Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham).

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 103 is a modified open rule providing for the consideration, as the Speaker of the House has just explained, of House Concurrent Resolution 42, the Peacekeeping Operations in Kosovo Resolution. The purpose of the resolution is to authorize the President to deploy United States armed forces to Kosovo and just as importantly it makes possible congressional discussion of this very complex situation. The rule provides for 2 hours of general debate equally divided between the chairman and the ranking minority member of the Committee on International Relations. It is the intention of the rule that the managers of general debate yield time fairly to Republican and Democratic proponents and opponents of the concurrent resolution. Further, the bill provides that the concurrent resolution shall be considered as read and makes in order only those amendments preprinted in the Congressional Record, to be offered only by the Member who caused the amendment to be printed, or his designee, and each amendment shall be considered as read. In addition, the rule allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill and to reduce voting time to 5 minutes on votes following a 15-minute vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 103 is a fair framework to provide a forum to debate the issues surrounding the possible deployment of U.S. troops for participation in a NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo. Any Member can offer any germane amendment to this resolution providing the amendment was preprinted in the Congressional Record prior to its consideration. The gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier) made this announcement on Monday, March 8, on the House floor, as well as through a Dear Colleague letter to Members. It has been well known, including in fact through constant press reports, that the House would be debating this difficult issue this week. In spite of the snowstorm we had on Tuesday, Members have known for weeks that we would be taking up this issue prior to the March 15 peace talks in France, the deadline. Were it not for this fair rule, if, for example, we had brought H.Con.Res. 42 to the floor under suspension of the rules, it would be nonamendable and would be allowed only 40 minutes of debate. Therefore, I think it is very important that Members support this rule, regardless of their position on deployment or nondeployment of troops, because Congress has every right to be debating this resolution today and this rule provides a fair way to do so. Some Members as well as other foreign policy experts have questioned the timing of this debate while peace negotiations have not been concluded. But if Congress is to deliberate these serious issues prior to the possible deployment of U.S. troops, now is the time. March 15, the proposed deadline for a peace agreement for Kosovo, is this Monday, and U.S. troops could be on their way to Kosovo Monday night if agreement is reached. As the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss) stated at the Committee on Rules during our markup, there is no perfect time for this. At least two of the Members of the six-nation contact group on Kosovo, Germany and Great Britain, as the Speaker of the House just made reference, have debated in their parliaments this precise issue this past month. Now is indeed an appropriate time for the United States House of Representatives as the sovereign representative body of the American people to take up the issue of possible deployment of our troops to join a NATO force. The situation in Kosovo is indeed precarious. It has now been over a year since fighting broke out between the Albanian rebels and the Serbian forces in Kosovo and in spite of an October 1998 cease-fire agreement, hostilities have continued. March 15 is the current deadline for negotiations to be completed on a peace agreement. What is at issue is the expansion of the U.S. role in Kosovo and whether U.S. troops should be deployed to participate in a NATO peace mission should a peace agreement be reached. Historically it is well known that the Balkans have been a tinder box for regional wars, and we must not forget that World War I began in that part of the world. In 1995, as a member of the Committee on Rules, I brought to the floor the Bosnia-Herzegovina Self-defense Act to end the arms embargo on Bosnia. That embargo was morally wrong, and I believe that it was legally questionable as well from the very beginning. While not contiguous with Bosnia, where U.S. troops are currently deployed, the dangers of a spill-over effect and renewed violence in the region have been realized in the Serbian province of Kosovo. I am extremely concerned by the genocidal attacks on civilians in Kosovo. As a British statesman said while debating the situation in the Balkans: No language can describe adequately the condition of that large portion of the Balkan peninsula, Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and the other provinces, political intrigues, constant rivalries, a total absence of public spirit, hatred of all races, animosities of rival religions and an absence of any controlling power, nothing short of an army of 50,000 of the best troops would produce anything like order in these parts. That statement was made by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli in October 1878. Unfortunately his words still ring true today. In summary, the Congress, Mr. Speaker, has every right to debate whether we should put U.S. troops in harm's way before they are sent. That is the reason for today's debate. I urge my colleagues to support this fair rule so that the House will have the opportunity to debate this very critical issue regarding the possible deployment of our troops to Kosovo. I would urge my colleagues to support the rule. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Goss), a member of the Committee on Rules and chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the accusations made by our distinguished colleagues on the other side of the aisle, especially the minority leader, have been most unfair, unfortunate, and must be rejected. Partisanship has not played a role in this timing. The deadline for negotiations is Monday night. Our troops could be on their way to being deployed Monday night. If Congress is to have a voice on this issue, Congress must speak now, as even the Washington Post has recognized. I personally will join the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, in voting in favor of the authorization, in other words, the underlying concurrent resolution being brought forth by this rule. So I would urge my colleagues to vote to support the previous question and to support the rule.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, in recent weeks the Cuban dictatorship has carried out a brutal crackdown of the brave internal opposition and independent press, taking Cuba's four best known internal opponents, Felix Bonne Carcasses, Marta Beatriz Roque Cabello, Vladimiro Roca Antunez, and Rene Gomez Manzano, to trial on trumped-up charges, and arresting scores of other peaceful opponents without cause or justification. The internal opposition in Cuba is working intensely and valiantly to draw international attention to Cuba's deplorable human rights situation, and continues to strengthen and grow, despite the Stalinist repression, in its opposition to the Castro dictatorship. At this time of extraordinary repression, the internal opposition requires and deserves the firm and unwavering support and solidarity of the international community. The Cuban dictatorships repressive crackdown against the brave internal opposition and the independent press must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The internal opposition and independent press of Cuba have our profound admiration and firm solidarity. We must demand of the Cuban dictatorship the release of all political prisoners, the legalization of all political parties, labor unions and the press, and the scheduling of free and fair internationally supervised elections. Mr. Speaker, I call on the government of Spain, of Prime Minister Aznar, to cancel the announced trip to Castro's Cuba of the King of Spain; and I call upon the member states of the Ibero-American summit to boycott the upcoming meeting that has been, incredibly, scheduled for November in the capital of the Cuban dictatorship. Martin Luther King rightfully declared that an injustice anywhere is an affront to injustice everywhere. Going to Cuba to shake the Cuban tyrant's hand would be an ultimately immoral act. Now, more than ever, it is incumbent upon the entire international community to demonstrate firm solidarity with the oppressed people of Cuba and with the brave internal opposition. According to press reports from Cuba, the following dissidents and journalists have been arrested by the Cuban dictatorship in the last few days: Efren Martinez Pulgaron, Ana Maria Ortega Jimenez, Marisela Pompa, Angel Polanco, Odilia Collazo, Arnaldo Ramos, Lazaro Rodriguez, Jose Orlando Gonzalez Bridon, Lazaro Cala, Felix Perera, Oswaldo Paya Sardinas, Ofelia Nardo Cruz, Regis Iglesias, Angel Moya Acosta, Miriam Cantillo, Benigno Torralba, Ramon Alfonso William, Gisela Concepcion Bolanos, Marvin Hernandez Monzon, Jesus David Martinez Garcia, Julian Martinez Baez, Juan Francisco Monzon Oviedo, Nestor Rodriguez Lobaina, Ivan Hernandez Carrillo, Felix Navarro Rodriguez, Pedro H. Rojas, Leonel Morejon Almagro, Reinaldo Cosano Allen, Jesus Llanes Pelletier, Maria Menendez Villar, Oscar Elias Biscet, Rolando Munoz Yyobre, Miriam Cantillo, Omar Rodriguez Saludos, Diosdado Gonzalez Marrero, Ileana Somiellan Fleitas, Nanci Sotolongo, Odalys Curbelo, Juan Antonio Sanchez, Hector Cruz, Israel Bayon, Raul Rivero and Orlando Bordon. There are certainly many others who have been arrested but who we have not been able to find out about as of yet. Mr. Speaker, our admiration, our support, and our prayers go out to all of these brave Cuban patriots and to all of the suffering and oppressed Cuban people.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. House Resolution 83, Mr. Speaker, is an open rule providing for the consideration of H.R. 669, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act. The purpose of the bill is to authorize funds for the Peace Corps for fiscal years 2000 through 2003, expanding the Peace Corps from the current number of volunteers to the goal of 10,000 by the year 2003. The rule provides for the customary 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on International Relations. In addition, the rule provides the bill shall be considered as read. The rule permits the Chair to grant priority in recognition to Members who have preprinted their amendments and consider them as read. Further, as has become standard practice for open rules, the Chair is allowed to postpone votes and to reduce the time for electronic voting on postponed votes. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit with our without instructions. Mr. Speaker, to keep our record of fair rules for the 106th Congress, I am pleased to report to the House that House Resolution 83 is another open rule that affords any Member the opportunity to offer any germane amendments. H.R. 669, the Peace Corps Reauthorization Act, is in line with an effort started by President Reagan in 1985 to expand the Peace Corps to 10,000 volunteers. Since the Peace Corps was established, first by President Kennedy and affirmed by the 87th Congress, over 150,000 Americans have served in 134 countries and have learned 180 languages and dialects. We are fortunate to have five former Peace Corps volunteers working with us in the U.S. House of Representatives: The gentleman from California (Mr. Farr), the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh). I commend these gentlemen as well as the thousands of other volunteers for their tireless efforts in providing basic health and agriculture education, working so communities have access to clean water, as well as teaching English and other skills to extraordinarily needy populations. I am honored to serve on the Committee on Rules with my esteemed and distinguished colleague from Ohio (Mr. Hall), whose Peace Corps experience, no doubt, had much to do with his clear and long-time commitment to fighting hunger throughout the world. H.R. 669 fulfills the effort which President Reagan proposed in 1985 to expand the number of volunteers, and this expansion has been requested by President Clinton. I urge my colleagues to support this open rule, this fair rule, and hope that they will give careful consideration to supporting the underlying positive legislation as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 83 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, on February 24th the people of Cuba commemorate a glorious and tragic date in the history of their country. The 1895 war of independence began exactly 104 years ago; the Cry of Baire constitutes one of the most heroic acts of the Cuban people. Intimately connected with this date is the heroism of Marti, Gomez and Maceo and the thousands of freedom fighters known as mambises who shall forever ennoble the Cuban nationality. Tragically, February 24th will also be forever connected with the murders which took place on that date in 1996. The Cuban tyrant, ultimately insulted by the courage demonstrated by the Brothers to the Rescue when they dropped pamphlets and other pieces of paper over Havana with pro-democracy slogans and copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights a few months back, ordered the murder of all the men and women who were going to fly on February 24th in civilian planes carrying out humanitarian missions for Brothers to the Rescue. The Cuban tyrant prepared his murders well. An agent of his by the name of Roque, who had occasionally flown for the Brothers to the Rescue organization, was ordered to return the day before to Cuba. Roque was going to publicly declare after the murders of February 24th that he was a survivor from the mission and that the humanitarian group's planes were taking arms to ``Concilio Cubano'', a coalition of dissident organizations inside Cuba which had announced its intention to host a public meeting in Havana on February 24th and whose membership was brutally repressed by the dictatorship. Roque would also announce that the planes had been shot down over Cuban waters. Additionally, the Clinton Administration ordered that on February 24th, the U.S. Air Force not protect the planes of Brothers to the Rescue. We all know that Pablo Morales, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Pena and Carlos Costa were brutally murdered on February 24, 1996. I am sure that those four martyrs of peace and patriotism will be duly memorialized in the democratic Cuba of tomorrow, as they are in South Florida today. The intervention of the imponderable, of destiny, saved the third Brothers to the Rescue plane which flew on February 24, 1996, the plane flown by Jose Basulto. That intervention of the imponderable made it possible for the world and for history to know that the planes were shot down over international waters, while engaged in a peaceful and humanitarian mission. Roque had to remain quiet and the Clinton Administration as well as the Castro dictatorship had to accept the Helms-Burton Law (with the codification of the embargo, codification being something which neither the Clinton Administration nor Castro ever expected was going to be part of the Helms-Burton Law). After the murders, there are two obvious questions which need to be answered. First, why was the order given on February 24, 1996 to the U.S. Air Force that it not protect the planes of the Brothers to the Rescue? In effect, the White House had to have issued a counter order for that day, since a standing order exists requiring the U.S. Air Force to intercept every plane that is detected coming toward the United States from Cuba. And secondly, why has Castro not been prosecuted for his cold blooded murders of February 24, 1996, even after he admitted to the international press that he himself ordered the murders?

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this legislation to rename the University of Miami's North/South Center in honor of my good friend Dante B. Fascell. Dante Fascell worked tirelessly to help create and fund the North/South Center during his tenure as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Throughout his service in Congress, Dante Fascell was a constant advocate for the cause of democracy and open dialogue among the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Our nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his years of service. Dante Fascell's support for the creation of the North/South Center stemmed from his strong belief that the free exchange of ideas would strengthen our nation's security, competitivenes and economic vitality. The North/South Center provides a forum for research and policy analysis that is unparalleled by any other institution in the country and promotes better understanding and relations between the United States, Canada, and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1990, with the pasage of the North/South Center Act, Congress authorized the establishment of the Center as a place for ``cultural and technical interchange between North and South.'' Dante Fascell's dream was to focus the country on the pursuit of policies which strengthen our national economic policy, trade practices, and relations with the countries of the Western Hemisphere. The North/South Center plays many roles. It is a think-tank, a foundation, a public resource center and a repository of information. The work of the Center informs our national debate regarding topics of major significance, such as trade, economic growth, immigration, drug control policies, and the spread of democracy. There is no greater way that we can thank Dante Fascell for his vital contributions to the North/South Center than naming it in his honor. Dante Fascell served his constituents in Florida and the nation as a whole for 36 years. He is, indeed, worthy of this tribute and I think that this is an excellent way to honor his memory.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Quintin and Maria Teresa Larios. The owners and operators of some of the best Cuban restaurants in the United States, Casa Larios, Larios on the Beach and Bongos Cuban Cafe. I believe that Quintin and Maria Teresa typify the dream of so many who spend countless hours working hard in the food service industry--to open their own restaurant. The Larios came to the United States in 1973, after first fleeing Cuba and then living in Spain, and their culinary skills expertly reflect their Cuban heritage. The couple worked in the restaurant business in Miami for 12 years, gaining valuable experience before embarking on their own venture. Casa Larios opened in 1988, and in the tradition of Cuban restaurants, Maria Teresa worked out front with the customers while Quintin took over the kitchen as chief. As its popularity has grown, the Larios expanded by opening a location in South Beach as well as Disney Downtown in Orlando. The popular vocal artist, Gloria Estefan, liked Casa Larios so much that she and her husband, Cuban-American entrepreneur Emilio Estefan, joined the Larios in the ownership of the South Beach and Orlando locations, Larios on the Beach and Bongos Cuban Cafe. When Casa Larios outgrew its original location on West Flagler Street in Miami earlier this summer and moved a few blocks down the street, the Larios gave interested customers pieces of the memorabilia depicting the republican era in Cuba (1902-1959) from newspapers on the restaurant's walls. We feel very fortunate to have such excellent cuisine in South Florida and I congratulate Maria Teresa and Quintin on their well- deserved, extraordinary success.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the special relationship between the city of Arroyo, Puerto Rico, and the United States. December 25, 1998, will mark the centennial Christmas celebrated with the United States. In the summer of 1898, American troops landed in the city of Arroyo, Puerto Rico, to help free the Puerto Ricans from Spanish colonialism. General John Rutter Brooke and his troops spent Christmas in Arroyo that year, and that event marked the beginning of a close and lasting relationship between the people of the city of Arroyo and the United States. To memorialize General Brooke, there is a city street named in his honor. The city of Arroyo resembles many typical U.S. small towns, with its ``Main Street USA''. This central street, running north-south through the town, is named Calle Morse, after Samuel Morse, the inventor of the Morse code. He came to Arroyo to visit his daughter, who resided at the Enriqueta estate, and was present when the first telegraph line was installed in Puerto Rico in 1858. The city of Arroyo has the esteem of being the first location in Puerto Rico to send a telegraph, welcoming Puerto Rico to the age of telecommunications. The historical homes which line Main Street in Arroyo are fashioned after southern American styles of architecture, and the citizens of Arroyo are very proud of this feature of Main Street. The old U.S. customshouse in town has been well-preserved and today is an important center of the city's culture, serving as a museum which traces the historical connections with the United States. The town of Arroyo has taken an active role in defending the United States. From the First World War, to the Second World War, to the war in Korea, and to Vietnam, to Desert Storm, young men from Arroyo have answered the call to duty, and brave soldiers such as Virgilio Sanchez in Korea and Raul Serrano in Vietnam, have heroically given their lives in these wars. This year marks the 100th Christmas anniversary since that first Christmas that the U.S. officially spent in Arroyo. The town did their best to make General Brooke and his troops feel welcome, having to spend Christmas away from their immediate families. To commemorate this special Christmas celebration, students of welding at a local vocational technical school have crafted iron ornaments that will be placed throughout Main Street in recognition of the city's unique relationship with the United States. These beautiful handmade ornaments will be lighted on Christmas Eve, 1998, in remembrance of this joyous occasion. I commend the people of the city of Arroyo, Puerto Rico, for their special relationship with the United States and congratulate them on their 100th Christmas anniversary.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, this is a very sad and difficult day, but those of us elected to lead in this great representative democracy must act and vote based upon our consciences even in the most difficult of situations. I would like to make just a few points. First of all, the founders of the republic did not create the remedy of impeachment to change the results of presidential elections but rather as a great check and balance to redress patterns of delinquent conduct by chief executives. Secondly, all democratic governments must have both the legitimacy of origin and the legitimacy of conduct. President Clinton obviously enjoys the legitimacy of origin, having been elected to the Presidency. His serious violations of the law, however, including his breaking of oaths in judicial proceedings to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, have lost for him the legitimacy of conduct. Thirdly, the matter before us today has nothing to do with the President's private life, which should be of interest to no one. This has to do with perjury, obstruction of justice and abuse of power, violations of the law. Failure to impeach President Clinton would increase the likelihood that perjury would be committed in future legal proceedings, it would increase the likelihood that future Congresses would hesitate to impeach Federal judges for perjury or obstruction of justice. In short, it would do grave harm to the integrity of the judicial system and the United States. The essential point of the action that we are now taking is that no one in the United States is above the law, not even the President.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the armed forces of the United States of America and specifically House Resolution 612. Mr. Speaker, At this extraordinary time in our nation's history, no one should doubt for a moment that Americans are a people of strong resolve and a people who take our country's international responsibilities seriously. Last night, like every other time in the past, the men and women of our Armed Services answered to call to duty and risked their own lives to preserve our freedoms. We owe them a debt of gratitude. It is fitting, therefore, that we gather today to express the support of the American people for their service and for their mission. And we do this unreservedly. Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, has continued his provocation and intransigence in the face of international condemnation and warnings. It is imperative that he not be allowed to manufacture weapons of mass destruction. He has, since 1980 demonstrated his willingness to attack his neighbors and threaten the peace and stability of the Middle East. This in turn is a direct threat to the national interests of the United States. From all reports, our military forces have acted with bravery and professionalism to minimize injury to Iraqi civilians. We are all aware that taking such care often places our own pilots at greater threat to themselves. They are to be commended for their actions that are above and beyond the call of duty. Mr. Speaker, especially at this time of year we pray for peace on earth and goodwill for all mankind. However, so long as tyrants continue to oppress their own people and threaten the peace of the world, we must not rest. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the families of the men and women of our Armed Forces who are separated during this holiday season. We thank them for their sacrifices.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues in support of legislation that renames the University of Miami's North/ South Center in honor of my good friend Dante B. Fascell. Dante Fascell worked tirelessly to help create and fund the North/South Center during his tenure as the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Throughout his service in Congress, Dante Fascell was a constant advocate for the cause of democracy and open dialogue among the nations of the Western Hemisphere. Our Nation owes him a debt of gratitude for his years of service. Dante Fascell's support for the creation of the North/South Center stemmed from his strong belief that the free exchange of ideas would strengthen our Nation's security, competitiveness and economic vitality. The North/South Center provides a forum for research and policy analysis that is unparalleled by any other institution in the country and promotes better understanding and relations between the United States, Canada, and the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1990, with the passage of the North/South Center Act, Congress authorized the establishment of the Center as a place for ``cultural and technical interchange between North and South.'' Dante Fascell's dream was to focus the country on the pursuit of policies which strengthen our national economic policy, trade practices, and relations with the countries of the Western Hemisphere. The North/South Center plays many roles. It is a think-tank, a foundation, a public resource center, and a repository of information. The work of the Center informs our national debate regarding topics of major significance, such as trade, economic growth, immigration, drug control policies, and the spread of democracy. There is no greater way that we can thank Dante Fascell for his vital contributions to the North/South Center than naming it in his honor. Dante Fascell served his constituents in Florida and the Nation as a whole for 36 years. He is, indeed, worthy of this tribute and I would like to thank my colleagues for passing H.R. 4757.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for purpose of debate only. House Resolution 580 provides for the consideration in the House of House Joint Resolution 131, waiving certain enrollment requirements with respect to any bill or joint resolution making general or continuing appropriations for fiscal year 1999. The rule provides 1 hour of debate on the joint resolution, equally divided and controlled by the majority leader or minority leader or their designees, and it provides for one motion to recommit. For Members who may not recall, the law, sections 106 and 107 of Title I of the U.S. Code, requires enrolled bills, measures that have passed the House and Senate in the same form and require the President's signature to become law, it requires that these be sent to the President on parchment paper. From what I understand, this is a very time-consuming effort, especially for measures as extensive as the anticipated appropriations measures. It is my understanding that to enroll these bills on parchment paper could take over a week on each one, on each piece of legislation, meaning the President would not be able to sign them for that period of time. This type of joint resolution has usually been considered in the House in previous Congresses under a unanimous consent request. Unfortunately, attempts to reach a unanimous consent agreement were unlikely due to expected objections. In fact, when we were in the minority, Mr. Speaker, in the 100th Congress, in 1987, during the consideration of the reconciliation legislation, Majority Leader Foley brought up an almost identical joint resolution waiving the parchment requirement for the enrollment of budget reconciliation and the full-year continuing resolution for fiscal year 1988. Congressman Bob Walker, one of our parliamentary experts on our side of the aisle, asked Mr. Foley to explain if all the House was doing was to provide for the waiving of parchment copies, to which Mr. Foley responded in the affirmative. There was no objection from our side of the aisle, and the joint resolution was considered by unanimous consent. However, because of possible anticipated objections certainly earlier in the week when we attempted to reach an agreement for unanimous consent, and because this type of joint resolution is not privileged, it requires a special rule to provide for its consideration. Once these important bills have passed the House, enrollment on parchment paper will be the impediment keeping them from reaching the President's desk in a timely manner. Therefore, I would urge my colleagues to support this rule and the joint resolution so that these bills can be signed into law as soon as possible. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, we as well have no further speakers. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 580 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for many years, I used to go to lunch in a little restaurant in Little Havana in that section of Miami. The restaurant was called La Hacienda. It was near the courthouse. Other assistant State attorneys would go to lunch there as well as public defenders and police officers. Very often, also having lunch at La Hacienda was an accountant and businessman named Oliver Martinez. Now just imagine someone as pleasant and charming as Jerry Solomon. It was impossible not to like Oliver, and we became very good friends. Oliver Martinez is a cousin by marriage to Jerry and to his lovely wife Freda. Oliver would always say ``My cousin Jerry is a very important Member of Congress.'' He would talk about how proud he was of his cousin Jerry. Well, years later, it was my privilege and my honor to be elected to this Congress in this miracle of freedom and human dignity known as the United States of America, and I met Oliver Martinez's cousin Jerry. I learned that, indeed, he was an important Member of Congress. I also learned that he was much more than that. Jerry Solomon is the personification of what is greatest about America. If one had to use only one word to describe Jerry Solomon, and many other words accurately describe him, such as integrity and patriotism and decency and talent and loyalty and friendship and courage and energy, but if I had to use one word with which to describe Jerry Solomon, I could do it. That word is character. When you are able to spend 4 years working in the Committee on Rules day in and day out under the leadership of Jerry Solomon, Mr. Speaker, you understand what the word character is all about. You also learn what hard work means in the context of teamwork. It has been my immense privilege to become a friend of this extraordinary American patriot, an extraordinary American patriot devoted to his family and to his colleagues, generous in spirit, gracious to all, but unyielding in his defense of America, its people, and their freedom. I will truly miss his daily counsel and guidance. I will never be able to fully reciprocate his graciousness. To my leader and chairman and to Freda and the entire family, may you enjoy many, many more years of health and happiness, and may God's grace be forever with you.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, last Memorial Day I gave an address before a distinguished group of veterans and their families at Triangle Park in the great city of Hialeah, Florida. Before I spoke, a young man also addressed the audience. I could hardly believe that the young orator was a senior in high school. Erich Almonte has recently graduated from Chaminade-Madonna College Preparatory and he is currently attending Georgetown University. I am certain that you will agree that his brilliant speech, which I will now recite as he did that morning, captures the essence of what being American is truly about. Thank you. Good morning members of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, their auxiliaries, Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, councilmen, and all others here today. Memorial Day is an opportunity for us as Americans to thank and honor those men and women who have served our country in the armed forces, including both of my grandfathers and my father, and especially to honor those who have died in that service. It is a solemn occasion, yet one of celebration, for we know that these individuals did not die in vain. You see, we find one day a year to explicitly thank these men and women, but each time someone exercises his or her right to vote, each day we live without fear, each time we enjoy the freedoms of democracy is a testament to their service and sacrifice. And today I would like to thank these men and women, and their fellows in the American Legion and VFW, for all that they have done. Not only are they Americans to the fullest extent of the word, but they are America personified. And if we really want to see what Americanism is, we need to look beyond mere words to these individuals here today. I mention Americanism for a reason. I attended Boys State last year, and was privileged to have been selected to give a speech on Americanism for my Boys State city. Today, I would like to share that speech with you, in memory of America's fallen servicemen and women. Americanism is what it sounds like: the embodiment of all things American, and of America itself. The freedom to choose who we want to run our government, and then freedom to call these people to account for anything they do. Freedom to think, or say, or write what we want, even if it goes against what others think. Freedom to talk to God, whether we call God Abba, or Allah, or Father. Freedom to decide what we want to do with our lives, and then freedom to do it. You cannot have Americanism, or America, without freedom. This freedom stems from our courage. Courage in defense of our country, whether with weapons, with intelligence, or with heart, the same courage we gather together to honor today. Courage to leave home and friends to make a better life for your family. The courage to follow our ingenuity to the end, like actually injecting someone with small pox to prevent it in the future. Courage in sitting in a tin can on top of a mountain of rocket fuel and saying, ``Point me to the moon and light the match.'' That courage explains why an American flag, and only a American flag, flies on the moon today, as a testament to our courage and spirit, the same spirit that pioneers showed when they crossed an unmapped desert, leaving farmland in their wake. Americanism is in the diversity that makes us whole, in the integrity of our promises, in the justice of our courts, and in the honor of our souls. But it does not come for free. No, just ask the colonists; ask the soldiers and their families what its price is. It is not automatic. Americanism is not in the air we breath or the water we drink, but in each and every American. In the parent and the artist, in the teacher and the plumber, in the police officers, lawyers, politicians . . . everyone. And you do not find it in a dictionary, nor in a speech, but in each of us. Not only on the battlefield, but the operating room and the classroom. Americanism is that which makes us Americans . . . and that which Americans make it. It implores us to act an not just sit idly by as children starve and marijuana clouds rise. No, Americanism is not in History books, but alive in us, calling out to keep her great, to keep America great! Thank you. Erich Almonte May 30, 1998--Memorial Day.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, it has saddened me to see issues unrelated to the funding of the Postal Service and the Treasury Department, those two extraordinarily important Federal agencies that must be funded, and that is our responsibility. Before we get out of Washington, we must fund the Federal Government. I am saddened to see collateral issues put in jeopardy this rule. If this rule goes down, the underlying legislation will not be able to be reached tonight. As my colleague from south Florida stated, there are 40,000 political refugees in this country, most of whom fled Haiti after the 1991 coup there because of political persecution, and they are looking at us tonight with an extreme amount of hope and faith, and I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to remember those 40,000 human beings who are watching us tonight. I want to thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) and I want to thank all of those who have worked on this legislation. I want to thank Jeb Bush in my state of Florida who has called our leadership time and time again and made it a top priority of his to get this legislation for justice for those 40,000 human beings passed. I would say to Members, let us not bring this rule down and not be able to get to the underlying legislation. It is a fair rule, it is fair legislation. There are 40,000 human beings looking at us that need this legislation to pass. Please support this rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I was absent on rollcall 453, the LaHood motion to table H. Res. 545, impeaching Kenneth Starr; rollcall 454, H. Res. 144, expressing support for the Bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; rollcall 455, H. Res. 505, expressing the sense of the House with respect to Diplomatic Relations with Pacific Island Nations; rollcall 456, H. Con. Res. 315, Condemning Atrocities by Serbian Police against Albanians; and rollcall 457, the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 4112, the Legislative Branch Appropriations for FY 99, due to official business. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Aye'' on all of these votes.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts), a distinguished Member of this House who has worked tirelessly on this very important and innovative piece of legislation.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 543 is a structured rule providing for consideration of H.R. 3248, the Dollars to the Classroom Act. The rule provides for the traditional 1 hour of general debate, equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce. It makes in order the Committee on Education and the Workforce amendment in the nature of a substitute now printed in the bill as an original bill for the purpose of amendment, which shall be considered as read. The rule waives clause 7 of rule XVI prohibiting nongermane amendments against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. In addition, the rule makes in order only the amendments printed in the report on the rule, to be offered only in the order printed, by the Member specified, and debatable for the time specified in the report, with the time equally divided between a proponent and an opponent. The amendments are considered as read and are not subject to amendment. Also, all points of order are waived against the amendments. The rule permits the chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone consideration of a request for a recorded vote on any amendment and to reduce to 5 minutes the time for voting after the first of a series of votes. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3248, the underlying legislation, the Dollars to the Classroom Act, is the legislation that implements the sense of the House expressed in House Resolution 139, the Dollars to the Classroom resolution, which passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 310 to 99 last session. When the vast majority of our colleagues voted for House Resolution 139, this House stated very clearly and unequivocally that we believed that the Federal education dollars that are sent to the States should be sent as much as possible directly to our local schools. The goal we are seeking with the implementing legislation, with this underlying legislation, what we are seeking to accomplish is to make certain that no less than 95 percent of the Department of Education's elementary and secondary education program funds are spent at the local level, where they should be spent. With this bill, more money will go straight to the classroom where it will have, obviously, the best possible impact. Now, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling) and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) are to be commended for bringing this important piece of legislation forward. I believe the Committee on Education and the Workforce did a very good job in marking up this bill. Given that only 5 amendments were offered in the committee of jurisdiction and that the Committee on Rules gave the entire membership of the House 6 days to file amendments on this bill and yet we, in the Committee on Rules, received only 2 amendments, I believe that this structured rule is the correct approach for this bill's consideration. The rule makes in order all of the amendments that were filed with the Committee on Rules, even though only 2 Members took the time to do so. Anyone interested in amending this bill has had 6 days, Mr. Speaker, to make their amendment plans known. Also, given that we are moving close to the end of the 105th Congress and we have obviously many important issues to resolve in the appropriations process, time is certainly in short supply. Mr. Speaker, we can do nothing more important than to protect and to strengthen the future of this great Nation, and our children represent the future of this great Nation. We are losing jobs because of some of the evident failures of our educational system, especially in the advanced math and engineering fields. Seriously addressing the educational needs of our children has become one of the true challenges for the United States of America. We have an obligation to assure that students of all ages receive the best possible education and that the funds entrusted to us by the taxpayers are spent wisely. In the effort by the House of Representatives to send a message of its commitment toward Federal funding for education, I supported the Dollars to the Classroom resolution, urging the Federal bureaucracy to send at least 90 percent of Federal education dollars directly to the classroom. It is important that we put some teeth into that sense of the House Resolution and that we implement what we overwhelmingly agreed was a worthwhile goal. House Resolution 3248 consolidates and streamlines 31 Federal education programs, giving State and local decision makers increased authority and flexibility in the use of Federal education dollars, and this legislation will send more of the money to the classroom where it will be used to help our students. No one knows the educational needs of our children better than their teachers. There is no better way to support education, genuinely, than by sending Federal dollars directly to the schools where it is most needed. Mr. Speaker, this is very good legislation. I am proud to be supporting it. I believe that House Resolution 543 is also an appropriately structured rule to bring this legislation to the floor, and I urge its adoption. I support the rule and the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume to advise my colleagues that we are privileged that the two Members of this House who are most knowledgeable on this legislation, that will do so much to get dollars to the classroom and not keep the dollars with the bureaucracy in Washington, dollars that our kids need for their public education, those two Members of Congress who most know what this legislation actually will carry out and accomplish, they are here. Mr. Speaker, I yield 9 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce.