Peter Deutsch

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Vice President, I will note the absence of a quorum and respectfully request that we delay the proceedings until a quorum is present.

Mr. DEUTSCH. It is in writing, but I do not have a Senator.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a dear friend and a loyal and devoted member of the Lauderhill, Florida community, Mr. Jerome ``Jerry'' M. Miller. Sadly, Jerry Miller passed away on November 1, 2000 and his guiding presence in the Inverrary community will be greatly missed. After moving to South Florida in 1974, Jerry Miller took an active role in ensuring that the City of Lauderhill, and in particular the Inverarry community, remained a beautiful and harmonious residential area where residents could enjoy their picturesque surroundings. Jerry worked hard to ensure that as South Florida grew, Lauderhill and Inverrary would remain a pleasant and desirable place for people to live. Jerry served on several city boards where he consistently advocated for positive and aesthetically pleasing development. Similarly, as the President of the Inverrary Association, Jerry accepted nothing less than top rate planning which would enhance and improve the beauty and spirit of his community. In one of his last great projects, Jerry took the lead in the conceptual and physical development of the Inverrary Meditation Park. These serene gardens filled with exotic fauna, chirping birds, and tropical fish ponds have become a centerpiece of the community. Here residents come to reflect on their thoughts, talk with their neighbors and enjoy the tranquility of their tropical surroundings. In this peaceful park, as in the hearts of those who knew him, the spirit of Jerry Miller's care and commitment to his community will forever be remembered.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent from the Chamber today during rollcall vote No. 595 and rollcall vote No. 596. Had I been present I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall vote No. 595 and ``nay'' on roll call vote No. 596.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, today we are witnessing Congress at its best. In fact, we are really witnessing government at its best and I think in many ways even America at its best. There has been a lot of praise that has been given on this House floor, and I want to add to that. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), I think, has worked harder in his committee in terms of really trying to improve the lives of Americans in terms of infrastructure which is really what creates jobs and hopefully is what we do as Members of Congress. I really praise him for his work. I particularly also praise him for his insistence in terms of the other projects that he has been fighting for and not just in terms of the Everglades but in terms of other projects that are needed. But in particular in terms of the Everglades, what I think the gentleman from Pennsylvania stated previously and understands is that as important as this authorization is, and this truly is historic legislation, there is more that needs to be done. The Keys wastewater treatment bill which is part of the package that the gentleman from Pennsylvania mentioned previously is part of the restoration efforts that we need to continue not just in the Everglades but in Florida Bay and throughout the area. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) as well has been a leader in terms of infrastructure on this bill and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski) as the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) as the chairman have also been incredibly helpful. Praise has also I think been given and well deserved to the chairman of our delegation, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw). The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) really has taken an incredible leadership role on this issue. It is the base of the legislation, his bill. He has worked well with all of us and has been a leader through many troubled times in terms of this bill's trouble but finally literally as we pass it in hopefully a few minutes, maybe even unanimously, it will happen. Let me also mention, and again it has been mentioned on this floor, the administration. President Clinton and Vice President Gore have made Everglades restoration their number one environmental infrastructure proposal. I cannot imagine how we would be here today without that commitment from the President and the Vice President. In the last 8 years, in the 8 years I have been in Congress, we have actually appropriated over $1.2 billion during that period of time. The chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, obviously we could not have done that without his help, but this entire Congress deserves praise in terms of our efforts. It has also been mentioned again just the bipartisan nature of this, and I think praise also goes to the last five Governors of the State of Florida, Governor Graham, Governor Martinez, Governor Chiles, Governor McKay and Governor Bush, all of whom have been instrumental in terms of Everglades restoration. This is the largest environmental restoration project in the history of the world, $7.8 billion. It authorizes immediately $1.2 billion; it authorizes immediately 10 specific projects, including the C-14 basin storage reserve, reservoirs and Everglades agricultural area, four pilot projects as well. It is done in a design build concept which is really the state of the art in terms of these types of infrastructure projects. Congress will continue to be engaged throughout this entire process, which literally is a 36- to 38-year process. This bill is really about the future. I doubt, although it is possible that some Members of this Chamber will still be serving in Congress 38 years from now. Hopefully each of us will still be alive 38 years from now and we will be able to see the fruits of our labor in terms of an ecosystem that has been restored. There is only one Everglades on the planet Earth. This is it. This is the Everglades. Everglades is an Indian word for river of grass. It is a 100-mile wide river, only about a foot deep, and flows into Florida Bay. That is why I was really saying America at its best, because we are really restoring an ecosystem. That is exactly what we are doing. We have made the turn already over the last 8 years; but now this plan in place, a really well thought out government at its best, policymaking at its best, has set a road map for us to actually come to that complete restoration which hopefully will occur over that period of time. Many people have mentioned some personal things in terms of the Everglades. I live close to the Everglades, at my back door. As has been mentioned, all of Everglades National Park is in my district. I represent probably a majority of the Everglades as well. But I have spent time in the Everglades. I have taken my children to the Everglades. I have camped in the Everglades. I wish that each of my colleagues would have that experience as well. Because this is legislation that is not really for us, it is for our children and for our grandchildren as well. I urge its passage.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, this House has many things to be proud of, but this is not one of the investigations that we have to be proud of. My colleagues on the other side have invoked the tobacco investigations on several occasions. I do not need to remind my colleagues who was the majority party at that point in time. I think if these are the priorities of this Congress, the people who are watching in America need to know why we need to change Congress. Let me talk on a little bit of a personal note. I happen to know one of the people who this indictment, this contempt citation, is about, Hank Banta. Hank Banta was my first boss when I worked in Washington in 1981, 19 years ago. I know him well; I consider him a friend. He was a counsel for the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. That was where I worked as an intern and extern for 2 years. He knows the rules of this House well, and I would tell my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), one of the reasons that he did not answer is because our rules provide that if they are not pertinent questions to an investigation, the witness has legal right not to answer those questions, not to answer those questions, and he enjoyed that right. I would just question the criminal nature of this.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I wish that this bill literally had tens of billions of dollars of more aid for peace in the Middle East, because I think all of us know that, had there been a closure at the Camp David meeting, that we would have been asked to do that. I for one would have been ready to step up to the plate and vote and support that type of concept. But I stand in front of my colleagues today as someone who has been supporting legislation to actually cut back and eliminate all aid, both direct and indirect aid, to the Palestinian Authority. The reason that I have done that is, unfortunately, what we have seen over the last several weeks is either one of two situations. Either, one, Chairman Arafat has purposely, consciously chosen not to stop the violence, or the second is that he cannot stop the violence. Either one of those outcomes, either one of those explanations is reason enough to stop literally hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars funneling to the Palestinian Authority. I urge my colleagues, even in the short time that we have left, to support this legislation and add it as one of our final acts before the end of this Congress.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the efforts of Broward County Fire Rescue, of Broward County, Florida. The State of Florida Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) recently selected Broward County Fire Rescue as the 2000 State of Florida EMS Injury Prevention Agency of the Year. Indeed, Broward County Fire Rescue exemplifies the Emergency Medical Service's injury prevention efforts throughout the State of Florida. Each year, the State of Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services names one of the state's 250 EMS providers as the best injury prevention unit in the state. The award encourages EMS providers throughout the state to become more active in injury prevention efforts. Broward County fire rescue had many great accomplishments this year. It was the first agency in the county to give a heart attack clotting drug, Retavase, to patients en route to the hospital. The agency received a $100,000 grant to enhance their heart attack prevention plan by placing automatic external defibrillators in public buildings. These defibrillators have proved life-saving in cases of dire heart attack emergencies. Prioritizing quality of care for patients, Broward County Fire Rescuers make an extra effort to transport heart attack victims to the county hospitals best equipped to care for victims rather than the nearest hospital. Also, the agency has increased fire prevention awareness by airing fire-safety announcements before films at local movie theaters. Mr. Speaker, I extend a hearty congratulations to Broward County Fire Rescue for their leadership in medical and rescue excellence. They go above and beyond what is demanded of them and perform their heroic services with professionalism and success.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I too want to just thank the chairman of the committee and the ranking member and the chairman of the subcommittee and the ranking member. This is a great day, not just for the Everglades in South Florida but really for Florida and America and truly the entire country. This is Congress at its best, really doing the work of the American people in creating legislation that really is protecting our future for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. I am going to focus on what this bill does for the Florida Everglades. This bill is truly historic. This is one of the historic days over the 200-year history of this country and of this Congress. We are about to pass the largest ecosystem restoration project in the history of the world, in the history of the world. It is a $7.8 billion restoration project for the Florida Everglades. It is doing what needs to be done. There is only one Everglades in the world. It happens to be in South Florida. It is the Everglades; it is the River of Grass. It is a 100- mile wide river that is only about a foot deep that flows, that is just absolutely spectacular. I urge all of my colleagues to try to spend not just an hour, not just a day but maybe a week traveling through the Everglades to really appreciate the unique place on the planet Earth that it is. Unfortunately, sometimes people make mistakes, and the truth is the United States, through Corps projects, made mistakes, and other projects. The State of Florida made mistakes in terms of doing things that have done damage to the Everglades over a long period of time. We have shifted that around over the last couple of years, but this is the bill that is putting into paper literally about a 30-year restoration project and it is being done smart, it is being done right; it is bipartisan without exception. I also want to thank my colleague, who is in the chair now, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw), in a neighboring district of mine. He and I have worked very closely in terms of this, and both Republican and governors of the State of Florida have worked very closely. Governor Bush, Governor Graham before him, Governor Chiles, Governor Martinez as well. Again, I urge my colleagues to support it. I look forward to working with them every year into the future to make sure the implementation is done correctly.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the commendable achievement of the Broward County Public School District of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The Broward County Schools, which I am proud to represent, is one of only seven school districts in the country to be recognized by the United States Department of Education National Awards Program for Model Professional Development. Indeed, the remarkable efforts of the teachers, professional staff, and administrators of this, the nation's largest fully accredited public school district are fully deserving of this recognition. Professional development for teachers--learning experiences which increase teachers' knowledge base and classroom skills--is a crucial ingredient to improving public education in America. The National Awards Program for Model Professional Development rewards and honors outstanding professional development programs and showcases effective professional development practices to help schools to learn from each other. In establishing its professional development program called ``Professional Pathways,'' the Broward County School District sought to meet the unique needs of its diverse multi-cultural population. Because of the complex demographic characteristics of the district's student population which represent 159 countries and speak 53 languages, the program had to achieve ambitious goals. High standards were set and professional accountability was demanded. Accordingly, Professional Pathways requires all professionals to write annual professional development goals that are aligned with the school's improvement plan and to provide the district with annual program reviews. Professional development opportunities for staff members include individual training school-based activities, and certain district mandated training. Moreover, Professional Pathways ensures that staff development is long- term, based on research, relates to school improvement, and addresses both student and teacher needs. As a result of this ongoing initiative, since 1996, state writing assessment scores have increased in elementary grades and state mathematics assessment scores have increased in all levels, K-12. In addition, the district's average Scholastic Achievement Test scores and average American College Test scores have increased since 1997. Advanced Placement Test results indicate that the average score of district students increased 4.6 points over the previous year, compared to the statewide increase of 1.7 points. Mr. Speaker, let me again congratulate and commend the instructional and professional staff of the Broward County Public School District for their exemplary achievement in enhancing the effectiveness and success of public education in the state of Florida. The vision and innovation illustrated in developing the Professional Pathways program by the Broward County School District serves as a wonderful example of quality teaching and learning in public education in Florida and the United States as a whole.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, this year we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Medicare. The program has benefited over 93 million Americans since it was signed into law on July 30, 1965, by President Johnson. Yet, our health care system has changed dramatically since then, with medical technology in many ways leading the way, and Medicare has not kept pace with that. I am concerned about the widening gap between the Medicare program and the cutting edge of medical technology. I am concerned because it means that more than 90,000 Medicare-aged people in my district cannot gain access to advanced treatment and technologies they need. As Congress looks at adjustments to the program, we must act now to repair the gaps in Medicare for the next 35 years of medical innovation. Medicare's procedure for adding new technologies to the program involve coverage, coding, and payment decisions. Unfortunately, problems and delays have occurred at each of these stages. The result is that now it can take more than 4\1/2\ years or more to make the latest breakthrough treatments available to beneficiaries. I believe that Medicare patients have waited long enough for a program that gives them access to the advanced medical technologies they need. That is why I am pleased to lend full support of H.R. 4395, the Medicare Patient Access to Technology Act, a bipartisan bill which hopefully we will pass this session, and which will lead to 21st century medicine for Medicare beneficiaries.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Harold Oshry, an accomplished entrepreneur, respected civic leader, and generous humanitarian. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Bowdoin College in 1940, Mr. Oshry dreamed of graduating from law school. His dream was set aside however when he joined the Untied States Army 9th Air Corps. Mr. Oshry served bravely in the Army from 1942-1945. In the years following his military service, Mr. Oshry returned to his native New York City and became a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He founded the Sandgate Corporation, a transportation holding company, and served on the boards of several other New York based businesses including the William Morris Agency and the Universal Auto Group. Mr Oshry's success in business informs upon his life of community and philanthropic activity. As a leader in the New York United Jewish Associations Federation for over thirty years, Mr. Oshry has helped further the public's understanding of Jewish culture and history. Demonstrating his commitment to education, in 1976 Mr. Oshry endowed the Harry Oshry Scholarship Fund at Bowdoin College in honor of his father. Not only committed to university excellence in America, Mr. Oshry's generous contributions to education stretch across oceans. In 1993, Mr Oshry and his family endowed the Claire and Harold Oshry Chair in Aquatic Microbiology Federations at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. Continuing his service to cultural education and community outreach, Mr. Oshry currently serves as the President of the Broward County Jewish Senior Center in Tamarac, Florida. Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that Mr. Oshry has achieved the education goal he had to set aside long ago when he joined the Army. On May 22, 1998, Bowdoin College honored Mr. Oshry for his lifelong commitment to excellence in education and awarded him the Degree of Doctor of Law, Honoris Causa. I am pleased to commend Mr. Harold Oshry for his service to his country, for his generous contributions to education, and his ongoing commitment to the enhancement of cultural understanding and community service.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably absent from the Chamber today during rollcall vote No. 486, the vote on final passage of H.R. 5109, the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel Act. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall vote No. 486.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, I'm here today to deliver good news for American consumers, seniors and taxpayers, all of whom are seeking more affordable medicine. That's right, good news! Over the next decade, patents on nearly $50 billion worth of brand name drugs are scheduled to expire. If you assume that generic versions of those drugs will be introduced at a price 50 percent lower than the brand price--and that's conservative--Americans will enjoy $25 billion in savings. That figure is in addition to an estimated $10 billion Americans are already saving each year through the use of generic drugs. With so much profit at stake, we can expect brand drug companies to do everything in their power to delay the expiration of those patents. But as representatives of the people, we must put patient health ahead of profits and vote no on these unfair and unwarranted patent extension requests.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, today I join with many of my colleagues in offering a heartfelt welcome to the new President of the Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI)--Kessai Note. It is his first visit to our country since becoming President and it represents an affirmation of the strong ties between our two countries. President Note was at the forefront of the movement to establish the Marshall Islands as a self-governing democracy. However, he has also always been a strong supporter of RMI's uniquely close and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship with the United States. Our long-term military alliance and permanent strategic partnership allows for a U.S. presence on Kwajalein Atoll, the site of a vital U.S. Army ballistic missile systems command. In addition to recognizing the partnership between the U.S. and RMI, I would also like to commend the long-standing friendship between Israel and the RMI. Israel was one of the first countries to support the RMI's entry into the United Nations. Since it became a member, the RMI, along with the United States, has been one of Israel's staunchest supporters in the United Nations. Israel has further befriended the RMI by providing technical assistance and educational grants to the Republic's people. Having experienced their own acute suffering and pain as a result of nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands, the people of RMI have reached out to their Jewish neighbors, committing themselves to ``putting faces on human tragedies while holding parties responsible for their actions.'' Mr. Speaker, President Note's presence here today in our nation's Capitol attests to the longstanding friendship between the United States and the Republic of Marshall Islands. I hope my colleagues will join with me in commending both the nation and its President.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue where there is truth on both sides. There are competing interests here. There is an interest in really dealing with hard-working Americans who have paid tax on their money, but there is also an interest of concentration of wealth. As a society, do we really want a threshold of no threshold on estate tax? Someone being able to transfer $20 billion, and families transferring $20 billion? As a society, that is a bad thing. I think what we need to do as we look at what the reality is, $675,000 in today's world is not an acceptable number, and that number should be raised. We should have a debate and we should have policy, and we should not be playing games with the American people like the majority party is doing right now. I have legislation that I am going to introduce literally right now that would raise that $675,000 to $5 million and index it for inflation. I do not know if $5 million is the magic number, but the reality is that is what Americans want that would be good public policy; that would be a compromise that the American people would support and the President would probably sign. If we want to make policy, pass this legislation, and stop playing games with the American people.

Mr. DEUTSCH

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I have a parliamentary inquiry of the Chair. Mr. Chairman, I was given a copy of this amendment earlier this evening, and the amendment that is at the desk is a different amendment. I would inquire of the Chair if the unanimous consent agreement allowed for the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moran) to change his amendment.

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, that is not the amendment in front of us. The amendment in front of us specifically speaks to only one country; and, therefore, it is not in order based on the unanimous consent agreement of this House today.

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, today there is an amendment in front of us which specifically deals with what is going on in Iran. Right now there are forces in Iran which are really the most right- wing forces engaged in activities which have had detrimental effects to America's interests and concerns. The effect of the amendment will weaken those forces.

Mr. DEUTSCH. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman). (Mr. SHERMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey). (Mrs. LOWEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. DEUTSCH. Mr. Chairman, I would point out to my colleagues, we have talked about apartheid and what existed in South Africa. One of the things we could do is ask every American who would travel to Cuba not to stay in a hotel that carries out apartheid. Many of my colleagues have visited Cuba. Maybe they are not aware that literally no Cuban is literally even allowed into the lobby of the hotel legally under Cuban law; that when they meet with my colleagues, they actually have to get specific exemptions from that law to meet with my colleagues in those hotels. That is the regime we are dealing with, a regime that, if we do this, we throw an economic lifeline to them. That is a mistake. Cuban workers who get paid 25 cents an hour do not get paid that. It goes to the Cuban government, and they get paid 10 cents an hour. I urge the defeat of the amendment.

Mr. DEUTSCH. Yes, Mr. Chairman, on the point of order. Again, I would hope that each of us has an opportunity to read the amendment specifically. I would say to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) that this is much broader than a limiting amendment, and I would agree completely with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz- Balart). If we read the language, it specifically asks someone, without any legislation, to determine other than a sanction imposed pursuant to an agreement with one or more other countries. It is not a limiting amendment. A limiting amendment talks specifically about limiting funds on a specific program in a specific way without creating this additional category which would take investigative power, which would, in fact, take expenditure of funds, which by definition a limiting amendment cannot expenditure funds, which is exactly what this does. So I think it is a pretty black and white case that we are spending money. This is authorizing money effectively, because that is the only way to do what this amendment asks us to do is spend money. So I urge the Chair to rule the amendment out of order.