Terry Everett

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, on March 28th and 29th, I was with my wife Barbara who underwent major surgery at John Hopkins University Hospital, and was unable to vote in favor of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2000. I am pleased that this legislation was adopted by the House to provide needed funds to restore critical national security readiness items that must be replenished, due to the military's high operating tempo in Kosovo and other contingency operations around the world. Had I been present, I would have cast my vote accordingly: Roll 81-- (Rule)--yes; roll 82--(Sanford Amendment)--no; roll 83--(Toomey Amendment)--yes; roll 84--(Obey Amendment)--no; roll 85--(Lewis Amendment)--yes; roll 86--(Ramstad Amendment)--no; roll 87--(Gilman Amendment)--yes; roll 88--(Fowler Amendment)--yes; roll 89--(Kasich Amendment)--yes; roll 90--(Weldon Amendment)--yes; roll 91--(Stearns Amendment)--yes; roll 92--(Paul Amendment)--no; roll 93--(Tancredo Amendment)--yes; roll 94--(Motion to Recommit)--no; and roll 95--(Final Passage)--yes.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, on February 10, I was in Alabama attending to pressing personal matters and was unable to cast my vote in favor of H.R. 6, the Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Act. As an original cosponsor of this legislation and supporter of past efforts to repeal this onerous tax, I am very pleased that this measure passed with such bipartisan support. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the rule (roll 12) and on final passage (roll 15); and I would have voted ``no'' on the Rangel Substitute (roll 13) and the motion to recommit (roll 14).

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, on January 31, I was unavoidably detained and missed rollcall vote numbers 2 and 3. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on H. Con. Res. 244, Permitting the Use of the Capitol Rotunda to Commemorate Victims of the Holocaust; and ``yes'' on H.R. 2130, the Hillory J. Farias Date-Rape Prevention Drug Act of 1999.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, our society has cheapened the name of heroes today by elevating millionaire movie, music and sports stars while ignoring those Americans who perform unselfish acts of courage and sacrifice. I wish to pay tribute to an American whose character and actions truly define heroism. On September 2, the 54th anniversary of VJ-DAY, U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Donald W. Bedford, began a 1,500 mile journey from Mobile, Alabama to Washington, DC. His trek, which takes him through six states and the District of Columbia, is remarkable because it is entirely on foot. But CSM Bedford is not walking this enormous distance to set any record. Instead, he is striding the 71-day route to bring attention to and raise funding for the construction of a national memorial to honor America's greatest generation of heroes--those who fought in World War II. Bedford, an ex-airborne infantryman now stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama in my congressional district, came up with the idea of the walk after learning that there was no national memorial for the 16 million Americans who served and sacrificed to liberate the world from Nazi and Japanese occupation in World War II. His efforts to help raise money for the on-going World War II Memorial fund have gained the support of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, and the praise of former Senator Bob Dole, who chairs the World War II Memorial Committee. CSM Bedford's journey of 2,792,000 steps will take him through 144 cities and 15 military installations before he arrives at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11. From there, he will cross Memorial Bridge, pass by the Lincoln Memorial, and then proceed to the spot on the national mall where the World War II Memorial will be built next year. I salute CSM Bedford for his personal sacrifice and dedication to America's greatest generation and I join all Americans in welcoming him to Washington this Veterans' Day.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) that this Republican Congress has added about $38 billion more than the President of the United States has requested for defense, but I would like to speak on something else. Mr. Speaker, our society has cheapened the name of heroes today by elevating millionaire movie, music and sports stars while ignoring those Americans who perform unselfish acts of courage and sacrifice. I wish to pay tribute to an American whose character and actions are truly unselfish acts of courage and sacrifice. On September 2, the 54th anniversary of VJ-Day, U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major Ronald W. Bedford began a 1,500-mile journey from Mobile, Alabama, to Washington, D.C. His walk, which takes him through six States and the District of Columbia, is remarkable because it is entirely on foot. But CSM Bedford is not walking this enormous distance to set any record. Instead, he is striding the 71-day route to bring attention to and raise funding for the construction of a national memorial to honor America's greatest generation of heroes, those who fought in World War II. Bedford, an ex-airborne infantryman now stationed at Fort Rucker, Alabama in my congressional district, came up with the idea of the walk after learning that there was no national memorial for the 16 million Americans who served and sacrificed to liberate the world from Nazi and Japanese occupation in World War II. His efforts to help raise money for the on-going World War II Memorial fund have gained the support of the Non-Commissioned Officers Association, and the praise of former Senator Bob Dole, who chairs the World War II Memorial Committee. CSM Bedford's journey of 2,792,000 steps will take him through 144 cities and 15 military installations before he arrives at Arlington National Cemetery on November 11. From there, he will cross Memorial Bridge, pass by the Lincoln Memorial, and then proceed to the spot on the national mall where the World War II Memorial will be built next year. I salute the Sargent Major for his personal sacrifice and welcome him to Washington, D.C.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2559, the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 1999. It is a great first step to help our struggling farmers, and I would like for my complete statement to be made a part of the Record at this point. Mr. Chairman, this bill is the culmination of months of work by the Agriculture Committee in trying to form policy that would give producers from all regions of the country a better way to manage risk. Producers have to manage two types of risk, price fluctuation and weather related disasters. I believe this bill reforms the federal crop insurance program to more adequately address the risk management needs of agricultural producers when it comes to protecting yield. One of the problems with the current system was the program was being underutilized. Producers chose not to participate because crop insurance was too expensive for too little coverage. H.R. 2559 makes coverage more affordable by building upon the additional premium assistance that was provided by the Omnibus Appropriations bill of 1998. By increasing the government's share of the premium's cost, we can dramatically increase participation in this crucial program. In addition, the bill provides assistance for innovative policies that protect against lost revenue or rising costs of production. Right now, current law prevents federal assistance on that portion of the policy, making these policies too costly for most farmers. A viable crop insurance program must achieve broad-based participation across all potential production risk levels. Crop insurance participation is lower among so-called low risk producers because it is not cost effective for a producer to have insurance if he never files a claim. This bill changes that by allowing performance based discounts for those low risk producers. The bill also addresses the need for adjustment in Actual Production History to assist farmers affected by disasters. Actual Production History serves as a guide for determining how much protection a producer can receive. Producers are currently punished two fold by natural disasters. One being the actual crop loss and two the permanent damage to a producer's production history making it harder for a producer to get adequate coverage for his crop. One provision that is especially crucial to Southern producers is the provision that revokes the prevented planting policy. Currently, if a producer collects an indemnity because he is unable to get a crop into the ground, he is prevented from planting a second crop, possibly one with a shorter growing season. This bill strikes that language, but also provides safeguards against manipulation of the system. In addition, the committee found far too many cases of fraud and abuse of the crop insurance program. To improve program compliance, the bill increases the punishment for fraud, including assessing a fine up to the value of the false claim or $10,000, whichever is higher, and a producer would be banned from all farm programs for five years. Mr. Chairman, this bill addresses many of the inadequacies of the current program, making crop insurance more attractive to many more producers, but more must be done. This is a step in the right direction of letting farmers effectively manage their production risk. I ask all my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, as we begin examining education initiatives to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, there are a few things to consider: How can we best help our local schools? What legislation will give local schools the most flexibility to improve education? What programs will authorize local schools to make important decisions that will effect their future? The Teacher Empowerment Act (H.R. 1995) is designed to improve teacher quality and reduce class size by giving local school systems the management authority to make the necessary improvements. The bill gives local education agencies the freedom to decide which programs will help them achieve the best results. Teachers are charged with the responsibility of making sure that our children are prepared for the future. How can we expect them to instruct our children if they are not knowledgeable themselves? Beyond blanket certification testing, this bill gives teachers the funds to actually continue their own learning. As we enter the 21st century, educators will continue to face constant challenges. Technology will change, and teachers must be able to maintain their proficiency and keep up a high level of instruction quality. Beyond professional development, the bill also authorizes local school districts to reduce class size. It is impossible and impractical for us, here in Washington, to mandate exactly how these goals will be attained. One school may already have enough funds for teacher training, while another may not need to reduce class size. Each school district varies according to need, and by authorizing funds to be used at the discretion of the school districts, we will provide more meaningful improvements. Mr. Chairman, I'm a firm believer that local schools should be afforded the flexibility to use federal funds to address their most pressing needs. This bill would provide general guidelines to achieve similar goals, but it would still allow local schools to decide exactly where to place the most emphasis to achieve superior education results for our children.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this misguided bill and ask for my friends and colleagues to really consider what we are doing here. Once again I find myself having to protect my cotton farmers and textile workers against trade policies that have left many in my district with their heads spinning from the loss of jobs. I do support fostering economic development in Africa and crating an economic partnership between those nations, but not at the expense of American cotton farmers and textile workers. The textile and apparel provisions of this bill will not promote jobs and economic growth in Africa; they will instead promote massive transshipments from China into this country. The bill will unnecessarily cost thousands of U.S. jobs in the cotton and textile industries while providing limited incentive for increased manufacturing capacity in the Sub-Saharan. The bill, as is, opens the door for Asian textile and apparel manufacturers to use Africa merely as an export platform for sending their own textile and apparel products to the U.S. Incredibly, only 35 percent of the value must be added on the ground in Africa to qualify for quota free and duty free access. That doesn't sound like its going to benefit Africa, but China instead. When you remove tariffs on these imported products, you exponentially increase the incentive for both illegal and legal transshipment. Under this legislation, it would be totally legal for the Chinese to use their own yarn, fabric and possibly even imported Chinese labor to comply with 35 percent final value threshold. Once again, good for China, bad for American workers and Africa. What makes me angry though is that we had a way of making this bill acceptable for those who want to promote Africa's growth, and for those of us who want to protect our textile workers and farmers, but that was denied by the Rules Committee. This legislation will create a trade policy that's going to hurt my cotton farmers and my textile workers so the Chinese can import more goods through Africa into the U.S. I urge all members to vote no on this misguided legislation.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words, and I rise in strong support of this amendment. (Mr. EVERETT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks).

Mr. EVERETT. I yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma.

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I would just like to point out that I represent a small community in Alabama by the name of Wetumpka. Indians from other parts of Alabama have attempted to build a casino there on what was Oklahoma Indians' territory and includes a burial ground. Now, nothing has been said here today about the impact on these small communities whose infrastructure would be threatened by the traffic and what comes in to that casino. Surely they have some right to determine what will and will not destroy their infrastructure. They have no way to tax for this. None at all. Mr. Chairman, until Congress has had a chance to take into consideration the findings of the National Gambling Impact Study Commission with regard to Indian gaming, the Secretary of the Interior should refrain from considering Class III gaming licenses outside of the Tribal/State Compact process. the Weldon/Barr Amendment to put a hold on any further gambling compacts is a sensible approach to help address this aspect of the national gambling crisis. I have testified before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in the past on this very issue of Indian gaming. Since that time, the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Seminole Case, followed by the Department of the Interior's draft regulations on Tribal-State Compacts, have added new dimensions to an already complex issue. I became interested in the issue of Indian gaming when the Poarch Band Creek Indians of Alabama began their efforts in 1993 to seek approval for Class III gaming, or casino gambling, at Hickory Grounds in Wetumpka, Alabama. Hickory Grounds is a sacred burial area that was deeded into the federal trust in the late 1980's for the purpose of preserving the Creek culture. As you can imagine, it came as quite a shock to the people of Wetumpka and other Native Americans in Alabama that the Poarch Band intended to build a gambling casino on this sacred ground. Frankly, the local community, which will have their infrastructure and public services strained by the operation of a gambling casino, should have a voice in the approval process, in addition to the State. A full-fledged casino, as envisioned by the Poarch Band Creeks, would place new burdens on the police, fire, rescue and other public services of a small town like Wetumpka. The roads, bridges and water and sewer capabilities of the town would be inadequate to handle the added demand. Mr. Chairman, until a proper judicial review of the proposed regulations of the Department of the Interior has been completed and Congress has had an opportunity to reevaluate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, at a minimum, the Secretary should be prohibited from granting Class III gaming licenses. I urge all members to support this amendment.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, as our nation prepares to celebrate Independence Day, I would like to pay tribute to an American patriot who never forgot this country's veterans.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I would like to spotlight public service efforts of a veterans organization in my Southeast Alabama congressional district which I feel are truly exemplary. Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7055 in Brundidge, Alabama has volunteered its time, talents and resources to construct a fitting memorial on the grave site of a deceased veteran renowned in life for his generosity and selflessness. When the members of VFW Post 7055 learned that the grave site of former veteran and Presidential ``Point of Light,'' J.D. Williams, was largely ignored, they sprang into action. To honor the late veteran who before had spent decades selflessly decorating the graves of other veterans, VFW Post 7055 placed new coping and chipped marble on his humble Pike County, Alabama grave site and topped it off with a permanent American flag pole. Their future plans include adding a bronze plaque to honor the memory of this remarkable veteran who was known for decorating at his own expense literally thousands of Southeast Alabama veteran graves with flags and white wooden crosses The late J.D. Williams' selflessness earned him national recognition some ten years ago as one of President George Bush's ``Points of Light.'' He passed away in July of 1994 and was buried in Union Hill Cemetery near Troy, Alabama. According to a recent article in The Pike County News, ``the Brundidge VFW Post has made it a perpetual organizational project to upgrade, beautify and maintain Mr. Williams' grave site.'' I join the U.S. House of Representatives in commending the membership of the Brundidge, Alabama VFW Post 7055 for their generosity and patriotism.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner)

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2280, the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act of 1999. The provisions of this bill include: a disability compensation cost of living adjustment for fiscal year 2000; permanent housing loan eligibility for veterans who have served in the selected reserve; expanded authority to solicit and receive contributions for the World War II Memorial; and increased funding for the reintegration of homeless veterans into the labor force. H.R. 2280 also incorporates provisions of H.R. 2040 that would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to build four new national cemeteries in areas of the country most in need of such a cemetery. The bill also would require the VA to contract for a study to assess the one-time repairs needed at each national cemetery and the feasibility of making standards of appearance of our national cemeteries commensurate with the finest cemeteries in the world. On May 20, 1999, the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, which I chair, held a hearing that addressed planning for new national cemeteries and cemetery maintenance. Following the hearing, the Subcommittee issued a report with recommendations for legislation requiring the VA to submit a cemetery construction plan and identify locations for new national cemeteries, based upon demographic priority. The Subcommittee report also recommended increasing the National Cemetery. Administration budget by $6 million for routine and deferred maintenance, and equipment needs. Finally, the report recommended increasing the budget for Arlington National Cemetery by $3 million for construction and maintenance projects. The Subcommittee's report gives strong support to this legislation. Mr. Speaker, America's national cemeteries are not adequate to serve the needs of veterans over the next decade. The demand for burial space in national cemeteries will be one of the greatest in the country's history as World War II veterans reach the end of their lives. Unless new national cemeteries are funded and planning for them begins soon, veterans in major population areas will be effectively denied the final honor of burial in a national cemetery. Funding for maintenance of America's national cemeteries, including Arlington National Cemetery, is insufficient. Unless national cemeteries receive increased funding for their maintenance needs, necessary work will be deferred, and their appearance will not meet public expectations for these national shrines as places of honor for the men and women who have defended our freedom. I would like to thank Mr. Quinn, chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Benefits, for his cooperation regarding these very important issues for our veterans and for his initiative in moving H.R. 2280 through his subcommittee. I would also like to commend Chairman Stump of the full committee for his leadership on issues affecting national cemeteries and for his authorship of this important legislation. This is bipartisan legislation, and I want to recognize the active contributions in the formulation of H.R. 2280 by Mr. Evans, the full committee's ranking Democrat; Mr. Filner, the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Benefits; and Ms. Brown, the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve this significant veterans legislation.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, during last week's consideration of the Gun Show Protection Act (H.R. 2122), my vote in support of the Rogan amendment to prohibit individuals who have committed ``violent acts of juvenile delinquency'' from possessing firearms as adults was not tallied by the electronic voting machine. Although I opposed the underlying bill because the focus was on penalizing law-abiding citizens rather than criminals, I support the intent of the Rogan amendment to toughen penalties for violent criminals.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, we have some 20,000 plus gun laws in this country. Yet, there are those on this floor that would tell us if we pass two or three more, that will solve the whole problem of illegal use of guns. Does that not strike Members strange, that Members of this floor want to add to 20,000-plus gun laws already on the books, most of which are not enforced by this administration, by the way, but they do not want to pass any laws to stop peddling of filth and pointless violence to our children? The Columbine tragedy struck a chord with all Americans, but we should be looking at the core of the issue, which is why young people think it is okay to commit violent crimes. Could it possibly be that kids grow up seeing thousands of acts of violence without seeing the consequences of these actions? There are video games where the fun of the game is to kill and maim people. People even get extra points if they kill innocent bystanders. Movies with no artistic merit are out there letting kids see death and destruction at unparalleled rates. We have let our children become numb to these things. Do not tell me there are those who cannot tell the difference between Saving Private Ryan and Natural Born Killers. That is a disgrace to the millions of Americans who experienced the violence of war in the defense of freedom. The uncalled-for violence that is provided to our children through television, movies, video games, and music videos should stop. However, under the cloak of the First Amendment, many want to allow these providers of violence and corrupters of our culture to police themselves. How very, very strange. Liberals claim that conservatives have been bought off by the NRA for their opposition to more gun laws on law-abiding citizens. The focus should be placed on if this administration and the liberal wing of Congress have been bought off by Hollywood types who have been getting filthy rich peddling filth to our young people. The erosion of America's morality has desensitized our children's ability to discern right from wrong, and even to value human life. This debate should not be about more laws on guns, or adding even more laws at any point. It should be about our culture and values that have gone really, really wrong.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, the Center for Peanut Competitiveness is in its third year for a program that provides critical research addressing several aspects of the peanut industry, including production development, production practices, safety, economics, and other areas that contribute to the competitiveness of the U.S. peanut farmer. At a time when profit margins for farmers are collapsing, at a time when farmers are choosing whether they will sell their family farms or not, it is incomprehensible to take research money from a center that works for the universities in Georgia and in Alabama to help farmers help themselves. I say to my colleagues, in case we have not noticed, we are in a global economy, a complicated system where information and technology is our key to survival. In my district alone, information on how to be more competitive or how to market one's product more effectively can be the difference between the bank taking your grandfather's farm or being able to keep it. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``no'' vote on this in support of the American farmer. I would like to point out that I have listened to this debate for over 10 hours, and the lack of knowledge on the part of the people offering these amendments is startling. First of all, there is no peanut subsidy. There has not been for a number of years. It is a no-cost program. In addition to that, it provides $83 million in deficit reduction through the year 2002. In 1996, the peanut farm bill made major changes in the program. We have done that. The program supports 30,000 American jobs. I am just appalled at what has gone on, frankly, in this House for the last few days. People are nitpicking this appropriations process. What for? At the end of the day do they want to say ``I told you so''? This is a self-righteous indulgence by a very few people in this House and ought not be happening.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, for the first time in Chinese history, Taiwan held a truly democratic presidential election three years ago. As the people of Taiwan celebrate their president's third anniversary in office on May 20, 1999, I send them my congratulations. I applaud President Lee's recent proposal that Taiwan and the mainland work together in drafting a comprehensive financial plan to help solve the current financial crisis affecting their neighbors in Asia. President Lee's innovative ideas deserve serious consideration by the mainland China authorities. The Chinese people as well as the international Community, stand to benefit if Taiwan and China continue to have a meaningful dialogue about their hopeful unification. Taiwan and the Chinese mainland have much to learn from each other. Taiwan's economic miracle and a thriving democracy will be a useful guide to the mainland China's progress toward a free and open economic and political climate. Congratulations to President Lee Teng-hui and best regards to Foreign Minister Jason Hu for their effort on behalf of democracy in the Pacific Rim.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this emergency supplemental appropriations bill for military operations in Kosovo (H.R. 1664). Our military is in fact in an emergency situation, where readiness is dangerously low. I dare say that the two recent Apache (AH-64A) helicopter crashes in the Balkan Theater are a direct result of reduced flying hours for our air crews, which has been precipitated by a constant drain on training dollars. Most regrettably, we have lost the lives of two American patriots. Mr. Chairman, this state of military un-readiness cannot be allowed to continue, and that is why this $12.9 billion package of military priorities is so important. This appropriations bill includes $3 billion for vital spare parts, depot maintenance backlogs and recruiting, $831 million for neglected overseas military activities that house our forward deployed forces, and $684 million to replenish the all important precision guided munitions (PGM) including cruise missiles, JDAM (joint direct attack munitions), HARM, Maverick, and others. The Administration has allowed the stockpiles of these PGM's to reach a dangerously low level, so we must act now in order to get the production lines running. In addition, this legislation includes a down payment on needed improvements to military pay and retirement benefits. This $1.8 billion provision will serve as a starting point to increase active duty pay, and the repeal of the REDUX retirement system that has been such a deterrent to recruitment and retention. My support for this bill should, in no way, be construed as my support for the President's misguided military action in the Balkans. My position in opposition to Operation Allied Force has been clearly stated in previous votes on this floor. This is not a blank check for the President, but a bill to replenish the readiness accounts of the services that have been emptied to carry out this operation. Moreover, we have young Americans serving their country who are in harm's way; they are caught in the middle of this foreign policy dispute, and it would be irresponsible for this Congress not to fully support them in every way possible. This emergency supplemental doesn't begin to fix the long decay of our armed forces, but it provides for their most pressing readiness and equipment needs of today. I urge the adoption of this legislation.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Madam Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 1480). This long overdue legislation authorizes important civil works projects of the Army Corps of Engineers to address critical water resource and management issues facing the Nation. This $4.2 billion national investment in flood control, navigation, and water quality initiatives goes a long way in meeting the water resource needs in virtually every part of the country. In Alabama, we are blessed with many river systems that contribute significant environmental, commercial, and recreational benefits to the State and southeastern region. The Alabama/Coosa/Tallapoosa and the Appalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint river systems both flow through my district and are important navigable waterways that, in addition to enhancing the environment, help drive the economy. This legislation continues to provide the Corps of Engineers with the necessary funds to continue the operation and maintenance of these systems. Of particular note in my own district in southeast Alabama, flooding has been a problem. In the past decade, Coffee and Geneva counties have been subjected to three major floods that forced the evacuation of the towns of Elba and Geneva. The flooding resulted from heavy tropical storms and hurricanes, which are seasonal occurrences, and caused these old and outdated levees to fail. I am pleased that this legislation includes funds to rebuild both of these two levees to modern standards. Section 520 authorizes $12.9 million to repair and rehabilitate the Elba levee and section 521 authorizes $16.6 million to repair and rehabilitate the Geneva levee. It's important that we move this overdue authorization forward, so I encourage the adoption of this measure in order to go to conference with the Senate to arrive at a final reauthorization bill for these water resource projects.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me say this Congress is unified in its support for our military when involved in operations around the world. The men and women in uniform have our full and unequivocal support. With that said, I have deep reservations about the foreign policy of this administration that is now being conducted by the military in Operation Allied Force. Two weeks ago, Defense Secretary Bill Cohen and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Hugh Shelton testified before the House Armed Services Committee to try to explain the Clinton Administration's policy and objectives in Kosovo. Specifically, why this Balkan civil war is vital to America's national security interests and to define the end game. I regret to say they were not convincing. Moreover, it is very apparent that there is no end game--no exit strategy. I voted against sending our troops into this internal conflict, and unless a compelling case is made, I will continue to oppose sending in U.S. ground forces into Kosovo. It is clear that the President chose to ignore the professional advice of the military leadership, and sided with his foreign policy team who made this into a humanitarian plea. Frankly, I think the air campaign may have precipitated the ethnic cleansing and suffering in Kosovo. We have interjected ourselves into a centuries-old conflict, where both the Serbs and Albanians have each been the aggressor over Kosovo. By virtue of Operation Allied Force targeting Serbia assets, we are siding with the KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) which has strong ties to organized crime, gun running, drug trafficking and international terrorist groups like Bin Laden. With the Administration's mishandling of the Balkan crisis, I can only think of the old saying that ``those who fail to remember the lessons of history, are destined to repeat its mistakes.'' To compound matters, this is the first time in NATO's history, a defensive coalition by charter, that military action has been conducted against a sovereign nation over internal strife. While there is consensus among the 19 member nations of NATO for the Air Campaign, there is no consensus about a ground campaign. It's evident that Milosevic has not been deterred by only an air campaign. An assessment has been made that more than 200,000 troops would be needed to invade Serbia, yet no ground plan even exists. President Clinton is leading our nation down the path of ``mission creep'' that will suck our military into a quagmire that resembles Vietnam--a situation that America has vowed never to repeat. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity to prevent Operation Allied Force from becoming a full blown war if we act now. The European Union must step up to the plate and assert its responsibility for its own region. If the EU determines that the strife between the Serbs and Kosovar Albanians warrants military intervention, so be it; they can proved the forces. Diplomacy is still an option. Russian efforts to broker a settlement in Kosovo were never allowed to succeed; these effort should be vigorously pursued. We must re-examine all of these options before we go down this path of no return; support the resolution HR 1569.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, the Nation is reeling from a terrible tragedy. On Tuesday, April 20, Columbine High School in Littleton, CO, was taken over by two students with the apparent malicious and premeditated intent to kill and main students and teachers. Students fled from the building while others hid inside, hoping the gunmen would not find them. As we watched the scene unravel the intensity rose as we realized there were at least 25 students still inside the building. The scores of law enforcement officers could only wait outside the building sizing up the situation and figuring out how to rescue the students. We watched and prayed and began to realize that this could be our community. The final count after the SWAT teams had fully searched the school was 15 dead and 20 wounded. The damage inflicted by these two disgruntled students is the worse we have seen in a series of school attacks. The pain of the situation reaches past our understanding and grabs our hearts. In a world where we must be strong, our frail humanity is awakened when something beyond our control happens. THe damage that has occurred in Littleton, CO, has touched every American family, and the healing process is only beginning. Columbine High School will never quite be the same. Schools across the Nation are even at this moment figuring out how they can prevent something as horrible as this from happening to them. There is no way to heal the pain felt by the parents who have lost their children, and in our democratic society, there is not way for us to assure our students they will be completely safe at school. The tragedy of the situation is that there is no perfect answer. The innocence lost by our children can never be regained, and we can only place them in God's hands as we send them out into the world. My prayers go out to the community in Littleton, that God would grant them strength and peace in the midst of such an unfathomable nightmare.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, today the U.S. House is honoring the contributions of a distinguished native Alabamian who helped change the social fabric of the nation. I'm speaking of Rosa Parks, known as the mother of the civil rights movement. On Thursday, December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, an African-American seamstress, boarded a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama on her way home from work. She took her seat on the crowded bus just behind the white section. A few stops later, as more passengers boarded, the driver ordered her to give up her seat to a white man. She refused and the bus driver called the police. Parks was arrested for violating the Montgomery segregation code, having to pay a $10 fine and $4 in court costs. It was this single act of courage that served as the catalyst for the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 and the U.S. Supreme Court's eventual declaration that bus segregation was unconstitutional. By her quiet defiance, Rosa Parks laid the foundation of the peaceful resistance movement for American civil rights. Today, the House has honored Rosa Parks's place in the history of our nation by authorizing the minting of a Congressional Gold Medal to be presented to her. I am proud to support this tribute to a great American who continues her quiet struggle for racial and social harmony.

Mr. EVERETT

Mr. EVERETT. Mr. Speaker, this month marks the 50th anniversary of ``Service Above Self'' for the Rotary Club of Luverne, AL, in my congressional district. Over the years since the establishment of the Luverne chapter of Rotary International, its Crenshaw County members have served their community and fellow man in the best tradition of Rotary: To Encourage and Foster the Ideal of Service as a Basis of Worth Enterprise. Luverne Rotarians continue to embody this noble tradition of community service through many local outreach projects including annual contributions to Operation Santa Claus to benefit local needy children; and, their annual fishing rodeo for young area honor students. In their golden anniversary year, I wish to congratulate club president William Bell, vice president Chris Johnson, treasurer Ann Tate, secretary Pat Folmar, and all the members of the Luverne Rotary Club. Their many positive contributions to our community and its youth are making a difference in south central Alabama.