Lois Capps

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, as a school nurse I rise today to address a national crisis in our schools: gun violence. I spent last weekend with my two grandchildren. Hugging them, my heart ached for the parents and grandparents whose kids attend Heritage and Columbine High School. Something is terribly wrong when school shootings become commonplace in our society. There is no simple solution to youth violence, but common sense gun control is an important place to start. Mr. Speaker, we worry about the safety of our children's toys, but we do not have child safety locks on guns. Let us get real. Last week, the Senate passed sensible legislation that will save lives. Now the House must act. Not next month, today. Each day, 13 children under age 19 are killed because of guns. Mr. Speaker, Congress should listen to parents, grandparents and students everywhere and act now to stop this national epidemic.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I am speaking from the other side of the aisle to reach out to our Republican friends. Many of them have been leaders in the effort to reform our campaign finance system. I applaud them for this. Today we need their courage more than ever. It now appears we will not be debating this issue until September, if at all. It is difficult to go against leadership. No one likes to do this. I do not, either. But some issues require us to take a stand, and this is one of those times. Today I am asking Members to stand for what they and I and the American people believe by signing the Blue Dog discharge petition. Let us bring campaign finance reform to the floor for a debate. We need to do it now.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to extend my congratulations to everyone at San Luis Obispo radio station KVEC, which recently marked its 62nd year on the air. KVEC is a locally-owned and operated station featuring local news and talk show hosts who provide a forum of lively discussion of local issues as well as interesting and useful information on a wide range of topics. As such, KVEC provides an invaluable service to its listeners from throughout San Luis Obispo County. As a frequent guest on the Dave Congalton Show, I have enjoyed the opportunity to hear from KVEC's listeners on a wide array of issues. I know that for many of the station's regular listeners, on-air hosts like Dave Congalton and Bill Benica are considered almost members of the family. I appreciate the entire KVEC family for their community spirit and the important job they have done so well for more than six decades. I extend to them my sincerest congratulations and gratitude.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pledge my full support to efforts across this country to reduce teen pregnancy. It is a pleasure to speak today in cooperation with my colleagues, the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle), the gentlewoman North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton), the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella), all of us working here in the Congress on this goal. Before I came here, I spent 20 years working as a school nurse in my community of Santa Barbara, California, in the central coast. During that time, for a large portion of that time, I was the director of a program at one of our largest high schools for teen parents and their children. So I know about this topic firsthand. This program, which I fully support, encourages teenage parents, both mothers and fathers, to stay in school for their own success and the success of their young families. It provides child care, parenting education, gives them access to support services in addition to a high school diploma and further. It is a strong intervention program. While I was with these young moms and dads, I learned firsthand the struggles that they face on a daily basis to survive and to make something of their lives. It turns out that teenage parents are some of the strongest advocates for preventing teen pregnancy. They did and do this still in my community in a very dramatic and loving way with their peers. They know that prevention is the key, and parents are the key to prevention. Parents need to be reminded, we all do as parents, that, first and foremost, parental guidance is the best deterrence for teenage pregnancy. Teens want to learn and hear more at home. They want to hear about values and have value role models for them in their homes and to have personal responsibility discussed. We need to work as a community to prevent teen pregnancy with child care programs and after school programs so that our teens are busy and engaged and their energy is used in productive, supervised activities. Most importantly, we need to give them goals for the future. Class reduction in our schools is a good thing for preventing teen pregnancy. So are partnerships that I have seen in my community between businesses and our schools that provide mentorship that light a fire in the students and give them motivation to know that they have a future for themselves and they can begin to set meaningful goals. Some want adults in the community to talk with them about their goals and to support them in reaching these goals. This is really good pregnancy prevention that I watched and was part of firsthand. I am very proud of all that the PACE center has achieved, the teen parent program that I was so much involved with so long and from whom I learned so much, and that these programs are alive and well and thriving in my community. I strongly support them and other groups around the country that work with young parents helping them to keep their lives on track and teaching them to be nurturing and good parents. But I look forward to the time when we will not need so many of these programs. We know now as we have watched pregnancy prevention programs and parents and communities, religious leaders working together that our teenage pregnancy rate has declined. But we must continue to strive. That is why I am so pleased to be the newest member actually of the House Advisory Panel for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. We have a job to do here in Congress, and my colleagues have spoken to this today. It is an honor for me to be a cosponsor of the Teen Pregnancy Reduction Act by pulling together the best of ideas from around the country, interactions in our communities with young people taking the lead, and their families and community leaders, the ideas that are working, model programs that we can hold up for the rest of the country to follow. Together we can demonstrate that, when our families lead the way, that we can do something in our community to make sure that each child born is born to a loving and a family able to care for them; and that teenage pregnancy can continue to see a decline in enrollment, in numbers; and that we can support young parents where we need to. It is a pleasure and an honor to be a part of this program.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to fallen peace officers in California and all across this Nation. This week is Peace Officers Memorial Week, when Congress and the American people will honor our fallen officers. Law enforcement officers will come from all over the country to pay their respects at the National Law Enforcements Officer's Memorial. The memorial honors all of America's Federal, State and local law enforcers. Inscribed on its marble walls are the names of more than 14,000 officers who have been killed in the line of adult. Tragically, this week more names will be added to that list. Mr. Speaker, each day our Nation's officers are faced with rigors and risks that most of us could never even imagine. Sometimes these risks result in tragedy. We must provide law enforcement with our strongest level of support. Sadly, this year the State of California lost 17 brave law enforcement officers. These officers died while serving the people of my State. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to their families and to their loved ones. In particular, I want to single out two brave officers from the central coast of California, Britt Irvine and Rick Stovall. These two California Highway Patrol officers made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of public safety. They gave their lives while responding to an emergency call to assist a stranded truck driver on a local road during El Nino storms. They leave behind loving families, friends and coworkers. Officers Stovall and Irvine are our heroes as are all the fallen police officers in California and all across this Nation. We are forever indebted to them. Inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Memorial are these words that give us comfort at this solemn time: In valor there is hope.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcalls No. 121 and 122, an airline delay due to mechanical failure caused me to be late. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, as one of only three nurses in Congress, it is my great honor today to rise in support of National Nurses Week. My training and education as a nurse and my 20 years in my profession in the schools of Santa Barbara in the public school district have given me a unique perspective on my new duties in Congress. As a nurse, I have learned to recognize the importance of so many issues which affect families every day, families in my community, in my congressional district, families across this great country. Nurses are good listeners. They withhold superficial, quick judgments and take the time to assess situations before them, before they act accordingly. Nurses use common sense skills to put the common good before individual interests. My nursing background has had the strongest influence on my priorities in Congress. As a nurse, I feel that it has been my duty and also my privilege to speak out on behalf of patients and health care providers on what is the critical task before us today. We know what is before us in the world where life and death situations take place, and we also see so clearly the current shortcomings in our health care environment. I sought a seat on the Committee on Commerce which oversees health care so that I could be a part of this discussion. In the age of managed care, where values are often driven by profit motives over health care needs, nurses have been presented with critical new challenges. I have stood with nurses in my district in their frustration over staffing ratios in our hospitals, in our communities. I have been with nurses as they have shed tears over having to discharge frail elderly patients before they are really ready to go home into home situations where there is not adequate health care and support. Nurses know that we should not compromise a patient's quality of care to save a few dollars. Nurses understand the real benefits of real managed care reform. I have been working hard with Republicans and Democrats to pass a common sense Patients' Bill of Rights, legislation which will put patients, nurses, doctors and other providers back in charge of their own health care and holds HMOs accountable when they deny critical, sometimes lifesaving, treatment. Nurses know these basic rights can mean the difference between life and death and between a quality of life that they have spent their profession and their training to uphold. They can and they should and we are speaking out. The Subcommittee on Health and Environment, on which I am privileged to serve, has held only one hearing so far on managed care reform. In that hearing I called for greater participation of nurses. Nurses can and will make valuable additions in this discussion and in the debate before us. In Congress, there is also other legislation originally drafted by a nurse that will protect nurses and other health care workers in all States. The Healthcare Worker Protection Act builds on a California health care initiative by ensuring that all nurses and others in hospitals and treatment centers have safe needle devices and information available on how to use them. We must make sure these workers are protected at all costs. As a nurse in Congress, I am working hard to promote these important issues, but Congress will only be successful in passing meaningful health care legislation when the contributions of those on the front lines, on the every day front lines, are recognized and brought into the discussion. Madam Speaker, the profession of nursing also gives people a unique perspective on other critical issues. As a nurse in a school setting I have seen what children need for successful learning, growth and development. I know firsthand that children learn better in small class sizes and in classrooms that are not deteriorating. From this background, I know that health insurance which covers regular checkups, immunizations and prescription drugs for children is the best preventive medicine. I know that clean water and clean air are not merely environmental issues; they are health issues. In addition to essential contributions to quality health care, nurses are the heart and soul of so many of our communities. There are over 2.5 million nurses across this great land and they stand for, to me, the heart and soul of our values and what binds us together in our communities. We need to pay attention to what our nurses are saying. Despite their busy schedules and hectic work environments, nurses take the time to reach out to our communities, educating neighbors to increase awareness and promote healthy lifestyles. Nurses' efforts in my own community on the central coast of California have raised awareness on the harmful consequences of drinking and driving, taught parents how to properly install safety seats and educated our children about underaged alcohol abuse. As we discuss the positive contributions of nurses during National Nurses Week, we need to work to ensure that these voices of compassion and experience are included in our health care policy debate today.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate Older American's Month and to bring to the attention of my colleagues the 75th Anniversary of the Carrillo Community Recreation Center of Santa Barbara, California. The City of Santa Barbara has long placed a high priority on providing a safe place for senior citizens to engage in health education and recreations pursuits. It is due to this commitment that the Senior Information and Referral Service has been established. This project represents a strong partnership between the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department, the American Association of Retired Persons, the Area Agency on Aging and the Retired Senior Volunteer program. Now seniors in Santa Barbara will have a ``seamless'' referral system where their questions will be answered and their needs met. I am also proud to tell my colleagues that this year represents the 17th Anniversary of the 90+ Club which celebrates all citizens in Santa Barbara who are 90 years of age and older. This Club has been sponsored by the City Parks and Recreation Department, the Valle Verde Retirement Community and the Southern California Gas Company. I commend these fine organizations for their contributions to seniors and our community. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join the City of Santa Barbara and the senior citizens whom I represent on the Central Coast in celebration of Older American's Month. I wish the Carrillo Community Recreation Center many more years of success and prosperity.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay special tribute to our letter carriers in Santa Barbara, California. On Saturday May 8, our local letter carriers will be participating in the seventh annual ``Stamp Out Hunger'' food drive, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers. Our local letter carriers will be joining their fellow letter carriers in more than 10,000 cities and towns across the nation in collecting non-perishable food items and donations along their postal routes for local food banks. The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is expected to help feed nearly thirty million needy children and adults in our communities. On behalf of the people on the Central Coast and across the nation, I owuld like to thank our letter carriers for their leadership in this very worthy cause.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. When special education legislation was first enacted in 1975, the federal government, recognizing the extraordinary costs of inclusion, pledged to provide state and local education agencies with forty percent of the excess costs associated with educating students with disabilities. Sadly, the federal government has not come close to meeting this obligation, with annual appropriations never exceeding twelve percent of excess costs. The chronic underpayment of this federal mandate has left state and local governments with a burden of more than $146 billion in lost funding over the past twenty-two years--a staggering shortfall that has forced education agencies to shift resources our of lower-priority, but important necessities such as building maintenance and upkeep. Special education departments end up eating large portions of local and state school budgets, which creates a competitive relationship between regular and special education, as they vie for the same scarce funds. This situation is not the fault of school districts, but a direct result of Congress's inadequate funding of IDEA. Special education has received a billion dollar increase over the past two years. Yet even with this substantial increase, funding is still substantially below Congress's 40 percent promise. This means that states and districts will continue to be unfairly burdened by these excess costs. Congress is simply being unfair to our local school districts by not living up to our end of this bargain and we are taking needed resources away from regular education. I hope the Congress will live up to its obligation, and fully fund IDEA. If we do not, all students across this country will suffer.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I want to say first that I stand in wholehearted support of the brave men and women who are currently risking their lives in this mission. I pray for their safe return. We should all be very proud of their dedication to their country. The ongoing situation in Kosovo represents a grave humanitarian crisis. The government of Slobodan Milosevic has been engaging in the systematic slaughter and oppression of the ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. I have no quarrel with the Serbian people. The blame for the killing and persecution lies with Milosevic and he must be stopped. The United States cannot stand by as innocent men, women, and children are driven from their homes and villages, while countless others are brutally slaughtered. The history of 20th century Europe presents us with a moral imperative, and we have no choice but to act, and act now. This conflict is occurring in a politically volatile region in an area of crucial importance to this country. This conflict could spread rapidly in the Balkans, affecting our NATO allies, and that has serious national security implications for America. If this conflict erupts into a major European war, U.S. involvement will be massive and much costlier than our participation in the NATO effort now underway. Today, I plan to vote against two Resolutions being offered by my colleague, Congressman Tom Campbell. While I have great respect for his views, I don't feel that these Resolutions encompass our best policy options in Kosovo. H. Con. Res. 82 calls for the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from current operations in Yugoslavia. The approval of this resolution would send a devastating message about America's commitment to NATO and to stopping the mindless slaughter of innocent civilians. It would allow Slobodan Milosevic to continue his policy of ethnic cleansing with impunity. In addition, any unilateral statement by Congress against the U.S. commitment to NATO would be especially ill-timed in light of NATO's reaffirmed commitment this past weekend to resolving the situation in Kosovo. Finally, I fear that this resolution would undermine the morale of our brave troops in the field. H.J. Res. 44 calls on the U.S. government to issue a formal declaration of war against Yugoslavia. We have not declared war since World War II, and such a declaration is out of proportion to the current situation. The U.S. and NATO are seeking to stop the slaughter of innocent people and to stabilize the region for the long term, not the conquest of Yugoslavia. In addition, a unilateral declaration by the U.S. would shatter the delicate coalition of 19 NATO nations who have worked closely together to try to stop the violence that Milosevic and his forces are committing. Yesterday, this resolution was unanimously defeated in the International Relations Committee. I also plan to vote against H.R. 1569, a bill that would cut off funding for operations in Kosovo if the President deploys ``ground elements'' without authorization. I have repeatedly voiced my hope that a ground invasion will never be necessary, but there are a myriad of circumstances that could necessitate the use of some ground forces. I do not believe Congress should tie the hands of the military commanders and risk putting our troops in any unnecessary risk. Mr. Speaker, I will vote in favor of the resolution offered by Mr. Gejdenson in support of continuing air strikes against Yugoslavia. This resolution is identical to the bipartisan measure which has already passed the Senate. I do this with reluctance and a heavy heart because I firmly believe that military action should always be our last resort. However, Milosevic's brutal actions and blatant refusal to negotiate have left no other options. I sincerely hope that NATO's air campaign will bring about a successful conclusion to this conflict, avoiding bloodshed of innocents on all sides of this conflict, and so we can get our troops out of harm's ways as quickly as possible. I support this Gejdenson resolution, first and foremost, because I am convinced that it represents the right policy. I also support it because Congress has a unique responsibility--both constitutionally and morally--to speak out on matters of military conflict. Whether one supports or opposes our mission in Kosovo, it would be unconscionable for Congress to be silent on this issue. Doing so would effectively disenfranchise the millions of Americans who want to voice their views on this topic through their elected representatives. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to express my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the American people for their generosity to the refugees of Kosovo. Once again, they have responded to a humanitarian crisis with compassion and generosity, donating food, clothes, and money and countless hours of their time. This past weekend I visited Direct Relief International in my district and met with representatives from DRI, Missions Without Borders, and New Horizons Outreach. They showed me the tons of supplies they have gathered and are sending to the refugees. We all owe groups like this, and the thousands of volunteers and donors across this great land who support them, our debt of gratitude.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, my heart is heavy with shock and sorrow at the unspeakable violence at Columbine High School. Congress cannot pass a ``magic'' law to guarantee that our children are safe in their schools, but we must still act. As a school nurse, I have repeatedly stressed the importance of school counseling, and I call on my colleagues in Congress to fully support a school coordinator initiative which will provide violence counselors in middle schools across the country. Trained counselors in our schools can and have demonstrated that they are able to spot troubled kids and help them resolve conflicts peacefully before they escalate into violence. Sadly, Littleton, Colorado, is not the only place where young lives have been taken from us. This past week in San Luis Obispo, California, the bodies of two young women, local college students, were finally discovered and their alleged killer was finally arrested. I join the entire community of San Luis Obispo in expressing heartfelt sorrow to the families and friends of Rachel Newhouse and Aundria Crawford. Because of the heroic efforts of our local law enforcement, the painful ordeal of these families of waiting has ended. These students in Littleton, Colorado, and San Luis Obispo, California, have died way too soon. We must now, across this country, come together in our resolve to ensure that they have not died in vain.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues the opening of the Allan Hancock College Lompoc Valley Center in Lompoc, CA. For years Lompoc and the Santa Ynez Valley have been in need of a permanent site for a campus and now that need has become a reality. The Lompoc Valley Center of Allan Hancock College will serve 2,000 students and will offer courses in the sciences, business, technology, and the fine arts. Students will work in computer labs networked with fiber optic cable and will learn in classrooms that have multimedia presentation systems. The center also includes a high-tech computer graphics and animation lab. As we all know, the jobs of the 21st century will demand high-tech and computer related skills. Allan Hancock has the resources and the expertise to teach these important skills, so that students, regardless of age, can take on quality, well- paying jobs on the central coast when they graduate. I am pleased to tell my colleagues that in the spirit of public/ private partnerships, almost 80 percent of the onsite construction bids were awarded to local contractors. The developing and building of the center has been a community-based effort which stands as a model for our nation. I commend the countless people who contributed their time, energy, and vision to create this campus. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to join Allan Hancock College and the people of the central coast to celebrate the opening of the Lompoc Valley Center. I congratulate the college and all who worked tirelessly to establish the center. I wish Allan Hancock College and the Lompoc Valley Center many years of success and prosperity.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Beaches Environmental Awareness Cleanup and Health Act, the BEACH bill. I am fortunate to represent and call home one of the most beautiful districts in our Nation, the central coast of California. People come from all around the world to visit the area, and they are especially attracted to our spectacular coastline and incredible beaches, where fishing, all kinds of tourism, and indeed, surfing go on on a regular basis. We had surfboards outside my family home all through the growing up years of my children. Sadly, an increasingly familiar blight on these majestic beaches is a bright yellow sign reading ``Advisory'' or ``Closure.'' Santa Barbara County issues beach advisories to warn the public of harmful elevated bacterial levels in the surf. Unfortunately, during the past years, and in 1997, a record 199 days saw this bright yellow beach sign in front of beaches on the Santa Barbara coastline. The public should be able to enjoy their beaches without worrying about their health. We cannot tolerate people getting sick from swimming in the ocean. Santa Barbara is blessed with a vibrant local citizen group which was formed as a public outcry to these polluted beaches. It is called Heal the Ocean. It is a grass roots group. I am proud to be a supporter. Heal the Ocean conducts testing of our coastal waters, and is engaged in a significant public outreach campaign to educate the community on this important issue. This group enjoys tremendous and well-deserved local support. The bill we are debating today will provide critical Federal support to groups around the country, such as Heal the Ocean in Santa Barbara. We all share a common goal, to protect and improve the quality of our coastal waters, and to ensure public safety. By establishing national recreational water quality standards and empowering local communities to develop monitoring plans, the BEACH bill represents a strong step forward. This legislation will not only protect the health of our beaches, but also the health of our economy. My district, like so many other coastal communities around the Nation, depends on recreation and tourism for its economic vitality. The cost of beach water quality monitoring is minuscule compared to the revenue that is generated by coastal tourism. I do appreciate the hard work of my colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski) and my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) in establishing this bill. I would like to recognize the efforts of my colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), who has been a leader on this issue for many years and has introduced critical beach legislation in the 105th Congress as well as the 106th Congress. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in supporting this important bill to protect public health, our beaches, and our coastal communities.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues the retirement of an extraordinary community leader, Dr. Grace N. Mitchell, the President of San Luis Obispo's Cuesta College. Grace has spent her 10-year tenure as President of Cuesta College making the college shine, not only in the eyes of its students and faculty but also in the eyes of the community. Under Grace's magnificent leadership, Cuesta College earned the first-ever ``Best-in- Class'' California Quality Eureka Award, presented by the California Council for Quality and Service. Grace's 35-year career has been dedicated to excellence in higher education as well as outstanding community activism. She has worked as a vice chancellor, a vice president, an assistant superintendent, dean, counselor, and advisor to many community colleges throughout California. In 1995 she was named Citizen of the Year by the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce. She has also been recognized for her work with the Foundation for Community Design, the SLO County Economic Advisory Committee and UCSB Economic Forecast Project, and a host of other community and professional organizations. Mr. Speaker, Grace N. Mitchell's dedication to the people with whom she works and lives is vast and unrelenting. She has proven herself to be a valuable asset to our community. I know I speak for many when I say that her commitment and vision for Cuesta College will surely be missed upon her retirement. I congratulate Grace on 35 years of service to her community and wish her all the best as she embarks on a new life journey.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues an extraordinary man and friend who retired as the Director of the Guadalupe Community Center on December 31, 1998. After a decade of traveling between Mexico and various states under the Bracero program Senor Jesus Saucedo first came to Guadalupe, California in 1961. He was joined five years later by his wife Refugia and their children. Once settled in the community, it didn't take long for Senor Saucedo to become a leader in the fight for justice and equality. In 1969 he became a member and organizer of the United Farm Workers. He began working with businesses to establish training programs for local farm workers and other residents to diversify their skills and expand their opportunities. To this end, he developed his own job training programs and citizenship workshops and made these resources open to whoever needed them. Mr. Speaker, I am inspired by Senor Saucedo's leadership and commitment to his community. Perhaps his most important accomplishment is his work with the Guadalupe Community Health Clinic. The Clinic has become the centerpiece for the community providing means to the needy, transportation options for the public, educational and recreational resources, and referrals of all kinds for those in need of advice. The impact of his service and vision will never be forgotten by the community of Guadalupe. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to join the City of Guadalupe this past weekend in celebrating the accomplishments of Senor Jesus Saucedo. He is a man who has devoted his life to community service and I thank him for all he has done through the years.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, today is April 15th, tax day. It's a good day to take a thoughtful look at our tax policy. Yes, we must reduce our tax burden, bring more fairness to our tax law, and simplify the tax code. But today we must also be very wary of gimmicks, schemes, and risky proposals. I am particularly concerned about proposals like the flat tax that would eliminate the mortgage interest deduction. This tax policy has greatly improved the quality of life for millions of middle class families across our nation. It has enabled countless families in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties to raise their children in stable, secure neighborhoods. Home ownership is on the increase across America, and with this increase comes better schools, less crime, and more civic participation. Owning a home contributes enormously to the financial security of our families. Nothing symbolizes the American dream more than owning a home. For this reason, I am the proud cosponsor of a Congressional resolution expressing strong support for the protection of the home mortgage interest tax deduction. On tax day, let's commit ourselves to making the ideal of home ownership a reality for all Americans.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, it is time to get serious about reforming our broken campaign finance system, and it truly is broken. Soft money from the wealthiest corporations and from the wealthiest individuals is flooding into Federal elections at an alarming rate. Last year's special election in my district saw an explosion of sham issue ads which are clearly designed to sway voters with no regard for our election laws. Our democratic system is being undermined by these abuses. We need to act now before the American people lose all faith in the political process. Today I joined my colleagues in signing the discharge petition to bring the Shays-Meehan campaign finance reform bill to the floor for a fair and open debate. The American people have spoken. The time for reform is now.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California (Mr. Sherman) for yielding. And with our mutual colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), I simply want to join on this sad day to remember Joyce Chiang and send my most heartfelt condolences to her family and her many friends, her friends particularly here on Capitol Hill. As the mother of two grown daughters, I can only imagine the suffering of this family, and the anguish, over the past 3 months. I realize that mere words can be of little consolation at a time like this, but I do hope that the warm memories and very fond recollections that Joyce inspired will provide some comfort over time. I did not know Joyce like my colleagues, but I feel connected to her through her brother Roger, who has been the family's courageous public voice over these past several weeks. And Roger is from my family, that is, the University of California at Santa Barbara family. He was a student of my husband Walter, an active UCSB alumnus, and is a close friend of many of the young people who worked for Walter and work with me. To Roger and to the countless others who loved Joyce, my heart is with them today.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, April 11, a moving and important event took place in San Luis Obispo, California, which I am proud to represent. Many of my constituents gathered at Cal Poly Theater to commemorate the 12th annual San Luis Obispo Community Holocaust Remembrance. At this yearly event, the community joins together to remember who died in the Holocaust, pay tribute to those who survived, and seek to apply the lessons of the past to the reality of the present. More than half a century after World War II, it is still difficult to comprehend the depth of depravity which engulfed Europe. The systematic extermination of six million Jews and millions of other innocent people--simply because of who they were--stands as the most horrific example of man's inhumanity to man. Now, as fewer and fewer survivors remain to tell their stories, it is even more incumbent upon us to recall the horrors of the Nazi era and teach them to future generations. Two distinguished speakers were scheduled to address this year's gathering. Klara Bergman was born in Poland and spent the war running and hiding from the Nazis. She is a highly successful businesswoman and a regular on the media. Ted Johnson, a San Luis Obispo County native, has served in the Peace Corps and the State Department and is an expert on central Europe. The choice of these two speakers is particularly appropriate this year, as our TV screens are filled with the anguish of Kosovar refugees and our hearts are with the brave American servicemen and women who are leading the NATO attacks on Slobodan Milosovic. As we remember the Holocaust, we must all recommit ourselves to the fight against modern- day genocide and oppression. We must ensure that the phrase ``Never Again'' is not simply an empty slogan.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my colleague from New York (Mrs. Kelly) for organizing and leading us in this wonderful opportunity to speak here on the floor regarding issues which we can give our attention to, which really do affect women across this country. It is a real pleasure to hear the wide range of emphases that have been mentioned already today, and we have more coming. But whether it is women in their own businesses, and as they own and participate in business, whether it is the way Social Security affects women and Medicare affects women in all of these areas, there is much to speak about pertaining to women in this recognition of Women's History Month. I want to rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support of a most important piece of legislation which is among us and at our table in Congress today, and that is the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act. Just 2 weeks ago, I joined the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) in introducing this bipartisan bill, which will help to treat low-income women who have been diagnosed with cancer. In 1990, Congress took a very important first step to fight breast cancer and cervical cancer by authorizing a screening program for low- income, uninsured, or underinsured women through the Centers for Disease Control; and they called this program the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, and now it is in place over this past decade in virtually every part of our country. Now, the problem is that while the program covers screening services, it does not cover treatment for women who are found to be positive and in need of services through this screening program. Thus, these vulnerable, poor women are left to an ad hoc patchwork of providers, volunteers, and charity care programs, making their treatment unpredictable, delayed, and in so many cases incomplete and resulting in really disastrous results for themselves and their families. Approximately 3,600 women per year are diagnosed through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. And now that they are diagnosed, they need services. All the screening in the world will not help if women who are diagnosed with the disease do not have access to quality treatment for their condition. And so, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act, which is before us now, gives States the opportunity and the option to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured or underinsured women who have been diagnosed through the early detection program but cannot afford treatment. I was very heartened a couple of weeks ago to notice in our first hearing in the Subcommittee on Health and Environment of the Committee on Commerce that the hearing that we held on this particular issue that there was unanimous, it seemed, and very bipartisan support for enacting this legislation. And I was pleased that one of my constituents, Dr. John Cox, the Director of Student Services at the University of California at Santa Barbara, was one of the expert witnesses; and the various people who presented were lauded by both sides of the aisle for their recognition that this early detection program is working well. But what it is uncovering is the need for services for these very women. With that enthusiasm that we felt in the room that day, the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo) and I and some other members of the committee have set aside Mother's Day as our goal for obtaining 218 cosponsors on the bill to bring it to the floor for a vote. What better way to honor mothers across the Nation this year than by providing this life-saving treatment? Mr. Speaker, I pledge my commitment to working in a bipartisan manner, and I know my colleagues today will be joining that effort, toward passing the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act. This bill is widely supported by women's health groups and is a top priority for the breast cancer community, including the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the California Breast Cancer Coalition. Over 100 Members of Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, men and women, have already signed on to be original cosponsors. I urge my other colleagues to sign on as well. I cannot think of a better Mother's Day gift for women across the Nation than to pass this legislation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my colleagues an extraordinary doctor and friend who was recently honored for twenty-five years of outstanding service in Santa Barbara County-- Dr. Mary Cederberg. A graduate of the University of Missouri, Mary received her M.D. from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She then completed a Fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital and worked briefly at Harvard University. Since 1956, Mary has worked tirelessly as a pediatrician and an advocate for children. During Mary's twenty-five years of service with the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department, she has directed the California Children's Services program as well as the Children's Health and Disease Prevention (C.H.D.P.) program. It is through the C.H.D.P. program that Mary has left her mark on the entire county of Santa Barbara, by providing innovative and comprehensive preventive care to thousands of children. Mary is a dedicated, hardworking, hands-on doctor, who does whatever it takes to help the children and families she serves. It has been an honor to have worked with her for so many years. Dr. Mary Cederberg is a role-model for our nation and her service exemplifies how we want public health care to work. I will continue to look to Mary's vision and leadership as our nation addresses health care for children. Mr. Speaker, today I celebrate Dr. Mary Cederberg's career and I commend her for years of service to the County of Santa Barbara and to our nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of my colleagues an extraordinary man and friend who celebrated his 60th birthday on March 31, Gil Garcia. Gil has spent his entire life working on and serving the Central Coast of California. His formative years were spent in the Goleta Valley, where he attended elementary and junior high schools; he then went on to graduate from Santa Barbara Catholic High School. After serving four years in the United States Air Force in Oxnard, Gil worked for Arendt, Moser and Grant Architects for fourteen years, where he received his license to practice architecture. In 1976, he founded Garcia Architects, Inc., an architectural firm that continues to thrive today. Garcia Architects has received numerous awards throughout the years, including recognition from the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. In addition to Gil's significant architectural contributions to the City of Santa Barbara and the State of California, Gil has been and will continue to be an effective, innovative and caring councilman and community leader. His work has earned him the life Time Achievement Award from the Santa Barbara News-Press, Man of the Year Award, and Volunteer of the Year from the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce. he has also been recognized by the Santa Barbara Hispanic Achievement Council. Mr. Speaker, Gil Garcia's dedication to the people he represents is exemplary and I believe in his vision for our community. I congratulate Gil on his 60th birthday, and I commend him for years of service to the city of Santa Barbara and to our nation.

Mrs. CAPPS

Mrs. CAPPS. I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frank Pallone), and to say what a pleasure it is to be here with fellow colleagues from around the country, really; North Carolina we have heard from, and Connecticut, and we will be hearing from Texas and other places. Mr. Speaker, last Friday I joined a nationwide effort to build support for the Patients' Bill of Rights. It was a privilege to do this, and to know that I was in concert with our efforts in my district out in the Central Coast of California, where I was in line with and online with those around the country in what we might call an old- fashioned petition drive, democracy in action. I was at one of the excellent institutions of higher learning in my district, and took advantage of state-of-the-art computer facilities and was able to lead an online grass roots petition drive to encourage students to speak out on the importance of managed care reform. We went to Santa Barbara City College, and the school of nursing was our host there, and invited other students to join us. We had quite a lively discussion as we logged on, because we began to talk about the fact that this is democracy in action, and this is the way that citizens of all ages, young students as well as middle-aged students and older people, could hear and discuss together the issues, but also make their wishes known to their representatives, not just their individual one, but to the leadership of this House, and to those of us in Congress who are in a position to take action on behalf of these, our constituents. The computer lab stayed open, as it is available for all students. After our discussion was concluded and we had finished, it only takes a minute to do this, then people could go on their way and spread the word, and others could come in during the day. They talked about going home and telling their families about this opportunity that they would have as well. So my hat is off to nursing students and my nurse friends there at City College and the other institutions that have allowed this to happen, the Learning Resource Center there. As we were talking about the need to do this action in Congress, it came up, why? What has happened? How come it is out of whack and out of control the way it is? In California, managed care has been a way of life for a great number of years. We began to think back, and it came into being, the HMO, as a way to counteract, and I was a nurse there for a long time in the schools, and I recall that all of us as patients, nurses, whatever our role, we are familiar with the high cost of health care, and that it began to rise so exponentially in the seventies and eighties, and there really was a need to curb it. It looked like a good thing was happening. So as I have tried to get a handle on it and explain it to my student friends the other day, I describe it as a pendulum swung out of control to too high cost, at one point, and then swinging too far the other way as the excesses, really, of managed care have now come home to hit us, and to hit so many people really personally and tragically, or in serious ways. Our job is to bring the pendulum back to the center again. Of course, the center is patient care; the need for the consumer, the patient, and that relationship with the doctor or other health care provider that is the heart of what health care is all about. It is a picture, too. Some of the students said, well, they wanted to institute prevention and have opportunities for learning about taking care of our bodies, and learning about how to really be effective and responsible health care consumers. Yes, in the beginning we had a lot of this impetus, but again, as the cost-cutting has come into play so strongly it has seemed that many of these good ideas that we saw, and perhaps still do, have fallen by the wayside. Now we hear about only so many visits for physical therapy, or so many opportunities. It is not with the patient's need or well-being in mind, even within the setting of managed costs, but this is really too far into that corner. I have been hearing from constituents as long as I have been in office, and before that as a nurse in the school district I heard from families, about their real issues and about where these decisions need to be made. These voices of my constituents and others here need to be heard in Congress. We need to take action on behalf of patients and the recipients of health care. I heard stories on Friday at Santa Barbara City College of even young people already having medical necessity determined by the insurance provider, and seeking redress and not being able to find it. They are frustrated. They want to express their concerns. Medical decisions need to be made by patients and their doctors. Patients need to have all the information they need to make these critical decisions. There are some plain truths in health care. Mr. Speaker, this historic measure will guarantee patients basic rights by allowing people to choose their doctor, to end oppressive gag rules so patients have access to all critical treatment options, and to establish medical necessity, to have medical standards for quality of care. Most importantly, this bill will hold HMOs accountable by giving patients critical legal recourse when insurance companies deny necessary medical coverage. If patients can sue their doctors for poor care, they should be able to sue insurance bureaucrats who determine medical decisions. Mr. Speaker, last week we saw people all across the country and in my district take part in a movement to restore common sense to health care. These people have often felt isolated from the political process. They could log onto the Internet as a means of raising their voices. So far, thousands of people across the country have logged onto the Families USA website, and this will continue as citizens across the country want to lend their support to the Patients' Bill of Rights. The American people have spoken and they are speaking, and now Congress needs to listen to them. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for giving me the opportunity to share my experience.