Martin Frost

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate South Grand Prairie High for winning one of 13 New American High School awards from the Department of Education. This designation recognizes South Grand Prairie's tremendous efforts in raising academic standards and student achievement. South Grand Prairie is a diverse high school of over 2,400 students. It reflects the changing demographics of the surrounding community, half of the student body comes from minority backgrounds. In 1996, South Grand Prairie undertook an extensive reform program to raise academic performance by the school's ``middle majority,'' the large segment of the student body whose needs were not entirely being met. The high school created a full-academy model that incorporates Advanced Placement-level curricula with career-oriented programs. Students at South Grand Prairie pursue a rigorous academic program in an area that best suits them--Business and Computer Technology, Creative and Performing Arts, Health Science and Human Services, Humanities or Law, and Math, Science and Engineering. This allows students to raise their performance by capitalizing on their interests. South Grand Prairie has enlisted the entire community in this effort. They have formed partnerships with local middle schools and area colleges. An Academic Advisory Board comprised of students, teachers, and prominent local business and industry leaders, has been formed to develop a curriculum and assessments of the program. And the Chamber of Commerce participates in a teacher-shadowing program which allows educators to understand the skills needed in the vocational areas in which they are teaching. The results of this innovative program have been remarkable. South Grand Prairie has raised its students passage rate on Texas' state math exam by 18 percent. South Grand Prairie students pass the state's reading test at a 24 percent higher rate than the state average, and the school has higher SAT scores and rates of college enrollment than the state's average. Clearly, South Grand Prairie's academic reforms have been a success, the school is highly deserving of the New American High School award. If South Grand Prairie represents the future in American education, the future looks bright indeed. Congratulations to Principal Roy Garcia and all of South Grand Prairie's students, faculty, and parents. Your school is a model for all of America's high schools and you have made North Texas proud. I am pleased to be able to join South Grand Prairie officials at their White House award ceremony this Friday.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Peterson).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Baldacci).

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 391), and I ask unanimous consent for its consideration in the House.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Wise).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the conference report on S. 900, the Financial Services Modernization Act. Over the years, this legislation has slowly and sometimes painfully inched its way toward today. In the process, the concept of financial services modernization has shifted and changed. But in the end, the legislation before us today is the product of a deliberate process that will serve our economy and consumers well. I think we can all agree that S. 900 is not a perfect bill; but, Madam Speaker, legislation of such magnitude as this, legislation which will usher in a new era of commerce in this century, could never hope to satisfy all parties. That being said, S. 900 represents historic change, change I believe that will particularly benefit the economy of this country, which will, in turn, benefit all Americans. Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to reiterate my longstanding support for the Community Reinvestment Act. There are some who believe that this bill does harm to CRA. I could not support S. 900 if I believed that to be true. I have seen firsthand the value and benefits CRA has brought to low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in my own congressional district in Texas. I know that there is still much work to be done. Madam Speaker, S. 900 does not diminish the efficacy of CRA. It does not change the existing CRA obligations on insured depository institutions in any way. In fact, CRA compliance is highly relevant to banks in the new regulatory scheme that will be created by this landmark bill. I know that I for one will monitor the activities of banks to ensure that they live up to and perhaps go beyond the requirements of CRA in this new world of financial services. I want to go on record as strongly encouraging financial institutions to make sure that the benefits of this law will be felt in every neighborhood in our country. Madam Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill. It represents a great step forward into the new century. It is worthy of our support.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, a point of parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, is not a vote automatic, a roll call vote automatic on an appropriations conference report?

Mr. FROST. Not on the rule?

Mr. FROST. On the appropriations bill. I am sorry, on the rule. I withdraw my question. There will be a vote; because Members had asked me, there will be a vote on the actual appropriations conference report?

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, at this point let me state that though this amendment is somewhat unusual, we have no objection to the amendment being offered by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder) and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in the immortal words of Yogi Berra, it is deja vu all over again. The first District of Columbia appropriations bill was loaded with Republican riders and it was vetoed. The second D.C. appropriations bill was loaded not just with riders but also with the Labor-HHS appropriation. It is yet to be vetoed but it certainly will be. Before us today is D.C. Three, yet another attempt on the part of the Republican majority to move a Christmas tree to the White House even before the Thanksgiving turkey is on the table. Mr. Speaker, pity the residents of this city. What have they done to the Republicans in this body to deserve this mistreatment? Why should their appropriation be loaded up with ornaments designed to make good Republican boys and girls happy? This bill is truly a turkey and the Republican majority ought to face the facts and start dealing straight with the people of this city, the Democratic Members of this body and the President of the United States. Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker. Let us get on with legislating and stop all this tree trimming and turkey stuffing. Give the people of this city a break and send the President an appropriations bill he can sign. Give us all a real Christmas present so that we can finish our business and go home for the holidays. I urge Members to vote against this bill so that we can send the residents of this city a real holiday treat, a bill he can sign. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, the American people want us to put aside the partisanship of the last Republican Congress and to get to work on American families' real concerns, the solvency of Social Security and Medicare, real HMO reform, more teachers and lower class sizes for our children. Unfortunately, this Republican Congress has been little different from the last. They are holding hostage real HMO reform and they refuse to help local communities reduce class size by hiring 100,000 new teachers. The chief actuary of the Social Security Administration has found that the Republican budget would do nothing to extend the life of Social Security, not by even a single day. They have done nothing to strengthen Medicare, and GOP leaders refuse to even admit the existence of American seniors' most pressing problem, the astronomical cost of prescription drugs. On the other hand, Republicans tried to squander the surplus, risking Medicare and Social Security, to fund a $1 trillion tax break for special interests. Those are the values of this Republican Congress, Mr. Speaker, $1 trillion for tax breaks for special interests but not a dime for prescription drugs for seniors.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I offer a resolution (H. Res. 351) and I ask unanimous consent for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. FROST

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bentsen).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm). (Mr. STENHOLM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez). (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter).

Mr. FROST. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver).