Bob Goodlatte

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to introduce legislation recognizing the people's selection of the oak tree as America's national tree. This past Arbor Day, April 27, Members of Congress, Agriculture Secretary Veneman, Interior Secretary Norton, and EPA Administrator Whitman joined the National Arbor Day Foundation in a ceremonial unveiling of a young oak on the Capitol grounds. Selected by the American public over a four-month long open voting process using the Internet (http://www.arborday.org/NationalTree/ntResults.html), the oak earned the title of America's Chosen National Tree. To recognize this distinction, I and Mr. Goss of Florida along with Mr. Osborne of Nebraska are introducing legislation today granting the oak official status as America's national tree. The junior Senator from Nebraska, Mr. Nelson, has already introduced companion legislation, S. 811. As a member of Congress representing a heavily forested district in Virginia, I fully understand and appreciate how trees add to an individual's quality of life. As chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee responsible for forestry, I know how trees and forests enhance the environment, add recreational opportunities and provide for the livelihoods of 1.4 million working individuals in the $262 billion dollar forest industry. Whether one is enjoying the myriad of products generated from a forest, or the simple satisfaction of laying under a shaded giant, trees contribute to all Americans. This is why I am here today and why it is appropriate to recognize the Oak as the National tree chosen by the American public. I would also like to commend the National Arbor Day Foundation for its use of the Internet as the primary communication tool in this endeavor to name America's National tree. As co-chair of the Congressional Internet Caucus, I applaud the powerful role the Internet played in this historic vote. Not only did this medium make possible easy, broad-based participation in the vote, but it also offered many educational opportunities for those who checked out arborday.org online. Having been a member of the Foundation for 16 years, I am impressed with their work in promoting trees in our communities across the country, and I am also pleased that they are using the capabilities of the Internet to educate the American public about the proper care and benefits of trees. Along with other well-known national emblems, the oak is a most fitting selection as America's National tree. The stately oak not only surrounds us here on the Capitol ground, but also is a part of our daily lives as wood products in our homes, our offices and places of gathering. Common to all fifty states, the oak has played a huge role in I want to personally thank those who took part in the vote for America's national tree, and I applaud Arbor Day for its dedication to the future for which the oak represents. I look forward to working with my colleagues to designate the oak as America's national tree.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to say a word about our guest Chaplain who is also my constituent. The Reverend Gene Arey, who was born and raised in Waynesboro, Virginia, has served as copastor of Waynesboro's New Harvest Worship Center with his wife, Linda. The couple cofounded the church, located at 535 West Main Street, more than 7 years ago. Reverend and Mrs. Arey, who are active in foreign missions, recently returned from Romania, where they also serve as church leaders. Reverend Arey was ordained by Archbishop Silas Owiti of Kenya, Africa, and Dr. Decker Tapscott, pastor of Faith Christian Church in Warrenton, Virginia. Reverend Arey is joined in Washington today by his wife, his son Larry, daughter-in- law Kay, and granddaughter Olivia who live in Greenville, Virginia, also in my district.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I introduced legislation today to name the main Roanoke United States Post Office at 419 Rutherford Avenue in Roanoke, Virginia, for my good friend, former Congressman M. Caldwell Butler. Mr. Butler is a gentleman whom I admire greatly. He served as a United States naval officer during World War II. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Richmond in 1948 where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. In 1950 he received an LL.B. degree from the University of Virginia School of Law where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. In 1978, he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Washington and Lee University. Mr. Butler served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1962 until 1972, where he was minority leader. He practiced law in Roanoke from 1950 until his election to Congress in 1972. He served five full terms in the House of Representatives, representing the sixth district of Virginia. It was my privilege to serve as Congressman Butler's district director from 1977 until 1979. While in Congress, Mr. Butler was a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Government Operations. Mr. Butler's start in Congress was memorable. As a member of the House Committee on the Judiciary, he served with distinction as part of the panel that conducted impeachment hearings involving President Richard Nixon. Mr. Speaker, following his service to our Nation, Mr. Butler returned home to Roanoke to practice law as a partner of the firm of Woods, Rogers & Hazelgrove, which he continued to do until his retirement in 1998. In addition, he contributed his expertise on a national level by serving as a member of the National Bankruptcy Review Commission from 1995 until 1997. Mr. Butler is a pillar of the civic community as well, serving as a member of the board of directors of the John Marshall Foundation and the board of trustees of the Virginia Historical Society, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, and a fellow of the Virginia Law Foundation. Mr. Butler has shown great leadership and personal integrity in his service as a member of the Virginia General Assembly and as a United States Congressman. It is with great pleasure that I honor a true public servant by introducing legislation that will make Roanoke, Virginia home to the M. Caldwell Butler Post Office Building.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding me the time to speak on this important legislation that will modernize pension laws and provide regulatory relief to encourage more small businesses to offer retirement plans. Mr. Speaker, while Social Security has been one of our greatest success stories, longer life expectancies, accompanied by a wave of baby boomers that will soon begin to reach retirement age, pose new and difficult challenges to our Social Security system. However, Social Security was never intended to be the sole source of income for retirees. Unfortunately, it has become the primary source of income rather than a safety net for many elderly individuals. In order to alleviate this problem, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 10, the Comprehensive Retirement Security and Pension Reform Act. This bill is important because it will encourage individual savings, such as IRAs as well as 401(k) plans and other employer-supported retirement plans. By knocking down barriers to savings, by raising limits and allowing workers to set more aside tax free for their retirement, retirees will have the option of saving more for their later years. I am proud to support this bill because it contains a provision that permits older workers who are returning to the workforce to put even more aside for their pension. Under this bill, workers over 50 can contribute up to $5,000 in catch-up contributions for 401(k)-type plans. H.R. 10 also responds to the needs of the increasingly mobile workforce we have in this country by allowing people to vest faster in their pension plans and by allowing portability so Americans can move their pension plans from job to job. Workers should be comfortable to change jobs without the worry of managing separate pension plans. This bill will also modernize and streamline pension laws to encourage small business to offer pension plans. As we all know, employers are not required to offer these plans and many do not do so due to fiscal constraints. However, H.R. 10 repeals and modifies a wide range of unnecessary and outdated rules and regulations. Specifically, H.R. 10 provides incentives to small businesses to offer pension plans to their workers by lowering Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation premiums for new small business defined benefit plans and eliminates the business user fee for new retirement plans established by small businesses. I would like to thank the sponsors of this legislation, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin); along with the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner); and the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, for their efforts in supporting this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank my colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Mr. Graham, for bringing this very important legislation before the House. I commend you for your extraordinary efforts on behalf of the unborn victims of violence. I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act which promotes justice by holding violent criminals accountable for their conduct. It is unthinkable that under current federal law, an individual who commits a federal crime of violence against a pregnant woman receives no additional punishment for killing or injuring the woman's unborn child during the commission of the crime. Where is the justice when a criminal can inflict harm upon a woman, even with the express purpose of harming her unborn child, and not be held accountable for those actions? Approximately half of the states, including my home state of Virginia, have seen the wisdom in holding criminals accountable for their actions by making violent criminals liable for conduct that harms or kills an unborn baby. Unfortunately, our federal statutes provide a gap in the law that usually allows the criminal to walk away with little more than a slap on the wrist. Criminals are held more liable for damage done to property than for intentional harm done to an unborn child. This discrepancy in the law is appalling. Regardless of whether you are pro-choice or pro-life, those of us who are parents can identify with the hope that accompanies the impending birth of a child. No law passed by Congress could ever heal the devastation created by the loss of a child or replace a child lost to violence. However, we can ensure that justice is done by making the criminals who take the life of an unborn child pay for their actions. When a mother chooses to bring a life into this world and that life is cut short by a violent criminal, that criminal should be held accountable under the law. Justice demands it, and so should we. I urge each of my colleagues to join me in voting for the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Joint Resolution 41. This joint resolution requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate for any bill that changes the internal revenue laws by more than a de minimis amount. The resolution also allows Congress to waive the supermajority requirement to pass a tax increase (1) during a period of declared war between the U.S. and another country, or (2) when Congress and the president enact a resolution stating that the U.S. is engaged in a military conflict which threatens national security. Tax legislation enacted under this waiver can be in force for no longer than two years after its enactment. Mr. Speaker, H.J. Res. 41 provides a simple mechanism to curb wasteful and abusive government spending by restraining the government's unquenchable appetite for taking the American people's money. The more the government has, the more it spends. The more it spends, the more it needs. The Tax Limitation Amendment will ensure that when the government needs money, it will not simply look to the American people to foot the bill. A Constitutional amendment is the only way we can assure the American people that Congress will only take from their pocketbooks that which is truly needed. This Constitutional amendment will force Congress to focus on options other than raising taxes to manage the Federal budget. It will also force Congress to carefully consider how best to use current resources before demanding that taxpayers dig deeper into their hard-earned wages to pay for increased Federal spending. Furthermore, if Congress has less to spend on programs, it will be forced to act responsibly and choose what is truly important to the American people, and it will be forced to make sure government programs are run as effectively and efficiently as possible. Simply put, the harder it is for Congress to tax the American people, the harder it will be for Congress to spend their money. Mr. Speaker, Once and for all, it is time for Washington to get off the American people's backs and out of their pockets. I thank my colleague, Mr. Sessions, and I urge my colleagues to support House Joint Resolution 41.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran) for making it possible for us to speak. I was stunned and saddened earlier this afternoon when I learned about Norm's passing. He was a good friend. We do not have assigned seats here in the House, but I think everybody in the House knows that Norm Sisisky sat in the second seat from the back on the aisle. Every time we had a series of votes, we would come here and find Norm right there. He was a true and true Democrat, but he never hesitated to reach right across that aisle and work with Republicans on not only national defense issues, but issues of all kinds. He was a man of conscience, and I enjoyed working with him on many things and, above all, he was a straight shooter. You could know exactly where you stood with Norm Sisisky right from the start. He would tell you, and if he said he was with you, he was going to stick with you and if he was not with you, he would tell you that right at the outset. Norm was very, very proud of his family, his children and his grandchildren; and he talked of them very often. He loved life. He enjoyed every day and had a wonderful sense of humor, as the gentleman from California just indicated, and was somebody that I enjoyed stopping by the second seat from the rear back there and talking to Norm on many, many days. I am going to miss him deeply. I give my deepest sympathy to his family, to his constituents. We have lost truly a great American and someone who will be very hard to replace.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, unsolicited commercial e-mail, such as advertisements, solicitations or chain letters, is the ``junk mail'' of the information age. When unwanted mail is hand delivered to your home or post office box, you can ask the postmaster not to deliver it. When telemarketers call you at home you may ask to be taken off their solicitation list. But currently, there is no mechanism to prevent unwanted e-mail. Jupiter Communications reported that in 1999 the average consumer received 40 pieces of spam. By 2005, Jupiter estimates, the total is likely to soar to 1,600. These numbers are truly astounding. Unsolicited e-mail messages burden consumers by slowing down their e- mail connections, and cause big problems for the small business owner who is trying to compete with larger companies and larger servers. Consumers are not the only ones victimized by spam. In recent instances, unsolicited e-mail transmissions have paralyzed small Internet Service Providers (ISPs) by flooding their servers with unwanted e-mail. This has the potential to do great damages to small ISP companies and the communities they serve. Currently, ISPs are developing programs that require the individual sending the unsolicited message to include a valid e-mail address, which can then be replied to in order to request that no further transmissions be sent. Under these programs, once the individual sending the original e-mail receives a request to remove an address from their distribution list, they are required to do so. However, offending spammers get around this requirement by using the e-mail address of an unsuspecting user to spam others. To address this problem, I am introducing legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need to prosecute individuals who send unsolicited e-mail that clog up consumers' in-boxes: the Anti-Spamming Act of 2001. The Anti-Spamming Act would amend 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1030 (which addresses criminal fraud in connection with computers) in several respects to address fraudulent unsolicited electronic mail. It would add to the substantive conduct prohibited by 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1030(a), both the intentional and unauthorized sending of unsolicited e-mail that is known by the sender to contain information that falsely identifies the source or routing information of the e-maill, and the intentional sale or distribution of any computer program designed to conceal the source or routing information of such e-mail. This legislation would subject those who commit such prohibited conduct to a criminal fine equal to $15,000 per violation or $10 per message per violation, whichever is greater, plus the actual monetary loss suffered by victims of the conduct. In addition, prohibited conduct that results in damage to a ``protected computer'' (as defined in 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1030(e)(2)) would be punishable by a fine under Title 18 or by imprisonment for up to one year. I would also like to thank Representative Heather Wilson for her tireless efforts to address this issue. Representative Wilson should be commended for bringing the problem of spam to the forefront of public debate. I look forward to working with her to achieve our common goal of reducing the burden of unwanted e-mail on consumers and Internet Service Providers. Legislation addressing the problem of unsolicited commercial e-mail is greatly needed to protect consumers and Internet Service Providers from victimization by spam. I urge my colleagues to support this much needed legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, for yielding the time to me and for his strong leadership in bringing this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Democratic substitute and in support of H.R. 3, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act. This is very simple, what we are about here. This is money that was earned by the American people. They have paid it. The government is taking in far more, far more than we are spending, and it is appropriate to give it back. It is a lot like if someone baked a batch of cookies and put them all out on a plate on the table at one time, watch and see what happens to it. In most families, they are going to go just like that. That is why we have to give this money back to the taxpayers, and we need to do it in a responsible way, because if we leave that money here, that plate of cookies right here, they are going to spend it. It is entirely appropriate that instead of doing that, we provide for a reduction in statutory tax rates under the individual income tax. A vital step towards reducing the complexity of our tax process is reducing taxes in general. Instead of squandering the surplus on wasteful government spending, the Bush administration and Congress are working to ensure that government provides tax relief to all Americans. Mr. Speaker, by reducing the current five tax brackets into four and making the new 12 percent rate retroactive, Washington will return hard earned dollars to those who earned it, the American citizens. This bill allows people to make choices on how to best spend their money. The government should not be making that decision for them. This is the heart, the heart of President Bush's tax plan, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Chairman, I thank my chairman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 333, the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, and in strong opposition to this substitute amendment. This important legislation, which is similar to the bankruptcy reform legislation passed out of the House last year by a vote of 313 to 108, is an honest compromise that is pro-personal responsibility and antibankruptcy abuse. With a record high 1.4 million bankruptcy filings in 1998, every American must pay more for credit, goods and services when others go bankrupt. I worked to pass H.R. 833 last year and cosponsored H.R. 333 this year because it is high time that we relieve consumers from the burden of paying for the debts of others. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act restores personal responsibility, fairness, and accountability to our bankruptcy laws and will be of great benefit to consumers. For too long, our bankruptcy laws have allowed individuals to walk away from their debts even though many are able to repay them. That is not fair to millions of hard-working families who pay their bills, mortgages, car loans, student loans, and credit card bills every month. The loopholes in our bankruptcy laws have led to a 400 percent increase in personal bankruptcy filings since 1980 at a cost of $40 billion per year. These losses have been passed directly to consumers, costing every household that pays its bills an average of $400 in hidden taxes each year. In real terms, that is a year's supply of diapers or 20 tanks of gas. The bill under consideration today retains the strong income-based means test that will distinguish between those who need the fresh start available under chapter 7 and those who can afford to file under chapter 13, which requires a 5-year repayment plan. This important provision, which bases a debtor's ability to pay on clear and well-defined standards, will give a fresh start to those who need it, while ensuring that those who can afford to pay back some of their debt do so. Under the current system, some irresponsible people filing for bankruptcy run up their credit card debt immediately prior to filing, knowing that their debts will soon be wiped away. These debts, however, do not just disappear. They are passed along to hard-working folks who play by the rules and pay their own bills on time. The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act ends this practice by requiring bankruptcy filers to pay back nondischargeable debts made in the period immediately prior to their filing. While ending the abuses of our bankruptcy laws, the act is strongly pro-consumer in other ways as well. This legislation, for example, helps children by strengthening protections in the law that prioritize child support and alimony payments. Additionally, H.R. 333 protects consumers from bankruptcy mills that encourage folks to file for bankruptcy without fully informing them of their rights and the potential harms that bankruptcy can cause. This legislation also includes language that I strongly support to restore fairness and equity to the relationship between the U.S. Trustee and private-standing bankruptcy trustees. Specifically, the language will provide private trustees the right to seek judicial review in court in certain cases following an administrative hearing on the record of U.S. Trustee actions related to trustee expenses and trustee removal. This compromise, worked out between the U.S. Trustee's office and representatives of the private bankruptcy trustees, will provide fairness to those who dedicate themselves to their duties as private trustees while ensuring that the U.S. Trustee is subject to the same checks and balances as other government agencies. Mr. Chairman, bankruptcy should remain available to the folks who truly need it. But those who can afford to repay their debts should not be able to stick other folks with the tab. Enactment of this carefully crafted legislation will send a big signal toward those who would abuse our bankruptcy system that the free ride is over. I want to commend the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, for moving this important legislation quickly to the floor, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas) for his outstanding work on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this fair and reasonable bill and to oppose the Democratic substitute.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. The loss of Dale Earnhardt, Mr. Speaker, is a devastating tragedy to his family, his fans, and the sport of auto racing. The seven-time Winston Cup champion's death cuts deeper because he died while trying to be a good friend, father, and boss. Dale personified what NASCAR is about. His career spanned more than 2 decades and included 676 races, 76 victories and 70 second-place finishes. He ran his first Winston Cup race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 1975, starting 33rd and finishing 22nd. He got his first full-time ride in 1979 and scored his first victory on April 1 of that year at Bristol, Tennessee. Earnhardt was rookie of the year that year and its champion the very next season. Dale helped move the sport of auto racing from a Southern tradition to a mainstream American sport. It will continue that way. His presence in the sport set a standard of excellence that may never be reached again. His spirit will dwell on the race tracks and the garages and with the fans forever. Dale Earnhardt will likely go down as one of the greatest competitors and drivers throughout NASCAR history; but he was also a husband, a father, and grandfather, as well as a friend to many. He will be greatly missed and all of our deepest sympathies are with the entire Earnhardt family.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me time and for his leadership on this issue. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Electronic Commerce Enhancement Act of 2001, a bill that recognizes the importance of the Internet and e-commerce to our economy. This bill also recognizes the importance of business-to-business transactions by small- to medium- sized businesses via the Internet. As technology continues to grow, unfortunately, many small- to medium-sized companies have not been able to utilize the potential of the Internet as a business tool. In order to help these companies contribute to economic growth, this bill assists in developing tools to alleviate the problems of interoperability. H.R. 524 will help promote electronic commerce in these small- to medium-sized companies by identifying the challenges that they face and establishing programs to assist them in overcoming these obstacles. These programs include the electronic linkage of manufacturers, assemblers, and suppliers that will enable them to exchange product, manufacturing and other business data within the supply chain. By allowing the National Institute of Standards and Technology technology to assist small- and medium-sized businesses to successfully integrate electronic commerce, Congress will promote effective standards for helping these businesses prosper in our economy. I want to thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Barcia) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) for their work in recognizing the importance of small businesses, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) for his work in passing this bill in the 106th Congress, and the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) for his new leadership on the Committee on Science and on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, today two very important court decisions were handed down, one by the United States Supreme Court and one by the trial court in Florida, dealing with the issue of the Presidential election. These decisions were both again in favor of Governor Bush. The decision of the Supreme Court vacated the ruling of the Florida court, which extended the time for the certification of the election results in Florida and remanded the case to the Florida court asking them to justify their action because they did not appear to have any legal justification for the actions that they had taken, essentially contravening the United States Constitution as well as the laws passed by the Florida legislature setting out a clear procedure for handling the election in Florida. The Florida trial court judge today ruled in favor of the Bush campaign and against the Gore campaign on each and every one of the contested issues raised by the Gore campaign in Palm Beach County, in Miami-Dade County, and in Nassau County. Since November 7, the Nation has been placed in a serious case of uncertainty. We have economic uncertainty. We have political uncertainty. And we have a Government that needs to be in transition but is delayed by the fact that the Vice President has not conceded this election. We are now faced, 4 weeks from that election, with a continuing crisis of uncertainty. It is time for the Vice President to do the responsible thing and accept the results of this election. Governor Bush was ahead at the time that the networks called Florida for Vice President Gore. He was ahead at the time they pulled it back. He was ahead the following morning when they called the election for Governor Bush. He was ahead when the election returns came in. He was ahead when they conducted the first automatic recount. He was ahead after the recount ordered by the Florida Supreme Court was continued. And he remains ahead today. These two rulings make it very likely that he is going to remain ahead throughout this process. And to ease the country's uncertainty and to do the responsible thing by allowing president-elect George Bush to begin the process of transitioning to a new government and to have the ability to pull the entire country together, it is absolutely essential that the Vice President do the right thing. The votes have been counted, recounted and counted again, and yet Vice President Gore has yet to concede. For the sake of the country, he should accept the outcome and move forward from this election with dignity. The country would be better served if the Vice President reconsidered his strategy of countless lawsuits which undermine and delay the process of selecting our next President. Previous Presidential candidates chose the statesman-like route of accepting the will of the people and moving on. It is important for our next President to have the ability to have the support of Vice President Gore as he moves into the transition process. Governor George W. Bush has a record of bipartisan leadership. I look forward to working with him in that process and in the next Congress of the United States. But in order to get that process smoothly transitioned, we cannot afford to lose any more days than we already have, where 4 weeks that are ordinarily used to begin the very difficult task of selecting nearly 6,000 people to take positions from cabinet levels on down and then to begin the process of planning a legislative agenda for the American people. All of these things are delayed by the uncertainty created by the current situation, which becomes increasingly clear is serving no good purpose. Every time we move further down the process, the results are the same. Governor Bush is still ahead in the election. And it seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that it is entirely appropriate at this time that the Vice President do the right thing for the country, the statesman-like thing for the country, and concede this election.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important bill. In particular, this legislation includes important language that will extend the benefits of a bill passed nearly a year ago to all Americans, instead of those in our most populated urban centers. That bill, the Satellite Home Viewer Act, was designed to address a problem experienced by thousands of Americans who are frustrated that they either could not receive their local network signal or had to receive a poor quality local network signal through a rooftop antenna rather than receive a network signal through their satellite provider. The bill addressed this by allowing direct broadcast satellite providers to immediately begin retransmitting local television broadcast signals into the broadcast station's area. Consumers across the country expressed their support for this legislation and the availability of `local-into-local' technology. I know my office received thousands of letters and calls from constituents concerned about this issue. This new law allows satellite providers to become more effective competitors to cable operators who have been able to provide local over-the-air broadcast stations to their subscribers for years. It will also benefit American consumers in markets where local TV via satellite is made available by offering them full service digital television at an affordable price. More importantly, these consumers will benefit from local news, weather reports, information such as natural disasters or community emergencies, local sports, politics and election information as well as other information that is vital to the integrity of communities across the country. Local TV via satellite is already available to satellite subscribers in America's 20 largest television markets. In these markets, DirecTV and Echostar, the existing satellite platform providers, have begun retransmission of affiliates of the ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox broadcast networks. DirecTV and Echostar have also announced their intention to begin retransmission of local TV stations in an additional 20 or 30 television markets over the next few years. Ultimately, the two existing satellite platform providers will provide local TV via satellite to households in most if not all of the 50 largest television markets in the United States. However, there are 211 television markets in the United States, and in excess of 100 million U.S. TV households. Unfortunately, if matters are left solely to the initiative of the existing satellite platform providers, more than 50 percent of existing satellite subscribers, over 6 million households, will continue to be deprived of their local TV stations; more than 60 percent of existing commercial television stations, over 1,000, will not be available via satellite; and more than 30 million U.S. TV households will remain beyond the reach of local TV via satellite. Put another way, local TV via satellite will not be available in 27 States. So while the law enacted last fall has eliminated the legal barriers to delivery of local TV via satellite, it alone will not assure delivery of local TV via satellite to the majority of local TV stations and satellite subscribers. For that reason I have joined with my colleagues in the House to introduce legislation that will assure that all Americans, not just those in the most profitable urban markets, can receive their local TV signals in a way that provides local information in a competitive environment for consumers. This legislation we are considering today represents a carefully negotiated compromise between versions passed by the House and the Senate earlier this year. I want to express my appreciation to members of both bodies and from both parties for their willingness to work together to reach this agreement. Like the original House bill, the substitute authorizes the administrator of the Rural Utilities Service, with the input of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, to administer loan guarantees not exceeding $1.25 billion for providing local broadcast TV signals in unserved and underserved markets. The loan guarantees will be approved by a board consisting of the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Treasury, and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. This is a change from the House-passed bill, which did not include the Federal Reserve Chairman on the board. Like the House- passed bill, the loan guarantee may not exceed 80 percent of a loan, and the board may not approve a loan guarantee for a project that is primarily designed to serve one or more of the to 40 markets. The bill also retains House-passed restrictions on which lending institutions can qualify for loan guarantees. In addition, the bill retains a House- passed prohibition on the use of the loan guarantee for the acquisition of spectrum. Finally, like the House bill, the board is directed to give priority consideration first to unserved areas, then to underserved areas. Unserved areas are defined as areas outside Grade B where there is no access to local signals from a for-profit multichannel video provider. Underserved areas are defined as those areas outside Grade A where there is no more than one for-profit multichannel video provider. The priority language has been modified slightly to clarify that the board must seek a balance in approving projects that serve both unserved and underserved areas. The bill includes language from the Senate-passed version that encourages the delivery of Internet and weather service signals, but it has been clarified to ensure that the primary purpose of the bill is the delivery of local broadcast signals. The bill also deletes language in the House bill allowing the RUS Administrator (rather than the board) to approve and administer guarantees for loans of less than $20 million. The bill retains limitations on the use of the loan guarantees by cable provides in their franchise areas, but modifies the language to ensure that in areas where the incumbent cable provider is not required to provide service, the bill remains technology neutral. The bill also includes two technical changes to the credit risk premium and administrative fee language. Finally, the bill removes two unrelated provisions included in the House-passed bill related to translator services and copyright must-carry laws. In addition, this compromise incorporates several suggestions made by the Administration and the Office of Management and Budget. These changes include: (1) the elimination of language allowing the loans to be split, which would allowed the unguaranteed portion to be sold in the market; (2) the elimination of language allowing the guaranteed loan to be less than fully collateralized; (3) several technical corrections related to the Federal Credit Reform Act; and (4) the inclusion of language requiring that the board adhere to the Administrative Procedures Act. All of these changes will strengthen the protection of taxpayer interests and prevent unwarranted increases in the cost of the program to the Federal government. Mr. Speaker, legislation similar to this bill passed the House by a vote of 375-37 and passed the Senate by a vote 97-0 earlier this year. While we were unable to convene a formal conference, this agreement we are considering today is a bipartisan compromise that we can all be proud of. In particular, I want to thank Senator Gramm and Senator Burns for their help on reaching this agreement. Senator Burns represents the State of Montana, a rural area that is vitally impacted by this legislation. Both he and Senator Gramm are to be commended for their leadership in getting this legislation passed through the United States Senate. Senator Lott, Senator Stevens, Senator Ashcroft, Senator Grams, Senator Thomas, Senator Hatch, Senator Leahy, Senator Hollings, and Minority Leader Daschle are also to be commended for their hard work in negotiating this agreement. The bill is crucial for Americans in rural and smaller markets who rely on their local television stations for news, politics, weather, sports, and emergency information. Local television is often the only lifeline folks have in cases of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, or flooding. The bill's language to encourage the delivery of local television signals to these constituents in America will not only benefit consumers, it will save lives. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I want to thank several individuals in the House, most importantly my colleague from my adjoining district in Virginia, Mr. Boucher, whose leadership has been absolutely vital. He too has a district like mine that badly needs this legislation, but he too recognizes the importance of this to all of America. Mrs. Emerson, Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Thune, and Mr. Shimkus have also been strong supporters of this bill. I also want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Tauzin, the chairman of the telecommunications subcommittee, who has also worked tirelessly to see that this legislation becomes law this year. I also want to commend the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Coble, and the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Hyde, from the committee on the Judiciary. I especially want to thank the Majority Leader, Mr. Armey, for his dedicated work in forging this compromise. Finally, from the Committee on Agriculture, the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Combest, the gentlelady from North Carolina, Mrs. Clayton, and the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Stenholm, have all provided valuable support for this legislation. I thank them all.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. I thank the chairman of the subcommittee for being sure that legislation that I introduced, along with the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher), is included in this legislation. This is legislation that millions of Americans have been waiting a long time to see, and that is legislation to make sure that satellite owners, millions of satellite dish owners, have the opportunity to have on their satellite dish their local news, weather, sports, emergency information, community affairs information, and end the frustration that they have had, that the satellite dish companies have had, and the local television stations have had of trying to find a way to accommodate people who want to be able to receive their major broadcast networks, NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, in some instances public television. They cannot get it right now because only in major metropolitan areas are the local television stations signals being put up on satellite. This legislation is going to enable every single television station in all 211 television markets in the country to have that local station put up on satellite so that folks can get not only their major network programming but also their local news, weather, sports, and other information. This will encompass more than 170 television markets that are not going to be put up under the current legislative authority that they now have. The major markets like New York and Chicago and Los Angeles, here in Washington, D.C., they get it now; but for millions and millions of American families, they will not. But I thank the gentleman. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, which includes the launching of our Communities Access to Local Television Act of 2000.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me, and for his help in bringing this very important piece of legislation to the floor. I rise in strong support of the legislation and the rule on this conference report. Mr. Speaker, I want to particularly commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the Committee on the Judiciary where this legislation originated, because he has been working on this legislation for years now trying to break the gridlock that has kept this very, very important reform of our bankruptcy laws from being signed into law. I think we are now getting very close to accomplishing that if we can get this conference report passed today, as I am confident we will, with the same kind of overwhelming support, bipartisan support, that we have already had. Our bankruptcy laws are in grave need of reform. We are at very, very high levels of bankruptcy filings in this country, and part of this problem is that all of the incentives exist for people to file bankruptcy and none of the responsibilities for people to consider the consequences of their actions and to pay something when they indeed have the ability to pay a part of those debts. The reason for that is that today a debtor has a complete opportunity to choose whether they have a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, where they can file all of their debts and discharge them and walk away, or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, where they are required to make payments. This legislation reforms that in a very, very important way by allowing people who are responsible consumers to not have to bear this debt themselves. That is what happens today. Every time a bankruptcy is filed, all of those consumers who are responsible, who pay their payments on a monthly basis, who keep good credit ratings, are picking up, in the increased costs of goods and services, in the increased costs of consumer and other types of loans, the difference in the cost of all of those people who file bankruptcies who could make some payments. This bill is reasonable in its approach. People who make less than $50,000 a year will not be required to participate in what are called mandatory Chapter 13s, but people with significant income but who do not have a lot of other assets and therefore are not worried about filing a Chapter 7 because they are not worried about those assets being taken by a bankruptcy creditor or the trustee to sell and distribute to the creditors right now have the ability to do that and walk away. They should not be able to do that if they are able to pay a portion of those obligations. This will be a significant reform in the law to do just that. Mr. Speaker, I just want to make the point that this legislation helps protect people who are receiving child support payments by increasing the priority level of protection for those folks. This is important legislation. I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his leadership and his perseverance on this issue. I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing forward this excellent rule, and I hope that people will support both the rule and final passage of this conference report.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 2389, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I neglected to mention and thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) for her contribution. We thank her very much. I, too, urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), who has also been a significant contributor to this effort. (Mr. Walden of Oregon asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 2389) to restore stability and predictability to the annual payments made to States and counties containing National Forest System lands and public domain lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management for use by the counties for the benefit of public schools, roads, and other purposes.

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2389, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. I want to particularly commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Boyd), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Deal), the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), and the chairman of our committee, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest), as well as the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), for their dedicated efforts on this legislation. I would also like to particularly single out members of the staff of my subcommittee, Dave Tenny, of the full committee, and Brent Gattis of my subcommittee, and Kevin Kramp, formerly of my subcommittee, as well the staff on the Democratic side for very, very long, dedicated work to get this legislation to this point. This bill is landmark policy on two important fronts. First, it provides critical funding for schoolchildren in hundreds of rural communities all over America who have been left behind by the policies of their own government. Second, it creates a new paradigm for local citizen participation in the management of our Federal forest lands. In 1908, our government made a promise to the people who live in and around our Federal forests. The government promised to share the economic bounty of these lands with the local people to sustain their schools, their communities, and their way of life. This was a contract to compensate these communities for the economic opportunities lost because the Federal Government owned most of the land. Now, 90 years later, the government has defaulted on this promise and rural communities all over America are suffering. Federal policies have eliminated the economic bounty from our Federal forest lands. As a result, schools have cut their services to the bone and, in some cases, closed their doors all together for lack of funding. Families have been torn apart as parents are forced to work farther and farther from home. Local infrastructure has disintegrated; and, sadly, the primary victims of this tragedy have been schoolchildren, children who have been left behind by their government while the rest of America prospers. The purpose of H.R. 2389 is to correct this wrong. By shoring up Federal payments to rural forest communities, this legislation restores our government's commitment to education in rural forest communities. Significantly, and this is a very important point in this time of intense debate on education in our country, the commitments made to education in this bill come without strings attached. That means when a county in Oregon or Arkansas or Pennsylvania or Florida receives Federal support for education under this bill, the local community, not the Federal Government, will determine how that funding is best used. If local schools need books, they can buy books. If they need additional teachers, they can hire them. If they need to fix the roof on a school, they can do it. This philosophy of Federal support coupled with local decision-making should be a model for the Congress as we work to improve education in our country. H.R. 2389 also changes the way we approach Federal forest management. For the first time, local communities will have a direct stake in the management of our national forests. This has been one of the worst wildfire seasons of the century, and the experts tell us that the worst may be yet to come. This bill provides critical funding that counties can leverage with private investments and Federal appropriations to address fire risk head on. Counties can also use this funding to restore watersheds, improve fish and wildlife habitat, and enhance the overall health of our forests. It establishes a framework for local collaboration that, if successful, will replace the current centralized command and control policy with a new and effective way to resolve forest management issues at the local level using local expertise. I urge the Members of this body to join me in taking this important step today by sending H.R. 2389 to the President's desk. We can renew the promise made to our rural forest communities back in 1908. We can raise the hopes of rural school children all over America and begin the process in earnest of helping them rebuild their homes and communities. Join me in declaring a strong commitment to rural schools and rural communities. Vote in favor of this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his leadership on this issue. I also commend the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. LaHood) for his contribution to this effort as well. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4788, the Grain Standards and Warehouse Improvement Act of 2000. H.R. 4788 is a necessary and important piece of legislation in that it allows the Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration to continue to serve the essential purpose of guaranteeing a quality grain supply. Through vigorous inspection, GIPSA has assisted in maintaining the integrity of the American grain, both at home and abroad. To fund this program, GIPSA has creatively relied on the collection of fees to recoup its costs for service. By reauthorizing its authority in the area of grain quality inspection, H.R. 4788 takes the necessary step to ensuring that the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration will continue to serve America's agriculture producers. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly interested in H.R. 4788 because it also makes dramatic improvements to the Warehouse Act by providing the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a framework for efficient business practices most explicitly demonstrated by its language authorizing and standardizing electronic receipt documents. Like any business today, farmers are using computers and the Internet for a variety of purposes, including financial management systems and market information. It is becoming increasingly important to ensure that all segments of our economy are technologically efficient. It is vital to empower producers and farmers by providing them with a technological tools to do business electronically in the information age. Electronic warehouse receipts and H.R. 4788 are a step in the right direction. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this fine legislation.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and I thank him and the other members of the Committee on Commerce for shepherding this legislation through the committee, but I most especially want to thank the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode), the author of this legislation, who, as a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus, has been working very hard to combat this serious problem on the Internet and for identifying the need for this resolution and working to get it through the House this year. The Internet Caucus has been very involved in the issue of Internet safety, both from a law enforcement and a prevention perspective. With the help of the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode), the Congress hosted a briefing last fall on online sexual predators to present to Members of Congress the nature of this problem. Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown and Commonwealth Attorney Randy Krantz demonstrated Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, which works to apprehend and prosecute sexual predators and traffickers of child pornography on the Internet. Child pornographers and sexual predators online are an enormous problem for law enforcement agencies. Pedophiles currently operate more than 10,000 Web sites and more than 300,000 children are now involved in the illegal sex trade. This event was held to assist Members of Congress in examining how law enforcement agencies are fighting child pornography and sexual predators and exploring ways to improve efforts to address this growing national problem. Operation Blue Ridge Thunder is one of a handful of agencies nationwide to receive a Justice Department grant to surf online chat rooms for pedophiles. The success of these agencies has been significant, and, in response, over 125 Republican and Democratic Members joined together this year to request a significant increase to $10 million in funding from House appropriators to help local law enforcement programs like Operation Blue Ridge Thunder and other similar programs to continue their vital work at ridding our Nation of people who prey on our most innocent citizens, our children. We were very pleased to see Operation Blue Ridge Thunder profiled on the CBS-TV program ``48 Hours.'' In the 2 days after the broadcast, the Bedford sheriff's department logged more than 1,000 calls in support of what Operation Blue Ridge Thunder is doing. Only three calls criticized what is being done. This is vivid proof that the American public appreciates the work being done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement programs like Operation Blue Ridge Thunder. We cannot rest until each and every person who wishes to harm our children with deviant behavior is arrested and prosecuted. We intend on continuing to support the efforts of organizations like Operation Blue Ridge Thunder in this regard. In addition to supporting law enforcement efforts, the Internet Caucus has also been very involved with prevention in the form of a program called GetNetWise. Last year, in response to a challenge from Congress, leading Internet companies, nonprofit organizations, and child safety experts created GetNetWise, an Internet resource to help parents and caregivers protect children online from unwanted contact and content. GetNetWise, which can be found at www.getnetwise.org, is an innovative and easy-to-use resource that responds to the concerns of parents and caregivers. GetNetWise provides parents and caregivers with the online resources necessary to protect children. Thus, authority to control access to materials on the Internet remains with each family. In its first year, more than 1,800,000 unique Web users visited the GetNetWise user empowerment resources over 5 million times. Not only are we encouraging folks at home to check out GetNetWise, but Members of Congress are also being encouraged to link their websites to GetNetWise to help get the information to parents and children in their districts. This legislation calling the importance of this problem to the attention of the American people is very valuable. I again commend the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode) for his leadership on this issue and urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. GOODLATTE

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of our Virginia delegation for yielding me this time and for bringing forth this resolution to pay tribute to my friend, Herb Bateman, who I have known for 20 years. I first met Herb when he was a member of the Virginia Senate and campaigned for the Office of Lieutenant Governor of our State, and I remember meeting him in Roanoke 20 years ago and being impressed then with the conviction of his beliefs and his dedication to public service. Herb did not win that nomination for lieutenant governor; but shortly thereafter, with the election of Paul Tribble to the U.S. Senate, Herb ran for and won the election to the first congressional district seat. He was so honored to represent the people of that district, which he called not Virginia's First Congressional District, but because it included Jamestown and Williamsburg and Yorktown, he called it America's First Congressional District. He was a man of great courage and convictions. I serve on the whip team here in the House, and Herb was one of the individuals that I would go to before every major vote to find out how he planned to vote and Herb always had a well-founded reason why he was voting for whatever it was that he was going to vote on, and an independent spirit and streak that made him more than happy to stand up and disagree with the majority on an issue if he felt it was straying from the principle that he felt should be adhered to. He was one that I was proud to go to for advice on many occasions, and he always took a deep interest in whatever it was that I was doing or other Members of the House were doing, and always tried to be helpful. So I am going to miss my good friend, and I know everyone else here will as well, someone who stood up for our Nation's defenses, was a strong supporter of our space program, and a good friend to all of us.