Nathan Deal

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the tragic events of September 11, 2001 were a blow to this nation. The attacks showed we were vulnerable to an outside attack. As bad as these attacks were, they did showcase the spirit of America. We, as Americans, did not roll over, we came together and showed the world why this land is great. One way many decided to help was through financial donations to any one of numerous charitable organizations to help those in need. As we have seen over the past several months, Americans have been very generous in their giving. The best of America has been on display. However, just underneath the surface of these kind souls, is a group of individuals that try to take advantage of tragic events and people's generosity. There are people out there who try to scam money and say it is for relief efforts. They use the telephone and Internet in order to solicit donations. The problems lies in the fact that even though on the surface these solicitations seem legitimate, they are not. The money usually goes directly into the person's pocket and never is used to help those in need. For this reason, I am proud to have been able to work with the gentleman from New Hampshire on this bill. It is important to make the penalties for fraud during times of national emergency so high, no one will attempt such deeds. It is also important that we send a message to the American people that such frauds will not be tolerated and they can feel safe in the fact that anyone who perpetrates such crimes will be punished. Let the American spirit shine through and may we continue to help those in need.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, each year some 75 million individuals enter the United States and are inspected at our major airports. It is estimated that about 10,000 of these have inadequate documents to justify their existence in this country, but are allowed to enter anyway under a deferred system in which they are asked to report back. Recently, the Inspector General of the Department of Justice issued a report from which I will quote the executive summary: ``We found that nearly 11 percent of individuals paroled into the country under the deferred inspections process failed to appear for the completion of their inspection.'' That would mean some 979 individuals did not appear for their deferred inspections. It continues: ``This is a conservative estimate, however, based upon the fact that we were unable to determine the outcome of 20 percent of the cases selected due to inadequate records.'' They give the statistics, and they say the importance of follow-up action is evidenced by the results of our analysis which revealed that among those who failed to appear, INS inspectors identified over 50 percent as either having criminal records or immigration violations at the time of entry. They also point out that nine committed serious aggravated felonies after they were paroled into our country. They point out that the INS continues to use this faulty information. Mr. President, you will be in my State tonight to reassure the Nation. To make us feel secure, do something about the fiasco that exists in the INS.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, by the adoption of this resolution tonight, let us send one very clear message to the world: we are the United States of America. We are the United States. We are united.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today is a day of words, words of outrage at the unspeakable horrors of yesterday; but we know that words cannot provide the bond to heal those wounds; but by our words we extend our arms and embrace the injured and the families of the dead. Yes, today is a day of words; but tomorrow is a day of action. Mr. Speaker, for those who committed these crimes, they do not even begin to know what they have unleashed. Perhaps they look at the United States and see us argue with each other along political, regional or racial lines, and believe that we are weak and divided; but they are wrong. We are a large family that can fuss and fight, but we are still family. Yesterday, terrorists came into our front yard and murdered innocent members of our family. By that action, the terrorists shocked our conscience. But that shock is certainly turning into a growing rage. Terrorists and those who aid and abet them around the world, they are about to learn that hell hath no fury like American anger. Mr. Speaker, I propose that this Congress add a provision to every foreign operations appropriations bill that requires that any Nation or organization before they receive any penny of American money must be certified by the President that they have fully cooperated in apprehending these murderers, and that they have further cooperated in fighting terrorism around the world. If this was done in the name of religion, do not mistake the fact that we call ourselves a Christian Nation as a signal of weakness. Perhaps we have followed the New Testament admonition of turning the other cheek in the past when terrorists have bombed our ships and embassies; but today we turn to the Old Testament and read the phrase, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Mr. Speaker, since we are speaking in religious terms, let me close by saying to these criminals, using an old Southern religious phrase, you have hell to pay.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. As a trial attorney, I am both amused and somewhat dismayed by some of the things that have been said here today. First of all, as a trial attorney, it is amusing it see my good friend the plastic surgeon cross-examining my other good friend, a dentist. But be that as it may, there are a lot of things that have been said here. First of all, on the issue of preemption, I think the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) said it well. If States could do the things that we are seeking to do in this legislation, then let States to it. It is the very fact they cannot that is the necessity for the Federal legislation that we are attempting to put in place here today. On behalf of my friend the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood), let me say this in conclusion. Many who would speak against his efforts have been here for decades and saw no reason to go forward with the effort of a patients' bill of rights, and to them I say, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) should be your hero. For those who would denigrate his methods or motives, I would simply say to them, this issue would not be here today on the brink of becoming law had it not been for his dedication. For those of you who think the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) has sold out, it simply proves to me, you do not know the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood).

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and it is an honor to speak on this measure before the House today. Mr. Speaker, exactly 20 years ago this month we had completed the first legislative session in which I participated as a freshman member of the Georgia Senate. When I arrived there, Paul Coverdell was already entrenched in that body. He and I were on different sides of the political spectrum, but I soon learned that he was a man that everyone respected first for his integrity and, secondly, for his willingness to work without regard for personal gratification or recognition. Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we dedicate this building and this entire enterprise to his memory today. For those that suggest that we are self-indulgent by recognizing one of our own generation, I would simply say a generation that is without heroes or models of public service is indeed a bankrupt generation. Thankfully, we have the Paul Coverdells of our day. It is appropriate that we take action to recognize him.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. I yield to the gentleman from New Mexico.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I would like to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen), the chairman of the Subcommittee on the Interior. Mr. Chairman, the administration included a land acquisition request for several tracts of land along the Chattahoochee River within the Chattahoochee National Forest in my Ninth Congressional District of Georgia. This particular acquisition ranked third on the Forest Service's fiscal year 2002 national land acquisition priority list. Recently, I was informed that the owners of these tracts have delayed their decision to sell their properties. Fortunately, there are other landowners in the area with similarly important tracts of land who wish to convey them to the Forest Service. The land now available will provide habitat and watershed protection, as well as recreation opportunities. The committee report provides $1 million for the Forest Service to acquire lands along the Chattahoochee River within the Chattahoochee National Forest. Given the recent changes with land availability, I ask that the gentleman work with me in conference to remove the report language in the Forest Service land acquisition table referring to the Chattahoochee River and simply appropriate the $1 million to the Chattahoochee National Forest so they may purchase the key tracts now available.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 324. It was inadvertently added without my permission.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and commend the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County, Georgia as that group celebrates its 50th anniversary of service to our community. The Junior League is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community; and the women of Gainesville and Hall counties have certainly demonstrated during the past half century that hard work and good spirits can make a powerful difference in the community that we live in. The Gainesville-Hall County chapter of the Junior League was founded by Ms. Idalu Haugabook Slack and chartered on May 21, 1951. The group began making a strong impact then, and I am proud to report that their work has not only continued but has intensified since that time. In 1951, the 21 charter members donated some 515 hours of community service. This year's membership donated over 8,000 hours, all while raising some $80,000 in a single year. Early projects from the Gainesville-Hall County Junior League included services to the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, a story hour for children at the Hall County Library, and school lunches for less fortunate children. In 1952, this strong group of women began two permanent projects as well, the Green Hunter Homes Nursery, and the Charity Ball. Their list of accomplishments continued through the years, and in 1954 the first ``Fall Thrift Sale'' began. The Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County has a special tradition of helping children with speech problems. After spending 4 years transporting children to the Atlanta Speech School, the members retained a speech correctionist to allow the children of Gainesville and Hall counties to get help closer to home. In the early 1970s, the Northeast Georgia Speech and Hearing Center was opened, and I had the honor of serving on that first board of directors. The Junior League also donated money for newborn intensive care equipment. In recent years, the Junior League of Gainesville-Hall County underwrote a $30,000 grant to help open a new child advocacy center and has participated in the massive restoration of the Gainesville Civic Center. Joining with the Association of Junior Leagues International, health concerns emerged as major initiatives and projects were begun, including the creation of a mobile health van and the hosting of a Child Welfare Forum. History shows that the women of Gainesville-Hall County Junior League are able to continue old projects even as they engage in new endeavors that help our community. Mr. Speaker, one of the main problems of the Junior League is demonstrating the effectiveness of trained volunteers, and they are certainly doing a great job at it. League members have a strong history as State and community leaders, and I commend the Gainesville-Hall County Junior League for their continuing legacy of service and achievement.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. In the 1996 Telecommunications Act, one of the purposes, and the primary purpose, was to deregulate the issue of telecommunications in this country, but we have not deregulated the regulators. I commend the gentlewoman for bringing this bill because it attempts to take one further step in the direction of dealing with the monopolistic system that we have now said the barriers must be removed from. As long as regulations are in place with a one-size-fits-all approach, these smaller providers, in this case those with 2 percent or less of the providing capacity in this country, are faced with regulations that really make their operations sometimes prohibitive. I commend the gentlewoman for offering this bill to remove these regulatory restraints because many of these small 2 percent or less of the carrier providers are located in States like hers and in rural areas of a State like mine. They are the ones who need to devote their funding and their resources to an infrastructure development, because without that they cannot be competitive with the bigger competitors in the marketplace. So I support this legislation, and I again thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) for bringing this resolution to the floor. This is a sad day for all of us, and I am dearly impressed with the eloquence of my colleagues who have already spoken. Paul Coverdell was indeed a good friend of ours. And it is difficult on occasions like this to say anything that lends full value to the life that he shared with all of us. I realize that labels and slogans themselves are often inadequate. But I will be very brief, and I have a few labels that I would like to put on Paul Coverdell. The first is that he was a defender of democracy. That may seem to be a very bland statement, but he truly believed in this Republic that we have here as a country. He believed that one of the great things that it embodied was the free enterprise system. And he, as a small businessman, grew his business to a successful national enterprise. So he was indeed a defender of democracy. And he was a proponent of peace. We have heard the statements about his service as the Director of the United States Peace Corps. But in all of his dealings, both politically and personally, he was indeed a man of peace. And he was, of course, a patriot with passion. You have heard of his service as a captain in the United States Army overseas. But he also brought that same degree of passion and patriotism to his public service, having been recognized by educational institutions and by other public institutions for his service both at the State level and here in Washington. And he was a statesman with stature. Like many of my colleagues, we served with Paul at the State legislative level. Paul was in the State Senate when I arrived in 1981, and even though he was in the minority in that body, he was respected, because he displayed the kind of dedication to public service that all of us would like to have. I recall that he was on the retirement committee. I want to tell you, folks, when you get assigned to the retirement committee in the Georgia legislature, you really do not aspire to that position. But he was one of those individuals that everybody, regardless of political party, would go to to ask about those intricate, detailed, often boring and mundane issues relating to retirement, and Paul always knew what the answer was, because he was willing to do his homework. He was willing to work on the things that other people would want to cast aside because there was not enough public attention given to the subject. But Paul knew how important things like that were; and that is, of course, what distinguished him here as well and made him a statesman with stature. He was also and lastly a friend without reservation. He was somebody that you could talk with on a personal and intimate basis. You could rely on his judgment. You could trust the fact that he would keep confidences and he would give you the best and sound advice that he possibly could, both politically and personally. Lastly, I would simply like to say that Paul Coverdell was a quiet man of courage, and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and for taking this opportunity to express our concern for Senator Coverdell. Like most of those of us in the Georgia delegation, we have worked with Paul for many years. I worked with him in the eighties when we were both members of the Georgia Senate. He has always been one of those conscientious individuals who dedicated himself to whatever task was before him, and he has carried that same dedication here to the United States Senate. We wish for he and Nancy a speedy recovery, and our prayers and the prayers of those in our State will be with him.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time, and I rise in support of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, most of our lives are regulated by the calendar and the clock. But if my colleagues come to my home and sit at my dinner table, they will soon find that it is the pill box that is both the calendar and the clock. The reason is that my 93-year-old mother, who had to have one of her legs amputated, lives with us, along with my wife's 86- and 84-year-old father and mother. They have had major surgery, and one suffers from Alzheimer's. So as my colleagues sit around our table, they will soon see that it is the pill box that tells us what day of the week it is and what hour of the day, because it is the medication that they must take that keeps them going. So I understand the importance of prescription drugs. But these three senior citizens who are now members of our family, and we are so pleased to have them, have served over three-quarters of a century as public school teachers in our State of Georgia; and, as such, they earned the right as a part of their retirement to a medical prescription drug program. One thing that is very important to them is that this Congress not force them to go into a program they do not want. Age and failing health have deprived them of many of their choices, and they want to retain this one to keep what they have. But, also, one of the things that they are concerned about is that they have lived frugal lives on school teachers' salaries and they do not want catastrophic illness to wipe that out. I am pleased that our plan provides that kind of financial security for them. So tonight, to Mary, to George, and to Ida Lu, this plan is for them. And do not forget to take your medication, by the way.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) knows, illegal immigration into the ninth district of Georgia has skyrocketed in recent years. North Georgia has quickly become a destination for people entering this country illegally. Word has spread throughout the communities that jobs are plentiful in our labor-intensive industries. What once might have been called a trickle of illegal aliens into North Georgia has turned into an outright flood. A recent study completed by Georgia State University concludes that in Hall County, Georgia, where I live, there could be an illegal immigration population of over 65,000. This is especially alarming because of the overall population of the country is only 120,000. The schools, health care, delivery system, and judicial system have all seen a dramatic influx of residents who do not have legal status in our country. This has had a drastic and debilitating impact on the social services that our community is able to provide. But despite the growing problem of illegal immigration in my district, I am happy to report renewed optimism. The Quick Response Teams, or QRTs which the gentleman and his subcommittee have developed, have proved to be a tremendous success where fully implemented. The city of Dalton, Georgia, which is one of the cities most affected by illegal immigration in my district, has benefited greatly from the presence of a QRT team. These teams of INS agents work with State and local law enforcement to identify, apprehend, and remove criminal and illegal aliens. I thank the gentleman for his leadership on the interior enforcement of our immigration laws. Too few Members have had the courage to substantively address this issue. It is my hope that we can expand these successful QRTs to other communities that are dealing with this problem such as Hall County, Georgia. I would simply ask for the gentleman's commitment and for his continued support of interior enforcement of our immigration laws and especially the Quick Response Teams.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Madam Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Madam chairman, as we come to the conclusion of the debate on this amendment, I quite frankly am surprised we can still see across this room because it has become smoke filled, and traditional smoke screens have all been thrown up as we debated this amendment. But let me just deal with some basic, pure legislative arithmetic. This bill, as the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) says, is not a debate about forest policy. It was not intended to be. This amendment is a smoke screen for that debate. Because, in all honesty, and I admire his candor on it, the proponent of the amendment admits that, even if it is adopted, he will not support the bill because he does want to debate the forest policy of delinkage. That is a debate for another day. If we debate delinkage, we ought to debate the issues of delinking those local sheriff's departments of having to provide law enforcement protection for those forests in their counties. We ought to debate their search and rescue efforts that cost them tens of thousands of dollars in very small rural communities when they have to find somebody who has drowned in one of our rivers or whose plane has crashed in one of our National Forests. But that is a debate for another day. But let us talk about the legislative math, about what is before us. We are talking about giving to our counties that qualify the average of the highest 3 years from 1984 through 1999. I want to tell my colleagues what that does in my State of Georgia. The debate of the amendment is about 80 percent or 100 percent, let me tell my colleagues what the real story is. In my State of Georgia, if they get 80 percent of the highest 3 years for that time frame compared with what they have gotten on average for the last 3 years, they will get a 250 percent increase. Now, that is Georgia math. 250 percent, even if it is at an 80 percent level, is a whole lot better than 100 percent of what one is getting now. That holds true for almost every State across this country. Now, let me tell my colleagues what the math of the amendment is; and that is 100 percent of nothing is still nothing. If this amendment passes, that is exactly what will happen. The compromise of the groups that have supported this bill as it now comes before us, that compromise will disintegrate, and the gentleman will get 100 percent, but it will be 100 percent of nothing. I oppose the amendment. I urge its defeat, and I urge the adoption of the bill as proposed.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte) for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, before I proceed, I would like to join in thanking those who have made this compromise as it comes to the floor today possible. First of all, to my original cosponsor, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), who just spoke, his efforts and those of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), as he has taken this legislation and worked with us; the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) and others on the Committee on Agriculture who have worked with us to bring this issue to the floor today. We believe that the proposal that is before us is a reasonable, short-term solution to a problem that has continued to get worse over the years. As we have heard other speakers say, this legislation grows out of the existing law that was a compact arrangement beginning in 1908 for Forest Service counties and then in 1937 for those Bureau of Land Management counties, to share revenue generated from Federal lands with the local communities in which those lands are located. We have heard the statistics that we have seen across the board on Forest Service lands, about a 70 percent decrease in some communities, as much as in excess of a 90 percent decrease in the revenue they were receiving to support their local school systems, road programs and so forth. Let me give a dollar idea of how much that is. For Forest Service lands, the peak year was in 1989 when the revenue that was being shared was $1.44 billion. That dropped in 1998 to only $557 million. On the Oregon and California receipts, they declined to $51 million in 1998 from the peak year of 1989 of some $235 million. So it is easy to see that when a revenue stream is reduced by more than 70 percent and sometimes more than 90 percent to local communities, the impact can be devastating. We recognize that this legislation is not a long-term permanent solution. It has built into it a mechanism whereby we hope to arrive at that solution; a committee that is appointed, made up of local officials, Forest Service officials, Bureau of Land Management officials, who will study the issue and come back to Congress with a proposal. As has already been indicated, this legislation is an outgrowth of the communities themselves asking us to take action. In March of this year, a national conference was held in Reno, Nevada, and out of that came the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition, this 800- member group that we have heard referenced here. This legislation is in response to their request. In conclusion, I would like to once again thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), and in particular all of our staffs who have worked diligently to bring this issue to the floor today. I would urge its adoption without amendment. Mr. Chairman, thank you for providing me the opportunity to speak in support of the critical issue of county schools funding. We must support our rural schools and communities, and H.R. 2389 is an important effort for those with forest lands in their districts. In the ninth congressional district I serve in Georgia, 15 of my 20 counties include national forest land. In fact, the Chattahoochee National Forest encompasses more than fifty percent of my district. Counties that have the largest amount of forest land in my district include Towns County with 64% and Rabun County with 63%. Such communities do not collect property taxes for these federal lands and greatly depend upon forestry resources for their schools and economies. Therefore, effective forest management is an issue of vital importance in rural areas such as mine, and there are multiple forest uses to consider (scenic areas, wilderness, timber production, recreation, and wildlife designation). As a Co-Chairman of the Forestry 2000 Congressional Task Force, I am working to provide balance between societal and environmental concerns and the timber industry, specifically in the areas of forest management and health, taxes, endangered species, property rights, funding matters, and public land revisions. Additionally, nothing is more important to the future of our country than the opportunity for high quality education for all Americans. I believe in the value of education, and we must prepare our nation's children for the 21st century. As a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I am actively involved in designing and examining legislation to benefit those who are closest to our nation's students. Those at the local level have the greatest responsibility in educating and preparing our children for the future. While education is predominantly a state and local issue, many have taken the ``Washington knows best'' attitude and have attached endless strings to federal dollars. What I hear schools and educators really need is not more paperwork and red tape, but the flexibility to help children more efficiently. Thus, I have focused my attention on assisting state and local governments in providing a quality education for America's youth. For too long, we have relied on Washington bureaucracies to solve our nation's problems. It is time to create a more rational approach in addressing issues at the federal level by basing decisions on what works back at home. With those thoughts in mind, I introduced with my colleague, Representative Allen Boyd, the County Schools Funding Revitalization Act of 1999 (H.R. 2389). This legislation is a locally designed solution to the education funding shortages in communities dependent upon timber revenues. Specifically, in March of 1999, a national conference of organizations concerned about forest revenue sharing payments and rural socio- economic stability convened in Reno, Nevada. From this conference emerged the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition (NFCSC), a unique group of over 800 local, regional, and national organizations which share the common objective of strengthening and improving rural schools and forest dependent communities in both the short and long term. The NFCSC developed a set of joint principles to guide lawmakers in developing legislation to improve forest revenue sharing payments. I urge lawmakers to pay attention to these principals submitted from communities across the country as we work to address this issue. As a matter of background, the National Forest System, managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) within the Department of Agriculture, was established in 1907 and has grown to include 192 million acres of federal lands. In addition, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within the Department of the Interior manages over 2.6 million acres of federal lands. The federal government recognized that, when it secured these lands in federal ownership, it deprived the adjacent counties of revenues they would have otherwise received if the lands were sold or transferred into private ownership. Accordingly, in 1908 Congress enacted a law providing that 25% of the revenues from National Forests be paid to the counties in which those lands were situated for the benefit of public schools and roads. Similarly, in 1937, Congress established that 50% of the revenues from the revested and reconveyed BLM lands be paid to the counties in which those lands were located for similar public purposes. Since that time, counties adjacent to federal forests have relied on the compacts of 1908 and 1937 to help finance rural schools and roads and maintain a stable socio-economic infrastructure. In recent years, however, the principal source of these revenues, federal timer sales, has declined by over 70% nationwide, a payments to many counties have dropped to less than 10% of their historic levels under the compact. The corresponding revenues shared with rural counties throughout the country have declined dramatically, crippling educational funding and severely eroding the quality of education offered to rural school children. Many have been forced to lay off teachers, bus drivers, nurses, and other employees; postpone badly needed building repairs and other capital expenditures; eliminate lunch programs; and curtail extracurricular activities. Further, local county budgets have been badly strained as communities have been forced to cut funding for social programs and local infrastructure to offset lost 25% payment revenues. As a result, rural communities are suffering severe economic downturns with increases in unemployment, family dislocation, domestic violence, substance abuse, and welfare enrollment. In 1993, Congress enacted a partial response to this crisis by establishing a temporary safety net payment system for 72 counties in Oregon, Washington and Northern California, where federal timber sales were reduced by over 80% to protect the northern spotted owl. To date, Congress has not provided similar assistance to the other 730 counties across the nation, which have suffered similar hardships because of declining forest revenues. The Goodlatte substitute to H.R. 2389, entitled the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, was developed with input and support from the National Forest Counties & Schools Coalition and is a unique compromise endorsed by over 800 education, labor, industry, and country government organizations. The bill would restore stability and predictability to the annual payments made to states and counties containing national forest system lands for use by the counties for the benefit of public schools, roads, and communities. H.R. 2389 restores stability to the 25% payment compact by ensuring a predictable payment level to federal forest communities for an interim 7-year period. The measure also requires the federal government to collaborate with local community and school representatives to develop a permanent solution that will fix the 1908 compact for the long term. It is my hope that members in Congress will respect the solutions and opinions of our local communities put forth by the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition. By supporting and passing the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, together we can fix the compact and restore long-term stability to our rural schools and governments and the families that depend on them. Again, thank you for the honor to speak today. I ask you to support your local and rural schools by voting for H.R. 2389.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would first of all like to thank my staff person, Peter Dale, for his work in bringing this resolution to the floor. He has been involved in 4-H, as has his family. As has been reiterated by others, I have been involved in 4-H. My oldest daughter was a National 4-H Citizenship Winner, and in my local community we have people who are volunteering their time through an adult organization sponsoring scholarships through the 4-H program so young people can get a college education. My State is indeed fortunate to have one of the premier State 4-H educational and recreational facilities, known as Rock Eagle, in the State of Georgia. Many young people pass through that facility each year and are enriched by the experiences that they receive. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I would simply urge the favorable adoption of this resolution as a recognition of the outstanding contributions that the 4-H Clubs have made to our communities and to our country. I would urge favorable adoption of the resolution.

Mr. DEAL of Georgia

Mr. DEAL of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res 194.