Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, tonight we gather to commemorate those who lost their homes, loved ones, and lives in the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of this century. I am the only Member of Congress of Armenian descent. Every other day of the year, my heritage is a source of honor for me because not only do I represent a congressional district, but I also represent a community of people who have made tremendous contributions to the world. However, tonight being Armenian carries with it an obligation to bear witness * * * to remember what began in 1915 * * * to remember what happened to my family and over a million other Armenians when the Ottoman Empire forgot its humanity and set out on a path of destruction. We gather here to remember the first genocide of this century so we don't forget that it was not an isolated incident. The Armenians were followed by the victims of Stalin's purges, the German Holocaust, Cambodia's Killing Fields, the ``ethnic cleansing'' of Bosnia, and the tragedy of the Great Lakes region in Africa. Despite these examples we still do not understand why one day a community can be living peaceably among another, and the next they are singled out, rounded up, imprisoned and eventually killed. We may not understand why the Ottoman Empire decided to kill the Armenians, but we do know that it did happen and that it was, without question, morally wrong. Despite continued attempts to downplay or deny the scale of the tragedy, the forced removal of a half a million people, and the massacre of 1.5 million more has no other name but genocide. This past year several books written by members of the Armenian diaspora have been published, and in conclusion, I would like to quote from one of these books, ``Black Dog of Fate,'' by Peter Balakian. He writes the following: Commemoration is an essential process for the bereaved and for the inheritors of the legacy of genocide. It is a process of making meaning out of the unthinkable horror and loss. Because the dead have not been literally or emotionally buried in the wake of genocide, commemoration is also a ritual of burying the dead--that first act of civilization. Because genocide seeks to negate all meaning, to unmake the world, the survivors and their children must find a way back to civilization. Commemoration, then publicly legitimizes the victim culture's grief. The burden of bereavement can be alleviated if shared and witnessed by a larger community. Only then can redemption, hope and community be achieved. I thank Representatives Pallone and Porter for organizing tonight's remembrance. You help to provide a larger community, where Armenians can share and witness, and give hope for redemption.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3485, the so-called Campaign Reform and Election Integrity Act. It is not reform, and it bears no integrity relative to elections. It is a grave- side ceremony to bury reform by the Speaker. We should be having a real debate on real reform, the Shays-Meehan bill. It bans the unregulated, unlimited donations to political parties known as soft money; it establishes exacting disclosure requirements; and it limits the fund-raising of independent groups who run those infamous TV attack ads. Listen up, America. If you think there is too much money in the system now, the Republican bill will make you fasten your seatbelts. Because the Speaker's bill increases the amount that individuals can give in a yearly cycle up to $75,000 a year. The Speaker has placed a two-thirds approval requirement on the bill so it simply will not pass. This is a charade meant only to cynically produce the sentence to be uttered, ``the House considered campaign finance reform.'' I urge my colleagues to get rid of this bill. The New York Times, the Washington Post, Public Citizens, Common Cause, League of Women Voters, and many of us oppose it. Vote against it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Forest Recovery and Protection Act of 1998. This legislation is reminiscent of the infamous salvage logging rider which suspended all environmental safeguards to increase logging on every national forest for 18 months on the grounds that it would improve forest health. I take issue with the bill's definition of forest health. The author of the bill would have us believe that there is a forest health crisis and that the only way to alleviate the scourge that this crisis will cause is for increased logging. A group of scientists from universities across the country, including the home State of the author, have come out in opposition to the bill and have stated that there is no scientific consensus that commercial logging is a cure for particular problems to individual national forests. Furthermore, the National Forest Service has recently concluded that the Nation's forests are generally in a healthy condition. While each region does have a variety of health concerns in need of attention, a listing of these concerns should not be interpreted as a description of forest health crisis. I introduced the Act to Save America's Forests, and it is endorsed by over 500 scientists, and it defines forest health as a forest which has a broad range of native biodiversity. It would protect native biodiversity in our Federal forest lands by abolishing clear-cutting in Federal forests. It would ban logging and road building in remaining core areas of biodiversity in Federal forests. It would protect the less than 10 percent of original unlogged forests in the United States. The bill before us today, Mr. Chairman, is overly broad in its definition of areas in need of recovery. It does not, unlike my bill, make roadless areas off limits to logging. It lacks a clearly defined limit on how recovery areas would be managed, and it limits citizen participation by giving the Forest Service broad discretion to take shortcuts through environmental laws. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Helen Hilton Raiser who is being honored by the Volunteer Center of San Mateo County, California at the Eleventh Annual Very Important Volunteer Dinner. Helen Raiser is an active community volunteer who gives generously of her time and talents to a wide variety of organizations and causes. She has been a trailblazer in the handgun control movement so that we will have safer communities. She has worked extensively with young people, especially as an enthusiastic volunteer in Scouting. She has been a tenacious champion of accessible housing. She has been a leader in providing high quality retirement housing and care for our community's seniors through the construction, development, and property management business she and her late husband John Raiser built during their 37 year marriage. She has been a dedicated board member of numerous non-profit organizations, and a talented chair of many fund- raising events. This year Helen Raiser chairs the Very Important Volunteer Dinner for the Volunteer Center of San Mateo County and has chosen ``The Love of Reading'' as the theme. She understands the critical role reading plays in people's lives, especially in the lives of children. Since coming to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1960 from British Columbia, Helen Raiser has dedicated herself to bettering her community for everyone. Mr. Speaker, Helen Hilton Raiser is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being honored as the Volunteer Center of San Mateo County's Very Important Volunteer.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gloria Brown, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Gloria Brown currently serves on the Mills-Peninsula Health Services Board of Directors, one of many boards on which she has served over the years. In 1995, Ms. Brown organized the first Awareness Sunday Program for African American women in San Mateo County in response to data indicating that African American women have one of the lowest survival rates of breast cancer in the United States. In 1996, she organized an African American Community Health Advisory Committee through the Mills- Peninsula Health Services in order to identity and address health issues that effect the African American community. Further, Ms. Brown helped design an environmental education program for middle school students to handle the academic, emotional, and social needs of pupils needing an alternative learning environment. This successful program is now in its fifth year and is conducted in partnership with the Cabrillo School District and a local funder. Mr. Speaker, Gloria Brown is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Marian Mann, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Marian Mann is an active community volunteer who gives generously of her time and talents to a wide variety of organizations and causes. She was a founder of Daly City's nationally acclaimed anti-graffiti program, as well as the Gateway Festival, an annual celebration of San Mateo County's diversity. Ms. Mann has worked extensively with developmentally disabled individuals and helped create an annual `Funday' for young people from throughout the Bay Area. She also offers emotional and practical support to youth needing guidance to fulfill their terms of probation. Mr. Speaker, Marian Mann is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Linda Lopez, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Linda Lopez is an exemplary community volunteer who learned the value of service from her mother and sisters, activists in local church and school affairs, as well as the Chicano civil rights movement. Ms. Lopez is President of the Board of La Raza Centro Legal and has been a leader in helping to unionize employees with the Service Employees International Union. She was a founder of the North Fair Oaks Economic Development Organization, now the Community Council, which assists North Fair Oaks residents in presenting issues of importance to their community to the County Board of Supervisors. Ms. Lopez also was involved in founding the Fair Oaks Clinic. She uses her bilingual and community outreach skills with compassion and generosity, and is a devoted single mother of three sons. Mr. Speaker, Linda Lopez is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bernadette Plotnikoff, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Bernadette Plotnikoff began her career in education as a teacher at Carlmont High School in 1953. She has devoted herself professionally and in all her volunteer activities to educating children and teaching the community about child abuse and neglect. Through her work on county commissions and task forces, she has helped make San Mateo County a leader on issues affecting children. Ms. Plotnikoff has created several programs to benefit children, including the Male Adolescent Awareness Program to help sexually abused boys overcome the trauma associated with abuse. Mr. Speaker, Bernadette Plotnikoff is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Annie Chau, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as a ``Young Woman of Excellence'' by the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Annie Chau was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States in 1991. Over the past seven years, she has made remarkable contributions to San Mateo County. As a San Mateo High School student, she has held the positions of Class Treasurer and Vice President of the International Club, in addition to being part of the school's math team, marching band, and local Amnesty International chapter. Ms. Chau has volunteered with children as a reading tutor, an art instructor, and an activity assistant. Further, she represents the youth of the community through her work on the San Mateo County Youth Commission and the Foster City Youth Advisory Council. Annie Chau has achieved a 4.0 GPA and she has been repeatedly recognized for her academic accomplishments in science, math, Latin and Spanish, along with all her volunteer efforts. Mr. Speaker, Annie Chau is an outstanding leader and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being chosen a ``Young Woman of Excellence'' by the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Marcella ``Marcy'' Cisneros, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Marcella ``Marcy'' Cisneros is a tireless crusader against domestic violence. She began her work with victims of violence as a volunteer for the San Mateo Battered Women's Services, then served as Director of Program Services and Outreach Education from 1990 to 1993. Her dream to offer greater advocacy services came true in 1993 when Sor Juana Ines opened its doors to abused women. Since its inception, Sor Juana Ines has served over 5,000 women in San Mateo County by answering crisis calls and providing counseling. In 1995, Ms. Cisneros was hired by the District Attorney's Office as one of its first Domestic Violence Victim Advocates. In addition to her current position with the District Attorney, she continues to educate the private sector about domestic violence and serves in a number of other volunteer capacities. She is an Advisory Board Member of the Psychology Department for the College of Notre Dame and a Co-chair of the County Task Force on Violent Crimes Against Women. Mr. Speaker, Marcella ``Marcy'' Cisneros is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mildred Ann ``Millie'' Bessire, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Mildred Ann ``Millie'' Bessire has dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of children, particularly young girls, in San Mateo County. She has spent over 50 years in Girl Scouting, including more than 20 years actively leading a two-week long Girl Scout Day Camp, establishing it as an ongoing program in which she currently acts as Day Camp Administrator. Ms. Bessire also has been active in the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) for over 30 years, serving as President at the local and council levels. In addition, she has developed the expertise of others by recruiting and training adult volunteers, including her own grown daughters who are now active in the Girl Scouting program. In recognition of her volunteer efforts, she has been given numerous awards, including the PTA Honorary Service Award at the local, council, and district levels and the 1997 Women Helping Women Award from the Soroptomists. Mr. Speaker, Mildred Ann ``Millie'' Bessire is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sara Aviel, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as a ``Young Woman of Excellence'' by the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Sara Aviel has won several awards for her excellence in academics, debate, civic work and music. Her participation as an attorney on the Hillsdale Mock Trial Team helped them win the county championship in 1995, 1996, and 1997 and place second in California last spring. She has been a leader in Junior State of America for three years, as well as a reporter for her school newspaper, writing about issues such as the place of religion in public schools. Last summer, Ms. Aviel spent a month in Costa Rica where she communicated in Spanish while working in the rain forest and in an impoverished village. She plays the piano and has played the viola with the El Camino Youth Symphony. In addition to her extracurricular activities, Ms. Aviel has earned a 3.9 GPA, as well as being a National Merit Semifinalist while tutoring others in math and Spanish. Mr. Speaker, Sara Aviel is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being chosen a ``Young Woman in Excellence'' by the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bonnie Wells, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Bonnie Wells has devoted her entire professional and personal life to helping those in need. The trauma of being abandoned at birth by her mother and spending the five years of her life in an orphanage has given her a unique sense of the needs of others in difficult situations. Ms. Wells established the North San Mateo County Leadership Forum which provides community leaders with background on the operations of their community. She has served as a member of the Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County, including two years as its President, and has received several awards for her service to city and county government, United Way of the Bay Area, Seton Medical Center and other community organizations. Mr. Speaker, Bonnie Wells is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Irene Papan, a dedicated community leader who is being honored as an inductee into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame. Irene Papan has dedicated ten years and countless hours to John's Closet, a non-profit foundation she established in 1988 in memory of her late son John. John's Closet is an all-volunteer program that provides new clothing to more than 6,000 children in San Mateo County. Mrs. Papan believes that the new clothes promote confidence and self esteem, enabling low income children to more fully participate in school. She and her husband, The Honorable Louis J. Papan, have also established a Memorial Scholarship Fund that awards scholarships to special education programs and late blooming high school seniors. Mrs. Papan has been recognized by the cities of Pacifica, Daly City, and South San Francisco for her tireless efforts on behalf of children and was featured on a television program that focused on outstanding community volunteers. Mr. Speaker, Irene Papan is an outstanding citizen and I salute her for her remarkable contributions and commitment to our community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and congratulating her on being inducted into the San Mateo County Women's Hall of Fame.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and veteran political reporter Rollin Post, who recently retired as an analyst for KRON-TV in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since entering journalism in 1952 as a copy boy with CBS Radio in Hollywood, Rollin Post has become well known for his passion for politics, for his sound reporting, and for his insights into the issues confronting our nation and the world. From 1961 to 1973, he concentrated on political and general assignment reporting for KPIX-TV in San Francisco and became the Bay Area's first full time political reporter toward the end of that time. Mr. Post spent the next six years at San Francisco public television station KQED, where he worked on news programs A Closer Look and Newsroom. In September 1979, Mr. Post joined KRON-TV as a political editor. He provided election night commentary for the station and became best known as co-host of KRON's Sunday morning public affairs program, California This Week, which has given Bay Area viewers political insight on local, state, and national issues from newsmakers around the world. There have been many special moments in Mr. Post's career. He covered fourteen national political conventions, spent a week in Cuba reporting on trade, tourism, and American hijackers in 1978, and covered the Philippine elections in 1986. As a result of his outstanding work, he was given the prestigious Broadcast Preceptor Award from the 32nd Annual San Francisco State University Broadcast Industry Conference for his Outstanding Contributions to the Industry. A year later, he was one of three media figures honored by the Coro Foundation for influential participation in the public arena. In 1991, Mr. Post received the Outstanding Journalism Award from Sigma Delta Chi, the professional journalism fraternity. Although Mr. Post has retired from KRON-TV and California This Week, the people of the Bay Area are fortunate that he has decided to continue hosting Our World This Week, an international news show produced by Bay TV in cooperation with the World Affairs Council of Northern California. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Rollin Post for his exceptionally distinguished career in journalism and wish him our congressional best as he continues providing the San Francisco Bay Area with his superb insights on the great issues of our times.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Pietro Parravano, who has recently been named the ``Highliner of the Year,'' the Nation's most respected fishing award. Pietro Parravano has devoted his career to the creation of sustainable fisheries and to the betterment of the lives of fisher men and women. He is a dedicated public servant, currently serving on the San Mateo County Harbor Commission, as a member of the Local Fisheries Impact Program, on the California Seafood Council, and as president of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fisherman's Associations. Pietro Parravano has been a goodwill ambassador for the fishing fleet, and will soon travel to New Delhi, India to represent the United States at the World Forum of Fish Harvesters and Fishworkers. Pietro Parravano is an exceptional man, and I ask that we honor him in the House of Representatives on the eve of this most auspicious occasion.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that all prejudice against Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans in the United States should be condemned, and that Congress should support the political and civic participation of these Americans through the United States. I am introducing the resolution at this time when Congress is conducting investigations into possible campaign fundraising violations during the 1996 campaigns. No one disagrees that investigations into legitimate campaign fundraising problems should be conducted or that any individual or party that may have participated in illegal activities should be prosecuted regardless of ethnicity. However, I'm concerned that the tone set by the congressional investigations into possible campaign finance violations may increase biased treatment of Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans. Media coverage of the figures being questioned, who are of Asian descent, and of alleged contributions by Asian nations has created a perception that Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans as a group should be blamed for the problems of campaign fundraising arising from prohibited from owning property. Under the Alien Land Act passed in California, aliens ineligible to citizenship were prevented from owning land. Other States followed suit and enacted similar laws. Perhaps the most egregious civil rights violation against Asian or Pacific Islander-Americans was the internment of over 120,000 people of Japanese descent during World War II. Two-thirds of them were American citizens. They were denied their constitutional rights, forced from their homes, incarcerated in internment camps, surrounded by barbed wire, and placed under surveillance of armed guards. Their allegiance to the United States was questioned only because they were of Japanese descent. Not until 1988, when former Representative Norm Mineta introduced legislation to right this historic injustice, was an apology made by the U.S. Government to those interned during the Second World War. Although anti-immigrant laws were later repealed, those interned received a formal apology, and significant gains have been made by the Asian and Pacific Islander community in the United States, there is still much work to be done to fight discrimination against these citizens. Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans continue to face racially motivated bigotry and violence, just as they did when their ancestors arrived in this country over 150 years ago. The 1992 report: Civil Rights Issues Facing Asian Americans in the 1990's by U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recounts numerous incidents of bigotry and violence over the last two decades. The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium's 1996 Audit of Violence Against Asian the 1996 elections. Reporters contacted donors of Asian descent simply because they were Asian when the story of possible contributions from Asian nations broke. The media has also used offensive racial stereotypes to depict the fundraising violation problem. For instance, the March 24, 1997, cover of the National Review depicted the President, Vice President, and the First Lady in Asian dress and stereotypically racist physical features. I am also disturbed by stories of congressional activities possibly driven by racial stereotypes. For instance, by colleague, Representative Moran, described on the floor last week the story of a constituent who received a subpoena for the telephone records of his wife from the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight just because she has a Chinese surname. The United States has a long, sordid history of discrimination against Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 limited the number of Chinese immigrants admitted into the United States. It was the first and only immigration law in American history that targeted a specific nationality and was passed due to growing anti-Chinese sentiment created by white laborers competing for jobs. It wasn't repealed until 1943. The Gentlemen's Agreement of 1908 prohibited Japanese immigration, and the National Origins Quota System limited the number of immigrants from Asian nations. At the beginning of our Nation, the Founders limited the eligibility for citizenship to free white persons only. In the early 1900's, laws restricting citizenship led to Asian immigrants being Pacific Americans found an increase of 17 percent of anti-Asian incidents reported for 1996 from the previous year. This is particularly disturbing since violent crimes on the whole for 1996 decreased by 7 percent. In recent months, we have seen incidents of racially motivated violence and harassment toward Asian and Pacific Islander-Americans to discourage their political participation. Students on a University of California campus protesting the antiaffirmative initiative, proposition 209, received chilling hate calls. Asian or Pacific Islander-Americans running for political offices in California, Ohio, and Washington reported their campaign materials vandalized with racial slurs. Mr. Speaker, the resolution I am introducing reaffirms the rights of the Pacific Islander-American community and underscores the need to protect and advance the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans. I urge my colleagues to do the same and support this resolution.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell] for yielding me this time. This evening I rise in strong support of the conference report, and I urge my colleagues to support it as well. Let me start out by acknowledging the leadership, and without the leadership of the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bliley], our committee chairman, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Bilirakis], our subcommittee chairman, and certainly the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Dingell], our ranking member, and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Brown] of the subcommittee, and all of the Members from my side of the aisle as well as the majority, we would not come to this moment. Like all conference reports, it represents a compromise. Nonetheless, the agreement is entirely consistent with the bill which passed the House by a voice vote last month. That is highly unusual for a bill of such substance and such importance to come to the floor and be passed by a voice vote. I am proud of the role that I was able to play in this. The FDA, I believe, will be a better agency because of this legislation. Drugs and medical devices will get to patients sooner without any reduction in the safety and the effectiveness of these products. I am particularly pleased that a compromise was reached among the conferees on a provision allowing for accredited third parties to review medical devices, and that the House held its position with regard to the labeling of devices. Had the House not insisted on this language, this conference report would have been vetoed, and all of our hard work would have been lost. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that my colleagues appreciate the tremendous bipartisan, bicameral support that went into bringing this conference report to the House today. The list of people to thank is far too long to mention here, but there is one, because I think if there were a subset title to this bill, it would be the Kay Holcombe Act of 1997. The tributes that have been paid to her are well-deserved and she should receive the gratitude and the applause of the American people, because they are the ones that we really went to the table for, and were it not for her professionalism, her patience, her hard work, we would not have arrived at this moment. I salute everyone that was a part of this, and if there is anyone on either side of the aisle that thinks that there are not unending opportunities to seize in the Congress, they are wrong. I found one with my colleagues, and one of them seated on the other side of the aisle, Joe Barton, my partner on the medical device bill, many thought that with the two of us being partners that it could not be done. It was done, we come to this moment, and I urge my colleagues to support the conference report. It is good for the American people, and we are proud of the effort.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the farsighted, courageous leadership of the regents of the University of California and the board of trustees of Stanford University for approving the merger of UCSF Medical Center and Stanford Health Services. UCSF Medical Center includes Mt. Zion Hospital, while Stanford Health Services is comprised of Stanford University Hospital and Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital. The new organization resulting from this merger shall be known as UCSF Stanford Health Care. UCSF and Stanford Health Services, both recently named among the top 10 medical centers in the United States, have well earned reputations as extraordinary institutions that educate new physicians, engage in life saving research, and provide exemplary care to their communities. Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital is widely heralded for its advocacy of children's health and has a distinguished national record of expert and compassionate care for children. Mt. Zion Hospital, which became part of UCSF in 1987, has a rich tradition of providing high quality care to San Francisco families. Together, these organizations provide care to more than 1 million individuals each year. The combined entity has pledged to continue its commitment to those who need its services, including the indigent and those with special needs. The employees of UCSF, Stanford Health Services, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, and Mt. Zion Hospital bring with them a tradition of maintaining high standards for patient care and an ability to put a vast array of new technologies into service with dizzying frequency. Their ceaseless commitment to providing the finest service to those entrusted to their care will enable the new entity to continue as a leader in the healing arts. Mr. Speaker, this ground breaking merger is very important to the people of our region and our Nation and will make UCSF Stanford Health Care a peerless resource for advanced medical treatment. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating all those who took part in the creation of UCSF Stanford Health Care and wish them our best in this new endeavor.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, first, I thank my colleague Rep. Rosa DeLauro for organizing this special order during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and for her unwavering advocacy on behalf of breast cancer patients. Breast cancer touches the lives of thousands of American women, their families, and their friends every year, forcing them to confront both death and disfigurement. Over 180,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer annually and 44,000 of them die from the disease. Another 85,000 American women have mastectomies as part of their treatment each year, 25,000 of whom choose to have reconstructive breast surgery because of the tremendous damage that mastectomy does to a woman's body. Fear of losing a breast is one of the main reasons many women do not have preventive examinations for breast cancer--many don't know about the possibility of reconstructive surgery. Unfortunately, many insurance companies don't recognize the importance of breast reconstruction. A recent survey shows that 84 percent of plastic surgeons had up to 10 patients denied coverage for reconstruction of an amputated breast. The unwillingness of some insurance companies to pay for reconstructive breast surgery following a mastectomy defies all sense of reason and compassion. Reconstructive surgery in these cases is not cosmetic--it's part of the continuum of case necessary for the complete recovery of patients. On the first day of the 105th Congress, I introduced H.R. 164, the Reconstructive Breast Surgery Benefits Act. This legislation says that insurance companies that cover mastectomies must also cover reconstructive breast surgery resulting from mastectomies, including surgery to establish symmetry between breasts. Companies can't deny coverage for reconstructive surgery by claiming it's cosmetic surgery. At the same time, H.R. 164 doesn't force women to have the surgery and it allows companies to impose reasonable charges for providing the benefit. Even though this initiative has won broad bipartisan support, no hearings have been held on it. Nor have hearings been held on a related piece of bipartisan legislation, H.R. 135, which would stop the shameful practice of drive-through mastectomies. That's why I welcome the online breast cancer care petition drive which was launched last month to call for hearings on both breast cancer bills. Located on the Web at breastcare.shn.com, the petition gives breast cancer patients and those who care about them a chance to log on, learn, and leave their names in support of congressional action. The petition will run through the end of this month. Nearly 6,000 people from across the country have signed the petition so far. In addition to collecting signatures, the site allows people to leave personal stories about their experiences with breast cancer. Hundreds of people have done so, and anyone reading them can't help but be moved. At the end of the drive, the petition will be delivered in hard copy to the appropriate committee and subcommittee chairmen to demonstrate that these bills have broad support and deserve hearings. In closing, I want to read to you just two of the comments that have been left at the petition site. The people who have left them speak far more eloquently about this issue than I ever could. One woman wrote: On January 17, 1997, I learned that my mother, the woman I thought was a breast cancer survivor and success story, had developed recurrent breast cancer. On February 4, 1997, my mother was dead. My family has been devastated by the loss. I have accomplished some of the dreams she and I shared together, but cannot tell her. I was finally able to return to live near her, but she's no longer there . . . I thank you for providing me with this opportunity to let those in government know how important it is to provide women with adequate and acceptable care for this devastating disease. On October 5, a woman left this message: I was diagnosed with breast cancer 48 hours ago. I must have more surgery in 24 hours. I am terrified. I don't want to die. My grandmother, my mother, and my mother's sister all had breast cancer. I am 53. I have a beautiful 26-year-old daughter. I want her never to suffer with this. Providing coverage for reconstructive breast surgery and stopping drive-through mastectomies are two important issues related to breast cancer. Until there's a cure for the disease, we must ensure that women are given the best care possible to cope with breast cancer and its treatment. Mr. Speaker, I encourage people to visit the petition site, breastcare.shn.com, and read these personal stories. They all have one simple underlying theme: it's time for Congress to stop delaying and start acting on these important pieces of legislation. Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to speak about an issue of vital importance to the women of this Nation--breast cancer. As a woman and a mother, I feel that there are few issues as important to women's health as the breast cancer epidemic facing our Nation. Therefore, I add my voice to supporting the DeLauro legislation on breast cancer. As you may know, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women today. An estimated 2.6 million women in the United States are living with breast cancer. Currently, there are 1.8 million women in this country who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 million more who do not yet know that they have the disease. It was estimated that in 1996, 184,300 new cases of breast cancer would be diagnosed and 44,300 women would die from the disease. Breast cancer costs this country more than $6 billion each year in medical expenses and lost productivity. These statistics are powerful indeed, but they cannot possibly capture the heartbreak of this disease which impacts not only the women who are diagnosed, but their husbands, children, and families. Sadly, the death rate from breast cancer has not been reduced in more than 50 years. One out of four women with breast cancer dies within the first 5 years; 40 percent die within 10 years of diagnosis. Furthermore, the incidence of breast cancer among American women is rising each year. One out of eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime--a risk that was 1 in 14 in 1960. For women ages 30 to 34, the incidence rate tripled between 1973 and 1987; the rate quadrupled for women ages 35 to 39 during the same period. I am particularly concerned about studies which have found that African-American women are twice as likely as white women to have their breast cancer diagnosed at a later stage, after it has already spread to the lymph nodes. One study by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research found that African-American women were significantly more likely than white women to have never had a mammogram or to have had no mammogram in the 3-year period before development of symptoms or diagnosis. Mammography was protective against later stage diagnosis in white women, but not in black women. We have made progress in the past few years by bringing this issue to the Nation's attention. Events such as this October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, are crucial to sustaining this attention. There is, however, more to be done. It is clear that more research and testing needs to be done in this area. We also need to increase education and outreach efforts to reach those women who are not getting mammograms and physical exams. We cannot allow these negative trends in women's health to continue. We owe it to our daughters, sisters, mothers, and grandmothers to do more. Money for research must be increased and must focus on the detection, treatment, and prevention of this devastating disease.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably delayed and missed votes 416, 417, and 418 because my flight from San Francisco to Washington, United flight 964, was canceled and I had to take a later flight. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on 416, ``aye'' on 417, and ``aye'' on 418.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, 8 months ago the President asked the Congress to have a campaign finance reform bill ready for him to sign by the Fourth of July, Independence Day. I think perhaps the President should have then specified the year, 1997. What has happened? Nothing. No hearings, no markups, no bill, no reform, no action. Our campaign finance system is broken. It is out of control. Hearings and news reports continue to expose a corrosive and insidious system, a system that has cast a shadow of public disrespect, of doubt, of disillusionment, not only on our system, but on this institution. And we know that we can do much better. In fact, the American people insist on it; and they are right. They are ahead of this system, and they know that something can be done. Yet despite the hearings, the headlines and the public pressure, the majority continues to defer action, deny a vote and disregard the will of the American people. We insist that a campaign finance reform bill to ban soft money be brought to the floor of the House before the Congress adjourns this year.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of the Castle substitute, which encourages teens to talk with their parents about sex, health, and contraception while safeguarding their access to family planning services at title X clinics. Today, 82 percent of teen pregnancies are unintended, and over half of these pregnancies will end in abortion. Each year, the family planning services provided by title X clinics prevent 386,000 unintended teen pregnancies, avoiding 155,000 births and 183,000 abortions. Despite this progress, opponents of title X funding continue their attempts to dismantle the title X program, this time under the guise of protecting vulnerable teenagers. The Istook amendment will not protect teenagers from sexual abuse. But it will ensure that more of the Nation's most vulnerable teens won't use birth control, more will get pregnant, and more will have abortions. The Istook amendment places teens' health at risk. Teens who are prevented from seeking family planning services at these clinics will no longer benefit from the other services these clinics provide, including screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, routine gynecological exams, and breast and cervical cancer screening. The castle substitute protects America's youth. It encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services. It requires title X programs to encourage parental involvement when teens seek family planning services. And it requires these programs to counsel minors on how to resist and avoid coercive sexual relationships. Mr. Speaker, assuring teens access to confidential family planning services reduces teen pregnancies, reduces abortions, and protects vulnerable teens. I urge my colleagues to support the castle substitute.