Howard Coble

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 211, as amended, introduced by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Nethercutt), honors two former Members of this body, former Speaker Tom Foley and Congressman Walter Horan. The amendment simply corrects the address and properly designates the facility as a United States courthouse, which the building is typically referred to as in Spokane. This legislation will designate the United States courthouse and courthouse plaza in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse and Walter F. Horan Plaza''. This designation is a most deserving one. Ambassador Foley served in the Congress from January 1965 until December 1994. As most of the Members here are well aware, Ambassador Foley was our 49th Speaker of the House of Representatives. Prior to his election as Speaker, Ambassador Foley was the majority leader, majority whip, chair of the Democratic Caucus and chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. Before being elected to the Congress, Ambassador Foley was special counsel to the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. He also served as deputy prosecuting attorney in Spokane and assistant attorney general for the State of Washington. After leaving this body, former Speaker Foley continues to distinguish himself in public service as the United States Ambassador to Japan. Naming the courthouse in Ambassador Foley's hometown is a reminder of his dedication and hard work in public service. The plaza entrance to the courthouse will be designated as the ``Walter F. Horan Plaza''. This will be a reminder to all that are entering the courthouse through the main plaza of the many accomplishments by former Congressman Horan for his eastern Washington district. If there ever was an example of the American dream, it is Walter Horan. He was born in a log cabin on the banks of the Wenatchee River in 1898. After attending the Wenatchee public schools, he was graduated from Washington State College in 1925. Prior to that, he entered World War I, serving for 2 years in the United States Navy as a gunner's mate third class. Upon graduation, he returned to his apple farm in Wenatchee, Washington where he engaged in fruit growing, packing, storing and shipping until he was elected to the 78th Congress in 1942. He went on to serve in the next 10 succeeding Congresses and rose to third in seniority on the Committee on Appropriations. He always gave close attention to agriculture and the conservation community. Former Congressman Horan passed away in 1966. Naming the Plaza on his behalf is a fitting designation. This is a fitting tribute, Mr. Speaker, to two former Members of this body. I support the bill and urge my colleagues to join in support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 211) to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at West 920 Riverside Avenue in Spokane, Washington, as the ``Thomas S. Foley Federal Building and United States Courthouse'', and the plaza at the south entrance of such building and courthouse as the ``Walter F. Horan Plaza'', as amended.

Mr. COBLE

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

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

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on the bill under consideration.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 1259.

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

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of S. 1259, the Trademark Amendments Act of 1999, and urge the House to adopt the measure. This bill is nearly identical to H.R. 1565, the Trademark Amendments Act of 1999, which the House Committee on the Judiciary favorably reported on May 26 of this year. This legislation makes significant and necessary improvements in the trademark law. The Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property and the Committee on the Judiciary support S. 1259 in a bipartisan manner. I urge its adoption today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1259) to amend the Trademark Act of 1946 relating to dilution of famous marks, and for other purposes.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Not unlike S. 1260 regarding the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), the gentleman from California has also worked very closely with us on this bill and the previous bill and concurs in its passage. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of S. 1258, the Patent Fee Integrity and Innovation Protection Act, and urge the House to adopt the measure. This bill is identical to H.R. 1225, the Patent and Trademark Office Reauthorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, which the House Committee on the Judiciary favorably reported on June 9. This legislation is premised on the same policy goal as last year's version, namely, to prevent the diversion of revenue generated by special surcharges from the Patent and Trademark Office. The point of S. 1258 is straightforward and necessary, to allow the agency to keep all the revenue it raises in user fees to benefit American inventors and trademark holders. The Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property and the Committee on the Judiciary support S. 1258 in a bipartisan manner, and I urge its adoption today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration and to insert extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1258) to authorize funds for the payment of salaries and expenses of the Patent and Trademark Office, and for other purposes.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, as the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) mentioned, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman) is not able to be with us today. But the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), the ranking member, has worked very closely with me on this bill. He concurs, and I appreciate the effort that he has given. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 1260, a bill to make technical corrections in title 17, United States Code, and other laws, and urge the House to adopt the measure. This bill is nearly the same as H.R. 1189, a bill to make technical corrections to title 17, United States Code, and other laws, which passed the House under suspension of the rules on April 13, 1999. This legislation makes significant and necessary improvements to the Copyright Act. The Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property and the Committee on the Judiciary support S. 1260 in a bipartisan way. I urge its adoption today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 1260.

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 1260) to make technical corrections in title 17, United States Code, and other laws.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, the Army has requested an $85 million construction project for a gymnasium at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Apparently the showers are to be gold-plated, since the average cost for a military physical fitness facility is $7 million. This request is outrageous. I am advised that the Army has requested no family housing construction, yet an $85 million gym enjoys priority status. Only last week the Republican tax package emphasized the significance of taxpayers retaining more of their hard-earned money. This approach emphasizes compassion and common sense, while the Army struts front and center demanding an $85 million gymnasium. The time has come, Mr. Speaker, for all of us to redirect our priorities and practice prudence in lieu of recklessness.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, on July 15 there were several rollcall votes on amendments to the FY2000 Treasury-Postal Appropriations bill, H.R. 2490. Had I been there I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 301; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 302; ``no'' on rollcall No. 303; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 304. On final passage of H.R. 2490, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 305. On July 16, the House considered the African Growth and Opportunity Act, H.R. 434. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall Nos. 306 and 307. On July 19 and 20, the House considered several bills under suspension of the rules. Had I been there I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall Nos. 308, 309, 310, and 311. On July 20, the House considered several amendments to the American Embassy Security Act, H.R. 2415. Had I been present I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 312; ``aye'' on rollcall No. 313; and ``aye'' on rollcall No. 314. On July 20, the House also took up the rule on the Teacher Empowerment Act. Had I been there I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall No. 315. On these dates, I was participating in the Fourth Annual International Symposium on Reduction of Patent Costs at the Hague, Netherlands, where I was the keynote speaker. This event was sponsored by the International Federation of Industrial Property Attorneys (FICPI) and the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA). I had committed to participating in this event prior to the scheduling of votes.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exceptional United States Coast Guard Officer, Captain Jeffrey Jay Hathaway. This week Captain Hathaway completes an extremely successful three-year tour as the Coast Guard's Liaison to this body and to the United States Senate. It is a pleasure to recognize a few of his many achievements. A native of Whittier, California, Jeff Hathaway began his career by attending the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut graduating in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Upon entering the Coast Guard fleet after graduation, then Ensign Hathaway was assigned to USCGC Venturous (WMEC 625) in Long Beach, California as a deck watch officer. Subsequent afloat tours have included duty as Operations Officer aboard Venturous and as Commanding Officer of USCGC Citrus (WMEC 300) in Coos Bay, Oregon, USCGC Legare (WMEC 912) in Portsmouth, Virginia and USCGC Munro (WHEC 724) in Alameda, California. Captain Hathaway's experience ashore has included assignments as a duty officer in the Coast Guard Pacific Area Command Center, assignment officer in the Officer Personnel Division of Coast Guard Headquarters, and cutter management duty on the Pacific Area Operations Division staff. In 1989, he was handpicked to serve as the Military Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation and served in that assignment until 1991. Captain Hathaway earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California at Irvine in 1983 and a Master of Science Degree in National Resources Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1994. His continued exemplary performance led him to be selected ahead of his peers for the ranks of Commander and Captain. His numerous personal awards include two Legions of Merit, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals and three Coast Guard Achievement Medals. Jeff Hathaway arrived for duty as the Chief of the Coast Guard's Congressional and Governmental Affairs Staff in July 1996. In this capacity, he has been instrumental in providing the Congress with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Coast Guard. Most importantly, Captain Jeff Hathaway has come to epitomize those qualities we expect from our Coast Guard men and women--an intense sense of honor, respect and above all devotion to duty. Mr. Speaker, Jeff Hathaway has served our country with distinction for the past 25 years. As he continues to do so, I call upon my colleagues from both sides of the aisle and the other body to wish him, his lovely wife Rebecca, and their four children, Allison, Paul, Brianna, and Kenneth, much continued success in the future, as well as fair winds and following seas.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, as we watch the U.S. Women's Soccer Team advance to the final rounds of the World Cup, we are reminded of two teams from our district, High Point Central High School and Ragsdale High School, which both are 1999 North Carolina High School Soccer Champions. High Point Central captured the 1A/2A North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSSA) Women's Soccer Championship. The Bison ended their season with an outstanding record of 19-3-3. We congratulate Mandi Tinsley, Katie Copeland, Jenny Thomas, Jenni Tensley, Lee Culp, Lindsay Holbrook, Tina Tinsley, Graham Magill, Andrea Brown, Lindsay Husted, Leigh Spencer, Lemeh Horace, Jessica Harrison, Erica Bell, Jennifer Applegate, Sarah Bencini, Jrily White, Krystion Obie. A few people who helped lead them along the way were Head Coach David Upchurch, Assistant Coach Pete Chumbley, and managers Scott Salter and Robert White. Central's Athletic Director is Gary Whitman. Ragsdale High School won the NCHSSA Women's 3A State Championship. The Tigers ended their impressive season with a record of 22-2-4. We congratulate Cindy Mullinix, Julia Deaton, Danielle Brown, Jamie Davis, Jordan Allison, Erin Beeson, Brooke Dewitt, Lydia Gibson, Holly Walker, Jen Ryback, Michele Andrejco, Stacy Hopkins, KK Dalrymple, Michelle Pizzurro, Alysha Hall, Laura Stafford, Kellie Dixon, Emily Foster, and manager Sandra Simoes. Contributing to Ragsdale's win was Coach Brian Braswell, Trainer Josh Beaumont and Athletic Director is Mike Raybon. The Sixth District of North Carolina is proud of both these teams for all their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to the girls at High Point Central and Ragsdale. Now let's hope that the U.S. Women's Team can win the World Cup!

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. If the chairman would engage with me in a colloquy, I would ask the chairman if he would tell me and the Members of the House how the appropriated amount in this bill compares to the amount that was last passed when the Democrats were in the majority. That would have been fiscal year 1995, I presume.

Mr. COBLE. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.

Mr. COBLE. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for that information.

Mr. COBLE

Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 121, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''