Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, yesterday's Washington Post headlines says it all: GOP Kills McCain Tobacco Bill. And in this body the Republicans leadership is trying to derail campaign finance reform. Let me add what the Philadelphia Inquirer says today: Killer Congressmen. So unfair to call this a do-nothing Congress. Top Republicans on the Hill are putting in a lot of hard work right now. Think it is easy to kill off the tobacco bill and campaign financing reform at the same time? That is what they did yesterday, and that is what they continue to try to do. The gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrich) and his minions are killing off campaign finance reform. It is an astute gamble. Thwarting the Shays-Meehan bill may hurt their ability to pose as reformers, but it will keep open the soft money spigot they count on to hold their House majority. What more proof do we need that our political system is hopelessly broken? Vote to fix our political system, vote to end big money in campaigns, and vote for real campaign finance reform. Vote for the Meehan-Shays bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, campaign finance is relevant to the campaign finance rule. Mr. Speaker, take a look at the amount of money that tobacco companies have provided to the Republican committees in 1996: $4.5 million. Now, if they want to tell us that they do not hold up legislation because of the money they take from the tobacco lobby, just listen to the words of one of their own. Linda Smith from Washington State, Wall Street Journal, 2 days ago, she says that she discovered that it was commonplace for the GOP majority to hold up action on bills while milking interested contributors for more campaign contributions. I said, we do that? Is that not extortion? Let me just say, the America public is very clear on what our Republican colleagues are doing. They have put up this rule which has 258, and it may be 270 according to the gentleman from Colorado, amendments that do not have anything to do and are nongermane to the issue of campaign finance reform. Americans are not fooled. The New York Times calls their tactics ``death by amendment,'' a filibuster in disguise. The Los Angeles Times calls it a ``dirty ploy.'' Even Republicans admit that they are selling snake oil. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) has said, we tried squelching it; now we are going to try talking it to death. Oppose this rule. Let us have meaningful campaign finance reform.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, this is the campaign finance rule, as I understand.

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I take money from working people in this country for my campaign, from teachers, carpenters, electricians, nurses, and I am proud of those dollars from those folks. Mr. Speaker, I tell my colleagues what I do not do. I do not take tobacco dollars and I do not try to kill tobacco legislation because I am in the pocket of the tobacco companies. But I will tell my colleagues who is. Today's Washington Post: ``GOP Kills McCain Tobacco Bill. The bill's demise was a victory for the Nation's leading cigarette makers who have spent millions lobbying against it, in addition to making substantial contributions to the Republican Party.'' Point of Order

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of Meehan-Shays. Americans want fundamental change, a complete overhaul of the campaign finance system. They want meaningful limits on frenzied political spending, and they want them now. Finally, today, we have an opportunity to give the Americans what they want. We have an opportunity to end the abuses of the electoral process. We must ban soft money, rein in the exploitation of issue ads, limit individual contributions, and restore the faith of the American people in our political process. We must pass Meehan-Shays. The Republicans have tried to kill reform time and time again by breaking promises, strong-arming reformers off of the discharge petition, and by introducing a hodgepodge of bills that the House already rejected and a constitutional amendment that they didn't even believe in. Now, they are attaching hundreds of poisonous amendments to a bill that would genuinely reform this system. Why? Because the Republican leadership is trying to protect a broken system that works for them. The Republican leadership wants to keep the flow of big money coming from special interests and silence the voices of working men and women and their families. The Republican leadership wants to kill reform. Representative Ray LaHood even admitted last week that the Republicans were ``trying to talk it to death.'' But talk is cheap. Today, I challenge my Republican colleagues to act. Prove that you are not in the pockets of the special interests. Restore America's faith in its elections. Support genuine campaign finance reform and bring a true victory home to the American people. Vote for Meehan-Shays.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the conference report. This bill is yet another attempt by the Republican leadership to gut public education and tear desperately needed dollars away from our public schools. The legislation will do nothing to improve the education of millions of middle- and working-class kids in this country. The average middle-class family would find itself with a measly $10 benefit a year, not nearly enough for a working family to afford the cost of a private high school. We need to focus on improving the schools that serve 90 percent of America's children, the public schools. We need to invest in technology and computers for our classrooms. That is what the motion to recommit by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) does. If we are serious about improving education in our country, we will reject the dangerous bill before us. Passing this bill is like waving a white flag. Passing the bill means giving up on public education, abandoning millions of children who only want that opportunity to succeed. Having a chance in America means having access to a first-rate education. Let us not turn our backs on these children. Let us deal with legislation that helps America's children, not just a token few. Reject the conference report. Vote for the motion to recommit.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. I agree with my colleagues that our tax code is far too complex, and that hard working middle class families are paying too much in taxes. In fact, the first bill I introduced as a member of Congress was the Middle Class Tax Relief Act. But this bill is not the solution. But do you wonder why the sponsors of this bill are in such a hurry to eliminate the tax without saying what they would replace it with? They are pushing flat tax or sales tax systems that would reduce taxes for the wealthiest Americans, and raise them for the rest of us. Flat tax sounds easy, doesn't it? Only this tax medication is pure snake oil for the middle class. According to the Treasury Department, under Mr. Armey's 17% flat tax, the typical middle-income family would see its federal taxes increase by about $1,500. By contrast, the richest 1% of taxpayers get an average tax cut of $44,000. And if we adopted a sales tax instead, there would be a new 30% tax on everything you buy. A monthly prescription for a senior's blood pressure medication which currently costs around $110 would go up to $143. A $23 box of diapers would increase to $29.90. A pair of children's shoes which costs $20 would go up to $26. And who bears the brunt of this tax increase? Hard working middle class people. This bill is also opposed by the business community. Business needs to know what the tax law will be so they can make informed and rational economic decisions. Ignorance about the tax consequences of investment decisions could have a crippling effect on the economy. That's why the National Association of Realtors, National Association of Manufacturers, Mortgage Bankers Association and National Small Business United have publicly opposed this proposal as irresponsible. Finally, the Republican plan to scrap the code would also scrap the American Dream for millions of working families who depend on the mortgage interest deduction and the deduction for real property taxes to afford their home. Today, the average mortgage interest deduction for the 29 million Americans who have home mortgage expenses is almost $7,000. I urge my colleagues to reject this radical proposal. Let's work together for the real tax reform.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, if I may ask the gentleman one or two questions, when might we expect the second rule for campaign finance reform to come up next week?

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I want to inquire about the schedule for next week, and I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert).

Ms. DeLAURO. Wednesday, June 17?

Ms. DeLAURO. And are there any late nights expected next week?

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I stand today in strong support of the Conyers Amendment. The provisions in this amendment will strengthen the Child Protection & Sexual Predator Punishment Act and help us continue our work to combat domestic violence. Every nine seconds, as we stand here on the House floor, another woman will be physically abused. Three-quarters of these women will be assaulted by someone they know. It is impossible for us to know how many cases of this appalling crime go unreported. The Violence Against Women Act has helped us to combat this problem by providing grants to states to help set up rape crisis hotlines, counseling programs, and professional training for police officers to help them recognize and deal with domestic violence. The Conyers Amendment will strengthen the Violence Against Women Act. It contains provisions to help limit the effects of violence on children, to help prevent sexual assault from ever happening, and to protect women who have been the victims of domestic violence. Mr. Speaker, when we pass the Child Protection and Sexual Predator Punishment Act, Congress will be taking a tremendous step to protect our children from harm that could come to them over the Internet. We must also pass the Conyers Amendment, to protect them and their mothers from harm at home. Let's commit ourselves to ending domestic violence so that women and children are safe in their own homes. Vote yes on the Conyers Amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, once again the Republicans are trying to kill meaningful campaign finance reform by allowing hundreds of irrelevant amendments and scheduling debate on campaign finance reform in the wee hours of the night. Do not just take my word for it. The New York Times called the GOP tactics a ``death by amendment strategy,'' and a ``filibuster in disguise.'' The Los Angeles Times calls it ``a dirty ploy.'' Even Republican Congressman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) has admitted that, We tried squelching it first, this is a quote, ``now we are going to try to talk it to death.'' Perhaps USA Today said it best, ``Republican leaders are sparing no device in their efforts to keep the flood of special interest money flowing.'' I call on the Republican leadership of the House, stop listening to the special interests. Start listening to the American people. Let us pass real campaign finance reform. Let us past the Meehan-Shays bill today.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I am not here to speak about the CATS' meow. Mr. Chairman, here we go again. To placate the extremists, the Republican leadership has brought to the floor a budget which is so extreme that the Republican Senate Committee on the Budget chairman has called it a mockery. Republican Governors say that this Republican budget violates the agreements that were made with the States. The chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the Senate says that Congress cannot function with this Republican budget. Mr. Chairman, budgets are not just about numbers, budgets are about values. Budgets are about priorities, and they are about who we are as a Nation. Let us take a look at the Republican values, as illustrated in the Kasich budget, the Republican budget. The budget fails to preserve Social Security. It would cut health services to seniors, to pregnant women and children who cannot afford health insurance. It would cut an additional $10 billion out of veterans' health care services, and it shortchanges our future by killing investments in child care and in education. I ask the Members, are these the kinds of values that we are about in the United States of America? This budget eliminates the investment in improving the quality of early childhood education, to help children start school ready to learn. It eliminates child care assistance to the working poor, so they can leave welfare, go to work, and be able to know that their kids are safe. I ask Americans, does this budget reflect their values? It eliminates Title I funds to help our most disadvantaged children catch up to their peers in school. Does this really reflect our values? It eliminates funds to help teachers update their curriculum, to teach our youngsters to the highest standards. It eliminates funds to modernize schools, and to put computers in every classroom. I ask the Members, does this budget reflect American values? The budget eliminates funds to increase the number of qualified teachers in the early grades. Mr. Chairman, this does not reflect our values. The Republican budget walks away from the needs of children, it walks away from the needs of American families, it walks away from American values. We ought to oppose it. The papers in the last few days have characterized this as budget baloney, budget theatrics, budget mockery. Let us defeat the Kasich budget. It is wrong for the values of the United States of America.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the Republican budget is a sham, rosy scenarios in cuts that will be named later, a plan that would unravel the bipartisan balanced budget agreement. But just do not take my word for it. Here is what other Republicans are saying about the GOP smoke and mirrors. Quote: ``I can tell you there is no way for this committee to carry out its business in the next 5 years under the Kasich plan.'' That is the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Here is what the Washington Post says about the Republican budget, and I quote: ``To promise an election year tax cut on the strength of unlikely spending cuts to be named later, all the while preaching fiscal responsibility, would be a triple fraud.'' Let us end the triple fraud. We know where the Republican cuts will come, if they would only name those cuts. It will be education, it will be health care. They would jeopardize Social Security. End the triple fraud. Let us be honest about the numbers. Show us the cuts.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, for more than 200 years the Bill of Rights has protected our liberties and has served as an example to the world of how democracy can work. The United States is the most religiously diverse and the most religious Nation in the world. Fifty percent of Americans go to church at least once a week or more. Our religiosity, our religious quality makes us a strong Nation. The separation of church and State spelled out so eloquently in the Bill of Rights by our Founding Fathers has allowed people with very, very diverse views to live together in peace and to flourish for hundreds of years. But now for the first time in our Nation's history we have an amendment that would change the Bill of Rights. Children can pray in school right now any time they like, so long as the prayer is not organized by the school. They can hold a prayer group, a Bible study class during lunch, recess or study hall or in a classroom at the end of the day. They can close their eyes and they can pray silently right at their desk or any time that they wish. And, yes, they can even pray before a math test. There are Bible clubs and prayer clubs all over this country. The Istook amendment would jeopardize that freedom and dangerously politicize religion. This amendment would, for the first time in our Nation's history, allow for government-sponsored religion. It would allow for the imposition of government into our citizen's private religious beliefs. It would allow town councils to set an official prayer. It would allow government to fund religious activities. That is why we have such a broad coalition of mainstream religious groups who oppose this amendment: The National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.; the Episcopal Church; the United Church of Christ; the United Methodist Church; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; the Religious Action Center of Reformed Judaism, and many others. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support religious freedom. Support the flourishing of religion in America in the proud tradition fostered by the first amendment. Support the Bill of Rights and vote against the Istook amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to support passage of S. 1150, the conference report on the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes these programs for five years. Funding provided through this authorization is used by state research centers to protect and improve the use of crops. Three weeks ago, I spoke against the rule that would have allowed a vote on this legislation. The rule, if passed, could have stopped funding for food and nutrition assistance. Today we have a chance to vote on a clean bill. This bill contains funding for some of the most important research done in this country. In my congressional district, scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station have used U.S. Department of Agriculture grants to fund research on ticks that cause Lyme Disease and on yew trees that produce Taxol to fight breast and ovarian cancer. I support today's bill because it ensures that 250,000 individuals and families will receive needed hunger assistance. I also support this bill because it provides for research that saves lives. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this important legislation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the voters of California for rejecting Proposition 226. Republican leaders in the House were supporting this initiative in order to silence the voices of American workers and America's working families. And by voting down Proposition 226, California voters stood up for their right to participate in the political process. Right now, working families do not have enough say in our political process. In 1996, wealthy corporations and business representatives poured more than $650 million into campaigns, 11 times what labor unions, the representatives of working Americans, were able to spend. We need to pass genuine campaign finance reform that increases the participation of average working families and limits the role of wealthy special interests. We need less money in our political process. We need to restore Americans' faith in our political process. We need to pass meaningful campaign finance reform today.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentlewoman from New York. I applaud her and commend her for the work that she has been doing over, it is more than several months, it is the last couple of years, on this issue. She has been indefatigable and once more oftentimes crying out in the wilderness alone on this issue, but she has really brought to everyone's attention the importance of the accuracy of the census. Census counting happens only every 10 years. The goal, as she has said, is to have accuracy, to be cost effective, and to allow for every single American to be counted amongst the population of this country. I was listening to her comments and the comments of the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) and wishing I was in Houston. This sounded like a wonderful effort, if you will, to bring life to the numbers. Because these are not just numbers, they are not numbers on a page, it is not statistics. This is flesh and blood, real human beings who mean something in this Nation. We are a Nation of people. The necessity for statistical sampling in the year 2000 will guarantee a fair count, an accurate count for all Americans. In our Connecticut delegation, and I am delighted to see the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) on the floor, we were locked arm in arm, Republicans and Democrats, in support of sampling when the House voted on this issue in September. This is not a partisan issue. The men, women and children in this Nation are all Americans. This is not a partisan issue. It should not be a political issue. The only way to achieve this fair count, as has been stated over and over again tonight, is with statistical sampling. This reduces the error rate to .1 percent. It would complement and not replace the traditional method of counting. The Census Bureau would avoid undercounts, again that has been said, of minorities, children, seniors, everyone in this country. We have to have a full and accurate picture as we enter into a new century. We cannot fulfill our obligations and our responsibilities to help Americans succeed in their everyday life, in that struggle to create a better way of life for their families and for their communities. I would say to my colleagues who went to Houston, I do not know if there are any more opportunities, if you will, to be on the road, because people are not paying attention to this issue. It does not come up around their kitchen table. The issues that come up around our kitchen tables are, Will we have enough money to get our children to school? What is going to happen with our retirement? What is our security all about? Am I going to be eligible for Social Security and for Medicare and a whole variety of other kinds of programs, and education programs that the Federal Government participates in? That is why we need to bring this issue to the American public so that when they are thinking about those kitchen table issues and in those discussions that in fact the census and the counting of all Americans has a direct bearing on the ability, their own ability in their families to participate in some of these efforts. We have all said on this floor that government is not going to solve all of people's problems. We cannot do that. But we sure as heck have the obligation to help people in crafting the tools that they need to meet the challenges in their lives. The census, if you will, is a blueprint and an infrastructure in order to look at some of these programs and who is eligible for them. Each year census data determines the distribution of $170 billion in Federal spending. As we have all said, the dollars go to programs, Social Security, Medicare, road improvements, child care for low-income families, for middle-income families, Head Start, school lunch programs. It saves us money in sampling. With the use of sampling, the census will cost $4 billion. Without it, as I understand it, it will cost $7.2 billion. I would just say, and I have said that this is not a partisan issue, but I will say that the leadership on the other side of the aisle, the Republican leadership, I believe is playing politics with the American people when, as we have characterized, this should not be a part of the debate. Some of the claims on the sampling from the majority leadership in this body is that sampling will delete responses to the census. This is not true. There are people on this floor tonight who have spent a lot more time with this issue and can address it. No responses will be deleted. Instead, it is the Republican plan, the Republican leadership's plan of avoiding sampling that in fact will delete important populations across the Nation from the count. Often we hear on this floor that what we ought to do is to run government more like a business. I will just say that America's largest corporations use statistical sampling every single day. They base billions of dollars on the results, and their decisions, which are billions of dollars, are directly based on these statistical sampling results. What we do not want to do is what happened in the last census, is that as many as 10 million people were not counted. We need to correct that. Let me say that, further, we should put this question to the American people. We have two options. One will give us inaccurate information. It will cost more. The other will provide accurate information and cost less. Sometimes we wonder why we are even having a debate on an issue when it is as clear-cut and when there is bipartisan support in this effort. Nevertheless, there is a debate. I applaud my colleagues for taking out this special order. I think in fact what we need to do is to bring this issue, as unglamorous sometimes as it is, but we need to bring it to the attention of the American public, because so much of what their lives are about is going to be determined by how in fact we do count every single American in this country. I want to thank my colleagues for asking me to join in this effort tonight. I look forward to the continuing weeks when we will have more debate on this issue on the floor of the House. I thank the gentlewoman.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this rule. Funding provided through this authorization is used by State research centers to protect and to approve the use of crops. This rule jeopardizes some of the most important research that is done in this country. In my congressional district, scientists at the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station have used U.S. Department of Agriculture grants to fund research on ticks that causes Lyme disease and yew trees that produce taxol in order to fight breast and ovarian cancer. I am dismayed that some in this body will try to stop a carefully crafted compromise bill. As one of my colleagues said earlier, this is a political bill. It is going to stop funding that is available to legal immigrants in this country, food and nutrition programs. It is shameful. I urge my colleagues to vote against this rule.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to join in congratulating my colleagues, particularly Chairman Shuster and Congressman Oberstar, for their hard work in bringing BESTEA to the floor. This legislation is critical to the upkeep and development of our Nation's transportation system. I am particularly pleased that innovative financing for highway and mass transit projects has been included in this legislation, which I worked for in the House. Innovative financing will help fill annual transportation funding shortfalls by using limited federal dollars to attract private capital for the construction of federal highways and worthy transit projects. For every $100 million invested by the government, we can attract $1 billion in private capital. BESTEA is also good for Connecticut. It creates true ``equity'' for the state of Connecticut. In addition, as part of Connecticut's overall funding, this legislation contains funding that will enable the City of New Haven to begin work on I-95 at Long Wharf. This project will enhance the safety of this section of I-95 between New York and Boston, improve access to high speed rail, and recomment New Haven to its harbor front. I urge my colleagues to pass BESTEA. It's good for our Nation's transportation system. It's good for workers. And it's good for commerce.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Chairman, Americans want fundamental change or a complete overhaul of the campaign finance system. They want meaningful limits on the out-of-control money in politics, and they want it now. We need to end the abuses of the electoral process, ban soft money, rein in the exploitation of issue ads and bring elections back home to the American people. During this debate the Republican leadership will try to change the topic and, yes, to sell snake oil. It will try to turn attention away from all the good ideas that are out there to truly reform our elections and, instead, will try to focus debate on proposals specifically devised to bury elections deeper in the pockets of big money and of their special interests, to silence the voices of working men and women, and to kill reform. Do not be fooled by the Republican leadership's all smoke and mirrors routine. Americans are tired of the games. We have the votes in this House to pass real reform. It is the Republican leadership that would thwart the will of this House and thwart the will of the American public. Vote for Shays-Meehan, vote for a victory for the American people. Give their voices back to democracy.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the message the American people are sending us is clear: Reform our campaign finance system; reform it now. The Republican leadership does not get that message. They do not want to get that message. There was a famous handshake three years ago with President Clinton. The Speaker said he was going to have a vote on campaign finance reform. Time and again that vote has been delayed. He promised a vote in March. It is May; we are still waiting. Keep in mind the Speaker is in charge of this House. If he wanted a vote on campaign finance reform, we would have that vote tonight. That is what we ought to be doing, instead of delay and delay on this issue. And speaking of delay, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), the Republican Majority Whip, is working vigorously to kill campaign finance reform. You should clap. We all know what you are doing. The Republican leadership thinks we need more money in this political system. They would lift current limits on campaign contributions. They would increase the influence of the wealthiest in this country. Point of Order

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the Republicans are up to their old tricks again, ``Doolittle'' and ``DeLay.'' Despite his famous handshake with President Clinton in the summer of 1995, Speaker Gingrich has done little to pass real campaign finance reform. In fact, what he has said is that we need more money in our political system. He supports the bill of the gentleman from California (Mr. Doolittle) to remove what limits there already are in place on campaign contributions. Meanwhile, the Republican leadership has delayed a vote on real reform in this House. They initially promised a full and fair vote in March. It is now May, and we are still waiting. Meanwhile, the Republican Whip, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tom Delay), third ranking member in this body, he is leading the effort to kill real reform. I think it is time for the Republican party to stop delaying and to please do something about campaign finance reform. Stop listening to the wealthy and to the special interests. Start listening to average working Americans in this country. Vote for real campaign finance reform. Vote for the bipartisan Meehan-Shays bill.