Rosa DeLauro

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate my Republican colleagues on the speed with which they have brought these two resolutions to the floor of the House. Clearly, investigations of wrongdoing are serious matters and ones which this House ought to consider, to be very serious about, to debate thoroughly, and no one questions that. No one questions that in this body because it, in fact, is our responsibility as public officials. Let me just mention to my colleagues that there are a number of issues, serious issues, which the Republican leadership in this House has stalled on, refused to bring to this floor. Now, as we are prepared to recess, to go off for the Memorial Day holiday, and we will leave here tomorrow afternoon, I join with the American people, with Americans across this country in wondering and conjecturing why this House has not addressed and voted on the critical issue of campaign finance reform. The chairman of the Committee on Rules has cited various transgressions of campaign financing. If that is the case, why does this body not have the time to vote to fix up a broken-down campaign finance system? If we are genuine about wanting to reform that system and to prevent transgressions, then we would be voting on that issue today. Why does the Republican leadership not bring up the Patient Bill of Rights to this floor with equal speed? Millions of Americans are crying out for protection from unscrupulous health insurance companies, and every single day patients are denied, they are denied, the information and the health care that they have paid their insurance companies to give out to them. What the American people support is congressional action to protect the doctor's ability to make medical decisions along with patients without interference from insurance companies, bureaucrats and accountants. Why has that bill not been brought to this House when there is tremendous bipartisan support for that legislation in this body? That is what we should be voting on today. We have other health issues to debate. My Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act has 218 votes, enough to pass this House. This would say that women cannot be treated as outpatients for a mastectomy. Women today in this country are going home less than 24 hours after a mastectomy, with drainage tubes, groggy from anesthesia. We have the votes in this House to pass that bill, and they refuse to allow it to be brought to the floor. That is what we should be passing today in this body. Why are we not doing something about child care legislation so that working families today will have the opportunity to go to work but to feel that they have affordable, safe child care in which their kids can thrive and be ready for the future? Why have we not done anything about education and passing a modernization bill that says that what we are going to do is to make class sizes smaller; have better and tougher standards? Why can we not have education legislation in this House that, in fact, says let us reduce the size of our classes? Let us make it a better atmosphere, with tougher standards for more opportunity and a better environment for our kids to learn? That is what we should be debating in this House today. That is what we should be passing on. That is what parents are concerned about, and rightly so. And, in fact, why are we not debating in this House tobacco legislation? They are doing that in the other body today. Why do we not want to prevent underage kids from being able to smoke and a tobacco industry that has targeted 12 years old? An R. J. Reynolds report in 1984 says that 12 years old are replacement smokers. They are the new revenue stream. Three thousand of our kids take up smoking every single day; 1,000 of them will die from a tobacco-related illness. That is what this body ought to be debating, is how we prevent our children from smoking and how we prevent the tobacco industry from targeting our young people. That is what our obligation is. That is what our responsibility is. But this House is too busy. This House is too busy to consider all of this legislation. Let me just say that these resolutions have been brought up in an instant. That is the prerogative of the majority in this body, to bring up legislation, to schedule it, to get it passed. The majority in this body has decided to bring up an investigation. And we should investigate. Again, I said at the outset no one questions our need to investigate. But the American people are crying out for a Congress, for a House of Representatives that says do something about my living standard, do something about my ability to get my kids to school, do something about my health insurance and my retirement security, do something about preventing my kids from using tobacco and illness and potentially death. That is what our obligation is here today. We should take it seriously and be true public servants.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Lowey- Harman amendment. This amendment restores, this is essentially what it does, it restores equal access to safe medical treatment for U.S. military servicewomen, military dependents who are stationed overseas. It reinstates a policy that would allow these women to use their own private funds to obtain a legal abortion or abortion services in military hospitals overseas. Women who joined the military to protect our rights should not have to check their constitutional rights at the border. Let me emphasize several points about the amendment. First, the amendment would not allow Federal funds to be used to pay for abortions. It simply allows women to use their own funds. It is worth repeating because we can never say it often enough, it does not get understood. Their own funds. Women use their own funds to pay for services in military hospitals overseas. Second, the amendment would not force doctors to perform abortions due to the conscience clause that exists in the military services. No medical personnel would be forced to participate in or perform these services. Third, this in not a new policy. Privately funded abortions were allowed overseas at military facilities from 1973 to 1988, including all but a few months of the Reagan administration. And then they were permitted again under an executive order between 1993 and 1996. The current ban is an exception. It is not the rule. The ban is a direct attack on the rights of American women who valiantly served their country. They put their lives on the line every single day. I urge my colleagues to please ensure that female military personnel and military dependents have access to safe and legal medical care that the men in our Armed Forces do and which they deserve. Vote ``yes'' on the Lowey-Harman amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to decry the use of taxpayer funds for an investigation that has in fact turned into nothing more than a partisan political witch hunt. According to yesterday's Washington Post, the investigation of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) ``began more than a year ago and has cost several million dollars,'' yet has ``produced little information beyond what was disclosed during a similar investigation by the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.'' Meanwhile, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) has blatantly abused his power by unilaterally issuing over 500 subpoenas, releasing tapes of personal, private conversations and altering the content of those tapes to suit his own political purposes. It is time to restore some integrity to this investigation. It is time to end this waste of taxpayer money. It is time for the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) to step down as head of this investigation.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Harold Lovell of Stratford, Connecticut on the occasion of tonight's testimonial dinner being held in his honor. As Harold, or ``Bud'' as he is affectionately known to his friends, is honored this evening, I would like to join his many well-wishers in paying tribute to a man who has spent his life enriching his community and serving others. Bud was born in 1910, raised in Stratford, and educated in Stratford schools. He then continued his studies at DePauw University and graduated in 1934. Bud began his career at the Bridgeport Post Publishing Company soon after graduating from DePauw. It was there that he honed his skills in writing and editing--skills he has used with great success ever since. Bud left the Post Publishing Company and began his distinguished tenure as editor of the Stratford News. After a prestigious career with the News, Bud left journalism to run his family's business, the H.C. Lovell Hardware and Equipment Company--a Stratford institution since 1783. Throughout his life, Bud has never strayed from his commitment to his community. He has dedicated countless hours to organizations such as the Stratford YMCA and the American Shakespeare Festival Theater, but his greatest pastime has been his membership in the Lions Club of Stratford. The most senior member of the club, Bud epitomizes the selfless commitment that is the very basis for the Lions. A member since 1956, Bud has served as President and Zone Chairman. He has won several awards in recognition of his good works, including the Melvin Jones Fellow award for his exceptional service to the blind. A dedicated family man, Bud has been married to his wife Lulu Klein for almost half a century. It has been said that ``the good that men do, lives after them,'' and the many good works of Bud Lovell will echo for generations in his home of Stratford, and beyond.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church of New Haven, Connecticut on the occasion on its 180th anniversary. Blessed with a vibrant and thriving congregation, Varick's history reflects the words of its motto, ''Each One Reach One, Each One Teach One, Each One Save One'' Established in 1818 by 35 former slaves, Varick's philosophy reflects the history of this great church. These newly freed men and women first sought to worship at the First Methodist Church. However, Bishop James Varick of the A.M.E. Church of New York soon convinced the group to join with his movement. From its very inception, this parish family has reached out in fellowship to the Dixwell and Greater New Haven Community. In its earliest days the parsonage of the church served on the Underground Railroad, which was led by an A.M.E. Zion Church member named Harriet Tubman. The church's mission of outreach brought countless distinguished men and women to its pulpit, including educator Booker T. Washington and Civil War hero E. George Biddle. The distinguished ranks of the pastors of Varick Church include six men who went on to enlighten even more people by becoming A.M.E. Zion Bishops. This year, Varick has the honor of hosting the 1998 New England A.M.E. Zion Church Annual Conference. As their members gather in fellowship, I rise to salute their tireless ministry. Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church has changed the face of New Haven through its moral guidance and unwavering commitment to improving our community. I join with Varick in celebrating their first 180 years, and thank them for their continued faithful service to the many families whose lives have been changed by the good works of Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the bill we are about to send to conference is yet another attempt by the Republican leadership to drain precious dollars away from our public schools and put them into private schools. In fact, an analysis by the Treasury Department found that 70 percent of the benefits of the Private School Expense Act would go to families making $93,000 a year or more. The average middle-class family would find itself with a measly $10 benefit a year, not nearly enough to cover the costs of a private high school, which is typically about $4,500. 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 put computers in the classroom. We need to modernize and rewire all school buildings so that they can support the technology that is so essential for success in the 21st century. We need to invest in laboratories so that students have hands- on experience with science and have the chance to experiment and challenge themselves with new opportunities. We need to let public education do what it has always done in this great Nation of ours, be the great equalizer, allowing children in this country to succeed despite what their race, their creed, their gender or their economic status is. We need to improve our public schools. Let us get to work on legislation that is going to help America's children, not just the token few. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on the Rangel motion to instruct.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with this House a headline from the front page of this morning's Washington Post: ``Burton apologizes to GOP.'' It seems that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Dan Burton) has told his Republican colleagues that he is sorry for bungling the investigation meant to score political points against the President. How about an apology to all of the Members of this body for subverting the investigative process and tarnishing the integrity of this House? How about an apology to the American people for violating their trust, for an abuse of power and distortion of the truth? The gentleman from Indiana has put himself above the law. No one is above the law. I would like to quote the Hartford Courant, who editorialized this week, and I quote: People have much to fear from an elected official who takes such liberties and abuses his power. The gentleman is a poor excuse for a public servant. It is time for the chairman of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight to step down.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Communications Satellite Competition and Privatization Act. This bill will privatize the two Intergovernmental Satellite Organizations, Intelsat and Inmarsat--opening the international satellite market to the wide range of American firms eager to compete in it. American ideas and ingenuity have made this country great. It is our responsibility, as members of Congress, to encourage these values, not stifle them. Passage of this bill also will represent a victory for average American consumers. Privatization of this market will save consumers as much as $2.9 billion over the next decade. At a time when American men and women work hard every day to find new ways to make ends meet for their families, it is essential that we help them in their search. We need a modern satellite market that provides America and the world with high-quality products at affordable prices. We need to continue to encourage the hard work and innovation that has made this nation a world leader. Support the Communications Satellite Competition and Privatization Act.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman, has seriously threatened the integrity of the House and its ability to conduct a fair investigation. First, the gentleman released tapes which, as the Washington Post states today, mainly deal with ``highly personal matters of no conceivable relevance to any public inquiry.'' We discover that the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), chairman, is so determined to smear the President that he doctored those tapes and he altered the content to suit his own purposes. We have a responsibility to investigate any wrongdoing, but the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) and Speaker Gingrich have a responsibility to conduct that investigation fairly and impartially. The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) and Speaker Gingrich have proven themselves incapable of being either fair or impartial. I call on them to remove themselves immediately from this investigation. Stop diverting attention away from the real issues, the issues that the American people want this House to consider: managed care reform, improving our public schools, and enacting real campaign reform. Let us put an end to this partisan investigation and let us get to work.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, the reporting provisions in the Higher Education Act represent a highly inappropriate Federal intrusion into the affairs of our Nation's colleges and universities. I rise in support of the Roemer amendment to strike those provisions. Congress should not be in the business of interfering in the budgeting decisions of our Nation's colleges. The Higher Education Act contains important provisions to help our students pay for the rapidly rising costs of college. Yet the reporting provisions in the bill would make it even more difficult for schools to make the tough decisions that will help them to keep tuition costs down. That is why the NCAA supports the Roemer amendment. These reporting provisions are an attempt to force colleges and universities to blame any reductions in men's sports on increases of women's sports. This is a backdoor attempt to weaken Title IX. This is not about men's teams versus women's teams. We are all on the same team here. We all win when our young women have the opportunity to challenge themselves, to strive to succeed to improve their confidence. I urge my colleagues to allow our colleges and universities the autonomy to make their own decisions. Vote for the Roemer amendment.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this closed rule and this misguided bill. As we move into the 21st century, Congress must work to ensure the success, not just of individual students, but of all of our young people. My mother worked in a sweatshop earning 2 cents for each collar she stitched onto a shirt. She never dreamed that one day her child would be a member of the United States Congress. But education is a great equalizer in this Nation. It affords the child of a garment worker the same opportunities as the children of university professors and business leaders. Our public school system needs help, but siphoning Federal money, public money from our public schools will not solve the problems. We must improve public schools for all of our children, not to provide an out for a select few which will further degrade the educational quality for those who remain. We need to reduce class size. We need to create an environment where children will learn, put computers in the classroom, enacting high standards to make sure that our kids are learning, and create that environment, as I have said. And when we reduce that class size, when we put more reading teachers in the classroom, we give our kids a greater opportunity. But that is not what the Republican leadership in this House is talking about. They have no interest in improving public education in this country. Instead, they would take money from the public schools, give it to private schools. They would provide vouchers for just 2,000 students in the District of Columbia, 3 percent of the kids who go to school here. This is an experiment which they want to carry across the country. Vouchers have been voted down in State referendums, declared unconstitutional by our State courts, even declared a failure in towns where the experiment has been tried. In Cleveland, test scores for students who moved to private schools with vouchers did not improve. Even more disturbing, an audit found that the biggest beneficiaries in the Cleveland area to this experiment were the taxi drivers, because they were taking these children to schools, private schools, by taxi. Vouchers will not solve the problems in our public schools, they will just create new ones. If our goal is truly to improve public education in this country, vouchers just do not make the grade. Let us abandon this experiment, an experiment on our children. We do not need any more experiments on our children in this country. We need to make sure that they get the finest education. Let us improve our public schools. Let us cut down the class size. Let us make more reading teachers available. Let us make sure they are wired up to computers and the Internet. That is where the future of our children lie, not in the voucher experiment on the kids of this country. Announcement By The Speaker Pro Tempore

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. A college education has become a virtual necessity for success, but the rising cost of tuition has put that diploma further and further out of reach for many students. I am particularly glad that this bill makes more funds available for financial aid programs, and especially Pell Grants, which help open the doors of college to America's neediest students. Increasing the maximum Pell Grant from $3,000 to $4,500 may not sound like a lot, but to many students it makes all the difference in the world. Now that we have authorized more funds for Pell Grants, I encourage my colleagues to work together to support a budget that makes that money available to students who are depending on this financial aid to pay for their college education. It does no good to authorize increases if we do not make the money available to make those increases real. I am also pleased that we have worked out a compromise that will lower the interest rates on student loans. But I am concerned about the billion dollar pay off we are giving to lending institutions. This money will actually make student loans more profitable for banks than the typical loan portfolio. We should put that funding toward financial aid programs and helping students--not bankers. But overall, I believe this bill does the right thing in making college accessible to more Americans, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the Republican leadership is playing politics with their refusal to act on one of the most addictive drugs around: nicotine. The truth is that, according to the Center for Disease Control, teens who smoke are three times more likely than nonsmokers to use alcohol, eight times more likely to use marijuana, and 22 times more likely to use cocaine. Yet the Republican leadership refuses to bring legislation to the floor of this House that could drastically reduce teen smoking, perhaps because the tobacco companies are the single largest corporate contributors to the Republican Party. Every day the Republican leadership fails to schedule debate on the tobacco issue, 3,000 more American kids will pick up this deadly habit, and 1,000 of them will eventually die of a tobacco-related illness. Mr. Speaker, if the Republican leadership truly wants to save lives, they should schedule a vote on comprehensive tobacco legislation today.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I believe that public health policy ought to be driven by science, by concern by human life, not by ideology and politics. Extensive studies of needle exchange programs, such as the one in the City of New Haven which I represent, have documented that needle exchange programs do not increase drug use. They do save lives. Do not take my word for it. Yale University's study of the New Haven needle exchange program found that it reduced transmission of HIV per capita by 33 percent each year. In fact, New Haven Chief of Police Melvin Waring and New Haven Mayor John DeStefano believe that the needle exchange program has made New Haven, Connecticut a safer community. I have a letter from the chief of police and from the mayor which I will include in the Record, where they write, ``Needle exchange has contributed greatly to public health and public safety. Our police officers are grateful for the needle exchange programs.'' I understand the concerns of many here in the House. We should never condone drugs. Needle exchange programs have a clear purpose, to save lives.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, last night Members from both sides of the aisle stood together in their commitment to doubling our nation's investment in biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health. I wasn't able to join them last night but want to add my voice to theirs in support increasing support for the NIH. Disease is not a Democratic or a Republican issue. It is a human issue. Bad health can strike any one--man or woman, old or young, rich or poor, of any religion or race or background. We know that scientists are on the cusp of extraordinary breakthroughs to treat and cure deadly diseases like cancer which kill hundreds of thousands of people a year--a very real plague on our society. With just a little more time and research funding, we can make huge strides into treating--and preventing--debilitating conditions like diabetes, asthma and Parkinson's. With enough scientific research, we can make Alzheimer's disease a plague of the past and improve the quality of life for millions of senior citizens and the families who love and care for them. But all of this promising, life-saving research costs money. We can't just sit back and hope that treatments and cures fall into our hands. They won't. If we want to cure, and prevent, deadly diseases, we need to make a long-term investment into biomedical research. That begs an important question: where will the money come from to cure cancer, to solve the mysteries of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, to end diabetes? And increasing our knowledge of basic science does us no good if we don't put it to use in hospitals, in doctor's offices--and in programs to prevent disease in the first place. Right now we spend only one percent of a trillion dollar health care budget on prevention. But again--prevention programs do us no good if people do not have access to health care. And today, 44 million Americans, many of them working full time, still can not afford access to quality health care. I strongly believe that we should use funds from tobacco legislation to pay for health research. For years, the tobacco industry lied to the American people--and people around the world--about the addictiveness and health consequences of smoking. Tobacco companies paid for biased research that concluded smoking doesn't cause cancer. Tobacco executives pressured scientists to suppress important new findings about the negative health consequences of smoking--and even worse, buried research showing how to avoid those health problems. In 1993 alone, Americans spent more than $50 billion to treat health problems associated with smoking. It is only right that a portion of the funds from any tobacco settlement goes to improve health care and cure the diseases that cigarettes caused. The Smoke-Free and Healthy Children Act, which I introduced in the House and which Senator Kennedy introduced in the other body, is the only piece of legislation right now which increases funding for the NIH and provides a source of revenue for those funds. By raising the price of cigarettes by $1.50 a pack, we will not only put smoking further out of the reach of children--which is our overriding goal with any piece of tobacco legislation--but we will raise $10 billion a year for NIH research. At a time when we are operating under enormous budget constraints, and working to continue our investment in health research without busting the budget agreement, the Smoke-Free and Healthy Children Act presents us with the perfect solution. Raise money for health care while reducing teen smoking. It makes perfect sense. I thank my colleagues again for organizing this special order to give us the opportunity to speak about the importance of doubling our investment in finding treatments and cures for disease. I urge my colleagues to support increased funding for the National Institutes of Health by supporting the Smoke-Free and Healthy Children Act.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the National Dialogue on Social Security Act. Social Security is one of our greatest success stories. For over 60 years, since its creation by President Franklin Roosevelt, it has been an independent provider of financial security to hard-working men and women in their retirement years. When we consider its success, prior to Social Security's enactment, retirement meant insecurity and poverty for too many of our senior citizens. Today the program has become a safety net for millions of seniors and their families. It is estimated that without Social Security, over half of the elderly would be living in poverty. We are all aware of the demographic shifts that threaten the solvency of the Social Security system in the next 30 years. It is our responsibility as Members of Congress to unite Americans in the effort to reform and preserve Social Security. It must be there, not just for our generation, but for our children and our grandchildren, too. I caution my colleagues, however, any change must be thoughtfully debated and carefully considered. Any reform must strengthen Social Security's future while maintaining the underlying philosophy which is the foundation of its success, a guarantee of financial stability for the elderly. Contrary to what some of my Republican colleagues believe, we cannot play fast and loose with Social Security. It must not become just another investment vehicle subject to the uncertainty and the fickleness of the market. That is not a guarantee. It also should not be sacrificed for tax cuts or experiments with personal retirement accounts. Social Security must come first. The guarantee of a secure retirement must come first. I support recommitting this bill for amendment to save the budget surplus until Congress takes real action on Social Security. The time for reform is now, but it must be real reform. We must guarantee that American men and women who work hard, pay their taxes, and play by the rules will not have to struggle in their golden years. I look forward to the coming discussion of how we, in fact, preserve Social Security, support real reform, support future generations, support the dialogue.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Courtland Seymour Wilson, Executive Director of the Hill Development Corporation on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Over the course of his life, Mr. Wilson has built a wonderful legacy of community and political activism that has improved his city and the world in which we live. Born and raised in New Haven, Mr. Wilson attended school and worked there until enlisting in the United States Army. During World War II he saw active duty in both Italy and North Africa, returning to New Haven in 1945 having achieved the rank of Master Sergeant. As dedicated an activist as he is a worker, Mr. Wilson's career began as a machinist in several shops in New Haven where he strived to organize his fellow workers. He served on the Executive Committee and as Treasurer of the International Association of Machinists local of the AFL-CIO. Courtland Wilson did not however, contain his activism to the workplace. His efforts for equality and justice led to his Presidency of the New Haven chapter of the NAACP, and the founding of both the Hill Parent's Association--precursor to the Hill Development Corporation--and the New Haven Black Coalition. This dynamic synergy of community and job politics led to his transition from machinist to staff activist at Yale University. Mr. Wilson was hired by Yale to desegregate their School of Medicine during a period of hiring and enrollment reforms. From Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the Medical School, Mr. Wilson moved to Yale-New Haven Hospital's Office of Government and Community Relations where he worked until his ``retirement'' in 1985. During his tenure at Yale-New Haven, he sat on many local and state governing boards, and is a lecturer at the Yale School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. For the past 13 years he has been the Executive Director of the Hill Development Corporation, working diligently to ensure every family's right to decent, affordable housing. For his countless efforts and contributions to New Haven, Mr. Wilson was given the Elm Award in 1995, the city's highest honor. In addition to his esteemed years of service, Courtland Wilson raised his usually low profile by winning his first elected office, that of Democratic Party Ward Co-Chair, at age 78. A man who loves life, Courtland Wilson enjoys the company of his wife of 56 years, Ruth, and his children, Courtland H., Jon, Ruthia, and Peter, as well as the company of his many grandchildren and great- grandchildren. As his family and friends gather to celebrate his eight decades of improving our world, I rise today to wish him a happy and healthy birthday, and to thank him for his countless, tireless contributions.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate my colleagues, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman); and I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of the joint resolution congratulating Israel on the 50th anniversary of its founding. Today, we mark one of the monumental achievements of the 20th century, the birth of Israel. In 1948, as the Jewish community and the world was trying to come to terms with the awful brutality of the holocaust, a miraculous thing occurred: The very people who had been victims of the most vicious genocide the world has ever known emerged strengthened and hopeful. And the Jewish people forged that enduring strength and hope into a mission to build a new homeland, Israel. The war had devastated the Jewish community of Europe, but in Israel there was a new determination to build a new community, a new nation and a secure future. The founders of Israel understood that only by uniting in a common land, with a common language, a common culture could the Jewish people and their heritage survive. Israel was dedicated not only to physical survival but the survival of the Jewish religious traditions, ethnic customs and history. Israel's 50th anniversary is a reminder of the courage and strength of the human spirit and what it can accomplish. Against all odds and enemies, the people of Israel have united to build a strong nation. It has not been an easy journey, but it has been a triumphant one. Americans have had the honor over the past five decades to help the brave men and women of Israel in their fight to make their dream a reality, and today we unite with them in the effort to bring peace to the region. Congratulations to the people of Israel. May you continue to serve as examples of courage, vigilance and dedication to the world.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, last night a number of my colleagues, led by Congressman Jerry Nadler and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, paid tribute to the late Bella Abzug. I want to lend my voice to theirs in honoring this remarkable woman. It is particularly fitting that we honor her this week, after we watched two new women members be sworn in. We now have 55 women serving in the House of Representatives--the largest number in history. Bella would be proud. Those gains were made possible by women like Bella Abzug, women who fought their way into what was still a ``man's world.'' Bella spent her career working to promote women's rights. After she left Congress she founded the National Women's Political Caucus, a vital organization with the goal of promoting women's participation in government. As we look around the chamber today we can see the tremendous progress we have made toward that goal. With her trademark hats and her bold style, Bella hit the ground running in Congress and never once stopped. As the daughter of immigrants and the first Jewish woman to serve in the House, Bella never forgot who she was or where she came from. She spent her lifetime looking out for those who were traditionally excluded from the Washington power structure--immigrants, minorities, and especially women. She fought to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam. She fought for women's rights, civil rights, worker protections. Bella served as a voice for those who had been shut out of the process for far too long. Before she came to the House in 1971, this body had never seen the likes of Bella Abzug. We all know that we never will again. Bella was a true pioneer. Every woman who walks these halls today, and every woman who will follow us in the future, owes a tremendous debt to Bella for all the barriers she broke. Bella, we thank you and we will never forget you.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, for years tobacco companies have set their sights on America's young people, pinpointing the most appealing way to market their product to them, and deliberately hooking our kids on cigarettes. A 1984 R.J. Reynolds marketing report says it all: Young people are the ``only source of replacement smokers,'' and that if kids ``turn away from smoking, the industry must decline, just as the population which does not give birth will eventually dwindle.'' Yet the Republican leadership has refused to act to protect our kids from this deadly habit, perhaps because the tobacco companies are the largest corporate contributors to the Republican Party. Every day the Republican leadership fails to schedule debate on comprehensive tobacco legislation, 3,000 more kids in America will pick up this deadly habit, and 1,000 of them will eventually die of a tobacco-related illness. Mr. Speaker, do the right thing. Schedule a vote on tobacco legislation today.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of tax cuts for hard- working American families, but in opposition to this tax loophole protection bill. Mr. Speaker, this bill would require a two-thirds majority vote to approve any legislation raising taxes. Now, that is a great sound bite, until you realize that it stops bills closing tax loopholes for the wealthy in order to provide tax relief to working middle-class families in this country. For instance, it would allow billionaires, who have made their fortunes here, to decide to renounce their citizenship to go to live in another country, and, therefore, not have to pay for any taxes. It makes it harder to pass legislation raising tobacco taxes to stop children from smoking. I support tax relief for working families. The first bill I introduced as a Member of Congress was a bill to cut taxes for middle- class families. In this Congress, I have introduced the bipartisan Smoke-Free and Healthy Children Act to raise taxes on tobacco by $1.50 per pack. This bill would deter children from starting to smoke. It would fund cancer research and public health initiatives, and it will support safe, affordable child care for all of our children. But if this two-thirds requirement passes, legislation raising tobacco taxes is doomed. Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us today protects the tobacco industry and makes it harder for Congress to pass legislation increasing the taxes on cigarettes. Today, as we discuss tobacco legislation, the tobacco industry executives must be dancing for joy. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote no on this bill.

Ms. DeLAURO

Ms. DeLAURO. I think that it is so important because not only can we not let folks get away with passing off these programs as a savior to working middle-class families, but when you go beneath the surface, you find out how seriously they are going to hurt working families. We should not let them get away with that, ``the fact is that Democrats are not for tax cuts.'' We have started that process over the last several years. It continues so that people can take advantage of a Tax Code and the tax credits to get their kids to school; to be able to afford the child care; that that small business that you speak so eloquently about has the opportunity for reducing health care costs; or for expanding their business and being able to get the tax relief on equipment that they might buy, and raising those percentages. There were a whole series of capital gains tax cuts that went into effect for small businesses who ought to be able to take advantage of that, and farmers. And those continue. The benefits continue as pieces of these things get phased in, because I would venture to say today that people are not seeing, immediately, the results of some of these things, so that it is ongoing. We need to be working at that, increasing those opportunities and those targeted tax cuts. That is where they ought to be going. Those are the folks we ought to be helping at this point. We ought to be helping seniors cope with fixed income, with a higher rate of illness, perhaps, so that these costs do not skyrocket for them. That is the way we bring some opportunity in folks' lives to be able to raise their standard of living, if you will. Those who are at the upper end of the scale have these opportunities. Nobody is denying that. They can also be more selective in which taxes they are paying. They have different kinds of shelters, different kinds of opportunities within the Tax Code. I will not even call them loopholes, they are opportunities in the Tax Code, to take advantage of in some way. Working middle-class families do not have those opportunities.

Ms. DeLAURO. I think what is important to mention there, it also maintains that home mortgage deduction, again, which is so critical to families today. As I say, that is part of the American dream. I just wanted to point out, because I know the gentlewoman from Michigan, if you will, she is a technology maven, you know, and is there all the time pushing as how we need to move families and so forth to take advantage of technologies, the way our kids are going to get ahead and so forth. I think it is interesting in terms of this sales tax here, in every family, kids are coming home today, ``Why can't I have a computer? I would like a computer. Why don't have one? You know, Mary has one. Jessica has one. Freddie has one. What about us?'' Well, hold up the chart. I think it is important to note that chart. Family computer, today's price is almost $2,000. It would add an additional 30 percent, another $600, bringing the cost of a family computer to almost $2,600, you know, for the most part, trying to put it out of the reach for working families. They are trying to respond to their kids to allow their kids to get ahead. It is wrong. This is not what we ought to do. Let us target our tax credits to working families, to small businesses, to small farmers. Let us take a look at that Tax Code. Let us make it simpler. Let us make it easier. These catchwords scrap the code. They are radical. They are dangerous. We are going to make it our mission here to continue to have these conversations so that the American public knows that they are being sold a pig in a poke. We are going to bring it to their attention so that they do not get fooled by this dangerous and extreme rhetoric. Mr. Speaker, I think we will be up on our feet again on this issue.

Ms. DeLAURO. Sure.

Ms. DeLAURO. I think it is worth pointing out what our colleague, Mr. Bonior, talked about in terms of the flat tax proposal and people who are dealing in stocks and bonds and unearned income, and they are not paying any taxes on that. So what you are saying is that those people who work in the workplace day in and day out, they are the folks who are getting socked with the additional taxes, in addition to which you are going to take away with the mortgage deduction and some of the other tax relief, if you will, that middle-class families have been counting on, relying on, surviving on. So you are really hitting them again twice. You know, they are picking up the slack for the folks who are holding the stocks and bonds, and then getting hammered again on things that they have counted on, that American dream and owning that home, and not being able to take the mortgage deduction.