Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2031. This legislation would restrict interstate commerce and limit consumers' choices throughout the country. It would also seriously harm the small vintners in my district and around this Nation. Let me explain how some people from our States and districts like to buy wine. They come to places like the central coast of California and spend a few days touring the vineyards and tasting the wines of my district and maybe they buy some to take home. After they get home, they will discover they cannot find any wine from these lovely vineyards in Paso Robles or the Santa Maria Valley that they like so much. So they try to order some over the phone or through the Internet, until the vineyard tells them, ``No, sorry, but your State will not let us ship to you. You're out of luck.'' Right now a number of States have adopted laws that restrict the rights of their citizens to order wine from out-of-state wineries. This bill would encourage more State legislatures to adopt these anti- consumer laws. Is that really what the authors of this legislation want to do, restrict the choices of law-abiding adult consumers? Let me quote from the Wall Street Journal. ``Shutting down shipments of $300 cases of wine is not a reasonable regulation of intoxicating beverages; it is an obstacle to interstate commerce of precisely the type the Founders intended to prohibit.'' What this legislation will do is harm the little guy, the small family vintners and wineries. I have heard from so many vintners in my district who would like to be able to reach more consumers throughout the country. However, this is not possible without going through a large distributor who simply will not ship small quantities of wine. And besides, retailers only have so much shelf space and certainly not enough for the wine productioned by 1,600 small wineries throughout the United States. So vintners seek to expand their businesses and serve their loyal customers through phone orders or through the Internet. This bill will seek to shut down that avenue of commerce. The authors of this legislation claim that its purpose is to cut down on underage drinking, and that is a noble goal. As a school nurse for 20 years, I have worked very hard to fight underaged drinking. But this bill is not about stopping kids from drinking. If it were, we would think Mothers Against Drunk Driving would be in favor of it. They are not. California has allowed direct sales for over 20 years, and it has had no measurable effect on underage drinking. If we really want to discourage underage drinking, we should support programs like Fighting Back in my district, which works through public awareness initiatives and provides youth services, or we should challenge the drug czar to include anti-youth drinking ads as part of the government's anti-drug ad campaign. If this were a bill to cut down on underage drinking, I would be for it. But it is not. It is an attack on our small vintners. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposition to this misguided legislation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this motion to instruct the conferees on H.R. 10. In particular, I want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) for the language contained in this motion regarding the importance of medical privacy. Let me say first that I strongly believe this Congress should pass financial services modernization this year. Laws governing this industry are outdated and inefficient. They increase consumer costs and they limit consumer choices. They need to be changed. But in so doing, we must ensure that we protect not only the privacy of consumers' sensitive financial information, but also of their medical records, as well. As a nurse, I know that in order to be effectively treated, patients must share all their health information with their doctors, therapists, and other providers. No diagnosis is complete without it. But if patients do not feel that their information will stay put with their health care provider or insurance company, if they cannot be sure that their most private and sensitive information will be kept confidential, they will not be so forthcoming. That would hurt patient care. I wish to submit now for the Record a list of national organizations opposed to the medical records provisions in H.R. 10. In contrast to the House version of H.R. 10, we must ensure that the financial modernization legislation that comes out of conference protects patient privacy. With that in mind, I urge a yes vote on this motion to instruct. The list of organizations opposed to the medical records provisions in H.R. 10 is as follows: Organizations Opposed to the Medical Records Provisions in H.R. 10 physician organizations American Medical Association American Psychiatric Association American College of Surgeons American College of Physicians/American Society of Internal Medicine American Academy of Family Physicians American Psychological Association nurses organizations American Nurses Association American Association of Occupational Health Nurses patient organizations National Breast Cancer Coalition Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Privacy Working Group National Association of People with AIDS AIDS Action National Organization for Rare Disorders National Mental Health Association Myositis Association Infectious Disease Society privacy/civil rights organizations Consumer Coalition for Health Privacy American Civil Liberties Union Center for Democracy and Technology Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law labor organizations

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank our Texas colleagues, and, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join all our colleagues in the House in honoring Lance Armstrong for his incredible victory in this year's Tour de France. Like millions of other Americans and fans around the globe, I followed Lance's journey to Paris with great enthusiasm. Lance Armstrong is only the second American to win the prestigious Tour de France since its inception in 1903. This is a race covering over 2,000 miles of French countryside over a 3-week period. He is the first American to win the Tour on an American team, the United States Postal Service team, and as we have heard, this win is a tribute to another victory as well for Lance and for us all, a victory over cancer. Lance did not do this alone. It was the incredible hard work of his teammates that insured Lance would arrive in Paris wearing the Yellow Jersey, and it is going to take the same teamwork to find a cure for the devastating disease we call cancer. We in Congress must do all we can to help in this effort for just as Lance's victory on his bike took teamwork, the fight against cancer will take the same hard effort. Lance Armstrong's comeback from cancer is from truly a remarkable story. Less than 3 years ago, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and given less than a 50 percent chance of survival much less ever riding a bicycle again. Yet he came back to make what is one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of sport. The grueling Tour de France is one of the most physically demanding endurance sporting events in the world. Lance's sheer determination and athletic ability was inspiring to watch. He is a role model for cancer patients and survivors around the world. Lance also matches his athleticism with altruism. Just 2 months after he was diagnosed with cancer, he formed the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization devoted to fighting cancer through awareness, education, and research. In the truest sense of the word, Lance Armstrong is a hero. And in the words of Lance himself on his accomplishment, this is what he said: I hope this sends a fantastic message to all the cancer patients around the world. We can return to what we were before and even better.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of common-sense tax relief for American families and small businesses. I also rise in support of saving Medicare and Social Security, two programs critical to today's seniors and future generations. Unfortunately, the bill before the House today, H.R. 2488, is fiscally irresponsible. It would threaten our ability to ensure the long term solvency of Medicare and Social Security. It would also restrict our ability to pay down national debt and to make needed investments in national defense, education and environmental protection. By using the entire projected surplus for permanent tax cuts, this bill would leave no money for modernizing Medicare or reforming Social Security. This is simply unconscionable. Medicare is desperately in need of modernization--specifically, the lack of prescription drug coverage is a gaping hole in this critical safety net for seniors that must be fixed. and while Social Security is fiscally sound for the near future, the coming retirement of the baby boom generation will strain the system beyond its limit. We owe it to future generations to act now to reform these programs while there is still plenty of time to do so. H.R. 2488 would also keep us from paying down the $3.7 trillion national debt. Indeed, the Treasury Department estimates this bill would add over $150 billion in interest payments on that debt over the next 10 years. And the cost of the bill explodes over the second 10 years--to $3 trillion--precisely at the time that our Social Security and Medicare rolls will be increasing with newly retired baby-boomers. The tax cut bill that I will be supporting today contains several important reforms that I have long supported, while allowing us to preserve Medicare and Social Security. This bill would fix the marriage penalty and ensure middle class families can take full advantage of the various per-child, education and child care tax credits. It would also increase the per-child tax credit by $250 for families with children under age five. The bill I support would help families by providing $25 billion in school construction bonds to modernize our overcrowded public schools and make employer-provided assistance tax free for undergraduate and graduate education. This measure would institute a $1,000 long term care credit and make health insurance fully deductible for the self- employed beginning next year. And it would make permanent the R&D tax credit, so critical to ensuring future economic growth on the Central Coast, as well as credits to help move people from welfare to work. The bill would also provide some relief from estate taxes for all taxpayers. But I believe it should go further. The clear need for relief in this area is for small businesses and family farms like those on the Central Coast of California who are imperiled by the death of the head of the family. We must increase the exemption for businesses like these above the current $1.3 million. The high value of Central Coast land, for example, can make even a modest sized farm or ranch impossible to pass down without being subject to high estate taxes that can force the sale of the property. By increasing this exemption, we would keep family farms and businesses in the family and off the auction block. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my profound disappointment in the partisan handling of this tax bill. I believe there is general agreement among the vast majority of Members that we can and should provide tax relief this year. But the House leadership has pursued a partisan course designed to make political points and not to pass meaningful legislation. The leadership knows H.R. 2488 will not become law. By seriously sitting down and negotiating a common sense tax bill we could easily pass legislation this summer and give families and businesses the tax relief they deserve. I hope that we can put the partisanship aside and work together on formulating real tax reform this year. Our constituents deserve nothing less.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding me the time, and I am very pleased to rise in support of this en bloc amendment, and I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) for their hard work and kind support. This amendment contains a provision that I have authored with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton) commending Israel for reaffirming its democratic ideals in the recent election. The amendment reminds the American people that Israel and the United States share the values of freedom and pluralism. The amendment also congratulates Ehud Barak on his election as prime minister, and it reaffirms the commitment of Congress to strengthen the bonds between our two nations and to advance the cause of peace. Yesterday, Mr. Barak concluded his first visit to Washington as prime minister. He spent the day here in this capital meeting with many of us in Congress. The Prime Minister has pledged to work hard to nuture warm relations with our country. His trip to Washington has breathed new life into the peace process. Mr. Chairman, I ask the House to formally congratulate Mr. Barak and commend our friend and ally, Israel, for its magnificent display of democracy.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Sheriff Jim Thomas of Santa Barbara County who was the recipient of the ``Guardian of Youth Award'' by the Goleta Valley Youth Sports Center. Sheriff Thomas has recently been chosen for this prestigious award because the represents the finest of a community of citizens that has dedicated itself to the future of our youth. Sheriff Thomas' commitment and service to youth is vast. He has given much of his own time and energy to the Drug Abuse Resistance Program-- DARE--by speaking to students about the negative aspects of drug and alcohol abuse. In addition, his administration has devoted five full time deputy sheriffs who spend time on-campuses and in school classrooms educating young people about substance abuse, violence, and self-worth. Under his leadership, DARE has reached more than 20,000 elementary and junior high students. Sheriff Thomas has also committed hundreds of thousands of dollars of confiscated illegal drug money to fund school resource officers, and to support girls' and boys' sports programs, kids camp, and youth scholarship programs. Clearly, Sheriff Thomas` legacy reaches to countless youth and their families. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to commend the George ``Ben'' Page Memorial Youth Center and the Youth Sports Association for their commitment to the fitness and wellness of our children. I believe that the value of the Youth Center is far greater than an extraordinary building--it contains the generosity of spirit of the Association and Santa Barbara County. Most importantly, the Association and its volunteers will positively impact children today and for years to come. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to join my community this past weekend to pay tribute to Sheriff Jim Thomas. He is a man who has served with unparalleled dedication and compassion. I commend him for years of service to the County of Santa Barbara and to our nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues a friend and a leader who was recently honored by the Land Trust of Santa Barbara County for years of outstanding commitment to our environment--David Anderson. David has dedicated himself to the preservation of land in Santa Barbara County and the Central Coast. David Anderson is the co-founder and past President of the Land Trust. He has been intimately involved in almost every conservation effort the Trust has worked on in the last fifteen years. David has been a constant source of support to community groups, property owners and government agencies in Santa Barbara county where the preservation of land was at stake. Because of his efforts and leadership, open space has been preserved on the Gaviota Coast, coastal bluffs have been preserved near Point Sal, the Great Oak Preserve in the Santa Ynez Valley was established, and grasslands near Lompoc have been conserved. These are but a few examples of the land that David and the Trust have secured for today and in perpetuity. David has also greatly contributed to other community organizations. He has served as Past President and is currently the Co-Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, he has been a Board member of the Nature Conservancy, and President of Get Oil Out. In addition, he has been the Past Chairman of the County Air Pollution Hearing Board and a City of Santa Barbara Planning Commissioner. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to join the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County this past weekend to pay tribute to David Anderson. He is a man who has dedicated himself to creating and preserving our most precious resources--our land and our environment. I commend him for years of service to the County of Santa Barbara and to our nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the en bloc amendment, and I thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) and the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson) for their hard work on this bill. I am pleased that the amendment includes a provision that I have authored to encourage the study and preservation of Tibetan culture. For many years, the Tibetan people have suffered tremendously under a succession of oppressive regimes in China. The United States Information Agency currently offers 30 scholarships to Tibetan students who wish to study in the United States. My amendment directs the USIA to consider, whenever practical, individuals who are active in the preservation of Tibet's culture, language, and religion when granting these scholarships. My amendment is the result of conversations that I have held with U.S. experts on Tibet, some of whom reside in my district at the University of California at Santa Barbara. It is clear that these subtle changes to the program will be very helpful in our efforts to preserve this ancient culture. I urge the adoption of this amendment.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 252, I move that the House do now adjourn in memory of the late Hon. George E. Brown, Jr.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this critical amendment to increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. This funding would support grants for arts education, access to underserved areas and other outreach projects proposed under the NEA's Challenge America Initiative. The arts represent the finest that American culture has to offer. Funding for the arts provides a life line for many arts organizations in communities throughout our country. In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, which I am proud to represent, the NEA supports programs such as the Children's Creative Project, the Cal Poly Arts Program, the Cuesta College Public Events Program and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. The seed money provided by the NEA allows these programs to flourish and contribute to their respective economies. The NEA broadens Americans' access to the arts and promotes lifelong learning. Arts education improves the lives of young people by teaching them self-esteem, teamwork, motivation, discipline and problem solving skills that will assist them later in life. Research has shown that students who studied the arts scored an average of 83 points higher than non-arts students on the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT). Yet sadly, many students today do not have access to arts education in our schools. Mr. Chairman, working in our local schools for over twenty years, I have seen first-hand the benefits of arts education. I have also seen arts programs stripped from schools and unfortunately our children have suffered the consequences. Arts education demands discipline and perseverance, requires critical judgment and self-reflection, and teaches decision making, problem solving and teamwork. We all know that these are necessary skills for success in today's workplace--and more importantly, success in life. The arts boost our national economy as well. The nonprofit arts community generates an estimated $37 billion in economic activity, employs a work force of nearly three million people, increases tourism, and generates new business in communities. An investment in the arts is not only an investment in culture and community, but also in the economic vitality of our country. Mr. Chairman, the NEA budget accounts for less than one tenth of 1 percent of the federal budget and provides invaluable services to our communities and students. I strongly support this amendment and encourage my colleagues to vote in support of this pragmatic investment in our nation's future.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), for yielding me this time, and I rise in wholehearted enthusiastic support of this bipartisan resolution, House Resolution 244, congratulating our U.S. Women's Soccer Team. I am doing so today on behalf of the young women in my district in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, girls for whom soccer is more than a sport, it is a passion; soccer and all of the other sports that are claiming increasing amounts of their time and enthusiasm. This is undeniably due to Title 9 and the fundamental principle that all programs deserve equal funding, and I thank those in this House that were instrumental in passing that landmark initiative. I also commend this U.S. Women's Soccer Team for their extraordinary hard work and determination and their enthusiasm, which was so contagious. It was beautiful to watch them play. Not only did they give us the incredibly entertaining and most attended women's sports event in history, they are also now giving to young women all over the country remarkable role models to look up to. Mr. Speaker, along with my colleagues, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), the chairs of the Women's Caucus, I recently invited the Women's Soccer Team to celebrate their success on Capitol Hill. We look forward to welcoming these American heroines to the Halls of Congress.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in support of H.R. 2465, the Military Construction Appropriations Act for FY 2000. This important bipartisan legislation provides $8.5 billion for military housing and addresses a variety of quality of life issues for U.S. troops. It is time that we made basic improvements in base facilities to support our troops. H.R. 2465 will address such quality of life issues in a number of ways. For example, the bill provides almost $965 million for barracks, hospitals and medical facilities, and $747 million for new housing units for troops and their families. I am particularly pleased that H.R. 2465 includes $16.8 million to continue a much-needed family housing project at Vandenberg Air Force Base in my district. Vandenberg is in the process of building 108 two, three, and four bedroom housing units on the base. The goal is to provide safe, modern, and efficient housing for service men and women and their family members. This particular housing project provides the services with a unique model of how development can be structured to strengthen and enhance a sense of community among a highly transitory population. I am also proud to say that this bill funds priority projects and services for American forces for the next fiscal year, and still manages to be fiscally responsible.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 144, which calls attention to the plight of three humanitarian workers unjustly imprisoned by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Branko Jelen, Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace were employed in Yugoslavia by CARE International, providing aid, food, and medicinal supplies to refugees in both Serbia and Kosovo. In that capacity, they did what CARE International does in all of its international humanitarian missions: provide other CARE offices in the area with progress reports. CARE International has always used these reports, because they are vital to the organization's first-hand knowledge of the progress, prospects, and dangers of their many missions. The reports are not secret and contain easily obtainable information. After learning of these reports in late March, the government of Slobodan Milosevic detained Jelen, Pratt, and Wallace, and later accused them of engaging in espionage for the U.S. government. In a closed military court, they were found guilty of spying, and are currently serving sentences of up to 12 years in a Serbian jail. Mr. Speaker, these three men are innocent. They were providing humanitarian aid to people who were in desperate need. We are all familiar with CARE International and similar Non- Government Organizations, and the extraordinary humanitarian contributions they make in the fight to end despair and suffering. Today, this House must stand up for this mission. It is imperative that the U.S. lead the way in freeing these men and who are guilty of nothing more than being courageous humanitarians. I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Chairman, I commend the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bliley) for their leadership on this bill. H.R. 10 would be a much more efficient financial service bill, bringing greater choices and lower prices for consumers, and that is a good thing. But this bill has serious flaws that must be corrected. Most important, the language regarding privacy of medical information has to be strengthened. The American Nurses Association says this about H.R. 10: The proposed language would, in fact, facilitate the broad sharing of sensitive health and medical information without the consent of the consumer. H.R. 10, as it is now written, will allow an insurance company to sell consumers personal health information. That is wrong. Patients should be encouraged to share with their doctors, nurses, and therapists all their health information. No diagnosis or treatment is complete without it. But if patients cannot be sure that this sensitive and personal information will be kept confidential, they will not be so forthcoming, and that will hurt patient care and stifle research projects. Let us be clear. Privacy must never take a back seat to profits. We must first fix these provisions and then pass an outstanding financial services bill.

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Chairman, tonight I will vote against H.R. 10. I do this with great disappointment because I truly believe that we must modernize our woefully out-of-date financial service laws. Modernizing these laws would create a more efficient financial service industry and bring greater choice and lower prices for consumers. But I cannot in good conscience support this legislation. The so- called medical privacy provision endangers consumer privacy protection by allowing their sensitive health information to be sold. I hope to work with my colleagues to tighten these provisions during conference so I can support a financial services bill that does not endanger patient privacy.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to speak on behalf of two important veterans' bills today--H.R. 1568 and H.J. Res. 34. H.R. 1568, the Veteran's Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 will significantly improve services to veterans by the Small Business Administration. Many veterans have the necessary skills and motivation to successfully operate their own businesses, but lack the resources to initiate such enterprise. This bipartisan legislation, supported by veterans all over the country and by organizations such as the Vietnam Veterans of America, the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Reserve Officers Association, will provide a substantial boost to the entrepreneurial aspirations of the nation's veterans, especially veterans with service-related disabilities. This important legislation will establish a National Veterans Business Development Center to provide small business assistance to veterans through public and private sector initiatives and partnerships. It will also strengthen the SBA's Office of Veterans Business Development and create a permanent advisory committee on veteran's business affairs. In addition, the Microloan and Delta Loan Program will be made available to veterans to finance a new business or expand an already existing company. I am also pleased to speak on behalf of H.J. Res. 34, a Resolution congratulating and commending the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). This admirable organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year in working for the rights and needs of American veterans. The VFW currently represents the interests of 2,000,000 veterans who have served in wars ranging from World War I and II, to Korea and Vietnam, to the more recent Persian Gulf War and conflict in Bosnia. Mr. Speaker, our veterans have served this nation with honor and dignity, they have made tremendous sacrifices for our liberty, and they deserve our utmost support. That is why I intend to vote in favor of H.R. 1568 and H.R. Res. 34.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for organizing this time for us to speak together. It has been a day on behalf of patients, I believe, here in the Congress, and that feels good to me as a nurse that we are finally now speaking clearly. What we need to do now is move this discussion from a march onto the floor by many Members who seek to have it be placed on the agenda. We need to move it from the hearing room. We need to move it right to the deliberation stage. It is fine for us to talk here, and I am glad we can have a chance to do that and maybe summarize some of the things that have been going on and some points that my colleague has been making. And it is wonderful to see a colleague from Illinois here, as well, ready to speak. Because this is not a situation particular to one part of the country. I am from California, and it involves me personally and directly with all of my constituents. It addresses all of us. This is a national crisis now. This is an issue that needs to be addressed across this country and, for that reason, needs to be dealt with in this House. Yes, we have great examples of States, and I commend a State like Texas that has put into place within their State framework strong patient protection rights and has seen clearly that when they do this it does not make the cost of health care skyrocket. It really does not do that. So it is wonderful to have the examples of communities and entities and States even where strong steps are taking place. But for us to speak on behalf of all of the citizens of this country, we need to do it here in this body, and I am pleased that we can do that. Now a year has gone by. I was first running for office a year and a half ago as a nurse, as a school nurse, in my community for 20 years. The strongest stories that were told to me were told to me by patients who were so frustrated with their managed care, we have had managed care in California for a long time, and the flaws in it. That was good. That happened in the beginning when the cost of health care, which had skyrocketed, was brought down. But then the excesses began to show themselves and so many citizens, also patients, came up to me and talked to me about their stories, real horror stories, of what had happened to them, many of them quietly. They never really told anyone before. But we reached out to them. I believe that the Patients' Bill of Rights gives voice to many of these concerns, the frustration about not being able to choose their own doctor, having any say in what choices they have for health care; the gag rules that prevent a health care provider from telling them all the options, whether or not their insurance covers it; access to specialties, to second opinions, to emergency room treatments. These seem common sense to me, something that we should not really have to legislate about. But, unfortunately, we do because of these excesses that have come to bear. The bottom line, as my colleague has pointed out, the bottom line has to do with who is making the important life-saving health and medical decisions, who do we trust our lives with, the lives of our loved ones with? Do we want it to be a bureaucrat who is an accountant, may be a whiz at being an accountant, or do we want to take advantage of someone's highly skilled training and dedication, someone we can look in the eye and can also look at our bodies and understand what health conditions we are talking about? So many of these decisions now are made without even access to the patient's records let alone meeting with the patient. The second bottom line is who is going to be accountable when grave mistakes are made? And again, I hark the situation we heard about in our hearing today, when accountability is put into a protection clause in the health care law, it does not necessarily skyrocket the prices. And when a life is at stake, I believe we need to really focus on that. The hearing that my colleague and I attended today on the importance of a strong appeals process, that was a good hearing. But again, it is time to move it here to the floor where we can take some action on this. Our country's health care system has changed from fee-for-service to managed care by and large. We have seen a revolution in health care, and we need to address the attendant issues which have gotten out of control. We do not want patients to have their medical needs denied because some third-party person is following a form here that has nothing to do with their own individual needs, and that is what we are talking about. The patient that I am thinking of right now is a mother really with a very young child who came to me desperate with the situation that had happened to her, gave birth to twins, already had a child. So the household was full. One of the twins was born with many critical health problems. They discharged the little baby to this newly delivered mother and denied the request for skilled nursing care in the home. It was an awful situation, just an awful situation. By the time they were able to seek redress and seek remedy for this, so much damage had been done to that young baby. And here was this household stressed to the limit with what was placed upon them, entirely inappropriate. The doctor recommended skilled nursing care in the home, and it was denied by the managed care company. Now, this is exactly where we want this external appeal situation to be in place, but also the ability to seek redress when grievances are incurred. This was during the campaign, and I made a pledge to this young family that I would work as diligently as I can. And I am. And I know that there is a commitment on the part of so many of us to do this, because we do have people's faces in our hearts as we are doing this. This is not some theory that we are trying to expound. We are talking about real-life situations, and we need to do it now. The longer we wait, the more hardships our country is faced with and the harder it is to really address some situations that have gotten so far out of control. So I believe my message is to the leadership of this House that we need to pay attention to our constituents and come together. We can talk about Republican bills. We can talk about Democrat bills. This is really not a partisan issue. We should be able to demonstrate to the American people who send us here that we can enact common sense, patient first legislation that really speaks to the needs of our constituents and really addresses health care in our country. And it is about time that we do it. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I want to thank the gentlewoman for her comments. I really appreciate when she uses those examples of her own constituent, because I keep stressing that this is really common sense. We are coming at this because our constituents have cried out and even from personal experiences. I think I was actually gesturing to the gentlewoman today about the fact that at the hearing one of the, I do not know if he represented the HMOs, but he certainly seemed to be an apologist for the HMOs, who said that there was no reason to allow HMOs to be sued because they do not make medical decisions. And I was outraged by that. Because, in fact, that is the problem. They are making the medical decisions. And I did not use the example today, but when my colleague was talking about the twins that were born, I was thinking about my own son, who is now four. When he was born, he was born C-section. And they had that rule then, it has been changed now in New Jersey because of the State law, that said that for a C-section they could only stay in the hospital 2 days. I guess the normal length of time that is recommended by physicians is 4 days. And after the second day, the doctor came to us and said, ``Well, you know, your wife has to go home because we have this policy that you can only stay 2 days. I do not agree with the policy,'' the doctor said outright to us, ``but I have no choice.'' Then I guess the law in D.C. requires that a pediatrician see the baby before it leaves the hospital. And he came and saw our son and said that he was jaundiced. And so they made an exception, said he could stay an extra day, the third day. But to me that just brought home, of course they are making the medical decision. They are telling the doctor what to do. So how can they say they are not making the medical decision? They clearly are. And that is what we do not want. We do not want the insurance company to make the medical decisions that contrary to what physicians and nurses think should be the general practice. And that is what we have. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), who has also been out front on this issue on many occasions on the House floor.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues an extraordinary church that is celebrating 96 years of service to the community of Santa Barbara--the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church. The St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1903 by Reverend J.P. Wright. The following year, the first church was established on the corner of Haley and Canal Streets. In September of 1913, during the pastorate of Reverend J.A. Duncan, the present building was completed. From the first organization of only one actual member in 1903, the membership has grown to approximately 175 worshipers in 1999. Mr. Speaker, I am inspired by the A.M.E. Church's service and dedication to the city of Santa Barbara. The congregation has been an integral partner in the creation and success of local programs that fight racism and violence, programs such as Beyond Tolerance, the Pro- Youth Coalition and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebrations. The church has shown a commitment and vision that continues to be a beacon of hope to our community. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to join the A.M.E. Church this past weekend in celebrating 96 years of fellowship. I thank the congregation for all that it has done through the years and wish many more years of success to the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Ohio for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution on prostate cancer. But I also want to take a moment to speak on the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act. As a nurse, I am very concerned about prostate cancer and I am glad that we are raising awareness of this serious disease which kills approximately 40,000 men a year in this country. I thank the chair and the leadership of our Subcommittee on Health and the Environment the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for introducing this resolution, which I wholeheartedly support. Yet, I am very disappointed that the Committee on Commerce has yet to address the Breast and Cervical Treatment Act. This bill, introduced by my colleagues the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), currently has 250 sponsors. The majority of the House of Representatives support the enactment of this treatment bill. And yet we see no plans for floor action in sight. Here to my right on the screen my colleagues will see the list of agencies and groups, strong groups in this country, health groups, who support this legislation being enacted. These are our constituents across the country. They want us to move ahead on this legislation, and we need to pay heed to their strong recommendation. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act gives States the option to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured or under-insured women who have already been diagnosed through our National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. But once they have this wrenching diagnosis, they have nowhere to turn for treatment. All the screening in the world will not help if women who are diagnosed with this disease do not have access to quality treatment for their condition. Just a few minutes ago, I was visited in my offices here by a dozen or so representatives of the AAUW, the American Association of University Women, who are here on the Hill today talking about their issues. And my group was here from Atascadero in San Luis Obispo County. I told them what I was going to be speaking about on the floor, and they said, yes, we have friends, we have people in our community for whom this fact is a reality, women diagnosed with no place to turn for treatment. With 250 bipartisan cosponsors of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Act, we need in this House to take action now. We have a chance today to help millions of men with prostate cancer. I support this opportunity and thank our House for taking the lead here to do this. Let us also take the opportunity to do more than resolve, to actually help survivors of breast and cervical cancer, as well.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support for this gun safety amendment on behalf of our children and in recognition of the excellent leadership of our colleagues, the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy). Parliamentary Inquiry

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, as a former school nurse, I feel so strongly about the national crisis of gun violence in our schools. In my district, many law-abiding citizens own guns, and, of course, I strongly support the rights of hunters and sportsmen to keep and use their firearms. But there is no reason why children and teenagers should have such easy access to guns. There is no simple solution to youth violence, but common-sense safety legislation is the place to start. I have heard it argued that safety locks and real gun show background check provisions will not save many lives. But even if these bills save the life of just one child, is that not enough? Let us stand up for America's families. Let us keep our children safe from the horrors of gun violence.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 1410, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000. This legislation contains several important provisions, including a much needed pay raise and revamping of the retirement system. As Members of Congress, we have the distinct--almost sacred-- responsibility to preserve our nation's security. This means ensuring that our military remains the best trained, best equipped, and most prepared in the world. We need to provide the men and women of the armed forces, and those who have retired, with the support they need to maintain the quality of life they deserve. This is especially true at a time when military personnel are being deployed more and more frequently all over the world. During visits to Vandenberg Air Force Base in my district and conversations with the base commander, Col. Mercer, I have heard firsthand the concerns of our men and women in the military. In particular, I have heard about some key issues--supporting an increase in military pay, improved health care coverage, and a strengthened retirement system. H.R. 1410 provides for a 4.8% pay raise and authorizes bonuses and other incentives to retain and promote our service men and women. It will also change the unfair REDUX retirement plan in order to give retirees the choice to return to the more generous pre-REDUX system or receive a $30,000 retirement bonus. In addition, this important legislation includes $16.8 million to continue a critical family housing initiative at Vandenberg Air Force Base. This project will replace outdated facilities with the safe, modern, and efficient family homes so important for service men and women and their families. Such projects increase morale and strengthen a sense of community in and around the base. The legislation also includes important provisions to support the growing commercial space industry at Vandenberg. I am pleased that $3 million is included for the study, planning, and design of a universal space port at Vandenberg. And, in response to the Cox-Dicks Commission recommendation that we improve our domestic launch capacity, I am pleased that the House today approved the Weldon amendment that will increase the amount of funding for space launch operations at Vandenberg and Cape Canaveral by $7.3 million. This bill incorporates other important recommendations offered by the Cox-Dicks Commission to safeguard our weapons facilities and national laboratories from Chinese efforts to steal U.S. military technology. It institutes new procedures to increase security at sensitive Energy Department facilities, requires the president to submit frequent reports to Congress on Chinese espionage and military activities, and establishes new guidelines to prevent the illegal transfer of technology to foreign countries during satellite launches. We have an obligation to stand fully and completely behind all American service men and women who are putting their lives on the line. We need to do everything possible to guard and protect their safety and morale. I will always support our fighting men and women, whether in peace time or in war. I urge support for this bill.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Nancy Emerson of Santa Barbara, California who retires this year from the Santa Barbara County Education Office after fifteen years of service. Nancy Emerson's educational distinctions include a B.S. from the University of Washington and a M.A. from Cornell University. She has served in college admissions and counseling positions at Cornell and the University of Miami, she has worked with severely developmentally challenged children, young adults, and their families; and she has been a teacher and coordinator of adult education courses and conferences on local government issues in Santa Barbara. Most recently, Nancy has been a Specialist for Teacher Programs in the Santa Barbara County Education Office. She has directed teacher support and recognition activities, including the nationally recognized program, IMPACT II The Teachers Network. Nancy has been instrumental in the local and national development of this Network, working hard to further the teaching profession an ultimately, the success of thousands of children on Central Coast. Nancy has volunteered her time generously, serving in many leadership capacities such as voter service, adult education and political action for the League of Women Voters since 1971. She has been a classroom volunteer, PTA president and member of District Budget Advisory Committees in Denver, Colorado and Goleta, California. Mr. Speaker, I commend Nancy Emerson for her lifelong work as an educator and for the dedication she has shown to the children of Santa Barbara County and to our nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Medtronic, Inc. and to commend its sponsorship of the Public Broadcast System (PBS) show, Frontiers of Medicine. Frontiers of Medicine, currently broadcast on public television, has been underwritten by the Medtronic Foundation to highlight many of the ground breaking medical innovations that are dramatically changing the nature of patient care. In the short five months that Frontiers of Medicine has been on the air, it has been an enormous success. By the end of June 1999, Frontiers of Medicine will be carried in over 75 percent of the country making it the most popular health show on public television today. The show generated considerable support from viewers and stations who e-mail and phone daily requesting additional information about the topics covered in each episode. Mr. Speaker, I offer my warm congratulations to Medtronic, Inc. for 50 years of medical innovation, and commend their commitment to providing valuable and innovative information through their sponsorship of the Frontiers of Medicine program. I am always pleased to see private industry serving the public interest by raising awareness and promoting education of the critical issues facing our country.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I had the great honor of taking part in the landmark White House Conference on Mental Health. This conference brought together mental health providers, consumers and people from the private sector, and our goal was to develop strategies to eliminate the existing stigmas and encourage an environment of health where people with mental illness can thrive. The conference highlighted promising practices to limit discrimination, improve prevention and treatment and explore new steps so that we can take positive direction in helping people with mental illness. The conference was downlinked to over 6,000 sites around this country, including one in Santa Barbara, California, so that communities can come together in these important issues. Earlier this year I introduced House Resolution 133, a bipartisan resolution which currently has 100 cosponsors to focus public attention on this historic event. I was proud to have a constituent here to take part in the conference, Annmarie Cameron. She is the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Mental Health Association, and brought her expertise from the central coast of California here to Washington, D.C. Working with the Santa Barbara Mental Health Association Board, Annmarie has been instrumental in affecting public policy on numerous issues. She has focused her considerable skills on increasing funding for mental health services, diverting persons with mental health disabilities from the criminal justice system, developing special needs housing for the homeless mentally ill. Her hands-on experience and professional expertise was a great asset to today's discussions. I want to commend the President and especially Mrs. Tipper Gore for convening this conference. As Mental Health Policy Adviser to the President, Mrs. Gore brings knowledge and understanding of this complex subject and has devoted much of her life to raising awareness of mental health related issues. Just recently she took the brave step of publicizing her own battle with depression and her family history of mental illness. Her work will benefit people all around the country who have so long suffered in silence. At today's conference I cochaired a panel on the Education and Training for Health Care Providers. There were many good panels. In ours, we focused how we can train our front-line medical providers as well as teachers to spot the signs of mental illness in children and then refer them for necessary care. As a school nurse for 20 years, I know that the signs of mental illness are sometimes difficult to detect. The people who work with our kids and young adults need to be proactive in screening for mental illness. If we detect problems earlier, we have a much better chance of giving our children a better opportunity to live a healthier life. As we think about the school environment we provide for our children and our local communities, we are mindful of the kind of resources our young people need as they grow and develop. School violence is the tip of the iceberg, but of course it catches our attention, and it should. I have proposed increasing the funding within the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Act to provide more counselors for our middle schools. In California, we have the fewest number per student in the Nation. At this time there are 10 million adults in our Nation who suffer serious and chronic effects from mental illness, but for years the problem of mental illness has been swept under the rug. Sadly, people in need of help fall through the cracks of our mental health system every day. Some cases, like the shooting in the Capitol or the New York subway incident grab headlines, but this systemic failure is repeated all too often throughout our country in so many daily tragic situations for people who suffer from mental illness as well as their families, their friends, and their communities. Our goal must be to attain greater insight into the troubling nature of mental illness and formulate policies to address these needs. Today's landmark conference was an excellent step in the right direction by engaging in meaningful dialog on these issues which affect so many Americans. We are educating ourselves. With education comes understanding, and hopefully with understanding will come treatment and relief for the millions of people and their families who suffer mental illness every day.