Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago, President Bush proposed to buy back undeveloped oil drilling leases off the coast of Florida and in parts of the Everglades. The President cited considerable local opposition to new drilling in Florida as a prime reason for this decision. I fully support this bold step to protect the environment and the economy of Florida. And while the vast majority of Californians were very pleased with this action, we were left asking, what about California? Why can the Federal Government not take similar action on the 36 undeveloped leases off Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties that we have been trying to terminate for years? Last week, Interior Secretary Gale Norton supplied the answer. According to the Secretary, a major difference between Florida and California is that Florida opposes coastal drilling and California does not. As the U.S. representative for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, and a nearly 40-year resident of the area, I was dumbfounded by this assertion. My local paper, the Santa Barbara Newspress, editorialized today about what it calls Secretary Norton's ``jaw-dropping'' remarks asking, ``What alternative universe is Ms. Norton living in?" Mr. Speaker, I lived in Santa Barbara in 1969 when a huge blow-out on Union Oil'S Platform A put 4 million gallons of oil into the sea. The oil spill killed thousands of seabirds, seals, dolphin, fish and other sea life. It damaged for years a huge swath of the beautiful coast of Central California. The devastation was so great it galvanized Central Coast residents; indeed, it galvanized virtually the whole State against offshore drilling. Clearly we were outraged by the damage to the environment and the wildlife. But we also realized that another blow-out could wreak havoc on our economy as well, especially tourism, fishing, and the many industries that rely on them. And Californians have become committed to ensuring it will not happen again. As the Newspress noted, this ``catastrophe helped spark an environmental movement that spread beyond Santa Barbara.'' Since that time, some 24 city and county governments, including both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, have passed anti-oil measures. These laws usually either require voter approval before any new onshore facilities that support offshore drilling could be built or they ban them outright. In 1994, the California legislature passed, and Republican Governor Pete Wilson signed into law, a permanent ban on new offshore oil leasing in State waters. In 1999, the State Assembly adopted a resolution requesting that the Federal Government enact a permanent ban on offshore oil drilling off the coast of California. I had introduced legislation to enact such a ban in 1998, and I have been joined by a majority of my California colleagues in supporting this legislation. Most recently, Governor Davis and the California Coastal Commission have been in litigation with the Federal Government about new offshore oil drilling. The State is trying to ensure that Californians have a say in any new development of these 36 leases off the coast, a position with which a Federal court has agreed. Thirty-one Members of the California delegation signed my amicus brief on behalf of the State's position, and even the Federal Government has demonstrated its sensitivity to California's opposition to new drilling. After all, it was President George H.W. Bush who signed an executive memorandum placing a 10-year moratorium on new leasing in Federal waters off the California coast. President Clinton renewed and extended the moratorium until the year 2012. And Secretary Norton even restated this administration's commitment to abiding by this moratorium, an odd stance to take if she believes there is no real opposition to new offshore drilling in California. Mr. Speaker, I have been leading a bipartisan delegation of California representatives in asking the President to work with us to terminate the leases off our coast. We wrote to him last week about this issue. Given the misimpression under which Secretary Norton is clearly operating, a number of us are asking to meet personally with the President to explain the situation in California. If he is following the counsel of Secretary Norton, he is getting bad advice that needs to be countered. The President was right to take his action in Florida. It is our hope to convince him to help all of us out on the West Coast who want to protect our environment as well, and to control our economic destiny, just like they want to do in Florida.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to Join me in honoring the San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble for the significant contributions their performances have made to the international community for a quarter of a century. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the founding of this remarkable group. Their singing has created memorable experiences for countless listeners in America and around the globe. Founded in 1977, the Vocal Arts Ensemble's first international concert was held in 1985 at Canterbury Cathedral. During this tour, the group was awarded third place at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales. The group participated in a tour throughout Eastern Europe during which Ensemble members lived in the homes of Polish hosts for one week, gaining a greater insight into the lives of Eastern Europeans. The San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble was chosen by audition to be one of the world's finest choirs selected to represent their countries at the 35th Austrian Invitational Choral Competition. Out of eighty choirs from thirty different countries, the Vocal Arts Ensemble proudly placed fourth in this event. The Vocal Arts Ensemble is comprised of singers throughout the San Luis Obispo County. Singers come from San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Creston, Paso Robles, Cambria, Santa Margarita, Atascadero, Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Lompoc and Pismo Beach. The San Luis Obispo Vocal Arts Ensemble has been funded in part by the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. The California Arts Council Grant Evaluation and Selection Committee described the music of the Vocal Arts Ensemble as ``. . . truly superior and extremely fine quality.'' The Committee said the Ensemble's music demonstrated ``an extraordinary breadth of repertory, an eclectic variety of choral styles.'' On June I and 2, the Vocal Arts Ensemble performed music from the Renaissance to the present to commemorate their 25th Anniversary. I am proud to congratulate them on this remarkable record of achievement.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I want to state once again what the controversy engaging us is about. From this member's perspective--it is not whether or not we should pass the Emergency Supplemental bill to help fund the war on terrorism. There is no debate about that; we all agree that we need to get this emergency money to the President to support our troops and beef up homeland security. Each Member of this House wants to ensure that our men and women in uniform have all the tools and resources they need to win the war against global terrorism. If the debate were simply about whether to provide those resources, we would pass the bill rather quickly. What is at issue here are the little--and the not so little-- provisions attached to this bill. First and foremost is the majority party's attempt to slip a $750 billion increase in the National Debt through the House with no debate, no vote. I just can't go along with that. Earlier today my colleague from Utah, Jim Matheson, made a speech on the floor that particularly struck me. He said that a major problem with this clandestine move to rise the National Debt was the lack of ``a plan'' on how to regain some fiscal responsibility around this place. I couldn't agree more. We have to get our fiscal house in order here in Washington. We have to have a plan. But the only plan I see is ``Let's keep borrowing against our children's future.'' We all come here representing different areas of the country. Often that leads us to having different priorities. But our job here is to find common ground to best represent the country as a whole. That requires that we work together--in a bipartisan way--to craft a fiscally disciplined budget for our country, just as a responsible family, or business does. It means making choices and prioritizing. It means being straight with the American people about what we can afford and what we can't. I stand here as a Democrat who votes for the tax cut last year. I supported the effort to put more money back into people's pockets, to end the burden of the estate tax. But by making this choice, I knew that this would mean making other tough choices. Because you can't have everything. So, for example, even though I represent a rural district, I voted against the $200 billion Farm Bill. Among other problems, I believed it cost too much. Now, some of my colleagues may disagree with both votes. They may have wanted more farm spending or less tax reduction. But the issue for the House as a whole is whether or not we have a plan for balancing these competing priorities. Do we have a schedule to bring back some fiscal sanity? Or are we just going to return to the old ways of endless borrowing against our children's future? Judging by what the majority wants to do with this debt ceiling increase--no plan, just keep borrowing--I would guess it is the latter. Mr. Chairman, that's just wrong. If we are going to put the American people in debt by up to $750 billion let's be straight about it. Let's tell them what we are doing and why. Let's have a vote on it. Let's be held responsible for the choices we make. Let's not hide behind legislative trickery to cover our tracks. I am also concerned by another provision slipped into the rule. It will provide a band-aid to a few hospitals in Pennsylvania and upstate New York--without any sort of hearings or Committee consideration. And how are we doing this? We are cutting funds to hospitals across the Nation. Mr. Chairman, seniors in my district in California are clamoring for help. They are seeing their health care system dissolve before their eyes. And this Congress is using band aids to stop hemorrhaging in a couple of districts for political reasons. You don't have to be a nurse to see that that won't work. In my district there is a health care crisis partly caused by Medicare. Many doctors in communities are refusing to see new patients and choosing early retirement because their Medicare rates have been cut. Medicare HMOs are cutting benefits, increasing cost sharing for seniors, and pulling out altogether because the Medicare Choice rates are still stagnant. Long Term Care facilities are already struggling to make ends meet and to provide quality care to our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. And now they are facing a 17% cut in their funds from Medicare. Clinics and other Medicaid providers are facing terrible cuts because many States can no longer afford to support them. And hospitals in my district are flirting with bankruptcy and disaster because Medicare is scheduled to cut their funds, they cannot find doctors, and the Medicare HMOs cannot, or will not, pay them enough. Just today, the largest clinic in Santa Maria, California--Sansum Clinic--announced it would be closing its doors this summer. This closure will affect thousands of Santa Marians and have a devastating effect on health care delivery in the area. And to top this all off seniors still do not have prescription drug coverage. This Congress needs to address the crisis in health care--and not just in the two counties that the House leadership wants to favor. I would urge the House leadership to pull this bill and bring down the emergency supplemental that the Committee reported. Let's support our troops and leave the legislative maneuvering for another day.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I thank my colleague for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report on the bioterrorism preparedness bill. This bill is a good example of what we can accomplish when we work together. The bill we produced under the leadership of Chairman Tauzin and Ranking Member Dingell will strengthen our public health infrastructure and make a much-needed increase in resources for food and water safety and security. I am very pleased that one of my bills, the Community AED Act, was included in this legislation. I introduced this bill earlier this year with my colleague, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). It will help local communities place automatic external defibrillators in public places. Quick access to AEDs can mean the difference between life and death for victims of sudden cardiac arrest. Making sure AEDs are readily available will improve our ability to cope with public health emergencies. I am also pleased that this bill sets aside funds to train health care workers to identify and treat symptoms of bioterrorism. And it provides the Secretary of Health and Human Services with a small pool of funds to address workforce shortages. But as a part of our goal of preparing for bioterrorism, we still need to do more to address the shortage of nurses. Nurses, for example, will be called upon to deal with patients who may have been infected by a biological agent, and we do not have enough nurses. That is why I have been working with Chairman Tauzin, Chairman Bilirakis, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), and others in the House and Senate to complete the Nurse Reinvestment Act passed here last year. The passage of this nursing legislation as a complement to the bill before us today is essential to making us ready for bioterrorism. I am pleased that Chairman Tauzin and Chairman Bilirakis have given me their assurances that we will finish this bill by the end of June. These bills together can help our Nation be ready for tragedies we do not even want to imagine. I urge my colleagues to support this bioterrorism bill and commit to final passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Alice Greenfield McGrath, an extraordinary woman who has continuously fought for social justice, on this very special occasion, her 85th birthday. Ms. McGrath holds a special place in the hearts of countless individuals and her actions as a social justice activist and advocate will not be forgotten. She has dedicated a tremendous amount of her time to both the struggles for economic and legal rights for poor people and against the prejudices and discriminations suffered by people of color. Since her first semester at Los Angeles Community College, Ms. McGrath has immersed herself in social activism. In 1942, she became involved in the Sleepy Lagoon Case, the event that soon after triggered the ``Zoot Suit Riot''. The riot is a significant event in Los Angeles history, as it represents the first time the political involvement of the Mexican American community made a difference, as it brought the mistreatment of Chicanos by police officers, sailors and other servicemen to light. And of course, Alice McGrath was right there with the community, fighting for the justice that all Mexican Americans deserve. Ms. McGrath's activism continued to expand over the years. In 1986 she developed a pro bono program for the Ventura County Bar Association, and currently she is active with the Mexican American Bar Association and the Black Attorneys Association. She additionally serves on a California Judicial Council sub-committee for Access and Fairness in the Courts. She has been honored by El Concilio del Condado de Ventura, the Mexican American Bar Association of Los Angeles, and is a recipient of the Joyce Yoshioka award, which is presented by the Ventura County Criminal Defense Bar. It is only fitting that we pay tribute to Alice Greenfield McGrath today. She has contributed so much to so many people over the years and is such an inspiration to us all. Our community is blessed to have a woman as wonderful as Ms. McGrath in its midst. I urge you to join me in wishing Ms. McGrath a wonderful birthday.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay special tribute to a woman who has been an inspiration to so many schoolchildren throughout the last 40 years. Today, on her retirement from the Santa Barbara School District, I would like to honor Mrs. Shirley Wright. Mrs. Wright began her career in 1958, at Lincoln School, when she was the first African American teacher to be hired in the district. Since then, she has taught at two other local schools, Franklin School, where she was in the classroom for 25 years, and Washington School, where she teaches today. Throughout her career, countless students and faculty alike have benefited from Mrs. Wright's exemplary teaching styles. A native of Santa Barbara, it was Shirley Wright's dream to teach in the Santa Barbara schools. Yet in the 1950s, it was difficult for African Americans to get hired in many occupations. The Santa Barbara Police Department did not have any black officers and the school district did not have any black teachers. However, Mrs. Wright's determination broke down the barrier, as, after interviewing with three principals, she was offered a position at the Lincoln School. Today, over 40 years later, Mrs. Wright has often found herself teaching the children of her former students. Parents who have either experienced Mrs. Wright's compassionate yet challenging teaching styles themselves, or have heard about her from friends or neighbors, often line up in the principal's office months in advance as they attempt to secure a spot for their child in Mrs. Wright's first grade class. We are blessed to have such a wonderful educator in our midst, and I am certain that she will be sorely missed upon her retirement. Yet the legacy of Shirley Wright will continue on, as she will be fondly remembered by the thousands of children who have passed through her classrooms. I urge you to join me today in thanking Mrs. Wright for her invaluable contributions to the Santa Barbara School District, and wishing her the best in all of her future endeavors.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise in opposition to this bill and in support of the substitute. In the last 6 years, welfare reform has produced some real successes, and now we have the opportunity to build upon these achievements. Unfortunately, the underlying bill does not do this, but the substitute does. For example, we now know that for single mothers with young children to go to work, we must ensure that quality and affordable child care is available. And we should also ensure that legal immigrants are afforded the same safety net as other working families. The substitute includes these important provisions but the bill does not. Mr. Speaker, the part of the bill I wish to address is the funding for abstinence-only education. I directed a teen parent and pregnancy program as part of our local high school district in Santa Barbara, California, and for several years worked daily with teenagers struggling with these very issues. These teen parents were the first to urge abstinence to their peers, to their younger brothers and sisters, even though they did not use that word. But their message was all about knowledge, comprehensive sex education. They did not use that term either, but they did know the power it gives when information is not based on fear or incomplete and half-truths. Young people are quick to pick up on these half-truths and shoddy arguments, and then the trust is gone. This bill sets aside $50 million for unproven abstinence-only programs that do not even ensure that the information they contain is truthful or medically accurate. And, unfortunately, some of these abstinence-only programs use terror tactics to try to keep teens from having sex, they exaggerate the failure rates of condoms, and some federally funded programs denigrate women, suggesting that they are not as smart or as capable as men. The substitute would allow States the flexibility to support proven abstinence-based programs that are medically accurate. These comprehensive programs will help to reduce teen pregnancy and will give our young people real tools for success. So I urge my colleagues to learn from our teenage parents and support the substitute.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Ms. Sharon L. Monsky, a resident of Santa Barbara, California, who was renowned as an advocate on behalf of persons with the disease scleroderma. Sharon passed away on the night of May 11, and is survived by her three children Max, Samantha, Montana, and their father, her husband, Mark Scher. The legacy she leaves behind is inspiring to us all. In her youth, Sharon was a nationally ranked figure skater and a top United States Olympic contender. In 1965, she was the youngest female figure skater to ever have received the Senior Ladies Gold Medal Compulsory Award. She went on to become a successful international business consultant, and received her MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1980. The distinguished San Francisco management-consulting firm, McKinsey and Company Inc., offered Sharon a coveted position, and she was immediately on track to being one of the youngest women partners in McKinsey's history. When in 1983, she was diagnosed with systemic scleroderma, and was given two years to live. Defying all odds, Sharon spent the next 21 years educating all of us about scleroderma. Through her timeless efforts she brought national awareness to this debilitating disease, which affects 500,000 people annually. And she helped increase federal support for research on scleroderma. In 1987, she founded the Santa Barbara-based Scleroderma Research Foundation, which is committed to raising awareness of the disease. The Foundation is one of a kind, the only one in our nation dedicated to finding a cure for the disease; it is a blend of science, research, private funding, and political leadership. But largely due to Sharon's work, there is now a National Scleroderma Awareness Month, and she initiated the Cool Comedy-Hot Cuisine, a benefit gala designed to raise scleroderma awareness. She also leaves behind two research centers: The San Francisco Bay Area Scleroderma Research Center at UCSF and the East Coast Scleroderma Research Center at Johns Hopkins in Boston. Research for the disease has steadily increased to the current level of $8.3 million, also attributable to Sharon's unwavering efforts. In addition, she served two four-year terms on the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases advisory council of the National Institutes of Health. At the age of 48, Sharon accomplished in half a century's time what many active individuals in excellent health are not able to achieve in a lifetime. Selflessly she sought out a cure for the disease, on behalf of future scleroderma patients and their families. She was a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, businesswoman, and health advocate. She will indeed be missed but will be remembered for years to come.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. The environmental questions surrounding the Yucca Mountain site have not been adequately answered and a decision with a 1,000-year impact should not be made with questions hanging. Our Nevada colleagues and the constituents they represent have spoken about the hundreds of questions regarding the safety of a site which is in their backyard. They deserve an answer to these questions. Of course, Yucca's supporters claim that if the licensing process indicates that testing and environmental problems may occur, plans could be changed or reevaluated; but we all know this is Washington, and a project like Yucca takes on a life of its own, and I have grave concerns about transportation plans for all this nuclear waste. The recent terrorist attacks raise questions about security at nuclear power plants and DOE facilities across the country. In my district, local power plant officials and the nuclear regulatory commission spent days issuing conflicting statements about how vulnerable Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is to an attack. My constituents were understandably unsettled by the obvious lack of coordination and planning for this facility in their own backyard. Against this backdrop we add the problem of protecting shipments of dangerous nuclear waste. This scenario of thousands of nuclear waste- laden trucks and barges careening across our roads and waterways should give us all pause. In my district, DOE wants to load tons of nuclear waste on barges and bring the barges through the Santa Barbara Channel, but I question some of the planning here. Let me cite just one example. The dry cask storage containers that will carry this waste are tested to withstand submersion in water, but I do not believe there has been submersion tests for these casks at anything like the depths found in the Santa Barbara Channel. So what happens if there is an accident and a number of these concrete containers end up at the bottom of the channel? Will they be able to withstand the extreme depths? Can we retrieve them? If the answer is no to either of these questions, what then happens to the fishing industry, the other ships that use the channel? How safe does this channel and the surrounding area then become? In closing, I do not believe we should pass this bill. I do not have faith that the studies behind Yucca are safe and complete, and I do not have faith that the project can be carried out safely and effectively.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of recognition of Mother's Day 2002 to honor mothers across the world and to honor the profession and the calling of mothering. I make these remarks today in memory of my own daughter, a wonderful mother to two little boys before she died 2 years ago, and in honor of their father, her husband, who is doing a fabulous job of parenting and mothering them. The second Sunday in May is an opportunity for each of us to reflect upon our own upbringing and to offer gratitude to the one who has nurtured us the most, and many of us know firsthand being a mother is much more than a biological process. Every day women who have never given birth become mothers to abandoned, separated or orphaned children. Last week, Save the Children unveiled their ``State of the World's Mother 2002'' report. The report was assembled to assess the state of mothers and children in the volatile regions of war and conflict. The findings of this report are particularly pertinent given our Nation's war on terrorism. After 23 years of conflict, Afghanistan is slowly recovering with assistance from governments and humanitarian agencies such as Save the Children. Specifically, the report tells us that investing in mothers is one of the most effective ways to help post-conflict societies achieve reconciliation and move forward. Often after enduring years of destruction and chaos, women step up to play highly constructive roles as peacemakers and rebuilders. In Afghanistan, we know that reconstruction largely depends upon the reintegration of women in that society. For this reason, in December Congress passed the Afghan Women and Children Relief Act into law. This law will provide vital educational and health care assistance to women and to children in that region. The need for increased aid to war-torn Nations, the majority of which are in the developing world, is clear. Mothers and children in these regions are indeed at great risk of death, disease, displacement and exploitation; and because of those factors, the cycle of difficulty goes from one generation to the next. The United States does not fare as badly as the developing world in terms of maternal health; but our country has its own set of problems, which includes high rates of violence against women. This epidemic, perpetrated against 31 percent of American women, is undeniably a serious concern; and while domestic violence is a criminal justice issue, it is really at its core a matter of public health. Women experience 85 percent of violent victimizations; and each year at least 6 percent of all pregnant women, about 240,000, are battered by the men in their lives. This battering leads to complications of pregnancy, including low weight gain, anemia, infections, first and second trimester bleeding. So domestic violence poses a considerable threat to maternal health. To combat this problem, I have introduced the Domestic Violence Vaccining and Treatment Act, which would dramatically increase the scale of intervention and prevention efforts. My legislation would urge every health care provider to screen women over age 18 for domestic violence. In the confidential environment of a doctor's office, health care professionals would serve as a bridge between the patient and the criminal justice system. Specifically, my bill would provide health care professionals with the training needed to assess women for signs and symptoms of abuse and then to supply her with adequate treatment and referrals. This routine verbal screening for domestic violence, fairly straightforward and simple procedure, would unlock options a woman may not otherwise pursue and allow her to see that shelter and advocacy services may be useful to her. We know that battered women comprise up to 30 percent of ambulatory care patients, but only one in 20 is correctly identified as such, and I hope my legislation will help in clearly identifying victims of violence in order to pinpoint the perpetrator and to end the cycle of abuse. Another goal of the legislation is to identify problems before they escalate to prevent in the long term this cycle of domestic violence from repeating itself from one generation to the next. As we well know, a child's survival is largely dependent upon the health and well-being of his or her mother or caretaker. So this Mother's Day, let us bear in mind the vital role that women play in creating a peaceful and prosperous world for all children. As I have pointed out, this statement rings true not only for mothers in our country but for mothers living in developing countries around this world. Women hold families together. Therefore, women hold communities and whole Nations together; and thus, mothers are a crucial link in the livelihood and survival of our Nation's future as well as the future of the world as a whole.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, the House is right to condemn the horrific and heartless suicide bombings, and to reaffirm our support for Israel; but it is not right simply to voice our personal emotions and not to advance our national interests. This resolution should be stronger. First, it should recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people. Many of the 1,500 Palestinians killed in this conflict are not terrorists or fighters, but innocent people. Second, Congress should forcefully support strong U.S. engagement in pursuit of a negotiated long-term settlement to the conflict. All suicide bombings cannot be stopped by the Palestinian authority alone, nor will they be ended by Palestinian incursions into the West Bank and Gaza. Terrorism was stopped before, and can be halted again only through joint Israel-Palestinian security cooperation. Beyond that, the dream of a secure Israel can be realized only alongside a politically and economically viable Palestine. Our own national interests demand that the U.S. serve as an honest, credible leader towards peace. Mr. Speaker, the House is right to condemn the horrific and heartless tactic of suicide bombing. The House is right to reaffirm the unbreakable bond between the American people and the Israeli people. But Mr. Speaker, it is not right to simply voice our personal emotions and not advance our national interests. This resolution should be stronger. First, it should recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people. Many of the 1,500 Palestinians killed in this conflict are not terrorists or fighters, but innocent people. Surely, the United States of America and its Congress consider the death of an innocent child to be equally tragic--whether she is Israeli or Palestinian, Jewish, Christian, or Muslim. Second, Congress should forcefully support strong U.S. engagement in pursuit of a negotiated long-term settlement to the conflict. We are here to offer solutions, not merely to express emotions. All suicide bombings cannot be stopped by the Palestinian Authority alone. Nor will they be ended by Israeli incursions into the West Bank and Gaza. Terrorism was stopped before--and can be halted again--through joint Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation. Let us not forget that when Israel and the Palestinian Authority were combating terror together, under the watchful eye of our CIA, Israelis enjoyed three of the most peaceful years in their history. That ended when the peace process collapsed. These peaceful days will only return in the context of a vigorous, renewed peace process led by the United States. The dream of a safe and secure Israel can be realized only alongside an economically and politically viable Palestine. And this will only become reality if our country--and our President--is fully engaged in diplomacy. Last night, the flames at the Church of the Nativity were a stark and vivid reminder that the cycle of violence in the Middle East threatens to spiral out of control. But the agreement to end the situation in Ramallah, secured by the United States, reminds us of the valuable role U.S. intervention can play. Today, the United States is engaged in a critical war against terrorism. In my view, the fight against global terror will only be strengthened when we secure a just and lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. For the sake of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples--and for our own sake--the U.S. government must be an honest, credible leader toward the path of peace. Our national interests give us no alternative.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize one of the ``greenest'' commercial buildings in the Nation, Donald Bren Hall. This important structure houses the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of Southern California, Santa Barbara and is a living laboratory for sustainable green building practices and materials. Donald Bren Hall incorporates all of the latest elements of sustainable design, including solar photovoltaic panels that capture the sunlight to provide almost 10 percent of the building's electricity, natural air cooling using ocean breezes and energy- efficient lamps and ballasts, including motion and ambient light sensors to control lighting levels. Recyclable materials are used throughout the building, including reclaimed carpets, rubber flooring made from recycled tires, ceiling tiles made from cornstarch and recycled paper and roofing materials that insulate and reduce energy consumption. Windows have a device that automatically shuts off the room's heating system when opened and reclaimed water is used for irrigation. The building will use 27 to 40 percent less electricity than a conventional structure. The new Donald Bren Hall will achieve the Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design--or LEED--which is the highest level of distinction given to a capital project that meets or exceeds the strictest requirements of the LEED Green Building Rating System. Mr. Speaker, clearly this building is a role model not only for UCSB, but also for other university campuses throughout the state and country. This building stands as a testament to what is possible when engineers, suppliers and architects work together to achieve a practical, environmentally-friendly balance between a structure's comfort and its functionality. They have set the bar very high, and I hope this building's influence extends beyond the university setting and into the realm of business and commercial development. On Friday, April 19, 2002 Donald Bren Hall will be officially welcomed to the Santa Barbara community, Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me today in congratulating the University of California, Santa Barbara for its vision and commitment to working with and on the behalf of our precious environment

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to an outstanding citizen, Mr. Joe Sesto, upon the celebration of his 90th birthday. Mr. Sesto has been an extraordinary asset to the City of Santa Maria, California, as well as to Vandenberg Air Force Base, since he arrived on the Central Coast in 1950. Even at the age of 90, it is difficult to find anyone who is as active in the community as Mr. Sesto. He continues to serve on several community boards, and at a recent Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce annual meeting, was dubbed ``Mr. Santa Maria.'' Mr. Sesto received the Golden Medallion Award for being the Chairman of the Local American Heart Association, and was the President of the Santa Maria Chamber of Commerce in 1954. He has also been the Chairman for the Ways and Means Committee for the Construction of the Marian Medical Center, which is the primary hospital in Santa Maria. Mr. Sesto has served on the County Grand Jury, the County Arts Commission, the County Health Commission, and the City of Santa Maria Planning Commission. He was the Chairman for the Development of the Cultural Facilities, Chairman for the Bond Drive to Build Hancock College Performing Arts Theater and past President of the Robert Goddard Chapter of the Air Force Association. Mr. Sesto is also the Chairman of the Military Affairs Committee and has served as liaison to Vandenberg Air Force Base since its inception in 1957. He has received national, state and local awards for his Air Force Association activities, including the highest civilian award given by the Air Force, ``The Exceptional Service Award.'' In 1990, Mr. Sesto was named the Honorary Missileer at the Missile Competition, and the base auditorium was named The Sesto Auditorium in 1986. Joe Sesto has shared his glorious sense of humor and generous heart with his fellow central coast neighbors for many, many years. He and his wife Philomene, who have been married for 67 years, can only be described as true pillars of the Santa Maria Valley. I am blessed to know this wonderful individual, and urge my colleagues to join me in wishing him birthday greetings on this joyous occasion.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 90 years of Girl Scouting. I am pleased that many of my colleagues have also chosen to celebrate and espouse the accomplishments of this time-honored organization. Once a Girl Scout myself, I proudly support the cultural, political, social, and economic advancements of the millions of girls across the nation. Girl Scouts of the USA instills young women and girls with a balanced set of values and varied skills, beneficial to the development of every girl who is often vulnerable during these early stages of growth. Girl Scouting empowers girls to rise to their full potential and relate positively to others. In addition, the organization creates a foundation for sound decision-making so that these girls may confront society head on and contribute to it. Not only is Girl Scouting a positive experience for its members, but the organization's advocacy on the national level in building solid communities enabled the Girl Scouts to create a research institute. With the help of government funding the Girl Scouts have addressed such issues as violence prevention and the digital divide with activities that encourage girls to pursue careers in science, math, and technology. In my district, the Girl Scouts of Tres Condados number 15,000 members strong. I am proud to report that two of these young girls were recently awarded Lifesaving Medals of Honor. The last time these Girl Scouts medals were awarded was 16 years ago. Nine-year old Lindsey Papa received the award after saving her brother in a boating accident. While others were trying to free the boy from the boat propeller, Lindsey hit the switch that shut off the engine, saving her brother's life. And amazingly, seven-year old Courtney Harmon received the award when she performed the heimlich maneuver on her classmate saving the classmate's life. We can undeniably give some credit to the Girl Scouts for training Courtney in First Aid and CPR. Courtney exemplifies how invaluable a First Aid and CPR education can be for children and in schools. And we can also attribute Lindsey's ability to make sensible decisions under pressure to her Girl Scout experiences. The remarkable acts of these two young girls are a testament to the objectives of the Girl Scouts. There are more than 233,000 troops and groups throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. And over 300 local Girl Scout councils offer the opportunity for Girl Scout membership. I have always encouraged students--males, and young females especially--to get involved in issues that are of importance to them in their communities. No other organization provides all girls everywhere with the tools and resources entirely favorable to their upbringing. Girl Scouts is an outlet accessible to all girls, with links to an endless array of possibilities, expression and creativity. I know the Girl Scouts of the USA will well outlive this 90-year anniversary and continue to be a positive and significant societal influence for centuries to come.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise to highlight Lifetime television's campaign to Stop Violence Against Women. This violence crosses all economic, cultural, racial, religious and educational lines. It is a multi-faceted problem with no easy solution. But prevention through education and awareness is key to ending the cycle of abuse perpetuated against nearly one-third of American women. I will soon introduce legislation to dramatically increase the scale of intervention by urging every health care provider to screen women, age 18 and older, for domestic violence. My bill would also provide health care professionals with the training needed to assess women for signs of abuse. In the confidential environment of a doctor's office or clinic, health care professionals would serve as a bridge to the criminal justice system. Routine screening for domestic violence would unlock options a woman may not otherwise pursue and allow her to see that shelter and advocacy services may be useful to her. Madam Speaker, I commend all who have worked unwaveringly to bring the issue of violence against women to the forefront.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise on the floor of the House this afternoon. Two weeks ago in my California district, which includes Santa Barbara, a 37-year-old man named Clinton Scott Risetter was brutally murdered, burned to death in his bed. Such a killing would be tragic under any circumstances. Yet this is particularly painful because Mr. Risetter was murdered because he was a homosexual. Let me say that even in a community as tolerant as Santa Barbara, intolerance still has an ugly and evil face. I am heartened by much of what has transpired since the tragic incident. I am proud that local law enforcement agencies have responded swiftly and thoroughly. The police department and district attorney are working closely with the community, including gay rights organizations, for which I am pleased and very grateful. But I also believe that we must confront the ugly specter of hate crimes on a national, as well as a local, level. Last year at this time, an important bill was introduced in the House, the Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This bill, sponsored by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers), would strengthen the Federal response to hate crime violence which is motivated by race, color, religion, or national origin. It would also expand the law to cover hate crimes committed against people because of their gender, sexual orientation, or disability, as well as to expand Federal jurisdiction to cover the most violent of these hate crimes. As it stands now, Federal authorities cannot act on cases involving death or serious bodily injury based on gender, sexual orientation, or disability when local law enforcement is not available. Now fortunately this does not impact the case in Santa Barbara; but even so, many people throughout the country are left without any chance for justice when their own States fail to act. So I am pleased that Santa Barbara has, as a community, responded with outrage and compassion to this recent event, the vicious hate crime which has occurred there. But as a society we must continue to confront what lies at the root of these horrendous hate crimes, and that is where our Federal legislation comes in and why it is so very important. The Hate Crimes Prevention Act would provide communities with important prevention tools, including grants to State and local programs designed to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles and training for local law enforcement officers in investigating, prosecuting, and preventing hate crimes altogether. We cannot ignore the facts. Since 1996, hate crimes committed against individuals based on sexual orientation have increased nearly 28 percent. I will not remain silent on this issue. I am compelled to do whatever I can to prevent another hostile and tragic act on anyone because of his or her sexual orientation. In a post-September 11 society, where tolerance and acceptance are strongly encouraged and promoted by our government and local communities, these types of crimes must not go unpunished or unexplored. Let us make the Hate Crimes Prevention Act a reality. Let us make a true commitment to every American citizen, be they gay or straight, Muslim, Christian, white, black, Hispanic or Asian. It should not take a brutal murder to jar the Congress out of acting out of common sense and basic human decency. It is too late to save the life of Mr. Risetter, but it is not too late to take the kind of action which will honor his memory.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, on this day devoted to affairs of the heart I want to remind my colleagues that February is American Heart Month. Right now, over 61 million Americans are suffering from cardiovascular diseases. And by the time I finish this statement, another two Americans will have died from those causes. This is why I introduced the community Access to Emergency Defibrillation Act with Representative Shimkus and the STOP Stroke Act with Representative Pickering. The Community AED Act would provide funding to localities for them to purchase Automatic External Defibrillators and place them in public buildings, so that emergency care for cardiac arrest is only seconds away. And the STOP Stroke Act will help states develop better stroke treatment programs because immediate treatment can make the difference between nearly total recovery and death. Both of these bills were passed by the other body recently without objection and I hope that the House can also do so quickly. I urge my colleagues to support these and other efforts to address the scourge of cardiovascular diseases. Let's have a heart! Happy Valentine's Day!

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the substitute. The moment of truth has arrived. I came to this House 4 years ago in a special election. My very first official act after being sworn into office was to cosponsor the bill by the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Meehan). It is still one of the proudest moments of my career. The gentleman from Connecticut and the gentleman from Massachusetts have kept the torch burning for many years. I salute them. I also salute my 20 friends on the other side of the aisle who have signed the discharge petition, who have acted courageously and stood up to their own leadership. Mr. Chairman, we have all seen the abuses and excesses of our political system. We also know that these substitute bills do not represent reform. They are cynical attempts to force the bill into conference with the Senate, where it has died many times before. Before any of us ever heard the word Enron, we knew full well that the voices of our constituents can and are often drowned out by powerful groups with endless resources. In so many of our national debates, from prescription drugs to patients' rights to our energy policy, special interests have held sway over the people's interests. It is time today to pass Shays-Meehan to honor the people we represent, the American people.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the 90th anniversary of one of America's foremost organizations, Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America. This organization has grown to become the largest women's and Jewish membership organization in the United States, comprised of over 300,000 individuals. Hadassah will begin to celebrate its 90th year on February 26, 2002. Since its founding in 1912, Hassadah's devoted members have helped improve the lives of women and indeed, all of humanity. Foremost among these contributions is Hadassah's incredible contributions to health care in Israel. Their flagship project, the Hadassah Medical Organization, provides health care of the highest caliber to a myriad of individuals from throughout the Middle East, without racial, religious or national prejudice, and also aids the training of health care workers. In addition, Hadassah's humanitarian mission has long made the organization a supporter of a peaceful and stable Middle East. Within the United States, Hadassah is an active player on a number of critical public policy concerns. This includes a program for breast cancer detection and awareness, Jewish family programs, and the encouragement of civic participation. Hadassah also places an emphasis on education of both its members and the general public, especially in regard to American-Israeli relations, separation of church and state, and women's health. I congratulate Hadassah on its commitment to improving the lives of countless people in the Middle East and here in America. The past 90 years have demonstrated the need for organizations such as Hadassah, and I wish its members nothing but continued success in the future.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to Cantor Mark Childs who celebrated the 10th anniversary of his investiture as a Cantor on January 11, 2002. In addition, January 11 also marked the 10th anniversary of Cantor Childs' service at the Congregation B'nal B'rith in Santa Barbara, California. For the last 10 years, the citizens of Santa Barbara have benefited from Cantor Childs love of music. After earning a Bachelor's of Arts degree in music from the University of California, San Diego, and his Master of Sacred Music degree along with an Investiture as Cantor from the Hebrew Union College-School of Sacred Music in New York City, Cantor Childs relocated to Santa Barbara and became Cantor of Congregation B'nai B'n'th. Along with his eloquent speaking style, Cantor Childs has shared his extraordinary musical talent with the Congregation and community alike. As Music Director at B'nai B'rith Cantor Childs is responsible for all liturgical and nonliturgical music in the synagogue. He conducts the adult, teen and youth choirs, and is responsible for music education from pre-school through 10th grades. He also produces full- scale musicals involving the youth of the congregation. Outside the congregation, Cantor Childs has been involved with the San Diego Opera, the Aspen Music Festival Opera, and the Santa Barbara Grand Opera. Aside from bringing music to B'nal B'rith, Cantor Childs serves the congregation by teaching 6th grade Hebrew and tutors every Bar/Bat Mitzvah student before their services. He additionally leads the weekly service for both Sunday and Wednesday Religious School. For the last 10 years, Cantor Childs has been an irreplaceable asset not only to Congregation B'nai B'rith but to the Santa Barbara community in general. His talent and warm personality have been appreciated by all and we are so lucky to have him in our midst. I wish to congratulate Cantor Childs on the last ten years of his achievements and thank him once more for sharing his extraordinary talent with the Santa Barbara community.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay tribute to a woman who is not only an extraordinary citizen of Santa Barbara, California, but has also served the city as Mayor for the last eight years. On December 30, 2001, the City of Santa Barbara will honor Harriet Miller and pay tribute to her for all the wonderful things she has accomplished not only during her tenure as Mayor, but throughout her life. Harriet Miller grew up in Idaho and attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry. After graduation, she went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania, and later received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Whitman College. Education has always been a driving force in Harriet's life. From 1950-1955 she served as an Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Students at the University of Montana. She was then elected as the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Montana in 1956, and additionally served the state as a member of the Board of Land Commissioners, the Library Commission, the Teachers Retirement Board and the Board of Education, in addition to being an exofficio Regent of the Montana University system. In 1969 Harriet first moved to Santa Barbara and started HMA, a management consulting company. Yet after seven years of serving as president of the company, Harriet relocated to Washington, D.C. and over the next several years served as Executive Director of the American Association of Retired Person, the National Retired Teachers Association and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. She then returned to Santa Barbara and was appointed to Santa Barbara City Council in 1987, was elected during the same year, and was reelected as a City Council member in 1992. In January, 1995, Harriet was appointed as Mayor, and then went on to become elected as Mayor in November of 1995. She was then reelected in 1997. During her tenure, Harriet Miller served the City in many ways, including serving as either a chair, active member, or on the Board of Directors for countless agencies. Throughout the years, Harriet Miller has been a pleasure to work with and after stepping down from office she will surely be missed. The City of Santa Barbara has been fortunate to have such a distinguished woman as Harriet as Mayor, and the City will never forget all her wonderful achievements. I would like to thank Harriet today for her dedication to Santa Barbara, and wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention to my colleagues, a thoughtful article by Frank Kelly that appeared in the Santa Barbara News-Press, entitled ``Humanity's Greatness in a Time of Peril'' on November 25, 2000. Mr. Frank K. Kelly has been a journalist, a speechwriter for President Truman, Assistant to the Senate Majority Leader, Vice President of the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, and Vice President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following article: [From the Santa Barbara News-Press, Nov. 25, 2001] Voices--Humanity's Greatness in a Time of Peril (By Frank K. Kelly) In a time of trouble and sorrow, with fears of terrorism shadowing the future, 500 human beings gathered in Santa Barbara on Nov. 9 to honor two young leaders who have shown courage and compassion in lives of high achievement. The gathering was described as ``An Evening for Peace,'' but it was far more than that. It was a celebration, a tremendous manifestation, of the creative powers of humanity. Two Peace Leadership Awards were presented that evening by the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. One went to Hafsat Abiola, founder of the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy, a dauntless advocate for human rights throughout the African continent. A beautiful young woman with a delicate face, she spoke of the struggles she had endured and the triumphs that had been achieved. When she finished, the people in the banquet room rose to their feet in a spontaneous ovation. The second Peace Leadership Award was given to Craig Kielburger, founder of the Free the Children organization, who initiated a movement that led to the release of thousands of children from conditions of labor enslavement. He created it when he was 12 years old, stirred by the tragic fate of a boy from Pakistan who was sold into bonded labor and killed when he protested against the treatment of children in his country. When Kielburger, now 18, completed his speech, he also received an ovation. Bursts of affection and admiration flashed around that enormous room in wave after wave. When the two young leaders expressed their confidence in humanity's future, it was evident that their experiences had increased their awareness of the goodness and generosity existing in so many members of the human species. They had a glow of love and respect around them. There were hundreds of students in that huge room, students from high school and colleges, students with a wide range of gifts and ambitions, students from many ethnic backgrounds. Their faces were shining with excitement. They were clearly inspired by the two young leaders who were being acclaimed. I was among the hundreds of older persons who participated in that gathering of glorious beings. I lived through four wars and I had witnessed terrible sufferings. Yet I also witnessed noble acts in many places. In spire of wars and other calamities, in spite of terrorism and all the threats that existed, I was sure that human beings would go from height to height, achieving more in each generation. The celebration on Nov. 9 convinced me again that Thomas Merton was right when he asserted in one of his books that it is ``a glorious destiny to be a human being.'' I saw the light of that glory in the faces of the young and the old when they leaped to their feet to respond to a Nigerian woman and a Canadian man. I was grateful for the privilege of being in that room on that marvelous night. I was grateful for the work of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation in bringing so many wonderful persons together. I was grateful for the fact that I had participated in founding it and supporting it for 20 years. I felt an exultance, which reminded me of the surge of joy I had felt when I took part in the liberation of Paris in August of 1944. I had never expected to ride into that city as a member of a victorious army. I had never expected to be embraced by so many people, to be hailed as a liberator. It was an ecstasy I had not earned. It was one of many gifts showered upon me in a fortunate life. On the night of Nov. 9, I felt the exaltation that comes when many people are celebrating the mystery and the wonder of being human. We rejoiced together, we felt the endless possibilities for greatness that can occur when people acknowledge their unity in the spirit of love. We became fully aware that hatred and cruelty can be overcome, and there can be peace and justice in this world for all. I strongly believe that every one who was in that room that night will carry the starburst of that celebration in their lives through all the pains and problems of the coming years. I thrill to the hope that a tremendous Age of Fulfillment is dawning for the whole human family.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a minute to again thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for his excellent leadership in this legislation. I also keep in mind the many nurses across this country with whom I have worked closely and who have supported this legislation who know firsthand the importance of it and their patients who will benefit from it.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).

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