David Dreier

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume to say that I thought that my friend agreed with the bill, with the exception of the Dreier amendment that was in here.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word, and I rise in support of the amendment, as long as it does not lead the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) to come out in opposition of the amendment. So I am going to proceed, and I will assure the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis) that I will withdraw my name and I will, in fact, not support the amendment if it in any way jeopardizes the support of the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley).

Mr. DREIER. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. DREIER. I yield to the gentleman from Fairfax, Virginia.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank my friends for their contribution. It seems to me that we have bipartisan agreement on the measure and I strongly support it. The brief statement that I would like to provide here, Mr. Chairman, states that under section 421(5)(B) of the Congressional Budget Act, Federal entitlement programs such as Medicaid, child nutrition, and foster care are considered unfunded intergovernmental mandates if Congress imposes new conditions, places caps on funding, or cuts funding without giving the States the authority to adjust those changes. Although this was the clear intent of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act, the Congressional Budget Office has used a different interpretation which undermines the act. Specifically, CBO contends that UNRA's language does not specify new authority and that States already have sufficient authority or options to adjust to any cut or cap to an entitlement program except for the food stamp program. The Davis-Moran amendment clarifies that any funding cut or cap is considered a new mandate unless the States are given new or additional flexibility to adjust their programmatic or financial responsibilities in order to offset the additional mandate costs. I believe it is a very important amendment, and I will clearly support it and urge my colleagues to join in doing the same.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend for yielding. I would just like to offer an addendum to the very thoughtful list of supporters that was provided by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Davis), and say that I suspect not many Members are aware of the fact that the International City-County Management Association, which is headed by Gary Gwinn, also strongly supports the Davis-Moran amendment.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and provide extraneous material on H.R. 3534.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this very fair and balanced modified open rule and urge my colleagues to join in supporting it and to support the legislation that will follow. 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. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, for purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to my very good friend, the gentleman from South Boston, MA (Mr. Moakley), pending which, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this modified open rule provides for consideration of H.R. 1817, the Communications Satellite Competition and Privatization Act of 1998. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate equally divided between and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Commerce. The rule makes in order as an original bill for the purpose of amendment the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Commerce now printed in the bill, which shall be considered as read. The rule further provides for consideration of only those amendments that have been preprinted in the Congressional Record. The rule also allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes during consideration of the bill and reduce voting time to 5 minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 15-minute vote. And finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. Mr. Speaker, the United States is the leader of the international information-based economy. My home State of California is home to many industries that create and exploit the core technologies of the information economy, including telecommunications and satellite producers. The goal of this legislation is to bring satellite communications into a new era of competition. We get there by encouraging an international cartel of largely government-run national telecommunications monopolies to undergo a process of competitive privatization. The winners will be the consumers of international telecommunications services, who will enjoy lower prices, better services, and technological innovation. Without question, there are very legitimate areas of debate regarding the best means of moving to a private, free market in international satellite communications. Because of the complex nature of the international satellite cartel, this is a modified open rule that does not block any germane amendment from being considered by the full House as long as the amendment has been preprinted in the Record. Mr. Speaker, this rule is deserving of bipartisan support, as is the bill. I look forward to the House working its will on the amendments submitted that have been printed in the Record, with the hope that the final product is something that can be signed into law so that we more fully enjoy the fruits of our information-based economy. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 419, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for his contribution. I would like to say that I, too, enjoyed working with the gentleman from New York on that very important issue of POWs and MIAs, and I had the privilege of traveling with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) to Southeast Asia as we continue to remain committed to bringing about a full resolution and accounting of all those still classified as missing in action. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), my very dear friend and fellow Californian.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for his contribution. I would simply close this 1-minute, Mr. Speaker, by saying that I, too, extend best wishes to Freda and to all the members of the Solomon family. I had the opportunity to travel with the Solomons right into the district of my colleague, to Lake Placid, New York. I still am carrying the burden of that on my wrist, because he insured that I would go straight forward down the bobsled run, and I am still trying to recover from that. It took a while for me to have the guts to do it, but with my colleague pushing me on, I had no choice whatsoever but to go straight ahead in pursuing that. I would say in closing, Mr. Speaker, that we will continue to hear from the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon). In the next week or so, I will be privileged to distribute to all of our colleagues a book on NATO expansion that he has just authored for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. So the gentleman from New York is here. He is going to remain very active in this institution for the next several months, but we know that he will be retiring as the 106th Congress approaches. And I know everyone in this institution joins me in extending very best wishes and godspeed to our colleague and his family.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join with my colleagues, and I know that my friend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations, will want to be recognized, to say how saddened and surprised we all were, but we certainly respect the decision that was made by the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), chairman of the Committee on Rules, yesterday that, after 20 years of service as a Member of the United States Congress, and after a career in public life that expands 31 years, he has chosen to retire at the end of this term. He, of course, has many more vigorous and active months left as chairman of the Committee on Rules. But I would like to say that, as we think about his stellar service in this institution, it has been a great honor for me to be part of a very important team. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon) has been on the front line of so many battles here in the Congress. He has been very active. He was, as was pointed out in the New York Times today, clearly the most influence member of the New York delegation serving in the Congress, and he was a member of Ronald Reagan's core group of individuals who provided him with a great deal of advice and assistance throughout President Reagan's campaigns and during the time that the President served. So I am one who will say that I clearly am going to miss my colleague. He clearly always makes his presence known when he is here in the House of Representatives, because he carried that great binder that had his name inscribed on it. So we will be seeing that again before we hope the 105th Congress adjourns sine die the first of October. But I can tell my colleagues, when the 106th Congress convenes, we clearly miss that. He has been a great leader who has stood by principle very, very passionately and diligently. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), distinguished Chairman of the Committee on International Relations.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my very dear friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I would simply like to rise to echo the remarks of my very dear colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) in extending a very important 50th anniversary congratulations. When one thinks about this alliance which has begun since the outset of the existence of the State of Israel, it is a very key one. When one thinks about the sacrifices that have been made on part of the Israeli people for interests that are, quite frankly, in many cases, those of the United States of America, I think it is very fitting and appropriate that we, as a Nation, mark this very, very important milestone. I would simply like to express my appreciation to my colleagues for moving ahead with this resolution and extend the hardiest congratulations possible.

Mr. DREIER

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Scottsdale, Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Bolivar, Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Sanibel, Florida, (Mr. Goss), the distinguished chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Budget and Legislative Process. (Mr. GOSS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Everett, Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the very distinguished chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I suspect that we will have a few Members who will want to participate in the debate on the rule, but at this time we do not have anyone here, so I will reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, this rule makes in order H.R. 2400, the Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act, better known as BESTEA, under a balanced but structured rule providing 2\1/2\ hours of general debate with 2 hours divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and 30 minutes divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill and makes in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute as an original bill for the purpose of amendment, which shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the amendment in the nature of a substitute, as modified. Only those amendments printed in part 2 of the committee report are made in order and all points of order against the amendments are waived. The amendment made in order under part 2 of the report shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report, equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for a division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. Further, Mr. Speaker, the rule allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to postpone votes and to reduce voting time to 5 minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 15-minute vote. Finally, the rule provides for one notion to recommit, with or without introductions. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2400 recognizes that the United States has essentially concluded the 40-year interstate highway construction era. It transitions the Federal Government into a new role, that of maintaining the interstate system and overseeing national priorities while supporting State and local transportation programs. BESTEA improves on ISTEA by simplifying programs, updating formulae, giving States more flexibility, and guaranteeing States a greater share of their contributions to the Highway Trust Fund. It expands funding for priority corridors and provides $570 million for new border infrastructure and safety improvements to more efficiently handle the NAFTA-related trade. Mr. Speaker, the smooth movement of goods and people is increasingly critical to American competitiveness in this period of expanding global trade. BESTEA ensures that all gas tax revenues are spent on transportation by removing the Highway Trust Fund from the unified Federal budget. Furthermore, it reaffirms the commitment of this Congress to federalist principles, upholding the rights of States to set and enforce their own traffic safety codes, while providing financial rewards to encourage States to adopt a range of measures to reduce drunken driving. Every Member of this body agrees on the importance of reducing drunken driving. The compromise language included in H.R. 2400 ensures that States will redouble their efforts to get drunk drivers off the road, while recognizing that each State should have the latitude to adopt the approach that suits that State best. Mr. Speaker, this fair and balanced rule allows the House to work its will on the most important questions surrounding Federal transportation programs. For example, H.R. 2400 allocates more money than ever before to Member-sponsored priority projects. Under this rule, Members will have the opportunity to decide whether to eliminate these projects, saving the taxpayers over $11 billion, and allowing the States to determine transportation priorities. Mr. Speaker, perhaps no issue in public debate is more controversial than that of racial and gender preferences. The House will consider whether to end the use of such preferences in Federal highway contracting and to return affirmative action to its original intent, an outreach to people of all races and genders designed to promote equal opportunity for all. Most important, Mr. Speaker, the House will have the opportunity to recognize that with the completion of the interstate system, the proper role of the Federal Government is now limited to maintaining that system and responding to a discrete range of national concerns. The turnback amendment sponsored by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kasich), chairman of the Committee on the Budget, and made in order by this rule, if adopted, will continue the Federal role in matters of national significance but return to State and local governments the authority to determine and to fund their own transportation priorities. The Kasich amendment recognizes the tremendous waste in the current system, where the States collect the gasoline tax and remit it to us here in Washington, which takes some off the top for Federal bureaucracy, some for other States, and some for projects that are not State priorities, all just to return the money to the States that collected it in the first place. If they replace the Federal tax on a penny-for-penny basis, 32 States will have more money for transportation programs and six States will break even. But because leaving the money with the States in the first place is so much more efficient, not all States will have to replace the Federal gas tax on a penny-for-penny basis. Like my home State of California, for example, most States along with it will be able to reduce taxes overall while increasing spending on transportation, because the waste in the Washington bureaucracy would be totally eliminated. In fact, economists estimate that about 20 percent of the purchasing power of gas tax revenues is lost in the round trip to Washington and back. If Members join me in support of the turnback amendment, that 20 percent can be returned to motorists in the form of tax cuts or used to increase investment in transportation or other worthwhile spending. The turnback amendment recognizes that the only way to finally resolve the problem of donor States and to ensure efficient expenditure of gas tax revenues is to let each State run its own program without interference from Washington. Mr. Speaker, with that I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this very fair and balanced rule, which makes in order a bill that significantly enhances existing transportation programs and gives the House the opportunity to debate important improvements as well as alternatives to these programs. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from South Boston, MA (Mr. Moakley), 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. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks and include extraneous material.)

Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Del Mar (Mr. Cunningham), my very good friend and fellow Californian.