Lincoln Chafee

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I would like to clarify the intent of the conferees regarding a provision in the conference report accompanying H.R. 4576, FY01 Defense appropriations bill (H. Rept. 106- 754). Within this legislation is $2 million for the expansion of a successful Executive MBA program, jointly administered by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), Newport, Rhode Island and Bryant College, Smithfield, Rhode Island. The funding will be used to expand the current student enrollment from 30 to 60 Navy personnel and to expand and upgrade Bryant's technical capabilities. Specifically, funds will be used to expand and upgrade Bryant's network bandwidth to gigabit speed, as well as fund technological enhancements to Bryant's new Bello Center for Information and Technology, allowing Executive MBA students better access to valuable information resources. This, in turn, will assist them in their studies at Bryant. The $2 million for the expansion of this program will not only allow 30 more military/government personnel to earn an MBA at Bryant, but will link those students with expanded technical resources at Bryant. This linkage will allow Executive MBA students access to all information available within Bryant's resources and create the capability to interact with each other and with other students on and off campus. Is this description what the conferees intend?

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I today pay tribute to the accomplishments of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of Rhode Island. These fine organizations include an admirable group of young men and women who have distinguished themselves as leaders in their communities. Since the beginning of this century, the Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts of America have provided thousands of youngsters each year with the opportunity to make friends, explore new ideas, and develop leadership skills, along with a sense of determination, self-reliance, and teamwork. These awards are presented only to those who possess the qualities that make our nation great: commitment to excellence, hard work, and genuine love for community service. The Silver and Gold Awards represent the highest awards attainable by junior and high school Girl Scouts. Becoming an Eagle Scout is an extraordinary award with which only the finest Boy Scouts are honored. To earn the award--the highest advancement rank in Scouting--a Boy Scout must demonstrate proficiency in the rigorous areas of leadership, service, and outdoor skills. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the recipients of these awards. Their activities are indeed worthy of praise. Their leadership benefits our community and they serve as role models for their peers. Also, we must not forget the unsung heroes, who continue to devote a large part of their lives to make all this possible. Therefore, I salute the families, Scout leaders and countless others who have given generously of their time and energy in support of Scouting. It is with great pride that I submit a list of the young men and women of Rhode Island who have earned this award. Mr. President, I ask that the list be printed the Record. The list of follows: Girls Scout Silver Award Recipients Barrington, RI: Sarah E. Oberg, Alison Orlando, Shannon Johnston, Sarah Tompkins. Charlestown, RI: Hillary Gordon. Chepachet, RI: Margaret Pepper, Rebecca Thurber, Jennifer Tucker. Coventry, RI: Mandy L. Ponder. Cranston, RI: Laura R. Gauvin, Tara Tomaselli, Lindsay Wood, Susan Papino, Sarah Watterson. Exeter, RI: Karissa D'Ambra, Kim McCarthy, Meghan McDermott, Erin Klingensmith. Foster, RI: Shannon R. Casey. Glendale, RI: Emily Beauchemin. Harrisville, RI: Kristin Bowser. Hope, RI: Meaghan McKenna. Hope Valley, RI: Jennifer Gregory, Nichole Piacenza. Kingston, RI: Elizabeth Tarasevich. Mapleville, RI: Tia Sylvestre, Jessica Wilcox. Middletown, RI: Kellie Di Palma. North Kingstown, RI: Kelly-Ann Brooks, Kellie Fitzpatrick, Brittany Kenyon, Elizabeth Mackler, Kelley Barr, Rachel Glidden. Pascoag, RI: Erin Boucher, Sarah Gautreau, Heather Hopkins, Jennifer Robillard. Pawtucket, RI: Stephanie Bobola, Emma Locke, Brittany Smith, Allison Arden, Feliscia Facenda, Melissa Perez, Jessica Theroux. Portsmouth, RI: Rachel Andrews, Laura Cochran, Melissa Baker, Kathryn E. Powell, Sabrina A. Richard. Wakefield, RI: Lauren Behie, Emily Franco, Kate Danna, Jessica Piemonte. Warwick, RI: Stephanie Brock, Amanda Miller, Jessica Ogarek, Nicole Patrocelli, Michelle Poirier, Danielle Dufresne, Sarah Pennington. West Warwick, RI: Kaylin Kurkoski, Alyssa Lavallee, Capria Palmer, Stephanie Danforth. Woonsocket, RI: Kayla Berard, Erica Laliberte, Melissa Notorango. Wyoming, RI: Chantal Gagnon. Girls Scout Gold Award Recipients Cranston, RI: Bethany Lavigne, Sarah Lavigne. East Greenwich, RI: Elissa Carter, Rosanna Longenbaker. Harrisville, RI: Carissa Leal. Middletown, RI: Merideth Bonvenuto. North Providence, RI: Bonnie Bryden, Alison Kolc, Bethany Bader, Laura Di Tommaso. Pawtucket, RI: Alyssa M. Nunes, Nicole D. Gendron. Warwick, RI: Amanda Cadden, Jeniece Fairbairn, Sara Berman, Dawn Armitage, Kristen Giza, Kathryn Marseglia, Justine Evans, Carolyn Beagan. West Warwick, RI: Jennifer L. Malaby. West Kingston, RI: Audra L. Criscione. Westerly, RI: Heather Norman, Karen McGarth. Eagle Scout Recipients Ashaway, RI: Steven Derby, Paul Dumas. Barrington, RI: Chris Browning, Vincent Crossley, Chris Dewhirst, Jr., David Drew, John Dunn, Jr., Daniel Fitzpatrick, Chris Gempp, Chris Josephson, Patrick Kiely, Brian Mullervy, Anthony Principe, Evan Read, Adam Resmini, Timothy Ryan, Robert Speaker. Blackstone, RI: Daniel Aleksandrowicz. Bradford, RI: William Briggs, Jr., Thomas Foley. Bristol, RI: Chris Cameron, Jason DeRobbio, Thomas DuBios, Matthew Frates, John Maisano IV, Timothy Pray. Charlestown, RI: Christopher Hyer, Jonathan Lyons, David Piermattei, Jr., Thomas Schipritt. Chepachet, RI: Eric Ahnrud, Donald Gorrie, Jr., Benjamin King. Clayville, RI: Geoffrey Lemieux. Coventry, RI: John Ahern, Nicholas Brown, Michael Camera, James MacDonald. Cranston, RI: Anthony BaccariThomas Darrow, Erik Fearing, Peter Gogol, Gregory Johnson, Daniel Kittredge, Donald McNally, Gregory Norigian, Matthew Papino, Michael Parent, Ernest Rheaume, Mark Scott II, Marc Sherman, Jonathan Tipton. Cumberland, RI: Michael DiMeo, Michael Dubois, Timothy Fabrizio, Gregory Hindle, Thomas Parrillo, James Twohey, John Valentine, John Wigmall, Christopher Young. East Greenwich, RI: Matthew Kazlauskas, Thomas Carbone, Jr., Stuart Fields, Steven Fulks. Exeter, RI: Warren Halstead III. Foster, RI: Paul Copp, Robert Schultz, Jr. Fiskeville, RI: Jonathan Burns. Glocester, RI: Thomas Cavaliere. Greene, RI: Steven Autieri, Ryan Hall. Greenville, RI: Thomas Bowater, Benjamin Folsom, Jason Marrineau, Joseph Stockley. Harrisville, RI: Davis Jackson, Matthew Kucharski. Hope Valley, RI: Eben Conopask, John Duell, Nicholas Haberek, Lucas Marland. Jamestown, RI: Thomas Kelly, Joshua Shea. Johnston, RI: Jason Cantwell, Geoffrey Garzone, Christopher Lowrey, Anthony Pezza, Michael Wilusz. Kingston, RI: Robert Dettman, Travis Morello. Lincoln, RI: Bradford Avenia, Daniel Maynard, Jonathan Toft. Manville, RI: Peter Rernaud. Middletown, RI: John Greeley, Andrew Gustafson, Jay Parker, Jr., Alexander Schwarzenberg, Matthew Sullivan, David Tungett. Newport, RI: Jason Kowrach, James Ross. North Kingstown, RI: Christopher Nannig, David Piehler, Jason Simeone. North Providence, RI: Adam Andolfo, Michael Chatwin, Jr., Matthew Konicki. North Scituate, RI: Alan Campbell, Corey Charest, Jared Leduc, Jason Otto, Stephen Vigliotti. North Smithfield, RI: Keith Gilmore. Pawtucket, RI: Brian Gendreau, Peter Blair, Nicholas Cetola, Eric Frati, Christopher Gojcz, Benjamin Sweigart, Alejandro Tobon. Portsmouth, RI: Mark Dragicevich, James Magrath, Paul Myslinski, Richard Quintal, John Silvia III, Adam Tucker. Providence, RI: Ashley Oneal, Matthew Dorfman, Jonathan Goulet, Matthew Lynch, John Riley, Matthew Salisbury, Andrew Sawtelle, Stephen Winiarski. Riverside, RI: Andrew Hurd, William Lange Phillip Olson, Chris Paiva. Rumford, RI: Jesse Crichton, Chris Jamison. Smithfield, RI: Charles Ashworth, Brian Twohey, Gerard Lariviere II. Wakefield, RI: Paul Ayers IV, Joshua Honeyman, Joshua Lamothe, Joshua Rosen, Wyatt Messinger. Warren, RI: Jonathan Faris, William Kemp IV. Warwick, RI: Christopher Baker, Richard Agajanian III, Kenneth Arpin, Trevor Byrne-Smith, James Carolan III, Robert Chace III, Jason Christensen, Michael Dean, Timothy Goodwin, Michael Havican, Eric Hayes, Gregory Hughes, Aaron Hughes, Peter Izzi, Thomas Kelley, Daniel Linden, Jeffrey Machado, Robert MacNaught, John Mendonsa. Westerly, RI: Jonathan Martin, Seth Merkel. West Greenwich, RI: Jeffrey Bowen. West Kingston, RI: Joshua McCaughey. West Warwick, RI: Eric Calcagni, Craig Flanagan, Daniel Flynn, Warrick Monnahan, Chuck Moore. Wood River Junction, RI: Timothy Brusseau, Scott Morey. Woonsocket, RI: Michael Minot Matthew Piette, Matthew Soucy, Gary Turner. Wyoming, RI: Stetson Lee.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today I rise to thank the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury and General Government, Senator Campbell, for including funds for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission to provide a grant to the Heritage Harbor Museum in Providence for the development of the museum's Native American Story exhibit. The funds will be used by the Museum and the local Native American community to research and catalog the history of the area's Native Americans in a cross-cultural context. As the chairman knows, Heritage Harbor revolves around the telling of our nation's history in an integrated environment. The museum will not focus on one ethnic or religious group but strive to present the independent and coexisting histories of many of our nation's peoples. The task ahead for Heritage Harbor is a complex one, and I appreciate the committee underscoring the federal interest in the project by providing these funds. In order for the Native American perspective to be presented effectively, the museum will not only research records, data and artifacts, but it will also catalog the research and present it in formal exhibit fashion. Is it the understanding of the Chairman that these funds are intended to be used for research and cataloging as well as exhibit presentation?

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Again, I thank the Senator for his interest in this project, and I look forward to inviting you to Rhode Island to see the results of the museum's effort.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today in support of the conference report to S. 835, the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000. During my year in the Senate, one of my top legislative priorities has been the enactment of my father's estuary habitat restoration partnership legislation, S. 835. This bill will promote the restoration of one million acres of estuary habitat by directing $275 million in funding and other incentives to local estuarine restoration projects. I congratulate the Members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committees, and in particular Chairman Bob Smith, for their expertise, persistence and enthusiastic support for this important environmental bill. And, I am delighted that the Senate is approving this compromise version, and moving the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act one step closer to enactment this session. Mr. President, my father was a champion of efforts to protect wetlands and estuarine areas, and he felt strongly that the federal government should do more to restore and safeguard these valuable habitats. He had a special devotion and appreciation for the salt marshes, coves and coastline of Narragansett Bay. Thus, in the fall of 1997, at Edgewood Yacht Club in Cranston, surrounded by supporters from Rhode Island's Save The Bay, Senator John H. Chafee announced introduction of his comprehensive legislation to protect and restore our nation's estuaries. That bill evolved into S. 835, the Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act that he introduced in the Spring of last year. And, when we approve this legislation, we are carrying out the work that my father considered to be of utmost importance to the health of our fisheries, the quality of our waters, and the beauty of our great land. Estuaries are where the river's current meets the sea's tide. These waterbodies are unique areas where life thrives. They are where the food chain begins, and many estuaries produce more harvestable human food per acre than the best mid-western farmland. An astonishing variety of life, including animals as diverse as lobsters, Whooping Cranes, manatees, salmon, otters, Bald Eagles, and sea turtles, all depend on estuaries for their survival. Estuaries provide the nursing grounds for our fisheries, support many of our endangered and threatened species and host nearly half of the neotropical migratory birds in the United States. However, these productive areas are fragile, and vulnerable to human and environmental pressures. Today, burgeoning human populations in coastal areas are disrupting the balance and threatening the health of fragile estuary habitats. Activities such as dredging, draining, the construction of dams, uncontrolled sewage discharges, and other forms of pollution have all led to the degradation and destruction of estuary habitat. The bottom line is that we are not doing enough for these valuable resources. Estuaries are national treasures, and they deserve a national effort to protect and restore them. Like the many supporters of S. 835, I believe estuary legislation is needed to turn the tide and start restoring the valuable estuarine habitats that are literally disappearing along our nation's coasts. Senator John H. Chafee used to say: ``Given half a chance, nature will rebound and overcome tremendous setbacks, but we must--at the very least--give it that half a chance.'' The good news is that in many degraded coastal areas, nature will rebound if we simply reduce pollution, or return salt water, or replant eelgrass in the proper conditions. This legislation will fuel efforts to restore one million acres of estuary habitat by emphasizing several aspects of successful habitat restoration projects: effective coordination among different levels of government; continued investment by public and private sector partners; and, most importantly, active participation by local communities. S. 835 encourages voluntary activities nationwide by authorizing $275 million over five years for estuary habitat restoration projects. Other provisions include the creation of a council to help develop a national strategy for habitat restoration; and a cost-sharing requirement to help leverage federal dollars. S. 835 also promotes ongoing restoration efforts by reauthorizing the Chesapeake Bay and the Long Island Sound Estuary Programs and authorizing a program in the Lake Pontchartrain Basin to restore estuaries at the base of the Mississippi River. And, the bill makes a significant and necessary change in the EPA's National Estuary Program. Up until now, the 28 nationally-designated estuaries--including Narragansett Bay--could only use federal funds to develop conservation and management plans. This bill amends the program to allow NEP grants to be used to implement the conservation measures included in those plans, and it nearly triples the authorization for the National Estuary Program from $12 million to $35 million per year for the next five years. Indeed, a central theme of this legislation is the need to carry out projects within existing plans and get moving with on-the-ground restoration activities. Responding effectively to the growing threats to our bays, sounds and other coastal waters presents a tremendous challenge: federal resources are scarce, the need is great, and the pressure on these areas is intensifying. Yet, I am encouraged by the enormous support--at the local, state and federal levels--for taking action to arrest the deterioration of our estuaries, and to reverse the trend through restoration projects. And, I have seen first-hand that restoration projects really work. In recent years, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; federal partners such as the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Save the Bay and other conservation organizations; and local communities have joined forces to restore estuaries in and around Narragansett Bay. By leveraging funding, equipment, volunteers and other resources, federal and non-federal partners have forged cooperative relationships to restore some of the Bay's most important estuarine environments. The Galilee Salt Marsh and Bird Sanctuary Restoration Project is one such success. This 128-acre marsh was largely cut off from tidal flows as a result of road construction beginning in the 1950's. When fully completed, the restoration project will return 84 acres of salt marsh habitat and 14 acres of open water in new tidal channels to the Galilee Bird Sanctuary. With the reopening of the marsh to tides, salt marsh grasses native to Rhode Island are returning to the area, along with many small fish and crabs and wetland birds such as geese, ducks, egrets, herons and shorebirds. The area is also expected to, once again, serve as an important nursery area for commercially-important fish species. Other successful Rhode Island projects include the anadromous fish and salt marsh restoration in the Massachuck Creek Fishway in Barrington; restoration of Boyd's Marsh in Portsmouth; and a NOAA Community-Based Restoration Program that partnered Save The Bay with local students and teachers to train them in seagrass and eelgrass restoration techniques. These activities demonstrate that by integrating state and federal resources with local, hands-on community involvement, we can give estuary habitats that half a chance they need to revive and flourish. A lot of progress has been made toward restoring the health of the Rhode Island's estuaries, but considerable work remains to be done. In my view, Narragansett Bay is not only Rhode Island's greatest natural asset, but is also the most beautiful of our nation's estuaries. Designated by Congress as an ``estuary of national significance,'' Narragansett Bay covers 147 square miles and is home to 60 species of fish and shellfish and more than 200 species of birds. Tourism, fishing and other Bay-related businesses fuel the regional economy. As a Rhode Islander, it seems clear that our welfare depends on our ability to sustain a clean, healthy, and productive Bay. The challenge of estuary restoration is even greater at the national level. With the aid of the Estuaries and Clean Water Act of 2000, the federal government will help meet that challenge, working with state and local partners to revive our most precious and productive estuary resources. I thank my Senate colleagues for approving this important legislation. And, again I offer appreciation for the efforts of the Chairman and the Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, the other Senate conferees and the Committee staff for their perseverance and dedication to passing estuary legislation this Congress. I also thank Rhode Island's Save The Bay, under the leadership of Curt Spalding, and the other conservation organizations who have worked hard to garner support for this legislation across the country.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Paul Arpin Van Lines Inc., a moving company based in West Warwick, Rhode Island, on its 100th anniversary. The business community of the State of Rhode Island is comprised primarily of small, family businesses. Indeed, 98 percent of Rhode Island businesses are small businesses. These businesses have played an extremely important role in the growth and strength of the Rhode Island economy. One of these businesses is a moving company, Paul Arpin Van Lines Inc., of West Warwick, Rhode Island. One hundred years ago this month, the company was founded by Paul G. Arpin, who left it to his son, Paul Arpin. Paul Arpin is still very active in the daily affairs of the business as Chief Financial Officer. Paul's son, David, is now the company's President. Paul Arpin Van Lines Inc., has grown considerably since its founding. It now employs 400 Rhode Islanders and has 160 agents throughout the country. It has survived the Great Depression, a number of recessions and various other financial downturns that challenged far larger businesses in the state. Its sound business practices and active community involvement through the years have been a constant source of pride, not only to the Arpin family, but to many generations of Rhode Island families employed by them. It is with great pleasure that I salute the entire Arpin family for its many accomplishments over this past century and wish them many, many more years of success.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. While the language in this conference report places a limitation on assistance by NRCS for activities related to the American Heritage Rivers, it should not be intended to penalize or disadvantage communities that seek or apply for grants and technical assistance. There is no specific limitation in this conference report that would preclude the NRCS from undertaking other authorized activities that are similar to those provided under the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. Would the Chairman and the Ranking Member agree with this interpretation?

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I appreciate the work of the subcommittee chairman and ranking minority Member in putting together this year's VA-HUD appropriations bill. I would like to clarify one matter of importance regarding removing an environmental threat in a Rhode Island community. The Centredale Manor Restoration Project is a Superfund site in North Providence, RI. With my encouragement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been moving quickly at this site. The site was only added to the National Priorities List in February of this year and several removal actions have been conducted at the site. Recently, the EPA released a proposed Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis that recommends replacement of the Allendale Dam and excavation of contaminated soils from residential properties along the Woonasquatucket River. These clean-up plans--requiring excavation of approximately 2,500 cubic yards of soils and sediments--were intended to be finalized later this year after the current public comment period, with design and construction work to follow shortly thereafter. There is a great deal of local support for getting on with this clean up and removing dangerous contaminants from North Providence neighborhoods. I understand that the report attached to this bill contains language directing EPA to wait until completion of the current National Academy of Sciences study of sediment remediation technology, and proper consideration of the NAS study as it relates to EPA remedy selection, before finalizing any more dredging plans. The NAS study is scheduled to be completed no later than January 1, 2001. It seems to me this report language would allow the EPA to continue planning associated with the Centredale Manor cleanup, including replacement of Allendale dam and excavation of contaminated soils and sediments in and along the Woonasquatucket River, at the North Providence Superfund site. Ultimately, I believe that following consideration of the NAS study, EPA will be able to finalize the cleanup plan and implement that final plan during the 2001 construction season. I would like to confirm with the Chairman of the VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee that the report language is not intended to delay progress toward cleaning up contamination at the Centredale Manor Restoration Project in North Providence.

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I appreciate the chairman's clarification of this matter.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to express my support for H.R. 1102, the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act. In my short time in the Senate, I have supported pension and savings reform and expansion, including cosponsoring S. 741, the Pension Coverage and Portability Act, and voting in favor of a pension and savings amendment offered by Finance Committee Chairman Roth during consideration of H.R. 8, the estate tax phase out bill. I strongly believe that enacting H.R. 1102 will benefit millions of Americans, help boost America's savings rate, and bolster long-term economic growth. Indeed, economists agree that the increased personal savings and investment that would result from expanding pensions hold the key to long-term economic growth, and would shore up the country's savings tendencies. Currently, only half of all workers have a pension plan. That means about 75 million Americans don't have access to one of the key components to a comfortable retirement. Pension laws have become so convoluted and the annual contribution limit so diminished that many small businesses simply do not bother setting them up. In fact, the contribution limits to Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) have not changed since 1981. At that time, when the $2,000 limit was set, according to the U.S. Census Bureau the U.S. means the U.S. mean household income was under $23,000. In 1998, mean household income was almost $52,000, an increase of more than 130 percent. Still, the maximum IRA contribution hasn't budged from $2,000. Setting aside $5,000, rather than $2,000, will provide the retiree with significant additional savings. For workers who don't have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, the IRA is their primary savings vehicle. Increasing the contribution to $5,000 helps put these people on a more equal footing with their fellow citizens covered by employer-sponsored plans. Also, it is estimated that more than 61 percent of IRA participants with incomes under $50,000 contribute the $2,000 maximum; and 69 percent of all IRA participants contribute the maximum. Workers are ready to invest more--if we in Congress will open the door for them. H.R. 1102 includes an income tax credit to help those who might not be able to fund their retirement accounts without additional help, or who need more incentive to save. Under this legislation, joint filers of tax returns earning under $50,000, heads of households earning under $37,500, and all other taxpayers earning less than $25,000 will receive non-refundable tax credits for each of five years on a sliding scale from five to 50 percent for contributions to a broad range of existing retirement savings choices. In effect, the federal government will be matching these savers contributions dollar for dollar--through the tax credit--up to the maximum allowable based on their income and filing status. Another provision will help workers approaching retirement age to jump start, or catch up with, their retirement savings. Many of our younger workers are limited in what they can invest toward retirement due to the other priorities such as saving for a house, starting a family, or setting aside funds for their children's education. With retirement beginning to loom as they turn 50, the current limits on contributions both to their IRAs and to their employer-sponsored retirement plans make catching up extremely difficult. H.R. 1102 allows taxpayers 50 and older to contribute $7,500 annually to an IRA, or $5,000 to their employees' retirement plan when fully phased in. Today, it is commonplace for workers to switch jobs frequently. But, under current regulations, these workers often cannot carry the retirement benefits they have accumulated with one employer to a new job. Provisions in H.R. 1102 remove the final obstacles to full retirement portability, meaning that a worker easily can take his or her accumulated benefits to a new job. This component of the legislation is particularly important to state and local government employees who currently cannot roll over their qualified retirement savings to a new employer when they move to private sector jobs. In Rhode Island, small businesses are the heart of the economy. Indeed, 98 percent of Rhode Island businesses are small. And, they are important forces in developing two emerging segments of the state's economy: service and technology. H.R. 1102 also will remove disincentives which currently prevent many small business owners from offering retirement plans to their employees. In addition, it will make it easier for long-serving union members to collect the full pension benefits they have earned. Some provisions in the bill have stirred debate. One relates to cash balance pension plans. I recognize and appreciate the hard work that the Senate Finance Committee has done with respect to this issue, and understand that negotiations are still under way. I hope that the final product of these negotiations will help workers that are negatively affected by cash balance pension plan conversions. The House approved H.R. 1102 by a vote of 401-25 on July 19th. I hope that we in the Senate act soon to approve this bill and send it to the President so that millions of hard working Americans will accrue its benefits.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, next month a remarkable woman, who is a constituent of mine, will celebrate her ninetieth birthday; although, if you ask her, she will tell you that she still feels like a sixteen year-old. Alice B. Dwyer--known to family and close friends as ``Lally'' and to literally thousands of Rhode Islanders, who learned in her classroom, as ``Miss Dwyer''--was born on November 12, 1910. She was the second of four children of Matthew S. Dwyer and Alice Barry Dwyer of Providence. Her older sister, Matt, suffered from crippling polio at a time long before public accommodations for people with disabilities. Nevertheless, they set off together for Manhattanville College in New York City. Alice Dwyer shies way from any words of recognition for her part in enabling her older sister, who had an insatiable lust for learning, to attend college. Alice simply was doing what has always come most naturally to her, giving to others. After college, Alice went on to receive a Masters Degree in English Literature from Brown University, my own alma mater. With degrees in hand she began a lifetime of service to children in the Providence Public School system. The majority of her years teaching were spent at Classical High School where she taught sophomore English. Today's public opinion polls tell us that education is the number one issue on the minds of Americans. We hear and talk a lot about holding students to high academic standards. But Alice Dwyer never needed pollsters and politicians to tell her about the importance of high standards. The students who read Shakespeare in her classroom knew that she expected each of them to do his or her best. In addition to her love of teaching, Alice always has been an avid admirer of acting. She was among the Rhode Islanders to answer the casting call for ``The Great Gatsby,'' starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. At sunset each evening for weeks, she would cross the bridge to Newport, where she would don a glittering 1920s flapper gown and join the guests at Hollywood's most recent rendition of Jay Gatsby's famed summer parties. After retiring from the Providence Public School system, Alice took on various volunteer activities. She read to children and worked in the library of the Fox Point Elementary School in Providence, and she was a regular in the phone bank on New London Avenue in Cranston, making calls to turn out the vote for my father's 1982 Senate campaign. She worked relentlessly on the two unsuccessful campaigns of Fred Lippitt to be mayor of Providence. In 1994 when my father ran for his fourth Senate term, difficulty walking kept Alice away from campaign headquarters. However, as a woman who cannot do enough for others, she found a way to help. Campaign workers would drop off box loads of envelopes and lists of names and addresses with her. When one box was done, it would be picked up and another delivered in its place. Combining her love of reading with her natural tendency to help others, Alice spent a great deal of time taping textbooks for blind and visually impaired students. Whether it's the young person working at the Newport Creamery on Wayland Square where Alice is known for liking her coffee piping hot, or the students (now middle-aged men and women) who recall the lessons they learned from her at Classical High School, or her own family members, all agree that Alice Dwyer has filled their lives with her own giving spirit. Alice Dwyer will celebrate her ninetieth year with her sister, Rita Scotti, with her eleven nieces and nephews and their families, and with dozens of friends and neighbors. It is my great privilege to wish this woman, who has warmed so many hearts with her unfailing kindness and generosity, a very Happy Birthday.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, when the Senate passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2000 (WRDA) on September 25th, a landmark piece of legislation was attached to the bill. This legislation--S. 2797, Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy Act--was introduced by Senators Smith, Baucus, Voinovich, Graham and Mack earlier this summer to restore the natural ecosystem of the Florida Everglades. Historically, the Florida Everglades system consisted of a natural flow of 1.7 billion gallons of fresh water draining into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean on a daily basis. Beginning in 1948, the system has been adversely impacted by a series of Federal flood control projects authorized by Congress to redirect water flows throughout the Everglades. Over a half-century of Army Corps of Engineers' water infrastructure projects, consisting of a series of levees and canals, have severely damaged the Everglades system. This substantial diversion of water resulting from the infrastructure construction, coupled with increased development in the area, threaten the overall environmental health and sustainability of the Everglades National Park. In 1992 and 1996, Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a ``Restudy'' of the existing system and recommend changes to improve the current state of the Everglades. The results of the restudy and recommendations for restoring the system are incorporated into the ``Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan''. S. 2797 implements the Everglades Restoration Plan. The bill was approved by a bi-partisan majority of members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and is strongly supported by the Administration and the State of Florida. Restoring the Everglades, an American Legacy Act is a $7.8 billion dollar package that includes a broad framework for repairing the system's fragile ecosystem. Additionally, the bill creates a new and significant partnership between the Federal Government and the State of Florida. S. 2797 includes cost share provisions establishing a 50:50 Federal to non- Federal cost share requirement and providing that operation and maintenance costs will also be split in half between the Federal and non-Federal sponsors. Most importantly, the bill balances the benefits to the natural system, while providing for water supply and flood protection needs. I thank the Committee for moving forward with this important legislation. I would particularly like to thank Chairman Bob Smith for his leadership on restoring the Everglades and for crafting legislation that will ensure the future preservation of this national treasure.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, last week the Canadian people learned of the passing of their former prime minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau. His funeral, which took place on Wednesday, brought Canada's many political factions together for an unusual moment of unity. I would like to take this time to share with my colleagues my thoughts on this momentous event for our neighbors. Pierre Trudeau led Canada at a time when that nation made enormous progress both internally and on the world stage. He served as prime minister from 1968 through 1984, with a brief nine-month hiatus in 1979-80. During these years, Trudeau championed many initiatives, and supervised the process by which Canada replaced its ties to Great Britain with a constitution of its own. His agenda affected Canadian politics for years after he left office. Pierre Trudeau's private life certainly made many headlines, but his most enduring legacy was his success in addressing the separatist movement in his native Quebec. Just two years after assuming the prime minister's post, he won plaudits from the Canadian people for his toughness in dealing with separatist terrorists who had kidnapped a British diplomat and a Quebecois provincial official. Ten years later, in May 1980, Trudeau's leadership and persuasiveness convinced 59.6% of Quebecois to vote against separating from the national government. At the same time, though, he was sensitive to his country's French- speaking population; Canada was made officially bilingual in 1984. I lived in Canada for seven years during the Trudeau era. As an American in this foreign-but-nearby land, I learned first-hand how Pierre Trudeau shaped and influenced the maturation of Canada. Although the United States and Canada certainly had their differences during this era, particularly on matters of arms control, I know that our nation fully respected his abilities and leadership qualities that guided Canada through some momentous times. Our friendly neighbor to the north has lost a great leader, and I hope all of my colleagues will take a moment to recognize the enormous legacy of Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I would like to share with my colleagues my views on several items contained within the energy and water conference report. The FY 2001 Energy and Water Appropriations conference report includes $24 billion in funding for the Department of Energy, civil projects of the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, and a number of independent agencies. I understand the difficulty of reaching a consensus on such a comprehensive bill. I would like to thank the Managers of the legislation for all their hard work in reaching this consensus. I am particularly pleased with the nearly $4 million in funding included in the bill for a number of important Rhode Island coastal restoration and water development projects. The bill contains $1.95 million in funding for authorized repairs to the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier. Since its construction in 1966, the barrier has provided critical flood protection to the City of Providence. The bill contains $191,000 for Rhode Island Ecosystem Restoration to assist the Army Corps of Engineers and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management to restore degraded salt marshes and freshwater wetlands, improve overall fish and wildlife habitats, and restore anadramous fisheries. The bill also contains $54,000 for South Coast Erosion to complete feasibility study work on potential coastal protection projects along the southern coastline of Rhode Island. Additionally, the bill contains $584,000 in funding for the final Environmental Impact Statement and design work associated with maintenance dredging of the Providence River and Harbor federal navigation channel. The proposed maintenance dredging project involves the removal of approximately four million cubic yards of material from the Providence River and Harbor. The Environmental Impact Statement process will allow for full and open debate on the placement of dredge spoils from the project. We certainly cannot overlook the importance of protecting and minimizing the impact on our environment, especially the impact on our fisheries. As we move into the heating season, funding Environmental Impact Statements for Providence Harbor dredging projects cannot be overstated. Specifically, until dredging Providence Harbor is completed, deep draft vessels carrying precious heating oil to Rhode Island and other points in the Northeast will have to continue the dangerous and inefficient practice of off-loading their cargoes into small barges, in the middle of Narragansett Bay, for delivery to the pierside terminals in Providence Harbor. Anyone who has experienced the fury of winter wind, ice, and rough waters on the Narragansett recognizes this practice is an accident waiting to happen--one with disastrous consequences. While I voted in support of the conference report last night, I was disappointed to find that the Missouri River provision I objected to during Senate consideration of the bill was not removed during conference. I firmly object to this provision which would block funding for consideration of one of the alternatives to the Missouri River Master Water Control Manual. The targeted alternative would require seasonal river flow changes along the Missouri River in order to recover three endangered species including the pallid sturgeon, interior least tern, and piping plover. During my past year in the Senate, I have voted to remove environmental riders such as this one from appropriations bills. In my view, the Missouri River provision inappropriately transfers the decision regarding endangered species protection along the Missouri River from the Army Corps of Engineers and the authorizing committees to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. I was one of two Republican Senators that voted in favor of an amendment offered by Senator Daschle and Senator Baucus to strike this provision during Senate consideration of the FY 2001 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. When the vote failed, however, I voted in favor of the legislation because of its important funding for Rhode Island. The FY 2001 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill, and the Missouri River provision contained within, passed overwhelmingly in the Senate by a vote of 93 to 1. The legislation still has a probable Presidential veto. I am hopeful we will be able to revisit the Missouri River provision before the end of this session, and ensure its elimination from the legislation.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, this past weekend, Mount Saint Charles Academy of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, was honored at a ceremony recognizing it as a Blue Ribbon School. I would like to commend them on this outstanding achievement. ``Mount,'' as it is called in Rhode Island has long been recognized nationally for its elite hockey program. In fact, the Mounties hockey team is so good that they have won the last 23 Rhode Island State Championships--a record--and during that stretch they skated their way to ten straight High School National Championships. But in Rhode Island, Mount Saint Charles is best known for its excellent academic reputation. It is great to see ``Mount'' recognized nationally for its academic excellence, not just its hockey. The Blue Ribbon School program rewards schools that excel in all areas of academic leadership, teaching and teacher development, and school curriculum. Schools are chosen through a competitive application process that rates each school on two areas. The first category, ``Conditions of Effective Schooling,'' includes teaching environment, curriculum and instruction, parent and community support, and student environment. The second category, ``Indicators of Success,'' includes student test performance, high attendance and graduation rates, as well as postgraduate pursuits. I am proud to see a Rhode Island school recognized nationally for setting the bar high, and I applaud the teachers, principles, and students who have worked so hard to make Mount Saint Charles a Blue Ribbon School.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 4135

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Mark Preston and Meredith Ray Bonner on their recent wedding, which took place on July 8, 2000, at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Atlanta, Georgia. The groom's parents Eugene and Mary Preston were in attendance, as was the bride's mother, Mrs. Phillip Ray Bonner. Mark proposed on December 28, 1999, in the same parking lot where they first kissed, and the couple spent their honeymoon in North Carolina. As many of you know, Mark is the intrepid Roll Call reporter, famous for stalking unwary Members coming off the Senate floor or leaving the weekly policy lunches. Over time, Mark has become a fixture at the Ohio Clock and on the Hill. The bride, now Meredith B. Preston, is also a journalist, and recently relocated to Washington from Atlanta. In fact, Mark and Meredith met as reporters at the Marietta Daily Journal. I hope the entire Senate will join me in wishing Mark and Meredith the very best today and throughout the future.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, one of my constituents, Virginia Louise Doris of Warwick, RI, has written a beautiful poem that commemorates the life of Francis Scott Key, and his steadfast efforts in penning what has become the words of our National Anthem. Last year I was pleased to share with my colleagues a poem she wrote about the valiant soldiers of World War II. Today, after reading her latest poem, I thought it would be appropriate to share her heartfelt words. Virginia Doris has informed me that she has worked for many years researching the life of Francis Scott Key, and has written a monograph compiling her findings. Her dedication to bringing recognition to this great American is indeed inspiring. I thank her for sharing the poem with me, and wish her continued success in sharing the worthy story of her hero, Francis Scott Key. I ask that a copy of Virginia Doris' poem appear at this point in the Record. The poem follows: Poem in honor of Francis Scott Key (By Virginia Louise Doris) Anthem, Mighty Anthem! Our voices resound, Poem by God's blessing, unsceptered, uncrowned! Anthem, Sacred Anthem! Our pulses repeat, Warm with the life-blood, as long as they beat! Listen! The reverence of his soul imbued doth thrill us still, In the old familiar places beneath their emerald hill. Here at this altar our vows we renew still in thy cause be loyal and true-- True to thy flag on the field, and the wave, living to honor it, dying to save! Wake in our breast the living fires, the Holy faith that warmed our sires, Thy spirit shed through every heart, to every arm thy strength impart! Our lips should fill the air with praises, and pay the debt we owe, So high above his hymn we raise the floods of garlands flow. Harken! The reverence of his soul imbued doth thrill us still, In the old familiar places beneath their emerald hill. Anthem, Mighty Anthem! our voices resound, Poem by God's blessing unsceptered uncrowned! Anthem, Sacred Anthem! our pulses repeat, Warm with the life-blood, as long as they beat!

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to speak of an issue which effects every American, and future generations of Americans. As the saying goes, ``burn me once, shame on you, burn me twice, shame on me.'' After the second World War, waves of returning GIs--looking for a better life for themselves and their families--helped create a unprecedented building boom in the United States. The potato fields of Long Island were turned into massive tracts of uniform new houses known as Levittown. This same post-World War II growth at one point so overwhelmed my own home town of Warwick, Rhode Island that the state newspaper described the city as ``a suburban nightmare''. Before long, strip retail development catering to the automobile became the trademark of the American landscape. Our landscape has since been pockmarked by incremental, haphazard development, which too often offends the eye, and saps our economic strength by requiring very expensive investment for extending infrastructure farther and father into the country side. Driving down the street in Anytown USA you see an apartment house next to a fast food franchise, next to a fire station, next to an office building, next to a strip mall. That isn't planned development. Over forty years after Levittown, we find ourselves in a strong economy sustained as never before. At the same time, every state in the country face significant problems relating to unplanned growth, from protecting open space in the east to protecting precious drinking water supplies in the west. We ought to seize the moment and learn from our previous mistakes--we should not be burned twice. The last thing anyone needs, citizens and developers alike, is to have angry and divisive planning board, zoning board or city or town council meetings. The best thing we can do to ensure wise growth is to encourage decision makers to work together with the citizens, developers, interest groups and others to develop a consensus for planning for growth in an orderly manner. That is what the Community Character Act does. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleagues, Senators Bennett, Cleland, Jeffords, Levin, Lieberman and Leahy to introduce a bill that I believe will help states plan wise growth. This bill, Community Character Act of 2000, seeks to authorize $25 million over four years for a grant program to help states develop or update their land use statutes and Comprehensive Plans. No state in the nation is immune from the effects of rapid unplanned development. Suburbanization is expensive, costing state and local taxpayers dearly for extending roads and infrastructure, and building new schools. Even states considered more rural are now facing rapid alterations in land use and quality of life. Federal grants under this act would help states promote citizen participation in the developing of state plans, encourage sustainable economic development, coordinate transportation and other infrastructure development, conserve historic scenic resources and the environment, and sustainably manage natural resources. I am pleased that this bill has such bipartisan support and hope that the full Senate will give it favorable action. I thank the chair and ask unanimous consent that my full statement and the text of the bill appear in the Record.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I rise today to express my sympathy to the Coverdell family and my own sorrow at the death of Senator Paul Coverdell. May his family find solace in their memory of Paul's many contributions to a better Georgia, a better United States, and a better world. I followed Paul onto the Foreign Relations Committee and also into his chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. I will do my best to carry on your good work there, Paul. As many people have said, Paul Coverdell was a gifted communicator. To every organization those skills are valuable and especially here in Congress. Perhaps Paul learned those skills at the prestigious Missouri School of Journalism from which he graduated. But I suspect, despite having known him only a short time, that Paul's easy manner and obvious kindness were inherent traits. He was a natural communicator and we mourn his loss. Once again, my heartfelt sympathy to Nancy and all of Paul Coverdell's family and friends. Rest in peace.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President. I rise today to speak of a man who, during 42 years of public service, left an indelible mark on generations of Rhode Islanders. Like thousands across the Ocean State, I am saddened by the passing of that great American statesman, John Orlando Pastore. Senator Pastore's life and career was one of diligence, accomplishment, integrity and distinction. Senator Pastore set a high standard for all who have followed him in the United States Senate, and while he will be missed, his contributions to our state and country will not be forgotten. My heartfelt condolences are extended to his family and friends in this difficult time. The Nation's first Italian-American governor, and then U.S. Senator, John O. Pastore was rightfully proud of his heritage and humble roots--and all of Rhode Island was proud of him. Not only did he embody the contributions made by Italian-Americans to our state and nation, his life and career were a source of pride and hope for immigrants from all nations. A child when his father died, leaving his mother and siblings impoverished, the future Senator and Governor struggled to overcome the many daunting obstacles that life had laid in his path. Indeed, the true meaning of Senator Pastore's later personal and political achievements can only be understood when highlighted against the background of his own poignant memories of his childhood, which I would like to quote. We lived in the ghetto of Federal Hill. We had no running water, no hot water. I used to get up in the mornings and have to crank the stove, to go out in the back yard and sift out the ashes and come back with the coal that I could recoup. I had to chisel with the ice pick the ice in the sink so that I could wash up in the mornings. And that was everybody in the family. That wasn't me alone. That was my wife's family, that was everybody's family. A man who never forgot these humble beginnings, Senator Pastore captured the hearts and minds of Rhode Islanders in his conviction that if one worked hard enough and long enough, one's dreams would come true. As one who lived the American Dream, had risen from poverty to political prominence, Senator Pastore strived to extend those same opportunities to all in this country. While Senator Pastore was a gentleman in everything he did, his convictions were equally strong. Whether he was standing up for the rights of the underprivileged, or warning of the dangers of nuclear proliferation, Senator Pastore was not afraid of a political fight. This was a man who, if asked an honest question, always provided an honest answer. Perhaps for his family there is some comfort in knowing that Senator Pastore's career in public service has made the world a better place. He helped guide our state and nation through some of our most tumultuous times--from his pivotal role in the struggle for civil rights legislation to his efforts to protect mankind from the threat of nuclear weapons. Indeed, many in our nation may have marvelled at how a state so small could produce a man so great. As the floor manager for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Senator Pastore demonstrated his deep devotion for maintaining and promoting the rights of all people, regardless of their race, color or background. As a key player in the negotiation and ratification of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, Senator Pastore helped significantly reduce the dangers of thermonuclear war. On issues as diverse as civil rights and nuclear proliferation, Senator Pastore worked successfully to tighten the sinews of peace against a background of conflict. On a personal note, my father, John Chafee, who followed John Pastore to the Senate in 1976, held his predecessor in the highest esteem. Their relationship consisted of mutual respect, admiration, and a never-ending series of personal kindnesses, great and small. Upon his retirement in 1976, Senator Pastore addressed the Senate one final time. He expressed his love for this great institution and laid out the philosophy that had guided his career. Whatever you do, keep that torch of opportunity lighted. Protect that flag. Maintain our institutions. Debate your differences if you have them. But always realize what that insignia says, ``E pluribus unum''--from the many there are one.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Maine, Senator Snowe, in introducing a revised version of BRICKS--the Building, Renovating, Improving, and Constructing Kids' Schools Act. This legislation represents a fresh approach to addressing the infrastructure problems in our nation's elementary and secondary schools. Many thanks to Senator Snowe for her commitment to this issue and for her leadership; to the National PTA and the NEA, both of whom have endorsed the proposal; and special thanks to the Rhode Island Department of Education and Commissioner Peter McWalters for offering suggestions which I believe helped to improve this proposal. As some of you may know, Senator Snowe first introduced the BRICKS proposal at the end of the last session. In January, I joined as a cosponsor. We had hoped to offer this revised version as an amendment to S. 2 but were unable to do so. As a result, we are introducing the revised version of BRICKS today in a form we hope many of our colleagues will be enthusiastic about cosponsoring. The BRICKS Act would permit the federal government to provide low, or no, interest loans to states to address their serious school infrastructure problems. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that three quarters of our nation's public schools need to build, renovate, improve or modernize their facilities. In some cases the need arises from increased school-age population. In other cases, school facilities are simply old and in need of repair. Today's estimated cost of modernizing and improving school facilities throughout the United States is $127 billion. There is no argument about whether a serious problem exists. There are differences on how best to solve this terribly serious problem. BRICKS recognizes that our nation faces a grave problem. We worry about whether our children are learning enough to compete in the international marketplace, yet we send our children to school in overcrowded classrooms. We tell them to do their best without adequate air conditioning, heating and plumbing. We expect them to learn in buildings with leaky roofs and crumbling walls, or we house them in ``temporary'' classrooms in trailers on school parking lots. In Rhode Island, our schools are old: twenty five percent were built before 1930; another thirty-six percent were built in the 1940s and 1950s; twenty-three percent were built in the 1960s; and thirteen percent were built in the recent 1980s. Between 1986 and 1990, our small State spent about $400 million on school construction projects, averaging about 11 projects per year, and there is much more to be done. My State isn't asking the federal government to step in and take over its school facilities responsibilities or the responsibilities of local communities. Rather, help is being sought at the federal level to meet a critical and immediate need. The legislation which Senator Snowe and I are introducing today, addresses that need by providing twenty billion dollars in federal loans to the states. Each state receives funds, based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act's Title I distribution formula, at the request of the Governor. States have until 2003 to request the loans. Fifty percent of the loans must be used to repay the interest on school construction bonds. The other fifty percent may be used to support existing state-administered school construction programs. Decisions about the use of these federal dollars are made by the Governor in consultation with the director of the state education agency. I am very pleased that the revised legislation encourages the loans to go to those school districts with the greatest need, but the final decisions are made by those closest to the problems. As a former mayor, the person at the local level signing the checks to pay for my community's education needs, I am very familiar with educational priorities at the local level. I am deeply committed to ensuring that the federal government meets its overdue goal of paying up to forty percent of the cost of educating children with special needs. Since coming to the Senate, I have made fully-funding IDEA--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--a top priority. This bill links the interest states and localities will be required to pay to the federal level of IDEA funding. Until 2006, there will be zero interest on BRICKS loans. After that, interest will be determined by the federal funding level for IDEA. If federal IDEA funding remains, as it is today, below twenty percent, the loans will remain at zero interest. If the federal spending on IDEA is between twenty and thirty percent, interest will be 2.5 percent. If federal spending on IDEA rises to between thirty and forty percent, interest rises to 3.5 percent. Finally, if the federal government meets its forty percent goal, interest peaks at 4.5 percent. Taking into account federal funding of IDEA seems completely appropriate to me. I hope this linkage of IDEA and spending on school facilities is another step which encourages Congress to meet the goal of fully funding IDEA. Our proposal does not ask the federal government to assume responsibility for building, improving and maintaining school facilities. States and local school districts already have accepted that responsibility by spending more than ever before on facilities. According to the most recent study by the General Accounting Office on school facilities, issued in March 2000, spending on school infrastructure increased by 39 percent from 1990 to 1997. But they cannot do it alone. The federal government can and should help by providing BRICKS loans. I hope that Senators who care about this issue will put aside partisan differences and look carefully at the plan Senator Snowe and I are proposing. We believe that BRICKS addresses an immediate problem in a responsible manner that does not usurp the authority or responsibility of states and school districts. I urge my colleagues to join as cosponsors of BRICKS.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleague from Maine, Senator Snowe, in introducing a revised version of BRICKS--the Building, Renovating, Improving, and Constructing Kids' Schools Act. This legislation represents a fresh approach to addressing the infrastructure problems in our nation's elementary and secondary schools. Many thanks to Senator Snowe for her commitment to this issue and for her leadership; to the National PTA and the NEA, both of whom have endorsed the proposal; and special thanks to the Rhode Island Department of Education and Commissioner Peter McWalters for offering suggestions which I believe helped to improve this proposal. As some of you may know, Senator Snowe first introduced the BRICKS proposal at the end of the last session. In January, I joined as a cosponsor. We had hoped to offer this revised version as an amendment to S. 2 but were unable to do so. As a result, we are introducing the revised version of BRICKS today in a form we hope many of our colleagues will be enthusiastic about cosponsoring. The BRICKS Act would permit the federal government to provide low, or no, interest loans to states to address their serious school infrastructure problems. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that three quarters of our nation's public schools need to build, renovate, improve or modernize their facilities. In some cases the need arises from increased school-age population. In other cases, school facilities are simply old and in need of repair. Today's estimated cost of modernizing and improving school facilities throughout the United States is $127 billion. There is no argument about whether a serious problem exists. There are differences on how best to solve this terribly serious problem. BRICKS recognizes that our nation faces a grave problem. We worry about whether our children are learning enough to compete in the international marketplace, yet we send our children to school in overcrowded classrooms. We tell them to do their best without adequate air conditioning, heating and plumbing. We expect them to learn in buildings with leaky roofs and crumbling walls, or we house them in ``temporary'' classrooms in trailers on school parking lots. In Rhode Island, our schools are old: twenty five percent were built before 1930; another thirty-six percent were built in the 1940s and 1950s; twenty-three percent were built in the 1960s; and thirteen percent were built in the recent 1980s. Between 1986 and 1990, our small State spent about $400 million on school construction projects, averaging about 11 projects per year, and there is much more to be done. My State isn't asking the federal government to step in and take over its school facilities responsibilities or the responsibilities of local communities. Rather, help is being sought at the federal level to meet a critical and immediate need. The legislation which Senator Snowe and I are introducing today, addresses that need by providing twenty billion dollars in federal loans to the states. Each state receives funds, based on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act's Title I distribution formula, at the request of the Governor. States have until 2003 to request the loans. Fifty percent of the loans must be used to repay the interest on school construction bonds. The other fifty percent may be used to support existing state-administered school construction programs. Decisions about the use of these federal dollars are made by the Governor in consultation with the director of the state education agency. I am very pleased that the revised legislation encourages the loans to go to those school districts with the greatest need, but the final decisions are made by those closest to the problems. As a former mayor, the person at the local level signing the checks to pay for my community's education needs, I am very familiar with educational priorities at the local level. I am deeply committed to ensuring that the federal government meets its overdue goal of paying up to forty percent of the cost of educating children with special needs. Since coming to the Senate, I have made fully-funding IDEA--the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act--a top priority. This bill links the interest states and localities will be required to pay to the federal level of IDEA funding. Until 2006, there will be zero interest on BRICKS loans. After that, interest will be determined by the federal funding level for IDEA. If federal IDEA funding remains, as it is today, below twenty percent, the loans will remain at zero interest. If the federal spending on IDEA is between twenty and thirty percent, interest will be 2.5 percent. If federal spending on IDEA rises to between thirty and forty percent, interest rises to 3.5 percent. Finally, if the federal government meets its forty percent goal, interest peaks at 4.5 percent. Taking into account federal funding of IDEA seems completely appropriate to me. I hope this linkage of IDEA and spending on school facilities is another step which encourages Congress to meet the goal of fully funding IDEA. Our proposal does not ask the federal government to assume responsibility for building, improving and maintaining school facilities. States and local school districts already have accepted that responsibility by spending more than ever before on facilities. According to the most recent study by the General Accounting Office on school facilities, issued in March 2000, spending on school infrastructure increased by 39 percent from 1990 to 1997. But they cannot do it alone. The federal government can and should help by providing BRICKS loans. I hope that Senators who care about this issue will put aside partisan differences and look carefully at the plan Senator Snowe and I are proposing. We believe that BRICKS addresses an immediate problem in a responsible manner that does not usurp the authority or responsibility of states and school districts. I urge my colleagues to join as cosponsors of BRICKS.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, today the Senate is considering and will likely pass Senate Resolution 329, which urges the Government of Argentina to pursue and punish those responsible for the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On June 28th, Senator Helms joined me in introducing this resolution, which was reported out of the Foreign Relations Committee that same day. Six years ago, a car bomb ripped through the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 86 people and wounding 300 more. Two years before that, a similar attack had devastated the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people and wounding over 200. These heinous terrorist attacks have reverberated loudly in Argentina, home to the largest Jewish community in Latin America. These cowardly acts also reminded us, as Americans, that terrorism can strike anywhere at any moment. I applaud President Fernando de la Rua's stated resolve to bring to justice those responsible for these atrocious crimes. However, the Government of Argentina has not, to this date, succeeded in completing its prosecution of this important case. In addition, investigative findings in Buenos Aires have implicated local authorities--including security officials--as party responsible for the attacks. Senate Resolution 329 is a reiteration of the U.S. condemnation of this terrorist act, as well as a call for justice in Argentina. This resolution not only urges Argentina to punish those responsible for the AMIA bombing, but it also calls on the U.S. Government and the Organization of American States to lend support to this prosecution. Our commitment to assist our neighbors to the south must embody the very principles that have guided our Nation in implementing democratic governance and the rule of law. In that regard, the United States must continue to speak out about the blatant massacre of innocent people, and the subsequent difficulty in bringing to justice those responsible for this crime. I appreciate the cooperation of all of my colleagues in having this important resolution considered and passed by the Senate.

Mr. L. CHAFEE

Mr. L. CHAFEE. The Senator is correct. This language does not prohibit coordination by Federal agencies funded in the bill. It also is not intended to penalize or disadvantage communities that seek or apply for grants from agencies funded on the bill. Section 326 is limited to prohibiting funding transfers for the Council on Environmental Quality or the Executive Office of the President. Would the Chairman and the Ranking Member agree with this interpretation?