Tom Davis

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight be given until midnight tonight to file the conference report on S. 244, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute and 15 seconds to my colleague, the gentleman from New York [Mr. Gilman]. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes and 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Walsh], the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee, who has done so much to help bring this bill to its final stages. We appreciate his efforts. (Mr. WALSH asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that both sides be given an additional 5 minutes.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the Chair how much time remains on both sides?

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, this emergency legislation is the cornerstone of our Nation's response to the tragic and completely unacceptable financial condition of our Nation's Capital. Life in Washington, DC, is coming apart at the seams. This legislation will halt the decay of the city government's ability to provide basic municipal services to the residents of the District and begin the difficult but necessary process of making the common life of the city whole once again. It is critical not only for this region and for those who live here, but for those who visit here as well. As chairman of the Subcommittee on the District of Columbia of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee, I rise as the principal sponsor of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Act of 1995. It would not have been possible for this piece of emergency legislation to be here before the House so early in the session without the active cooperation and hard work of many Members and their staffs. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank on the staff side the GAO staff. I would like to thank John Simmons of Congressman staff, Cheryl Smith, also of the Appropriations staff, and Brian Seward, as well as Donna Brazile and Cedric Hendricks from the District of Columbia Subcommittee staff, Ron Hamm, our director, Ellen Brown, Howie Dennis, Roland Gunn, who put in numerous hours on this effort, Al Felzenberg, and Ann Mack, Tim Leeth and Kevin Sabo from the Senate staff, and Jim Clarke from the full committee staff. I also want to express my deep gratitude to the House leadership and to Chairman Clinger, as well as the gentlewoman from Illinois, Mrs. Cardiss Collins, for their willingness to provide the necessary advice and assistance to move this bill forward. I also want to thank our colleague from the District of Columbia, the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton], who is a true leader and without whose efforts and advice this bill would not be here today. She has shown her leadership once again on this bill, and I look forward to working with her in the future on many other issues concerning the District. And I would say to Congressman Walsh and the gentleman from California, Mr. Dixon, of the District of Columbia Appropriations Subcommittee that their efforts in this regard and their ability to work together as a team have brought this legislation here today, and I thank them for their efforts. Without their constant personal attention throughout a seemingly endless series of negotiations, we would not be nearly so far along in our response to the problems of the District. I also want to thank the members of the subcommittee, especially my vice-chair, Mr. Gutknecht, for their willingness to hold hearings on short notice and to move this legislation on an exceptionally fast tract. But, above all, I am grateful for the willingness of all of the Members involved in this process to reach across party and ideological lines for the good of the entire Nation. This effort has been extraordinary and inspirational. Finally, none of this would have been possible without the long, hard hours of work by the personal and committee staff who have devoted themselves to working out the details of this complex bill. They are all deeply aware of the urgency of the crisis facing the District of Columbia. The current crisis stems from the unwillingness of the political leadership of the city and of past Congresses to make the hard but necessary decisions to keep the District's spending in line with its income. The result of this policy is not surprising: the District of Columbia is insolvent. If the city were to begin to write the checks necessary to pay all its current bills, it would run out of cash long before it came to the bottom of its stack of bills. The dire condition of the city's finances spills over to and harms the entire region. Currently, the city is not able to make its payments to regional authorities like Metro and Council of Governments. Without the city paying its full share, these vital regional organizations will not be able to carry out their important missions. One of the things this bill seeks to accomplish is the orderly payment of these obligations. Piled up, unpaid bills force many small businesses all across the region to lay off workers, or in some cases, to fail. Thus the whole region suffers as long as the city is broke. The time to act is now. The city's insolvency is not the result of an unanticipated natural disaster. It is not the result of an inadequate revenue stream. In fact, for a city its size, it has more than adequate revenue to fund the full range of services needed by its citizens. But, beginning with the collapse of real estate values in 1989 and continuing even as I speak, the city simply spends more money than it collects. The District of Columbia's government continues to try to fund everything it wants while neglecting to adequately fund what it truly needs as a municipal government. Much of the money it spends, it does not spend wisely. According to a recent study by Thomas Edmonds and Raymond Keating, during the 1991-92 school year the District spent more per pupil on primary and secondary education than any State in our Nation. Yet, we read in the local press that there are over 8,000 fire code violations in the schools in need of repair. This is but one of many instances of local political decisions that have unintended but completely unacceptable consequences for the city's least powerful and most vulnerable residents. It would be all too easy for me to place all the blame for the unraveling of the city on poor decisions made by Washington's local political leaders. But, this would be neither an accurate nor a responsible course for me to take. Our Constitution clearly gives Congress the responsibility ``to exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsover,'' in the seat of the national government. Congress has not always used this power wisely. There has been an understandable reluctance to interfere with local political decisions. This reluctance, has perhaps, at times slipped over into failure to provide proper oversight. There has been a spirit of generosity that gave the District government access to $1.277 billion more cash during the Kelly administration than previously scheduled payments dictated. This generosity became indulgence. The result of inadequate congressional oversight is not acceptable. We see before us today a broken city. We cannot continue these policies. We must carry out our oversight responsibilities in a more responsible and effective way. The bill before us this afternoon provides us with the appropriate vehicle to meet our responsibility. H.R. 1345 is designed to provide the strong medicine necessary to heal our beloved but battered Capital City. It establishes the strongest financial oversight authority in our Nation's history. We have looked with great care at what other cities facing similar crises have done to solve their problems. We have studied what has worked well and what has failed. We think we have applied these lessons to the unique and special facts of Washington, DC. We have carefully crafted our nation's response to this crisis. The most important thing we have learned is that no city has been able to solve its problems alone. In the case of other cities, State governments have stepped in to provide assistance. In this respect, Washington, DC, is unique. It has no State to turn to for assistance. The entire American people, acting as a collective body through their elected Representatives in Congress, constitute Washington, DC's state. I am not going to present a complete outline of this 145-page legislation. I want to focus on its essential features. The central feature of this legislation is the establishment of the District of Columbia Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority to assist our Nation's Capital on its way back to financial soundness. The purpose of the Authority is to help the city knit itself back together. It is designed to work with Congress and the local government without being a component part of either government. I expect it will make many recommendations both to Congress and the city about necessary changes in the management of the city and the role of the Federal Government in the city's life. The Authority is composed of five Presidential appointees who are stake-holders in the city. The President will make these selections after consultation with the relevant committee chairs and the Delegate from the District. The Authority will be assisted by a small professional staff. The Authority has all the power to accomplish its mission of financial responsibility and management assistance. In dealing with the local government, the initiative generally belongs to local elected leaders. For example, the Mayor still submits his budget the city council. But, it is submitted to the Authority as well. The Authority, as well as the city council, examine the budget critically. If the Authority decides the proposed budget is neither balanced or in not accordance with the city's long-term plan, the Authority cannot approve the budget. It is returned with the Authority's recommendations to the council. After this process works itself out, Congress receives either an Authority-approved budget or the final council-approved budget along with the Authority's comments. Congress retains its responsibility to give final approval to the city's budget. In addition to the creation of the Authority, this legislation creates a permanent, statutory chief financial officer for the District of Columbia. The city council, and the approval of the Authority. The CFO is responsible for assembling accurate financial information to serve as the foundation of the city's budgetary and spending decisions. The CFO also must certify all bills and contracts, assess and collect all taxes, and provide accurate accounting. This office reports to the Mayor, the council, and the Authority. The creation of the Authority and of a CFO provides only part of the administrative framework necessary to assist the city back to financial health. The final structural change is the enhancement of the Office of the Inspector General. The IG, like the CFO, is appointed by the Mayor in consultation with the city council and the approval of the Authority. We have taken special care to make sure the IG has the political independence and financial resources to act as a strong watchdog over the city government. In addition to a fixed 6-year term, the budget of the IG can only be changed by Congress. In order to assure the timely dissemination of information, the IG's reports become public documents in a timely manner. The IG reports not only to the Mayor, but also to the council and the Authority. The IG is also responsible for letting the contract for an annual, independent audit of the city's finances. The Authority, the CFO, and the enhanced IG form the nucleus of a more efficient, responsible, and responsive city government. It provides the city with an ideal opportunity to examine critically the range and level of services it seeks to provide. The locally elected leaders of the city need to decide what they can realistically afford to fund. I hope the enactment of this legislation provides the occasion for a dramatic restructuring of the local government. After the District has begun to make the hard choices necessary to bring their spending in line with their revenue, the question of the proper relationship between the city and the Federal Government will be addressed. This legislation is not punitive. It is the strong medicine needed to bring the city back to financial health. One of the effects of this legislation will be the restoration of the city's access to the credit markets. This is important for the enhancement of home rule. I hope that the Authority and the city working together with the Congress will, sooner rather than later, be holding groundbreaking ceremonies for the new arena and convention center. These projects will enhance the quality of life not only in the District but throughout the entire region. We stand at a critical moment in the life of our Nation's Capital. We can no longer afford the price of congressional inaction. The District will soon run out of cash. Under present law, the Mayor can requisition cash from the Federal Treasury. If we fail to act, Mayor Barry will be forced to take the District's bills to the Treasury Department without conditions or restrictions. We must not allow this to happen. If we enact this legislation, when the city runs out of cash, Congress will have put the proper structure in place to regulate and facilitate its access to the Treasury window. There are no viable alternatives. We are in effect pulling the District's credit card to the U.S. Treasury and setting conditions for borrowing that can lead to economic recovery. The present crisis is a direct consequence of destructive fiscal policies. This bill represents fundamental change. I urge you to vote in favor of H.R. 1345. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, the gentleman is correct. I think it will be addressed in that vehicle hopefully in the May timeframe.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to pay tribute to Col. Henry E. Strickland, a distinguished gentleman from Fairfax County in Virginia's 11th Congressional District. He will be honored by the Fairfax County Planning Commission on April 1, 1995. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Hank moved to Fairfax County after a distinguished career in the U.S. Army. Hank Strickland recently retired from the Fairfax County Planning Commission after service since April 1989. Under his tenure the county planning commission replanned much of Fairfax County's high growth corridors, including the Route 28 corridor, Tyson's Corner, and Reston Town Center. More importantly, as the Mason district member of the planning commission, Hank helped in the revitalization of the Baileys Crossroads area, and worked with numerous civic associations to prevent commercial encroachment into the long established residential neighborhoods. Neighborhoods from Sleepy Hollow to Glen Forest have worked with Hank in their efforts to balance the need for an expanded commercial base with their needs to preserve their residential quality of life. In addition to serving on the planning commission Hank served as chairman of the Mason District Council, president of the Sleepy Hollow Civic Association, and former chairman of the Mason District Land Use Task Force. His wife Muriel, is also active in civic affairs, and has been a strong influence and source of support for Hank. As well as a civic leader, Hank is a respected public servant who works well with all sides on an issue to build consensus where possible, and insuring that both sides are heard prior to a decision. His leadership, knowledge, and experience will be missed, but I know my colleagues join me in encouraging Hank to continue his civic involvement.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to honor the Little Union Baptist Church in Dumfries, VA, and its members. The Little Union Baptist Church is located in the 11th Congressional District in Prince William County, VA. In order to relate the development of the Little Union Baptist Church, one must delve into the history of the surrounding community and the life of its outstanding citizens. Batestown Road derived its name from a remarkable African- American woman to whom many generations of in Prince William County trace their roots, Mary Bates. Shortly before the Emancipation Proclamation, Mary Bates, who was born a slave in Northern Virginia, was permitted to marry a young slave from an adjoining plantation, John (Jack) Thomas. The Thomases became stalwart members of the community and operated a local general store. Mary was a letter writer for many illiterates of both races. She administered strange medications that proved remarkably effective; and as midwife, she delivered a major percentage of the babies born during this era, especially those whose parents could not afford the services of a doctor. It was the vision of Mary and John Thomas that gave birth to the establishment of the Little Union Baptist Church. During the last quarter of the 19th century, two churches were Prince William County and one barely across the line in Stafford County. Because inhabitants of Cabin Branch--later referred to as Batestown--had to travel many miles primarily by foot or by horse and wagon, Mary convinced John that they should donate the needed land for a church in the area. Records on file at the courthouse in Manassas, Virginia show a deed dated September 9, 1901, from John Thomas and Mary Thomas, his wife, to Daniel Reid, Buck Griffin, and Tazwell Bates, trustees. Within the deed, the statement is made that the property was given for the exclusive use of the New School Baptist Church. When the building was completed in 1903, it was given its present name, Little Union Baptist Church. Early pastors of the church were mostly missionaries who came frequently to deliver impassioned messages on the good life and the wages of sin. Membership in the church for many years embraced only two or three large families. These devout Christians supported the pastor and contributed their talents and limited funds toward the maintenance of the small sanctuary which was a source of pride and comfort to them. Pastors were called to the church in this order: Rev. Horace Crutcher, Rev. Henry Jackson, Rev. Anthony Lane, Rev. William Stokes, Rev. Carter, Rev. Booker, Rev. W. Ervin Green, and Rev. Leonary Lacey. Records do not reflect the tenure of the first four pastors, however, Rev. Carter served from December 1937 until his death in February 1954. Rev. Booker succeeded Rev. Carter and served until May 1960, when he accepted the pastorship of the Beulah Baptist Church in Markham, VA. Reverend Green, who filled the resulting vacancy in December 1960 served until his death in January 1992. Reverend Lacy was elected to the pulpit of Little Union Baptist Church on February 1, 1993, as its eighth pastor. The church has grown by leaps and bounds and is bursting at the seams. Reverend Lacy is a dynamic spiritual teacher and leader and under his direction the church has expanded its Bible study, teacher training, men's seminar, children's church and vacation Bible school. The congregation continues to contribute to the well being of the surrounding community. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in honoring this very historic church and its membership past, present and future for their many accomplishments and continued contributions.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of our committee for yielding to me and I appreciate all the work he has done in this, finessing it through the committee and through the conference, and I agree with him, I think we have a better report and a better bill now at the end of this process than when we started out, and that is with the help of a lot of people. This is the successor to the Kempthorne-Condit bill that was up last time before the House and Senate and got watered down. We appreciate the strong leadership of the gentleman from California [Mr. Condit] during the last session and continuing in this session to help bring this about, and to my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Portman], he was really the intellectual leader of this as we moved through some of the fine-tuning of this fine points in the conference, to Christine Simmons from the committee staff. She did an outstanding job of coordinating and putting this together. Our thanks to her, as well as John Bridgeland from Representative Portman's staff, Steve Jones from Representative Condit's staff, Vince Randazzo from Representative Dreier's staff, and Chip Nottingham from my staff. Mr. Speaker, let me begin by stating clearly, this is not, as far as I am concerned, a debate about the merits of any Federal mandate. This is strictly a question of who pays, what are the benefits relative to cost, what is the impact on local priorities, and what is our flexibility in carrying out mandates in the most efficient way. As the Congress knows, the ability of the Federal Government, even with its vast resources, is limited, and the Congress each day faces difficult decisions about ordering priorities and determining what services can be funded. This is exactly the same problem faced by local governments and State governments with one difference. No one can superimpose on Congress spending priorities or costs beyond those which the Congress is willing or able to support. But that has not been the case at the local level, because their priorities and needs are often being pushed further to the side by the increasing burden of funding mandates laid down on them by both Federal, and in many cases, their own State governments. Mr. Speaker, during the past decade, unfunded Federal mandates have literally grown out of control, and today counties are spending more of their locally raised revenues to comply with these mandates than they receive in Federal aid. A recent study of the Advisory Council on Intergovernmental Relations found that in the decade between 1981 to 1991, Congress enacted 27 laws imposing one or more new unfunded mandates. This compares with 36 such laws enacted during the previous 50 years, and Congress enacted an additional 13 new mandates in 1993 alone. Mr. Speaker, Mandate Watch, a bimonthly publication of the National Conference of State Legislatures, confirms there is no end in sight to these mandates, and just this past Congress, 156 new mandates were introduced. Localities are becoming totally consumed by Federal mandates, and essential local services, as a result, suffer tremendously, and locally elected leaders will be reduced to the role of back-door tax collectors if this is not stopped. I want to say this has never been a partisan bill outside of the Beltway. I think with the closure we have had in this conference report, working together in a bipartisan fashion, as the gentleman from California noted, there is no end to what we can accomplish in this Congress. The good news here is today that when we work with the administration and work in a bipartisan way across party lines, the seemingly insurmountable becomes conquerable and that is where we are with this legislation today. I just want to note in the end that this bill is about accountability, making Members of Congress stand up and cast a recorded vote on all substantial mandates with the full knowledge of their costs. This is a very, very important precedent for our future. I think taxpayers are tired of routinely paying for unintended consequences that should be easily foreseeable by Federal lawmakers. This legislation, I think, will bring that into focus. My thanks to all members involved in this process. This is a great day for State and local officials as they take a look at their plates over the next few years as we reduce the burdens we put on them, and a great day for the American taxpayer.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 1995 Prince William County, VA Annual Valor Award winners. On Friday, March 10, 1995, the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce and the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce will present the Annual Valor Awards at the FBI Academy, Quantico Marine Base. The Valor Awards honor public service officers who have demonstrated extreme self-sacrifice, personal bravely, and ingenuity in the performance of duty. There are five categories: The Gold Medal, The Silver Medal, The Bronze Medal, Certificate of Valor, The Lifesaving Award. The Valor Awards is a project under the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce's Education and Safety Committee and the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce's Valor Committee. This is the ninth year the Prince William County Chamber of Commerce has held the Valor Awards and the first year that the Prince William County- Greater Manassas Chamber has participated. The Gold Medal Award is the highest award for bravery and heroism. Awarded in cases in which a public safety official knowingly places his/her life in peril of death or extreme serious bodily harm while saving or attempting to save the lives of others who are clearly at risk. The Gold Medal Winners for 1995 are: Richard R. Kassler and Dwayne A. Palermo. The Silver Medal is the second highest award for bravery and heroism. Awarded in situations when a public safety official knowingly exposes himself/herself to great personal risk in the performance of an official act. The Silver Medal Award Winner for 1995 is: Dwayne K. Moyers. The Bronze Medal is awarded in situations where during the course of an emergency, a public safety official demonstrates judgment, ingenuity, or performance at a level that clearly exceeds that required and expected in the performance of his/her duties. This may include the saving of a life that is threatened by medical or physical reasons. The Bronze Medal Award Winners for 1995 are: Charles P. Gardiner, Heidi D. Greaves, Franklin Ray Osborne, Bernard R. Rfluger, Brian F. Wing, and Mark K. Fleming. The Certificate of Valor is awarded for acts involving personal risk and/or demonstration of judgment, zeal, or ingenuity above what is normally expected in the performance of duty. The Certificate of Valor Award Winners for 1995 are: William A. Lawrence, Carter M. Boston, Wesley K. Brown, Douglas J. Buchanan, and Douglas H. Litton. The Lifesaving Award is awarded in recognition of acts taken in a life-threatening situation where an individual's life is in jeopardy, either medically or physically. The Lifesaving Award Winners for 1995 are: Lori A. Kiley and Michael T. Neary. Mr. Speaker I know my colleagues join me in commending these fine citizens who are truly deserving of the title, hero.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to pay tribute to some outstanding citizens from the 11th District of Virginia. These are the people who have achieved the Governor's Award for Business and Education partnerships with Northern Virginia Community College [NVCC]. Richard A. Patterson, president of the Rosenthal automotive organization is a 22 year veteran of the automobile business. He has been with the Rosenthal organization for 14 years, where as CEO, he has strongly influenced development of the company's training and education. The Rosenthal automotive organization, the Capital area's largest group of automobile dealerships, has made a significant contribution to the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center at Northern Virginia Community College [NVCC]. Dr. Semmler has been a professor of mathematics. He has authored or coauthored seven books in mathematics and has received numerous awards, including the Governor's Award from NVCC in 1991; the Once in a Century Award from Plattsburgh State University in 1990; and the Diploma of Honor Award from Pacific Western University in 1992. Dr. Semmler has been a major contributor to Northern Virginia Community College for and Friends'' and the ``Semmler and Alumni'' seminar rooms in the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center. James B. White is vice president and general manager of the Virginia Division of Washington Gas. He joined the Company in 1977 and also serves as a member of the board of directors of Shenandoah Gas in Winchester, VA. He has been active with NVCC. Washington Gas and its distribution subsidiaries provide natural gas service to 726,000 customer meters in the Washington metropolitan area and surrounding region. The company's service area covers 6,648 square miles in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, and West Virginia. Gerald T. Halpin is founder and president of West Group and has taken an active role in the community for many years. West Group is a primary corporate contributor to the NVCC Educational Foundation's Annual Fund and is also a donor to the NVCC Alumni Federation. Headquartered in McLean, VA, West Group is one of the area's leading real estate developers and build-to-suit specialists. The firm provides expertise in land acquisition, development, design, construction, leasing and property management services, and is renowned for its award-winning office parks including West Park and West Gate in Tysons Corner. More than 10 million square feet of commercial office, residential, resort, industrial, and retail space has been developed by West Group's principals since 1958. Michael D. Lynch is president of The Mark Winkler Company and has been with the firm since 1988. He has served on the board of the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation since 1993. The Mark Winkler Company has strongly supported NVCC's new Arlington/ Alexandria Cultural Center on its Alexandria campus as well as other college programs. Ellen Z. McCloy is president of Mobil Foundation, Inc. and a member of the board of directors of the Wolf Trap Foundation, Marymount University, and WETA. Mobil Foundation, Inc., the philanthrophic arm of Mobil Corp., has supported Northern Virginia Community College since 1982. The foundation is a major donor to the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center and the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center. It is also a sponsor of the college-wide Honors Program, which provides student scholarships and program enrichment funds. Mario Morino is founder and chairman of both the Morino Institute and Foundation. He was the founder and past Chairman of Legent Corp., one of the world's largest software companies based in Herndon, VA. He currently serves as a director on its board. The Morino Foundation, on behalf of the Morino Institute, supports a scholarship program at Northern Virginia Community College. The Morino Institute is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to helping people take greater control of their future and the future of their communities in the Information Age. Elijah ``Zeke'' Jackson is chief executive officer of NavCom Systems, and currently serves on the board of the NVCC Educational Foundation. NavCom Systems, Inc. is a minority-owned and operated communications and navigation systems engineering and manufacturing firm and has made several generous contributions to NVCC over the past 2 years, including a gift to cover the construction costs of the Mary Louise Jackson Amphitheater on the Mannassas Campus, scholarship funds for minority students, and a donation to the purchase of computer equipment. John Van Horn, II, is president of Central Fidelity National Bank's northern Virginia region and is director of the NVCC Educational Foundation. Central Fidelity National Bank has made a significant contribution toward the construction of the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center. The center's forum for exhibits and receptions will be named for Central Fidelity. Central Fidelity National Bank also has a program in place that provides scholarships and mentors for NVCC students. Edward H. Bersoff is a member of the NVCC Educational Foundation board of directors and currently serves as the board's president. BTG supports NVCC with funding for scholarships and educational programs. Service to NVCC is part of BTG's commitment of time and resources to community service, focusing on education in the public schools and institutions of higher learning. Headquartered in Vienna, VA, BTG is an information technology company offering total solutions to its clients through systems engineering and integration, value-added reselling of hardware and software, and the manufacturing of its own line of high-performance computers. Harry N. Doyle, Jr., a 23-year resident of Fairfax County and a 38- year Bell Atlantic veteran, is the company's area manager. He serves as a vice president of the NVCC Educational Foundation board of directors. Bell Atlantic of Virginia is a major contributor to the NVCC Educational Foundation's annual fund as well as to the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center, which houses the Bell Atlantic Art Gallery. Bell Atlantic of Virginia's 7,600 employees provide local exchange and exchange access services plus state-of-the art voice and data communications services via 2.9 million customer access lines in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wayne G. Larochelle, senior vice president for Crestar Bank in the Trust and Investment Management Group is one Crestar's Washington office, currently serves on the Board of the NVCC Educational Foundation. Crestar Bank is a significant contributor to both the Richard J. Ernst Community Cultural Center on NVCC's Annandale campus and the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center which will be constructed on the Alexandria campus. With over $14 billion in assets, Crestar is one of the most respected and profitable banks in the region. Edward and Carol Hickey endowed a scholarship in 1988 through the NVCC Educational Foundation as a memorial to their daughter, Paula Anne Hickey, who graduated from NVCC's nursing program in 1987. Paula felt that her education and training at NVCC prepared her thoroughly for a career in nursing, which she began as a medical-surgical care nurse at the National Hospital for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation in Arlington. Paula was working as a staff nurse in the Progressive Care Unit and studying for a B.S. at George Mason University at the time of her death. The Hickey's have four other children, one of whom also attended Northern Virginia Community College. Senator Edward M. Holland and his family are significant contributors to the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center Campaign at Northern Virginia Community College. Senator Holland is co-chairing the Capital Campaign for the Cultural Center. He and his family have been active in Arlington County civic and business activities for several decades. Senator Holland has served with distinction since 1972. He is an attorney at law in Arlington and serves as a member of the board of directors of First Virginia Banks, Inc. and of First Virginia Bank, Falls Church. Margaret W. Fisher's love of the arts and of higher education inspired her recent contribution to support the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center. She will name an art exhibit area where local artists will have the opportunity to display their works. Mrs. Fisher is a professional artist and has held exhibits of her work this past year at George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, the Arlington Central Library, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, as well as a benefit show at Hospice of Northern Virginia. She has taught painting at NVCC's Annandale and Loudoun campuses and at the University of Virginia. In addition, Mrs. Fisher is a poet and published author. Irving L. Denton, NVCC professor emeritus, recently endowed the ``Helen and Irv Denton Accounting Scholarship.'' Denton served on NVCC's part-time and full-time faculty for 14 years after his retirement from the U.S. Air Force in 1973. Professor Denton initiated the accounting program at NVCC's Manassas campus in 1974 and moved to the Annandale campus in 1976, where he developed and presented one of the college's first televised courses before his retirement in 1986. In retirement, he participates in various civic activities and is a long-time director of the Annandale Chamber of Commerce. His late wife, Helen N. Denton, a renowned northern Virginia CPA, taught Governmental Accounting at NVCC's Manassas and Annandale campuses, and his daughter, D'Ann Denton Henderson, is an NVCC alumna. Michael G. Anzilotti is executive vice president and chief administrative officer of First Virginia Bank. Effective April 1, 1995, he will become president and CEO. A past chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, he currently serves on the boards of the Fairfax Unit of the American Cancer Society, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the Superintendent's Business/Industry Advisory Council, and the NVCC Educational Foundation. First Virginia Bank is the largest of the 23 member banks owned by First Virginia Banks, Inc. and is headquartered in Falls Church, VA. J. David Robinson is Freddie Mac's vice president for Community Relations. He has been with the firm since 1985. The Freddie Mac Foundation is dedicated to brightening the future of children, youth, and families at risk. It fulfills this mission by providing funds to organizations working to strengthen health, education, and welfare of children and youth and to provide family support services. Angela M. Brown a business unit executive in higher education for IBM, serves on the board of the NVCC Educational Foundation. IBM Corp. is a major contributor to the Northern Virginia Community College's annual equipment and software as well as a significant donation for the Mary Louise Jackson Amphitheater on the Manassas campus. Bonnie Lewis Pfoutz has made a generous gift in support of the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center and will name the courtyard at the center in memory of her mother, Katherine Robinson Lewis. Gardening was a favorite pasttime of Mrs. Lewis. The Katherine Robinson Lewis Memorial Courtyard will serve as a loving tribute. The Washington Forrest Foundation has established an endowed scholarship fund in the Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation for south Arlington students who are pursuing vocational careers. The Washington Forrest Foundation also gave a major grant for development of the Arlington/Alexandria Cultural Center. Established in 1968, the Washington Forrest Foundation provides financial support to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of improving and enhancing the quality of life in Arlington, and especially south Arlington. Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues join me in paying tribute to these fine upstanding award winners for 1995. Their contributions to the Northern Virginia Community College have helped thousands of northern Virginians to get ahead in life by providing educational opportunities and training. Their steadfast commitment is another example of their strong volunteer spirit which so enriches our country.

Mr. DAVIS

Mr. DAVIS. From 10 percent to 20 percent.

Mr. DAVIS. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to speak for the gentleman's amendment. I supported the Goss amendment, which took the 10 percent threshold to 30 percent. This moves it to 20 percent, but it is much more reasonable. I have been in local government for 15 years, and I have sat through hundreds of zoning cases, through a number of condemnation cases and appraisals, and a 10 percent variation, a 10 percent difference is within the margin of error that we see every day with appraisers coming out and appraising the same property. The 10 percent threshold currently in the bill makes this ripe, nationally, for all kinds of litigation anytime a regulation comes out. Twenty percent threshold is a much more reasonable threshold. Anything from market conditions, interest rates, school boundaries, variations affect property appraisals more than 10 percent in appraisals. We see this every day. Those may be technically exempt from this bill because they are local decisions, but the marginality in appraisings of property vary even with the season. The fact that a regulation comes in and then appraisals come in showing a 10 percent difference I think puts this at a dangerous threshold. To preserve this bill and make it credible, we need the legislation to raise the threshold to 10 percent. The presumption here would be to raise it to a 20 percent level. I think it is reasonable. I am happy to support the amendment. I hope my colleagues who supported the Goss amendment will support this, and others who thought that might have been too high at 30 percent, I remind you this legislation says 33 percent. It would come down to the 20 percent level.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, I would just want to say I want to support the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida. I have been in local government for 15 years. During that time I have sat through hundreds of zoning cases, literally hundreds of condemnation cases, sat through a number of appraisals that have come across our desks, and looked at the variations, and 10 percent is clearly within that margin of error. Many, many times we get three appraisals, and they are all over 10 percent apart from each other. I think without this amendment you almost raise the presumption that any action could reduce property by 10 percent. Any we know that market conditions, interest rates, financing mechanisms, the seasons, school districts, all of these which, extraneous to the governmental regulation, could reduce, actually could reduce the property values by 10 percent. Thirty percent looks to me like a reasonable threshold. It is beyond the margin of error. It addresses the anecdotal horror stories that we have heard on this floor that I think need to be addressed. Without this, I think the legislation raises the presumption that any regulation will adversely affect the property values by 10 percent. That is just within the margin of error. That has been my experience. I support the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. DAVIS. The answer is ``yes.''

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, let me just put into perspective to my friends, I think we are all for property rights. My affairs in local government overturned one of the largest downzonings in northern Virginia history that took away property rights. It is the basis of Western civilization, the right to own and enjoy property. The problem with the bill as it is currently written is any part of a larger parcel that is affected with a 10-percent diminution in value then is in line to get the appraisals and go get paid by the Federal Government. Almost every regulation that comes down that affects a parcel of property is going to affect it 10-percent, because the variance in appraisals is more than 10-percent on any given day when you take it. That is the problem. That is what we are trying to remedy. Now, is this perfect? No. It is not perfect. But we have seen no resistance on the other side to try to tinker with this and change what right now is going to put every regulation, put property owners affected by every regulation in line, because it does not take much to get a 10-percent change. It just takes two appraisers. That has been my experience year after year. That is my concern. That is what we are trying to remedy. We are not trying to stop people from developing their property. The 20-percent threshold to me seems reasonable. We had 50 Republicans vote for 30- percent earlier on. I appreciate the efforts to try to bring this to a bipartisan conclusion.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would just take 2 minutes, and I say to my friend from auction. It's already a 10-percent threshold. We're not starting from ground zero, and 10 percent is what my friend feels is a reasonable number and members of the committee feel is reasonable, but 10 percent is a margin of error when you compare any two or three appraisals. I've looked at hundreds of these through my time in local government, and any time a regulation comes into play, and you can put the appraisals together, show a 10-percent loss, we're in court on litigation, paying with Federal dollars for efforts that in many cases have nothing to do with the regulation. I think 20 percent is a much more reasonable level, gets us beyond that traditional margin of error, and it's for that reason that I support this amendment.'' Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DAVIS. It applies to the total property, not just to a portion.

Mr. DAVIS. I think it is reasonable.

Mr. DAVIS. The answer is that instead of the small parcel which could be covered under the existing legislation, a 10 percent diminution of that, that this is the entire property.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?