Mark Foley

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce the Medicare Glaucoma Detection Act of 1999 today. Although it is not a disease that is always at the forefront of our attention, glaucoma is a significant cause of legal blindness in this country. An estimated 80,000 Americans are blind because of this disease. Alarmingly, at least two million individuals have glaucoma and estimates show that at least half of them are not aware of it. Medical science has shown that glaucoma can be prevented or delayed through early diagnosis and treatment. Preliminary data indicates that early detection in many cases can lead to treatment through pharmaceutical intervention rather than through surgery. I see no reason that America's seniors should risk losing their sight, and consequently their independence, from glaucoma if we can effectively identify and treat this disease early. Unfortunately, current Medicare coverage of glaucoma testing is inadequate. Current coverage is only available for those who show clearly identifiable symptoms of the disease. However, for many people, this could be too late. The Medicare Glaucoma Detection Act will expand coverage of glaucoma testing to include all Medicare patients 65 and older, Medicare- eligible individuals aged 60 to 64 who have a family history of glaucoma and other high risk populations identified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Covered services will include a series of tests which must be performed in combination by an ophthalmologist in order to successfully detect the disease. Preventive care, like early disease testing, has proven to be highly effective in reducing the seriousness of many diseases and in improving the recovery time and quality of life for those who suffer from them. It only makes sense that coverage of glaucoma testing should be expanded in light of the known value of preventive care. Therefore, I would encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I want to take a moment to thank the gentleman from California for bringing such a fine bill to the floor today. Many Members know the difficulty it is for a chairman to wrestle all the issues that they are confronted with because so many priorities exist around America that we all want to deal with. We all know the funding constraints the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development was under this year and I think the gentleman from California did an excellent job of funding Members' priorities. I think the gentleman from California did a particularly fine job funding beach renourishment projects which are vital to the economies of coastal States like Florida. Every year, the administration refuses to recognize the Federal commitment to these projects by not requesting funds. Since I arrived here in 1994, I was quite shocked at the fact that they chose not to fund any beach renourishment projects in my district. I will suggest to Members if they look back at the history of Florida, particularly around the areas where the beaches have suffered the greatest damage, it is as a result of the inlets that were dug by the Corps of Engineers, years, some of them 50, 60 years ago, that have then changed the, if you will, flow of sand that occurs on the beaches, and particularly those to the south of the beach where the inlet was dug have suffered consequences that are extremely dire and environmental concerns on ocean, if you will, enhancements, in turtle nesting, a number of things. I again want to underscore the gentleman's particular fine attention to beach renourishment. I know that makes the subcommittee's job more difficult, and I thank the gentleman from California for not going along with the administration's irresponsible policy. These are projects that demand and deserve the Federal Government as an active and willing partner, including, in my particular district, there are a number of communities that have, if you will, brought forward local tax dollars in support of these. In fact, some to the degree of well over 50, 75 percent of the local matching effort. I also want to thank the gentleman from California for fully funding the Everglades and South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Account. This account funds the Everglades ``critical restoration projects'' authorized in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 which also includes Ten Mile Creek, a project in my district, these entire projects for the sustainability of Everglades National Park, underscore ``national park,'' a priority we should all share in this Chamber as we care about our national parks in every region and every State and every jurisdiction. Finally, Mr. Chairman, this year's House bill funds the critical projects list that I just specified that have been designed by the local sponsor, South Florida Water Management, the Corps of Engineers and other entities to the tune of $21 million, an amount greater than the previous 2 years combined, to keep these vital restoration efforts moving forward. Again, I want to finally and strongly commend the gentleman from California, his first year as chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, for listening to Members' concerns, for looking out for the welfare and vitality of all of our regions, all of our States, for the entirety of our Nation. My hat is off to him for his excellent work and stewardship of this bill to the floor today.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the bill we are considering today but in opposition to the portion that cuts all funding for procurement of the F-22 aircraft. If the F-22 is eliminated, it could be decades before we are able to replace our standard air superiority aircraft, the F-15, with a suitable replacement. In future conflicts this could mean American pilots in combat flying planes as old as their fathers. I fear the path we are headed down will lead to many more American pilots at risk, because they will be going up against potentially superior enemy aircraft. I received a letter last week, Mr. Chairman, from a constituent who wrote he was attending a World War II veteran survivors meeting, and he wrote, ``We will conduct a memorial service for those who died in the past year with a roll call, candle lighting and prayers, and also remember those who gave their lives and never came home from the war.'' He continues, ``We need the F-22 program to keep our air power the best in the world, both for our pilots and for our country.'' Mr. Chairman, let us give our military personnel the best equipment possible. I sincerely hope that this program will be fully restored in conference.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill. I heard a lot of people taking credit today for the miracles of a balanced budget. We will go ahead and give them credit for raising taxes in 1993. They said that is what led to a balanced budget. We will take credit for cutting spending, which we believe led to a balanced budget. But, my colleagues, we are here to talk about the future of the United States of America. For 40 years, this place was run on a bankrupt notion of spend and spend and spend. If I have to hear one more time on the House floor about the Ronald Reagan bill, I have just got to tell my colleagues, the Congress was controlled by the Democratic party in those years. No bill sponsored by the President can pass without a majority party lifting the bill to the floor. So, if memory serves me right, that bill was passed by a democratically controlled Congress. So let us, at least, talk about fairness, about the rules of engagement, and about what this means to the average family. I urge my colleagues to go home over the weekend and talk about the marriage penalty elimination in this bill. I urge them to talk about the estate tax relief for family farmers in many districts around America. I urge them to talk about the tax credit for health care and deductibility, prescription coverage that was offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas). I urge them to look at some of the notions of this bill and deny that they have practical application for every working family in America. Now, there are disagreements on debt. There are disagreements on the long-term application. There are disagreements on income. But, my colleagues, Congress meets every day, every year. We can solve those in the future, but let us not kill a good bill on the American public's table today.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. I would like to urge my colleagues to support the Olver-Foley- Pelosi-Horn-Lewis amendment to H.R. 434. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 434, and I appreciate the hard work of the bill's chief cosponsors, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel). Both of my colleagues have worked diligently to create a balance on a very difficult issue, laying the groundwork for much needed trade policy with Africa. This amendment is very relevant to the future success of our trade in the sub-Saharan Africa and to economic growth in that region. Like many of my colleagues, I am concerned about HIV and AIDS in Africa. Twelve million Africans have perished from HIV-AIDS, and 22.5 million are currently living with HIV. At this rate, the HIV-AIDS epidemic will leave a path of destruction in sub-Saharan Africa, destroying families, societies, and economies. Individuals between the ages of 15 and 40 are hit hardest by HIV and AIDS. That is the cross-section of the population responsible for supporting the economy. As a member of the International AIDS Task Force, I believe this epidemic is too powerful to ignore if we are serious about expanding economic opportunity in Africa. This is a nonbinding sense of the Congress amendment. I think it is an essential part of the trade policy we are developing. I pledge my support for H.R. 434, and think we can make this an even better piece of legislation by passing this amendment to show the Congress recognizes the force of HIV and AIDS to Africa.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I commend the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) for introducing this resolution and share in the excitement I think all of America feels today as we congratulate the U.S. Woman's National Soccer Team on their 1999 World Cup. As we look back in the history of sports, certain moments transcend the arena and represent something larger than a single victory. The woman's World Cup final, which became the biggest woman's sporting event in history, is a testament to the respect and devotion that these champions have earned. This achievement will be remembered with the awe of Jesse Owens competing in Nazi Germany or the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team defeating the Soviet Union. These athletes represent the American dream, the ability of any person to become a teacher, an astronaut, or a World Cup champion. The women's national team played with dedication, sportsmanship, and heart. I think one of the things that I found most telling was the team themselves and the members who participated actually functioned as a team. Maybe all of us in America can reflect on that for a moment and take the word ``I'' out of our vocabulary and use the world ``we,'' because we the people and we as a people can achieve great things if we work as a team. I watched the young ladies on the Today Show being interviewed by Katie Couric and Matt Lauer, and each one of them went on to praise the other in even more glowing terms about how they helped succeed and how they helped the team. So I hope as we reflect upon this wonderful victory that these ladies have celebrated and we think about the uplifting it brings to America and hopefully in the new century, as we approach the millennium, that all of us share in the spirit of pride of this country, of pride of individual abilities, of pride of collective victories, but, more importantly, as, working together, we can achieve the greatest things before us. So, again, I commend the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team and to people everywhere as the role models they are and will be for future generations of America. They are a team that America can truly be proud of. I again thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) for introducing this bill.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Chairman, I offer amendment No. 5.

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairman, the amendment I am offering today is a States' rights issue. It is noncontroversial, we hope, an amendment that will fix an anomaly in Federal interstate banking laws. It will also help the flow of trade from the U.S. to countries all over the world. This amendment would allow foreign banks currently operating in the United States to expand their operations as was intended by the Riegle- Neal Banking and Branching Act by allowing agencies to upgrade to branches. In 1994, when the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching bill was passed. Congress sought to allow foreign banks to open additional branches just like domestic banks. This amendment would conform with the intent of the original act. Unfortunately, not one foreign bank has been able to open additional branches under the Riegle-Neal Federal law provision. While the intention of the act was to allow expansion of foreign banks, the provision in current law has proved to be unworkable. This amendment would allow foreign bank agencies to upgrade to a branch with the approval of the appropriate chartering agency, the OCC or the State bank supervisor, and the Federal Reserve Board. In order to accomplish this upgrade, the agency would have to meet the State's minimum age requirement for entry, just like domestic banks. In addition, the agency must meet the requirements for consolidated home country supervision. This change in Federal law that I am proposing today is a States' rights amendment. If passed, it would remove a Federal limitation that interferes with State law. The amendment is supported by the Florida Banking Department, the New York Banking Department, the Texas Banking Department and the California Banking Department, as well as the Florida International Bankers Association and Conference of State Bank Supervisors. This amendment has been fully vetted with the Federal Reserve Board, and they have indicated that they have no objection to it. Madam Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chairman, I believe I have just been given a reprieve from the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). I did not hear an objection to my amendment. I feel it is a very good amendment.

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. FOLEY. Madam Chairman, I move adoption of the amendment and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FOLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, let me very much thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) for her chairmanship of this important committee, and the ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), for their hard work on this important bill, the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999. We can all remember how hard growing up can be. Fortunately for most of us we had loving and supportive of family and parents to nurture, encourage, and teach us how to gradually enter adulthood. I could never imagine the feelings of fear or uncertainty that a foster care approaching his or her 18th birthday must have. While most teens are celebrating their graduation from high school and working at part-time jobs while they anxiously wait to leave for college, foster children are trying to figure out how to find a job and who will pay enough to put a roof over their head and to put food on their own table. Last year Florida had 3,103 youths who were eligible for independent living programs. Although some of these kids have foster parents who stick with them and are willing to help, including giving them money out of their own pockets, many have been shuffled around so much that they do not have anyone to turn to. These foster children have barely been able to be kids, and suddenly they are forced to become instant adults. It is no wonder that many of them end up on the streets or on welfare, or as teenaged parents. By getting States to provide 18- to 21-year-old foster children with job training, job skills, financial planning classes, information on higher education, counseling, life skills, housing, and health care, we are giving these kids a better chance to become responsible adults. We are giving them a chance to have a life that is not characterized by fear and by hardship. We are giving them their independence, not only from their foster parents, but from Federal assistance. But we are also preparing them to handle this independence and to make choices that lead to positive results. My own State of Florida has already provided Medicaid and tuition assistance to older foster children. There are many programs that teach independent living skills. However, we can not always reach all of the children that need these services or provide all of the programs in every area of the State. This bill will enhance the ability. It will give foster children a chance. I urge passage of this very, very important legislation.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address an issue that is central to our nation's economy, the tourism industry. As co-chairman of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, I believe this issue is worth bringing to the attention of the American public. The issue I wish to discuss is the vital role which the cruise industry plays in relation to our nation's economy and tourism industry. In regard to our nation's economy, the cruise industry has made significant contributions. With more than five million annual passengers, the industry is a major contributor to the overall U.S. economy. In 1997 in my home state of Florida, the cruise industry was responsible for direct spending of $2.1 Billion dollars and generated almost 59,000 jobs. Companies such as those outlined below are but a few examples of domestic U.S. companies that depend on the cruise industry as a steady and important source of income: Tourism support services such as provided by Amadeus, Strategic Cruise Line Services, and Image Photo Services; Purchases of ship equipments, and supplies from vendors such as General Hotel and Restaurant, Harbour Marine Systems, International Paint, Mobil Aviation and Marine Sales and Ecolab; Corporate Services provided by companies such as Maritime Telecommunications Services, the Berkely Group, Howard Snoweiss Design Group and J. Walter Thompson; Ship repair and maintenance provided by companies across the country such as Atlantic Marine of Mobile, AL., Todd Pacific shipyards of Seattle, WA., Cascade General of Portland, OR., Unitour Ship Services of Long Beach, CA., and United States Marine Repair which owns San Diego Shipyard, San Francisco Drydock and Norshipco in Norfolk, VA. Food and beverage purchases are made in a number of states from such familiar sources as Coca-Cola, Kraft, Heinz, Nabisco, J.R. Simplot, Fresh Point, Sysco, Ernest & Julio Gallo, and Anheuser Busch. Every week, just one cruise ship will purchase approximately 25,000 pounds of food from U.S. suppliers--everything from beef, pork, chicken, seafood, cheese and other dairy products, to vegetables and fruit. The cruise industry provides employment for thousands of U.S. citizens aboard its ships, in shoreside corporate jobs, and with its extensive network of suppliers. Cruise lines and their direct suppliers are the largest employer of U.S. citizens in the maritime sector of the United States. Furthermore, the cruise industry also plays a significant role in our domestic transportation and lodging industry. The cruise industry is America's largest private-sector purchaser of U.S. airline tickets, accounting for more than four million tickets purchased annually. Pre- and post-cruise packages include lodging at some of the nation's largest hotel chains including: Hyatt, Intercontinental, Wyndham and Sheraton. In view of the cruise industry's contributions, I am proud to highlight some of the benefits which the tourism industry provides to our economy. It is with this thought in mind that I continue to advocate the importance of both the cruise and tourism industries. Support for the cruise and tourism industries will generate jobs and additional revenues for the United States. In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I wish to introduce several statistics for the record generated by a recent Price Waterhouse Cooper's economic analysis. I thank you for this time. 1997 CRUISE INDUSTRY ECONOMIC IMPACTS Direct U.S. Expenditures by Industry--Resulting from the Passenger Cruise Industry Millions Air Travel.......................................................$1,604 Food & Beverage.....................................................464 Financial Services..................................................352 Business Services Including Advertising.............................351 Ship Maintenance and Repair.........................................220 Other Transportation Services, Primarily Shore Tours................160 Petroleum Refining and Related Industries...........................143 Hotels and Lodging..................................................124 Insurance...........................................................120 Entertainment....................................................... 96 Other Durable Goods................................................. 78 Public Administration............................................... 67 Other Publishing and Printing....................................... 60 Nonresidential Construction......................................... 56 Fabricated Metal Products........................................... 55 Motor Vehicles and Parts............................................ 49 Other Communications................................................ 48 Retail Trade........................................................ 40 Drugs, Soaps and Sundries........................................... 34 Personal and Repair Services........................................ 22 Real Estate......................................................... 19 Apparel and Other Finished Textile Products......................... 19 All other industries..............................................1,841 Total Direct Expenditures.........................................6,150

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 804.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, let me just speak for a moment in objection to the Wamp amendment. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) is a wonderful father. I see his son Wesley here all the time, and I know he is concerned for his children, and reasonably so. But there are labels. This is a label that is on records. There are labels on video games. This one is gauged Teen, and it is larger than the Microsoft logo. They have descriptions entirely appropriate to tell what is in this game: Comic mission, animated violence, real violence, informational, use of drugs, use of tobacco, alcohol, gaming, strong language, animated blood, realistic blood, suggestive themes, mature sexual themes. They do that. They voluntarily do it by category. That is video games. Videos, R-rated. Another video, PG-13. There are ratings. The very Members that I got elected with in 1994 that wanted to shrink the size of the Federal Government now want to give added responsibility to the FTC and give them more work to do. I respectfully request that parents get more involved. These video games just do not show up in their homes in the bedrooms while their children play them, they buy them. They get them at the malls. The parents need to join them in their pursuit and purchase of these games. We could certainly make a lot of commentary today about violence, and I agree, there are some terrible products out there and there are some terrible shows out there. But I suggest that the Americans can vote with their wallets. America can vote with its pocketbook and say no more shows like Jerry Springer. Let us reduce the ratings of those shows so advertisers no longer advertise and it is taken off the air. But we should allow this system to work as it is in place. It is working.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, I was (and still am) a proud supporter of the Balanced Budget Act and its attempts to bring about greater fiscal discipline to save Medicare from bankruptcy. However, when we passed this bill, we did so with the understanding that Medicare services to seniors would not be harmed. Sadly, the current form of the prospective payment system (PPS) for hospital outpatient services such as surgery, radiology, clinical services, emergency room care, chemotherapy, and psychotherapy makes drastic cuts in payments so that many hospitals may be forced to limit or discontinue outpatient services that patients depend on. Initial projections show that when the PPS is fully implemented, some hospitals stand to lose between 40 and 50 percent of their revenue. This could have a devastating effect on the availability of certain services. For many individuals, outpatient care is a safer, more convenient, and less costly alternative to being admitted overnight to a hospital for a minor procedure. I do not want to see patients' choice of health services and care settings limited. Today, I am introducing the Hospital Outpatient Preservation Act. This legislation will put a limit on the Medicare payment reductions hospitals receive under the outpatient PPS for the first three years it is in place. This bill will allow hospitals to gradually reorganize their budgets and operational structures in order to smoothly transition to the new payment system without having to eliminate services. It is my intention that this bill will preserve the intent of the Balanced Budget Act to enforce fiscal responsibility in the Medicare system, while preventing any negative consequences that drastic revenue reductions would have on hospitals and their patients.

Mr. FOLEY

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I strongly urge passage of the Green amendment to put repeat sex offenders behind bars once and for all. When a child is robbed of his innocence by a sex offender, there are no second chances for that child. The little boy or girl must carry the shame, the fear, and the hurt for the rest of their life. Ironically, when a sex offender is released from prison, they do have a second chance to change the course of their life. There are considerable resources available for them to get treatment and counseling so that they can control their problems. Studies show that a considerable number of sex offenders have molested more than one child before and after their first conviction. Once a sex offender is caught, they must be punished and treated immediately so that more children are not put in danger. The average convicted child molester only spends 2.2 years in prison. Sex offenders cannot be allowed to repeat their crimes. We cannot continue to put our children at risk, and I strongly support the Green amendment on two strikes.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I strongly support the work of the majority whip, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), and I will tell my colleagues why. As a Floridian, as a resident of that State, we released 127,486 prisoners early, and the judges said we had to do it. It did not matter what crime they committed. Now, some around here would like us to think we need Holiday Inns and Ritz Carltons for prisoners. I can tell my colleagues what early release did, and they can talk to these families: A 78-year-old woman murdered in an orange grove by a 21-year-old convicted burglar out of prison on early release; a 30-year-old convicted armed burglar who killed a convenience store owner in Palm Beach; a teenager whose corpse was found in a Miami Beach bathtub last year, murdered and mutilated by a 30-year-old murderer and drifter out of jail on early release; or Fort Pierce police officer Danny Parrish, who had to die because we let a convicted murderer out on early release. We do not need any more facts or information than that. I feel for these families. I do not feel for the criminal. I do not feel for the prisoner. I do not feel for these people who have violated society's laws. I feel for the victims.

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

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to underscore that there was no distinction in Florida whether they were violent or nonviolent offenders. Everyone was treated equally.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham) for this excellent amendment and remind our colleagues that Carroll O'Connor, a noted actor and TV star, lost his son to cocaine. He has led a fight to bring that gentleman who sold him the drugs to justice because he believed that man infected his son with a drug addiction that caused his untimely demise. I strongly support this amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. This amendment should serve as a retribution for every individual whose life has been destroyed by drug use and for every family who has had to suffer the pain and turmoil of a loved one being addicted to drugs. The drug dealers must learn that their evil trade is more than a business. They must be held accountable not only by the justice system but by society for the tragic consequences of their business. They must be forced to see the faces of the mother, the father, the brother, the sister of the teenager who overdosed on cocaine that they sold. A successful drug dealer can make thousands of dollars a week practicing their illegal trade. In fact, they encourage young people to do this same type of business because they can buy all the fancy cars and fancy toys. And do not be misled to thinking it is only in the inner city where we have drug problems. It is in Palm Beach, in Beverly Hills. It is in the richest enclaves around America. Drugs have permeated our society. They are destroying our families and our youth. Every drug dealer who is arrested and jailed for possession and the sale of drugs should also be held accountable for the physical damage, the medical bills, the cost of drug treatments, for the funerals that they are responsible for. So I ask my colleagues to please pass this amendment. Send a message to drug dealers that their profitable trade should stop and, more importantly, if they inflict their dangerous drugs on other people, they will pay a high price not only in prison but the hopeful forfeiture of their assets so that those assets can be conveyed to the families who have lost loved ones. Again, the amendment of the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Latham) will hold persons who manufacture and distribute illegal, controlled substances liable for civil action for those harmed by the use of the controlled substance.

Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Hyde amendment. I understand the concern of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for what is happening in America. We have had tragic incidents around our country. But like others, we are looking to seek and put the blame on groups rather than reflect on the problems that face society. Everybody is fingerpointing in our communities, trying to find a scapegoat for the problems in our communities. This solution grows the government ever larger. It will create a police force of what is decent, what is violent, what is excessive. Who would be the arbiter of those type of standards? Who would set the guidelines? Who will be the first to be prosecuted under this vague law? The store clerk could be subject to 5 years in prison and a fine for the first offense, 10 years in prison or a fine for the second offense. Is that a movie like ``Home Alone''? Is that a movie like ``Ben Hur''? Is that a movie like ``Private Ryan''? Now, I have had discussions with the chairman who suggests those would not be covered under this law, but the chairman will not always be chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, and the people at the Department of Justice will not always be the ones that we will know what is in their minds, what is in their thoughts, and what is in their hearts. I do not want the government taking the role of parents. I do not want the government stepping in, telling parents we are going to take care of their problems for them. Mr. Chairman, how do people under 17 who do not drive cars get to the malls to buy the videos? How do they get the games in their homes? How do they watch the TVs? They are allowed to by their parents. This should not be about the government stepping in, saying we are now their parent, we are Mr. Mom or Mr. Dad. We are here today debating an amendment that I do believe tramples on the first amendment, that I do believe tries to assume the role of parents in communities. I would regrettably say that while the chairman is well intentioned and is troubled by violence, this will not solve it. What happens if the videos in the home of a consenting adult person are loaned to the neighbor and the neighbor's children? Now it says ``sale''. It says ``sale''. But it also shows, I believe, in the amendment ``viewing.'' So these amendments cause me great concern, and I would hope the committee and the Members will vote against the amendment.