Jim Gibbons

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would only suggest to those Members in the audience here today, colleagues, to look at this picture, because it clearly shows the State of Nevada has almost no room for the people who live there today. With almost nearly 90 percent of the State owned by the Federal Government, acquisitions of more land, if you are going to spend a billion dollars a year in land acquisition, this amendment is clearly the correct amendment to add to a bill that is acquiring land to put the other side of the coin in it for disposal. Indeed, the amendment does specify very clearly which land can be used for disposal, and that is at the Secretary's discretion. It is under public law, under public land in their plans, maintained under section 202 of FLPMA. Mr. Chairman, this bill is a good amendment to the bill of CARA. It certainly brings, I think, a common sense, fair and balanced approach to this. It sets up a process of procedure whereby we can have an orderly disposal of land that the Federal Government has already identified that it wants to dispose of but does not have a clear means of disposal, and whenever there is an exchange process, that is the discretion given to the Secretary to make those determinations of whether or not a competitive bidding process should be set aside in order for an exchange process to take place. That is why we have to have that discretion for the Secretary under this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I think this amendment is one which clearly identifies a needed revision to this bill. I would urge all of my colleagues at this time to support this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, once again I rise to discuss the serious national security concerns associated with granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to China. Just yesterday, it was reported that only 2 years after President Clinton allowed the sale of civilian nuclear technology to China, the Chinese government now refuses to keep its promise that it will not resell the nuclear technology to rogue nations. Instead, China has and continues to actively assist Pakistan and other nations with their nuclear programs using U.S. technology. Mr. Speaker, these are actions that are unacceptable. We cannot and should not allow U.S. nuclear technology to be simply given away to rogue nations. And yet the Clinton administration wants to reward China for this conduct by expanding their trade status. Mr. Speaker, let us not make this same mistake twice. It is obvious that we cannot trust China. I yield back the administration's PNTR request, which jeopardizes our national security and the security of all peace-loving nations.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Chairman, unfortunately and regrettably, with great respect to the chairman of the committee and all due respect for my friend the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), I have to rise in opposition to H.R. 701. Since this bill was introduced, I have been approached by a large number, literally hundreds, of my constituents expressing their opposition to this legislation, and their concerns are important to me. While I understand the important goals of this bill and I applaud the chairman for his protection of wildlife and his great conservation efforts, I would like to offer him that unique perspective that my friend the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) talked about, the perspective of the State of Nevada, many of my colleagues who on the East Coast do not understand. Nevada is a State which is already nearly 90 percent owned by the Federal Government. That is 90 percent. Many of our counties are in very dire financial situations because the principal revenue they generate to pay for the services that they are required to provide by law, such as police and fire protection, schools, education, health care, roads, water and sewer infrastructure, are generated by private property taxes. One county, just one county, Lincoln County in Nevada, a county of 10,000 square miles, larger than many of the northeastern States combined, is 98.5 percent owned by the Federal Government, leaving only a small part for the tax base of 1\1/2\ percent to provide that critical and important infrastructure. Lincoln County generates only $1 million per year to pay for its mandatory infrastructure and services, and I still wonder how they continue to survive today even though they are on the verge of going bankrupt. Therefore, any monies that are added to the Land and Water Conservation Fund that do not adequately protect private property rights is literally a death sentence for these poor counties in the State of Nevada. When they purchase environmentally sensitive land, they purchase private property that is used for this tax base. I cannot in good conscience, without necessary private property protection, even entertain the idea of spending almost a billion dollars a year. I urge my colleagues to oppose this piece of legislation.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, May 7 through the 13th is annual Teacher Appreciation Week. Today is National Teacher Day. It is a day to honor and recognize the best of our Nation's teachers. I would like to congratulate Mr. Dennis Digenan of Elko, Nevada, who has been named Nevada's Teacher of the Year. I think it is wonderful that we take this opportunity to recognize and thank teachers like Mr. Digenan, who dedicate their lives to educating our children. Their job is very difficult, and their responsibility is great. Teachers literally hold the future of our Nation in their hands. The education of our children, the education they receive today will lead to their success later in life. Today's teachers not only teach, they serve as mentors, role models, and confidantes for our children. Mr. Speaker, our teachers deserve our gratitude and praise. It is my hope that we continue to support and honor our teachers, not only day but all year long.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, last Friday marked the 39th anniversary of the first United States space exploration mission. On May 5, 1961 Alan B. Shepard, Jr., became the first American space explorer when he was rocketed 115 miles above the Earth's surface into space. This feat proved to the world that the United States had the potential to become the winner in this space race. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of us to take a moment to reflect on our past accomplishments and to celebrate how far we have come since that historic flight in 1961. There are enormous possibilities for future progress and for our progress still lying ahead of us. The continued advancement of our space program, as well as the overall development of new and innovative technologies, demand and require our support. With the assistance of this Congress, the United States can and will remain a world leader in technological development.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the Department of Education notified 39 very fortunate students they had won the prestigious Jacob Javits Fellowship Award, a rather high honor for these students. But, unfortunately, a few days later, the Department called these very same students back to say, ``Whoops, sorry, we were wrong. You actually did not win this award.'' Well, not surprisingly, Mr. Speaker, this will cost the American taxpayers nearly $4 million since, by law, the Department of Education now must provide these students with the promised scholarships even if awarded in error. This mistake is not the first and probably will not be the last costly mistake for the Department of Education. Such mistakes simply highlight the agency's lack of responsibility in managing the Federal dollars appropriated for our children's education. Gross mismanagement of the American taxpayer dollars can no longer be tolerated. I yield back the failing and obvious delinquency of the Department of Education.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that it be in order at any time on Wednesday, May 3, 2000 for the Speaker to entertain motions to suspend the rules and pass the following bills: H. Con. Res. 295, relating to continuing human rights violations and political oppression in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam 25 years after the fall of South Vietnam to Communist forces; H. Res. 464, expressing the sense of Congress on international recognition of Israel's Magen David Adom Society and its symbol the Red Shield of David; H. Con. Res. 304, expressing the condemnation of the continued egregious violations of human rights in the Republic of Belarus, the lack of progress toward the establishment of democracy and the rule of law in Belarus, calling on President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime to engage in negotiations with the representatives of the opposition and to restore the constitutional rights of the Belarusian people, and calling on the Russian Federation to respect the sovereignty of Belarus; H.R. 3879, Sierra Leone Peace Support Act of 2000; H. Res. 449, congratulating the people of Senegal on the success of the multi-party electoral process; S. 2323, Worker Economic Opportunity Act; H.R. 4055, IDEA Full Funding Act of 2000; H.R. 1729, to designate the Federal facility located at 1301 Emmet Street in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the ``Pamela B. Gwin Hall''; H.R. 1405, to designate the Federal building located at 143 West Liberty Street, Medina, Ohio, as the ``Donald J. Pease Federal Building''; and H.R. 1901, to designate the United States border station located in Pharr, Texas, as the ``Kika de la Garza United States Border Station''.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the Treasury Department recently announced that due to Congressional fiscal responsibility, it expects to reduce the national debt by a record $216 billion this year. Furthermore, this means that the national debt will have been reduced by $350 billion or 10 percent in just 3 years. The 2001 Republican budget continues this fiscal responsible trend. Our budget will pay off more than $1 trillion of the public debt over the next 5 years without raiding Social Security trust fund or bankrupting Medicare. The Clinton administration, however, has proposed a budget full of new programs and additional bureaucracy, all funded from the projected surplus or new tax increases. Mr. Speaker, we need to continue to reduce, not increase, wasteful spending on efficient government programs and bureaucracy. Let us build upon our past successes and pass the budget that our children can be proud of and can afford when they grow up.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which was established just 2 years ago by Congress, stated yesterday that there are systematic, egregious, and ongoing manifestations of religious persecution in China. It is obvious to me and many of my fellow Nevadans that this is yet another reason why we should not, I repeat should not, extend the privilege of permanent normal trade relations with China. Mr. Speaker, granting PNTR to China sends a signal that the United States condones the inexcusable religious persecutions and human rights abuses that occur currently today. We would also be sending the signal that the United States is willing to endanger its own national security. After all, we would be trading with a country that holds Americans hostage every day by maintaining nuclear weapons targeted at the United States mainland. Mr. Speaker, there are too many reasons why we should not grant PNTR to China. I encourage my colleagues to stand up for democracy and freedom and against PNTR to China. I yield back this ill-conceived and dangerous trade policy that calls for the American people to trust its enemy.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, this week three youngsters from Sparks, Nevada, were honored as national winners of Make a Difference Day, the largest national day dedicated to helping others. Ten-year-old Crystal DeRuise, her 8-year-old brother Trevor, and her friend, 10-year-old Diana Vaden, started a simple crafts project. They collected oval-shaped rocks, painted them to resemble ladybugs, and sold them at local community craft fairs. This simple project has become a local phenomenon in a nationally- recognized charity. When Diana's mother became ill with lupus last year, the students began to sell their rocks at the local stores, donating all of their proceeds to the Lupus Foundation. To date, they have raised about $1,500 for lupus research, and plan to generate at least $1,000 more in sales by Christmas. In addition, as national finalists, an award of $10,000 will go directly to the Lupus Foundation on their behalf. It is truly an honor for me to recognize these young individuals, who have given so much of themselves to such a worthy cause. These young children are truly the real role models for all America.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, today I stand before my colleagues to support this bill. I want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) for allowing me to speak on this measure and for introducing this piece of critical legislation and bringing it before this body today. Mr. Speaker, America needs this tax limitation amendment. Why? Well, this year, millions of Americans, hardworking, tax-paying Americans will be plagued by ``intaxication.'' What is intaxication? Well, if it were in the dictionary, intaxication would be defined by a euphoria experienced by getting a tax refund, well, a euphoria which lasts only until one realizes that it was one's money to start with. This Congress has a duty to make it harder to raise taxes while ensuring a more responsible Federal budget. Why? Because we owe that type of accountability, we owe that responsibility to the hardworking American taxpayer when we take their money. Let me give my colleagues a little history in my own State of Nevada. In 1994, I helped bring Nevada into the 21st Century with its own tax limitation amendment requiring a two-thirds supermajority vote. Why was that necessary? Because the left-wing liberal Democrats in the House in Nevada would not allow for an amendment to be passed, like they are doing here in this body. As a result, true democracy had to take its course. I was required to go out and get 85,000 signatures from the people and citizens of the State of Nevada to bring that measure to a ballot where the citizens of Nevada could vote on it. The real democracy, Mr. Speaker, that bill, that legislation passed in Nevada by an overwhelming majority of the voters. In 1994, it received 78 percent of the vote. In 1996, it received 71 percent of the vote as an amendment to the Nevada Constitution, requiring a two-thirds supermajority to increase any State tax or fees. The Federal Government needs to be put on the same fat-free diet that my home State of Nevada has been on since 1996. We need to make it more difficult to raise taxes on hardworking American men and women, and we need to shift congressional focus to the bloated spending programs of the Federal bureaucracy rather than paying attention to the pockets of the American taxpayers. Passage of this legislation would ensure that Congress focuses its efforts to balance the budget, cut wasteful spending, and not raise taxes to create unneeded Federal revenue. Anyone who takes a close look at those States that have this same type of supermajority restriction on raising taxes will find that those States have experienced faster growing economies, a more rapid increase in employment, lower taxes, and reduced growth in government spending. No additional financial burdens should be placed on America's working family without an overwhelming demonstration of need and support of their elected officials before they raise taxes. Let us stop the intoxication of intaxication plaguing America today. I urge my colleagues to support this tax limitation amendment.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year an illegal meth amphetamine lab exploded on the 12th floor in a hotel in downtown Reno. So today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong support for a bill which my colleague the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert) just spoke about and will be introducing today. His Working and Reacting Against Methamphetamine Act will wage a full scale and meaningful war against the methamphetamine epidemic that has spread throughout America. Mr. Speaker, last year, 1999, 44 States reported close to 6,000 meth lab seizures. Obviously, this is a growing problem that we must address. The War Against Methamphetamine Act will increase the penalties for producing both amphetamine and methamphetamine. The bill will also provide law enforcement officials with the necessary tools and resources to effectively combat the meth epidemic. We need to protect our children from the latest drug epidemic located in our open backyards. I encourage our colleagues to support the War Against Meth Act and its multifaceted approach to closing down meth labs nationwide.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 4051, Project Exile, the Safe Streets and Neighborhood Act of 2000. This bill helps make neighborhoods and communities safer by implementing programs that ensure tough prison time for criminals who use guns. H.R. 4051 will provide financial resources totaling $100 million over 5 years to help States aggressively enforce their own laws, laws already on the books, laws already there to ensure that gun criminals are held accountable. Qualifying States can use this money to strengthen their criminal and juvenile justice systems and promote effective and swift prosecution of violent criminals. Project Exile is a proven, common sense approach to fighting gun crime and making our neighborhoods safer. I call upon my colleagues to pass this important legislation so we can exile violent gun criminals to prison to do the hard time they deserve.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Kuykendall) for introducing this and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thompson) for their support of this issue as well. As a Vietnam veteran and former fighter pilot, I stand in this well honored and privileged to speak out in support of this issue. As my colleagues said, it was just 25 years ago that the Vietnam era officially ended with the infamous fall of Saigon. Although many Americans have turned away from this sad chapter in our national history, this country cannot and it will not turn away from those young men and women who wrote that history with their blood, their pain, and their heroic sacrifices. I am proud, as I said, to join my fellow veterans of the Vietnam War and the rest of our country in honoring the service and the sacrifice of all these men and women wearing our Nation's uniform during that very trying time. Let us not forget to honor the families, those who sacrificed with the parent, the child, the brother or a sister off in a distant land defending their Nation, defending our freedom. Some are still in pain with loved ones still missing and unaccounted for but never forgotten. Honoring these men and women is the least we can do as we start a new millennium, as we start a new era. But one thing is and always will be certain: our need for the types of men and women like these brave soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in Vietnam. We need types that are as dedicated and selfless as those who were sacrificing their lives in Vietnam for us. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and thanks I urge all my colleagues to support this issue. I urge unanimous passage of this humble recognition and fitting commemoration of our fellow citizens, Vietnam-era veterans and their families.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, as a veteran of two wars, on active duty during Vietnam and as a National Guard pilot called to active duty during the Persian Gulf War, I rise to lend my voice to the chorus of those who urge this body to honor the American G.I. as the person of the 20th century. The United States, through two hot World Wars and a long Cold War, and numerous wars and conflicts in all the far-flung reaches of this troubled globe, has been called the arsenal of democracy. Mr. Speaker, the American G.I. was the bearer of those arms and our American flag. He was, and still is, the guardian of our and our allies' security and freedom. It is fitting that we are here to honor the G.I., the ``Government Issue'' soldier, the average and anonymous American citizen who became a soldier by setting down his tools of trade and picking up the unfamiliar weapons of war. And upon completion of his glorious and historic task, set them down again and to regain his primary status of citizen, to enjoy the rights of freedom he secured for others, secured with his life, his liberty and his sacred honor. When the call went up, the Nevada ranch hand, the railroad worker, and the miner answered that call. To stop fascism in its evil tracks in Europe and the Pacific, the young man rose from his job in the subways of New York or the fields of California and went to the nearest recruiting station. And he returned to Asia later on to valiantly struggle to return peace to the Korean Peninsula. The jungles and skies of Vietnam rang with the bravery of North Carolina farm boys and the California college students. And in the hot desert sands of the Middle East, the young woman from Ohio toiled mightily for our Nation alongside her fellow soldiers. Through it all, the sacrifice, dedication, and honor of our soldiers has been a lamp unto the world, the shining beacon of liberty. The American G.I. kept our flame of freedom burning brightly through the grim and dark skies; through blood, sweat and tears; through times of adulation and, sadly, through times of unreasonable contempt. But stand they did.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, bureaucracy is a word we hear every day. The Federal Government has become so large that it is difficult to follow how individual agencies are spending taxpayer dollars. Take the Federal Aviation Administration, for example. The FAA spent $4 billion on an air traffic control modernization program that was unreliable, did not work, and was shut down before it was completed. Mr. Speaker, $4 billion just flew out the window. The General Accounting Office remains concerned about the agency's poor accounting and lack of control over costs, as the agency proceeds with its new $42 billion air traffic modernization program. The GAO has every reason to be concerned about the FAA's decision-making process. According to the Department of Transportation's report, FAA employees are using programs designed to acquaint air traffic controllers with cockpit operations for personal travel. And as my friend and colleague, the gentleman from the 17th district of Ohio (Mr. Traficant), would say, ``Just beam me up, Scotty.'' One employee took 12 weekend trips in a 15-month period to visit his family in Tampa, Florida, at taxpayers' expense. Mr. Speaker, the waste of taxpayer dollars just will not fly any more.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, the countdown is on. The tax clock is ticking. The day the American workers dread the most, tax day, is only 10 days away. April 15 looms on the calendar each year as an ominous reminder of the crushing burden of the current Federal Tax Code. While the IRS often stands behind closed doors, American working men and women struggle to keep pace with an out-of-control Federal agency. Over the next 10 days, taxpayers across this country will spend sleepless nights and countless hours in an attempt to figure out exactly the correct amount of their hard-earned money and how much they must send to the Federal Government. Heaven forbid the amount will be off even by a single cent and cause the taxpayers the horror of facing the unbridled wrath of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service. Mr. Speaker, we must act now to enact comprehensive tax reform, giving our working families a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax without an IRS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back our antiquated and oppressive tax system that continues to burden too many hard-working Americans every year.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, last week before a hearing at the Senate Commerce Committee, I voiced my strong opposition to legislation currently pending before both houses of Congress which would ban college sports betting in just Nevada. While I oppose this legislation, I support the goal of maintaining the integrity of college athletics. But there is simply no evidence, Mr. Speaker, to suggest that the highly regulated and legal sports betting industry in Nevada is responsible in any way for the illegal sports wagering and the point shaving scams that are taking place on our college campuses. Mr. Speaker, I challenge the NCAA, the leading supporter of this legislation, to look in the mirror. Certainly the numerous Final Four sweepstakes promoted by the NCAA and its corporate sponsors encourages illegal wagering on college sports more than the existence of Nevada's strictly regulated sports books. Let us not punish a respected industry for a societal problem. Active and effective enforcement of current laws is the only way to stop point shaving scams and illegal gambling on our college campuses.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank my colleague and friend, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy of the Committee on Banking and Financial Services for granting me this time to address this bill. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of their distinguished record of service to the United States, I introduced, along with the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Dunn), H.R. 3591 to award a Congressional Gold Medal to former President Ronald Reagan and former First Lady Nancy Reagan. The Congressional Gold Medal is considered the most distinguished form of recognition that Congress has bestowed. I wholeheartedly believe, as do more than 290 of our colleagues, that the Congressional Gold Medal would be a fitting tribute to the dedicated service that Ronald and Nancy Reagan have given to our Nation. Former President Ronald Reagan began his public life as a successful Hollywood actor. However, he always had an interest in politics; and, in 1966, he was elected governor of the great State of California by nearly a million votes. As a popular two-term governor and, later, as President of the United States, Ronald Reagan was dedicated to encouraging economic growth, recognizing the value of hard work, and igniting the spirit, hope and pride among all Americans. He believed that everyone can rise as high and as far as their ability will take them. This principle became a guiding creed of Reagan's presidency as he successfully turned the tide of public cynicism and sparked a national renewal. President Reagan fulfilled his pledge to restore the great confident roar of American progress, growth, and optimism. Americans, for the first time in a long time, Mr. Speaker, once again believed in the American Dream. Standing by his side, President Reagan's wife Nancy served as a gracious First Lady and as a distinguished leader in her own right. While her husband served as governor of California, Mrs. Reagan made regular visits to hospitals and homes for the elderly, as well as to schools for physically and emotionally handicapped children. As First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Reagan had the unique opportunity to expand her public service nationally. Perhaps her most notable and longest lasting achievement was her ``Just Say No'' campaign aimed at preventing alcohol and drug abuse among our youth. Even today, Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Reagan continues to be an active public leader. As a champion for increasing funding for research on Alzheimer's disease, Mrs. Reagan has become a role model to all caregivers of Alzheimer's patients. Together, the Reagans have dedicated much of their lives to our Nation. Their leadership and service extended well beyond President Reagan's tenure in office. It has been an honor for me to lead this effort of awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to this deserving couple. I must admit that I have greatly enjoyed reading and hearing of the support and high praise that distinguished Americans and world leaders have expressed for Ronald and Nancy Reagan. For example, Mr. Speaker, recently Mikhail Gorbachev wrote that President Reagan will ``go down in history as a man profoundly dedicated to his people and committed to the values of democracy and freedom.'' Former U.S. Senator Paul Laxalt recalled how President Reagan ``always placed doing what was right ahead of doing what was politically expedient.'' Finally, former Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick expressed how Nancy Reagan's dedication and grace in her role as First Lady were ``outstanding and uncompensated.'' H.R. 3591 provides the opportunity for this Congress to finally recognize the Reagans' extraordinary contributions to the United States and to say thank you. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend and give great credit for this legislation to my colleague from the 8th Congressional District of the State of Washington (Ms. Dunn). Her long-standing friendship with the Reagans gives this bill the great recognition it deserves and it gives great credit not only to her constituents but to all Americans. It has been my pleasure to work with the gentlewoman from Washington and the chairman of the subcommittee on this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I would urge passage of H.R. 3591, which will award the Congressional Gold Medal to former President and First Lady Ronald and Nancy Reagan.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for his willingness to work with us, and I thank him for his understanding.

Mr. GIBBONS. I yield to the gentleman from Ohio.

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise to engage the distinguished chairman of the Subcommittee on the Interior of the Committee on Appropriations in a colloquy. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for fully funding the administration's request in the area of Wildland Fire Management. This is an issue that is of very great importance to rural Nevada and other States in the Great Basin. The gentleman's bill provides $100 million for wildland fire management on Bureau of Land Management lands and $150 million for lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service. These funds are critical to suppress wildfires and rehabilitate public lands that have been scourged by fires. The Great Basin region remains particularly susceptible to fire hazards. Just last year my home State of Nevada experienced one of the worst wildfire seasons on record. Nationwide, more than 4.6 million acres of Federal lands burned in the 1999 fire season. Of that amount, 1.7 million of those acres, nearly half, were in Nevada. The wildfires damaged critical animal and wildlife habitats, destroyed fences which managed domestic livestock and wild horses, imperiled watersheds, and allowed for the spread of cheatgrass, a very flammable weed and persistent contributor to fire hazards in the Great Basin. Because of its ability to overwhelm and choke native vegetation, cheatgrass is pushing the sagegrouse to the point of where the bird is on the verge of being listed as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. If listed, the sagegrouse will become the Great Basin's very own ``spotted owl'' and virtually destroy Nevada's rural economy. Mr. Chairman, the emergency fire rehabilitation funding is a tremendous step forward and the people of Nevada are grateful. However, I believe much more can be done with existing Federal funds to better manage these fires and actually prevent their spread in the future. Mr. Chairman, as you work with the Senate Energy Committee on funding for wildland fire management and on the regular Interior and Agriculture Appropriations bills, I hope we can address the current limitations on the emergency funding and give the Department of Interior more flexibility in rehabilitating public lands with the funds in this supplemental. I also hope that we can work on language to clarify to the BLM and the Forest Service that emergency wildfire funds contained in this supplemental will be used expeditiously to help rehabilitate the acreage burned in 1999. Also, for the longer term, I hope we can work together with my colleagues from California, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah to implement the Great Basin Restoration Initiative. This plan would fund restoration work in the Great Basin so the BLM and Forest Service can restore lands and prevent costly fire rehabilitation expenditures in the future. I thank the chairman for his time.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, legislation has been introduced in this Congress that calls for preempting the State laws of Nevada and closing down legal sports wagering entities. Certainly the problem of illegal gambling and the results of illegal gambling are serious and must be addressed by this Nation. However, banning the highly regulated and closely supervised legal sports betting located in Nevada is not the solution. According to FBI experts, the strict regulations on sports betting in Nevada have helped law enforcement officials in their efforts to stop illegal sports betting. Mr. Speaker, legislation banning legal sports' wagering is simply not the solution to stopping illegal betting. I have introduced H.R. 3800, which calls for the U.S. Justice Department to analyze illegal sports gaming and make recommendations in combating it. Enforcement of our current laws is the solution, outlawing a law that enforces these laws is not a solution.

Mr. GIBBONS

Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the United States Supreme Court ruled that the President had illegally exceeded the power granted to him under the Constitution. In his quest to regulate every aspect of American life and society, the President issued an executive order in 1996 granting the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate tobacco marketing. However, Congress never gave the President, this administration nor his agency the authority to issue these regulations. Mr. Speaker, I am relieved that the United States Supreme Court has upheld the Constitution and the basic tenets of our democracy. But, Mr. Speaker, I am also worried, worried that what the Clinton administration will continue to do is usurp the powers granted to this Congress. Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure that the balance of power as envisioned by our Founding Fathers is maintained. I yield back the monocratic attempts of this current administration to govern by edict and executive order, rather than by democratic principles.