Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Californian, Carol Young-Holt, as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Carol Young-Holt is a model for success in academics, professional development and nonprofit management. As the Coordinator of the South Coast Collaborative (SCC), a grassroots organization, she has united members of the South Coast area into a community of equal partners and initiated a multitude of programs for community development and enhancement. She has secured over a million dollars of funding for local projects and has designed a community development plan that among other things, developed a strong community leadership program for Spanish-speaking residents. She also established the first local positions for mental health and community outreach workers. The change in the South Coast community since she became Coordinator has been described as a ``Renaissance for both the English and Spanish-speaking communities.'' Aside from her remarkable work through the SCC, Carol Young-Holt has lectured at Stanford University, directed the prestigious Bing Nursery School Child Development Laboratory School, and created an innovative child development teaching and management program with Foothill and Canada Community Colleges. She is the publisher of many seminal articles, was director of a national multimedia-training program for early childhood educators and served as a program consultant for federal government Head Start programs. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Carol Young- Holt as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Californian, Elizabeth McKenna, as she is named a San Mateo County Young Woman of Excellence. As President of Best Buddies, an international organization that provides students with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to develop one-on-one friendships with other students at their high school, Elizabeth McKenna devotes extraordinary time and energy to improving her school and community. She organizes and publicizes meetings, pairs up mentors and mentees, and ensures all aspects of the program run smoothly. Her chapter was the proud recipient of the ``Chapter of the Month'' award at a recent Bay Area chapter meeting. In addition to her involvement in Best Buddies, she also finds time to volunteer weekly with Service Commission and the Interact Club and to be a member of the Dance Team and Dance Ensemble at Hillsdale High School. Elizabeth McKenna excels in her academic pursuits as well. She is a lead trial attorney with Hillsdale High School's Mock Trial team and played an instrumental role in bringing her team to the 2002 California State Finals, where they placed second. She is a staff writer for her high school newspaper and has been playing the piano since the fifth grade and she maintains an excellent grade point average while juggling multiple Advanced Placement and Honors courses. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring, Elizabeth McKenna as she is named a San Mateo County Young Woman of Excellence.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Californian, Nora Razon, as she is named a San Mateo County Young Woman of Excellence. Nora Razon is a young woman of tremendous insight and dedication. She took initiative in conceiving of and founding her own organization at Carlmont High School, Chicanas Healing Injustice, Sexism, Prejudice and Animosity (C.H.I.S.P.A.). This organization empowers Latino youth through participation in school and extracurricular activities dealing with the healing of injustice and animosity within and towards the Latino community. Under her direction, C.H.I.S.P.A. has evolved into one of the most successful and well-attended clubs at Carlmont High School. Nora Razon's leadership has been likewise valuable in East Palo Alto's College Track, a non-profit organization which assists motivated young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods to recognize their full potential and to attend a four-year university of their choosing. She has been credited with helping turn College Track ``from a good idea into a successful entity.'' Nora Razon is a senior leader in the East Palo Alto chapter of Youth United for Community Action and an active four-year participant in Youth Community Service. She is the Youth Representative on the San Mateo County Commission on Aging, a member of the Student Council, and a mentor to her peers through Carlmont's SOS Program designed to mediate conflicts that arise within the student body. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Nora Razon as she is named a San Mateo County Young Woman of Excellence.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Californian, Susan Ferren, as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Susan Ferren is a manager in San Mateo County's Human Services Agency and for the past 12 years has dedicated herself to improving health in San Mateo County. In addition to her job at the Human Services Agency, Susan Ferren is a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern and is working toward obtaining her license. She also works as a Crisis Therapist at Mills/Peninsula Hospital. Susan Ferren has initiated and managed many innovative programs to address family violence and children's welfare. She is cochair of the Family Self-Sufficiency Policy Team which helps families achieve stability and independence, and a site coordinator for the Fatherhood Project. She serves on the board of directors of Sor Juana Ines and has given many hours of volunteer time to several community service agencies. Susan Ferren is a mentor to interns at the Human Services Agency and gives generously of her time and talents to nurture them. A single parent, she is justifiably proud of her extraordinary son and daughter. She's been a Cub Scout Leader, a Sunday School Teacher, a Room Parent, a PTA Vice President and a Team Mother for several sports teams. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Susan Ferren as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Californian, Lisa Tealer, as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Lisa Tealer is a dedicated advocate for health and diversity issues. She is a Certified Aerobic Instructor for Large Women and founded A- Body-Positive Fitness Facility for women of all sizes and fitness levels. She has hosted special classes and seminars on various topics of benefit to women and has given numerous presentations and demonstrations on issues ranging from expanding diversity in fitness to bridging the multi-ethnic healthcare gap. Lisa Tealer has displayed extraordinary leadership skills in business as well. She manages the Pharmacological Sciences Division in the Department of Assay Services at Genentech, has ten years experience managing a technical service operation at Genentech, and four years experience as a health club owner in San Mateo. She was the first Chairperson of Genentech's African Americans in Biotechnology Employees Association. She designed the Diversity Action Plan which was presented to the CEO and Executive Committee of Genentech and she has initiated many diversity efforts in the areas of recruitment and development. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Lisa Tealer as she is inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joel Irwin Wolff who will be named Pioneer of the Year by Grays Harbor County, Washington on March 23, 2003. Joel Wolff's father came to the United States from Germany and established Wolff's Department Store in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1897. Joel Wolff was born on September 26, 1908, and has spent his entire life in Grays Harbor County. Joel Irwin Wolff has been the devoted husband of Ruth Kauffman Wolff for 65 years and he is the proud father of Susan Desmond of Portland, Oregon, and George Wolff of Hillsborough, California. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring a true pioneer and a great American, Joel Irwin Wolff.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I thank my distinguished colleague for yielding me the time. I rise today in support of the substitute and in opposition to the underlying bill. There are three major points that need to be made. First, the substitute bans human cloning in any form, period. It has stiff criminal and civil penalties imposed on anyone who would attempt human cloning, and both bills do that. One is not diminished with a stronger bill. They both absolutely provide that. Second, the underlying bill takes a step that I do not think can be talked about enough, and that is that it turns scientists and researchers, who I think are the merchants of hope, into criminals simply for trying to find cures for our most dreadful diseases. In the life of our Nation, there have been many times that white-hot issues have been debated in the Congress. In the mid-1970s, the subject was recombinant DNA. Today, this procedure is responsible for the insulin that allows children with juvenile diabetes to live normal lives. It was such a debate like this one today that took place in the Congress, and there were Members that stood up and said we cannot do this, the sky will fall, it is not moral, it is not ethical; and yet we took the steps to move in that direction. In the late 1970s, and again in the early 1990s, the subject was in vitro fertilization. Many Members questioned then, in a very important debate, how we could allow that process to go forward; and yet today there are many happy families as a result of it. Today, the opposition characterizes this in a very unusual way. In my view, it is the equivalent of book burning, to criminalize scientists and researchers and ban what they do. It is important to take note of how these debates have gone forward. I think the Congress needs to move forward today with scientific discovery and also affirming life and protecting it. We can do both. I understand that this is a difficult issue for some Members, but I think that we need to look at who stands with us in this, the groups that support H.R. 801. Is Stanford University off its rocker? Is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists totally wrong in this? Is the American Gastroenterological Association wrong? How about the American Infertility Association, the American Medical Association, the American Society for Cell Biology, the National Health Council, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the International Foundation for Anticancer Drugs? I could go on and on. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to read the list that I will ask be placed in the Record and to read it carefully. Let us ban human cloning, let us support American research and those that are a part of it. Mr. Chairman, the list I just referred to is submitted herewith for the Record. Groups Supporting H.R. 801--Alliance for Aging Research, Alpha-1 Foundation, ALS Association, American Association of Neurological, Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Council on Education, American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), American Gastroenterological Association, American Infertility Association, American Medical Association, American Society for Cell Biology, American Society for Microbiology, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Society of Hematology, Association for Women in Science, Association of American Medical Colleges, Association of American Universities, Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, Biotechnology Industry Organization, California Institute of Technology, Californians for Cure, Canavan Research Illinois, Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Children's Neurobiological Solutions, Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, Coalition of Patient Advocates for Skin Disease Research, Columbia University Committee for the Advancement of Stem Cell Research, Cures Now, Duke University Medical Center, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Genetic Alliance, Hadassah, Harvard University, Hereditary Disease Foundation, Hope for ALS. International Foundation for Anticancer Drug Discovery (IFADD), International Longevity Center--USA, International Psoriasis Community (IPC), Jeffrey Modell Foundation, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, International Lymphoma Research Foundation, Monash University, National Association for Biomedical Research, National Coalition for Cancer Research, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, National Council on Spinal Cord Injury, National Health Council, National Venture Capital Association, Parents of Infants and Children with Kernicterus, Parkinson's Action Network, Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Project A.L.S., Quest for the Cure, Research!America, Resolve: The National Infertility Association, Rett Syndrome Research Foundation, Society for Women's Health Research, Stanford University, Stem Cell Research Foundation, Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation, Tourette's Syndrome Association, Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance, University of California System, University of Minnesota, University of Rochester Medical Center, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt University and Medical Center, Washington University in St. Louis, WiCell Research Institution, Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research and Education.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I thank my distinguished colleague for yielding me time. Mr. Chairman, I want to use these 3 minutes to talk about the science that the substitute, H.R. 801, preserves, and exactly what somatic cell nuclear transfer is. The American people are tuned in today and they are listening to this discussion and they deserve to get some facts. First, a woman donates an egg cell and a patient donates a skin cell. The nucleus is removed from the woman's egg cell and in its place the nucleus from the patient's skin cell is inserted. The egg is then stimulated to induce it to divide. Once the egg divides, it begins creating stem cells that are identical to the patient's own cells. This is regenerative medicine, it is not fertilization. Children are created by the fertilization of an egg cell by sperm, not by chemical stimulation. Stem cell research is research on the most fundamental part of the human system, cells that can become any other type of cell in the body. Because of their ability to develop into liver cells, pancreatic cells, spinal cells, any kind of cell, stem cells are critical to researchers who are trying to cure a whole host of diseases. What researchers are focusing on today is how these stem cells become other types of cells. There are some types of protein or chemicals that stimulate stem cells to become spinal cells. Scientists just do not know what proteins or chemicals they are. Somatic cell nuclear transfer or therapeutic cloning is an important part of this process because scientists are still learning how to use the cell from inside the patient's cheek to turn it back into a stem cell, and then reprogram it to become a liver cell that revitalizes the liver damaged by cancer. That is what this discussion is about today. There are two proposals. They both outlaw human cloning. It is unethical. It is wrong. We all agree to that. But only one bill preserves science and research to accomplish what I just outlined. So I urge my colleagues to protect the research. Do not criminalize scientists. That would be wrong in our great Nation. We can preserve and protect the sanctity of what we want to protect, to outlaw human cloning, but we should move ahead and be the America that we have always been, to embrace research, to embrace innovation and to help those who are suffering in our country today. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the substitute and to oppose the underlying bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ruth Williams Buce who died on January 20, 2003, after a brief illness at the age of eighty-two. Ruth Williams Buce was born in Alexander City, Alabama, and was the first woman in her family to earn a college degree. She was a member of the ``greatest generation,'' the generation that secured democracy and built America in the 20th century. Ruth made friends everywhere she went in her unending pursuit of continuing education and personal growth. She lived a life of volunteerism and gave generously to many causes. She helped her parents prepare food and deliver it to those in need; she rolled bandages in World War II, and worked as a hospital aide. Most recently she volunteered at the Methodist Country House Health Center. Ruth was an avid participant and a leader in the Friends of the Concord Pike Library, the AAUW Landmarks Group and St. Paul's United Methodist Women. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, William Austin Buce and her children, James A. Buce and his wife Judith, Robert E. Buce and his wife Barbara, and Janet Buce Cook. She also leaves two grandchildren, Julie and Brian Buce. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ruth Williams Buce for her lifetime of extraordinary service to her community and her country and extending our deepest sympathy to her entire family.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Anthony Paul Spitaleri who is retiring after a distinguished career in service to the City of Palo Alto and its Fire Department for thirty-five years. On January 1, 1967, Anthony ``Tony'' Spitaleri joined the Stanford Fire Department as a Firefighter. The Stanford Fire Department merged with the Palo Alto Fire Department in 1976, and Tony rose through the ranks to become Fire Captain. He has served his coworkers ably as President of the Palo Alto Firefighters Union (Local 1319) for more than a quarter century with professionalism and commitment. He helped recruit and retain a force of highly qualified firefighters and developed safe standards for staffing and equipment. He's been a tireless fundraiser for many community causes, and recently helped raise $800,000 for the families of New York Firefighters following the tragedies of September 11th. Mr. Speaker, Tony Spitaleri is known throughout our community as an unselfish, enthusiastic, thorough, fair, compassionate, courteous man and he's one of the best barbequers around! I salute him for his extraordinary leadership which has made our community safer and stronger. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Anthony Paul Spitaleri for his outstanding service to our community and wishing him a retirement filled with every blessing.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, with the consideration of H.R. 395, the Do- Not-Call Implementation Act, we're finally directing our attention to an issue that has affected our constituents for some time . . . telemarketing. Telemarketing is big business. There are more than 16 billion telemarketing calls made each year which generate nearly $300 billion in sales and employ 6 million people. But consumers have grown weary of interruptions coming from an unwanted sales call at dinnertime, while they're sleeping, or just barely waking up. They've repeatedly asked for a way to avoid these calls. Twenty-seven states have responded by establishing do-not-call lists and more than 12 million households have already signed up. At last we have a federal response . . . a national do-not-call list. I commend the Federal Trade Commission for making this useful tool available to the consumers of our nation. Implementation of the list has an estimated cost of $16 million. This money is well-spent but it's extremely important that the FTC's proposal is implemented in the most efficient manner. Effective implementation requires harmonization with state laws, as well as a cooperative effort with the Federal Communications Commission which is in the process of reviewing its ten-year-old telemarketing rules. One area that may need refinement is the FTC's exemption for pre- existing business relationships. The current FTC rules place an 18- month limitation on prior relationships but some industries, such as software and information product manufacturers, may have upgrades that occur outside this time frame. A longer time frame may be necessary so that the Do-Not-Call list doesn't have an arbitrary impact on consumers and small businesses. Only a consistent framework, not a patchwork of varying rules, will accomplish our goal of increasing consumer confidence and protection. I'm proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 395 and look forward to quick enactment of the FTC's Do-Not-Call list. I urge all my colleagues to vote for it to hasten its implementation for the American consumer.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great American and most distinguished Californian, Fran Wagstaff, for her 20 years of leadership as the executive director of the Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition, MPHC, of Redwood City, CA. Fran Wagstaff joined the Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition in 1983 and since that time she has become known as the premier person and leader in affordable housing in the 14th Congressional District of California and throughout our region. With Fran Wagstaff's leadership, Mid- Peninsula Housing Coalition is considered the ``gold standard'' for providing affordable housing for the people of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Alameda, Monterey, Solano, and Contra Costa Counties in California. Today, thousands of families who work locally but would otherwise be priced out of the local housing market have safe, attractive, affordable housing. Fran Wagstaff has been responsible for the development of over 80 affordable housing projects, creating more than 2,500 new affordable housing units. Beyond the creation of new housing, under her leadership MPHC has been able to acquire and rehabilitate another 2,500 units for low-income individuals and families. Fran Wagstaff and her team have also created six facilities for homeless families, ensuring that everyone has a place to live. Her work and her vision helped to create Shelter Network of San Mateo County, a highly respected nonprofit organization which operates local homeless shelters and programs to help people end the cycle of homelessness. She's also been a leader in the effort to develop a housing trust fund for San Mateo County. Before joining MPHC, Fran served as executive director of the Community Housing Improvement Program, CHIP, a private nonprofit housing agency that provides a variety of housing services to low- income households in predominantly rural areas. Through her leadership, CHIP was able to help thousands of people find a place to live, whether it was through the conversion of vacant buildings, the development of cooperatives for low-income families or the rehabilitation of existing homes. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring this great and good woman. Fran Wagstaff is one of the most exceptional, effective and respected leaders in our community and through her commitment and professionalism, she has made our communities and our country a better place for all.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 13 companies in the Bay Area which were selected by Fortune magazine as one of the ``100 Best Companies to Work For.'' Xilinx, Adobe Systems, Cisco Systems, Intel, Agilent Technologies, Silicon Graphics, Network Appliance, Autodesk, Intuit, Sun Microsystems, Genentech, Charles Schwab and Electronic Arts have distinguished themselves as employers. How proud I am to represent the District which is either home to several of the honorees or who employ some of my constituents. Despite adverse market conditions each one of these companies has demonstrated in important ways how much they value their employees. Top executives have taken pay cuts and many have set a high corporate standard of providing employees incentives to work for nonprofit organizations in their communities. Each company who is part of this `honor role' has come to the list experiencing a challenging economy and tough workplace issues. Yet they've done it with fairness, with integrity and with respect for their employees. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Xilinx, Adobe Systems, Cisco Systems, Intel, Agilent Technologies, Silicon Graphics, Network Appliance, Autodesk, Intuit, Sun Microsystems, Genentech, Charles Schwab and Electronic Arts for everything they've done to create the best workplaces of the 21st century and as they do, we salute them for what they contribute to the well being of our nation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank) for yielding me the time, and Mr. Speaker, it is nice to see you in the Chair. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill to reinstate the National Flood Insurance Program. It is widely known by the acronym NFIP. I am relieved that it has come to the floor because it is important that it is passed. It is important for many reasons. Because it did expire on December 21, it would affect 400,000 American homeowners because they will be without coverage by the end of the month. So timeliness is important and it is legitimate to say that this thing could have been taken care of before we left last year. So that is why I am saying I am relieved that it is coming up today. For those who own property in flood-prone areas, flood insurance is really essential. It is a must and the consequences of the lapse in this program are serious. New policies cannot be issued, and without coverage perspective home buyers may not be able to close on a home. Many of us have closed on a home and we know that there are many parts of that closure. This is an essential piece if someone lives in a flood zone. Policies cannot be renewed for homeowners whose policies expired after December 31st, and they could be liable for damage, even if they paid their premiums. That is not such a great deal. Finally, the NFIP will not be able to borrow money to cover claims. So this has to pass, and I do not think that there is anyone that is opposed to it, but we really did not have to come to this point of anxiety. My constituents have a special association with this coverage. That is because we suffered severe flooding in 1998 in the last El Nino, and hundreds of homes were flooded, many millions of dollars in damage. We can ill afford to be without this flood insurance today. I want to urge every single person in this House to vote for this. It should be unanimous. It should be bipartisan. The American people deserved to have this taken care of before we left, but as I said, I am relieved it is on the floor now. Let us get this thing done. Let us send it to the President to have him sign it into law. The American people deserve the backing of this kind of insurance coverage and cannot afford to be without it. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Josephine Wagner Eldridge, a beloved mother and grandmother who died on June 9, 2002. Josephine Wagner was born in 1917 and was raised in Roanoke, Virginia, where she was an outstanding athlete and student. She graduated from Duke University School of Nursing in 1940 and worked as a nurse at Memorial Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, where she met and married Bill Eldridge, a pilot in the Army Air Corps. Following World War II they settled in the San Francisco Bay Area. Josephine Wagner Eldridge and her husband Bill were long-time members of Contra Costa Country Club and founding members of Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church. Once their three sons were raised, Josephine returned to her passion of painting. Her painting career flourished and her works were displayed throughout the region with the Las Juntas Artists group and several other art organizations. Josephine is survived by her sons Bill and his wife Judy, Steve and his wife Sue, Keith and his wife Jan, grandchildren Sheri, Kim, Tommy, Teo, Erin, Ryan and Alex, and her great-grandchildren Sydney and Jessica. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Josephine Wagner Eldridge, for the life she led, for the extraordinary family she raised and for her contributions to the community and the country she loved.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 7(c) of rule XXII, I hereby give notice of my intention to offer a motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4. The form of the motion is as follows: Ms. Eshoo moves that the managers on the part of the House at the conference on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses on the Senate amendments to the bill H.R. 4 be instructed to insist, to the extent possible within the scope of the conference, that the conferees reject provisions that would make discretionary the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's duty to ensure that wholesale electricity rates are just and reasonable and not unduly discriminatory or preferential.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Marilyn Luotto, a distinguished citizen and a resident of Santa Clara County, who is being honored on October 16, 2002, by the Sacred Heart Schools of Atherton, California, with the 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. Marilyn is a native of Chicago, Illinois, where she received her bachelor's degree in Psychology from Mundelein College and her master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University. In 1967, she came to California with her husband and their five children, and soon after. Marilyn began working at Sacred Heart Preparatory. She taught English, Psychology, and a course in Marriage and the Family through the Religion Department at the school. She also acted as a school counselor, at the high school and the elementary school. After five years of dividing her time between her family and the schools, Marilyn began spending more of her work time as a counselor at St. Joseph's School, continuing to teach at least one psychology course at the high school because she enjoyed her involvement with students of all ages. During this time, Marilyn also began pursuing her second master's degree in Marriage and Family Counseling at the University of Santa Clara. With that degree she received her M.F.T. license as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of California. Throughout her tenure at Sacred Heart Schools, Marilyn shared her time and her talents with the entire community of faculty, staff, and students. Last year she retired after 25 years of extraordinary service to the Sacred Heart Schools. With her characteristic spirit of generosity, she thanked everyone for their support and all that they had contributed to her personal and professional growth. She promised to find a way to share the love that she had received with others as she embarks on a new phase of her life. Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Mrs. Marilyn Luotto as she receives the 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting her and thanking her for her extraordinary service to our community which has made us a better country.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mrs. Zenaida Melgoza, a distinguished citizen and a resident of San Mateo County, who is being honored on October 16, 2002, by the Sacred Heart Schools of Atherton, California, with the 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. Zenaida came to the United States from Aguililla Michoac[aacute]n, Mexico, when she was just thirteen years old, moving with her family to Redwood City, California. In 1978 when she first began working at what was then known as Convent of the Sacred Heart, Menlo, she was already a young wife and the mother of two. Zenaida worked with and for the Religious, helping in the boarding school, the cafeteria, and with general housekeeping for the growing community of Sisters and students. She loved the children at the school and developed warm relationships with everyone she met. When graduates stop by to visit the campus today, Zenaida recognizes and remembers them, often surprising them when she calls them by name after 15, 20, or almost 25 years. She still visits regularly with the Religious she has known so well who are now in the retirement home on the campus. Sacred Heart is Zenaida's second home and she embraces everyone at the Schools as her family, as they do her. She has brought many of her relatives to the campus to work, finding someone to help the Sisters with whatever was needed. Her uncle and four of her cousins have worked at Sacred Heart over the years and some still do. Zenaida and her husband Rafael still live in Redwood City where they have raised their family of four children. Their youngest daughter Cristina just graduated from the grade school last year. Their oldest grandchild Rafael is in the first grade, and his sister Jocelyn is in the preschool. Zenaida's relationship with Sacred Heart is a story of love and dedication that is rare indeed. Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Mrs. Zenaida Melgoza as she receives the 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting her and thanking her for her extraordinary service to the Sacred Heart community and for strengthening our country through her countless contributions.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sister Joan McKenna, a member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart and a distinguished educator and citizen. Sister McKenna is being honored on October 16, 2002, by the Sacred Heart Schools of Atherton, California, with the prestigious 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. Sister McKenna is a truly remarkable woman who has given much to education in ways almost too numerous to recount. She was born and raised in San Francisco and educated in a parish school. As a high school student she was given a full scholarship to Sacred Heart Schools Broadway where she continued to excel and where she developed her deep respect for the Religious of the Sacred Heart and their dedication to educating the ``whole child.'' Sister McKenna received her B.A. and her M.A. in History from the San Francisco College for Women. She later received her M.A. in Theology and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco. From each of these institutions she received training that developed her inborn talents, and to each of them she returned what she received tenfold, or more. After joining the Religious of the Sacred Heart, Sister McKenna taught history and religious studies at Sacred Heart Schools in El Cajon, San Francisco and Atherton. In addition to her teaching, she was Dean of Students and Assistant to the President at the San Francisco College for Women. After receiving her law degree she spent three years working as a legal assistant for the San Francisco City Attorney's Office in the Juvenile Court. She served as Principal at Sacred Heart Broadway and Director of Schools at Sacred Heart Atherton. Over the years she has served tirelessly on the Boards at each of these institutions, as well as the Oakwood retirement home for the Religious and for Catholic Charities of San Francisco. She is currently a lecturer in theology and religious studies at the University of San Francisco. Hers has been a life of learning and helping others to learn, in a tradition of values-based education that she treasures. Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to honor Sister Joan McKenna as she receives the 2002 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting her and thanking her for her extraordinary service to our community which has made us a stronger and better nation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, the Congress is now debating the most serious and sobering of issues, whether we go to war, war against Iraq. We do this as we stand on the threshold of a new century. I believe this debate is as much about voting to declare war as it is about what kind of country we are and what we want our country to be in the future. This resolution of war is an extraordinary and unwise departure from our history of a principled American tradition, that we stand foursquare against unprovoked attacks and for a foreign policy of deterrence. The Bush doctrine reverses this policy and sets forth that the United States of America has the unrestricted right to attack other nations. This resolution trades deterrence for preemption. This resolution trade multilateralism for unilateralism. This go-it-alone policy has become the imprimatur of this administration. We have witnessed their abrogation of nearly every international treaty they inherited from previous Republican and Democratic administrations. This administration has allowed the underfunding of the Nunn-Lugar law, leaving the tools of terrorists unprotected and up for grabs across the former Soviet Union. This administration has withdrawn from the ABM Treaty, withdrawn from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, withdrawn from START II, rejected the Biological Weapons Convention, and rejected the International Criminal Court. This administration makes war the first and only option, rather than a last resort. It has, in one brief summer and fall, upended decades of our time-tested, tenacious foreign policy of deterrence, which has served our Nation and the world so well. The President has not answered the haunting questions of thousands of my constituents and the American people. Why now? How many troops will we need to wage this war? What will it cost? How long will we be there? What is the plan to manage the chaos in the aftermath of regime change; and, finally, how will it affect the war on terrorism? Respected military leaders and statesmen have testified to Congress about their deep concerns with preemption and unilateralism. These experts have seriously undercut the President's case of what Saddam Hussein has and the President's remedy to deal with it. And classified briefings have raised more questions than answers. Today's newspapers were filled with the information that our own intelligence agencies have concluded that Saddam Hussein is unlikely to initiate a chemical or biological attack against the United States. Not one of us carries a brief for Saddam Hussein. We know what he has done and we know how he rules. We know about his accumulation of chemical and biological weapons and the other weapons that threaten his neighbors and us. Our answer today, send a thousand troops of weapons inspectors to Iraq. This time they must have unrestricted access to everything and with deadlines to achieve disarmament. The world community will watch and as we disarm him. He will loosen the noose he holds. We can be tough and principled as we have been in the past. We can bring other nations with us and when we do, Saddam will know he cannot dodge or be deceitful any longer. That is why I support the Spratt resolution which calls for action only if the U.N. determines action is required and the President seeks approval from the Congress. Finally, Mr. Speaker, when the framers wrote our Constitution, their vision spoke to the innermost yearnings of every human being, then, over the centuries, and now. They created what I have called the best idea that is ever been born: democracy. Their call is the same today in this new century that we lead through the enduring strength of our democratic principles backed by the might we possess. Today our Constitution and my conscience beckon me to oppose the President's resolution for war. I shall vote against the resolution and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I thank our ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health for yielding time to me. Madam Speaker, I am so pleased, I am really very excited, that the House is considering this evening H.R. 3580, legislation which I introduced with my wonderful colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), and worked with so many others on. It has been over a long period of time, not a short period of time, so I think that is why we are very excited that we have finally made it to the floor in the culmination of our work. It is a bipartisan bill, and it really is ultimately about patients, patients in our country, about making sure that patients are able to safely benefit from the wonders of medical technology in a very timely manner. As medical technologies have become more advanced, it takes more government resources to ensure that these products are safe and effective. That falls to a Federal agency, and that is the Food and Drug Administration. They regulate medical devices, and they have been overwhelmed by the volume of new products that they must review. So, number one, under this bill, and for the very first time in the history of our country, the medical device industry has agreed and will pay fees to the FDA for every product they propose to market. It is a very important change, something that was fought several years ago, but the industry has now moved to this position, and I think that it is a wise one. The fees will help the FDA hire additional staff and purchase needed equipment so that they can review the products on a timely basis. Number two, the bill also increases resources for additional inspections of manufacturing plants and facilities. I would just like to take a moment to say to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Ohio, that in terms of third-party inspections, these are not private sector people that companies just go out and choose; in other words, put the fox in charge of the chicken coop. Not so. The FDA will create a pool of inspectors who then will be available to companies, and that is what we call third-party inspection in the bill. I think there is a huge difference between the two. The bill also creates an Office of Combination Products to shepherd advanced products such as devices with drug coding through the approval process, so this new administrative flexibility allows the FDA to devote its resources to the devices that patients need most. Number three, and finally, the bill creates a way to regulate reprocessed devices. I have felt pretty strongly about this. I offered a bill in the Congress some time ago on it. These are products such as needles and catheters, and I think most people do not realize that this is done, which are often used a second, third, or fourth time in patients after they have been reprocessed. That does raise safety concerns, so the bill requires that reprocessed products undergo additional scrutiny by the FDA and that they be held to the highest standards the FDA can apply. I think that this is a real achievement. I have been after the FDA to do this for some time, and the bill accomplishes that. I think it is a win for the American people. It also requires that doctors, who are often unaware that they are using reprocessed devices, be informed about the reused device so they, in turn, can advise their patients. Now I want to close by saying my thanks to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood); to the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Tauzin); to the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Bilirakis); to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the ranking member of the Committee on Commerce; to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman); and certainly to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), the ranking member of our subcommittee; for their highly cooperative work over the last 6 months. I also want to single out my own legislative director, Anne Wilson. Anne Wilson has literally spent hundreds of hours on this issue. She has negotiated on weekends, she has gone to meetings at night, gotten home in the morning, and then come into the office. I think that it is fair to say that we would not be here this evening were it not for the extraordinary work that Anne has done, and we are all grateful to her. I also would like to thank Pat Morrissey, Brent Delmonte, and Steve Tilton of the staff of the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Tauzin); Jenny Hansen of the office of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Burr), my friend, Mr. Burr; Allen Eisenberg of the office of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood); John Ford of the office of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell); Anne Witt of the office of the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman); and Jeremy Sharp of the office of the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps). This is an important bill, and it would not have been completed without the kind of work that we have all underscored this evening. I think we have come a long way, Madam Speaker; and I think we have created something that will serve the American people well. I urge the entire House to support this important legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished American, a renowned scientist, a national icon, and a resident of the distinguished 14th Congressional District, Dr. Edward Teller. Hailed as one of the most thoughtful statesmen of science and recognized by his scientific colleagues as one of the most imaginative and creative physicists alive, Edward Teller has led an extraordinary career. Born into a Jewish family on January 15, 1908 in Budapest, Hungary, Edward Teller grew up during a particularly turbulent time in Hungarian history when a virulently anti-semitic fascist dictator ruled the country. Edward Teller left his homeland in 1926 to study in Germany and received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from the University of Leipzig in 1930. Soon after the rise of Hitler, Edward Teller left Germany and immigrated to the United States to take a teaching position at George Washington University and pursue his research in quantum mechanics. The rest as they say, ``is history.'' Dr. Teller has led one of the most distinguished careers in science. Most widely known for his significant contributions to the first demonstration of thermonuclear energy, Dr. Teller also made enormous contributions to quantum theory, molecular physics and astrophysics. Since the early 1950's, Dr. Teller has been concerned with national defense. He served as a member of the General Advisory Committee of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (1956 to 1958) and was Chairman of the first Nuclear Reaction Safeguard Committee. Dr. Teller also served as Associate Director at the new Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory from 1954 to 1958 and became Director in 1958. Edward Teller has earned numerous honors . . . the Albert Einstein Award, the Enrico Fermi Award, the Harvey Prize from the Technion- Israel Institute, and the National Medal of Science. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Edward Teller on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebration of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory which he helped found. We're a better, more scientifically advanced, and safer nation because of Dr. Teller and his extraordinary accomplishments.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I have been sitting on the floor now for hours, as many of you have as well. I do not relish saying the following, but I think that we have hit one of our all-time lows. This is the House of Representatives, the place of the people. We are the political descendants, every single one of us, of this man here, George Washington, of Lafayette, of Lincoln, of Kennedy, of Reagan, of all of them. What has come of us, that we have descended into this? I say to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), I respect you. You are a gentleman. You are a decent man. I respect the mainstream Republicans who have to deal with this nonsense daily by the only wing that dominates your party now, the right wing. But the right wing is the wrong wing. The people of this country deserve to have their families taken care of by us. That is why we ran. We said to our respective constituents, whether they were Republicans, Democrats, Independents, we want to fulfill the dream of America for you. Now, whether we agree or disagree about the approaches, we have the collective responsibility to bring the vehicles to this floor, and a continuing resolution means that there has been a collapse, a collapse of leadership. I do not want to think of what Lincoln would say about the Republican whip and what he said. He is too busy hating Democrats. What about loving our country and moving an agenda forward? I feel ashamed tonight. I feel ashamed that there is not enough leadership. Where is the Speaker? Where is the majority leader? We can do better than this. We can do better than this, and the American people will hold us accountable. This is a sad evening. I will vote for the resolution, so the government does not shut down.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from the Committee on Rules for yielding me this time. I am going to try to keep the volume down and talk about what is in this bill. There is no question, my colleagues, that we have a problem in the country. No Member of Congress can say that the status quo is all right. It is not okay for those that are coming into this world not to have the best services of a doctor, of an OB-GYN, of pediatricians; nor is it fair for those who are in the autumn of their lives not to have the right kind of medical assistance. I think there is unanimity in recognizing what the problem is and that we should be unified in how we resolve this. As a Californian, I know what the MICRA law is. For those who do not know what it stands for, it is the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act. It has been on the books in California for more than a quarter of a century. Democrats put it into place. Democratic Governors have not repealed it. Republican legislators, Democratic Governors, regardless of what that combination has been, for those who take shots at lawyers and Democrats, a Democratic legislature, and for over a quarter of a century, they have kept this law in place. In the Congress we have looked at MICRA; and the general consensus has been that MICRA is good, MICRA works. To the gentleman and my friend from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), I told him I will not only be a cosponsor, I will be an original cosponsor of MICRA. This is not MICRA. MICRA places a $250,000 cap on economic damages and malpractice cases. This bill does that as well, and I think that is right. But it also does on product liability cases against drug and medical device manufacturers. How can any Member say to their constituents that that is all right, that they have no recourse? This is not about lawyers. This is about injured patients. We have to stand next to them as well. The gentlewoman from Connecticut said do not close your eyes; do not close your eyes to that part of the bill. This bill is overburdensome. It is not MICRA, no matter how they advertise it to be such. It does not honor the people we represent. It should be rejected. It is a closed rule because it is closed thinking. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 941, the Rancho Corral de Tierra Golden Gate National Recreation Area Boundary Adjustment Act, which will add approximately 5,000 acres to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, also known as the GGNRA. First, I thank Chairman Radanovich for his work in moving this bill along. As I've told him any times, this bill is very important to my constituents and all residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. The strong local support is reflected by the fact that every member of the Bay Area delegation has cosponsored the House companion measure, H.R. 1953, introduced by Representative Lantos whom I thank for bringing this bill to the floor. As the Bay Area has grown, our constituents have recognized how precious open, recreational spaces are to the community. Our past leaders had the foresight to create the GGNRA for this purpose. These ventures don't just happen. It takes people of vision at the local level to recognize the need, to develop a response, and rally support. I'm proud that we have the best . . . Audrey Rust, the President of the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST). I've had the privilege of working with Ms. Rust on two other major land acquisitions in the Bay Area--the Phleger Estate and Bair Island. This bill, like the other efforts, is the result of Audrey's leadership and initiative. She spurred the effort to negotiate a deal to purchase land from willing sellers and she gathered community support. She deserves our commendation and our lasting gratitude. Today, we have the relatively simple task of approving a boundary extension for the Golden Gate recreation area because the hard work was done at the local level. It's critical that we do so. When we do, we will ensure that adequate recreational space is provided for the public because more than 6 million Bay Area residents live within an hour of the GGNRA. It's also important to the local environment to acquire this land which is a habitat for ten threatened, endangered, and rare species. With this bill, we can do that. We need to seize this chance or risk losing it, perhaps forever. Lastly, I note that a number of extraneous provisions, including one regarding Yosemite National Park, have been added to this bill. This means that the bill must go back to the Senate once more. I hope that these new provisions will not mar the laudable Golden Gate provisions. I'm very pleased, Mr. Speaker, that this bill has been brought to the floor today and I urge all my colleagues to join me in voting for it.