Kay Granger

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Tucker Act Shuffle Relief Act. This important legislation will ensure equal justice under the law for America's property owners. The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution is very clear. It says that private property will not be taken for public use without just compensation. This guarantees essential freedom and fairness. The legislation offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) will make sure that this guarantee of just compensation applies to all Americans. It says that each and every American, whether rich or poor, old or young, lawyer or layman will have their day in court to vindicate their rights. It gives each and every American access to justice. Without this legislation, the right to protect constitutionally guaranteed Fifth Amendment rights is only as broad as your legal brief and as wide as your wallet. Too many Americans have been unable to have their day in court because the courtroom door is barred with procedural hurdles and technical barriers. These Americans lack the legal fire power or financial wherewithal to surmount these barricades. The Tucker Act Shuffle Relief Act removes those barriers to justice. It opens up the doors to relief for all of our people. Support fairness, stand up for equal access to the courts, vote for the Constitution, support the Tucker Act Shuffle Relief Act.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to an authentic American hero, Congressman Sam Johnson. Mr. Speaker, on April 16, 1966, U.S. Air Force Colonel Sam Johnson was shot down while flying his 25th mission over North Vietnam. And as we heard today, for the next 7 years he experienced unimaginable amounts of threats and torment and, yes, torture. He was kept in solitary confinement. He withstood malnutrition and endured leg irons and suffered unconscionable humiliation. But though he was beaten, he was never broken. While others might have given in, he stood firm. His faith in his God was never surrendered, it was fortified. So what do we say to a soldier who gave so much of himself to his country? And what do we say to a man who endured unthinkable torture and refused to think of giving in? What do we say to an American hero who kept the faith, stood his ground, and defended his country? What do we say to this very special person? There is only one thing I can think of to say and that is ``Thank you.'' Sam, we thank you for your commitment to freedom and your courage to fight. To most Americans you are more than a soldier, you are a peacemaker. To me and to the rest of us who know you, you are a respected colleague and a very cherished friend. So, Mr. Speaker, to all of those who keep the peace and who preserve freedom, but especially to our friend, Sam Johnson, I want to say God bless you and thank you very much. Today I rise to pay tribute to an authentic American hero, Congressman Sam Johnson. On April 6, 1966, U.S. Air Force Colonel Johnson was shot down while flying his 25th mission over North Vietnam. For the next seven years, Colonel Johnson experienced an unimaginable amount of threats, torment--and yes--torture. He was kept in solitary confinement. He withstood malnutrition. He endured leg irons. And he suffered unconscionable humiliation. But though he was beaten, he was never broken. Where others might have given in, Sam simply stood firm. Through it all, his love for his country never wavered, it strengthened. His faith in his God was never surrendered, it was fortified. What do you say to a soldier who gave so much of himself for his country? What do you say to a man who endured unthinkable torture and refused to think of giving in? And what do you say to an American hero who kept the faith, stood his ground, and defended his country? What do you say to this very special person? There's only one thing you can say--thank you. Sam, we thank you for your commitment to freedom and your courage to fight. To most Americans you are more than a soldier, you are a peacemaker. And to me, you are more than a respected colleague, you are a cherished friend. God bless Sam Johnson. And God bless all of America's warriors who keep the peace and preserve our freedom.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1997. This simple proposal will help make the IRS more efficient in its operations and more accountable to its boss, the people. Recent hearings in the Senate have only confirmed what millions of Americans have always known, the IRS is outdated, out of touch, and out of control. Today we can bring to a vote two simple changes to the way the IRS does business. These are not radical changes. They are reasonable steps toward accountability and fairness. First, this bill will put an oversight board of citizens in charge of reviewing the IRS. In our system of checks and balances, this is a much needed and long overdue check on the IRS. Second, this bill will bring the IRS into the American way of dealing with the American people. We all know that our criminal justice system tries to ensure fairness by represuming that the accused are innocent until proven guilty, so why is it the IRS files charges against you or your company, you are considered guilty until proven innocent? In other words, a common criminal is presumed innocent until proven guilty when he has his day in court but the rest of us are guilty until proven innocent in Tax Court. Today we can change this, Mr. Speaker. Let us give the taxpayers the benefit of the doubt and the tax collectors the burden of proof.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, as a former public school teacher, I rise in strong support of the HELP Scholarship Act. I have always believed that when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Today this Congress will pass yet another part of a winning strategy for the future. Today all children are not well-served by our schools. Sixty percent of all graduating seniors in high school cannot read on a 12th-grade level. As a whole, today's students score 60 points lower on the SATs than their parents did. Clearly there is much work to be done as we look for ways to improve our schools. While the work of making our schools great again is in many ways difficult, it is in no way impossible. Piece by piece, one school and one child at a time, we can give our Nation the kind of education system it deserves, and we can give our children the kind of education their parents have a right to expect. Today we have a chance to support the HELP Scholarship Act. This legislation will provide scholarships to low-income families to send their children to the school of their choice. It has often been said that the greatness of a Nation is measured by how it treats the most vulnerable and the less fortunate. The HELP Scholarship Act will help those who need our help the most, families who earn less than 185 percent of the poverty level.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, Benjamin Disraeli once said, ``The fate of our Nation depends on the education of our children.'' I rise this morning because I believe we can do a much better job of planning for our Nation's future through education. That is why I am so pleased that today Congress is considering important education proposals like the Charters School Amendments Act and the Help Scholarships Act. These proposals are part of a positive, profamily education agenda. All are aimed at improving schools. All are aimed at educating children. As we begin this century, let us begin a renewed commitment. Let us commit ourselves to having schools that are safe and curriculum that is sound. Let us commit ourselves to having teachers who know the subject they are teaching and the name of the child they are teaching it to. And let us commit ourselves to having our children learn to read so they can read to learn for a lifetime. Mr. Speaker, too often in Washington we talk about issues in terms of politics. But this issue is different. Education is not a matter of right versus left; it is a matter of right versus wrong. And it is always the right time to do the right thing. Let us support these initiatives. Let us support our schools. And let us support our children.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the substitute, and in favor of the underlying legislation. I rise as a former teacher, myself, and as the daughter of a woman who spent 47 years of her life as an educator. The answer for our children is not borrowing money or further limiting our children's opportunities. It has often been said that giving children an education is expensive, but leaving them uneducated is a lot more expensive. That is why this Congress, through our legislation, is committed to ensuring that our parents get a better return on their investment and our children get a better experience in their classroom. Today, this Congress is considering an initiative designed to give our parents a choice, our students a chance, and our schools a charge to be the very best schools in the world. Our approach is simple. By allowing parents to set up savings accounts, we can allow families to get more for their money. We can allow them to build up a nest egg of money, and use it to pay for their children's education. If they want to buy a computer for their child, they can do it. If they want to send their child to a different school, they can do it. If they want to pay for a tutor to help their children learn more, they can do it. This may seem like small steps, but I believe they will have a big impact. They will help improve all of our schools in America, but more importantly, they will help improve the education our children receive. They will also do so without increasing the role of the Federal Government in Washington. Many times on many different issues we in Congress seek to make a statement. Well, here is one issue where we can actually make a difference. When people say, we cannot give our children a better chance, I say, we can, and also we should. When people say we cannot give our parents another choice, I say we can and we must. When people say, we cannot improve our schools, I say we can and we will. Our children deserve it and our future demands it.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, when I was first elected to Congress, people told me that to be successful in Washington I had to know how to count my votes. I did not come to Congress to count votes. I came to make my vote count. One issue I want to speak out on today is the IRS. Recent hearings in the Senate have only confirmed what millions of Americans have always known, the IRS is outdated, out of touch and out of control. Mr. Speaker, it is no wonder the American people are growing frustrated with the way the IRS does business. The IRS recently spent $4 billion on a computer program which was completely unable to function because it was literally overwhelmed by a Tax Code which is too complicated and too convoluted. How can we expect the American people to comprehend a Tax Code when a $4 billion computer cannot? Mr. Speaker, I raise these issues not because I wanted to indict the IRS. I raise them because I want to improve it. We owe the American people more, much more. We owe them an IRS that is reasonable and we owe them a that is readable. Mr. Speaker, the world's freest people deserve the world's fairest tax system. I do not think that is too much to ask. Let us tear down the Tax Code and build up the American people.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I reluctantly rise in opposition to the rule and to the underlying Transportation appropriations bill. My opposition to this bill is reluctant because of my deep respect and admiration for the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf], our committee chairman, and my regard for the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], chairman of the full Committee on Appropriations. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Virginia runs his committee with the utmost thoughtfulness and respect for every Member of this body. He works hard to make sure that our Nation's roads, airplanes, and infrastructure will meet our 21st century needs, and the gentleman conducts himself personally and professionally with candor, class, and character. Nevertheless, Mr. Speaker, I oppose this bill because it contains changes to the Wright amendment that are wrong on both policy and process grounds. The Wright amendment was enacted almost 20 years ago at the behest of the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas in order to permit the safe development and operation of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport while still permitting limited flights from Dallas Love Field. This legislation protects safety, safeguards taxpayers' investments in Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, and ensures local control by respecting the desires of the local communities. The changes to the Wright amendment contained in this bill are bad policy because they will injure Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, risk the hard-earned taxpayer dollars that have developed this airport, and trample on the desires of the local communities. And as so often happens, this bad policy was forced upon this House by the other body in a complete disregard for regular order or process. Mr. Speaker, this changes almost 20 years of aviation law and was inserted without a single hearing or public forum, no discussion, no debate, no consideration, just a decision, Mr. Speaker, a decision made over the opposition of both Texas Senators, most of the local Members of Congress, the mayors of Fort Worth and Dallas, the city councils of Fort Worth and Dallas, the chambers of commerce of Fort Worth and Dallas, and the North Texas Commission. As a strong supporter of local control, as a fiscal conservative who believes in the prudent use of taxpayers' dollars, and as a believer in regular order, I must oppose this rule and this conference report.

Ms. GRANGER. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of school choice for the parents of the District of Columbia. I do so because I believe a good education is an American right, not a privilege, and today too many of our young people have had their rights denied. I support school choice. As a teacher and a mother, no one supports America's teachers more than I do. As a former public school teacher myself I realize, recognize and respect the vital role that teachers play in shaping and challenging young lives and eager minds. I believe our teachers are America's heroes. And as I like to say, most people spend their lives building careers, but teachers spend their careers building lives. It is precisely because of my support for teachers that I support school choice. I believe allowing parents to choose a school will allow schools to treat teachers with the respect and authority and dignity they deserve. Schools will be able to hire good teachers at good pay for doing good work, and teachers will be empowered to teach sound basics and in safe classrooms. For too long we have allowed our teachers to be taken for granted while our students have just been taken. I believe school choice will empower our schools, our communities, our teachers and our students. We can do no less for our children, although they deserve much more. School choice is good news for America's teachers but it is even better news for America's parents. As the mother of three, I know how important it is to be able to send my children to schools I trust with teachers I know and parents I can work with. Of my children, one graduated from private school, one from church school, and one from public school. Each of these schools was tailor made to serve the specific interests and individual needs of my children, yet not one of these schools could have served all three of my children. Why? Because each school is different and every child is unique. The one-size-fits-all approach of yesterday does not work in the classrooms of today. Yet it is exactly what millions of inner city parents are faced with each year, no choice of a better school, no chance of a good education, and thus no change in the status quo. As this Congress begins to address the issue of school choice for the children of the District of Columbia, I think it might be helpful if we asked ourselves a simple question: Why not? Why not allow our schools the chance to improve and our teachers the chance to teach? Why not allow our parents a chance to spend their own money sending their own kids to their own school of choice? I would ask those in the opposition, if it were their child, what choice would they make?

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, several years ago a newspaper reporter assigned to cover Mother Teresa of Calcutta decided to follow her around for an entire day to see what a day in the life of the Saint of the Gutters was really like. After visiting several hospitals and feeding the hungry, the reporter followed Mother Teresa to a sewer on the outskirts of town. The tiny woman proceeded to get down on her hands and knees in the middle of the sewer where she began talking to the destitute people living there. The reporter standing on the safety of the concrete street above looked down to Mother Teresa, shook his head and said, I would not do that for a million dollars. Mother Teresa looked up to the reporter and said, ``I wouldn't either.'' This story captures the essence of a great humanitarian, a woman who touched lives with her Missionary of Charities and saved souls with her message of Christ. Politically incorrect and yet morally courageous, this heroic woman touched the lives of millions with her conviction, her commitment, and, most important, compassion. Mr. Speaker, I hope we can all join together in the memory of Mother Teresa and work to make America a little more like her, a place where individuals matter, character counts, a place where people love their neighbors and respect themselves and, most important, a place where service and sacrifice are not things people do for money but things people do for free.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Mark Holtz, whose untimely passing yesterday will be mourned by many throughout North Texas. Many players, coaches, and managers wore the Texas Rangers uniform over the last 17 years, through good seasons and bad. But there was always one constant: Mark Holtz--the voice of the Rangers. He and his broadcast partner of many seasons, Eric Nadel, brightened North Texas nights year in and year out with their seamless calls of Rangers games. The bonds baseball fans throughout the region felt with him were so strong that it was as though a member of their family had joined them each night on the radio from the ballpark. And when the Rangers struggled through a losing season, Mark's call of the game made listening to the game a pleasure in itself, even if the outcome on the field was not. But the Rangers have been much improved over the last few years, and fittingly, the last game he worked this past May was a Rangers victory. After the game, Mark was able to sign off the broadcast with his trademark ``Hello, win column!'' he uttered after each win for the home team. After that final game, Mark left the broadcast booth so that he could battle leukemia. During his courageous battle, thousands of Rangers fans signed a giant get-well card for Mark, demonstrating the deep feelings which many throughout North Texas had for him. Mark will be missed dearly by those who had the pleasure of listening to his distinctive voice on the airwaves. As Rangers president Tom Schieffer noted, Mark ``brought us joy and laughter about the game of baseball. He will be missed sorely. We are not likely to see his kind again.''

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, as President, one of Ronald Reagan's favorite things to do everyday was to read the mail. Sometimes he would write out personal responses, but usually he just liked to read what the American people were saying. One Friday afternoon, as Mr. Reagan was leaving for Camp David, his director of correspondence, Anne Higgins, gave him a stack of letters to read. Included in the stack was a very angry letter from an extremely upset Democrat in New Jersey. Next Monday morning, when Anne returned to her office, she noticed Mr. Reagan had returned this particular letter to her desk. Attached was a note from the President which read, ``Dear Anne, don't worry about writing this lady back. I called her on the phone. We are friends now.'' Mr. Speaker, is it not amazing what can happen when honest people engage in an honest discussion on the issues? Fear gives way to faith and fiction is replaced with the facts. In the past few days, the Congress and the White House have been able to look for common ground and listen to common sense, and the American people are going to be very pleased with the results. The facts are this tax bill opens doors of opportunity by closing loopholes and exemptions. The facts are this tax bill raises hope everywhere by lowering taxes for everyone. And the facts are our tax bill is not designed to help folks with a corner on the market, it is designed to help folks with a market on the corner, a market not on Wall Street, New York, but on main streets across America.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in strong support of this historic bipartisan agreement to balance the budget. This proposal we consider today is more than a blueprint to balancing the budget. It is a blueprint to building the future. This budget is not about numbers or theories. It is about people, real people with real dreams for themselves and for their children, for their parents. We owe them, we owe our constituents a budget that balances just like they have to balance themselves. We owe our children a nation that is debt free, and this balanced budget cuts off the flow of red ink for the first time since 1969; that will be 30 years ago. We owe our working young parents access to the American dream of more jobs and home ownership. This balanced budget will create more than 4 million new jobs and reduce the cost of a typical new home by more than $30,000. We owe our parents and our grandparents a Medicare system that takes care of them if they become ill, and this balanced budget will protect Medicare and let us keep our commitment to our seniors. And finally, we owe the American people something more important and much more profound. We owe them our word. The balanced budget agreement ends 28 years of promised balanced budgets and broken promises. Twenty-seven years, 5 Presidents and 14 Congresses have not balanced our budget. If we pass this budget today, the 105th Congress will be different. Today we can say to the American people, promises made, promises kept. I urge my colleagues to support this historic agreement to balance the budget for our children, our working parents and our seniors. We now have a blueprint, so let the building begin.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York. The F-22 will be the Air Force's air superiority fighter for the first part of the 21st century. The Air Force needs the F-22 as soon as possible. Right now the Air Force relies on the F-15 to fly its air superiority missions. The F-15 has served our Nation well and has been critical to ensuring that no American ground troop has been killed by enemy aircraft in over 40 years. But the F-15 is aging. Much of its technology was developed back in the 1970's and even the 1960's. Though it was far superior than anything in the world when it was introduced, the rest of the world has slowly but surely caught up with the F-15. We still might have an edge in air superiority, but it is a slight edge at best. The effect of the adoption of the amendment of the gentleman from New York [Mr. Nadler] would be to continue to rely on this old technology for years to come and to just get by. We would keep on flying the aging F-15 and hope that the world does not completely catch up with us before we unleash the F-22 fighter wings. Mr. Chairman, we cannot afford to compromise our national security interests, as well as the safety and security of the brave men and women who serve our country, by just getting by. Proponents of cutting the F-22 argue that the world is a safe place and that we face no imminent dangers that justify immediate production of the F-22. But one of the main reasons that we face no dangers today, and I stress today, is that any potential enemies recognize the superiority of American technology and fighting strength. But the longer we delay incorporating 21st century technology into our military, the more we invite potential foes to take the chance that they can match us in battle. Investing in technology like the F-22 Raptor today will, therefore, save us in the long run. War will be much less likely to occur if our enemies and potential enemies understand that engaging our military in battle is a guaranteed losing proposition. The costs of war, even the cost of a brief and successful war like Desert Storm, are much greater than the cost of peace. But more important than the ultimate economic savings we will reap from preventing wars with investing in the F-22 are the lives of fighting men and women that will be saved. By preventing as many conflicts as possible and then by thoroughly dominating those few in which we might have to engage, the F-22 Raptor will minimize harm to our troops in the field. The mothers and fathers of our men and women in uniform will be able to sleep better at night knowing that their children are less likely to be in harm's way. Mr. Chairman, the F-22 is needed, and it is needed without any additional delay in production.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the first balanced budget since 1969, the year that Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Neil Armstrong's giant leap for mankind is the second thing I remember about 1969. Mr. Speaker, 1969, the last year the budget was balanced, was also the year my first child was born. I proudly watched that young man walk down the aisle to receive his doctor of jurisprudence just 3 weeks ago. That means my oldest son has not seen a balanced budget since the year he was born. My twins, born 2 years later, have never seen a balanced budget in their lifetimes. Today we can change that. The legislation we consider today will balance the budget by 2002, if not sooner. Our plan will put the Federal budget into surplus through the year 2007. This is the most important thing we can do for our children's future. But this plan does much more. In addition to helping our children, this balanced budget downsizes Washington to return power, money, and decisions back to families, neighborhoods, and communities. As the mayor of Fort Worth, TX, I learned that local communities need more power and less mandates from Washington. The balanced budget we will continue today will reduce Washington spending as a percentage of our economy to the lowest level since 1974. This plan keeps our commitment to our parents and grandparents by preserving Medicare. This balanced budget adds 10 years to the life of Medicare; it provides our parents with more health care choices, the same health care choices as their children and grandchildren. This plan keeps our commitment to education. I taught school for 9 years as a public school teacher, and I learned that there is nothing more important than education. By eliminating the deficit, a balanced budget will lower the cost of a typical student loan by nearly $9,000. College education will be more affordable to young men and women across this country. This budget agreement keeps our commitment to future generations by balancing the budget; to our parents and grandparents by preserving Medicare; and to America's future by making education for our children more affordable and available. Let us stand up for America's children, its seniors and its students and its future and support this balanced budget agreement.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, when I ask people back home, far away from the political battles of Washington, what our budget priorities should be, I often get responses like this: Well, I hear Medicare is going broke, so I guess we should do something to save it, and I think the Government should let me keep more of my money, so I definitely think that average folks like me should get a tax cut. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the budget agreement will be good news to people back home, people like that. This budget agreement takes an important step towards saving Medicare, and it contains permanent tax relief for average people. Congress is finally acting and can act in a bipartisan way to enact necessary Medicare reforms so that seniors are protected and Medicare is saved, and Congress is also acting in a bipartisan way to let American families keep more of their own money, not our money. This budget agreement reflects the priorities of average Americans who want to retire with health care security and want to have a little more freedom to enjoy the fruits of their labor. I am going to vote for it. I think it is a good start.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1119, the defense authorization bill. My support comes primarily because H.R. 1119 reverses the dangerous decline in defense spending that past Congresses have imposed on America's soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines in recent years. The United States still boasts the finest Armed Forces in the world, but in recent years we have made our military the bill payer for every other function of government. Over the past decade, domestic discretionary spending and entitlement spending have increased over 20 percent in today's dollars. Our Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines have paid the price for this expansion. As measured in 1998 dollars, defense spending has declined every year since 1985, so that we are spending 37 percent less on defense than we did that year. As measured as a percentage of gross domestic product, defense spending has fallen to its lowest level since Pearl Harbor. This decrease in defense spending has also endangered vital procurement needs. We, as a nation, are spending only one third the amount on procurement as we did a decade ago. As our military has had to endure this forced procurement holiday, much-needed modernization has been constantly delayed. The Air Force, for example, has been forced to rely on an air superiority fighter, the F-15, which features technology developed in the 1960's and 1970's. The rest of the world has been able to catch up with American air superiority, and the price which will ultimately be paid if we do not recapture our overwhelming edge, is the lives of our men and women in uniform, lives which will be spared if we in Congress make the courageous decision to invest in state-of-the-art technology. I am a strong supporter of H.R. 1119 because it does begin to reverse the dangerous decline in military spending. H.R. 1119 recognizes that we need to continue to invest in state-of-the-art technology which will keep our superiority on the battlefield alive, state-of-the-art technology like the F-22 Raptor. Slated to replace the aging F-15, this fighter combines stealth, supercruise and advanced avionics into its design and will help preserve our overwhelming edge in the skies, an edge that has prevented the death by enemy aircraft of our ground troops.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, the poet Maya Angelo once said a cynical child is one who has made the transition from knowing nothing to believing nothing. Mr. Speaker, the goal of education is not just to grant knowledge to our students, it is also to give them hope. Sadly, many of our schools today fail on both counts. Yes, it is true that many of our young people today are not able to write words or calculate numbers as they should, but perhaps more profoundly, many of our young people are discouraged and disillusioned. They have lost hope in themselves and they have lost hope in America. That is an American tragedy. The effects of this tragedy are felt everywhere. We can sense it in our inner cities where crime is rampant and violence is a way of life. We can see it in the eyes of an 18-year-old dropout who has aged far beyond his years and lives life knowing his best years are already over. We can hear it in the voices of thousands of young people, people for whom the promise of America has long since been lost. These precious young people are the ones who ultimately pay the price when our schools fail. These young people are the victims of schools that have failed them and communities that have given up on them. This is a situation we must and we can do something about. I believe that no first-class nation can have second-class citizens. But being an optimist, I believe there are also answers. To those parents and students who have been failed by our schools, I say yes, you have lost much but you have not lost everything. To those teachers and principals who are trying to make a difference, I say yes, you are doing many good things, you are building their futures and you are building ours. Tonight I rise not to condemn American education but to challenge it. I want to challenge teachers to work harder and students to study longer. I want to encourage school administrators, school board members and school principals to create safe environments, better schools, and more creative classrooms. I want to urge moms and dads not just to be parents at home but also partners in the schools. We can revitalize American education. We have all the necessary ingredients. We have the best teachers in the world and the brightest young minds, if only we can create a climate where teachers and students can do what they do best, teach and learn. I believe we can do that and I know we should. Today more than ever our schools and our children need our help. When our children head off to college, they need our help even more. Tonight I think help has arrived. Tonight, I am pleased to introduce, along with the gentlewoman from Washington [Ms. Dunn], the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Pitts], the gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay], the majority whip, and others, the HELP Act, the Higher Education and Learning Promotion Act. This legislation is designed to give families an additional option for their $500-per-child tax credit which both the President and the Congress are pledged to support. This historic legislation would allow our families to begin financing higher education through savings instead of debt. As an incentive to encourage families to save and invest for their children's college education, this legislation would allow parents to invest this child tax credit in an education savings account. These accounts will earn interest tax free and can be withdrawn tax free for their child's education, and families will be able to double the amount of the tax credit if they choose to invest in an education savings account. This would give families the option of using this tax credit and other savings to help plan for their children's future. A family with two children will be able to invest $1,500 each year for each of their children in an education savings account. That is $3,000 for their children's education. Mr. Speaker, I believe the HELP Act is an important part of revitalizing American education, and I urge my colleagues to include this important proposal in the upcoming tax relief package for families. Mr. Speaker, with the help of parents and teachers and the hope of our young people, we can build schools which will train fertile minds, prepare young lives and foster dreams. Our vision is a glorious one, an America where our children are not only well educated but, more importantly, an America where our children believe in themselves and they believe in their country. Mr. Speaker, the future is theirs but the responsibility is ours.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, today we are taking an important step toward making the balanced budget agreement a reality. While approval of the conference agreement is just one step toward a balanced budget, this agreement is a giant step for America's future. The last time we balanced the budget was 1969, the year my first child was born. I proudly watched that young man walk down the aisle to receive his Doctor of Jurisprudence just 3 weeks ago. That means my oldest child has not seen a balanced budget from this Federal Government since the day he was born. My twins, a son and daughter, have never seen a balanced budget in their lifetimes. Our children do not remember a balanced budget, so they do not know what difference it will make in their lives; but they are not alone, because millions of Americans have forgotten what it is like for the Federal Government to treat their money responsibly. Today I would like to take a moment just to remind us. I have had a lot of different jobs in my life, and each position has taught me why this opportunity to finally produce a balanced budget is really important. I was the mayor of Fort Worth, TX, and as the mayor I learned that local communities need more power and less mandates from Washington. A balanced budget we will consider today will return power, money, and decisions back to families and communities. I also founded two insurance companies, and as a small businesswoman I discovered that new jobs and opportunities can only be created with a growing economy. By forcing the Government to balance its books, a balanced budget will yield more than 4 million new jobs over 10 years and raise incomes by 16 percent. And this balanced budget includes a capital gains tax cut to unleash a rising tide of new jobs, higher incomes, and raised hopes. The capital gains tax reduction of this balanced budget will make the American dream a reality for millions of people. I also was a public school teacher. I taught for 9 years, and I know there is nothing more important than education. By eliminating the deficit, a balanced budget will lower the cost of a student loan by nearly $9,000. A college education will be more affordable to young men and women across the United States. But my most important job convinced me the most critical reason why a balanced budget is so important, and that is my role as the mother of three children. By reforming entitlements and providing a child tax credit, this balanced budget will make sure that America looks toward the future. It will make my sons and daughter, and your children, have the same kind of opportunities that people in this Congress have had.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, it has been said that every journey, no matter how long or how short, begins with a single step. This week Congress chose to take a first step on the journey towards a future of reason and responsibility. Earlier this week, in a truly historic vote, Congress passed the first balanced budget in over 25 years. With this balanced budget Congress made a decision that will truly make a difference. Balancing the budget is just the first step on a journey to the future. If we are to ensure that the American dream is a reality for all our people, we must do more than just reform government. We must strengthen our families and heal our communities. We must acknowledge once again that we as a Nation can never move forward until we help those who have been left behind. I would like to talk today about one of the most important issues that face our families and our communities, the problem of teenage out- of-wedlock births. Unless we address this problem America cannot move ahead, and I am asking this Congress to commit to addressing the problem of teenage out-of-wedlock pregnancies to strengthen our families and to save our daughters. Teenage pregnancy is all of our problem. Teenage pregnancy is a family problem. Out-of-wedlock births represented 31 percent of all births in 1993 and, while there was some good news last year, the silver lining cannot hide the cloud of rising teenage pregnancy and those out-of-wedlock births. Teenage pregnancy is also a health problem. America's high rate of out-of-wedlock births is the primary explanation of our low international standing on measures of infant mortality. It is also an economic problem. The average difference in annual salaries between adults in the early 1930's raising intact families and those raising broken families is $11,500 a year. It is also a crime problem. More than 70 percent of all juveniles in State reform institutions were raised in fatherless homes. Babies having babies is an American problem. It affects our daughters and our sisters and our neighbors and our friends. It is a problem we will have to work together to solve. Solving the problem of teenage pregnancy will require a lot more than Government programs or Washington spending. No, that is not the answer. Instead, it is going to require Americans to put their heads together and open our hearts and talk to girls and talk to young women. I would like to take a moment to tell my colleagues about what does work in combating teen pregnancy. I would like to tell them about the AIM program in Ft. Worth, TX. AIM stands for ambition, ideals, motivation. It is a very successful pregnancy prevention program. AIM has taken in almost 800 teenage girls, girls whose mothers were teenage mothers, girls whose families were on welfare, girls raised in public housing, girls who statistically would have a 70 percent chance of becoming teenage moms. But miraculously, only 2 of these almost 800 girls have become pregnant. To help you understand the success of this program, I would like to tell you the story of Michelle. Michelle is a 21-year-old woman from Ft. Worth. Michelle's pregnancy-free adolescence is more than just a story of a woman who beat the odds. Michelle's story is a living legacy for all who care about America's daughters. Michelle was raised in public housing. Her parents were the poorest of the poor, and no one in her family had ever graduated from high school. When Michelle was in the eighth grade she was invited to participate in AIM. AIM selected Michelle because she was deemed at risk for teenage pregnancy, one of those 70 percent probabilities. While the odds were against Michelle, AIM is not intimidated by long odds. Michelle and all AIM participants are invited to weekly group meetings, field trips, camp outings. She found mentors who offered advice and also friendship. Michelle was encouraged to remain abstinent during her teenage years. I am very proud to say that 4 years later not only is Michelle not pregnant, she is on her way to college. Michelle has earned a full scholarship to a small 4-year college in Texas. Michelle is now 21, a successful nurse's aid. She does not live in public housing. She does not take food stamps, and she is not pregnant. Michelle is a success story, and she and AIM beat the odds. We need more success stories like Michelle. We can have more success stories through AIM. Today I commend Michelle and I commend AIM, and I recommend it to all people all over America because theirs is a story of hope and inspiration and character and courage. As we work over the coming months, all of us, to solve the problem of teen pregnancy, we will visit with more women like Michelle and more programs like AIM. I commend our Speaker for recognizing the need to address the issue of teen out-of-wedlock births, and I look forward to helping us work to strengthen families and save our daughters.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Chairman, today we will consider a number of proposals to balance the budget by 2002. We will debate these proposals, but I think we should step back just for a minute and consider the historic importance of this day. Today is historic because for the first time in a generation, the leaders of Congress and the President are both committed to a specific plan to balance the budget. We are fond of saying that the Federal budget was balanced in the year Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I happen to remember it differently. 1969 was the year my first child was born. Two days ago, I watched proudly as that young man walked down the aisle to receive his doctor of jurisprudence. My oldest son has not seen a balanced budget since the year he was born. My twins, my son and daughter, have never seen a balanced budget in their lifetimes. My children do not remember a balanced budget, so they do not know how good it will be for them, and they are not alone. Millions of Americans have forgotten how important a balanced budget will be to their lives, so I want to remind them of the importance of a balanced budget to all Americans. I have had different jobs in my life and my positions have taught me why this opportunity to finally produce a balanced budget is so important. I was a mayor, and I learned that local communities need more power and less mandates from Washington. I gave up the job as mayor to come to Washington, to produce a balanced budget and to return power and money and decisions back to families and to local communities. As a small business owner, I know that jobs and opportunities can only be created with a growing economy. By forcing the government to balance its books, a balanced budget will yield more than 4 million new jobs over 10 years and raise incomes by 16 percent. And this balanced budget includes a capital gains tax cut to unleash a rising tide of new jobs and higher incomes and raised hopes. The capital gains tax reduction in this balanced budget will make the American dream come true for some who missed it the first time. I was also a public school teacher, and I learned there is nothing more important than education. By eliminating the deficit, a balanced budget will lower the cost of a typical student loan by nearly $9,000 and college education will be more affordable to young men and women like the ones in this room today. Most importantly, the job that convinced me that a balanced budget is so very critical, the most important job I ever had, was as the mother of three children. By reforming entitlements and providing a per-child tax credit, this balanced budget will make sure that America looks toward the future. For 26 years, the lifetime of my children, politicians have promised a balanced budget, but the red ink has continued to rise and we have raised taxes again and again. Today we replace false hopes with an historic vote to balance the budget. I urge my colleagues to join in supporting a balanced budget today. It is simply the right thing to do for America.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, as we honor our Nations' peace officers today, I rise today to honor an outstanding officer in my hometown of Fort Worth. This week, Brad Patterson was recognized as Fort Worth's Officer of the Year at the 45th annual Police Appreciation Dinner. Brad is an example of an ordinary person doing extraordinary things. A 20-year veteran of the Fort Worth police force, Brad is a forensic crime-scene investigator who has expertise in fingerprint identification and in homicide investigation. His selection for the award was unanimous. Fort Worth Chief of Police Thomas Windham praised Brad at the ceremony, echoing the strong sense of appreciation for Brad that we all have. I came to know Brad during my years in the Fort Worth city government, first on the city council and then as mayor. And I can say from personal knowledge that Brad is a wonderful person, and I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award than he. Brad is an officer of courage and commitment, and man of conviction and character. Brad Patterson, we in Congress salute you today, and peace officers from around the Nation, as we recognize your accomplishments on National Peace Officers' Day.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in support of increased funding equity for donor States in the new ISTEA legislation. Most parties agree the 1991 ISTEA law has been successful, and there is strong support for ISTEA reauthorization. The current ISTEA's major strengths are its balance of national priorities with State and local decision-making and its emphasis on the interaction between the different modes of transportation. The current ISTEA's major weaknesses are the funding inequities between the States and the complexity of the program formulas. My State, Texas, is one of the States that does the worst in the current highway funding formulas. For every dollar we send to Washington in gasoline tax we receive only 77 cents back for new roads and bridges. In fact, Texas is currently tied with Indiana, Kentucky, and Florida for the third worst return on our highway investment. The reason for this is that the basic ISTEA funding formulas are ultimately not based on need or equity; rather the formulas are based on historic highway funding shares from the days when the United States was focused on completing the Interstate Highway System. These antiquated formulas are significantly favoring the northeastern States and need to be revised. The committee's challenge will be to balance the needs of restructuring and refining ISTEA and making its formulas more equitable for all States while preserving many of the best qualities. I have joined the gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay], our majority whip, and 104 Members of the House of Representatives as cosponsor of the STEP 21 plan to ensure that every State receives at least 95 percent of its Federal contribution back from Washington. The STEP 21 plan creates a national highway system program which is apportioned on a need-based formula, and a streamlined surface transportation program which is apportioned according to a State's contribution to the highway trust fund. The STEP 21 plan is a bold proposal. It presents a challenge to Congress to produce legislation that simplifies the programming's structure and increases funding equity but still allows funding to be spent on environmental quality, safety, and enhancements. Transit is not affected by the STEP 21 plan. If this Congress is going to move our Nation's transportation infrastructure into the 21st century, the new ISTEA bill needs to form a partnership between the Federal Government, the States and local planning organizations that makes it easier and faster to construct highway and transit projects. This means building on ISTEA to make the highway and transit funding categories more flexible so that States, metropolitan areas, and transit authorities can make the most of their limited Federal resources. My colleagues may ask why is funding equity so important to Texas and other donor States. When most people think of transportation, they think in terms of its impact on their daily commute, the errands they run, and the traffic on the way to their kids' school. But the quality of the transportation infrastructure and transportation systems in our communities really have a much greater impact on our lives than we realize. Transportation and transportation-related activities account for one- sixth of the national economy each year. That is over $1 trillion a year. For every $1 billion spent on highways, 42,000 jobs are created. These quality jobs range from highway construction to construction service and supply to retail businesses. The condition of the transportation infrastructure in our communities has an enormous impact on whether businesses decide to locate in that area, what products are available and job creation. Inadequate roads cost businesses and motorists thousands of dollars each year. In the Nation's 25 largest urban areas, traffic congestion costs motorists a staggering $43 billion annually. Moreover, driving on substandard roads costs Americans an additional $21.5 billion annually in extra vehicle costs, including wasted fuel, excess tire wear, and extra maintenance and repairs. In short, areas with strong transportation networks tend to be growing areas; places with neglected and decaying infrastructure tend to be places that businesses and people are leaving. That is why it is so important to keep our national transportation network strong as we approach the 21st century. This is why the Federal Government must play a major role in transportation. Neither the States nor the private sector alone can produce the efficient system of infrastructure that assures the efficient movement of goods, services, and people. Given the importance of transportation to our economy, Congress must challenge itself to find ways of increasing the amount of Federal resources available for transportation infrastructure improvements, even at a time when the need to balance our budget is so critical. As the only Republican from Texas who serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am committed to making funding formula fair for all States.

Ms. GRANGER

Ms. GRANGER. It is with great pleasure, and even greater pride that I rise today to honor 12 outstanding women from the 12th District of Texas. On March 26, a dozen Fort Worth women will be recognized by the Fort Worth Commission on the Status of Women with the 1997 Outstanding Women awards. These awards are given annually to women who have strengthened the Fort Worth community through their local involvement and leadership. As a lifelong resident, former major and now Congresswoman from Fort Worth, I have witnessed first hand the breadth of their activities and the inspiration of their example. The backgrounds and activities of these women are varied and well representative of our community. Rachel DeRusse Newman, recipient of the Commissioners' Award for Advocacy for Children, has worked hard to become a corporate officer. Her career path has been difficult but her commitment and persistence have been unmatched. Knowing her path would have been easier with a college degree, Rachel Newman is working to ensure that Forth Worth's children get the best education possible. While serving as a Forth Worth Independent School Board trustee, she has worked to restructure the bilingual program, broaden a multicultural curriculum, and establish a Hispanic Scholarship Campaign Drive. Elaine Yoko Yamagata, recipient of the Commissioner's Award in the Arts, has been a strong leader for the arts in our community. She was responsible for bringing 80 Nagaoka citizens to participate in Sun & Star 1996, as well as coordinating meetings in Fort Worth for the Japanese American National Museum, located in Los Angeles. Yamagata is also active in Fort Worth Sister Cities International, the Van Cliburn Foundation, Forth Worth Symphony, and Fort Worth Opera and was a great help to me during my time as mayor. Opal Roland Lee will receive the Commissioner's Pioneer Award. While working as a home-school counselor, Opal has made time to charter many organizations and still volunteer with the Historical Society, Genealogical Society, Evans Avenue Business Association, Metroplex Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and Citizens Concerned with Human Dignity. For years, she organized Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day events and continues participating on the Juneteenth Committee. Opal is also very active in her church and devoted to her family. Betty Randels, recipient of the Commissioners' Pioneer Award, first demonstrated her pioneering spirit in the late sixties when she fought to change the local jail system which housed juvenile offenders in the same cells with hardened criminals. In 1976, Betty chaired Tarrant County Child Care '76. More recently, she has helped charter the Tarrant County Child Welfare Board and been very active in numerous volunteer organizations, including the Fort Worth Girls Club. Dr. Jennifer Giddings-Brooks, principal of the Edward J. Brisco Elementary School and education advocate, will be recognized as cowinner of the education award. She uses her personal motto, ``All Children Can Learn,'' to inspire excellence in teaching, creative problem solving, and social intervention. Dr. Brooks served as a Fort Worth delegate to the President's Summit on America's Future and participated in the Carnegie Foundation Task force on Learning. Dr. Delores Simpson will be the other recipient of the education award. Dr. Simpson who maintains that you can do whatever you set your mind to, has been honored by Texas Christian University as Outstanding Educator from the School of Education. She is an inspiration to her students, her grown children, and the numerous organizations in which she volunteers, such as the Presbyterian Night Shelter Board, Metropolitan YMCA of Fort Worth Board, and the FWISD Stay in School Task Force. As Director of the legal department for the Tarrant County Domestic Relations Office, Pamela Dunlop-Gates has argued on behalf of hundreds of children and is well deserving of the law award. She is very active among community organizations such as the Metroplex Black Chamber of Commerce and the United Negro College Fund. She is also cofounded the Tarrant County Black Women Lawyers Association's Uncontested Divorce Clinic. She has been a strong voice for our community. Una Bailey and Rosemary Hayes will be recognized in the volunteer category. Ms. Bailey is active in the Parent-Teacher Association, Fort Worth Independent School District, Tarrant Area Food Bank, and numerous other organizations. Ms. Hayes volunteered more than 500 hours at St. Joseph Hospital, was treasurer of Patrons for the East Regional Library and is active in numerous other civic organizations. Both Una and Rosemary contribute daily to the quality of life in Fort Worth. The award winners for outstanding women in the workplace are Donna R. Parker and Carrie Jean Tunson. Donna is executive vice president of urban development for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce where she manages aviation, transportation, environmental, and quality work force development. Donna has been very important to the economic development of Fort Worth. She is active in Citizens Crime Commission of Tarrant County, United Way, Metropolitan Fort Worth, United Negro College Fund, and many other groups. Ms. Tunson, dean of continuing education and economics at Tarrant County Junior College [TCJC] Southeast Campus, has worked to achieve a spirit of cooperation between TCJC and minority citizens. Ms. Tunson's community service includes Senior Citizens Services of Greater Tarrant County, Arlington Black Chamber of Commerce, Asian American Organization, and other organizations. Norma Jean Ramsey Johnson, associated with Tarrant County's Nutrition Program for more than 25 years, has improved the lives of more than 8,000 families and is a long-time volunteer. Ms. Johnson teaches nutrition, food safety, healthful preparation, and management skills. She is the health care award winner. Mr. Speaker, in 1857, C. Nestell Bovee said, ``Next to God, we are indebted to women, first for life itself, and then for making it worth having.'' These 12 women have certainly contributed to making life in Forth Worth worth having. I commend to the American people the examples of these outstanding women. They have made their friends, their family, and their Nation very proud.