Tom Davis

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. With that kind of bipartisan camaraderie, I look forward to working with the gentleman on other issues.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and appreciate the leadership that he has shown, along with the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Brown), the respective committee and subcommittee chairmen over on the minority side. I rise in support of the concurring amendments to H.R. 1271, the FAA Research, Engineering and Development Authorization Act of 1997. The House overwhelmingly passed this bill last April by a vote of 414 to 7 to authorize funding for the FAA's research, engineering, and development programs for fiscal years 1998, 1999, and the year 2000. The Senate also passed this bill with amendments, which include the elimination of funding authorization for fiscal year 2000 and an increase in funding levels over the original House bill. I ask all of my colleagues to affirmatively lend their support to this legislation. It is crucial to ensuring that the FAA is able to continue research and development projects that will improve the safety, security, capacity, and productivity of our Nation's air traffic control system. The FAA's Research and Development program also conducts aviation medical research, environmental research to mitigate aircraft noise and engine emission and airway facilities maintenance. Indeed, this bill is essential to the well-being of air passengers as well as the many Americans who are affected daily by air traffic and the attendant noise and pollution. The amendments to H.R. 1271 authorize $226.6 million for fiscal year 1998 and $229.673 million for fiscal year 1999, funding levels that are slightly higher than those originally approved by this body. These increases will allow the FAA to focus research, engineering and development on safeguarding sensitive computer and information system data that control air traffic management. It will permit the FAA to place a higher priority on weather research projects, reflecting the recommendation of both the FAA Research, Engineering and Development Advisory Committee and the National Academy of Science. Weather is the single largest contributor to delays and a major factor in aircraft accidents and incidents. Additionally, these monies will allow FAA safety inspectors to take proactive, rather than reactive, measures to reduce the rate of aviation-related accidents. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is critical to our Nation's ability to maintain and improve safe air travel, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1271 with the amendments.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of outstanding citizens from Dale City in Prince William County in the 11th Congressional District of Virginia. These outstanding individuals have been selected by the Dale City Civic Association in recognition of their many achievements and their dedication to serving their community. These award-winners are people who have gone above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis. They are members of the Dale City community who gave of their time in order to serve others and encourage others to be leaders. These citizens will be recognized on January 31, 1998 by the Dale City Civic Association, one of the largest, most active and accomplished Citizens Associations in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I would like to offer my congratulations to these award recipients. The Dale City Civic Awards Association was created over thirty years ago. Since that time, it has grown into a strong organization that has encouraged its members to volunteer their time and efforts to make their neighborhood a better place to live and work. The Association has an outstanding record of service to the community. Their work includes awarding a number of scholarships to college-bound students from Dale City, as well as monitoring development in the region and serving as a sounding board for citizens and businesses.***HD***Citizen of the Year Kenneth Glufling. Chief Glufling has served the Dale City community in nearly every facet. He has been a volunteer firefighter for nineteen years and has been the Chief of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department since 1988. He has lead the fire department through a period of tremendous growth in the community, as they had to redesign how they could best serve the needs of the many new residents in the area. In addition, he has served as a Dale City Civic Association Councilman from Evansdale. Chief Glufling has never received any monetary compensation for the many hours he has spent serving the community. During his tenure as the Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department, he continues to work countless evenings and weekends overseeing the operations of three fire stations, while maintaining a successful business and spending quality time with his wife and children. Kenneth Glufling exemplifies good citizenship and community leadership.***HD***Young Citizen of the Year Tashia Bunch. Miss Bunch is an extraordinary young citizen who has already become a strong role model to her peers. Tashia is currently a student at Garfield High School. At Garfield, Tashia formed a civic group named DREAMS which is a student group dedicated to the community and students. The goal of the group is to involve students in their respective communities. In addition, many of the teachers at Garfield have noticed Tashia's unique ability to bridge the gap that often exists between students and adults. She is able to accurately convey the concerns of her fellow students to administrators. Tashia is an invaluable part of the Garfield community, and demonstrates that our next generation is caring, selfless and dedicated.***HD***Community Service Award Corrine Potvin. Mrs. Potvin is a volunteer who works with the elderly, local service organizations, and the less-fortunate. She gives her time tirelessly to Dale City's senior citizens, organizing monthly bus trips. Additionally, Corrine serves on the Board of Directors of the Prince William Boys and Girl Club. She has directed fundraisers for this organization including their annual car raffle at the Potomac Mills Shopping Center. Her fundraising efforts do not stop there. She also assists the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department in running bingo, and assisting with projects that involve needy families in the area.***HD***The Kathy Feeney Nurse of the Year Jeanette Finch. Mrs. Finch has served the Dale City Community at Potomac Hospital since 1981. She is clearly dedicated to administering excellent quality care to her patients. In particular, Mrs. Finch has worked diligently to provide assistance to the Medical Oncology staff at Potomac Hospital. Since 1992, she has served as the facilitator for the Potomac Hospital General Support Group which meets twice a month with patients, and their families and friends to assist them in living with cancer. She also has worked to raise money for the American Cancer Society during their annual Relay for Life Walk. The patients and community at Potomac Hospital have truly benefited from her work.***HD***Police Officer of the Year Sergeant William Cox. Sergeant Cox has served the citizens of Prince William County for over seventeen years. In addition to serving his community on a daily basis as a police officer, Sergeant Cox has given his time towards assuring the safety of the children in Dale City. He serves on the Prince William County Safe Kids Coalition Committee. Sergeant Cox also works on several other Committees within the Prince William Police Department to highlight the Department services to the community. He is an individual who recognizes that a function of good law enforcement is community participation.***HD***Deputy Sheriff of the Year Ricki Booth. Master Deputy Booth is an individual who cares deeply about the people he serves. In 1997, Deputy Booth responded to a 911 call in which he found an elderly woman who was being neglected by her husband. He did not forget this woman after handling the preliminary call, but he worked to secure her a safe place in the Woodbridge Nursing Home where she could receive the necessary care. Deputy Booth has demonstrated an unprecedented level of dedication to public service.***HD***Firefighter of the Year Captain Todd Zavash. Since 1989 Captain Zavash has volunteered for the Dale City Fire Department where he has demonstrated an excellent ability to coordinate Fire and Rescue Services to ensure quick intervention in emergencies. He has been instrumental in the personal and professional growth of over eighty firefighters whom he has supervised at two Battalions. His leadership has allowed the residents of Dale City to know that firefighting personnel are ready to respond to all calls for assistance. Captain Zavash is recognized by his peers as an individual who is always willing to lend a helping hand or a sympathetic ear.***HD***Emergency Medical Technician of the Year Sergeant Linda Wortham. Sergeant Wortham has only been with the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department since 1995, but she has made a tremendous impact on the Department since her orientation. She has risen to the rank of Sergeant in record time. Sergeant Wortham now serves as a lead E.M.S. provider on her ambulance/medic unit. In addition, she serves as an administrative assistant to the Rescue Chief. Sergeant Wortham has become involved in nearly every aspect of the Department. She serves on the E.M.S. Advisory Committee, coordinates patient care reports, and has been instrumental in developing the In-House Battalion Training Outline. She is truly a remarkable person who has made Dale City a better place to live.***HD***Elementary School Teacher of the Year Karyl Garn. Mrs. Garn is the school librarian for Kerrydale Elementary School. She has volunteered to work with students in Kerrydale's mentoring program, Big P.L.U.S./Little P.L.U.S., including working with one student who had difficulty believing in her reading and writing skills. This year, Mrs. Garn developed a program for gifted first-graders. She teaches lessons in conducting research to a group of sixteen children. She has also strived to communicate with the parents at Kerrydale. She coordinates the annual Bookfair and is a co- sponsor of Family Reading Night. Mrs. Garn is the kind of teacher who helps parents, teachers, and students to grow, and encourage young children to succeed.***HD***Middle School Teacher of the Year Bonnie Little. Mrs. Little is a seventh grade teacher of language arts at Stuart M. Beville Middle School. At Beville, she is involved in many extra-curricular activities, including serving as the co-sponsor of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). Mrs. Little has expanded the mission of NJHS to encourage students to work in their community and help those less-fortunate. She is also a leader to the faculty at Beville and has developed the Beville Stars to recognize and reward the dedication of her fellow teachers on a monthly basis. She brings tremendous caring and dedication to her work, and inspires others to do the same.***HD***High School Teacher of the Year Anne Rude. Mrs. Rude is a teacher at C.D. Hylton Senior High School. She has encouraged faculty and administrators to become computer- literate, training several staff members in operating an electronic grade book. Her work in this area has enabled the staff at Hylton to do a better job of tracking student progress. Additionally, she volunteers her time to assist foreign language students in programs for international travel. Mrs. Rude is an individual who is able to unlock each student's desire and motivation to learn. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues will join me in congratulating these outstanding citizens for their tireless efforts to make Dale City, Virginia a better place to live. Through the untiring and selfless efforts of citizens like these, many others across the country are inspired to do likewise. Not only Dale City, but America is enriched by their accomplishments and dedication.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the revitalization of our Nation's Capital will require the participation and commitment of both the public and private sectors. Public-private partnerships will be the anchor of any economic revitalization. This goal will be successful only if all participants are assured that this is a sincere effort, with a level playing field, and not simply an extension of the two decades of poor policy decisionmaking that helped spiral Washington, DC into its recent situation. The Congress has no desire to run the daily affairs of the city. However, the Congress does have a unique constitutional responsibility to the District of Columbia. Without micromanaging the affairs of the city, the Congress does need to ensure that as a matter of Federal policy, it will support public-private efforts designed to assist in the Capital's revitalization; support creative, imaginative, and unique approaches; support the streamlining of the Federal and District of Columbia review and regulatory processes, where appropriate, to encourage revitalization; and exercise appropriate oversight to ensure that the District honors all of its contractual and financial commitments. It is well understood by the Congress that the District of Columbia containues to suffer from past financial problems. For example, the District of Columbia has experienced issues with a number of its current vendors as a result of its prior reputation of poor payment performance. A recent newspaper article documented that one of the reasons for schools not having textbooks was ``* * * twelve textbook companies refused to ship books because the District still owes for previous orders.'' Prior negligence in these matters created a ripple effect that has a broad and negative reach. Vendors have been discouraged from responding to District of Columbia RFP's because of concerns over the selection process. Congress can assist in eliminating this perception without direct intervention. Congress can also assure all current and prospective private sector partners and their respective lenders that it will monitor and respond appropriately to any failing by the government of the District of Columbia to meet acceptable Government contracting practices.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the revitalization of our Nation's capital will require the participation and commitment of both the public and private sectors. Public-private partnerships will be the anchor of any economic revitalization. This goal will be successful only if all participants are assured that this is a sincere effort, with a level playing field, and not simply an extension of the two decades of poor policy decisionmaking that helped spiral Washington, DC, into its recent situation. The Congress has no desire to run the daily affairs of the city. However, the Congress does have a unique constitutional responsibility to the District of Columbia. Without micro-managing the affairs of the city, the Congress does need to ensure that as a matter of Federal policy, it will: support public-private efforts designed to assist in the Capital's revitalization; support creative, imaginative, and unique approaches; support the streamlining of the Federal and District review and regulatory processes, where appropriate, to encourage revitalization; and exercise appropriate oversight to ensure that the District honors all of its contractual and financial commitments. It is well understood by the Congress that the District of Columbia continues to suffer from past financial problems. For example, the District of Columbia has experienced issues with a number of its current vendors as a result of its prior reputation of poor payment performance. A recent newspaper article documented that one of the reasons for schools not having textbooks was ``* * * twelve textbook companies refused to ship books because the District still owes for previous orders.'' Prior negligence in these matters created a ripple effect that has a broad and negative reach. Vendors have been discouraged from responding to D.C. RFP's because of concerns over the selection process. Congress can assist in eliminating this perception without direct intervention. Congress can also assure all current and prospective private sector partners and their respective lenders that it will monitor and respond appropriately to any failing by the government of the District of Columbia to meet acceptable government contracting practices.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. DAVIS of Virginia asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3025) to amend the Federal charter for Group Hospitalization and Medical Services, Inc., and for other purposes.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, this bill amends the Federal Charter of GHSMI, the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Plan of the National Capital Area. This bill is necessary in order to enable a letter of intent between the parties to combine to be subject to regulatory approval in Maryland and the District of Columbia. GHMSI will continue to be subject to the District's Nonprofit Corporation Act and is under the jurisdiction of the insurance superintendent. GHMSI will continue to be bound by its existing certificates of authority and licenses and will continue to be bound by applicable laws and regulations. H.R. 497, which passed this House in February, would have repealed the Federal charter. This bill reflects concerns which were subsequently raised. All other Blue Cross plans in the country are State-chartered corporations operating under State regulatory oversight. Due to a 1939 pre-Home Rule statute, GHMSI alone needs congressional approval to change its corporate structure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the matter just considered.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the revitalization of our nation's capital will require the participation and commitment of both the public and private sectors. Public-private partnerships will be the anchor of any economic revitalization. This goal will be successful only if all participants are assured that this is a sincere effort, with a level playing field, and not simply an extension of the two decades of poor policy decisionmaking that helped spiral Washington, DC into its recent situation. The Congress has no desire to run the daily affairs of the city. However, the Congress does have a unique constitutional responsibility to the District of Columbia. Without micro-managing the affairs of the city, the Congress does not need to ensure that as a matter of Federal policy, it will: support public-private efforts designed to assist in the Capital's revitalization; support creative, imaginative, and unique approaches; support the streamlining of the Federal and District review and regulatory processes, where appropriate, to encourage revitalization; and exercise appropriate oversight to ensure that the District honors all of its contractual and financial commitments. It is well understood by the Congress that the District of Columbia continues to suffer from past financial problems. For example, D.C. has experienced issues with a number of its current vendors as a result of its prior reputation of poor payment performance. A recent newspaper article documented that one of the reasons for schools not having textbooks was ``. . . twelve textbook companies refused to ship books because the District still owes for previous orders.'' Prior negligence in these matters created a ripple effect that has a broad and negative reach. Vendors have been discouraged from responding to DC RFP's because of concerns over the selection process. Congress can assist in eliminating this perception without direct intervention. Congress can also assure all current and prospective private sector partners and their respective lenders that it will monitor and respond appropriately to any failing by the government of D.C. to meet acceptable government contracting practices.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my strong support for House Resolution 231, the sense of Congress regarding Vietnam, which urges the President to make clear to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that we are committed to economic, religious, and political freedom for the people of Vietnam. As you know, the United States continues to open diplomatic relations with Vietnam. Because of the growing relationship the United States has with Vietnam, we must be concerned with its poor human rights record. May 9, 1997 was the third anniversary of Vietnam Human Rights Day here in the United States. However, current human rights' conditions in Vietnam are poor. For example, religious leaders and political dissidents are still being arrested and jailed. Dr. Doan Viet Hoat and Dr. Nguyen Dan Que are two, among many political prisoners with serious medical conditions who are held in harsh conditions with little, if any, access to medical care. Despite prohibitions on physical abuse, there is evidence that security officials beat detainees as well as use threats and other psychological coercion to elicit false confessions. The Vietnamese Government denies citizens the right to change their government and significantly restricts freedom of speech, the press, assembly, association, privacy, and religion. Vietnamese citizens are generally prohibited from contacting international human rights organizations. Vietnam is currently negotiating a trade agreement with our Government to seek MFN status and privileges associated with Overseas Private Investment Corporation [OPIC]. In January 1997, the United States and Vietnam agreed on implementing the resettlement opportunity for Vietnamese returnees program allowing the United States to interview some of the Vietnamese returned from camps in Southeast Asia. However, this is not enough. Child labor and human rights abuses are on the rise as well as the suppression of freedom of thought, speech, religion, press, and assembly. The Vietnamese-American community in my congressional district supports House Resolution 231. We believe that fair and open democratic elections, equal protection of all Vietnamese citizens, and the release of all political prisoners are basic and necessary steps beyond normalization. Since this resolution is crucial to these objectives, I urge all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 231.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, let me just note, I have further comments in my revisions, but I am happy we have gotten to this point. It has taken a long time. The city of Washington has had to borrow money during the time that we have not been able to move forward with the appropriation, but with a lot of work of people on both sides of the aisle we have come to the conclusion this evening that we have an appropriation bill that I am proud to support. I want to thank my ranking member of the authorizing committee, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton], and the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran], who have worked very closely with us on appropriations to bring this to where it is tonight. The city needs this money. We have an appropriations bill that I would urge all of my colleagues to support. Our Nation's capital desperately needs this budget bill to be enacted now. Failure to do so would have major negative consequences. Failure to pass this budget now would cause the District of Columbia to slide even further backward. Failure to pass this budget now would be reckless and tragic. This is especially so because this Congress and the last Congress have done so much to get the Nation's Capital on the right track. To defeat the bill at this point would risk doing irreparable harm to our fundamental goals of reform and revitalization of our Nation's Capital. It is wrong to gamble with the lives of millions in this region who depend on an orderly budget process. We all know of the D.C. Revitalization Act which passed this Congress as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Strong management reform measures, Medicaid changes and tax incentives were included as well in that enactment and in the equally Historic Tax Reform Act of 1997. To have enacted such significant reforms, and to see them signed by the President, is a legislative accomplishment we can all take pride in helping to achieve. With patience and perseverance the reforms we have enacted for the District of Columbia have begun to have their intended effect. We now have a rare opportunity, sanctioned by both Congress and the White House, to restructure and improve the complex relationship between the Federal Government and the Nation's Capital. But time is of the essence. And we are at a moment of truth. Many of the issues addressed in the D.C. Revitalization Act are particularly urgent and time sensitive. To take just one example, a Federal trustee must be up and running to help establish reforms in the District's prison system. Just last month the court-appointed monitor said of the medium-security facility at Lorton that ``it has deteriorated to a level of depravity that is unparalleled in its troubled history.'' It is tragic enough when Congress reaches an impasse in consideration of a budget for one of our executive departments. But if we are unable to enact a budget for the Nation's Capital, that real city which exists just beyond the monuments is placed at a grave risk of immediate harm. And when you consider that most of the District's budget consists of self-generated funds, it makes the spectacle of congressional delay even more difficult to explain. Some of us have differences with various sections of the bill before us. Many have reservations which I share. But I appeal to you, as chairman of the authorizing subcommittee for the District of Columbia, to join me in voting for this budget bill so we can give the Nation's Capital a chance to survive as a city. I am pleased that the Victims of Communism Relief Act of 1997 is incorporated in this bill and will become law. The agreement provides that Nicaraguans and Cubans who entered the United States prior to December 1, 1995, will be made eligible for lawful permanent residence provided they apply prior to April 1, 2000. Guatemalans and Salvadorans, who filed for asylum prior to April 1, 1990, and members of the ABC class, will have their cases reviewed under the less onerous rules in existence before the 1996 Immigration Act [IIRIRA] went into effect. In addition, battered spouses and children in proceedings prior to April 1, 1997, will be processed under the pre-IIRIRA rules. Guatemalans and Salvadorans will have their adjustments offset by reductions in the diversity and unskilled--nonagricultural--worker programs, which will not exceed 5,000 in each annually. All pending approved petitions for unskilled worker visas will be permitted to adjust under the current 10,000 cap. Members of the defined categories of Central Americans--Salvadorans and Guatemalans--whose cases are under the jurisdiction of the post- April 1 rules, will have their claims for cancellation of removal adjudicated under the more generous standard of 7 years continuous residence and extreme hardship, not subject to the 4,000-person cap. All Guatemalans and Salvadorans who meet the eligibility requirements states above will be exempted from the stop time rule, as interpreted by the Board of Immigration Claims' N-J-B ruling. Individuals not within these categories will be subject to the stop-time rule. Refugees from the former Warsaw Pact nations will have their cases governed according to the same rules which will apply for Guatemalans and Salvadorans. Mr. Speaker, many Central Americans have made a positive impact in our community in northern Virginia. The inclusion of this legislation in the D.C. appropriation bill will bring a measure of justice to thousands who have fled oppression in their native land to seek the freedom and opportunity offered in this Nation.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas] for yielding me the time, and I appreciate his efforts to move this to the floor before adjournment. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the proposed amendments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, WMATA, Interstate Compact. The amendments under consideration have been enacted by all signatories of the WMATA compact, Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia. The Bipartisan Area Delegation is seeking congressional consent to the proposed amendments, which passed the Committee on the Judiciary by voice vote earlier this year. The amendments would allow the Authority to conduct its business more efficiently and effectively. This is an effort to streamline the Authority's practices and to provide for an enhanced level of protection for the Transit Authority's police officers. The amendments will both protect the public right to have input in the region's transit decision-making process as well as enhance the public safety throughout the region. To be more specific, the first amendment modifies the Authority's current public hearing process relating to fare increases and changes in transit service. The proposal will bring the Authority into conformity with other transit properties that follow Federal public hearing standards that have been in place since 1982. Currently the Authority's public hearing practices are far broader than Federal guidelines and inhibits the ability of the Transit Authority to respond to market changes in an efficient businesslike manner. Under the proposed amendments, the Authority will continue to be required to hold public hearings on proposals to raise fares or implement major service reductions. However, the Authority will not be required to hold public hearings for minor service changes, thus enabling WMATA to adjust to the needs of the riding public in a quick fashion. The other major change to the WMATA compact is removal of compact language that currently limits WMATA's transit police to carrying their service weapon only when they are on duty or in direct transit to and from duty assignments. Consent to the proposal will allow the transit police to join every other police force in the region, including the Capitol Hill police, in authorizing its officers to carry weapons during off-duty hours. As the former chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I can tell my colleagues that the transit police are among the best- trained forces in the region. They deserve to have the ability to defend themselves during off-duty hours. It is an unfortunate reality that the transit police are also dealing with a violence-prone criminal element who sometimes seek revenge after they have been apprehended. We need to respect the transit police, authorize them to carry their weapons that they have been trained to use, and trust that the extensive training that the transit police receive will serve them well if they are confronted during off-duty hours. These amendments are important to the daily workings of the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority and the safety of its police officers. I urge my colleagues to support this consent resolution.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1836, and I want to compliment Mr. Burton, the chairman of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee, for his sponsorship of this important bill. I had expressed concern regarding the original language in section 5 of this bill and I commend both Mr. Mica, chairman of the Civil Service Subcommittee, and Mr. Burton for ensuring through redrafting that the concerns about potential increased costs to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program [FEHBP] were addressed. The redrafting of section 5 allows the FEHBP to continue to benefit from the flexibility of being able to adapt quickly to ever-changing health care marketplace dynamics. This flexibility has been an enduring strength of the FEHBP and I am pleased to see that it will not be adversely impacted. Mr. Speaker, section 5 of H.R. 1836 focuses on the use of silent PPO's in the FEHBP and is intended to address the inappropriate use of such discounts and, in so doing, protect plan enrollees and taxpayers in a manner consistent with the other provisions in the Federal Employees Health Care Protection Act of 1997. There is no clear distinction between silent PPO's and legitimate directed and nondirected PPO's. Directed and nondirected PPO's provide legitimate valuable benefits to health care providers, carriers, and patients. Nondirected PPO's are currently saving the Government and the FEHBP millions of dollars a year through their legitimate utilization of a number of fee-for-service carriers. Examples of nondirected discounts are those given by participating providers in return for incentives other than steerage, such as prompt payment, prepayment, claim audit assistance, and negotiated provider settlements. Many of us believed that the original language of section 5 would increase costs to the FEHBP by placing nondirected PPO's at a market disadvantage which would have killed the savings they generate for the FEHBP. The Congressional Budget Office [CBO] agreed and scored the original language at a cost to the FEHBP of $10 to $50 million per year. CBO's initial estimates regarding the rewrite of section 5 is that it should now be neutral. I appreciate the efforts of Mr. Mica and Mr. Burton to redraft this section so that it accomplishes their stated goal of shedding light on silent PPO's without adversely impacting the program savings direct and nondirect PPO's have been generating for many years now. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I rise today to announce the passing of John N. Sturdivant, whose contributions to our Federal Government and its workers are beyond measure. John died on October 28, 1997 after fighting a valiant battle against leukemia. It is hard for me to believe that such a vibrant and dynamic citizen is gone. John served as the president of the American Federation of Government Employees [AFGE] since 1988. Since that time, he strengthened this union and ensured that our Federal employees had a much stronger voice in government. John fought to make sure that our civil service received the respect it deserved. When he took over the helm of the AFGE, it was a floundering union without a distinct mission or an activist style. John quickly changed that; it was not long before he was lobbying for amending the Hatch Act to give Federal employees a greater level of participation in the political process. I often worked closely with John throughout the years and particularly during the two Government shutdowns in 1995 and 1996. I will miss the strong spirit and single-minded devotion that John brought to his mission. John recognized that it is easy for politicians to make Federal employees a faceless symbol of a large bureaucracy and he knew that this was simply unacceptable. Instead, he reminded elected officials at every level that civil servants often work for less compensation than the private sector. In fact, John was the leader who won locality pay for Federal workers to bring their salaries more in line with the private sector. I know that John will be missed by those he served who were lucky to have his tireless energy working for them. My deepest condolences go to John's family. John will be a friend and advocate that I will never forget. A recent article in the Washington Post clearly illustrates Mr. Sturdivant's contributions to our region and the Federal Government. [From the Washington Post] John N. Sturdivant, 59, who as president since 1988 of the American Federation of Government Employees helped lobby Congress to ease a 57-year ban on political activities for federal workers and rallied public support to end two government shutdowns, died Oct. 28 at Inova Fairfax Hospital. He had leukemia. AFGE, one of the largest federal unions, has about 178,000 active members in 1,100 locals and represents about 600,000 workers in 68 federal agencies. Many have jobs in the Defense Department, Veterans Affairs Department and Social Security Administration. They add up to more than one-third of the federal work force. Mr. Sturdivant was a primary labor spokesman on Capitol Hill and with the Office of Management Budget, pushing for pay raises and improved conditions and retirement benefits. He worked with legislators to create ``locality pay,'' a salary system that attempts to bring federal compensation into line with the private sector. Downsizing of government and budget pressures constantly dogged Mr. Sturdivant's effort to preserve federal jobs. After Congress failed to agree on a budget in 1995, and many government operations were suspended, Mr. Sturdivant accused House Republicans of trying to destroy government and denigrate federal workers. The changes he and other federal labor leaders helped bring about in the Hatch Act three years ago came as unions were launching a multimillion-dollar counterattack on the congressional Republicans. Off-duty federal employees had been barred from political activity that included holding office in a party, distributing campaign literature and soliciting votes. The Hatch reforms permitted employees to contribute money, attend fund-raisers and volunteer for work such as staffing phone banks. Mr. Sturdivant, of Vienna, had long been active in Democratic politics, serving on the party's national committee and the Virginia and Fairfax County central committees, and he encouraged his members to get involved. He also directed AFGE to contribute $300,000 last year to organized labor's blitz against the GOP and assigned 22 of his organizers to get-out-the-vote effort. This month he received the Spirit of Democracy award of the National Coalition on Black Voter Participation. AFGE is a major affiliate of the AFL-CIO, and Mr. Sturdivant, who was one of the highest ranking African Americans in the labor movement, was vice president of the federation's executive council. He also was a trustee of its George Meany Center for Labor Studies. ALF-CIO President John Sweeney said this year that Mr. Sturdivant had been at the forefront of helping the federation ``focus more on diversity in the labor movement and in leadership development.'' Mr. Sturdivant also was a member of the National Partnership Council, a Clinton administration initiative to improve labor-management relations in the executive branch. He came in for criticism after the 1996 election when he asked his staff to compile a list of career officials who could be ``identified'' as opposing the Clinton administration's labor-management policies. At the time, efforts where underway to reinvigorate the council concept, which had helped reduce the number of union grievances at some agencies. Mr. Sturdivant fought against privatization of government work, which threatened to reduce the ranks of AFGE- represented employees by one-fourth. But this year he announced that AFGE had negotiated its first contract to represent employees of a private contractor, Hughes Electronic Corp. Hughes took over the work of the closed Naval Air Warfare Center. While the union continued to oppose contracting federal work, Mr. Sturdivant said that where the battle was over individual agencies, ``our policy is to pursue the work.'' Labor Secretary Alexis M. Herman said yesterday that Mr. Sturdivant had been ``one of the labor movement's brightest lights'' and ``one of its most articulate advocates for working families.'' Mr. Sturdivant was born in Philadelphia and raised in Bridgeport, Conn. He was a graduate of Antioch University, and he studied law at George Washington University. He served in the Air Force. He went to work for the government in 1961 in Winchester, Va., where he was an electronics technician with the Army Interagency Communications Agency, later part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He was president of the AFGE local in Winchester for eight years before being appointed to the national staff of the union in Washington. He was organizing director and administrative assistant to two AFGE presidents in Washington and then was elected executive vice president in 1982. The union was on the brink of bankruptcy when he defeated Kenneth T. Blaylock, a 14-year incumbent, in 1988. Mr. Sturdivant imposed an austerity program, collected delinquent dues and was soon able to announce that he had balanced the budget. He was reelected to a fourth term as president in August, along with Secretary-Treasurer Bobby L. Harnage, who will succeed him. Mr. Sturdivant's marriage to Muriel T. Sturdivant ended in divorce. Survivors include his companion, Peggy Potter of Vienna; a daughter, Michelle Sturdivant of Alexandria; his mother, Ethel Jessie of Bridgeport; and a brother, a stepbrother, and a sister.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today and pay tribute to Dr. Gordon Eaton, who is an outstanding member of the Northern Virginia community. Gordon is retiring as the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) which is an agency under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Interior. The mission of USGS is to gather information for every State in order to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters; to maintain water, biological, energy and mineral resources; to enhance and protect the quality of life; and to contribute to sound economic and physical development. It is the Nation's largest natural resources science and civilian mapping agency. In that role, USGS must work in cooperation with nearly 2,000 organizations across the country to provide reliable, impartial information needed by resource managers and planners. Guiding an agency with such an important and diverse mission is a difficult task requiring an individual that is both management- oriented, and has an understanding of several different scientific fields. Gordon is a man with these skills and many more as evidenced by his tenure at the USGS. Dr. Eaton is the 12th director in the 118-year history of the USGS. He has headed the agency for the past 3 years and has guided USGS through one of its most tumultuous periods. Dr. Eaton has led the bureau during a time of Government downsizing and has succeeded in redefining the mission of USGS so it may continue as a preeminent science bureau into the 21st century. When he came to the USGS, it was facing criticism that it had outlived its mission as a Government agency and no longer provided valuable scientific information. Dr. Eaton was able to expand the public's knowledge of the many contributions the USGS makes as well as make the services of the bureau more accessible to the public. Gordon was able to communicate the need for change to employees who felt threatened by and out-of-touch with their constituency. Dr. Eaton helped the employees of USGS to rethink their position and helped the many different branches of the bureau to better coordinate their services. He made it a grassroots effort at the USGS as he tried to make sure everyone felt included in the changes at the agency. Dr. Eaton solicited the opinions of employees at every level in deciding how the agency could most effectively adapt to a new mission. Dr. Eaton's leadership skill and willingness to face down any challenge will certainly be missed by the many employees at USGS who enjoyed his open-door management style. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in honoring and thanking Gordon Eaton for his achievements in guiding the U.S. Geological Survey into the next century. We appreciate all of his hard work and devotion in making the USGS an efficiently run agency that is able to provide the highest level of service to the American public.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. The inference of what we are saying is while we are fixing the public schools, while we are putting more resources into public schools with this bill, that some of these kids that are there now and will be there next year, they will only be in third grade once. You do not take that year away from them. Let us give them the same kinds of opportunities that our children have. Not one Member of Congress, not the President, not the Vice President, sends their kids to the District of Columbia public schools. What it means is we would like to give some of these parents, the poorest of the poor, some of the opportunities that the rest of us have while we are trying to fix the system and make it work better.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Just to correct some misunderstandings, this 2,000-student system where they will get the scholarships, I think that is a good idea. I will tell the gentleman why. I generally do not support vouchers. I am a strong supporter of the public schools, where I have three kids. But the city's public schools today, as the gentleman knows, are in a state of disarray. There is a dropout rate of about 40 percent. The most difficult thing is we cannot even certify to some of the parents that the schools are safe.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California [Mr. Dreier] for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule as well. It is not perfect, but with a bill like this within so many different agendas, it is difficult to frame them. I am in a bit of a bind because, on the one hand, I certainly have supported the scholarship program, support and spoke for it the last time, support the Davis-Bacon repeal, and yet there are other pieces of this bill that I find really contrary to what we have been trying to do at our committee level. But we will sort this out as it moves, and there are a number of amendments that we will have a chance to address. I think the legislative process, though, has to move along. It has many steps along the way, and at each one of these steps changes can be made. But if he were to terminate this process, defeat this rule, defeat this bill in whatever form today, and send it back, we are playing a very dangerous game. Brinkmanship like this in the past has resulted in the Government closing down, the District of Columbia government closing down, through no fault of their own, because of Congress' inability to act. It is unnecessary, because instead of playing beat-the-clock, with one continuing resolution after another, it is far more prudent to move the process along after making whatever changes are possible at this time. With the District of Columbia appropriations bill, there are other reasons as well for advancing to the next stage of the legislative process. We all know the D.C. Revitalization Act, which passed the Congress as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Medicaid changes and tax incentives were included as well in that enactment and in the equally historic Tax Reform Act of 1997. To have enacted such significant reforms, and these were the most significant reforms enacted in the District of Columbia in the last 25 years, and to see them signed by the President is a legislative accomplishment we can all take pride in helping to achieve. With patience and perseverance, the reforms that we have enacted for the District of Columbia have begun to have their intended effect. In fact, the President's proposals, which we used as the starting point for our Revitalization Act, were made possible by the previous effective measures which Congress had taken in establishing the District of Columbia Control Board. We now have a rare opportunity, sanctioned by both Congress and the White House, to restructure and improve the complex relationship between the Federal Government and the Nation's Capital. But time is of the essence, and we are at a moment of truth. Many of the issues addressed in the D.C. Revitalization Act are particularly urgent and time sensitive. To take just one example, a trustee must be up and running to help establish reforms in the District's prison system. Just last week, the court-appointed monitor said of the medium-security security facility at Lorton, ``It has deteriorated to a level of depravity that is unparalleled in its troubled history.'' Many of the changes this Congress enacted for the Nation's Capital simply cannot be implemented within the limited framework of a continuing resolution. They can only be achieved within the framework of a duly enacted budget. I must respectfully remind my colleagues that we are talking about an actual living and breathing city. It is tragic enough when Congress reaches an impasse in consideration of a budget for one of our executive departments, but if we are unable to enact a budget for the Nation's Capital, that real city which exists just beyond the monuments is placed at a grave risk of immediate harm. And when you consider most of the District's budget consists of self-generated funds, it makes the spectacle of congressional delay even more difficult to explain. Some of us have differences with various sections of the bill before us. Many have reservations which I share. But I appeal to all of my colleagues, as chairman of the authorizing subcommittee for the District, to join me in voting for this bill in its final form, whatever it may take today, letting it pass to the next phase of the legislative process. There really is no alternative to that. If I can take another minute to talk about the procurement in terms of the management reforms and the District's financial management system, there has been a duly authorized procurement. It has been competed widely and openly. It was won fairly. Most of the work is under a fixed-cost arrangement. A very small portion of the work is under an hourly billing arrangement. But the total hours are capped. A company previously in a previous version, I think we will be taking care of the manager's version today, that was going to be earmarked, is not interested in the business and does not want the business. I think the manager's amendment on this is absolutely essential if we are to move ahead.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the chairman yielding me this time, and I thank him for one of the most thankless tasks in Congress, and that is chairing the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia of the Committee on Appropriations; and also the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran], my friend from my neighboring district. I actually share a lot of concerns that my friend from Virginia has expressed in terms of this bill over-authorizing and in some areas going contrary to where these authorizers have gone. We want to strengthen the control board. They have cut over $100 million from the city budget over the last 2 years, I think very constructive financial abilities, and there have been some misrepresentations to the contrary. There have been some comments made that we could not get the streets plowed during the snowstorm and the big blizzard and the control board could have paid the bills directly. This legislation would not allow that, because they would have to come back to Congress to reprogram under contracts. Of course at the time of the big blizzard, the control board was not even up and operating. Nevertheless, there are some very good things in this bill that the chairman has put in. He has attempted to work and try to bring us closer together on issues on which we have disagreed, and I want to thank him and express my appreciation for that. Two years ago, consistent with my sponsorship of the law creating the control board for the District of Columbia, I supported what was then known as the Gunderson amendment. This was sponsored by our former colleague, Steve Gunderson, and it sought to enact educational reforms in the District. Along with the education commission of the States, I believed then and I believe now that low-income scholarships are a good vehicle for providing poor students with choices and opportunities more financially advantaged children enjoy, thus promoting equity. While many of the Gunderson reforms were enacted, this one was not, and at that time a Senate filibuster eventually killed the proposal. Today, the opponents of opportunity scholarships in the District of Columbia find themselves in an ever-shrinking minority of public opinion. Opponents are increasingly hard-pressed to justify their obstruction to change. Though many opponents of reform send their own children to private schools, they persist in standing in the schoolhouse door when it comes to poor children in the District of Columbia. I stand with those who want to open the schoolhouse door. I stand with my colleagues in this House, like the gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake], and colleagues in the Senate like Joe Lieberman, Mary Landrieu, and Pat Moynihan. I stand with advocates like Alveda King,, the niece of Martin Luther King, who supports scholarships of this type as fulfilling the dreams of her uncle. Only the ostrich who sticks his head in the sand would deny that our public schools in our urban centers are in crisis. In the District, eighth grade test scores are 79-percent below the national average for math and 29-percent below the national average for reading. That is why the control board created an emergency board of trustees last year. They are continuing to struggle with crises as diverse as violence, leaky roofs, and poor attendance, and for the fourth straight year schools were not able to open on time in the District of Columbia. The reforms contained in the D.C. appropriations bill would provide $7 million for student opportunity scholarships, and some 2,000 poor kids would benefit. Parents would have to apply for the money. Nobody is making them apply for the money, but it gives them the opportunity that the rest of us have. I dare say not one Member of Congress sends their kids to public schools. We would like to extend these opportunities to some of the poorest in our urban centers.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding citizen of the 11th district on her 80th birthday. On October 22, 1997, Irene Shuman will celebrate her 80th birthday surrounded by many family and friends. Irene has been a member of the Glen Forest community for the past 42 years where she is known to and loved by everyone in the neighborhood. Irene is known as the ombudsman of the Glen Forest community and is often called the mayor of Glen Forest. She knows all of the children's names, she can tell you who lives where, and she knows everyone from the surrounding neighborhoods that work with the Glen Forest Civic Association. Irene's love for people has helped Glen Forest remain a tight knit community where the people look out for one another and work together to make the neighborhood a better place to live. She has been the keeper of the oral history of Glen Forest for more than 30 years and has passed on neighborhood legends to successive generations of children. Irene is and has been involved in every aspect of the Glen Forest community. She has been active in community affairs since the early 1960's. For 15 years, she held the community rummage sale that raised money for the neighborhood pool. People would donate items for the sale throughout the year and Irene would sort and price them for the annual event. She has also run the summer program for Glen Forest for 28 years. This duty includes the opening and closing pool picnics for which she buys and prepares 100 chickens. Irene has always done this because she believes it brings the community together. This is also why she has worked tirelessly to improve the community pool for the past 25 years. Irene has mowed the pool lawn for the past 24 years and she is the oldest licensed pool operator in Fairfax County. Irene has maintained the pool by painting the bath houses inside and out every year as well as tarring and repairing the roof. Many in the community do not even know that she has done all of this, even though she hates to swim. Irene was also a mainstay of the Garden Club for the 20 years of its existence. Every year, no matter the weather, she sold Christmas wreaths to raise funds for the Garden Club. Irene's many accomplishments include work outside the Glen Forest Civic Association. She has worked with all of the Mason District supervisors to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the past 30 years, including myself when I held that position from 1979 to 1991. Irene often appeared before the Board of Supervisors to testify about issues affecting the community. She has held the Membership Chair for the Civic Association for the past 10 years and has worked ceaselessly to keep the Glen Forest neighborhood a nice place to raise children. Irene helped keep Glen Forest Street from becoming a through street from Route 7 to Carlyn Springs Road so parents did not have to worry about speeding traffic when their children played outside. She also rid the neighborhood of a pornographic book store by going down to the store to confront the owners and customers. I know my colleagues will join me in saluting a woman who has made her neighborhood a beautiful and better place to live. Irene Shuman is a remarkable individual who has an energetic spirit that inspires those around her to become involved. I share the celebration of her 80th birthday and her lifetime of civic achievements.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a neighborhood organization that is making a difference in the quality of life in northern Virginia. The Fairfax County Mason District Police Department is honoring its neighborhood watch participants on Saturday, October 4, 1997. This day of appreciation celebrates the success of a program which has helped the general crime rate to decline steadily since 1988. The neighborhood watch participants throughout the Mason District are dedicated individuals who selflessly offer their time to improve their community. The Mason District has the largest number of and most active volunteers in northern Virginia. As a former county supervisor from the Mason District, I can attest to the dedication of those involved in the neighborhood watch. All of those in the Mason District share a tremendous sense of pride in the accomplishments of our neighborhood watch. The individuals who work in this program coordinate with the police so they may keep abreast of crime in or around their community. The time and energy they give in walking their neighborhoods, tracking suspicious activities, people, and cars helps the Fairfax County police deter would-be criminals. The savings to taxpayers through the years has been millions of dollars, and the savings in crime deterred has also been measurable. The neighborhood watch program in Mason District proudly shows its strength and its numbers every year at the national night out where most of the over 100 watch patrols participate. The participants in this program have truly proven that getting involved in your community does make a difference. Those who take the time to cast a watchful eye on their surroundings ensure that they have a safer and more friendly place to live. The Parklawn neighborhood watch discovered a fire at Glasgow intermediate school in its early stages. Their early detection meant that firefighters arrived early and saved the school from serious damage. In other instances, leads established by the watch have led to solving burglaries and convicting car thiefs. The members and coordinators of the Mason District neighborhood watch work in one of the most diverse communities in the Washington area. They often bridge culture and language gaps to come together and build safer neighborhoods. Often, the Mason District neighborhood watch has lead to a better understanding of different cultures and backgrounds as people recognize that they share the same community values. One of the greatest assets of the Mason District neighborhood watch program is the bonds it has built between individuals and neighborhoods. The neighborhood watch is a program that truly brings neighbors together. In one instance, a widow and a widower met when paired together on a watch patrol in Sleepy Hollow. Six months later they were married. I can't promise every single person who volunteers for the watch in Mason District will be guaranteed a spouse, but it is clear that the neighborhood watch has brought many of its diverse population closer together. I know my colleagues will join me in saluting the Mason District neighborhood watch organization that has had so much success. The Mason District neighborhood watch participants have certainly earned a day of appreciation. Their work has made the Mason District one of the nicest communities on our Nation.

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia

Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter from the Vice President supporting my position. The letter referred to is as follows: The Vice President, Washington, September 23, 1997. Hon. Thomas M. Davis, III, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Tom: Thank you for your strong support for the use of cooperative purchasing authority for state and local governments. The Administration opposes repeal of this authority in the Treasury-Postal Appropriations Act for 1998 and would support the House's position in conference. In 1993, as part of my work on reinventing government, I recommended to the President that General Services Administration be granted the authority to allow states and localities to purchase items from the federal supply schedules so they could enjoy the same advantageous prices GSA is often able to negotiate under contracts it has set up for the federal government's use. Used in appropriate circumstances, this cooperative purchasing authority might result in significant savings to the American taxpayer. Congress agreed and in 1994, gave GSA cooperative purchasing authority in the historic Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act. It is surprising that efforts are underway to repeal this authority without the benefit of congressional hearings or other opportunities to assess the advantages of this program for taxpayers. The General Accounting Office studied this issue and concluded that the provision, if managed effectively, would not harm the federal government. As a result, the Administration opposes this attempt to repeal the provision because it could deny state and local taxpayers the opportunity to share in the savings the Federal Government is able to negotiate as a large buyer of commercial items. However, if the repeal cannot be stricken in Conference, the Administration is willing to work with the Congress on a compromise to permit such purchases for a number of specified product categories in demand by State and local governments and whose affected producers have not objected. We would further urge that this authority include a limited pilot program for pharmaceuticals used to treat life-threatening conditions, beginning with drugs used to treat HIV. We also urge the retention of GSA's authority to make any of the services it provides to Federal agencies available to a qualified nonprofit agency for the blind or other severely handicapped that is to provide a commodity or service to the Federal Government under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. GSA's total collection of administrative fees will not increase by more than the incremental increase in the cost of administering the program. As a former county official, you appreciate more than most that taxpayers do not make much distinction between the federal, state, and local governments when they pay taxes. They want the benefit of savings and efficiency, from whatever level of government. If we do not work together to make this happen, we will never be able to restore the public's confidence in government. The cooperative purchasing program is an important example of how we need to use common sense to save tax dollars and do the right thing for all Americans. Again, thank you for your leadership in this good fight. Sincerely yours, Al Gore.