Sam Farr

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, I will withdraw the amendment, but I urge all the people in this room who have the responsibility for finding a remedy when there is no other remedy to seek redress wherever we may be able to possibly to do it. I appreciate the time allowed.

Mr. FARR

Mr. FARR. Mr. Chairman, I respect the gentleman's right, the right to object, but this bill that we are dealing with, the underlying bill, is a spending bill, an emergency spending bill, and we have a legal emergency that has to be taken care of. They are the families of our constituents who were killed on a United States mission on a United States aircraft while approaching Dubrovnik Airport. The families of the Ron Brown Trade Mission have no place to turn. They cannot use tort law as a remedy, they cannot use the Foreign Claims Act as a remedy, they cannot have any other redress because they were flying on a military aircraft. The Senate has used this supplemental bill on their side to pay for the families affected by the gondola accident at Cavalese, Italy. If the Senate can help the families who lost their loved ones in an accident caused by an U.S. Marine Corps aircraft, then the families of the Ron Brown crash should also have remedy. Mr. Chairman, the only way they can have remedy is for this Congress to authorize the Department of Defense to help those families, and that is what this amendment does. Mr. Chairman, I introduced this amendment for a very simple reason: justice. The bill in an ``emergency appropriation.'' We have legal problem that can only be solved by Congress. I think that qualifies as an ``emergency.'' The problem is that all the families of the civilians who lost their lives on a U.S. Air Force plane on the mountain side while approaching the Dubrovnik airport in foul weather, have no legal place to turn. They can't use tort law nor the foreign claims act nor other redress--nor does the military have the authority to help the families. The crash occurred on a ``military aircraft'' that was not properly equipped with standard navigational and safety equipment. Flight protocols had been violated! The Dubrovnik airport map was incorrectly drawn! If any of these factors had changed, the 35 people aboard flight CT- 43 would not have died. The Air Force's own Accident Investigation Board Report plainly states: (quote) ``the CT-43 accident was caused by a failure of command, aircrew error, and an improperly designed instrument approach procedure.'' (Unquote) Since the crash, the families have been dismissed by the U.S. Government because the government generally lacks the authority to give restitution for the families' loss. This amendment fixes that. It gives the DOD the authority to enter into settlements with the families who had victims on CT-43 if the DOD finds their claims worthwhile. This House should also note that the in Senate version of the supplemental bill is language very similar to mine. In the Senate bill money is set aside to pay the families affected by the Calavesee gondola accident. It seems to me that if we can consider giving Europeans families who lost loved ones in the gondola accident--caused by a U.S. Marine Corps flyer--restitution for their pain, then we can give equal consideration to American families similar treatment. Mr. Chairman, I include the following for the Record: Families of the CT-43 We the undersigned are family members of the citizens of the United States who were killed on USAF CT-43 on April 3, 1996, near Dubrovnik, Croatia. They died while engaged in a journey for peace and restoration of the war ravaged countries of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. No citizen of the United States should lose his or her Constitutional rights to seek justice simply by virtue of being a public servant, traveling abroad on US government business, or traveling aboard US government vehicles or on US government property. The United States government employer should not be exempt from its own principles of justice as law maker. No one on that plane would have been so cavalier or reckless with their lives or family responsibilities to have knowingly boarded a plane that USAFE (United States Air Force European) had given direct orders not to fly, into an airport USAFE had ordered Air Force personnel not to land in by instrumentation, flown by a flight crew USAFE had ordered not to fly without theater specific training, using erroneous missed approach plans USAFE had declared were not approved. Nor would any government employees have stepped on a government plane knowing that in the event of injury or death resulting from acknowledged gross negligence by Air Force personnel they or their families would have no standing before any court of law in the United States, criminal, civil, or military, and therefore no means of redress or compensation. Nor would they have flown knowing that in the event of a crash by a military plane or foreign soil their insurance might be canceled (some were), or that individuals in the private as well as public sector would have no guaranteed basis for claim under any United States statute. (Signatories to the Families of the CT-43 letter) Sheila Christian, Darrell Darling, Karen Darling, Kelvin Farrington, Douglas Farrington, Ina Ray Farrington, James Warbasse, Kenneth Dobert, Maureen Dobert, Patricia Conrad, Nora Poling, Edward Kaminski, Michael Kellogg, Char Kellogg, Mary Schelle, Alicia Branley, Paul Cushman, Jr., Paulette Cushman, Donna Shafer, Phil Shafer, Marilyn Pieroni, Deborah Davis, Nettie Jackson, Jane Hoffman Davenport, Emma Williams, Dona Hamilton, Charles Hamilton, Jean Whittaker, Susan Elia, Deirdre English, Leonard Pieroni III.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 999. I want to thank my fellow Californian (Mr. Bilbray) for his leadership on this issue. Today is Earth Day, and I want to wish all Members a happy Earth Day, and I want to encourage them to do something about this being Earth Day by supporting this legislation. Most of us do not think about how the oceans and coasts are important to our lives, but they really are. A beautiful coastline is important to each of us in each of our districts. We are a Nation that travels and visits relatives, we visit beautiful places. An awful lot of those places are coastlines, because 70 percent of America's population lives within 50 miles of the coast. Americans love the oceans. According to the 1997 SeaWeb and Melman poll and a 1999 USA Today poll, more than half of Americans have observed that the conditions of our coasts are worsening, especially due to pollution and overfishing, and they want us, Members of Congress, to do something about it. We are critically dependent upon the ocean for ocean resources for tourism purposes, for travel dollars. Eighty-five percent of the tourist revenues spent in the United States are spent in the coastal States. Over 180 million people visit our coastal waters nationwide each year. In California alone the ocean-related tourism revenue exceeds $38 billion. Yet, our oceans are imperiled. Most of the major fish stocks in the world are overfished. Seventy-five percent of the endangered and threatened mammals and birds rely on coastal habitat. This will only get worse. Americans are moving to the coasts and exploiting them more than ever. By the year 2010, 75 percent of the U.S. population will live within 50 miles of the coast. What are we going to do about this? What are we going to do to care for our coasts, to ensure that our coasts can support this intensity of habitation? We have not demonstrated our commitment yet to the oceans. We have not passed the Oceans Act, but we have this, and we can do something about it. We have created national marine sanctuaries, which are essentially national parks in the ocean. We have 12 of those, yet with less than 1 percent of the funding that we give to our national parks. We have 378 national parks, 155 national forests, but only 12 national marine sanctuaries. We need to make our coasts safe for everyone, including swimmers, surfers, fishers, and even the sea life, the fish themselves, the plants and the smallest of plankton organisms that they rely on. This bill is a step in that direction. I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 999, and I wish my colleagues a happy Earth Day.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Terence Freitas. Terence was kidnapped in Colombia on February 25th, and slain while working on behalf of the rights of indigenous people. As a humanitarian and environmentalist, he leaves behind a legacy of activism and passion that inspires us all. Terence graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1997 with a dual degree in biology and environmental studies. He was a conservation biologist and policy analyst, with extensive field experience in temperate and tropical rainforests. While at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Terence was an active member of the community. He was involved in numerous campus activities and helped to redesign the Crown College core course. Crown College is naming its college service award after him. In addition, an endowment has been established in his name to support the research of environmental studies at UCSC. Terence also worked as an environmental consultant, researching American Indian Law and U.S. environmental policy. He was a long-time advocate for indigenous people and worked with Native American tribes while he was a student. His passions for working with marginalized cultures lead him in 1997, to the U'wa people in Colombia where he and two companions were on a mission to preserve the culture of the U'wa Indians. The U'wa Tribe is fighting a battle to defend their rights and traditional territory. Ever dedicated to the fight for indigenous rights, Terence willingly put aside concern for his own safety and went to an area with one of the highest rates of documented human rights abuses, where violence, kidnappings and executions are part of everyday life. No one outside Colombia did more for the U'wa people than did Terence. Terence helped to establish the U'wa Defense Working Group and lived life passionately. His fight will be continued by fellow activists, and Terence will be missed by all of those whose lives he touched. The loss of his young, vibrant life, is a tragedy for the whole world. The global humanitarian effort has suffered greatly with the passing of Terence Freitas.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Madam Speaker, today is tax day. Everybody knows how much they pay in taxes, but let us not forget that we also have this great country which has great public institutions, a great system of highways, parks and museums. Essentially, the public infrastructure that is paid by these taxes is second to none. We are also a country of private property, and today we think about homeownership. Why? Because in our taxes we are allowed to deduct homeownership. We need to do a better job, though, with homeownership in America. We have 67 percent of Americans now owning homes, but those in the audience who are between the ages of 25 and 29 have to improve that. There is no better way to improve it than to be able to deduct the home mortgage from our taxes. So I urge my colleagues to support the resolution of the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema), which will be introduced today, so that we can continue to preserve mortgage interest deductions in our taxes.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, there is no rocket science in this. The Federal Government since history has been required to do a census every 10 years. We do not need to pass any law to do that. We created the Census Bureau to do it. So if we are going to pass a law at this stage, we really are going to pass a law to restrict how we do the census, and that is what this bill does and that is why it should be rejected. Essentially, no bill is necessary. So this bill comes along and it only addresses post-census review, which is letting local governments review it. But then if we read the bill, throughout the bill, on page 2, line 23; page 3, line 3; page 3, line 19; page 4, line 5, all those times and dates restrict the ability of local government to have a review of the process. And, essentially, if we restrict local governments, we restrict local voices to comment on what is going to affect the revenues that they are going to receive because of the undercount that occurs. Basically, we know there is a partisan battle going on here. The more people that are counted in this country, the more people that are probably Democrats, the less people that are Republicans. So let us quit this partisan fight and have no bill at all.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words, and I rise in support of the emergency aid and in opposition to these offsets. Mr. Speaker, an emergency is an emergency. Hurricane Mitch hit a half a year ago in Central America and we are here today arguing emergency relief because of the offsets. We still have in Central America 2.4 million, almost 2.5 million people that are displaced or homeless. That is bigger than the population of a lot of States that are represented here on the floor. Why are we being so cruel in this process of saying, in order to help people that are disabled and homeless, in an area where we need to get the infrastructure and the economy going, that we have to penalize our domestic programs? The epicenter for the 1989 earthquake in California, the Loma Prieta earthquake, was in my district. Do my colleagues know that we received aid from Japan, aid from Mexico, aid from European countries? They came to California, probably the richest State in the United States, because we were in a disaster and they knew we needed help. We have 23 other nations that have responded to Central America. Some of these have debt with those nations, bilateral debt, far greater than what we have. And yet Brazil is able to give $179 million in debt forgiveness; France, $127 million; Sweden, small Sweden, $45 million; and the United States, the richest country of all, debt forgiveness is $41 million. My colleagues have constituents who wrote checks to the International Red Cross; millions of dollars were received by the Salvation Army for relief in Latin America, and these donors did not talk about offsets. The men and women from our districts who are now in Central America working with the nongovernmental organizations, who have taken time off, are not asking for offsets. The 23,000 American troops and National Guardsmen who are building roads and bridges, who are building medical clinics, who are building schools, who are working at a 2-and- 3-week period of time, are not asking for offsets. It is really a sad day that we are here debating an emergency bill because of offsets, and it leads us to wonder whether the only time we are ever going to be able to respond to an emergency without offsets is if we declare war. I oppose the offsets.

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me, and I rise in opposition to the Tiahrt amendment. And with all due respect, I went on the same trip with the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Tiahrt) to Honduras, but his amendment does not help the situation in Honduras nor does it help the situation at home. We have letters from the Department of Treasury, we have letters from the Bretton Woods committee suggesting that his amendment would indeed create financial risk. The logic of saying that we are going to protect Social Security when we are going to put the whole market at financial risk is just not practical. The bill, as the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) just indicated, does not fully offset the outlays in terms of new spending, because the bill will be measured by outlays, not by the Tiahrt amendment. This amendment does damage, not good; it does not protect and it does not get the funds to Central America which need it badly right now. Mr. Chairman, I urge opposition to the Tiahrt amendment.

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a good news note to honor the accomplishments of a constituent of mine, Mr. Leonard Paige. In November 1998, Mr. Paige realized his lifelong dream to make a difference in Africa with the signing ceremony of the first joint venture between a black-owned security firm in the United States and a black-owned security firm in South Africa. The United States firm, Paige's Security Services, Inc., will facilitate the training and logistics for Paige's Security Services, Inc., in South Africa in a manner modeled upon the affirmative action programs here in the United States. The program is intended to assist the disadvantaged in that community. Under Mr. Paige's able leadership, Paige Security Services, Inc., has garnered great recognition over its 10 years of service. It has been selected for three straight years by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private firms in the Nation and has been commended by Congress and the President of the United States. Paige's Security Services, Inc., employs over 800 workers in the United States and Costa Rica, and the new affiliate in South Africa employs 300 people. Thank you, Leonard Paige, for your leadership.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the motion to recommit, and I would just like to remind our colleagues that our Nation must maintain a defensive posture, but not at any cost. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have pleaded for increased funding for spare parts, training, troop and quality of life initiatives . . . not deployment of a national missile defense. And if we look at the requests from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, those requests are that this Congress funds spare parts, training of troops and quality of life initiatives. As my colleagues know, this Congress has not yet supported the bailout funds for the disaster in Central America, and I was just there a week ago, and I want to remind this Congress that 21 nations responded to that, including ours, but we have not sent one dime of assistance, Mr. Speaker. No missile defense system will ever protect this country from a nation in poverty. We have not yet saved social security, we have not reduced class size, we have not provided for health care for all Americans, Mr. Speaker. In our zeal to protect our democracy we were actually jeopardizing our democracy by failing to protect our domestic tranquility. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the motion to recommit.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Chairman, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 669, the Peace Corps reauthorization bill, I was pleased to vote yes on this legislation that will increase the number of Peace Corps volunteers from today's 6,700 to 10,000 over the next four years. To achieve this modest number, H.R. 669 authorizes $270 million for fiscal year 2000. I do not simply support this bill because I myself was a Peace Corps volunteer. I support this bill because the demand, both internationally and domestically, is real. In the Caucasus, Central Asia and Africa, burgeoning new democracies are crying out for Peace Corps volunteers. In Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, health volunteers are especially in need to teach sanitary living skills and show mothers how to better nourish their children with available resources. Programs in Africa chronically need more volunteers, especially in HIV/AIDS prevention and girls' education. The recently created programs in South Africa and Jordan, having proved themselves successful, need more volunteers to expand current programs to meet country needs. Recently agreements have been reached with China, Bangladesh and Mozambique to begin Peace Corps programs. New volunteers ready to take on not only the usual Peace Corps experiences in a country and culture they are unfamiliar with, but also willing to meet the challenges of being the first Peace Corps volunteers in a country are needed. As we have learned around the world, the best way to support a democracy is to help development at the local level. The Peace Corps is one of the most effective mechanisms for doing just that. Unfortunately, natural disasters and humanitarian crises continue at an alarming rate, devastating countries just beginning to prosper. In these instances, the international community is quick to provide assistance to save lives, restore hope, and, in the long run, buttress democracy. The Peace Corps has developed the Crisis Corps to use language and cultural knowledge that Peace Corps volunteers possess to assist in these times of need. An increase in Peace Corps volunteers will allow Crisis Corps volunteers to be sent for hurricane relief missions in Central America and keep open the possibility of sending volunteers elsewhere should they be needed. Domestic demand for more Peace Corps volunteers is just as impressive. Last year, 150,000 Americans requested information about joining Peace Corps. This is an increase of approximately 40% over the last four years. In the same time frame, Peace Corps has been able to support only a 2% increase in the number of volunteers (this with a 13% decrease in headquarters staffing since 1993, and a 14% drop in support costs per volunteer from FY93 to FY98). Americans, young and old, single and married, would like to serve their country, humanity and democracy. This is an asset we should not let go to waste. It is my sincere hope that H.R. 669 is signed into law, allowing more Americans the opportunity to participate in the Peace Corps, the hardest job they will ever love

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express both my appreciation and the appreciation of the people of Santa Cruz County for the leadership of Dennis Osmer on the Watsonville City Council. Dennis' term ended at the close of 1998. Dennis was steeped in the value of community service from the time he first drew breath in 1957. His grandmother Lois served on the Pajaro School Board in Watsonville, CA. His father Frank was Watsonville's police chief for 15 years, and was elected to the city council upon retirement. Dennis fondly remembers how his mother Noreen imbued him with the importance of charity and service to the community. Dennis attended local schools, graduating from Watsonville High School and attending University of California, Santa Cruz. He married Laurie Lynch in 1977 and they have two children, Brendan and Doreen. Dennis works as program director of Energy Services, a non-profit agency that assists low-income families with weatherization and energy bills. When Dennis was first elected to the Watsonville City Council in 1987, his principal concern was drug abuse prevention. By addressing the issue in a variety of ways; funding youth programs, law enforcement, and job creation, the problem has been alleviated to some extent, but Dennis' efforts continued. Reelected to serve on the city council, Dennis was then appointed mayor. Dennis also worked on developing a long-range plan for the Pajaro River through cooperation with regional governmental entities. In addition to his duties as mayor, Dennis served as vice president of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments. He has also served as the chairman of the City Recycling Committee and as a member of the City Planning Commission. I know Dennis Osmer to be a generous man with his time and his attention to the needs of the community. I am sure he will continue to make his contribution. I look forward to working with him in the future.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss this issue because it is indeed an issue that should have a lot more attention in this Nation at the local level than it has been getting. The battle here in Washington seems to be a partisan battle. The battle of getting an accurate census is really a community-based value. Let me tell why. If you undercount California where one out of every 10 people in the United States lives, it has been estimated that just the 1990 census, what we did 10 years ago when there was no dispute about how to do it, that that undercount will cost California $2 billion. Why? Because the money is subvened back to the States based on population. So the census in 1990 missed 838,000 people living in California. That 838,000 people is larger than the individual populations of Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont. So if you do not think that counting is important, then let us just eliminate those States from the count, because that is the amount of people that we are talking about. What that means is that in a single year California loses $197 million in Medicaid funding, that is funding for people with illnesses; $995,000 in adoption assistance, $1.8 million in child care and development, $3.6 million in prevention and treatment of substance abuse, $9.4 million in foster care, $4.7 million for rehabilitation services, the list goes on and on. What you are seeing is that all of those people out there who are asking for help from government, because the programs just do not go far enough, could be receiving that help automatically if the census was correct. So I rise today, Mr. Speaker, to do one thing, to challenge the mayors of this great country, to challenge the county commissioners and supervisors of this great country, to challenge the municipal governments of this country to rise up and take notice as to what is happening with the census, because it is going to affect their communities. This issue is not a partisan issue. It should not be a partisan issue. It should be a scientific issue: What is the best and most accurate way that we can guarantee a full count. The National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce and a vast majority of the professional scientific community all recommended that we use modern scientific methods to have the count in the year 2000. The United States Supreme Court recently held that the 1976 Census Act requires the use of modern scientific methods for all purposes other than just reapportionment of Congress, which is the method where we determine how many people live inside a congressional district and from there draw the district boundary lines. That is what is of interest to Washington, to Congress, to the House of Representatives. But let us not forget that the real impact of the census is upon our neighborhoods, our schools, our health care centers, our hospitals, our police and fire, and people who reach out and do services to our community such as foster parents and others. Equity demands that more than scientific methods be employed to determine the population so that California and every other State are not deprived of their fair share of Federal funding. If indeed those communities care about this, rise up, take notice and petition our government in Washington.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to convey the appreciation of Santa Cruz County, CA, for the 46 years of public service contributed by Ray Belgard, who retired from the county board of supervisors at the end of 1998. Ray began his career with the Salinas Police Department where he began to acquire both his investigative skills and his abilities as a staff supervisor. In 1964, Ray was recruited by the Monterey County Office of the District Attorney where he worked with Peter Chang. In 1966, when Peter Chang was elected to the office of District Attorney of Santa Cruz County he persuaded Ray to join him as the county's chief inspector. In their joint effort to scrutinize the budget, Peter and Ray deleted an obscure item that appeared to be continued from the previous administration. The budget subsequently passed without a line for Peter's salary. In 1982, in response to pleadings for his leadership in the Police Department from his home town Watsonville, Ray took control of the department and brought it to its current status as one of the most efficient and best-run police departments in the county. In 1989, Ray retired from public life, or so he thought. After a year, Ray successfully ran for county supervisor for the 4th District, the area which included Watsonville. As became well-known to the public works director for the county, Ray was especially sensitive to the need for road repairs, an issue important in his rural district. Ray could also be relied upon to champion the causes of public employees, law enforcement, seniors, children and agriculture. Ray Belgard's name will always evoke the image of a plain-spoken and direct man, concerned with the efficient delivery of public services. The tributes paid to him by his colleagues and constituents upon his retirement testify to the atmosphere of good feelings that surrounded Ray throughout his long and distinguished carrer.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to memorialize an exceptional man, Mr. Sabu Shake, who passed away December 5, 1998 at the age of 76. Sabu Shake was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1922. After his service during World War II in the Merchant Marine, he immigrated to the United States in 1950. Sabu moved to Monterey in 1954 and began working as a dishwasher on the wharf. In 1958, after learning the necessary cooking skills, Sabu bought a small restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf which grew and prospered as the Old Fisherman's Grotto, greatly due to the spice mixtures he created and his famous clam chowder. Over the years, Sabu's holdings grew and prospered as well, including the Monterey Sport Fishing fleet, Marine Beach Inn and a cattle ranch in Gonzales. Sabu Shake expressed his creative side through the rose garden which he developed next to the family mansion in Monterey. With his wife Isabella, and his six sons, Benji, Christopher, Sabu Jr., Angelo, David and Tene, the family home was filled with activity. Sabu became a recognizable character on the Wharf. In 1968 Sheriff Jack Davenport, in appreciation for his support, gave Sabu a white cowboy hat which became his trademark. A life-size redwood statute, complete with the cowboy hat, stands as a sentinel beside the door of the Old Seafood Grotto. Sabu received many commendations from the community including being named Fisherman's Wharf Person of the Year in 1991 by the Fisherman's Wharf Association and being named restaurateur of the Year in 1993 by the Best of the Best. With his passing we have lost a prominent entrepreneur and a colorful character who added his own special flavor to Fisherman's Wharf and the Monterey area.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to convey the appreciation of Santa Cruz County for the long and distinguished service rendered by William M. Kelsay. Bill is retiring from the Santa Cruz Supreme Court after 21 years on the bench. Bill was born in Patterson, California, and graduated from Patterson High School in 1959. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of California, Davis and went on to study law at Hastings College of Law in San Francisco. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1969, and worked in the Office of the District Attorney of Santa Cruz County until his appointment as Judge in the Municipal Court in 1977. Bill's appointment to the Superior Court came in 1985. The legal community has relied on Bill's acumen and leadership for many years, and owes the current environment of collegiality and coordination to Bill's work to consolidate Santa Cruz municipal and superior courts. Bill's colleague, Judge Robert B. Younts, Jr. said of Bill ``He is an astute student of human nature. He is respected by all. He is an absolute gentleman.'' Bill has been generous of his time away from the bench in the non- profit sector, serving a term as Chair of the Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center, and as a member of Santa Cruz County Fish and Game Commission. He has expressed an interest in participation on community boards and commissions in the future. Bill is also an astute student of piscine nature, and certainly will reserve time for studying steelhead very closely in their natural habitat. Judge Kelsay's contributions form a continuing legacy to the legal community of Santa Cruz County. With his great range of interests, I am sure his retirement years will be filled and fulfilling. He has our best wishes for health and happiness into the future.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform you and all our House colleagues of the magnificent contributions to international health care by the Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System (SVMH). Through the efforts of SVMH, two cities in China, Kunming in the Province of Yunnan, and Chengdu in the Province of Sichuan, will receive the best in advanced medical training services and the best high-tech equipment to better serve the Health care needs of the Chinese people. SVMH has long been on the cutting edge of technology in Health care services. Located in Salinas in my Central California Coast district, SVMH has developed state-of-the-art heart and cardiac health services. It works in tandem with NASA in using high-resolution equipment to uncover the secrets of the human health system. It also has established a long-term Health care facility for senior care that scores high marks by the health care industry. Because of SVMH's expertise and experience, it has reached out to the international community to help. China, with the largest population on earth and yet some of the most remote and underserved populations, was a key target for assistance. Partnering with Assist International Rotary International Marquette Medical Services, SVMH will send a team of doctors and professional staff to Chengdu, China and Kunming, China today. This international team of hope will-- Donate and install $1 million worth of high-tech medical equipment in the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital in Kunming and The First Medical School, The First University Hospital, West China University of Medical Sciences in Chengdu; Educate and train the medical staff of both hospitals on the latest technologies and practices utilized by our physicians in the treatment of heart-related illnesses and procedures; Interact with the citizenry of the community in order to demonstrate American willingness to share high tech medical information and technology. This partnership, Mr. Speaker, is important for a number of reasons. First, it is critical to recognize that despite all other political machinations between the U.S. and China, there is one very important issue upon which leaders of both countries agree: that Health care is essential to quality of life. In that regard, SVMH, the Rotary International, Assist International and Marquette Medical Services have served as ambassadors extraordinaire to unify our two countries. Second, this partnership is important because through the efforts of SVMH and others, we are establishing a firm working relationship with our Chinese counterparts--one that will indirectly benefit the relationship between the U.S. and China, but that will also directly benefit the Chinese people through the delivery of more and better Health care services. In this regard, the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital and the West China University of Medical Sciences deserve special recognition and praise for their commitment to improve Health care practices and their dedication to the pursuit of new knowledge in the field of medicine. Mr. Speaker, and Members of the House, I urge you today to stand in honor of the Salinas Valley Memorial Health Care System and their partners in international Health care, the Yunnan Red Cross Hospital, the West China University of Medical Sciences, Assist International, Rotary International and Marquette Medical Services. They deserve our praise, they deserve our support and most of all, they deserve the chance to make this partnership a success so people can live well.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to memorialize the passing of a friend, a poet, an artist, and a passionate environmentalist. Margaret Wentworth Owings passed away on January 20, 1999 at her cliffside home in Big Sur California high above her beloved Pacific Ocean. Born in Berkeley, California in 1913, Margaret Wentworth graduated from Mills College and studied art at Harvard University. In 1953, she married architect Nathaniel Owings. By that time, she had pledged herself to the preservation of the natural endowments of Big Sur, a place she called ``the most beautiful spot on the globe.'' Margaret began her crusade for environmental protection over fifty years ago when she watched with binoculars as a rifleman killed a Stellar sea lion. She learned that hunters could earn a bounty for killing mountain lions and that sea otters were valued only for their pelts. Margaret co-founded the Friends of the Sea Otter in 1969 and the California Mountain Lion Preservation Foundation in 1987. Through determination, resourcefulness, and unstinting effort, Margaret brought us around to the undeniable conclusion that there is more to gain from saving wildlife than from destroying it. The Big Sur coastline would be a very different place were it not for Margaret's guardianship. She successfully opposed the proposal to straighten the Pacific Coast Highway and widen it to a four freeway. Margaret led efforts to pass Proposition 117 to ban sport hunting of the mountain lions and the setting aside of funds to purchase state parklands. The appreciation of environmental organizations was expressed by the many awards she received, such as the National Audubon Society Medal and being included in its listing as one of the 100 most influential environmentalists of the century. She was given the Gold Medal Award of the United Nations Environment Program. The United States Department of the Interior conferred the Conservation Service award upon her. And the Sierra Club, in recognition of Margaret's lifelong dedication to the cause of conservation, made her an honorary board member. Margaret is survived by her daughter, Wendy Millard Benjamin; her stepson Nathaniel Owings; her stepdaughters Natalie Owings Prael, Emily Owings Kapozi, and Jennifer Owings Dewey; her brother, William Wentworth; nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Margaret's advocacy was accomplished with grace, poise, style and spirit. Her memoir ``A Voice From the Sea: Reflections on Wildlife and Wilderness'' evokes, through her articulate and persuasive voice, the spirituality she found in her wild surroundings. There is no conceivable measure for the contributions Margaret made; she has left a permanent legacy. Margaret Owings was our hero. She led us by her example, she taught us through her wisdom, she graced us with her vision, and we learned to treasure all that she valued so deeply.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the passing of Andrew E. Ausonio, who died October 17, 1998, a devoted husband and father an innovative businessman, a leader in his community and a humanitarian both at home and abroad. Andy was a native of the Salinas Valley, graduating from Salinas High School, and attending Hartnell Junior College. His service in the Armed Forces drew him away for a time, but upon his return Andy applied his attention to developing his business and personal resources. His business capacities took him from Control Operator at the Moss Landing PG&E Electric Generation Plant; to become a founder of numerous property-related firms including Ausonio Construction Company, Inc.; to a position as Director and then Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Salinas; and Director of Artichoke Industries. Andy committed considerable energy to improve this community as a member of the Elks Lodge; President of Native Sons of the Golden West; President of the Castroville Rotary; Festival Chairman for the Castroville Artichoke Festival; President of the Notre Dame High School Board; Commissioner for the Castroville Fire District; President of the Salinas Valley Builders Exchange; Chapter President of the Associated General Contractors; Finance Commission for the Monterey Finance Commission; Director for the Monterey County Private Industry Council; Director for the Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation; and as a member of the Advisory Committee for California Assemblyman Peter Frusetta. Andy had a musical side and was a member of the Watsonville community, brass and German bands. He was the major fundraiser in getting the North Monterey County High School band to play at President Bill Clinton's Inaugural Celebration in Washington, D.C. As a Rotarian, Andy organized a trip to the village of San Antonio Such, Guatemala, to work on a sewage water treatment system that was a threat to the health of the population due to the untreated sewage in the local streams. He returned to determine how the Rotary could best help the local people, and subsequently organized a literacy project. The project used Spanish books from California schools that were distributed in Guatemala. During his tenure, Andy also made improvements to the infrastructures in other areas of South America and Italy. Andy enriched his own community and communities around the world, with his ability to implement his practical talents through the medium of his larger vision of the world and its values. His work will be lasting, as will the lessons he taught every individual, whom he has inspired. Our deepest sympathies go to his family and those closest to Andy Ausonio.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart and profound sadness. I am overcome by the emotions I feel as both a father and a Member of Congress. On June 12, 1998, Christina Williams disappeared from her California neighborhood. Now seven months of waiting and worry have come to a sad end. This weekend we will bury Christina. Our community knows now that what should have been a perfectly innocent, completely safe activity for a 13-year-old--walking the family dog--turned into something so horrible, so unimaginable, that we tremble to think of the fate that Christina met. The coming weeks and continuing investigation will provide some answers. But we must ask greater ones. Each and every one of us must ask what we can do to make this world a safer place for children. As an elected official, I know there are limits to what the law can do and the tragedies it can prevent. But I vow before you today that I will do all I can as a Congressman, a citizen and as a parent. One of my first tasks is to thank the countless volunteers who have come to the aid of Christina's family during this tremendously painful ordeal. My heart is with the friends, relatives, community members and law enforcement officials who now face this tragedy after such dedication. Yet our greater responsibility remains. We must join Christina's parents, Alice and Michael, and the Williams family in the great challenge that lies before them. Those who loved Christina have vowed to make her memory a call to action. To turn their anger and pain into a mission to make our country a safe place to raise loved, secure children. My fellow Members of Congress, you must pledge that our federal government will do everything in its legislative and fiscal powers to bring a halt to crimes against children, especially those whose whereabouts are still unknown. Only then will every parent and every child live in a world made safer by Christina's ordeal. To all watching us today, I ask for your continued prayers for the Williamses and the extended family that is the Central Coast of California. And I ask you to join us, when it is time to move from the mourning and grief, in the challenge that lies before us.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, today is the wrong day and this is the wrong way. When our side asked this morning why are we doing this today, the Republican leadership responded, because we want to demonstrate democracy at work. Democracy at work? I served this country in the United States Peace Corps. I know how to demonstrate democracy at work. And this is not it. No one, anywhere in the world today, can explain why a Congress would impeach the most popular elected President in the world at a time when that President is engaged in a conflict in Iraq. What you see here today is not a demonstration of democracy; it is a demonstration of a partisan political coups. This is not only the wrong day, this is also the wrong way. Mr. Speaker, we cannot claim that a democracy is working when we deny the minority a voice. There are no options here today. There will be no vote for censure. That is not even allowed nor offered. There are absolutely no alternatives, no nothing, just plain meanness. ``There is no fancy way to say I've sinned.'' That was Bill Clinton, President of the United States, in an apology to his fellow citizens-- the people who elected him. And, generally, it seems, the people who elected him accept that apology and want to move on. They do not favor impeachment. They do not favor removing him from office. The Framers of our Constitution were wise men. They rightly constructed the House of Representatives to be the legislative body most reflective, most responsive and most connected to the citizens. This is the reason why House members have very short terms and face re- election every two years. This is the reason why the Framers required House members be directly elected by the people but not Senators (who originally were elected by state legislatures) or the President (who even today is affirmed by the Electoral College). The Framers wanted to strongly impress upon House members that they held the power of the people in their hands and were responsible for representing it faithfully and truthfully. I must be true to this obligation. I have listened to the impeachment hearings. I have read the Starr report. I have sought out legal experts and constitutional scholars for guidance on the technical aspects of the impeachment conundrum. I have noted the national polls. But mostly, I have listened hard and long to persons in this Central Coast community on their views of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. I will not vote for impeachment because I believe the majority of people living in our area do not want it. Since August, when the President appeared before the Grand Jury, I have been accused of being silent on this matter. Silent, no. Keeping my counsel, yes. I have been reticent until just recently to commit myself on the matter because we are dealing with grave constitutional matters that impact the very fabric of our government. These are not decisions to be taken lightly and I wanted to be sure of all the facts of the matter before declaring a position. Having held my tongue now for these many months I must relate to you that I believe as almost everyone, that what Mr. Clinton did was wrong. But impeachable? No. Impeachment is a punishment to be used only in the most extreme cases when the action of the President is such that it undermines our government. It is a punishment to be used in cases when the action of the President is such that he has turned the institutions of the government against the very people that it is supposed to serve. It is a punishment to be used when the people of the country must be relieved of the President's--their President, the President they elected--leadership because his continued tenure would be harmful to the citizenry. Impeachment is not a tool to be used to express one's displeasure in the personal foibles of a man regardless of his position. It should not be used to rain retribution on one's political opponents or used for political gain. It is not the way to treat the American people who have chosen their leader--not once, but twice--a leader in whom they have placed their confidence, knowing even then of his propensities to untoward personal behavior. The crimes of which Mr. Clinton is accused do not rise to the level that demand he be removed from office. They are such that in the normal world, it is unlikely they would be prosecuted. Common crimes call for common justice. They do not call for extraordinary means outside the traditional justice system. Our country was founded on the principles of fairness. This whole investigation and impeachment proceeding has not been fair and it has not been founded on a search for real justice. I cannot condone Mr. Clinton's actions in the Lewinsky affair. But neither can I condone abuse of a hallowed constitutional procedure that makes a mockery of all our nation stands for. I will vote no on the impeachment.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the troops and in support of the Commander in Chief of the troops, the President of the United States.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a very unique Member of this body. Congresswoman Jane Harman is leaving the House, and while we will miss her presence and service, we can't help but share in her excitement as she moves on. Most of us know her as our friend Jane. But many in Washington call her GI Jane, and for good reason. This is the woman who makes it through the Army physical training test without breaking a sweat, and supports our military women and men without missing a beat. I'll always remember how Jane forced this body to recognize that the women of our Nation's armed services should be rewarded, not punished, for their bravery and service. Yet when some in our Congress sought to limit their right to control their own bodies, Jane was always there to speak out for our women soldiers. And Jane was always there when her district needed her. She saved jobs, protected her district's military base and worked to make our Federal Government accountable to its people. Mrs. Harman has been an especially indefatigable advocate for her native State of California. We'll certainly miss Congresswoman Harman. But we have to realize that GI Jane has bigger and better things waiting to be explored, and she has another name as well: Mom. So Jane, as you return to your family, and to the life that awaits you after Congress, take with you the memories of your service in the House of Representatives. California--and Congress--is better for your time here.

Mr. FARR of California

Mr. FARR of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join the country in mourning the passing of Caroline Drewes, an articulate interpreter of our times. Caroline was born in 1917, a fourth generation San Franciscan, to Olga and Horace Clifton. Her mother was President of the San Francisco Opera, who endowed her daughter with an appreciation for music and the grand style. Caroline graduated from Miss Burke's School and attended University of California, Berkeley. At the age of nineteen, after the death of her father, she was hired by the San Francisco Call, becoming one of the first women in the area to cover hard news. Caroline loved to learn about people, and then communicate the story with vivid descriptions that reflected her wide range of interests. Caroline married Robert Drewes in 1940, and they lived for a time in Washington, D.C. where her three children were born. When they returned to San Francisco in 1947 with their children, Robert, Stephen and Erica, Caroline was welcomed back to the Call. A working mother, she wrote a society column from home when her children were young, and devoted herself to community causes as well. Caroline also indulged her sophisticated tastes, attending performances, hosting musicales, and entertaining friends. Caroline's loving husband, Superior Court Judge Robert Drewes, died in 1987. Asked by a friend how she coped in low moments, Caroline replied that she put on her best dress. She also became an intrepid traveler, and of course, wrote of her travels. Her talent for writing was complimented by her breadth of mind. Caroline's warmth towards others was made more enchanting by her elegant style and joie de vivre. Her friends, saddened by her loss, use words like ``exquisite,'' ``classic,'' ``true sophisticate.'' San Francisco chronicler Herb Caen named Caroline to the top 10 people in the City with good vibes. I join the loving family and wide circle of friends of Caroline Drewes in expressing how much we feel her absence. However, everyone who ever knew her, carries warm memories of her lovely presence.