Anna Eshoo

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, in April I addressed hundreds of students at Stanford University, which I am privileged to represent, about Republican proposals to cut Federal aid for higher education. At that time I said that if student aid was important to them, they needed to educate themselves about what was happening in Congress and become involved. And get involved they did. The Associated Students of Stanford University Senate allocated $1,000 to fight Republican cuts to student aid--aid which assists over half of Stanford's student population. This effort culminated in a 48- hour letter-signing drive which generated 20,000 signed letters to budget resolution conferees protesting these ill-conceived cuts. Mr. Speaker, I could not be prouder of the Stanford student body. I hope my colleagues on the conference committee will reconsider these budget cuts which would undermine America's commitment to higher education, America's ability to compete in a world market, and America's investment in our future.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the First Armenian Presbyterian Church of Fresno, CA, which is celebrating its 98th anniversary this year. As the only Member of Congress of Armenian descent, it is a privilege for me to bring this vibrant church to the attention of the House of Representatives. On July 25, 1897, 34 women and men gathered in a hall on ``F'' Street in Fresno and formally organized the First Armenian Presbyterian Church, the first Armenian Church in the State of California. The congregation was duly received and enrolled in the fellowship of Presbyterian Churches a few months later. It has been providing spiritual guidance and support to the Armenian community ever since. Over the years, the First Armenian Presbyterian Church has been a source of strength for the Armenian faithful. It has brought our people closer to God through prayer and study. It has encouraged our people to celebrate the joys of life and the wonders of creation. And it has helped our people through times of turbulence, such as the Turkish genocide and the Great Depression. Ninety-eight years after it began, this church has grown to nearly 400 members, and it is still meeting the religious needs of believers of every age, married couples, single followers, and the Armenian speaking. Mr. Speaker, the First Armenian Presbyterian Church has been a blessing to the Armenian people, the city of Fresno, and the state of California. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting this remarkable congregation and extending to it our warmest congratulations on its 98th anniversary.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to this defense authorization bill. It's indefensible to disregard the Pentagon's request for $258 billion in funding and throw an additional $9.7 billion at it. The Pentagon is not known for low-balling its fiscal needs. Yet the present budget covers funding for two full-scale Persian Gulf wars to be fought simultaneously. The cold war is indeed over, and it is necessary to secure readiness during a cold peace, yet this almost $10 billion additional funding not requested but built into the bill is indefensible. It is indefensible to eliminate the Technology Reinvestment Program, which has successfully helped develop technologies important to both our military and our commercial industries. It is indefensible to deny women service members and women dependents the ability to privately pay for and obtain abortion services at U.S. military facilities abroad, especially when such services are legal in the United States but may be unavailable in other countries. And it is indefensible to discriminate against those women and men who would lay down their lives for this country, yet would be immediately discharged from service for contacting HIV. Mr. Chairman, this Defense Authorization bill is a dangerous hodge- podge of runaway spending and Government intrusion into the private lives of our military personnel. I strongly urge my colleagues to reject this indefensible legislation.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the budget resolution we are voting on today. I am particularly appalled that this measure would rob our senior citizens of their Medicare coverage and Social Security benefits in order to pay for tax breaks . . . something we cannot afford. Mr. Chairman, I supported a balanced budget amendment and I am prepared to make the tough choices necessary to stop the flow of red ink. Indeed I'm voting for the Stenholm alternative budget which would actually cut more than the Republican proposal and direct these cuts to deficit reduction. We all have to make sacrifices to achieve a balanced budget, but the Republican plan is clearly out of balance when it comes to fairness and protecting the most vulnerable members of our society. What does this Republican proposal really mean? It means that out-of- pocket Medicare costs for seniors will increase by $1,060 in 2002 and $3,500 over the next 7 years while Social Security payments will be up to $240 less. It means that students will have to pay on average $5,000 more for their college loans. It means less money for our veterans, public hospitals, public broadcasting, and NIH Research. And guess what it also means? It means that the very richest will have $20,000 more to Like the Republican budget, the Stenholm budget resolution I support achieves a balanced budget in 2002. The difference is that the Stenholm resolution takes the $281 billion in tax breaks and puts them back into Medicare, student loans, veterans hospitals, and other worthy expenditures which benefit the middle class and needy Americans. I can't say that the cuts in the Stenholm budget are painless--they aren't. That's why I urge my colleagues to make responsible choices during the reconciliation process because that's where the rubber really meets the road. In particular, I strongly believe that deep cuts in Medicare and Medicaid should not take place outside the context of systemic health care reform. The Medicare program will not become insolvent because of mismanagement--in fact, administrative costs in Medicare represent about 3 percent of the overall program, lower than any private payor. Rather, Medicare costs have increased because the overall costs of health care have skyrocketed and more people are enrolling in the system. My constituents are concerned about health care costs and the deficit because they know that these issues will only continue to place larger burdens on their children. They support student loans because they know that these are investments in our future. They support nutrition programs, and public television because they provide nourishment for the body and the mind. And they support NIH Research because they see the connection between basic science and cures and treatments for the diseases which plague our society. We can not blindly slash these programs without giving thought to what these programs really mean for the people we represent. So in closing, Mr. Chairman, I would ask my colleagues to think beyond balancing numbers when they vote this afternoon: They should think about balancing austerity and fairness. By this measure, the Stenholm budget proposal is balanced while the Republican plan is not.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 961, the so-called Clean Amendments of 1995. When Republicans talked about a rising tide lifting all boats, they did not say how polluted the tide water would be. Yet enactment of this legislation would repeal or weaken key sections of one of the most successful environmental laws on the books. I have fought hard in the past to strengthen the Clean Water Act to further protect our coasts and fragile estuaries. This bill does nothing to strengthen current law--indeed, it is harmful in a number of ways. It deregulates 50 percent of existing wetlands, repeals the coastal zone nonpoint pollution program, removes secondary treatment requirements in certain ocean waters, eliminates storm water permit requirements, and exempts point-source dischargers. In a recent editorial, the San Francisco Chronicle called it the Polluters Revenge Act of 1995, claiming it was written by the very interests the law was intended to regulate. If the people of this country were at the table when it was drafted, we would have a completely different bill. The American people want to be able to drink and swim in clean water and H.R. 961 does nothing to achieve these goals. In sum, the bill reverses more than 20 years of progress in fighting water pollution. I urge my colleagues to oppose what should be called the Dirty Water Amendments of 1995.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform Members about the introduction of the Commerce Committee's historic legislation to reshape our Nation's telecommunications laws. I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and commend Commerce Committee Chairman Bliley, Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee Chairman Fields, and ranking members John Dingell and Ed Markey for their efforts to produce a bipartisan bill. The Nation cannot wait another year for telecommunications reform. The current law of the land for telecommunications is based on a law written in the 1800's to govern railroads in America. Now, after several decades of extraordinary advances in information technology, most of our Nation's telephone system consists of a pair of copper wires. As the Representative from Silicon Valley in California, I know the importance of deregulation to computer and software technology. Information technologies are the business of Silicon Valley. I believe we can look to the computer and software industries as examples of good things to come for the communications industry if competition can be established. Consider the first digital computer made in 1943 which was 8 feet high, 50 feet long, contained 500 miles of wire, and could perform about three additions per second. Today, consumers can purchase a computer with wafer-thin microprocessors which are capable of hundreds of millions of additions per second and fit on your lap. Yet today's twisted copper wire telephone network is unsuitable for modern computers and software applications which can incorporate voice, video, graphic, and data transmissions and send them simultaneously in real-time exchanges. A technology gap exists between the information technology and communications industries and this hurts our international competitiveness. This bill can help close the gap, encourage competition, and foster increases in high technology exports and jobs. A successful telecommunications bill should pass two critical tests. First, it should establish a process which brings the greatest competition to bear, and second, it should promote technology innovation and production in a way that can make a difference in peoples' lives. This bill is a step forward in meeting these important goals and I'm proud to cosponsor it.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. The gentleman has made a very, very important profound point and underscored a very profound issue here. It seems incomprehensible that a government of today would not look over its shoulder and say these are the sins of the past that were visited upon innocent people, but that it is a different day and time. I think that this Congress can and will make the difference, and you have done much to lead us toward that. I thank the gentleman.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Pallone]. I would like to pay tribute to him and the wonderful leadership that he has given here in the House of Representatives on behalf of American Armenians. It is so important that there be Members that take on what he has, and I want to pay tribute to him, to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter] and all of my other colleagues that are part of this special order that is helping to raise the awareness on the 80th anniversary. I wish there was not such an anniversary. This is not in celebration. This is, of course, in commemoration of the Armenian genocide and the millions of Armenians who were systematically exterminated by the Ottoman troops. The slaughter began on April 24, 1915, when hundreds of Armenian leaders were arrested and executed in Istanbul and other areas. By the time they were finished, Ottoman troops had executed 1.5 million Armenians including innocent women and children. Tragically, the crying voices of these innocent victims fell upon deaf ears because the international community refused to confront the perpetrators of these atrocities. As the only Member of Congress of Armenian descent, I know full well how the Ottoman Empire decimated people and wrote one of the darkest chapters in human history. I am committed to ensure that their suffering is not diminished and cannot be denied by the perpetrators of this disgraceful policy. By recalling the atrocities of the Armenian genocide we remind the world that a great tragedy was inflicted upon our people, that the murder of Armenians was a catastrophe for the entire family of nations, and that unchecked aggression leads to atrocity. By mourning the losses of our past, we renew our determination to forge a future in which our people can live in peace, prosperity, and freedom. throughout the Ottoman Empire because we were a vulnerable, homeless people with no nation of our own in which we could seek sanctuary, no borders behind which we could seek protections. Isolated and abandoned, we were attacked and killed. Despite our history of suffering at the hands of others, Armenians have remained a strong people. We are committed to our families and united by our enduring faith. And we have risen from the ashes of the Armenian genocide to form a new country from the remains of the Soviet Union * * * a new country which flourishes in the face of severe winters, ongoing military conflict in Nagorno-Karabagh, and the absence of strong international assistance. Today's Armenia is a living tribute to our people's indelible courage and perseverance and the greatest assurance that what took place 80 years ago will not be repeated. As we remember the tragic history of my people, it is essential also for us to discuss the future of Armenia and the role which the United States can play in establishing peace in the Caucasus. Many of the Members speaking this evening have worked tirelessly with the administration to encourage it to take a more proactive role. And President Clinton recently announced he will nominate a special negotiator for Nagorno-Karabagh at the rank of ambassador. This could be an important first step. Yet, in my view, true peace in the Caucasus will only be achieved when the political and economic isolation of Armenian ceases and regional leaders recognize the inherent rights of Armenia--including its land and its history. Congress can play an important part in this process. For example, there is pending legislation which would help ensure lasting peace in the Caucasus. The Humanitarian Aid Corridor Act is essential because it would exert the appropriate pressure on countries which block U.S. foreign assistance to the region. It is not enough for third party nations to allow commercial flights into aid-recipient countries--land convoys must be allowed through in order to move necessary amounts of American food, medicine, and clothing. I urge my colleagues to pass this important bill. In addition, we must maintain the Freedom of Support Act which prevents U.S. foreign assistance going to Azerbaijan until they lift their blockade of Nagorno-Karabagh. In my view, the Freedom of Support Act must be upheld until the isolation of Armenia ends and its territorial rights are adhered to. Mr. Speaker, if the tragedy of the Armenian genocide has taught us anything, it is that sitting back is tantamount to helping Armenia's oppressors. As the recent decision by the President to end all United States trade with Iran indicates, tensions in the Caucasus are rising and they are global in scope. The United States is finding that it cannot sit back and observe events unfolding in the region. The Russians, Chinese, and Turks have important interests in the region, and so do we. As Members of Congress, we have the responsibility of ensuring that an enhanced United States role in the affairs of the Caucasus follows a course sensitive to the region's history and culture. This includes a heightened sensitivity to Armenia, whose history and culture are often denied or misunderstood. I thank my colleagues who have joined us here today to remember the Armenian genocide. We must do all we can to prevent this tragic history from repeating itself and help advance a proactive foreign policy to bring lasting peace to the region. I genuinely thank my colleagues, and pay tribute to each one of you who have joined in this tribute this evening, a commemoration of the Armenian genocide. Many of my family members of another generation were taken during that genocide. So we must do all that we can to prevent this tragic history obviously from repeating itself, but we must renew ourselves in the efforts that really count today toward the end of this century and preparing for a new one, to help advance a proactive foreign policy to bring lasting peace to the region. The Armenian community will be in great gratitude to the Congress of the United States as we renew our efforts toward this goal. I again pay tribute to you, Mr. Pallone, and all of my colleagues for doing what you have done in the past and your tireless efforts on behalf of the issues that affect Armenians around the world, certainly in the region. On behalf of the Armenian-American community, I pay tribute to you as well.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, the Gephardt alternative is about opportunity, growth, and the future. programs and student loans to finance tax cuts for the rich, we have a different approach. We believe that education is the seed corn which allows our Nation to harvest a trained work force, scientific breakthroughs, and greater prosperity in the years ahead. Our substitute provides incentives for middle class Americans to invest in higher education and gives them the opportunity to save sufficiently for this investment. We know the 21st century will demand higher skills from our people. The only way our country can remain competitive is to invest in our human capital. That means investing in educating our children. The Republican agenda is not about growth and opportunity, it's about helping the rich at the expense of the middle class. It's about eating our seed corn instead of planting it. The Gephardt substitute is a common sense cut and invest proposal targeted at the middle class. Hard-working Americans deserve more than being shafted in the fine print of the Contract With America. This package provides them with the much-needed relief they and this country deserve.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, millions of middle-class Americans make sacrifices for their children every day. How many times have we known parents to put off buying a new car to pay for their childrens' education? How many times have we seen parents postpone their vacation to save for their kids' tuition? Yet today, we are considering giving huge tax cuts to the privileged few instead of investing in our children's education and our country's future. Is this what the American people really want? I don't think so. I represent one of the wealthiest districts in the country they want deficit reduction and they recognize that education is an investment. Middle-class Americans do need relief--they need relief from the ever climbing costs of education--the seed corn which allows our Nation to harvest a trained work force. They want deficit reduction--not a Republican deficit buster which doesn't invest in our future or address the fundamental issues which face our country. I urge my colleagues to reject this so-called crown jewel of the contract. It's costume jewelry. Education produces the true crown jewels in our families, our communities, and in our country.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, unlike many Members of Congress, I have actually had term limits applied to me. The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors in California, on which I served, was the first legislative body in California back in the 1970's to adopt term limits. I have seen for myself the value of replacing incumbents with new leadership which brings fresh perspectives to the body politic. Now we hear Members saying that they are for term limits. They were for them during their campaigns, but they do not insist that a term limits bill apply to everyone here today. In this Congress I introduced a bill which would allow Members of Congress to serve three terms of 4 years each. I personally believe that the terms should be expanded. Two years and campaigning all year- round I do not think is what our Founding Fathers had in mind. But like many other bills, that has not reached the floor. My legislation would apply to all of us in this Congress and would be retroactive. Every single day of this 104th Congress has started with a Republican telling America that under the new regime Congress will be required to ``live under the same laws as every one else.'' I think it is time to make this law apply to every one in this House. If we are going to talk about congressional accountability, it should be applied to term limits as well. I think the American people deserve some political genuineness in this. I am afraid that with the retroactive issue being left out of the debate, that there is a great deal of political disingenuousness. So I rise in support of the Dingell-Peterson substitute, certainly in terms of the legislation that I sponsored in the 104th Congress, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote in favor of congressional accountability and term limits for every one here and retroactivity.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for yielding time to me. I rise in support of the Roukema amendment. I would like to salute the gentlewoman from New Jersey for her decade-long effort on this as well as the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly] and the women that have worked long before me in the House of Representatives through the bipartisan Women's Causus. Mr. Chairman, this bipartisan measure would put real teeth in the enforcement of child support payments by requiring states to establish license revocation programs for deadbeat parents. According to a recent HHS study, 19 States have already adopted this. Just the threat of revoking licenses has raised $35 million in nine States that collect these statistics. In fact, my own State of California has collected over $10 million of outstanding child support since beginning its program in late 1992. If similar programs were in place nationwide--as this amendment would require-child support collections would grow by $2.5 billion over 10 years and Federal welfare spending would shrink by $146 million in half that time. Mr. Chairman, revoking a license is a powerful tool for enforcing child support. The Roukema amendment would put this tool in the hands of officials who need it and put money in the pockets of families who deserve it and where it should be. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan proposal. And again, I would like to pay tribute to the gentlewomen, the great women that have served before us and those that have brought this forward.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting [CPB] and urge Members to oppose rescissions which would pull the plug on this valuable service. Millions of Americans--including countless members of the bay area community in California--have come to rely on public broadcasting for quality programming on a wide range of issues. Yet some have argued that Federal funds for public broadcasting must be eliminated in order to help balance the budget, and others claim that CPB should be abolished because it is a bastion of liberal propaganda. While I certainly favor serious steps to reduce the deficit, and have voted accordingly in Congress, the truth is each dollar of Federal support for public broadcasting attracts $5 in support from private sector sources. CPB is a good investment. Furthermore, the assertion that CPB propagates liberal political ideals is unfounded. The last time I checked, ``Sesame Street,'' ``Mr. Roger's Neighborhood,'' and ``Barney'' were not overtly political shows. And when did William Buckley's ``Firing Line'' become a hotbed for liberalism? Mr. Chairman, as a mother who raised two children, I relied on public broadcasting and learned the value of noncommercial television. I never worried about leaving the room while my kids were watching Ernie and Bert or Fred Rogers because I knew they were in safe hands. These are shows which emphasize the values of respect, honesty, and good citizenship. I'm certain my children, who have gone on to achieve superb educations, got a head start in their academic careers from the lessons they learned on public broadcasting. And as young adults, they still tune in. I strongly urge Members to consider the economic and educational benefits of CPB when casting their votes today. This is not a political vote. It's a vote for our children. It's a commonsense investment in our future.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I oppose this supplemental appropriations bill for two reasons. First, as a Californian, I'm disappointed that it fails to provide adequate funding in response to recent disasters in my state. While the administration requested $6.7 billion in emergency money to help California rebuild after the Northridge earthquake, House Republicans have provided just $5.4 billion--or $1.3 billion less than what's needed to do the job right. Second, I cannot support legislation which responds to natural disasters in California by creating manmade disasters for families all across the United States. This legislation eliminates over $17 billion in funding that heats our homes, nourishes our infants, enriches our culture, educates our children, heals our veterans, and houses our poor. Mr. Chairman, California may have had the earthquake, but it's the most vulnerable in our society who will feel the aftershocks if this legislation passes. I urge my colleagues to defeat the supplemental appropriations bill.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Yates/Vento amendment which would strike the timber salvage sales provision in H.R. 1159. Under the guise of forest health, the salvage timber sale provision would savage our Nation's forests. Not only would the measure throw out all existing environmental safeguards and public oversight, it would result in significant losses to the Federal Treasury. The provision mandates a minimum cut of 6.2 billion board feet over 2 years--almost doubling the current annual yield from the entire forest system. Even areas studied and proposed as wilderness would be open to logging. The salvage timber sale provision would negate decades of effort by Congress and the Forest Service to ensure that national forests are managed in an environmentally, socially, and fiscally responsible manner. And it wouldn't even provide any real savings. According to the Congressional Research Service, ``Salvage timber harvesting generally costs more than the revenues they generate because of lower timber quality and higher operating costs for buyers.'' In fact, this provision would likely cost the Federal Treasury at least $220 million more than the revenues salvage logging would bring in. Put simply, salvage timber harvesting makes no sense. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Yates/Vento amendment to stop this far-reaching assault on our public forestlands.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Women's History Month to salute the remarkable women of California's 14th Congressional District who serve their communities as leaders of organizations that assist women. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of women's suffrage, it is fitting that we honor those who devote their time and talents to organizations that promote women and meet their needs. The extraordinary efforts and public service of these outstanding women provide our district with great leadership. While we take time during this month to commemorate historic women and their achievements, we also take this opportunity to honor the contributions women in service organizations are currently making to our communities. Our region is blessed with superbly capable women leaders. Among these distinguished women are: members of the San Mateo County Council on the Status of Women: Linda Crowe, Janet Frakes, Gale Frances, Barbara Gee, Laura Guluzzy, Barbara Hammerman, Zenaida Ivey, Teresa Jollymour, Mary McGlynn, Pat Paik, Ellen Petterson, Jo Anna Reichel, Mary Anne Rooke, Victoria Von Schell, Carol Tanzi, Edwina Wasson, Yvonne Webb, Eva Wright, and Brenda Yost; members of the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women: Bonita Lynn Banducci, Annie Dandavati, Jean Graf, Norma Mencacci, Jyoti Pendse, Gwen Quail, Noreen Raza, Wiggsy Sivertsen, Rosemary Stasek, Linda Tauhid and Wilma Wool; Madolyn Agrimonti of the Latina Mentor Program; Elizabeth Alonzo, president of OPEIU Local 29; Dorothy M. Ames, president of AAUW Cupertino/Sunnyvale; Nancy Berg, executive director, San Francisco Bay Girl Scout Council; Vera Berg, vice president, Mills-Peninsula Hospital; Nancy Biagini, president, Communication Workers of America, Local 9423; Crownie Billick, copresident, League of Women Voters, Los Altos-Mountain View; Cynthia Carey-Grant, CARAL; Felisa Castillo, secretary-treasurer, Bakers' Local 24; Kalamu Chache, executive director, the Consortium for Young Women; Marcie Cisneros, Sor Juana Ines; Lisa Conrad, president, League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County; Amy Dean, business manager, South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council; Carmen Delgado-Contreras, Latina Mentorship Program; Rosalind Fisher, executive vice president, Visa USA Inc.; Nancy Fox, executive director, Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County; Wanda W. Ginner, Petersen/Ginner, Inc.; Dian J. Harrison, executive director, Planned Parenthood of San Mateo County; Ila Homsher, Pacific Gas and Electric; Karen Keane, the Women's Center; Rita Keefe, president, AAUW Los Altos/Mountain View; Jane King, president, AAUW Menlo/Atherton; Muriel Knudsen, copresident, League of Women Voters of Los Altos/Mountain View; Sue Mirch-Kretschmann, president, League of Women Voters of Cupertino/Sunnyvale; Ruth Nagler, the Women's Center; Eve Santa Clara; Fran Packard, president, Bay Area League of Women Voters; Sally Probst, president, League of Women Voters of Palo Alto; Nancy Roberts, president, AAUW, Palo Alto; Jeanine Meyer Rodriguez, SEIU Local 715; Linda Romley-Irvine, executive director, Community Breast Health Project; Mary Ann Sabie, president, Central San Mateo County of Women Voters; Marcy Schultz, business manager, Building Trades Council; Kristina Sermersheim, Service Employees No. 715; Charlene Shores, AFSCME, Council No. 57; Dorothy W. Smith, Elizabeth Toledo, president, California NOW; Betty Torrez, AAUW; Arleen Vallejo, program coordinator, the Women's Center; Ellen C. Weaver, Ph.D., Association for Women in Science; and Eleanor Curry Williams, Black Women in County Government and Linda Williams, executive director, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. We also honor the following members of our district's youth commissions: from San Mateo County: Priscilla Aguirre, Cassie Bergero, Catherine Bursak, Monica Yvonne Fuentes, Fiona Hsu, Virginia S. Lin, Nina Lu, Regina McMenomy, Anshu Mohllajee, Katie Moroney, Cecilia Pena, C.J. Ross, Mona Lisa Safai, Jocelyne Takatsuno, and Laurel Whitnah; and from Santa Clara County: Nashua Rachel Carlos, Siobahn E. O'Laoghaire, Carmen S. Paredes, Persees Goebel, Laurie Aguinaga, and Kristin Higaki. In addition, we honor the young women who serve on the Student Advisory Board of the 14th Congressional District: Lisa Coar, Ashley Fay, Jessica Ginsburg, Shelly Gulati, JoAnn Hsiao, Aisha Machtinger, Alana Paull, Sara Tesfazghi, Caroline Tsou, and Serene Zloof. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting these remarkable women and the extraordinary contributions they are making to their communities. These great leaders are fitting representatives of the many women who make history every day, and their efforts on behalf of the people of California's 14th Congressional District are invaluable and appreciated by all.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary couple, Otto and Julie Bayram, who today celebrate 50 years of marriage. The Bayrams were married during World War II during which Otto Bayram served with distinction in the Armed Forces as a pilot, returning to his community of New Britain, CT, to operate, along with his father and brother, the Arch Street Bakery and Delicatessen and later, the renowned EPICURE of Farmington, CT. Julie and Otto Bayram have raised four wonderful children--Armen, Deborah, Steven, and Paul and are the very proud grandparents of three. In every aspect of the life of the community, the Bayrams lead the parade. Whether it is a role in the betterment of their community, a role in support of their church as individuals of great faith, or opportunities to support their cultural heritage, the Bayrams have time and again exhibited their civic pride, their faith-based beliefs, and their unswerving commitment to who and what they come from. Their home has been shared with thousands and their hospitality and generosity are known from coast to coast. They are an incomparable team, leading a life together loved their faith, their family, their community, and their country. There are but a few individuals that actually help to shape each one of us. I have been blessed to have had Julie and Otto influencing and loving me throughout my life. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Bayrams on their 50th wedding anniversary and thank them for all they have done together and continue to do.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Women's History Month to salute the remarkable women of California's 14th Congressional District who have been entrusted with the honor and sacred duty of educating our youth. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of women's suffrage, it is fitting that we honor the women who devote their time and talents to preserving and enhancing our public education system. The efforts and public service of these remarkable women provide our district with extraordinary leadership, and our excellent school systems benefit from their unique ideas and skills. While we take time during this month to commemorate historic women and their achievements, we also take this opportunity to honor the contributions women in education are currently making to our communities. The 14th Congressional District's distinguished women elected officials in education are: Boardmember Helen Hausman of the San Mateo County Community College District; Boardmembers Mary Mason, Judith Moss and Dolly Sandoval of the Foothill/De Anza Community College District; Boardmembers Susan Alvaro and Beverly Willis-Gerard of the San Mateo County Board of Education; Boardmembers Maria Ferrer, Anna Kurze and Andrea Leiderman of Santa Clara County Board of Education; Boardmembers Nancy Gisko, Francesca Karpel and Nancy Kehl of the Belmont Elementary School District; Boardmembers Toni Foster, Mary Freeman-Dove, Ruth Palmer and Marina Stariha of the Cabrillo Unified School District; Boardmembers Debbie Byron, Sandra James and Emily Lee Kelley of the Cupertino Union School District; Boardmember Nancy Newton of the Fremont Union High School District; Boardmembers Tracey Demma, Janet Gomes-Simms, Erika Perloff and Connie Sarabia of the La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District; Boardmembers Kerry Bouchier and Elyce Haskell of the Las Lomitas Elementary School District; Boardmembers Gerri Carlton and Terri Sachs of the Los Altos School District; Boardmembers Karen Canty, Margaret Draper and Valerie Rynne of the Menlo Park City Elementary School District; Boardmembers Donnal Larson, Ann Lewis and Leslie Pantling of the Montebello School District; Boardmembers Marta Clavero-Pamilla, Rose Marie Filicetti, Nancy Mucha and Susan Ware of the Mountain View School District; Boardmembers Lynn Alvarado, Ann Baker, Sue Graham and Judy Hanneman of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District; Boardmembers Julie Jerome, Diane Reklis and Susie Richardson of the Palo Alto Unified School District; Boardmembers Holly Meyers, Kathryn Reavis and Pat Steuer of the Portola Valley Elementary District; Boardmembers Lois Frontino, Donna Rutherford and Keisha Williams of the Revenswood City Elementary School District; Boardmembers Terri S. Bailard, Patricia Brown and Magda Gonzalez-Hierro of the Redwood City Elementary School District; Boardmembers Joy L. Ferrario and Beth Hunkapillar of the San Carlos Elementary School District; Boardmembers Beverly Scott, Allene Seiling and Sarah Stewart of the Sequoia Union High School District; Boardmembers Linda Kilian, Pamela Kittler, Ellen McHenry and Margaret Quillinan of the Sunnyvale School District; Boardmembers Fran Kruss and Sanda Jo Spiegel of the Whisman School District; and Boardmembers Heidi Brown, Ann Nolan and Abby Wilder of the Woodside Elementary School District. Appointed leaders include Colleen Wilcox, Superintendent of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Martha Kanter, President of DeAnza College, and Bernadine Fong, President of Foothill College. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring these remarkable women whose leadership, expertise and commitment have made California's 14th Congressional District a wonderful place to live and learn. These great leaders are fitting representatives of the many women who make history every day and are the shapers of the young women who will make history in the future.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the League of Women Voters and all its members who are celebrating this outstanding organization's 75th anniversary. The League of Women Voters is a respected advocate for education, political awareness and the active participation of women in the political process across our country, and provides an essential and valuable service to all Americans. The League of Women Voters was founded in 1920 as a result of the movement to assure women the right to vote. Since then, it has helped generations of voters understand the structure and function of Government by providing nonpartisan information about candidates and public policy issues. The League of Women Voters has also served the public interest by promoting equality, encouraging voter registration and informed voting, and offering leadership training to women. Thousands of League members throughout the United States devote untold volunteer hours to educate and inform their fellow citizens. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in saluting the extraordinary contributions made by the League of Women Voters. In particular I want to highlight the invaluable work of the many active Leagues in California's 14th Congressional District, including the Bay Area League of Women Voters, the League of Women Voters of Central San Mateo County, the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County, the League of Women Voters of Palo Alto, the League of Women Voters of Mountain View-Los Altos, the League of Women Voters of Cupertino- Sunnyvale, and the League of Women Voters of San Jose-Santa Clara. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the League of Women Voters' 75th anniversary and thanking them for their continued efforts to promote an informed electorate, the best assurance that our precious democracy will flourish and endure. Vol. 141 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 1995 No. 44 House of Representatives

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Women's History Month to salute the remarkable women of California's 14th Congressional District who have been elected to govern it. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of women's suffrage, it is fitting that we honor those women who devote their time and talents to local and State government. The efforts and public service of these remarkable women provide our district with extraordinary leadership. While we take time during this month to commemorate historic women and their achievements, we also take this opportunity to honor the contributions women in government are currently making to our communities. Our region is blessed with superbly capable women leaders. These distinguished women are: State Assemblywoman Jackie Speier; Mary Griffin of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors; Blanca Alvarado and Dianne McKenna of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors; city council members Nanette Chapman and Mayor Dianne Fisher of Atherton; Nancy Levitt, Pam Rianda, and Mayor Adele Della Santina of Belmont; Barbara Koppel and Lauralee Sorenson of Cupertino; Mayor Rose Jacobs Gibson, Myrtle Walker, and Sharifa Wilson of East Palo Alto; Mayor Naomi Patridge and Deborah Ruddock of Half Moon Bay; Patricia Williams and Margaret Bruno of Los Altos; Toni Casey and Mayor Elayne Dauber of Los Altos Hills; Bernie Nevin of Menlo Park; Susan Ayers, Suzanne Hayes-Kane, and Angela Meyer of the Midcoast Community Advisory Council; Dena Bonnell, Mayor Patricia Figueroa, and Maryce Freelen of Mountain View; Liz Kniss, Jean McCown, Micki Schneider, and Lainie Wheeler of Palo Alto; Beverly Fields, Maeva Neale, and Meredith Reynolds of the Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council; Nancy Vian of Portola Valley; Judy Buchan, Mayor Daniela Gasparini, Georgia LaBerge, Diane Howard, and Janet Steinfeld of Redwood City; Sally Mitchell of San Carlos; Robin Parker, Frances Rowe, and Mayor Barbara Waldman of Sunnyvale; and Susan Crocker, Carol Fisch, and Barbara Seitle of Woodside. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting these remarkable women and the extraordinary contributions they are making to their communities and our country. These gifted leaders are fitting representatives of the many women who make history every day, and their efforts on behalf of the people of California's 14th Congressional District are invaluable and appreciated by all.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, we have become the most powerful country in the world because previous generations invested in us. Now the new Republican majority is treating this generation of children differently. If we do nothing else in this body, we need to take care of our children, those whom we inherit as legislators, the children of our Nation. I am a mother and I have spent my adult life raising, nurturing, and caring for my children. They are my first priority and my reason for living. The children of our country deserve the same from us. We must feed their bodies to keep them healthy and nourished and feed their minds to help them become productive citizens. That is why we provide school lunches. That is why we have a public education system, and job training programs. That is why mind-enriching noncommercial public programming and public television is so important. The Republican majority is cutting the funding for the children of our Nation, the nutrition for their bodies and the food for their minds, and these cuts will starve our Nation's future. I urge my colleagues to think about our Nation's children and not rob them of their future.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment to improve the standard by which H.R. 1058 determines if a person has acted recklessly in misleading buyers or sellers of securities. Protecting against reckless conduct is critical in securities law because in the world of finance there is ample opportunity to mislead investors with recklessly fraudulent statements. My amendment is an effort to improve H.R. 1058 in this critical area. H.R. 1058 has many solid and much needed legal reforms. And as several of my colleagues mentioned yesterday, we should have had legislation on this issue before this House long before today. It is needed, and it is overdue. However, Mr. Chairman, the bill before us is seriously deficient when it comes to recklessness--not so much by what is missing, but by what has been added. My amendment protects the recklessness standard by striking the sentence which allows the defendant to escape liability by saying, ``Your honor, I forgot to disclose that important fact to the customer.'' In other words, I forgot to tell the truth. Outside of this sentence, Mr. Chairman, the bill's definition of recklessness is perfectly adequate. It follows the so-called Sundstrand decision which has been supported by 75 percent of the Federal courts. Yet, H.R. 1058 has taken Sundstrand and modified it to include a provision which exempts from liability defendants who forgot to act responsibly. Mr. Chairman, I believe there is a reason that no U.S. appellate courts have adopted the definition for recklessness as it is stated in H.R. 1058. Our Nation's judges, most of them conservative appointees, understand the difficulty plaintiffs, with legitimate cases, have in proving ``knowing'' fraud. Our courts have resoundingly said recklessness is not the same as knowing fraud, and ``I forgot'' is not an excuse. For two centuries this country has prided itself on the fact that we are governed by the rule of law rather than by the whim of individuals. Now the majority proposes to overturn this principle with one sentence providing every guilty defendant the opportunity to escape retribution. Mr. Chairman, I am not a lawyer. But I have a lay person's respect for our Nation's statutes. They should be written with care and with the goal of providing justice for every citizen. Now with that in mind, Mr. Chairman, when we write the statute which prohibits reckless and fraudulent conduct in securities law, do we want to include the following sentence: ``For example, a defendant who genuinely forgot to disclose, or to whom disclosure did not come to mind, is not reckless.'' Mr. Chairman, do we want our laws to say such a thing? Do we want to give the defense of faulty memory to a reckless person? I don't think so. The high technology companies in my district need relief from meritless lawsuits now. We need to pass legislation that will end these suits yet protect investors' rights. My amendment would be one step in the long process of writing a bill which Congress passes and that the President can sign. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this reasonable amendment and improve this legislation.

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bernard M. Bour who is retiring after 20 years as the editorial page editor of the San Mateo Times in California. Francisco Bay Area since joining the Times in 1975. His thoughtful editorials have raised the level of public discourse and have bettered both our community and our country. During his remarkable career, Mr. Bour has provided his readers with valuable insights on a vast array of subjects, from local to world affairs, and many topics in between. He has been a particularly persistent voice for better government and campaign reform, and I have come to cherish his reflections on these matters. During the many years I have known Mr. Bour, I have been struck by his respectful manner and always appreciated his courteous disposition. He is both a gentleman and a gentle man whose unparalleled professionalism have made him a treasure to his loyal readers. Prior to arriving at the Times, Mr. Bour worked for the Asia Foundation in San Francisco and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York. Now he is returning to these earlier interests by spending part of his retirement assisting with the noble effort to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the U.N. Charter. Mr. Speaker, Bernard Bour has graced the pages of the San Mateo Times for two decades with flair and distinction. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting this outstanding writer and wishing him the best of everything in his well earned retirement.

Ms. ESHOO

Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Chairman, at the first Committee on Commerce hearing on this issue I stated that our final objective must be the Congress must pass and the President should sign into law legislation which provides relief from meritless lawsuits and do it this year. Let me state the plain facts. Meritless lawsuits are crippling our high- technology industry. They cost money, they cut investment and stifle initiative. They must be stopped. Twenty-six of the 40 largest high-tech companies in Silicon Valley have been sued. In fact I think if you place them all in the room, all of the players in Silicon Valley, the only difference between them is those that have sued and those that will be. H.R. 1058 attempts to stop these suits and I commend my colleagues for bringing this issue to the floor. We share the same goal of ending frivolous lawsuits. In my view, in the effort to right the wrongs, many of the reform proposed by H.R. 1058 go too far. By eliminating such protections as the recklessness standard for fraud, this legislation would strip the ability of shareholders with legitimate claims, let me underscore that again, with legitimate claims to go to court. Just yesterday the White House called H.R. 1058 ``manifestly unfair,'' and the chairman of the SEC, Arthur Levitt, has said the Commission cannot support the bill. That is why it is being debated, that is why it has been brought to the floor, and that is why there are many key amendments that will be offered to improve the bill. So Mr. Chairman, high technology businesses should not have to wait another year. They need relief now. Recently I introduced legislation, H.R. 675, along with my colleague, the gentleman from California, Mr. Norm Mineta, who is my next-door neighbor and represents part of the Silicon Valley, which mirrors the broad bipartisan legislation introduced again this year by Senators Dodd and Domenici. I believe H.R. 675 will put an end to frivolous suits while protecting investors' rights. This bill, I believe, protects investors' rights and is a bill which ultimately I think will break a legislative stalemate which would only delay protection for our high technology community. We must craft a piece of legislation that stops the frivolousness and yet still protects shareholders and investors, and the bill before us today I think is a step in the right direction. In my view, the balance of the work still remains to be done. As H.R. 1058 advances through the legislative process, our objective again must be to end meritless lawsuits quickly and efficiently and with fairness, and I think that is an operative word. Mr. Chairman, my constituents need and deserve relief, and I look forward to working on producing that for them.