Harold Ford

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. I will vote ``yes.''

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, most Americans have to go to work every day. I know they appreciate the fact that we were out to enjoy time at home, being with our families.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, let us be honest here. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner) said this is a political discussion. It is. What we do is deal with politics, and we have many of those on this floor. We flew back here Monday evening, not to vote on a budget, but to vote on a few political suspension matters. So let us be honest with what we are doing. The reality is my colleagues refuse to appoint the two folks in this House who, in many ways, personify and embody this issue for all America, not just Democrats, not just Republicans. We have another body on the other side that some of my colleagues on this side are essentially doing the bad work for, doing the homework for. They do not want campaign finance. They do not want managed care reform. They figure out the procedural games to play, and we figure it out on this side. We just had elections around the Nation yesterday in many localities, and congratulations to the winners throughout the Nation. Imagine having an election and the voters selecting someone, then the party leaders and the bosses in the party say, well, the people want this person; but this other fellow, he pretty much agrees with this guy on about 70, 80 percent of the stuff he wants, so the party leaders, we are going to pick the other guy even though the people want the guy that won. We passed an HMO reform bill here in this House of Representatives. I know the money chase is on. I know the Senate in their leadership may want certain things. But allow the will of this House to be heard in the conference. Allow the conferees, the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) to represent us. Allow the will of the people to be heard, not HMO bosses. I ask this House to support the motion to instruct conferees.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). I say to the gentleman from Florida, we have had our disagreements on the committee, but it is certainly great to see us come together on this day and support this resolution. Today many States and cities are holding elections around the Nation. We see people exercising their civic duty and responsibility. The Census, as we all know, represents another opportunity for Americans from everywhere in this great Nation to exercise another important civic duty. A few months back Dr. Prewitt, who deserves some praise and adulation as well, the head of the U.S. Census, was in my district, as I am sure he has been in many districts around the country. He talked about the Census from three aspects: the fact that it builds resources, representation and recognition. Resources have been touched on. Some $2 trillion over the next 10 years will be allocated based on the formulas determined by the Census numbers; representation, because political power is divided among the congressional districts and within areas based on the Census numbers; and finally, recognition, because as we all know, our Nation is made up of a patchwork of people from different backgrounds, different religious, racial, and gender backgrounds. It is estimated in 1990, 8 million people were missed nationally, as the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) has touched upon. Some 86,000 were in my State of Tennessee, and 18,000 are right near Memphis, the district which I represent. Of the folks missed, 10,000 of those were children in my district, enough to fill 17 schools and employ 350 additional teachers. In addition, Tennesseeans, particularly those in the Ninth District, lost out in our fair share of Head Start dollars, on school lunch and educational technology funds, and even businesspeople, researchers, and economists in our district, were deprived of accurate data as they attempted to create or to plan for technological advances to create new jobs and economic growth. In Memphis we have established a Complete Count Committee made up of community, business, and civic leaders, following the guide of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) and certainly our ranking member, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) in trying to ensure that we have participation from all aspects of the community. One of the great challenges we will have in the coming weeks and months is for Members of Congress and those in the community to do all that we can to raise awareness. I certainly am committed, Mr. Chairman, and the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), and I hope all our colleagues will do the same. We must work to ensure that every citizen participates in this very important civic exercise, not only to be counted but to be recognized, and to ensure that everyone on April 1, 2000, is counted. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the leadership of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), and certainly that of the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). She has given me some ideas, and I am sure she has given my colleagues throughout this body ideas on how we might move forward and ensure all are counted on that very important day.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an organization that is vitally important to our society as a whole. The New Leaders is an organization committed to empowering the African American community. Many challenges lie ahead in addressing the concerns of people of color. This organization brings young professionals together to tackle the social, economic, and political problems facing people of color. For five years, this organization used the collective resources of these young professionals to shape public policy. Using fresh and innovative perspectives that we as policy makers desperately need, this organization has become a part of several youth education and training partnerships. The New Leaders has worked continually to increase African American leadership opportunities and to foster an environment of youth empowerment. As a member of their generation, I realize the importance of looking at our young people as assets and resources. The New Leaders have made significant strides in this area by designing a leadership development program for middle school students, providing scholarship money to students, and sponsoring the highly successful and effective Take a Youth To Work Day. Not only are The New Leaders ahead of the curve in advocating youth empowerment they also support a fair and accurate census. Historically, minorities have been under-counted and The New Leaders are committed to Census 2000 in order to ensure equal representation and ample funding to combat some of the growing concerns in the African American community. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our House colleagues to join me in recognizing the efforts and the achievements of The New Leaders. I also submit a position paper presented to The White House by The New Leaders for the Record. The New Leaders 1999 Position Paper on Youth, Leadership and the Census in the African American Community Presented to The White House, September 18, 1999 The New Leaders (TNL) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization committed to empowering the African American community. For the last five years, TNL has been comprised primarily of Black professionals dedicated to addressing the social, economic and political issues facing people of color. We believe by leveraging our combined resources with a fresh, innovative perspective, our goal of shaping public policy will result in the organization attaining a value-added level of influence in this country. Building upon the success the Clinton Administration has had in fostering mentoring, expanding investments in youth education and training, and creating the GEAR-UP initiative, TNL recognizes that several partnership opportunities lie ahead. Therefore, TNL recommends that the Administration put forth initiatives that further promote our young people to become actively involved in leadership and government. Additionally, these initiatives will help remedy the misrepresentation of Blacks that resulted from previous under-counts of minorities in past national census counts. Objective for Increasing African American Leadership Representation TNL encourages the Clinton Administration to expand existing initiatives and/or create a new initiative design to invest in the development of governmental leadership within African American communities across this nation. To formulate a model that could be duplicated, TNL proposes the development of a demonstration project that creates a leadership institute to train and prepare African Americans to take an active role in government. Current Circumstances of Blacks in the Political Process Extreme apathy exists among a massive pool of untapped voters across this country. This apathy is prevalent in the Black community, especially among our youth. While reasons vary as to why eligible young voters are so far removed from the political process, we must find a way to reengage these individuals. Our failure to successfully address this issue will result in continued inadequate resources for undeserved minority communities. TNL's Commitment to Youth Empowerment Over the past few years, TNL has touched the lives of thousands by addressing the social, political and economic state of the African American community. One of TNL's primary interests has been and continues to be our youth--equipping and instructing them to assume responsibility for their own lives and the future of their communities. TNL has made significant strides in this area by designing a leadership development program for middle school students, providing $88,000 in scholarship moneys through Texas Southern University (TSU), and most importantly, sponsoring our annual Take a Youth to Work Day. Every year this milestone event pairs African American males between the ages of 13 and 18 with professional Black men for a day of mentoring. By partnering with the current administration, TNL seeks to expand our outreach efforts. We will achieve this through continued advancements in technology, creation of charter organizations, and drawing upon the expertise of African American leaders both past and present. The Historical Under-count in the Past Census & the Impact on African Americans Since the inception of the census count, Blacks have been consistently under-counted. As a result, the Black community has been grossly misrepresented and ample funding has not been secured. One area of vital importance is health care. In this area, a new generation of African Americans continue to lead in the disparity of diseases such as: infant mortality, diabetes, cancer screening and management, heart disease, AIDS and immunizations (diseases identified by the Administration's initiative to end racial and ethnic health disparities). As we move towards a new millennium, an under- count in Census 2000 will have an enormous impact on the reapportionment efforts in this country. These efforts in turn could jeopardize minority political representation on the local, state and federal levels. Remedying Past Under-representation of African Americans It is the contention of TNL that one glaring example of the apathy and distrust of government deals with the under-count of Blacks in the census. While it is understood that federal moneys have been set aside to actively outreach underserved communities, TNL believes that additional steps are needed to address this long standing problem. TNL recommends that the White House introduce an initiative similar to the one introduced by the Kennedy Administration that encouraged Americans to join the Peace Corps. This initiative would focus on training and empowering young people to become active in government. TNL believes that such an initiative will not only address the issues of inadequate reapportionment, but also concerns regarding reparations as well as the equitable treatment of Black Americans caught up in this nation's burgeoning criminal justice system. Conclusion In their purest form, true leaders empower the constituency they represent, they take control of adverse circumstances, and they assume the responsibility for a better way of life. The best way to instill this ideology is to train and equip individuals that have been consistently and systematically denied the liberties this country has afforded other citizens. Therefore, TNL believes that the most effective way to tackle these issues begin with empowering every African- American to become motivated and actively engage in the principals of democracy. If we can accomplish this, we will balance the scales of justice, ensuring fairness and equitable treatment for all, irrespective of race, creed, or color. A new era. A new America. The possibilities are endless.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an organization that is vitally important to our society as a whole. The New Leaders is an organization committed to empowering the African American community. Many challenges lie ahead in addressing the concerns of people of color. This organization brings young professionals together to tackle the social, economic, and political problems facing people of color. For five years, this organization used the collective resources of these young professionals to shape public policy. Using fresh and innovative perspectives that we as policy makers desperately need, this organization has become a part of several youth education and training partnerships. The New Leaders has worked continually to increase African American leadership opportunities and to foster an environment of youth empowerment. As a member of their generation, I realize the importance of looking at our young people as assets and resources. The New Leaders have made significant strides in this area by designing a leadership development program for middle school students, providing scholarship money to students, and sponsoring the highly successful and effective Take A Youth To Work Day. Not only are The New Leaders ahead of the curve in advocating youth empowerment, they also support a fair and accurate census. Historically, minorities have been under-counted and The New Leaders are committed to Census 2000 in order to ensure equal representation and ample funding to combat some of the growing concerns in the African American community. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our House colleagues to join me in recognizing the efforts and the achievements of The New Leaders. I also submit a position paper presented to The White House by The New Leaders for the Record. The New Leaders--1999 Position Paper on Youth, Leadership and the Census in the African American Community (Presented to The White House, September 18, 1999) The New Leaders (TNL) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization committed to empowering the African American community. For the last five years, TNL has been comprised primarily of Black professionals dedicated to addressing the social, economic and political issues facing people of color. We believe by leveraging our combined resources with a fresh, innovative perspective, our goal of shaping public policy will result in the organization attaining a value-added level of influence in this country. Building upon the success the Clinton Administration has had in fostering mentoring, expanding investments in youth education and training, and creating the GEAR-UP initiative, TNL recognizes that several partnership opportunities lie ahead. Therefore, TNL recommends that the Administration put forth initiatives that further promote our young people to become actively involved in leadership and government. Additionally, these initiatives will help remedy the misrepresentation of Blacks that resulted from previous under-counts of minorities in past national census counts. Objective for Increasing African American Leadership Representation TNL encourages the Clinton Administration to expand existing initiatives and/or create a new initiative design to invest in the development of governmental leadership within African American communities across this nation. To formulate a model that could be duplicated, TNL proposes the development of a demonstration project that creates a leadership institute to train and prepare African Americans to take an active role in government. Current Circumstances of Blacks in the Political Process Extreme apathy exists among a massive pool of untapped voters across this country. This apathy is prevalent in the Black community, especially among our youth. While reasons vary as to why eligible young voters are so far removed from the political process, we must find a way to reengage these individuals. Our failure to successfully address this issue will result in continued inadequate resources for underserved minority communities. TNL's Commitment to Youth Empowerment Over the past few years, TNL has touched the lives of thousands by addressing the social, political and economic state of the African American community. One of TNL's primary interests has been and continues to be our youth--equipping and instructing them to assume responsibility for their own lives and the future of their communities. TNL has made significant strides in this area by designing a leadership development program for middle school students, providing $88,000 in scholarship moneys through Texas Southern University (TSU), and most importantly, sponsoring our annual Take a Youth to Work Day. Every year this milestone even pairs African American males between the ages of 13 and 18 with professional Black men for a day of mentoring. By partnering with the current administration, TNL seeks to expand our outreach efforts. We will achieve this through continued advancements in technology, creation of charter organizations, and drawing upon the expertise of African American leaders both past and present. The Historical Under-count in the Past Census & the Impact on African Americans Since the inception of the census count, Blacks have been consistently under-counted. As a result, the Black community has been grossly misrepresented and ample funding has not been secured. One area of vital importance is health care. In this area, a new generation of African Americans continue to lead in the disparity of diseases such as: infant mortality, diabetes, cancer screening and management, heart disease, AIDS and immunizations (diseases identified by the Administration's initiative to end racial and ethnic health disparities). As we move towards a new millennium, an under- count in Census 2000 will have an enormous impact on the reapportionment efforts in this country. These efforts in turn could jeopardize minority political representation on the local, state and federal levels. Remedying Past Under-representation of African Americans It is the contention of TNL that one glaring example of the apathy and distrust of government deals with the under-count of Blacks in the census. While it is understood that federal moneys have been set aside to actively outreach underserved communities, TNL believes that additional steps are needed to address this long standing problem. TNL recommends that the White House introduce an initiative similar to the one introduced by the Kennedy Administration that encouraged Americans to join the Peace Corps. This initiative would focus on training and empowering young people to become active in government. TNL believes that such an initiative will not only address the issues of inadequate reapportionment, but also concerns regarding reparations as well as the equitable treatment of Black Americans caught up in this nation's burgeoning criminal justice system. Conclusion In their purest form, true leaders empower the constituency they represent, they take control of adverse circumstances, and they assume the responsibility for a better way of life. The best way to instill this ideology is to train and equip individuals that have been consistently and systematically denied the liberties this country has afforded other citizens. Therefore, TNL believes that the most effective way to tackle these issues begins with empowering every African- American to become motivated and actively engage in the principals of democracy. If we can accomplish this, we will balance the scales of justice, ensuring fairness and equitable treatment for all, irrespective of race, creed, or color. A new era. A new American. The possibilities are endless.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 2300 because I believe, as many of my colleagues on this side of the aisle have said quite eloquently, including the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Clay) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) and others, this bill simply abdicates our responsibility to help ensure educational excellence for all children. I had the chance not long ago to visit a model early childhood center in my State and met one of the young stars there at the center, Ellen. Ellen, just 4 years old, has already mastered many of the technological tools that pervade our work places and our classrooms today. She sat with me as she e-mailed her mother and her mother e-mailed her back. Over the past few days, we have spent countless hours, Mr. Chairman, debating and deliberating the importance of a national commitment to education, to the point where the Republican leadership now feels that we can just abandon our responsibility to America's children. I am somewhat confused because earlier today we voted on an amendment offered by the majority leader, and now hours later, we are voting on something that would simply nullify all that many of my colleagues on this side of the aisle voted on much earlier today. I realize that both the majority leader and the majority whip would prefer to see States go there own way, regardless of the consequences. But what I find strange is that this bill completely violates the whole notion of local control because it takes power from parents and schools and centralizes it in State capitals. I am confident the Speaker has spent enough time in classrooms in talking with parents and teachers around this Nation to know that Americans simply do not see the things the way many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle see them tonight. I would ask that he encourage all of his colleagues to do the right thing, not abdicate this responsibility, do what is right for all of our kids so that all young people will have the same opportunity that Ellen has and all of my friends in America who enjoy Social Security and Medicare can be assured that all working people in the 21st century will have an education. That is what we are seeking to do on this side. Unfortunately, my friends on the other side do not want to do that. Let us not run from our responsibilities now. Our future depends on it.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Madam Chairman, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. I want to congratulate all of the members on the Committee on Education and the Workforce for all of their hard work, certainly the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) and the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and to all of the chairs and ranking members who worked so hard and diligently to provide us here in the Congress with something that all of us could be proud of and something that all of us could vote for. Title I, Madam Chairman, as you know, is our Nation's educational safety net. In 1999 and 2000, the State of Tennessee's public schools will receive more than $130 million in Title I funding. These resources play a vital role in helping to keep poor schools or schools with a high percentage of poor students on a fiscal par with wealthy ones. Our responsibility is to ensure that these dollars drive better performance. This bill seeks to do that. This year, the Memphis City school system, which is in my district, received a Title I grant of approximately $27 million. This grant fully funds 114 schools which have a poverty index of at least 70 percent. Our challenge, as we consider legislation today that would authorize nearly $10 billion in programs for the Nation's low-income students, is to reverse the quality drain in our public schools and prepare every child for the 21st century marketplace. As important as Title I is to my district and State and Nation, Madam Chairman, we must recognize that it is not perfect. Three principles should guide our deliberations: investment, quality, and accountability. We must acknowledge Title I shortcomings and look to it for the 21st century, but we must resist the extremist impulse to gut the Federal role in support of our neediest students. We must focus our limited Federal education dollars on policies and practices that work to raise teacher achievement and improve teacher quality. Unfortunately, we will consider something very soon, a Straight As proposal that will not quite bring the bipartisanship and the cooperation and really the comity that we see pervading this debate right now, because quite frankly, many of us on this side of the aisle believe that Straight As guts many of the accountability provisions and, quite frankly, does not direct and channel the resources to those students who need it most. With regard to the reauthorization of this ESEA, what we need to do, it means allowing school districts to establish pre-K education programs; helping to equalize per pupil expenditures across States; providing parents and communities with valuable information about the qualifications of their teachers; training teachers that use technology in Title I schools; providing violence prevention training and early childhood and education programs, and ensuring gender equity. Madam Chairman, as we proceed with this debate, I believe it is imperative that we understand the direct connection between enhancing Title I and broader goals in our society. When I travel around my district and my State, principals describe for me the importance of providing all children with opportunities early and often. Principals and teachers recognize that if we fail to serve these children, we will see not only low achievement, but higher dropout rates. They know firsthand that this results in higher rates of incarceration and in lower overall levels of productivity. It is important to note that here in this body and State legislative bodies around the Nation, no one objects when we talk about building new prisons. No one objects to constructing new prison cells. We have an opportunity now to expand opportunities in the classroom. I support my colleagues on the Republican aisle and my colleagues on the Democratic aisle. We are ready to support this bill and move forward.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, thanks to my good friend Tom Udall for his hard work in bringing H.R. 1497--the Women's Business Center Sustainability Act--to the floor this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1497 will help provide resources to women entrepreneurs in an effort to help level the playing field and provide opportunities to some of the most innovative and forward thinking businesspeople in our nation. Today, women have finally begun to crack the once impenetrable ``glass ceiling''. In July, Carly Fiorina became CEO of Hewlett- Packard, the first female CEO of one of America's 20 largest corporations and women such as Meg Whitman, CEO of eBAY, and Joy Covey, CFO of Amazon.com, are revolutionizing how we live and work. In my home state of Tennessee, we are fortunate to have Cynthia Trudell as president of Saturn Motors. These individuals should serve as role models to aspiring businesswomen in the same way that Mia Hamm and Serena Williams have become role models in the world of sport. H.R. 1497 will help do just that. It will allow more women entrepreneurs to use the resources of the Small Business Administration and it will enable their firms to receive assistance for a longer period of time, especially during the crucial first years of operation. It also extends the authorization of the current women's business center's program, a program that has been tremendously successful in encouraging women entrepreneurs. Mr. Speaker women-owned businesses are a huge force for job creation and economic growth across the country and, in particularly, my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. According to recent surveys, women-owned businesses are growing at twice the rate of all business growth and are primary components of our high-wage high-tech driven economy. They now account for over 8 million businesses, a total of 36 percent of all U.S. firms. In Memphis, women-owned businesses represent millions of dollars in sales and revenue and in Tennessee, the growth of women-owned firms increased 90 percent between 1988 and 1998. Nationally women businesses increased close to 80 percent over the same period. Women-owned businesses, however, will continue to face significant challenges in the 21st century, particularly in the area of access to capital we must do all we can to expand opportunity for businesswomen. H.R. 1497 is a solid step in that direction. Let me once again thank Tom Udall and all of my colleagues for their hard work. I am proud to stand with them in support of H.R. 1497.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, during the debate surrounding H.R. 2436, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, I was present on the House floor. When the yea's and nay's were recorded for rollcall votes 463 and 464, the electronic voting device correctly recorded my vote as ``no'' and ``aye'' respectively. On rollcall vote 465, the electronic voting device failed to properly record my vote due to what was later determined to be a malfunctioning vote card. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I was present and did vote ``no'' on rollcall 465; however, due to a defective voting card, my vote was not recorded. In addition, Mr. Speaker, I could not be present for rollcall votes 466 through 469. Had I been present for rollcall vote 466, I would have voted ``aye''; for rollcall 467, I would have voted ``aye''; on rollcall 468, I would have voted ``no''; and on rollcall vote 469, I would have voted ''aye.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, during the debate surrounding H.R. 2436, the ``unborn victims of violence act,'' I was present on the House floor. When the yeas and nays were recorded for roll call votes 463 and 464, the electronic voting device correctly recorded my vote as ``no'' and ``aye'' respectively. However, on roll call vote 465, the voting device failed to properly record my vote due to what was later determined to be a malfunctioning voting card. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I was present and did note ``no'' on roll call 465. However, due to a defective voting card, my vote was not recorded. Mr. Speaker, I could not be present for roll call votes 466 through 469. Had I been present for roll call vote 466, I would have voted ``aye.'' For roll call vote 467, I would have voted ``aye.'' For roll call vote 468, I would have voted ``no.'' And on roll call vote 469, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey) is very kind. He has defined his jump shot on this side of the aisle. We thank him for that. My thanks to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), and to the chairman, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus), and to the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Bliley) and to the ranking member, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) and the gentlewoman from Missouri (Ms. Danner). I thank them for all they have done. Mr. Speaker, S. 800 is a major advancement in our ability to use all our communication abilities to save lives and report crimes. This bill designates 911 as the universal emergency telephone number and replaces the confusing codes and alternative numbers that wireless networks have been forced to use. The bill upgrades conventional wireline services in areas which do not have the funds to upgrade their services. Under current law, wireless operators cannot respond to some emergency calls because they are not allowed to process pertinent location information. This legislation, as the gentleman from Illinois has said, will expand the current definition of customer proprietary network information to include local information. However, it states clearly that a provider must obtain the express prior authorization before a carrier can use location information, other than in an emergency situation. By extending the current liability protection which exists for landline carriers to wireless carriers, the legislation makes sure that our liability statutes keep pace with ever-changing technology. The bill does not give wireless providers greater protection. It does not change rules for land lines. It simply levels the playing field between the two carriers. Congress has the opportunity today, and I look forward to joining with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, to open access to emergency services anywhere in this country. Whether it is on a gridlocked highway or in the middle of a national park, emergency service will never be out of reach. I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri (Ms. Danner), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin), I thank the jump-shooting gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). I look forward to being part of the vote in favor of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999.

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman does have a set shot.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, if we listen to the debate, one could become easily confused that it is trial lawyers who are telling patients no, it is trial lawyers who are denying care. I understand there may be some aversion, there may be some opposition on the other side to the role that trial lawyers play in helping to even the playing field here in America, but they are not the cause or root of this problem. As a matter of fact, things have gotten so bad that some of my friends on the other side, and I indeed say friends because many of them are, that their own front-runner presidential nominee has suggested that they soften their image, that perhaps they have gone overboard and exceeded the boundaries of fairness and perhaps even compassion, here in this body and in this Nation. I applaud the leadership that the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood) and the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Cooksey) and others in this body have demonstrated on this issue. But I do think it is important that we put this issue in its proper context. This is just about accountability. I think there are issues that can be resolved between Coburn-Shadegg and Norwood-Dingell. There are legal issues which some of the lawyers in the Chamber perhaps understand and others do not. But around here, this is just about accountability. HMOs and foreign diplomats are the only people who are above the law. That should end, and we could do it with the Norwood-Dingell bill.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, although I applaud the Republican realization that improving access to health care is vital to all Americans, I must oppose the bill. The Census Bureau, as we all know, has reported that more than one million people last year, and now the number is up to 44 million people, are without health insurance. In my State of Tennessee, close to three-quarters of a million people are without health insurance. That amounts to about 15 percent of the State's population. As a healthy 29-year-old male with a comfortable income, I would be eager to set up a medical savings account, which is one of the features of this proposal put on the floor today. However, this would help far too few of my constituents. It would hurt the poorest working people who have plans with the smallest deductibles. Eleven million children nationwide are without the basic care afforded to prison inmates in America. The most disproportionate groups of Americans uninsured were women and the working poor. The Republican access bill does nothing to alleviate the problems of the working poor and children have in gaining health insurance. The main provision of the access bill is an expansion of medical savings accounts. This assumes that those without health care have enough money to save or are healthy enough to wait for interest to accrue. The access bill also contains two other troubling provisions, the Associated Health Plans and HealthMarts. Each would allow insurance companies to bypass State laws and regulations, allowing plans to select the young and the healthy from the State-regulated markets. This would drive up the premiums for the sick and the old. This $48 billion, which my dear friend says this will cost, again represents another raid on the Social Security Trust Fund. The $792 billion tax scheme they are attempting to pass cannot be paid for without dipping into the trust fund, and neither can this.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, let me thank the chairman and the ranking member for their leadership on the bill and thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) for yielding me this time. I also appreciate the support of both the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Tanner) and the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Bryant) on this project that is important not only to the International Port of Memphis but also to the ports along the Lower Mississippi from Cairo, Illinois to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Mr. Chairman, in 1944 the Congress authorized a 12-foot navigation channel on the lower Mississippi River between Cairo, Illinois, and Baton Rouge. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers only maintains a 9-foot channel. And although it is estimated that a 12-foot channel exists 85 percent of the time, the need for a formal reevaluation by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is necessary. I ask the committee to direct the Corps of Engineers to evaluate the current feasibility of maintaining a dependable 12-foot navigation channel on the Mississippi River below Cairo to Baton Rouge within available Mississippi River and Tributaries funds. The study should determine if the expansion is technically sound, environmentally acceptable and economically justified.

Mr. FORD. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, the lower Mississippi River is vital to our Nation as the primary commerce link between our Nation's agricultural heartland and the foreign and domestic markets. It also serves as an economic backbone to the economically challenged areas of the lower Mississippi delta area. A 12-foot navigation channel can increase the cargo-carrying capacity of the existing system with the least investment cost to the Nation. I appreciate the committee's willingness to address this issue and hope that language will be included in the conference report that would direct the Corps of Engineers to evaluate this issue.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Missouri and the gentleman from Pennsylvania for bringing the bill to the floor, the gentleman from California (Mr. Martinez) and all who have worked so hard on this. Never have I ever heard of a prison in America that suffers from overcrowding that we did not take appropriate steps to alleviate those pressures. Yet we are all fully aware that many of our teachers and many of our schools and superintendents and parents throughout the Nation confront a great problem day in and day out. Oftentimes they are in rural districts and urban districts. Sometimes they are African American kids, sometimes they are Hispanic kids, sometimes they are white kids. But they are children, trying to learn and trying to have knowledge imparted to them. What we are faced with today is an opportunity, Mr. Chairman. I have not made my mind up on final passage, but I will vote ``yes'' on the Democratic substitute and urge all of my colleagues to do that. We have an opportunity to maintain or honor the commitment that we here in this Congress made last year to help fund 100,000 new teachers. The gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) has worked closely with those on the other side to include some accountability provisions to ensure that we get qualified teachers. It has been shown that a qualified teacher in the early years has an incredible impact on the lasting ability of a young person to learn and to absorb knowledge. Yet in H.R. 1995, the underlying bill, we consolidate the authorization. We do not maintain two separate funding tracks to ensure that we have money for class size and money for teacher quality. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the Democratic substitute. Let us see what happens there before we go rushing to judgment on H.R. 1995.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I missed rollcall vote No. 261, and, if I had been present on final passage H.R. 1218, the Child Custody Protection Act, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to rise and pay tribute to a young man in my district, a hero in my district, William Roney, who just recently on Sunday, June 20, alerted families in a Park Estates apartment in East Memphis Park in my district of a fire that had developed and which eventually consumed portions, large portions of the building. Because of his actions, he certainly could have driven right by and made a phone call, but he jumped out of his car, knocked on doors, waved and yelled, and got all the families out of this building. It is my hope that those in my community will certainly pay the type of respects and certainly honor him in a way that he deserves. I would say to my colleagues here in the Congress, we have heard a lot of talk this morning about guns and HMO reform and campaign finance. I would hope my colleagues, particularly on this side of the aisle and even on my side of the aisle, would realize that all we have really done in this Congress is pass a bunch of suspension bills. We fly back on Monday evenings and Tuesday evenings to vote on naming Post Offices and other Federal buildings. HMO reform, people are crying out for it. Campaign finance reform, people are crying out for it. People want some action on guns, maybe not what we want, maybe not what the other side wants, but people want something. Let us rise up and do what the American people have elected us to do: not pass suspension bills, but pass meaningful legislation.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Chairman, we make it difficult for criminals to get jobs. It should be that way. We make it difficult for criminals to be able to vote. It should be that way. For rapists, for molesters, for murderers, for those who mug folks. Here we are this evening confronted with the proposition from one of the great Members of this body who would have us believe that there is something unreasonable about making it more difficult for criminals to buy guns at gun shows. I come from the State of Tennessee as my good friend the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Bryant) does. I know why we have gun shows. It makes it easier for folks who live in areas, urban or rural areas to buy guns to go out and hunt and be sportsmen. I support hunters, support the NRA and support sportsmen. But do not continue scaring everyday, hardworking, taxpaying, law- abiding Americans that somehow or another making them wait 48 more hours just to ensure that they had not beaten their wives, they had not molested their neighbor's children, that they have not robbed a convenience store at the corner, that something is unreasonable about that. I say to my friends and particularly my friend on my side of the aisle, let us stop scaring everyday Americans. There is nothing unreasonable about what the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy) wants to do. She is the most courageous person in this House and she deserves our vote tonight, she deserves our vote tomorrow and the children in this Nation deserve our vote this evening.

Mr. FORD

Mr. FORD. Mr. Speaker, last night I missed three votes due to personal business. If I had been present, I would have voted ``no'' on rollcall No. 174, ``no'' on rollcall No. 175, ``aye'' on rollcall No. 176, and ``no'' on rollcall No. 177.