Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. The bill before us addresses a number of critical national and local priorities of which I will only highlight a few. It provides funding to continue putting 100,000 more teachers in our classrooms. It will also allow school districts to use some of that money to meet other critical educational needs like teacher training if those needs are more pressing. The bill also continues our commitment to put 50,000 more police officers on our streets to fight crime. I have been a strong supporter of the COPS program, seeing the benefits in numerous Central Coast cities like Santa Maria, Lompoc, Atascadero and Morro Bay. This bill also provides more money to the hospitals, doctors, home health agencies and nursing homes that take care of seniors in the Medicare program. Cuts imposed by the 1997 Balanced Budget Act threaten the ability of critical Central Coast health care providers to serve our seniors and this bill restores some of that funding. The bill also contains some changes to the Medicare HMO program to encourage more coverage in underserved areas like the Central Coast. While I support these provisions, they don't go far enough and I will continue to push for legislation to raise reimbursement rates in rural counties like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. Mr. Speaker, there are three provisions of particular importance to my district that I would like to highlight. First, this legislation contains $100,000 for Santa Barbara's Computers for Families organization. Run by the highly respected Santa Barbara Industry Education Council and the Santa Barbara Office of Education, DFF refurbishes old computers and gets them into the homes of low-income families. This valuable program helps open the doors of opportunities for all in our community and this expansion will enable CFF to bring this critical technology to more needy families. The bill also provides $50,000 for the San Luis Obispo County Medical Society which, in conjunction with the Volunteers in Health Care program and pharmaceutical companies, will provide prescription drugs for some underserved seniors. Ensuring seniors' access to prescription drugs has been a priority of mine and this small program will help many needy seniors obtain the drugs they need to live a quality life. Finally, this legislation authorizes a study of the beautiful Gaviota Coast in Santa Barbara county. This will allow the National Park Service, working in conjunction with Central Coast ranchers and preservation groups, to determine how we can best protect one of the last undeveloped stretches of California's coast. This provision is based on the Gaviota Coast Act of 1999, which I introduced earlier this year. I must note, however, that there are items in this legislation that I do not support. For example, the bill inappropriately restricts funding to international family planning organizations. This shortsighted provision will keep life saving family planning services from poor women around the world. While the bill does increase funding at the National Institutes of Health and continues us on a track to double the agency's overall funding, it still delays some $4 billion in NIH funding until the end of the fiscal year. This delay will actually have the effect of cutting the increase in NIH funding and could slow critically important medical research. I am also deeply disappointed in the process that has brought us a bill that funds nearly half of the government programs at one time. This process does not allow Members to properly study the details of the legislation. I fear that over the next several days and weeks we will be appalled at special provisions that have been tucked into this bill for special interests. Taxpayers deserve more respect from Congress in the way it spends their money. This is not the way the House should do business. I urge the leadership of this House to begin work today on a bipartisan basis to ensure that we do not end up in this position again next year. Mr. Speaker, this bill is far from perfect. I have serious reservations about the process and I oppose certain provisions in the bill. But, on balance, it represents a good compromise and I urge its adoption.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, due to a family illness I was unable to attend votes today. Had I been here I would have made the following votes: Rollcall No. 598--``no''; 599--``yes''; 600--``yes''; 601--``yes''; 602--``yes''; 603--``no''; 604--``no''; 605--``no''; 606--``no''; 607-- ``yes''; 608--``no''; 609--``yes''; 610--``yes''; 611--``yes''.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Veterans Day, and I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to those who have served our country so bravely. Tomorrow, all over this great country we will honor men and women who willingly gave body and soul to defend our nation and the values which make it great. Tomorrow truly is their day and I wish I could be in my district to celebrate it with my constituents. My husband Walter drew his inspiration to run for Congress largely from decades of work with Vietnam veterans. I live every day with Walter in my heart. His passions and cherished causes are now very much my own. I am committed to upholding his legacy of support and respect for America's veterans. Vietnam veterans were his teachers, as they have been ours. From their painful experiences, we have learned that when we send our soldiers to war we must always welcome them home. But, whether a veteran of Vietnam, of World War II, Kosovo, the Gulf War, or Korea, they are to be commended for their great accomplishments and tremendous sacrifice. Whether called to safeguard the world from a menacing dictator, to fight the spread of tyranny, or to maintain a fragile peace, our nation owes a priceless debt of gratitude to each and every veteran. Veterans Day also allows veterans to come together to continue a much needed healing process. Just as Walter invited Vietnam vets into his classroom to share their stories, veterans will come together to share each other's stories and gain comfort from each other. As a Member of Congress, I 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. It also means providing today's fighting men and women, 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 frequently, and in more places around the world. In Congress, I am working hard to support increased military pay, improved health care coverage, and a strengthened retirement system. I am proud to note that we recently passed a Defense bill which provides much needed improvements for current and retired military personnel. It included a 4.8% pay raise, and authorizes bonuses and other incentives to retain and promote our servicemen and women. It will also change the unfair REDUX retirement plan--giving veterans the choice to return to the more generous pre-REDUX retirement system or receive a $30,000 retirement bonus. When talking to veterans up and down the Central Coast--whether it be in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Arroyo Grande, or Paso Robles--I hear a common refrain. Vets are increasingly concerned about benefits they have earned and maintaining access to quality health care. I am working on a number of initiatives to address these concerns. I recently introduced the Veterans Emergency Telephone Service Act. The VETS Act would set up a national veterans' hotline service operating 24-hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week. This hotline would provide vets immediate access to a staff knowledgeable in VA benefits and programs. This combination ``411-911'' number for veterans would provide a one-stop, toll free number veterans can call at any time of day or night to receive encouragement and assistance. I am also supporting a bill requiring the VA to institute an annual outreach plan to insure that veterans are informed about the entire range of benefits and health care services available to them. Too often veterans are not informed about benefits they are eligible for, or how to receive them. This bill also assists widows and survivors of veterans obtain important assistance. And I'm working hard to pass landmark legislation--known as the Keep Our Promise to America's Military Retirees Act. This bill would allow all military retirees to participate in the same health care programs federal employees currently enjoy and provides free lifetime health care to those who enrolled in the services prior to 1956. Many Americans made sacrifices to defend our country with the understanding that upon retirement the government would provide them with lifetime health care. But for too many military retirees there is little or no health care available. In addition, I support legislation allowing military retirees with service connected disabilities to receive the full amount of their retired pay along with VA disability compensation--without a deduction from either source of support. We need to take extra special care of those whose service has left them with an injury or disability. I will always support our fighting men and women, whether in peace time or in war. I will always support the benefits our veterans need and deserve. And I will forever cherish the honor my constituents have bestowed upon me by allowing me to serve as their Representative.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a dear constituent, Bernard Madden, who died on November 5 in San Luis Obispo at the age of 105 years. Mr. Madden worked as a steam engineer in Omaha, Nebraska, for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. After his retirement, Mr. Madden and his wife, Eula, moved to San Luis Obispo. He spoke highly of his nieces and nephews, read the newspapers every day and spoke to my staff frequently about current affairs. One of his most passionate pleas was that prescription drug coverage be included in Medicare. Mr. Madden and I had a lot in common there. I will strive to see that this is accomplished in remembrance of him and the many seniors he knew and I know will benefit when this gaping hole in Medicare is fixed. Bernard Madden had a wonderful and cheerful spirit and my staff and I will remember him fondly.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time for allowing us to celebrate the life of our Chaplain, Jim Ford, and I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am pleased now to yield to my colleague from Ohio.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am pleased to yield to my colleague from New York.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am happy to yield now to my colleague from Minnesota.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am happy now to yield to my colleague from Georgia.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, continuing my reservation of objection, I want to welcome this opportunity for myself to say a few words about our dear friend, Chaplain Jim Ford. I will not of course object to this resolution. I support this resolution with a full heart. I commend the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) for offering it. Mr. Speaker, this House is a remarkable institution. It is the People's House. We, the 435 Members, represent different geographical areas. We have starkly different ideologies. We have different political agendas. Often our debates are heated, even rancorous. But if there is one person among us who truly represents goodness and decency and humanity in this place, it is our chaplain. For two decades, Jim Ford has been a powerful voice for unity, compassion, and love in this place. In his service to the House, Chaplain Ford has truly served the American people. Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, I have been honored to serve on the Speaker's search committee to find a new chaplain. This process has reminded me yet again of the incredible skills that Jim Ford has brought to this job. He has infused this House with spiritual strength in times of triumph and in times of tragedy. He has spent countless thousands of hours providing pastoral care to Members and staff who desperately needed his guidance. He has taught us to respect and nurture the diversity of our own religious faiths and in so doing has reminded us that one of our Nation's greatest strengths is our religious pluralism. He has carefully avoided entering our legislative debates and has remained a truly nonpartisan adviser and mentor to the entire House. And through it all, Jim has always shown such warmth and wit. His jokes, the good ones and the terrible ones, are a fixture on this floor. Mr. Speaker, my late husband, Walter, was so proud to have served in this House with Jim Ford, a fellow Lutheran, a fellow Swede, and a fellow graduate of the Augustana Seminary. He loved Jim Ford very much. I will never forget what the chaplain said at Walter's memorial service. Quoting Martin Luther, Jim said: ``Send your good men into the ministry, but send your best men into politics.'' Our chaplain is both. He is a good man and he is one of the best of men. He has walked the delicate yet vital line between faith and government with unparalleled skill and devotion. Mr. Speaker, I support the resolution to appoint Jim Ford Chaplain Emeritus of the House; and I hope and pray that he will be working with us and serving the American people for decades to come. Now it is my pleasure to yield to my colleague from New York.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, continuing to reserve my right to object, I am pleased to yield to my colleague the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I am very happy to yield to my colleague the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, continuing to reserve my right to object, I am very happy to yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert), the Honorable Speaker of the House.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, and I will not object, I yield to my good friend the gentleman from Wisconsin to explain his resolution.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to briefly commend my colleague, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Myrick), for her diligence and inspiration in bringing this wonderful resolution to the floor. I was very happy to be here to speak to it. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to make it clear that the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) was intending to open this part of our discussion, and she needed to leave, and her statement will be entered into the Record. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Resolution 41, honoring women who served in the military during World War II. Without the amazing commitment and incredible sacrifice of these brave women, our armed forces would never have been so efficient and effective at safeguarding freedom and democracy for the world. During World War II, women from all over the country were recruited to perform crucial military assignments so that more men would be available for combat. These women faced countless struggles. Many were looked down upon for renouncing their traditional role in society. Yet, women enrolled in the services in record numbers. In fact, by the end of World War II, more than 400,000 women had served the United States in some sort of military capacity. Some of these women were nurses. Because I am a nurse, my heart goes out to all of them and to all who served in our armed forces in World War II. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to tell my colleagues about a very amazing woman from my district, Jane Masterson. In 1945, Jane left her home in Kentucky to eventually become a Seaman First Class at a naval air base out of Memphis, Tennessee. When told she was too little to become an aviation machinist, she responded, ``Dynamite comes in little packages.'' Jane served her country with strength and dignity and was eventually honorably discharged due to a service- related injury. Not content to end her service to the Nation with her World War II experience, Jane also served as the commander of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 96 from 1985 to 1991. Jane was the only woman in this chapter. After 6 years of service in this capacity, her peers said that she was the best commander they ever had. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow people from all over this great country of ours will gather to honor the men and women who willingly gave body and soul to defend this Nation and the values which make it great. At this time and in this place, it is very important that we remember the contributions of both our military men and women. For it is only through their combined efforts that we will succeed in continuing to protect democracy. Mr. Speaker, I am very disappointed that our voting schedule does not allow us to return to our districts in time for veterans, at least some of us. I was looking forward to joining the Vietnam veterans in Santa Barbara to honor and to remember their bravery and sacrifice. Tomorrow, instead, I plan to walk from the Capitol to the Vietnam and Korean Memorials and to remember in silence the gift of these people, these veterans to this Nation. One of these veterans I will remember tomorrow will be Jane Masterson and all of the other brave women who have served and continue to serve their country so well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, with a sad heart and also a smile of remembrance, I rise to pay tribute to our beloved colleague, George Brown. I am very proud and honored to join my friends on the floor this evening to honor George's memory and to celebrate his life. Let me first express my condolences to Marta, who joins us in the Chamber tonight, and to everyone else in George's large and wonderful family. Mr. Speaker, I would say to her, ``Marta, I have been in your shoes. It is not easy. But your spirit and your strength in this difficult time have inspired all of us.'' I also want to send a special word of condolence to George's staff. I know from my own experience, and that of my staff who were Walter's staff, that they are doubly burdened. For 3 months they have been grieving for their leader, while at the same time working hard to continue to serve the people of the 42nd District in California, and my heart is with them. Mr. Speaker, this House has many national leaders. This House has many warm and decent people. George Brown was both. He was first elected during the Kennedy administration when Americans heard our young President promise that we would put a man on the moon. Throughout his illustrious career, few Members in this body contributed as much to our successful space program as did George Brown. With his leadership on the Committee on Science, George kept our space policy on track. He knew that unlocking the secrets of the heaven's would benefit our quality of life here on earth. As a fellow Californian who once served on his committee, I was awed by and so grateful for George's visionary work on the space program. He made such a mark on science education which will be felt for generations to come in every elementary science class and secondary science class throughout this country. He made such a mark on the space exploration of this country which I think of each time I watch a launch at Vandenberg Air Force base in my district. Each time, I think of George Brown. That legacy will continue as long as there is space exploration in this country and even in this world. But, Mr. Speaker, as effective a Member as George was, he was an even better person. I will never forget the kindness and generosity that George extended to Walter and me when we first came to Washington in 1997. I will surely never forget George's warmth and comfort when Walter passed away. After George died, many of us flew together to his memorial service in his district. Democrats, Republicans, Members from around the Nation, senior and junior Members alike, we spent many hours reminiscing about George. We remembered his legislative victories. We again admired his dedication to the people of his district. We laughed about his sense of humor. We recalled his warmth and decency. Being in his district for this memorial service gave me such a sense of the high esteem with which he was held and is held by the people he represented for so many years. This group that came together to memorialize him was such a diverse group that he held together throughout the decades that he served the 42nd District. This is a legacy also which is a model for our country and for the leaders in this House. All of us in Congress join with George's family and staff and his constituents to mourn his passing. We will all miss him. But we are also thankful to God for the precious time we had with him. We ask God's continued blessing upon his family, his precious family, his district, and the legacy which he leaves to us all.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the satellite television conference report. I am very pleased we are able to consider this important legislation that will enable satellite television users to receive network signals. This bill represents an important victory for consumers across the country. My constituents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties in California have been heavily affected by this issue. My district is a rural, mountainous area, and thousands of people have turned to satellites as the only way to receive television signals. These people bought their satellites with the understanding that they would be able to receive national network stations. I am pleased that this bill will enable them to continue to do so. It is clear that satellite users expect--and deserve--access to all television signals. And most importantly, they should be able to receive local network stations. Local TV is in many ways our modern town square. Our constituents need local TV stations for complete and up-to-date news, weather, and information about community events. The local-into-local satellite broadcasting provision, which enables households to receive their local stations through their satellite package, is perhaps the most important in the bill. As this bill made its way through the legislative process, I was concerned that limited satellite technological capacity could provide local-into-local coverage for only the largest media markets. This would mean that Central Coast citizens would not be able to get their local TV stations through their satellites since we live in a small, rural market. I brought these concerns to the attention of the conferees and am pleased that the bill now creates a loan guarantee program to encourage satellite service in rural areas and smaller markets. This provision should ensure that all consumers will have access to local television through their satellite dish. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and restore fairness for satellite viewing customers.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to inform my colleagues of an outstanding constituent who has spent most of her life dedicated to higher education. Ms. Berna Dallons has been named benefactor of the year by the Council for Resource Development for her significant contributions to resource development at Cuesta College. Recipients of this award embody the ideals of philanthropy, leadership, and volunteerism in their service to the nation's 1,200 community, technical and junior colleges. As a longtime community leader, educator, and member of the Foundation Board of Director, Ms. Dallons led Cuesta's first ever capital fund drive, after serving on the College's Blue Ribbon Site Selection Committee. In July 1996, Ms. Dallons, with her husband John, offered the college a lease option for land for the North County Campus, and over the next three years, personally contributed over $250,000 to the Campaign for Cuesta. As a volunteer leader, Berna Dallons led the charge to build a North County Campus with the support of 2000 volunteers, raising more than $2,000,000 in two years for a campus serving 2,000 students. Mr. Speaker, Berna has taken community service to the highest level. I applaud the National Council for Resource Development on its choice for this award and I feel so privileged and proud to have this opportunity to recognize Ms. Dallons on behalf of the United States Congress. Berna, I commend you for your service to the community that we share and to our Nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues the outstanding work of David W. Spainhour. On Sunday, November 7, David will receive the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Anti-Defamation League and the Santa Barbara B'nai Brith Lodge. As someone who has worked closely with the ADL in its efforts to promote tolerance and combat hatred and prejudice, I am pleased that this prominent organization has chosen to honor David. They could not have made a wiser selection. David is one of Santa Barbara's preeminent business leaders. He serves as President of Capital Bancorp and Chairman of the Board of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust. Throughout his thirty-three year career at the Bank, David has dedicated himself to improving all facets of life in our community. David has worked tirelessly in the areas of education, business development, health care, and assisting the neediest in our society. Among other positions, he serves on the boards of Westmont College, Santa Barbara Industry Education Council, and the United Way of Santa Barbara County. David and his wife Carolyn are shining examples of individuals who believe passionately in serving the common good. I am proud of their accomplishments and I am pleased to announce David's award on the floor of the House.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this conference report. The laws governing our banking insurance and securities industries are woefully out of date. Congress has tried for years to update them and that goal is finally now being achieved with this legislation. This bill will ensure that America remains the world's leader in financial services and, more importantly, it will bring consumers more choices at lower prices. We all know, though, that a major issue in this bill has been consumer privacy. The legislation before us takes a step forward, but many challenges remain. I am pleased that the conference report does not include the so-called medical privacy provisions that were in the House-passed bill. But the conference report remains deficient in protections for consumers' financial privacy. As the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) have pointed out, the bill still does not allow consumers control over who has access to their financial information. Therefore, Congress must revisit privacy protections. However, overall the conference report remains a positive step forward for our economy, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues the outstanding work of Jeri Eigner. On Sunday, November 7, Jeri will receive the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Anti-Defamation League and the Santa Barbara B'nai Brith Lodge. As someone who has worked closely with the ADL in its efforts to promote tolerance and combat hatred and prejudice, I am pleased that this prominent organization has chosen to honor Jeri. They could not have made a wiser selection. For nearly twenty years, Jeri has distinguished herself as a tireless community activist in a wide range of critical issues. Among other positions, Jeri has served on the board of Planned Parenthood and as a volunteer at the clinic. She has also worked as a docent at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and as a member of the Hope Ranch Board. Perhaps Jeri's most glowing accomplishment is her leadership efforts to open the beautiful new Jewish Community Center, which has become a treasured resource for the entire Santa Barbara community. As Campaign Chair and past president of the Santa Barbara Jewish Federation, Jeri was a driving force behind the Center and is responsible for developing many of its dynamic programs and services. Jeri and her husband Stan are shining examples of individuals who believe passionately in serving the common good. I am proud of their accomplishments and I am pleased to announce Jeri's award on the floor of the House.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the motion to recommit conferees. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) demonstrate real leadership on protecting patients. I urge the House conferees to ensure that the Dingell-Norwood protections are included in the final bill. Patients and providers across this country have told us that HMO reform is their top priority. Congress now has a real chance to enact managed care reform and to improve patient care. But time is running out. With only a few days left before Congress adjourns, the time has come to put patients ahead of profits. The conferees need to meet before Congress goes out of session, and Congress should enact the Norwood-Dingell bill.