Luis Gutiérrez

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will restore the dream of homeownership to middle-and low-income families. Mr. Speaker, the sight is all too familiar in urban and rural America: boarded-up homes, abandoned lots, blighted communities. These sights demonstrate that the dream of homeownership is fleeting for some and that these dreams can become nightmares when financial hardship occurs. But what often goes unspoken in discussing this issue is the fact that some of these abandoned properties were purchased under federal mortgage programs intended to help middle-and low-income Americans. This leads us to ask: what improvement can we make to federal mortgage assistance programs so that people can keep their homes and live the American dream? This is the goal of my legislation, the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act. This bill makes needed changes in the way the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) administers its mortgage guarantee program and will keep the dream of homeownership alive for people facing temporary financial difficulties. Under the bill, property owners who fail to pay their mortgage for two months, due to no fault of their own, would not be subject to immediate foreclosure. Often, homeowners cannot honor their mortgage payments because of factors beyond their control. For example, the FHA does not require inspections on homes it guarantees. After a home is purchased, serious structural dilapidation may be uncovered. In such cases, the home may be falling apart and the homeowner will not be able to both repair the damage and pay their mortgage. The home becomes unlivable and is foreclosed. This further blights the neighboring area and ends the homeowners's dream. To resolve this unfortunate situation, my bill would provide temporary mortgage assistance to homeowners in needed for a period no longer than 36 months. The assistance would have to be payed back to the FHA and would not be offered if FHA officials deem that the homeowner would be able to honor their mortgage obligations and pay back the emergency assistance after this time period. Saving people's homes in this manner is a win-win proposition for the government, for the homeowners, the lenders and for the adjacent communities. As you know, the FHA guarantees 100 percent of mortgage loans provided by private leaders to middle- and low-income families under the National Housing Act. Yes, 100 percent. When a home is foreclosed, the FHA has to pay the lender the entire cost of the mortgage. As you can imagine, this is tremendously costly. It can also be avoided in many cases. In such cases, temporary assistance can make all the difference for homeowners, allowing homeowners to pay for repairs and honor their mortgages. The FHA saves money because the temporary assistance they provide is far less costly then paying the full cost of the mortgage. In addition, the temporary assistance must be payed back thus recouping additional taxpayers' dollars. The lenders are equally satisfied because they are receiving their monthly assessments. And the community is preserved from blight that would otherwise reduce property values throughout the area. The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act is a solution that restores the dream of homeownership for everyone concerned. The program has also been ``battle-tested.'' My legislation is based on a very successful program in Pennsylvania. More than 24,000 Pennsylvania families faced with possible foreclosure have received help from the state's Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). Pennsylvania's Republican Governor Tom Ridge and Democratic leaders throughout the state have hailed the program as a cost- efficient means to prevent homelessness. In Pennsylvania, 90 percent of assistance payments have been payed back and only eight percent of HEMAP loans have resulted in foreclosure. This record of success should be duplicated at the federal level. Saving homes, money and neighborhoods is what government programs should work to achieve. The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act will accomplish these vital goals. I urge my colleagues to co- sponsor this legislation and work with me to maintain the dream of homeownership for middle-and low-income Americans.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Veterans Programs Enhancement Act of 1998. I commend Chairman Stump and Ranking Member Evans for their tireless effort in producing this important legislation. I also compliment the staff of both the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees. Their hard work and dedication to our veterans has made this legislation possible. People outside of this building are often unaware of the vital role staff play in the legislative process. They should not be. Our veterans should know how hard the veterans committee staff works for them each day. I hold this bill up as testament to their efforts. Mr. Speaker, for much of this year I was not sure what this Congress would be able to accomplish on behalf of our nation's veterans. I would venture to say that this Congress's record on veterans issues has been mediocre at best. Funding for veterans health care was cut again, medicare subvention was not achieved and veterans benefits were slashed to fund highway construction. But in the end, with the passage of this legislation, we will be able to point to some notable achievements on veterans issues this year. With this bill, we establish a precedent for the presumptive treatment and compensation of Persian Gulf War veterans. I have long felt that we must give our Gulf War veterans the benefit of the doubt when it comes to health care and service connection. This bill helps us reach this goal that I have long called for. In addition, this legislation helps prepare us to provide quality treatment for the veterans of future conflicts. We were unprepared for the aftermath of the Gulf War. However, by establishing a National Center for the Study of War- Related Illnesses, this bill helps prepare our veterans health system for the aftermath of future conflicts. This bill also extends the VA's authority to treat the medical problems afflicting Gulf War veterans until 2001. We know we are not through dealing with the health problems confronting Gulf War veterans and I am pleased to see this fact recognized in this legislation. The VA's sexual trauma treatment program, a program that I have advocated for throughout this session, is also reauthorized by this bill. During the past two years, the reality of sexual abuse and harassment of women in the military has come to light. It is only right that we maintain the VA's capacity to offer the victims of these crimes the treatment they need and deserve. In addition, I am also pleased by this bill's provisions regarding educational opportunities, housing and medical construction at veterans hospitals. The reforms contained here are necessary and well- intentioned and should contribute to the welfare of veterans throughout America. I am proud to support this bipartisan bill. And I urge my colleagues in the House to support this legislation as well.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Street- Level Youth Media program for their designation as a recipient of the ``Coming Up Taller'' Award. The Annual ``Coming Up Taller'' Awards are sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to showcase cultural excellence and enhance the availability of out-of-school arts and humanities programs to children, especially those with limited resources. Street-Level provides a concrete example of how after-school, weekend and summer arts programs are effectively used by communities in prevention strategies for children and youth. Street-Level began in 1993 as a vision of a small group of artists who wanted to create a hands-on program that would provide free access to emerging technologies. Children and young adults, with the help of computers, cameras, video, radio and other mediums of media art and technology, were given a forum for self-expression, communication and social change. Today, that vision has become a reality. Through their collaboration with National Public Radio, The Field Museum of Chicago, Gallery 37 and Public Broadcasting Service, among others, Street-Level is able to serve more than 1,000 children and young adults in Chicago. Thanks to their association with these well-known entities, we have been graced with historical documentaries, innovative animation and multicultural education resources. Programs like Street-Level Youth Media deserve our recognition. Programs such as these are proactive, promote a child's creative interests and develop critical thinking skills. As we embark into the Twenty-First Century, our challenge should be to replicate exemplary programs like Street-Level so that we may have an able Twenty-First Century citizenry. I applaud the work that you do and I am hopeful that your creative energy will follow your lives and make our world richer. Congratulations.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation that will restore the dream of homeownership to middle- and low-income families. Mr. Speaker, the sight is all too familiar in urban and rural America: boarded-up homes, abandoned lots, blighted communities. These sights demonstrate that the dream of homeownership is fleeting for some and that these dreams can become nightmares when financial hardship occurs. But what often goes unspoken in discussing this issue is the fact that some of these abandoned properties were purchased under Federal mortgage programs intended to help middle- and low-income Americans. This leads us to ask: what improvements can we make to Federal mortgage assistance programs so that people can keep their homes and live the American dream? This is the goal of my legislation, the Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act. This bill makes needed changes in the way the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) administers its mortgage guarantee program and will keep the dream of homeownership alive for people facing temporary financial difficulties. Under the bill, property owners who fail to pay their mortgage for two months, due to no fault of their own, would not be subject to immediate foreclosure. Often, homeowners cannot honor their mortgage payments because of factors beyond their control. For example, the FHA does not require inspections on homes it guarantees. After a home is purchased, serious structural dilapidation may be uncovered. In such cases, the home may be falling apart and the homeowner will not be able to both repair the damage and pay their mortgage. The home becomes unlivable and is foreclosed. This further blights the neighboring areas and ends the homeowner's dream. To resolve this unfortunate situation, my bill would provide temporary mortgage assistance to homeowners in need for a period of no longer than 36 months. The assistance would have to be paid back to the FHA and would only be offered if FHA officials deem that the homeowner would be able to honor their mortgage obligations and pay back the emergency assistance after this time period. Saving people's homes in this manner is a win-win proposition for the government, for the homeowners, the lenders and for the adjacent communities. As you know, the FHA guarantees 100 percent of mortgage loans provided by private lenders to middle- and low-income families under the National Housing Act. Yes, 100 percent. When a home is foreclosed, the FHA has to pay the lender the entire cost of the mortgage. As you can imagine, this is tremendously costly. It can also be avoided in many cases. In such cases, temporary assistance can make all the difference for homeowners, allowing homeowners to pay for repairs and honor their mortgages. The FHA saves money because the temporary assistance they provide is far less costly than paying the full cost of the mortgage. In addition, the temporary assistance must be paid back thus recouping additional taxpayers' dollars. The lenders are equally satisfied because they are receiving their monthly assessments. And the community is preserved from blight that would otherwise reduce property values throughout the area. The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act is a solution that restores the dream of homeownership for everyone concerned. The program has also been ``battle-tested.'' My legislation is based on a very successful program in Pennsylvania. More than 24,000 Pennsylvania families faced with possible foreclosure have received help from the state's Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program (HEMAP). Pennsylvania's Republican Governor Tom Ridge and Democratic leaders throughout the state have hailed the program as a cost- efficient means to prevent homelessness. In Pennsylvania, 90 percent of assistance payments have been paid back and only eight percent of HEMAP loans have resulted in foreclosure. This record of success should be duplicated at the Federal level. Saving homes, money and neighborhoods is what government programs should work to achieve. The Homeowners Emergency Mortgage Assistance Act will accomplish these vital goals. I urge my colleagues to co- sponsor this legislation and work with me to maintain the dream of homeownership for middle- and low-income Americans.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker I want to be brief so that my colleagues from Chicago have an opportunity to speak on this resolution. In particular, I look forward to the comments of my friends, the gentlemen from Illinois, Mr. Davis and Mr. Yates, original sponsors of this bill, who have worked with me on bringing it to the floor. This is not the first time that the U.S. House has taken an opportunity to commend an individual who has achieved greatness, but it is perhaps the first time that a resolution has been offered about someone who has chosen to remain so humble in spite of his greatness. Sammy Sosa is a man who has every reason to be proud of his accomplishments and who would be excused if he chose to be boastful about those facts. Instead, he prefers to go out of his way to talk about the achievements of his teammates and even those of his competitors. This is a man who has proven to young people that it is not simply important to be good at sports but to be a good sport, and who has proven in the most vivid way possible a lesson that bears repeating, that people who come to the United States to share their talents with us add to our country in ways that are profound, in ways that enrich our lives and in ways that make us all proud of this great Nation. This resolution puts the United States House of Representatives on record that this body commends and congratulates Sammy Sosa for his prowess on the field and for his dignity off the field. In other words, even if Sammy himself will not admit it, the U.S. Congress is prepared to tell Sammy that he is indeed the man. Now, we hear a lot about bipartisanship here in Washington. Well, in Chicago bipartisanship has nothing to do with bringing Democrats and Republicans together. In Chicago, bipartisanship means bringing Cubs fans and White Sox fans together. As a Member of Congress who represents both a little of the north side and a little of the south side, the fact that Sammy Sosa has achieved that feat is amazing, but it goes beyond that. He has helped bring baseball fans all across the country and all across the world together to celebrate this beautiful game, but back to that spirit of civic unity for a moment. I want to quote from someone who worked and lived baseball on both sides of Chicago, a man named Bill Veeck. Bill Veeck put down some important roots in Chicago, literally. In the 1930s Bill Veeck planted the famous ivy on the outfield wall at Wrigley Field. Later in life, Bill Veeck went on to own the Chicago White Sox, and even in the last years of his life he could be found virtually every summer afternoon sitting in the outfield bleachers at Wrigley Field. Well, there is a quote attributed to Bill Veeck that I think says something we need to know about baseball, maybe even about life. Bill Veeck said, and I quote, ``There is no sight more beautiful in the world than a ballpark full of people,'' and he was right. Unfortunately, Bill Veeck never saw Sammy Sosa play for the Cubs, and if he had he would have learned that there is actually one thing more beautiful than a ballpark full of people. It is when there are so many people wanting to see a game that there are hundreds, even thousands of them waiting outside the ballpark to be part of history. For someone who has seen the highlights of recent Cub home games knows, there are people hanging out on Waveland Avenue and off the rooftops of Sheffield and all around the park, wanting to be part of the moment, to be part of history. As I say, Sammy Sosa has done more than excite a city. He has excited a country. He has excited people all over the world, especially in Latin America who love this great game. People often say that baseball says a lot about America. It is about fair play. It is about doing your best and trying, even when the odds are against us, and in the person of Sammy Sosa we are reminded that baseball represents something else. It reminds us that baseball represents the diversity of our Nation, our country, America. It reminds us that people can come to America and if they have the desire and if they have the will and if they have the optimism, they can succeed in ways that benefit us all. Baseball shows that a team can be made up of kids from the heartland of America and from the Caribbean or Asia and even as far away as Australia. It was played in the form of stick ball in the crowded streets of Brooklyn and the West Side of Chicago where kids looked up to heroes like Hank Greenberg; by kids in the barrios of Humboldt Park of Chicago who idolized Roberto Clemente. Sammy Sosa has reminded us of that fact. I read that Sammy Sosa has not only surpassed Roger Maris' record for home runs in a season, he has also surpassed the singer Kate Smith in the number of times someone has said ``God bless America'' in a single year. Sometimes it takes someone who was born elsewhere, someone for whom America itself was not a birthright, to sum up for all of us the most patriotic of sentiments. Mr. Speaker, Sammy is right to recognize the greatness of the United States. Today, the United States Congress recognizes him. ``To you, Sammy.''

Mr. GUTIERREZ

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

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I intended to offer an amendment this afternoon that I believe makes dollars and makes sense. My amendment was based on the simple premise that government agencies responsible for administering programs with similar and complementary purposes can achieve greater success by working together in our urban communities. Interagency cooperation, the wise use of tax dollars and the development of innovative approaches that employ ideas from a variety of disciplines and sciences, should be promoted more often by this Congress. That is what my amendment sought to accomplish. Also, I believe that my amendment would have been timely. We are currently in the middle of what scientists predict will be the hottest July in some 600 years. We have never recorded a month hotter than the one we are currently experiencing. In the Midwest and New England, major utility corporations do not have the power to deal with the added costs of cooling urban areas. Rolling burnouts have already occurred and are predicted to occur with more regularity as the summer progresses and the heat rise. In Chicago, Commonwealth Edison says they are not sure who is going to get electricity at what point. However, the heat wave that currently grips our Nation, raising temperatures above 100 and the heat index above 110 in cities throughout America, is not an anomaly. This decade has witnessed the six hottest summers on record. We should begin to expect these types of weather effects more often. We should also note that excessive summer heat is worse in our cities and metropolitan areas. Thus we should focus our attention to our urban communities where dangerous summer heat has become a public health hazard. Currently, the Department of Energy conducts research into the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to the urban heat-island phenomenon. This research demonstrates that summer temperatures are 5 to 10 degrees higher in central cities than in surrounding areas. As my colleagues can imagine, the energy costs and air pollution resulting from these heat islands present critical problems for urban communities and their residents. But beyond the higher utility bills and air quality that heat islands foster are serious public health concerns that must also be addressed. I represent an urban constituency. Asphalt, brick and tar are common in my community. In 1995, in my congressional district alone, 100 people died because of excessive summer heat. Throughout the City of Chicago in mid-July of 1995, nearly 600 people died during the worst heat wave this decade. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study of heat waves demonstrates that in certain sections of the city the mercury was 10 degrees higher than in the suburbs of the City of Chicago. The heat index, which also factors in humidity as well, was nearly 15 degrees higher. Now, this year the Dallas area has witnessed the effects of urban heat island. For 15 straight days in Dallas the heat has reached 100 degrees or more. More than 80 people have died as a direct result of heat-related illnesses in the Dallas area and across the South. DOE research has shown that the heat-island phenomenon is prevalent throughout the country. I believe we should look for solutions to this serious public health concern. The Forest Service currently administers a program that should be integrated with the Energy Department's heat- island research to help lessen the effects of summer heat in urban areas. Between these two agencies, we understand the problem and we can come to an important solution. The DOE can supply the data that helps local communities plan where urban green space must be improved and expanded. The Forest Service can help local communities plant and maintain trees and flora. By cooperating, sharing, and working together, these agencies can fulfill their missions more effectively. I do not believe that additional appropriations are required by this amendment. The programs in question also will not have to be changed. What the amendment would have required is coordination and innovation, not dollars and regulation. Mr. Chairman, I feel strongly that this is a win-win situation for our government and cities. Developing solutions to problems of urban heat and pollution cannot be put off any longer. Let us get the agencies working together on this. Mr. Chairman, I will not offer my amendment today, but instead would ask to engage in a colloquy with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I would ask that the members of the subcommittee work with me to compel the Forest Service and the Department of Energy to sit down and coordinate their efforts to reduce heat and pollution in order to save energy and to save lives. I would urge the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the manager of the bill, to follow the progress of these agencies towards achieving that goal.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Ohio, and I look forward to working with him.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word for the purpose of entering into a colloquy with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), chairman of the committee. Mr. Chairman, today I intended to offer an amendment to provide funding to prevent the spread of a serious threat to our Nation's urban ecology. Action to stem the incursion of these pests is required immediately if we are to control and isolate this ecological hazard. Humans are not directly threatened by this insect; nevertheless, the flora that makes our communities livable and aesthetically pleasing places to inhabit is imperiled. The Asian Longhorn is a tree killer. The beetle prefers to gestate in the leafy, deciduous trees that line roads and avenues in urban and suburban neighborhoods. In killing our trees, the beetles implant their larvae in the bark of healthy trees. The larvae feeds off the tree's wood to grow, eventually felling their hosts, and then moving on to repeat this devastating cycle elsewhere. The ability of this insect to multiply and spread rapidly throughout our entire region is what makes the prompt action of our government, in conjunction with local authorities, so necessary. Currently, a 12-block area on Chicago's north side has been infected with the Asian Longhorn. Local ecologists fear that the zone of infestation may be larger than this area and are currently conducting expansive searches throughout the city to identify other infestations. Dealing with this threat is no easy task. The remediation of this intruder requires a painful solution. The felling of inspected trees is the only proven means of preventing the spread of Asian Longhorn throughout America. To date, there is no known usable pesticide to eradicate the beetles. Sadly, infected trees will have to come down. In parts of New York City, the site of an early infestation last year, more than 1,000 trees were felled to prevent the beetle's spread. The Federal Government provided technical support and $500,000 in assistance to New York with replanting efforts in affected communities. Mr. Chairman, I urge us to do the same in Illinois. The amendment I intended to offer would have appropriated $1 million for beetle eradication and the replacing of trees in infected areas. I feel strongly that our potential spread of this foreign intruder and the danger it poses to our urban ecology warrant Federal assistance to avert ecological disaster. Our memory of past ecological disasters should serve us well in rising to the challenges presented by the Asian Longhorn. As all baby boomers remember, our Nation's trees were visited by another alien pestilence in the 1960s. During that decade, Dutch Elm Disease killed hundreds of thousands of graceful elm trees in cities and towns throughout America. The quality of life was diminished. Property values declined. Since that period, many urban areas have never recovered their forestry resources. We can ill afford another blight of this nature. In Chicago, an aggressive tree planting program works to make the city green once again. The Asian Longhorn beetle threatens to derail our community's effort to make a beautiful, ecologically safe landscape. Stopping this pest before it spreads and replacing the trees lost to accomplish this goal are enterprises worth funding by Congress. Future generations will thank us for our foresight.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, once again, this Congress has failed to adequately support energy efficiency programs that work for the American people. This is a failure born of shortsightedness and is particularly troublesome given the challenges our Nation confronts in the next century. With regions around the world competing to develop the most efficient economies possible, we are holding ourselves back in this race by declining to support energy conservation. The Department of Energy's renewable energy and efficiency programs have been extremely successful. These programs have saved American consumers billions, and I underscore the word billions, of dollars in utility bills. They have made housing more affordable for low and moderate income families, and these vital programs have helped communities nationwide reduce air pollution levels that burden local industry and threaten public health. The evidence is clear, energy efficiency is a wise investment, an investment with substantial return for consumers, business and the environment. Every dollar cut from energy efficiency programs represents a lost opportunity to make our buildings and motor vehicles more efficient and less costly for manufacturers and owners. These cuts in energy funding take dollars directly out of the pockets of our constituents. I believe that the American people want government that works. They want a government that saves money and improves our quality of life. The amendment before us will restore adequate funding for programs that achieve these important goals. Mr. Chairman, a wise man once said that those who fail to see the forest through the trees are doomed to get lost in the woods. We are lost indeed. I ask all my colleagues to support the Skaggs-Fox amendment so that we may find a way to a cleaner environment and a stronger economy. I ask simply that we look at the heat waves that are affecting our cities across this Nation, how it is we are handing out simple fans to people and how many senior citizens are suffering because of lack of energy efficiency to the point where they will not put on their air conditioning system because the energy costs are so hard for them to burden. That is but one example across our Nation. From Massachusetts to Illinois to California to Texas and Florida, energy efficiency is important if we are going to deal with global change.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, I will not offer my amendment today, but instead will ask that the honorable gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior of the Committee on Appropriations, encourage the Forest Service to consider the situation in Chicago concerning the Asian Longhorn beetle infestation, and urge the Forest Service to devote necessary resources to eradicate the beetle and help the City of Chicago quickly replace the trees lost during this undertaking.

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

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Interior of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is simple. It accomplishes a goal that America's veterans believe is important and that Congress should strongly support. My amendment has been endorsed by the American Legion, AMVETS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and the Vietnam Veterans of America. Almost identical legislation that I introduced last year received strong bipartisan support. As the ranking Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health, I have become very familiar with the serious problem of sexual abuse and harassment in the military. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is responsible for treating the victims of these crimes and abuses. In my oversight role on the Health Subcommittee I have had the opportunity to speak with and learn from women veterans who suffered from this abuse. The high rate of sexual abuse in the armed services requires continued action on this issue. In 1996, approximately 190,000 women served in our armed services. That year, the Pentagon conducted a survey of active duty women and found that five percent of women had been the victims of sexual assault during their period of military service. National surveys conducted by the VA indicate that approximately 20 percent of women seeking services from VA medical facilities report having experienced a rape or other form of assault on active duty while 35 to 50 percent report suffering some form of sexual harassment. Such findings--and high profile news reports of incidents of abuse-- have made clear the existence of a very serious problem in our armed forces and the need to move more aggressively to end the tragedy of sexual violence and harassment. Rick Schultz, the executive director of the Vietnam Veterans of America, which supports this initiative, said, ``in our nation's fervor to prosecute the offenders, we must not forget to attend to the needs of the victims.'' This amendment puts those words into law. This amendment also is smart policy. The prevalence of substance abuse, homelessness, family breakdown, poverty and the receipt of public assistance is higher among women veterans who suffered from abuse during their military service than it is among the general women veterans population. The women veterans that I have spoke with told me that the VA's program had helped them turn their lives around. Helped them get off public assistance, to treat their addictions and become active in their families and communities once again. Sadly, the VA's sexual trauma treatment program is scheduled to expire at the end of their year. The possible termination of this program would be tragic for the thousands of women who have benefited from the services provided by the VA. More than 18,000 women veterans and 200 male veterans have sought and received therapeutic counseling at hundreds of VA medical facilities throughout America. I believe we have an obligation to maintain these services. Our failure to ensure a safe environment for women in the armed services compels us to reauthorize this vital program. Unfortunately, current law also does not enable all the victims of sexual abuse in the military to receive counseling at the VA. Current law excludes active and former reservists and national guard members from seeking this vital care. This is a serious oversight that needs correction. Female reservists have been the victims of sexual abuse while on active duty in the Gulf and in Bosnia. They have come back with the scars of these crimes and have not been afforded care at VA facilities. Reservists have also been the victims of these serious crimes during their active training. Unfortunately, these crimes often go unreported because the Defense Department refuses to investigate offenses that affect non-active duty soldiers. Because of this policy, no recourse exists for reservists and no care is provided. This is wrong and my amendment will correct this loophole. The Department of Veterans Affairs wants this program reauthorized until 2002 and Congress should comply with this request. The veterans community wants this program reauthorized and wants all the victims of sexual abuse during their military service to be eligible for proper treatment. As Josephus Vandengoobergh (VAN-DEN-GO-BER), the National Commander of AMVETS, states in a letter of support for my amendment, ``AMVETS strongly supports Congressman Guiterrez's amendment to HR 4194, to reauthorize and improve the VA's sexual trauma program. If nothing is done, this program will expire in December. We would like to see it established as a permanent program, we believe it has proved its worth.'' Today, our nation has more than 1.2 million women veterans. This amendment would respond to their needs and help them gain the recognition they deserve and care they have earned. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and honor our obligations to women veterans. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to enter for the Record the letter from Josephus Vandengoobergh, the National Commander of AMVETS, in support of my amendment.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I first want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Jose E. Serrano), the ranking minority member, for their fine work on the legislation currently being considered by the House. As we all know, making Congress work is no easy task. Their efforts, however, have made it easier for all of us to work more effectively for our constituents. I would also like to thank the gentleman from New York (Chairman Solomon) and the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Moakley) for their support in the Committee on Rules for my amendment. I am encouraged to see Members of both parties committed to making Congress a model of efficiency and innovation. When the Republicans took control of this institution in 1995, a number of promises were made regarding the manner in which government would work and serve the American people. We Democrats had some agreements with some of them. Nevertheless, we were able to work together in many important ways to reform congressional practices. Together, Members of both parties supported and passed the Congressional Accountability Act, to bring Congress under the laws mandated for the American people and Federal agencies. Today I ask for Members' support so we can build on that bipartisan accord. My amendment would simply oblige Congress to adhere to energy conservation standards that Congress has required for all Federal departments. By requiring the development and implementation of a comprehensive energy conservation plan for the buildings under our jurisdiction, we would be demonstrating to our people how government can function more efficiently and save taxpayers a million dollars, which would be illustrating the benefits of new and cleaner technologies, innovative contracting agreements, and cooperation between private and not-for-profit sectors. The Federal agencies have made significant progress in these areas. Since President Bush signed the Energy Policy Act of 1992, Federal agencies have made significant progress in these areas. Federal agencies have saved taxpayers, and I want to underscore this, more than $2.5 billion since 1985. This equates to a decrease in energy costs of 44 percent in constant 1995 dollars from $14.5 billion in 1985 to $8 billion in the year 1995. That means that between 1994 and 1995, $286 million was saved. Why should Congress not follow these steps? While Federal agencies have significantly reduced energy expenditures, Congress has seen its energy bill rise in each of the last 7 years. Congress now spends more than $32 million annually on energy bills. We can and should reverse this trend, and we should do it without short-term costs to the taxpayers. My amendment would permit the Architect of the Capitol to enlist private and not-for-profit resources to develop, plan, and achieve reduction targets. Currently the Department of Energy has been working with Federal agencies and private sector partners on innovative contracting methods that do not cost the taxpayers a cent. Under the Financing Renewal Energy and Efficiency or FREE savings contract, energy service companies pay for and install energy saving technologies and equipment in Federal buildings at no cost to the taxpayers. In reward, the private partners receive, for a designated number of years, about 50 percent of the savings when the building's energy bills go down. I feel strongly that the use of these contracting methods could help Congress reduce its energy expenditures by more than 20 percent by the year 2005. Mr. Chairman, in 1995 we agreed Congress should comply with the laws of the Nation. I am sure we can also agree that Congress should be a model of how government can function better. A greater commitment by Congress to cutting its own wasteful spending and to conserving natural resources is required to achieve this goal. Support this amendment, support a Congress that lives by the laws it passes. Support an energy-efficient congressional campus. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I would just like to say to the chairman and the ranking member, I thank them both for their consideration of my amendment. Together we will make the House a more efficient place. I thank them so much. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, in the afternoon of Monday, June 22, 1997, I was unavoidable delayed from reaching this chamber and therefore missed roll call vote number 252, the vote on the Foley amendment to H.R. 4060; roll call vote number 253, the vote on final passage on H.R. 4060, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill; roll call vote number 254, the vote on final passage of H.R. 4059, the Military Construction Appropriations bill; roll call vote number 255, to suspend the rules and pass H. Con. Res. 288 and roll call 256 to suspend the rules and pass H. Res. 452. I want the record to show that if I had been able to be present in this chamber when these votes were cast, I would have voted yea on each of them.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, our legislation often affects millions of people. Today I ask you to consider just one person, a young girl named Keysi Castillo. Keysi is your typical, happy 10-year-old except for one thing. She has a severe medical problem, a congenital heart condition requiring surgery, supervision and long-term care. But her troubles do not stop there. She and her mother face possible deportation. For anyone, that is serious. For Keysi it is a matter of survival. Her doctor has declared that being sent back to her native Honduras would be tantamount to a death sentence. Honduras lacks the health care that she requires and its climate and high altitude pose a considerable risk to her health. Keysi is too young to know about politics or immigration policy, but she knows that she is sick and you and I know we can help her. Today I will introduce a bill to do that, to enable Keysi to remain in the United States to receive the care she needs to prevent what her doctors call a death sentence. My colleagues, please help. Help change one life for the better. Help me pass the legislation for Keysi.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support putting the E, for education, back in the e-rate. One of the most touted accomplishments of the 104th Congress was the passage of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996. This legislation was hailed as the progenitor of a new era of technological innovation, entrepreneurial creativity and enhanced consumer choice in the telecommunications sector. But what has happened since telecom reform passed has been the opposite of what was promised. Local telephone rates have increased in many regions of our Nation. Competition has been threatened as major long-distance carriers rush to create a big brother bell from the babies antitrust had mandated a few years before. Telecom conglomerates that spent millions lobbying this institution for reform have reaped the rewards of their aggressive advocacy efforts. Their profits are soaring. However, despite these record gains, telecom's corporate giants have bluntly told our children that they are not going to honor their obligation to provide affordable technology for schools and libraries. Recently, new telephone service surcharges have been imposed on consumers by a number of telecommunications companies. These new fees will pass the costs of providing needed technology discounts to schools and libraries on to the consumers. This is intolerable. The e-rate program is one of the few sections of the telecommunications bill that can directly benefit our young people. The demands for technology in our schools is every-increasing and the longer we wait to meet this demand the further our Nation's children fall behind in the information age economy. The telecom giants have earned billions through telecom reform. They should keep their promise to America's children. Mr. Speaker, the E in e-rate is for education not evasion. I urge the telecom giants to support the education of our children and stop evading their responsibilities.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 404. I also take the floor to call on my colleagues to do more than simply commend the Phillipine people on this historic occasion. I also ask that we pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act-- House bill 836--this year. House bill 836 does more than offer cursory thank yous to the thousands of Filipino veterans who fought with us during World War Two. This bill provides the real compensation and veterans benefits that our government promised to these brave veterans in 1946. 100 years ago the people of the Phillipines won their independence from Spain. Since that time, the Phillipines has remained one of our nation's closest allies in Southeastern Asia. I commend the people of the Phillipines for reaching this important milestone. The resolution before us today thanks the people of the Phillipines for fighting on our side during the Second World War, Korea and Vietnam. Indeed, thousands of Filipinos died fighting for the freedoms that both our peoples now enjoy. At the terrible battles of Bataan and Corregidor, Filipino soldiers defended the American flag. They fought side by side with boys from Chicago, the plains of Kansas and other small towns and cities in America. They also suffered the brutality and inhumane treatment that the Japanese army inflicted on allied troops throughout 1941. These are historical facts that we recognized in resolutions passed in both chambers of Congress last year. Yet today, as we move to recognize our close ties to the people of the Phillipines, we sadly fail to honor the real debts we owe to these Filipino veterans who helped us keep the world free. It has been more than a half century since Congress rescinded veterans benefits to members of the Phillipine Commonwealth Army and Special Phillipines Scouts. This is a half century too long. So today, as we commemorate 100 years of relations between the United States and the Phillipines, I ask that we correct the injustices of the past by committing ourselves to greater action for Filipino veterans in the future. Let us pass House Resolution 404 today and let us pass House bill 836, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, later this session.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a sad duty today. I rise to present documents showing a direct link between campaign contributions and administration decisions that allowed military technology to be sold to a rogue nation. Yes, the Departments of Commerce and State took a series of steps allowing military sales to international pariahs. When was this? In the 1980s, during the Reagan administration. And one country buying the equipment, Iraq, would later turn those weapons on us. But why would Ronald Reagan do such a thing? Well, using the same tactics that other Members have used this week, I checked to see who benefited from those sales. Guess who? The same defense contractors who contributed millions and millions of dollars to the Republicans during the 1980s. Today we are hearing accusations of treason, of aiding Communist dictators. Well, according to the 1983 Washington Post article, the Commerce Department, then under Ronald Reagan, was found to have made decisions that ``enabled the Soviet Union to improve the accuracy of its nuclear missiles.'' We want to investigate sales of military technology? We want to tie campaign contributions to administration waivers or accuse the White House of aiding Communists? Let us investigate the President. President Ronald Reagan.

Mr. GUTIERREZ

Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to recognize the religious persecution and ethnic bigotry confronting the Assyrian Christian community in Eastern Turkey, Syria, Northern Iraq and Iran. As we consider the Freedom from Religious Persecution Act, I believe that the record should document our Nation's concern and commitment to stopping the violence and oppression facing the Assyrian people. The Assyrian people have faced persecution throughout their history. As a religious and linguistic minority throughout the Near East, Assyrian Christians have long been the victims of violence and repression. Forced assimilation and gross brutality against this persevering people have occurred too often. From the murder of thousands of Assyrians by the Iraqi military in August of 1933, known as the Simele Massacre, to the recent attacks on Assyrian villages in Northern Iraq by Kurdish terrorist factions, the Assyrian people have and still continue to be the victims of violent persecution for their beliefs and values. More than 30 Assyrians have been killed in Southeastern Turkey during the past three years. Assyrian Christians are caught in the escalating warfare that has long engulfed this crossroads at the head of two ancient rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. The conditions facing Assyrian Christians continue to deteriorate. It is also clear that our nation must do more to protect the Assyrian people, their unique culture and their religious freedoms. Reports of religious intolerance toward members of the Syriac Orthodox Church and the Church of the East have been documented by United Nations (UN) human rights observers. The education of young Assyrians about their history and the traditions of their ancestors has been prevented by national and local authorities across the region. This persecution threatens the ability of Assyrians to freely practice their faith in their ancient homeland. I believe our Government should pursue a policy that works to end this blatant religious bigotry toward Assyrian Christians. We must work with local and national leaders in Turkey to demand that the religious and civil rights of the Assyrian people be protected under Turkish laws. We must continue to pressure the various Kurdish factions across the region to respect the rights and autonomy of individual Assyrian towns and villages. We must also maintain the safe zone in Northern Iraq, to ensure that Saddam Hussein's tyranny cannot cause further destruction of the Assyrian community. The traditions and customs of the Assyrian people have endured for countless generations. Our Nation must do all it can to ensure that these proud people can continue to abide and thrive in their ancestral homeland for countless more.