Martin Frost

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs].

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey].

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, today we are considering a rule for a truly terrible bill. The Committee on Appropriations has recommended a bill which decimates nearly every program that affects school children, the elderly poor, working men and women, and the most vulnerable in our society. The committee has sent the House a bill which repeals family planning programs when at the same time the Congress has under consideration legislation which will effectively penalize unwed teenage mothers. The Appropriations Committee has sent a bill to the floor which reaches so far into the social safety net that it even cuts the President's request for Head Start by $500 million. And, while all of us certainly agree that there are many governmental programs which may be duplicative or unnecessary, the Appropriations Committee--not the legislative committees with jurisdiction--has sent us a bill which terminates 270 Federal programs. And, Mr. Speaker, to add insult to injury, this appropriations bill can hardly stand on its own by virtue of the fact that it is so loaded with legislative provisions. My friends in the majority party have often used the name of the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky, Mr. Natcher, to make points in debate; today, let me invoke that fine gentleman's memory to make a point. This bill contains pages and pages and pages of unauthorized provisions, but worse yet, contains page after page of legislative matters that are in blatant violation of the rules of the House. Mr. Natcher was chairman of the Labor/HHS Subcommittee for 15 years and he never came to the Rules Committee to request such a waiver for one of his bills. Mr. Speaker, in my experience I have never seen such a mean spirited piece of legislation and I am sure that Mr. Natcher, were he with us here today, would agree wholeheartedly with me. Mr. Speaker, this bill is so bad it cannot be fixed. I believe the Appropriations Committee should take this bill back, reallocate some of its scarce resources and preserve and protect the programs that have fought illiteracy, protected workers at their jobs, ensured a decent life for those elderly Americans who were not as fortunate as others, and provided opportunities for countless Americans to secure a place in the middle class through education and training. Mr. Speaker, surely this is not what the American people voted for last November. Surely, the goodness and generosity that characterizes this Nation and all Americans does not condone a bill which abandons those in our society who have only a small or perhaps no voice here in Washington. I think not, Mr. Speaker. I urge the Appropriations Committee to withdraw this terrible bill. We should not, we cannot, pass legislation that attacks children, women, the elderly, the disabled, and working men and women. I urge defeat of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to honor Keith Jewell, Director of the House Office of Photography, on his announced plans to retire. Keith has contributed almost 30 years of service as the official visual recorder of events of the House of Representatives. He has served under six Speakers of the House and has traveled with congressional delegations on several trips, including a trip to Saudi Arabia during the Gulf war. Keith has witnessed first hand some very important events in our Nation's history and has documented these events for the world to see. As all of us know, Keith has always been there when you needed him. He keeps a full schedule--19,000 appointments a year I am told. But Keith has always managed to find the time in his schedule to be there when an important, unforeseen occasion needed his special attention. Keith, I am sorry to see you go, although I certainly recognize your retirement is well-deserved. The house is losing a fine and loyal public servant. I wish you every happiness on your retirement. Enjoy. Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, every time I stand in this Chamber I think about it's grand history and how privileged I am to serve in this illustrious institution. Today we gather to pay tribute to someone who in his own way is an institution himself--Keith Jewell, Director of the House Office of Photography. For a great number of my colleagues it is hard to remember a time when Keith was not here. Having started in 1966, the year after I came to Congress, he has been a part of our every day lives for almost 30 years. In that time has served as the official documenter of so many of our activities--both grand, momentous historical events, and also the small, intimate moments that mean so much personally to each of us. He has done this in an exemplary fashion. Keith Jewell has been an integral part of the operation of the House. He has contributed to its running more efficiently and has always been a welcome and engaging presence. I think I speak for a great number of us when I say that he has touched all of our lives. Let me say thank you for a job every well done. We're going to miss you.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, we urge adoption of the rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Skelton].

Mr. FROST. Mr. speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule providing for the consideration of the Department of Defense appropriation for fiscal year 1996. While I am concerned that once again the Committee on Rules did not seek fit to allow the amendment authored by the gentlelady from Colorado [Mrs. Schroeder], the rule otherwise will allow the House to consider amendments that will amend funding levels contained in the bill. The Schroeder amendment, of course, seeks to reduce the overall funding level of the appropriation to the level originally sought by the administration. Mr. Speaker, while I personally would not support the Schroeder amendment, I do believe her amendment would have provided the House the opportunity to debate how many Federal dollars should be allocated to the Department of Defense in the coming and future fiscal years. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2126 closely tracks the provisions of the authorization bill adopted by the House in June. While the two bills are not identical, the appropriation does provide funding for advance procurement of two additional B-2 Stealth bombers. The committee is to be commended for this action and I support the inclusion of these advance procurement funds. I also commend the committee for including $200 million in the bill for the continued development of the F-22 fighter. Mr. Speaker, I have in my 17 years in Congress always been a supporter of a strong national defense. I intend to continue my record and support this rule and this appropriation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah [Mr. Orton]. (Mr. ORTON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 1995 Miss Texas, Carly Jarmon. I am pleased that Ms. Jarmon, representing the Oak Cliff area in my congressional district, will be competing in the Miss America Pageant in September. Miss Jarmon is currently a sophomore at Texas Tech University in Lubbock where she is a public relations-advertising major. Upon graduation, Miss Jarmon hopes to become a public relations advocate for charitable and nonprofit organizations. A volunteer at Methodist Medical Center, Miss Jarmon has chosen organ and tissue donation awareness as the focus for her year of service as Miss Texas. Her ``Circle of Life'' message will be spread across the State of Texas, where she will speak to over 300,000 children and adults about the importance of organ donation. This talented young woman is not only an inspiration to the residents of Oak Cliff, but she is also a great inspiration for the many Texans who will be cheering for her during the Miss America Pageant. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Miss Jarmon on her recent accomplishment, and I would also like to wish her lots of luck as she vies for the crown of Miss America 1995.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant]. (Mr. TRAFICANT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the Republican majority of the Committee on Rules has recommended an open rule on H.R. 70, and the committee's Democrats fully support this rule. In addition, I support this bill. H.R. 70 will lift the ban on exports of Alaskan North Slope oil which was imposed in 1973 as a compromise to allow the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline in an era when the United States was subjected to embargos imposed by the oil-producing states of the Middle East. Mr. Speaker, the time is long past when this ban serves any useful strategic purpose and, in fact, this ban may have actually contributed to reduced domestic production. By freeing North Slope oil from this export ban, we will encourage further domestic production--both in Alaska and in the lower 48. Mr. Speaker, the committee is also to be commended for including a provision in the rule which will expedite a conference on this legislation, and I urge support for the rule and the bill.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California [Mr. Miller]. (Mr. MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Studds]. (Mr. STUDDS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the military exchange system. The proud manager of the modern exchange system is the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, a vital organization and a key employer in the southwest Dallas county area located in my Congressional district. The first exchange was established in a barracks building at Vancouver Barracks, Washington. Since the issuance of General Order No. 46 on July 25, 1895, the exchange has developed as the primary source of funding for the quality of life programs that support our military personnel throughout the world. In peace and war, the exchange has been there to serve those who have defended us. The War Department established the Army Exchange Service in 1941 to provide guidance for worldwide operations. The organizations became the Army and Air Force Exchange Service [AAFES] in 1948. The mission of the exchange is to provide quality merchandise and services to active duty, retired, and reserve personnel and their families and to generate reasonable earnings for the support of morale, welfare and recreation programs. During 1994 alone the exchange service totalled over $7 billion in sales and returned over $200 million to the service for quality of life enhancements. Over the past 10 years AAFES payments to morale, welfare and recreation funds exceed $1.7 billion. In addition to their commitment to worldwide service in support of our military, the exchange has been there to assist with hurricane relief, assistance to firefighters and flood relief workers, and public service activities performed by the military departments. Exchange personnel are on the scene today in Haiti, just as they have been in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and everywhere that the military have gone in service to this country. While supporting these worldwide operations AAFES has been a bulwark to the local Dallas community since 1958. AAFES employee over 2,000 workers in the Dallas/Fort Worth community, and many of these individuals are committed to the advancement of their communities and are deeply involved in volunteer activities throughout the area. On July 25, 1995, AAFES will mark this 100th anniversary with a celebration at the Dallas headquarters. On the 26th of July, 1995, they will begin the new century with the installation of a new commander. I invite all of my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Army and Air Force Exchange Service on this momentous day.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, we urge a ``no'' vote on this. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Watt].

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the information, because I recall my Republican colleagues wearing buttons on the floor of the House day in and day out when they were in the minority. I gather what was OK when they were in the minority is not OK now that we are in the minority. I appreciate the information and I will be happy to remove my button. I do recall speaker after speaker wearing buttons on the Republican side during the last 2 and 4 years. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Volkmer]. (Mr. VOLKMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, this resolution is one big the dog-ate-my- homework excuse for not getting much done over the last 6 months. It doesn't list all the laws and rules Republicans have violated, we would be here all night. Instead it rolls all of the excuses into one sentence that gets House Republicans off the hook in terms of the many and varied promises they have broken this year. The Congressional Budget Act says the House cannot go on recess for more than 3 days in July until the House has initially considered the appropriations bills. Well, we've only finished 2 out of 13 appropriations bills. Well, we've only finished 2 out of 13 appropriations bills, and those were 2 of the easier ones. The law tells Congress not to take a vacation until its work is done and, with this resolution, Republicans are saying they are above the law. The reason Congress is not supposed to go on vacation until the appropriations bills have gone through the House is because unless the House is finished by July 4, we will be unable to avoid a continuing resolution on October 1. Because Republicans tied up the House with their contract--cutting taxes for the rich at the expense of school lunches and Medicare, and refusing to attend to the business at hand-- the Government may very well shut down at the beginning of the fiscal year. And that's not all. The Congressional Budget Act also requires Congress to complete action on any necessary reconciliation legislation before going home for the July recess. This year, committees won't report until the end of September. But not to worry. The Republican majority will just pass this resolution and ignore that law too. I can think of a lot of people who would love to change a law they wanted to break, but for most Americans it doesn't work like that. And let me remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle of another rule they are breaking today. I quote: Whenever the Committee on Rules reports a resolution providing for the consideration of any measure, it shall, to the maximum extent possible, specify the object of any waiver of a point of order against its consideration. But this resolution doesn't specify the object of any waiver at all. Instead they put in words like ``to the maximum extent possible'' which creates a loophole big enough to drive a truck through. For all the reform hoopla on opening day--just 6 months ago-- Republicans have trampled their own rules time and time again. And today is no different. Every single day of the week that we are in the Committee of the Whole they waive the new requirement that committees will not sit during the 5-minute rule. They've waived that rule more than a flag on a 4th of July parade. The same Republicans who demanded fairness in committee ratios last Congress are now skewing them so badly that even we look good. Mr. Speaker, with this resolution, House Republicans are handing themselves a big get-out-of-jail-free card. They are saying ``we didn't do the things we were supposed to do but we want to go on vacation anyway.'' I urge my colleagues to defeat this rule and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. FROST asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, we are being asked to waive all kinds of rules so we can go on our vacation for the Fourth of July. Mr. Speaker, I just wonder what kind of rules we will be asked to waive in August so that Members can go on book tours. Mr. Speaker, I yield 6\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Doggett].

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the Ulster project. For the second consecutive year, youths from Northern Ireland have come to Arlington, TX, to see and learn how individuals from different backgrounds can live together in peace. The Ulster project is comprised of teenagers from Northern Ireland who travel to the United States for 1 month. Teenagers of both Protestant and Catholic faiths participate. Each Irish youth is placed in an Arlington family that shares similar interests. The goal of the program is to demonstrate to the Irish teenagers that people from different faiths and backgrounds can peacefully coexist. The ultimate goal is that they take the experiences that they have learned back home with them to Ireland. Living in Arlington, TX, this summer are the following teenagers, listed with their hometown: Judith A. Conliffe, Belfast; David Laughlin, Newtonabbey; Andrew McCorriston, Belfast; Louise Morris, Belfast; Cherith McFarland, Newtonabbey; Peter Kelly, Bangor; Ashleigh Cochrane, Newtonabbey; Janine Swail, Belfast; Donna Smyth, Newtonabbey; Gareth Price, Bangor; Fiannuala Hanna, Belfast; Gavin Kyle, Glengormley; Stuart Hall, Belfast; Adrian Kidd, Newtonabbey; Neil McCabe, Belfast; Catherine Davidson, Belfast. Richard Hazley of Bangor and Regina Bradley of Belfast will be accompanying the teenagers as counselors. Again, I commend this project as a genuine effort to help a country that has for too long been torn apart by war. Progress has been made in Ulster to bring about a peaceful solution. This program and ones like it can only serve as a shining example of what can happen if people work with one another to achieve mutual respect and understanding.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment being offered by the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Kasich]. I was disappointed when Congress voted to cap the B-2 bomber program at 20 planes. I did not agree with that decision then, and I'm delighted that the National Security Committee has brought a defense authorization bill to the floor of this House that repeals the cap, and authorizes funds to continue production of this important strategic bomber. The B-2 is an essential component of our overall national defense capability. In fact, with each passing day, the need for the B-2 increases as our bomber fleet ages. By 2010, any surviving B-52s will be over 50 years old and will likely be retired. The B-1 fleet will be 23 years old and declining in number due to attrition. It's clear that augmenting the bomber fleet with additional B-2s will be necessary in order to maintain a credible bomber capability. Some have questioned whether a significant bomber capability is even needed in the post-cold-war era. Yet, this implies that the post-cold war world is somehow a less dangerous world. The events of the last few years since the wall came down in Berlin and the Soviet empire began crumbling have vividly demonstrated that the world continues to be one where hazards abound. The Persian Gulf War certainly emphasized the point that the U.S. can never let down her guard, and that threats to our security interests may pop up at any time throughout the world. It's imperative that we maintain all aspects of our military readiness in order to respond to threats. And maintaining readiness requires that we continue to modernize our bomber fleet with the best, most up-to-date equipment we can. The B-2 is a quality aircraft that provides stealthiness, long-range flying capability, and the ability to deliver large payloads, on target. Mr. Chairman, the B-2 provides our nation with important security. We should, we must, move forward and adopt the position taken in this defense authorization bill. I urge my colleagues to reject the Kasich amendment, and support the B-2 bomber.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, after a long career of public service with the House of Representatives, Hugh Hart will retire as House Journal clerk in June. A native of Texas, Hugh came to work for the House when John McCormack was Speaker 28 years ago. I first met Hugh when he was administrative assistant to the late Dallas mayor and Congressman, Earle Cabell. Earle and his popular late wife, Dearie, were very warmly welcomed by the Texas delegation in Washington when they arrived in 1965. Earle had been a dynamic and energetic Dallas mayor after having a successful business career. He brought that enthusiasm with him. Hugh came along to work for him later that year. Hugh has had close ties to Dallas through the years. While attending Southern Methodist University and its law school, he came to now its distinguished late President Willis Tate. Dr. Tate recommended Hugh to Earle Cabell for a summer job. After completing his U.S. Army Reserve training with the Army Intelligence Branch, he started to work for Earle. The late Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Tom Clark, was fond of administering oaths of office to young Texans who passed the State bar examination and could not be present for the Austin swearing in ceremony. He gave the oath to Hugh. Later in retirement, justice Clark moved Hugh's admission in person to the U.S. Supreme Court. When Dearie and Earle returned to Dallas, Hugh practiced law there briefly before returning to Washington. He joined President Gerald Ford's Clemency Board as a Staff attorney. Later he was on the staff of the Commission on Information and facilities headed by former Texas Congressman Jack Brooks. In 1978, Speaker Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neil presided over the House and Hugh was appointed House Journal clerk. In addition to his professional duties, Hugh has been very active in community service. He has worked diligently in his parish, St. James Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill, for nearly 20 years. For several years, he has been a member of the Washington Episcopal Diocesan Personnel Committee. A trustee of the Canterbury Cathedral Trust in America, he has assisted in its programs with Canterbury Cathedral in England. A cause which has especially interested Hugh is the Most Venerable order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. This is an organization in England and the United States which supports an ophthalmic hospital in Jerusalem. The hospital serves 60,000 patients a year in one of the most troubled areas of the Middle East. Hugh has worked to expand the order's outreach and membership in Dallas and Texas, as well as the Washington area. Like any good Texan, he has also put his shoulder to the wheel for the Texas State Society of Washington as treasurer, board member and chair of various committees. No one who was there can forget the early society picnics. As Hugh moves on to the next stage of his life, his friends in the Texas delegation and the House of Representatives wish him well and thank him for a job well done.