Bob Filner

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I returned home, like all of my colleagues, to my district in August. And what did I find in my hometown of San Diego? In a word, disaster. San Diego is the first area of California to fully deregulate its electrical utility industry. The result is that in just 3 months the double and tripling of electrical rates by the price-gouging electrical generators; seniors on fixed incomes wondering whether to turn up their air conditioning or pay for their medicines; small businesses wondering how long they can hold out; hospitals, libraries, youth centers, schools, the military, all their budgets thrown into turmoil. While the State legislature has just administered a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding, we need stronger and longer-lasting action. I am asking the House today to pass legislation to roll back the wholesale rates for electricity in the western region and roll those back retroactively. Those who have gouged our consumers for more than $350 million in the last 3 months should pay the bill for their actions. We need to take this action now. So, my colleagues, welcome back, but look closely at San Diego. We are the poster children for the nation. Many of my colleagues have deregulation bills in their States and we have deregulation bills on our floor. Deregulation cannot work when the basic commodity is controlled by monopolies. Take heed, Congress.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Larry Lucchino, as he is honored by the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO at the Eighteenth Annual John S. Lyons Memorial Banquet. Larry Lucchino, President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Padres, is being recognized for his contribution to the community of San Diego and for fulfilling three fundamental commitments of ownership which he made as he purchased the San Diego Padres baseball team on December 21, 1994. First and foremost, the Padres, under the leadership of Larry Lucchino have become active participants in the community, assisting the children of the region in their education, recreation, and health. The Padres Scholars Program was established in 1995 to aid students with college scholarships. The Little Padres Parks Program has committed to building or refurbishing 60 youth ballfields in San Diego and Northern Baja. The Cindy Matters Fund, named for a lifelong Padres fan who inspired Padres players and staff during her fight against cancer, pledges assistance in the fight against children's cancer and provides funding to the UCSD Medical Center's Pediatric Oncology Research Laboratory. Second, he has helped to rebuild the club so that they were recognized as the most improved team in the National League in 1995 and champions of the National League West in 1996. In 1998, the Padres captured the National League West Championship and then proceeded to the World Series to play against the New York Yankees. He has also created a warm and fan-friendly environmental at the local Qualcomm Stadium, and his passion for the internationalization of baseball has led to historic achievements with the Padres playing games in Mexico and Hawaii, and establishing relations with teams in Japan and Korea. In addition, Larry Lucchino is active in both civic and charitable institutions in San Diego, serving on the CEO Roundtable, the Board of Directors of the Economic Development Corporation, the Binational Advisory Council on Border-Crossing Process, and the Board of Directors of the Padres Foundation. He has the unique distinction of earning a Final Four watch with Princeton in 1965, a Super Bowl ring with the Washington Redskins in 1983, and the World Series ring with the Baltimore Orioles in 1983. He has earned a reputation as one of baseball's modern-day innovators. As President and CEO of both the Baltimore Orioles from 1988-1993 and the San Diego Padres since 1995, he has broken ground in ballpark design and planning, the development of new marketing concepts, and the furthering of player-owner relations. Larry Lucchino is being honored by a very special award. The JOHNS Fellowship Award was established to commemorate the late John Lyons of the Teamsters who was one of the founders of the San Diego Chapter of the Leukemia Society of America. The proceeds from the Memorial Banquet will be used to support local charitable causes including bone marrow testing and local research grants. My sincere congratulations go to Larry Lucchino, and I am proud to salute him and to recognize his accomplishment with this statement in the United States House of Representatives. Thank you, Larry.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nico Ferraro, business manager of the Plumbers & Pipefitters, Local 230, as he is honored by the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council, AFL-CIO at the Eighteenth Annual John S. Lyons Memorial Banquet. Nico Ferraro is being honored as the 2000 Labor Leader of the Year because he is an active labor leader who has gained a reputation for getting things done. His activism caught the attention of Local 230, and he was elected to the executive board in 1989. In 1992, he was elected pipefitter business representative and served in that capacity until his appointment as business manager in 1997. As business manager of Local 230, he represents the 1600 member local union in many ways. He is a trustee to the pension and health and welfare funds, the secretary to the Joint Apprenticeship Committee, delegate to the District Council, and executive board member to the Building Trades and the Central Labor Council. He serves on a statewide committee for the International Union and is also a hearing officer for the International Union. He is a management trustee for the OPEIU pension. Nico is dedicated to improving the wages, pension, and working conditions of his membership and demonstrating to all of San Diego the benefits of union membership. He has spoken before the Industrial Welfare Commission, the California Apprenticeship Council, to church groups and to community college students on the benefits of being a union member. He is involved in all aspects of the labor movement. A number of his pro-union letters to the editor have been published in San Diego newspapers. He co-chairs the Labor Council Street Heat Committee. He raises money for Local 230's scholarship fund. Recently, he was appointed to the Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Board where he will be asked to determine the wages, work hours, and working conditions for the mining, drilling, and construction industries. Nico's dad, uncles, brothers and neighbors in New York City were union members. He learned at an early age the value of union membership. He served a five-year steamfitter apprenticeship with one of the original United Autoworkers locals, Local 638. From the minute he was initiated into the union, he knew it was for him! A highlight was his work on the 110 story World Trade Center twin towers building in New York. Nico has been married for the past fourteen years to his wife Lynn, who is a member of the California Teachers Association. As a friend and supporter of the working man and woman, I want to sincerely congratulate Nico Ferraro on receiving this prestigious award for his long hours and intensive work in the cause of justice. It is an honor to know him and to support his work!

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of doubling the budget of the National Institutes of Health to further life-saving research. The world is at the cutting edge of biomedical research breakthroughs that will alter forever the age-old battle of humans against disease. The discovery of cures for most life threatening diseases can, and will, be achieved in our lifetime. But, we can cross that ultimate frontier of an improved quality of life for all Americans only if this Nation commits itself to funding biomedical research at a sufficient level to do the job. Mr. Speaker, we can demonstrate our collective resolve to accomplish that result by doubling the funding for the National Institutes of Health. Our research is beginning to pay off. Hundreds of new drug discoveries are rapidly making their way through clinical trials. Through the concerted genome effort, we will in a very short time have effectively decoded the enormous amount of DNA sequence information that forms the blueprint for human ife. The developing field of proteomics will provide the tools to understand the function of proteins produced by genes. The quantity and quality of targets for the development of new drugs will be increased by a factor of previously unbelievable proportions. In addition, progress is being made in learning how to stimulate the immune system itself to fight cancer and other diseases. Immunotherapy, and gene therapy, as demonstrated by the scientists at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in San Diego, are beginning to unlock the secrets of how to effectively combat disease in virtually every cell of the body. Anti-angiogenesis--a process which prevents the formation of new blood vessels which feed the cancer as it multiplies--offers great hope. The progress being made in San Diego research institutes suggest that the accelerating pace of laboratory discoveries will soon be translated into innovative treatments. In San Diego, basic science break-throughs are happening at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD)--one of the largest recipients of NIH funding in the country--and also at the Salk Institute, the Burnham Institute, and the Scripps Research Institute. And, the most dramatic results of these scientific advances may be demonstrated when they work in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. At the University of California at San Diego, for example, Dr. Mark Tuszynski has received approval from the FDA to test a form of gene therapy in humans with the dreaded Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's now afflicts 4 million Americans, a number which is projected to grow to 8 million in this country alone by the year 2020. Dr. Tuszynski will surgically implant genetically modified cells into the brains of human volunteers to determine if we can slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease and enhance the function of some of the remaining brain cells. Mr. Speaker, charitable contributions and the scholarship of great universities and research institutes play important roles in the evolution of our scientific success. It is through the investsment of significant Federal dollars in the National Institutes of Health that we can combine all of these positive forces to realize the medical miracles on our horizon. NIH promotes the research and coordinates the science. NIH helps to develop new skills of scientific investigators, and provides the stimulus for the emergence of new technologies. I am privileged to represent San Diego, the biotech capital of the world. What we do in San Diego in collaboration with scientists around the globe will enhance life itself at a time in history when life is most worth living. Now is the time to redouble our investment in biomedical research. America is at peace, our economy is prospering, our citizens are gainfully employed, our budget is balanced, and our surplus is real, There is no excuse to ignore what Americans want more than anything else: the cure of diseases which inflict death, pain, suffering, and economic distress to almost every family. Mr. Speaker, let's do it; let's do it now.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time. I thank the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), the chairman of our Subcommittee on Benefits, for crafting H.R. 4850. I think everyone in this body can support this very important measure. This measure is important to the financial well-being of our disabled veterans and their survivors. It ensures a cost-of-living increase so that VA benefits will not erode due to increases in the cost of living. It also recognizes the important contributions made to our Nation's security by members of the National Guard and Reserve. In fact, section 102 of the bill incorporates provisions that were introduced separately by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), who will speak in a few minutes. He recognized that certain members of the Guard and Reserve who suffer a heart attack or stroke while serving on inactive duty for training are unfairly denied service connection for those conditions. So I thank the gentleman from Michigan now for his leadership in getting this important provision. Section 202 of the bill is taken from a bill, H.R. 3998, introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), our ranking member. This will provide veterans who are service connected due to a radical mastectomy with the additional compensation currently provided to veterans who are service connected for loss or loss of use of other body parts. This bill was recommended to us in the 1998 report of VA's Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. Finally, section 301 of the bill will ensure that service members who volunteer for assignment to a mobilization category in the Ready Reserves will have access to VA life insurance. This is a simple thing but is very important because if we expect these service members to put their lives on the line for our Nation, we must assure that their survivors will be compensated if they are asked to pay the ultimate price for their service. I ask for a unanimous vote on this very important measure.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, H.R. 4864 will eliminate a significant obstacle that has been imposed upon veterans who file a claim for benefits administered by the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Claimants for these benefits are now facing obstacles which are created by the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for veterans claims in the so-called Morton v. West decision last July. That decision meant that benefits claims that were filed by disabled veterans have been rejected prior to their proper development and consideration. This is simply unacceptable. Madam Speaker, lead by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), our chairman of the Subcommittee on Benefits, we as a committee, along with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Reyes) as a member, undertook hearings, undertook discussions with the VA and the VSOs. And in that process, within a year of that decision, we now have a bill before us; and I thank the majority Chairs for getting this through in this timely fashion. This legislation clearly and unequivocally removes the well-grounded claim requirement which has proven to be a significant barrier facing veterans seeking the fair and prompt adjudication of their claims. This bill includes many of the concepts contained in an earlier bill, H.R. 3193, which is sponsored and introduced by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans), our ranking member. It takes into consideration also recommendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as the veterans service organizations, who I know the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn), and I commend very deeply for their advocacy to assure that veterans seeking benefits have their claims fairly and accurately adjudicated. H.R. 4864 is certainly one of the most important veterans measures to be considered by this Congress. I urge a unanimous vote by my colleagues.

Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Quinn) for his leadership. We have had those hearings; they have not only been educational but fruitful. Ideas are put on the table; people have commented on them. We have taken those ideas and incorporated them in the process. And the gentleman's responsiveness to those concerns has been a model to the way I think we ought to be conducting ourselves in this Congress.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in acknowledging this historic moment for our neighbors and friends to the south. We know that just 3 weeks ago Vicente Fox achieved a monumental victory in assuring his ascension to the Mexican Presidency. I had a chance to meet Mr. Fox during the campaign. I spent several weeks in Mexico watching the election. I saw the hope and the optimism and the excitement engendered by his candidacy; a hope and optimism which I think bodes well for U.S.-Mexico relations. This election represents also the example of leadership that was shown by President Ernesto Zedillo. He embarked on a reform policy from the beginning of his own 6-year presidency. He stayed committed to it and there was widespread confidence in the fairness of the election throughout Mexico. On election night, President Zedillo recognized the legitimacy of Mr. Fox's victory and guaranteed the peaceful transfer of power. That will be his most enduring legacy. That legacy, the devotion to democracy, is a legacy to hold sacred the voices of Mexico's people. Mr. Speaker, the district I represent, California's 50th, part of the City of San Diego, lies directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and my community shares close ties with Mexico. From our homes we look south and see the Mexican hills. We share ocean and river water, businesses and culture. The greatest number of legal cross-border travelers between any two nations in the world pass through my district. But another highly visible feature of my district is a border fence, a symbolic scar that separates our businesses, our friendships, our families. On each side of that fence is tension, mistrust and violence. At this border we have great problems to solve and great challenges to meet: Immigration problems, environmental problems, infrastructure problems. But Mr. Fox has already boldly spoken out on these issues. He sees a Mexican economy that will provide 1.5 million new jobs a year and a national campaign to raise standards of living and increase access to health care and education. He sees the breakup of a corrupt bureaucracy. He has promised to deal with human rights concerns in Chiapas. All these steps Mr. Fox rightly knows will reduce the pressure of immigration on our border. Mr. Speaker, many San Diegans are as excited about the prospects of this new Mexico and this new border as are the Mexican people themselves. I believe now is the time to tear down the barriers, to embrace the new President and the Mexican president. Rather than building walls, it is time to build bridges and encourage Mexico's new and successful commitment to democracy. We can gain so much from this cooperative effort. We have already begun. Mr. Speaker, I say to the new President, ``Senor Presidente, si, se puede.''

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor one of the most outstanding citizens of San Diego, California. Benjamin Franklin Dillingham III, or Ben as he is known to his many friends in San Diego, will be honored this Sunday at a community tribute banquet in San Diego. A community leader and philanthropist; former chief of staff to our mayor, Maureen O'Connor; a captain in the United States Marine Corps; Ben is currently serving as chief financial officer for Patient Care Incorporated, reflecting his deep interest in providing quality health care for all. Ben was born in Honolulu, a fourth generation islander. His father, Ben II, was the general manager of the Oahu Railway and Land Company. His mother, Frances Andrews, is the daughter of Vice Admiral and Mrs. Adolphus Andrews of Denison, Texas. Ben received his B.A. degree cum laude and his master's in business administration both from Harvard University. Upon graduation from Harvard Business School with distinction, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps; and while in Vietnam, he was promoted to first lieutenant. When he returned to the United States, he began training recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and was promoted to captain while at MCRD. He was given orders to Advanced Armor School conducted by the United States Army at Fort Knox and graduated, typically, at the top of his class before returning to duty with the Marines. Ben finished his service as a division training officer and then drove across country to establish residence in San Diego, California. Here in San Diego, he was recognized as a true community leader. Prior to his work as chief of staff for the mayor, he also worked for General Dynamics, Convair Division, and the Metropolitan Transit Development Board. Mr. Speaker, his service to the community is broad and spans a number of organizations. He has served as a member of the Marine Corps Association, the United States Armor Association, the Navy League, the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society, the Center for Social Services, the Greater San Diego Business Association, the Metropolitan Community Church of San Diego, the United Way, the Diversity Committee, the San Diego Human Dignity Foundation, the San Diego Scholarship Foundation, and the County AIDS Service Advisory Panel. He has been a board chair of the AIDS Foundation of San Diego and the County of San Diego AIDS Services Advisory Panel, and he has served as a board member of the Episcopal Community Services, L.I.F.E. Foundation, AIDS Project, and the San Diego Scholarship Foundation. Aside from all of these memberships and board leaderships, he has numerous honors from across the city. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal with Combat ``V'' for Vietnam Service and the Army Commendation Medal at the Armor Officer Advance Course at Fort Knox. His civilian recognition includes Man of the Year, the San Diego Lesbian/Gay Pride Festival; the Human Rights Campaign Fund Crystal Torch Award; the Log Cabin Club Pursuit of Happiness Award; the Brad Truax Presidential Award; the Stan Berry Award; and the Harvey Milk Memorial Award at the Nickys; the Harvey Milk Democratic Club Human Rights Award, and the San Diego AIDS Project Celebration of Life Award. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank Ben Dillingham III for his tenacity in the fight for progressive causes; his commitment to the struggle for human rights; his belief in the importance of access to government, education, and health care for every member of our society; his outstanding service to the City of San Diego; and his significant contribution to our community as a whole. Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud to call Ben my friend.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a young man who last month graduated from Eastlake High School in my congressional district and who has attained the highest success in his field--the baseball field. Adrian Gonzales led his league with 37 RBIs and finished the season just shy of a .600 batting average. But for Adrian, it gets even better. Earlier this month, he was selected as the Number One pick in the nation for the Major League Amateur Draft. It is important to acknowledge that the Florida Marlins rewarded Adrian's drive, consistency, and talent, as well as his willingness to dedicate himself through practice and hard work, which led to his second-to-none selection. Congratulations, Adrian!

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chairman of the House Committee on International Relations for his statement and for his long-standing support and leadership in educating us all on this issue. I rise today to join him and other colleagues, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), who will follow, in acknowledging this tragic invasion of Cyprus by the government of Turkey. We are here, as we heard the Chairman say, for the 26th anniversary of the hostile assault on Cyprus which unlawfully led to the declaration of independence by the Turkish Cypriots. Mr. Speaker, time and time again, Turkey has violated international law, imposing a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation in the occupied areas. This has led to severe problems such as internally displaced refugees, violations of human rights, and the disappearance of over 1,400 Greek Cypriots. Mr. Speaker, Turkey is our ally. We give them military aid and other forms of assistance. It is about time that we demanded that this ally comply with the United Nations and end this deplorable crisis. The time for peace is now.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, just briefly, again, the gentleman from Alabama (Chairman Callahan) is insisting on a technical rule of the House. The gentleman knows and we all know that these rules are waived in dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of occasions throughout our appropriations bills. We are trying to help a suffering people here. I would just hope the gentleman would not insist on the point of order.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, my amendment earmarks crucial funding in this bill for the Kurdish Human Rights Watch, a nonpolitical, nonprofit Kurdish- American service organization. For a decade and a half, this group has been working in Northern Iraq providing critical assistance to victims of torture and ethnic cleansing, rebuilding villages, teaching grassroots democracy building, monitoring human rights, and providing training on civil society. Here is what the Kurdish Human Rights Watch does everyday. First, through community-based programs, it supports the urgent needs of Anfal victims, the internally displaced refugees and other victims of ethnic cleansing, torture and human rights abuses in Northern Iraq. A special emphasis is placed on helping women cope with grief of family loss and income. Outreach workers help each family conduct an assessment of their family's health and prevention plans. Counseling is provided alongside concentrated extensive case management for problems such as generating income, family reunification, and other survival issues. Secondly, they assist in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the destroyed infrastructure by years and years of war. The villagers most affected were women, children, and the elderly. With this aid, new wells will be drilled and pipes for drinking water supplied to the villages. The organization's engineers will help in the reconstruction of roads and houses. Lastly, the Kurdish Human Rights Watch provides training focusing on coalition building and the importance of human rights, including civil society skills taught in workshops and community building experiences. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will provide critical funding for an organization that enables individuals, families, and communities to develop healthy lives and to become economically self-sufficient. With these funds, Kurdish Human Rights Watch will develop the building blocks for a free Iraq, a free Kurdish people and a nation where human rights and freedom are respected and guaranteed to all. Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, I just want to switch microphones so I can be closer to the gentleman from Alabama (Chairman Callahan). I ask the gentleman from Alabama (Chairman Callahan), I beg the gentleman, I entreat the gentleman not to insist on his point of order. This is a technicality by our rules. There are lots of precedents for this kind of earmark and amendment in the appropriations bills. I would hope that the suffering, the killing of a people in a very shaky part of the world would be aided by this Congress at this moment, and I ask the gentleman not to insist on his point of order. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 28, I missed a series of votes due to the death of my father. Had I been here, I would have voted as follows: Rollcall #352--yes, Rollcall #353--yes, Rollcall #354--yes, Rollcall #355--no, Rollcall #356--yes, Rollcall #357--no.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I am a cosponsor of the amendment.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of the Talent-Latham-Filner amendment. I want to make sure that everybody understands that this amendment today is simply to clarify language that is contained in the bill before us. What we are asking for or putting in the bill is a provision that directs $4 million that is listed in the bill for veterans' programs to make sure that this $4 million goes specifically to the National Veterans Business Development Corporation. It does not require any offsets because all of the funds are derived from the salaries and expenses account of the Small Business Administration. The Veterans' Affairs Committee on which I serve and on which I am ranking member of the Subcommittee on Benefits has a long history of interest in and commitment to the issue raised today by this amendment. When we passed H.R. 1568, the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999, we incorporated this Business Development Corporation into this through Public Law 106-50. It is a federally chartered corporation responsible for assisting our veterans, especially those veterans who are catastrophically disabled, with the formation and expansion of small businesses. Mr. Chairman, this amendment clarifies the intent of Congress. Currently, the amount is listed in the committee report as ``Veterans' Programs'' and there is some apprehension about how the SBA would interpret that report language. There has already been a great delay of Public Law 106-50, the Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act, in which the corporation is authorized; and this amendment will put an end to this delay. This amendment will make it clear that Congress wants the corporation funded and wants to work to establish assistance centers for veterans working with private and public organizations to help veterans get the benefits of the act, the veterans who served this country and deserve our support. Last year, the Committee on Small Business moved the bill through this House. The committee, led by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), designed the bill to coordinate assistance to veterans who were seeking to start their own businesses and reach for their piece of the American dream. We passed that act unanimously, and the centerpiece of that legislation was the National Veterans Business Development Corporation, which was set up to coordinate private and public sector activities on behalf of veterans and begin the establishment of a nationwide network of veterans assistance centers, which would assist veterans with the help they need to start their own businesses and take hold of their American dream. This amendment does not take money from any other program, it is there in the bill, and it is intended for this corporation. We clarify the intent and ensure the funds will go to this corporation. We do not increase the amount set forth in the bill. Veterans who establish their own businesses are a double asset to America. They contribute the skills they acquired through military service to the development of our economy, and they are a key link in the expansion of employment opportunities for others. It is simply good sense to give them meaningful support in today's global economy. After serving our Nation in uniform, our veterans have come home to contribute to America's economic success again and again, not only after World War II, but after every subsequent conflict. Using the skills gained during their service, veterans have become successful entrepreneurs, continuing to contribute to our Nation through their success. Let us make sure that all of them have a chance to realize the success which, of course, benefits all Americans. I hope we support this amendment, as we supported the authorization bill, that is, unanimously. I thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent) for offering the amendment, and I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham) for being here today to present this amendment.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) for yielding, and I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) for offering this amendment. We represent adjacent districts. He talked about a bipartisan approach. I want to illustrate that on the floor today. The gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray), when he was a county supervisor in San Diego, was at the same time that I was a city councilman in San Diego. Our districts pretty much meshed; and we worked on this together for many, many, many years. We are at the point of solving these problems, and with the help of this Congress we will. We have tried to get this diversionary structure in place. It helps protect our citizens from health hazards caused by the river of sewage; but it was built quickly and now that the international treatment plant is in operation, we must expand and improve the capacity. It has limited capacity. It clogs with silt and debris, as I am sure the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) pointed out, and it must be shut down for maintenance when the rains and other events make it exceed its capacity. So what the amendment of the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) does is provide the funding to design improvements needed to increase its capacity, solve these problems. I am sure the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) and I are the only two Congressmen in this House that can say that raw sewage flows through our districts; up to 50 million gallons a day. We have a series of attempts to improve this situation, legislation that we hope will follow in the authorization process, and I thank the Chair and the gentleman for making this amendment and supporting it. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. In 1991, as a San Diego City Councilman, I worked with the IBWC to build a diversionary structure in the international flood control channel to capture 13 million gallons per day of sewage that flowed through the Tijuana River to our beaches. This diversionary structure helped protect our citizens from the health hazards caused by this river of sewage. But it was built quickly. Now that the International Treatment Plant is in operation, the structure must be improved and its capacity expanded. Currently, it has a limited capacity of often clogs with silt and debris. Whenever flows exceed its capacity or it must be shut down for maintenance, raw sewage flows freely throughout the Tijuana River. This amendment would provide the funding to design improvements needed to increase its capacity and solve these problems.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, June 16, 2000, in order to fulfill official commitments in my district on Friday, I took the last plane from Washington to my California district. I missed the following record votes and would like to place in the Record my position on these issues: Rollcall number 285, present; rollcall number 286, yes; rollcall number 287, yes; rollcall number 288, no; rollcall number 289, no; rollcall number 290, yes; and rollcall number 291, no.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Edwards amendment and in strong support of our Nation's veterans. The amendment of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards) calls for an increase in $500 million in the health budget of the VA. This money was not just pulled from the air, that figure, it comes from this document, the Independent Budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, a comprehensive policy document created by veterans for veterans. All of the veterans in this Nation got together to say what do we need for a professional Veterans Administration and one that will keep up our health and our benefits. This is a professional job, an analytical job. Let me just tell Members where that $500 million will go. Under the section on staff shortages, in this independent budget, let me just read what veterans experts have concluded, faced with severe budget shortfalls, VA facilities have laid off hundreds of employees, including physicians, nurses, physicians assistants, and other clinical staff. Layoffs combined with staff attrition from retirement, transfer and resignation have left VA facilities with insufficient clinical staff to meet veterans' needs. In some cases, administrators have had difficulty filling vacant positions compounding their staff shortages. We have witnessed many cases of poor quality care that are the direct result of inadequate staffing. For example, one spinal cord injury center with dangerously low staffing levels has seen its mortality rate increase threefold during the last 4 years. We are killing veterans because we have inadequate staffing levels. Adequate numbers of well-trained staff are needed to keep up with the workload to prevent potentially harmful delays in care and to provide appropriate care. At one VA center in our country, for example, a patient faced a 97-day wait for an appointment at the vascular clinic and a 14-month wait for dental prosthetics at the dental clinic. One stroke patient at this medical center reported having his outpatient rehabilitation therapy suspended for several weeks, because his therapist went on vacation and there was no one to cover her. Because of staff shortages brought on by budget constraints, VA facilities have drastically reduced services or eliminated them altogether. After the dental department at one medical center was downsized from 5 to 3, routine oral exams given to veterans as part of their physicals were simply phased out. This was done despite the fact that dentists at the clinic found an unusually high number of oral cancers from veterans during these exams. What are we doing to the people who have provided us with this great economy that we have today? We are eliminating the services that can save their life or prolong the quality of their life. Not only is elimination of routine oral exams inconsistent with VA's goal of increasing access to primary and preventive care, but it increases expenses over the long run. We have concluded that we have crossed the boundaries. We are not providing our veterans with sufficient care.

Mr. FILNER

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for his warm support of this. He is absolutely right. And, again, the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra) indicated that well over 200 Members of the House signed onto legislation. I would point out to the House that that legislation was for both health care and for pension benefits. So if 209 Members of this body supported a bill which was costed out at roughly $500 million or $600 million, surely this session of Congress could approve just the health benefits at $35 million. But I thank the gentleman for his kind words.

Mr. FILNER. Mr. Chairman, first of all, I appreciate the courtesy of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) in not insisting on the point of order until we had a chance for those who wanted to speak on it, and I sincerely thank him for that courtesy. But I would point out to the Chair of our committee and to the Chair of the Subcommittee on Appropriations that this insistence on this point of order is rather arbitrary. The same argument could be made, as I have said earlier, to dozens of programs in this bill. Under FEMA there are many programs not authorized. The whole NASA, apparently, is not authorized. The Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation is not authorized. Major projects of construction in the veterans' affairs budget are not authorized. And I can go on and on. The point here is that this House can pick and choose which items to protect in a point of order in an appropriations bill. I think that is not only illogical, but it does not show the reality. In this case, we have had to face really the obstruction of only one person that would prevent this from even coming to the floor and being authorized. So I would ask at some point in the future that the chairman and the ranking member look kindly on this amendment, this legislation. We only have a few years left before these brave veterans are no longer with us. And so, I understand his insistence on the point of order, but I wish he would grant the same latitude that he had to dozens of other programs in this bill.