second straight year are only part of the triumphant season. The whole team created this championship. It was particularly heartening to see the team come together when Coach Barry Alvarez was either coaching from his hospital bed or the coach's box while waiting for knee replacement surgery. The Badgers end the regular season with a 9-2 record. Congratulations to all the players, students and fans at the University of Wisconsin. I look forward to enjoying the Fifth Quarter at the bowl game. On Wisconsin!

Ms. BALDWIN

Ms. BALDWIN. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Ms. BALDWIN. I certainly will yield to the gentleman.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I remember learning about this issue of impugnity that perhaps is a foreign notion here in the United States. But in the past, in Colombia, and they are under way to reform this, if, for example, a military official engaged in an egregious human rights violation, they would be tried in a sort of military court. The judges were hired by the people that they were then trying. The relationship was such that almost always people were let off the hook, almost always. This is now beginning to change, which does give us tremendous hope for the future. The congress of Colombia has now passed a law that would put teeth in the military judicial system and hold military officials accountable if they were found to have engaged in human rights violations. So it is a very positive step forward. But I think for many of us in the United States who expect the rule of law, it is confusing to hear the people who conducted massacres might not even be held accountable, might not even be discharged from their job, let alone imprisoned and held accountable for their actions.

Ms. BALDWIN. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the gentleman was able to join in this discussion. I think it is a very important discussion. I suspect that the next special order will carry on with a similar concern about fighting drug abuse and drug addiction in this country and talking about those efforts. And I certainly want to be one to reach out to both sides of the aisle, to reach over to the other body, to work with the administration, and certainly to keep in close contact with the people of Colombia who can, I think, inform this debate and help us find true solutions to real problems. And I very much thank the gentleman for joining in this with me.

Ms. BALDWIN. And, in fact, there is certainly some sobering statistics that we have heard in terms of the effectiveness of some of our targeted expenditures in Colombia before. Drug production is up markedly, even though U.S. military assistance and police assistance has been increased. And that is obviously not the direction that we want to go. And as people who are truly concerned about the problem of drug abuse and drug addiction, we want our resources to be used effectively. I believe in so doing what we will recognize is that the problems in Colombia are truly interrelated, and achieving peace, and achieving a more balanced economy, and achieving a greater rate of employment in Colombia, achieving all those things will truly help us reduce the production of drugs and the importation of drugs and the drug trafficking, and thereby decreasing violence, and that that is where we have to push our U.S. policy. Now, I am still not sure when we are going to have this grand debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. I know that there was some suspicion that we might be having this debate yet this fall, but it appears that it is a debate that will be deferred until the early months of next year. We have heard of a variety of proposals. There is a bill in the other body that has been put forward. There has been discussion in this House of proposals. Different parts of the administration have talked about different ways of providing increased funding to Colombia. I think my strongest concern is that we not oversimplify the problem there; that in a combined and dedicated effort to really respond to a drug crisis, that we do so in the most effective way possible, using our resources as best we can, and that that, in this case, probably means responding to poverty and investing in economic development, helping rebuild a responsive judicial system. It is, as the gentleman indicated, not merely a matter of providing more guns and helicopters and sending more people through the School of the Americas, and simply a matter of almost engaging in part of their civil war; that, instead, it is a much more comprehensive and complex strategy that we must engage in.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, that offers another example of a way we can also be very helpful to Colombia, because when I visited the flower- growing region, a carnation-growing region, I had the chance to speak with a number of the workers who were trying to organize, trying to address a number of worker-related issues that I think it would make a big difference to people here in the United States, particularly, the labor conditions and issues of use of pesticides, to make sure that we promote trade in a way that helps the Colombian worker as well as the U.S. worker. When we have discussions about NAFTA and GATT and expansion of trade agreements, and of course NAFTA does not include Colombia, but there are people talking all the time about global trade, we have a capacity because they are trading partners, to help address some serious issues of abuse of labor that ought to concern us all.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, well, for me, in many ways it is an easy question because I have had the opportunity to get to know people there, leaders there, people with great hope, not only for their country, but for co-existence in a more peaceful world. We are large trading partners in the sense that the agricultural products of Colombia, and I am not talking about illegal ones, I am talking about coffee, bananas, and many other products, are so important. One of the exciting things for our local community when we first decided to adopt or be adopted by a Colombian community when we started this sister community project, and I know there are so many across the country now, there are many communities across the United States that have sister communities in Colombia, that we found all the similarities. I come from an agricultural State. We are partnered and have a sister community with the banana growing region, which actually is not one of the major drug-producing areas of Colombia, but, yet, still faces some of the violence that we have been talking about, a lot of the violence. It is an area that has absorbed a large group of refugees. It is an area struggling for a more fair division of wealth. I described before the ownership of vast amounts of land by one or two landlords. They are struggling to start collectives. So we had experts from Wisconsin in the cooperative movement, electrical co-ops, credit unions, et cetera, go and advise people in Colombia on how they can set up collectives to prosper. Those type of ties for me, all aside from the very important issue of fighting drug addiction and drug abuse, call for us to care about what happens there.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, the story that I remember so vividly about the lack of security in all realms of life is, when I visited a banana plantation in the areas outside of Portado, Colombia. I remember seeing graffiti spray-painted on one of the buildings on the plantation and asking what the, I could not read the language, and asking what it said. It was graffiti in this case from one of the guerilla organizations. I asked, what would happen if one simply painted over this? The graffiti was beckoning to the workers at the plantation to join the FARC. I said, what would happen if one spray-painted this? Well, the next week, the paramilitary forces might come through, and if the spray paint is still there, they will be accused of being sympathizers for not having painted over it. But on the other hand, if they paint over it and get rid of the graffiti, the guerillas might come through and also intimidate these individuals as being sympathizers with the paramilitary organizations. So you have a group of civilians literally in the crossfire of a civil war in a country who go to work, and one knows their buildings have been essentially tagged by these forces, one side or the other, and know that they are so close to, perhaps, being kidnapped or being sent away. This is a daily thing that these people live with. So when the gentleman talks about the peace rally with, I have heard, up to 10 million people marching in cities across Colombia, the courage that it took to protest openly, to march for peace, no more openly, is remarkable because the consequences are so high. Well, one of the things that I got a chance to do as a county board official when I first traveled to Colombia was to meet other local officials, many who had run for office with a real commitment to peace and had done things like inviting warring factions to speak, and how many of these individuals risked assassination. I thought, what amazing courage it took for somebody to run for local office in parts of Colombia that we could not fathom here the courage that that would take. So this march for peace was quite remarkable at the beginning stages of the peace talks in Colombia that Pastrana is leading.

Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous matter on the subject of my special order.