Alcee Hastings

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I received a call from George Mador. Mr. Mador is the President of L & M Aircraft Services and he called my office looking for help. L & M is a small aircraft maintenance company that services charter airlines transporting passengers to and from the Bahamas. L & M only has seven employees and many of them have been with the company for a majority of the company's existence. However, in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, L & M is now facing imminent bankruptcy and its seven employees, therefore, are facing certain unemployment. George told me that he did not want to get out of bed this morning because of the reality that he will have to lay off at least half of his staff by the end of the week as a result of zero income in the past two weeks. Last week's payroll left George and some of his employees without a paycheck and L & M $500 in the hole. With no apparent income coming in this week, the future of L & M Airport Services and its seven employees are undoubtedly in jeopardy. At the three international airports serving my district, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, Palm Beach, and Miami, there are more than 300 small businesses just like L & M that are now on the verge of bankruptcy as a result of loss of income. In Miami-Dade County, the airline and aviation industry is the County's primary economic engine, representing more than nine percent of the County's total workforce. Thousands of employees have already or will lose their jobs, and hundreds of business will go under nationwide if Congress does not act today. To help remedy some of the future hardships sure to be faced by hundreds of thousands of people in the coming days, weeks, and months, I am proud to introduce the Displaced Workers Relief Act of 2001. My bill serves as the companion bill to S. 1454, which was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jean Carnahan of Missouri. It provides those who have lost their jobs in the wake of the attacks of September 11 with the ability to pay rent, put food on their table, buy school books for their children, while trying to live their lives even in these difficult times. My bill extends unemployment benefits from 26 to 78 weeks, provides 26 weeks of unemployment insurance benefits for workers who would not otherwise qualify, extends Job Training Benefits from 52 to 78 weeks, and provides up to 78 weeks of federally subsidized COBRA premiums; and provides optional temporary Medicaid coverage for up to eighteen months to those workers without COBRA coverage. Under the Displaced Workers Relief Act of 2001, all airline and airport workers, including transit workers, as well as employees who work for airline suppliers, such as service employees and plane manufacturers, will all be eligible to receive these needed benefits. In the past two weeks, more than 100,000 airline employees have been laid off, and airline analysts suggest that as many as 250,000 additional layoffs in airline-related industries may shortly follow. Everywhere I look in this country, industries and business are hurting. Hotels are reporting record lows in occupancy levels; travel agencies are losing customers by the dozen; the cruise industry has come to a virtual standstill; and service industries dependent upon airlines are closing their doors as we speak. As these businesses suffer, Mr. Speaker, so do their employees, many of whom no longer have jobs. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, last Friday evening, Congress missed a golden opportunity to assist American workers affected by this tragedy. Now, it is time for this body to recognize the responsibility it has to these hard working Americans and provide them with relief. The Displaced Workers Relief Act of 2001 is the vehicle which Congress can use to help these workers at a time that they need it most. For if we fail to act today, then we are neglecting the responsibility that we have to serve the very same people who put us here to represent them. It is essential that Congress move swiftly and pass this legislation immediately.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1583, a bill designating the federal building and courthouse in Albany, Indiana after my good friend Lee Hamilton. I am proud to stand before this body to honor my friend Lee Hamilton for this hard work and dedication to the people of this country. Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1931, Lee Hamilton is first and foremost an American. He is a Floridan as well, having left a great impression upon the people of Daytona Beach and throughout Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand before you today to recognize a man that I admire professionally and consider a close and genuine friend. Having followed his career success and admired his accomplishments of becoming one of the most honored members of Congress, I had the pleasure of following in Lee's footsteps on serving on both the House Committee on International Relations and later on House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence upon which he was distinguished the Chair. What stands out about Lee and compels me to rise before you today, is not merely his accomplishments and political gains, but the fact that he distinguished himself over 34 years in Congress as a dedicated public servant and continue to embrace that integrity at the highest levels. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute my close friend, Lee Hamilton for his significant contributions, hard work and dedication to promoting democracy. I urge my colleagues to support of H.R.1583 designating the federal building and courthouse in Indiana after my praiseworthy friend Lee Hamilton.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1266, the Secret Evidence Repeal Act of 2001.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Frost), the distinguished ranking member, my friend, for yielding me this time; and I rise to oppose the rule. I consider the airline industry to be the linchpin of our way of life in America. It is the fuel that provides the engine for our economy here and worldwide. A safe, secure, stable industry is all of our objectives as policymakers. On Tuesday, airlines were grounded as a matter of defense. On Wednesday, workers living from paycheck to paycheck were driven into the ground. We have a responsibility in a bipartisan manner to protect airplanes and to protect people. I can assure my colleagues that all of us know that in the past week nearly 100,000 airline employees have been laid off as a result of the terrorist attacks. In the coming days, weeks, and months it is almost certain that the number of layoffs in the airline industry, as well as the industries directly and indirectly affected by airline travel, will drastically increase by thousands. Analysts point out that the airline industry has a high multiplier effect. For every 100 jobs created by the airline industry, an additional 250 jobs are created by those industries who service the airline. In turn, as many as 250,000 workers may be on the brink of losing their jobs as a result of the layoffs of just the past week. The human dimension means domestic violence will increase. It means that crime will increase. It means that child abuse will increase. I suffer, as does every Member of this House, with every victim; and we should restore them. I, for one, believe we should rebuild the World Trade Center; and I think we have some responsibility to build the Pentagon immediately. And we should open National Airport. The Air Transportation System Stabilization Act, as introduced, does very little to provide relief to the workers who already have been or shortly will be displaced as a result of the terrorist attacks. The amendment that I offered in the Committee on Rules today would have provided needed relief to these hardworking Americans while at the same time helping to stimulate our economy. What I want to know from the Members is why are we going home when we have the responsibility not only to the airline but we have a responsibility to extend unemployment benefits for those who work for the airline? Why are we going home, when we could stay here tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday and extend job training benefits for people we know will lose their job, or provide more weeks of federally subsidized consolidated omnibus budget reconciliation premiums, and provide optional temporary Medicaid coverage for those workers without COBRA? I think we should defeat this rule. We should protect the airline industry and the workers. We should do it all and do it now.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, Stewart Meltzer, the nephew of Harvey Meltzer, died at the World Trade Center yesterday. When Harvey called me, as is the case with so many of us here with our constituents, I was stunned and had little that I could say to him. America changed yesterday, and it is changed for all time to come. My overwhelming sense of horror, grief and, yes, vulnerability cannot adequately be put into words. Obviously, my thoughts and fervent prayers are with the friends and families that have been touched most personally by these cowardly, cunning attacks. Like many Members, I have constituents, as I have said, who lost loved ones yesterday. My heart aches for them. My heart aches not only for them but for all America today. We were all victims yesterday. But we stand here today to say to the citizens of our Nation and the world at large, America is taller than the World Trade Center, bigger than the Pentagon, and mightier than any destructive device. America is an idea. This idea will never be extinguished by despicable acts of terrorism. Indeed, the resolve of every American to recommit ourselves to our ideals will be strengthened forever. This is the spirit of America, today, tomorrow and in perpetuity. Today, we say to the rest of the world, though the color of our skin and the religions that we preach may differ, Americans throughout this great country stand united as one against anything that seeks to destroy the liberty and freedom we enjoy. When American liberty and freedom is threatened, we do not recoil but we rise up. Make no mistake, the United States will not stand for these types of attacks on our soil or in other lands. This is our history, and it is our destiny. Mr. Speaker, it has been said before but bears repeating today, freedom is not free. Yes, the cost of our freedom can be steep. In the land of the free and the home of the brave, the pulse of America can be felt everywhere we go. It can be felt in the streets of New York where thousands of firefighters, police officers, doctors, paramedics, and volunteers are working to save the lives of those who have survived and recover the bodies of those who have perished. It can be felt right here in Washington where the government of this great land continues to work in this darkest of hours. It can be felt in the towns and cities throughout the country where Americans refuse to stop living their lives in the wake of yesterday's terror. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, mere words are not enough to convey my feelings or the feelings of my colleagues today. However, like Abraham Lincoln said at Gettysburg, ``The United States will guarantee today that those who died yesterday will not have died in vain.''

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the National Commission on Federal Election Reform released its report highlighting a variety of reforms that need to occur in our country's faltering election system. While I do not agree with all of the Commission's views, I do agree with the report's recommendation to establish a federal holiday on Election Day. Today, however, I am taking the Commission's recommendation one step further and introducing the Election Weekend Act. My bill changes our nation's election day from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November to the first consecutive Saturday and Sunday in November. Furthermore, it expresses the sense of Congress that private sector employers provide their employees with one day off during Election Weekend to allow them ample opportunity and time to cast their ballot without having to leave work. Each Election Day, employees are faced with the difficult task of balancing their work schedules with their family responsibilities, while trying to find time to make it to the polls. My bill recognizes the undue amount of pressure Americans face when trying to participate in the democratic process. It acknowledges the fact that a great deal of Americans are unable to leave their jobs in the middle of the day and vote because our elections occur on a Tuesday, a day when almost all Americans are working. As more and more Americans enter the workforce, the choice they are forced to make between working or voting has resulted in decreased voter turnout. In the last election, barely 51 percent of our country's eligible voters actually voted. Also, consider that in the last election, only 48 percent of those who voted cast a ballot for our current President. That means that 48 percent of the 51 percent of people who actually voted last November voted for him. To put it in a different perspective, less than one-quarter of all those eligible to vote voted for our current President--talk about pitiful. Even more, the percentage is even smaller in low and middle income communities where individuals do not enjoy the luxury of taking a three hour lunch to eat and vote. For many, the hour they lose in wages when they go to the polls may mean the difference between paying the bills or finding themselves out on the street. It is irresponsible of us to continue forcing Americans to choose between a pay check, family time, or democracy. It is the Constitutional privilege of every American to vote. In moving our nation's election day to the first full weekend in November and extending it from one day to two days, we recognize the responsibility that we have to our constituents and our democratic heritage. We should be doing everything we can to protect the integrity of our election system by not only encouraging Americans to vote, but making it more convenient for them to do so.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce a resolution calling on the U.S. Postal Service to honor the Fisk Jubilee Singers with a commemorative stamp. The Fisk Jubilee Singers are true heroes in the fight for civil rights and racial equality in education. Their heritage goes back more than one hundred and thirty years to just after the Civil War. These singers are part of a unique group of former slaves who made it their passion to achieve the kind of education that they did not have access to before emancipation. Their spirit has been felt all across this nation and around the world, and it is my honor to stand before you today to tell you about the legacy of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, whom I hold near to my heart. The Fisk School was founded in Nashville, Tennessee, just after the end of the Civil War. This school was intended to transcend the racial divide, with the founders of the University opening the doors of education to all persons, regardless of their race. Recently emancipated slaves, ecstatic at the limitless possibilities for freedom offered by learning, took it upon themselves to create in the Fisk School an educational institution that would give to them a sense of profound moral purpose in the great American democracy. The sale of slave paraphernalia paid for the opening of the school, and in 1867 the Fisk School became Fisk University, now the oldest university in Nashville. Fisk University's accomplishments in the advancement of educational opportunities for African-American's is far too long to mention here. I will tell you briefly that some of the most honored African-American artists, thinkers and activists attended or were involved with Fisk, including W.E.B. DuBois, Booker T. Washington, Charles Spurgeon Johnson, James Weldon Johnson, and Thurgood Marshall, to name a few of the more distinguished African-Americans. Indeed, Fisk University played an enormously profound role in the advancement of black learning and culture in America. I am both humbled by and proud of the time that I, too, spent at Fisk University. Many of the values I hold dear to my heart today I learned from my colleagues and professors at Fisk. It was in 1871 that a group of students formed the Fisk Jubilee Singers, a choral group, with the intent to raise money for their beloved University. That same year, these singers took all of the money from the school's treasury and used it to tour around the United States and Europe. During that tour they raised enough money to preserve the University and to construct Jubilee Hall, which became the South's first permanent structure built for the education of black students. This building has also been dedicated as a National Historic Landmark. I swell with pride to tell you that the Jubilee Singers were the first internationally acclaimed African-American musicians. They introduced so-called ``slave songs'' to the world and are considered responsible for preventing that historic and spiritual music from extinction. The Fisk Jubilee Singers still perform to this very day. Mr. Speaker, the Fisk Jubilee Singers have made a lasting contribution to racial equality and black culture in America. They introduced the spiritual as a musical genre, and demonstrated a truly unique commitment to their education. It is time that we in Congress honor their incredible achievements in such a manner that all of America will come to know of their commitment. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to pass my resolution encouraging the Postal Service to issue a postage stamp commemorating the legacy and achievements of the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 212, sponsored by myself and my good friend from California, the Ranking Member of the House International Relations Committee, Mr. Lantos. It is easy to believe that in the twenty-first century, racism, like a rabbit under a magician's hat, has simply disappeared with the abracadabra of superficial legislation and the convenience of turning a blind eye. But for those of us who prefer to see the truth rather than a prefabricated illusion, we must recognize the need for international cooperation to address racism at the U.N. World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' It is wrong, however, to combat racism with provisions that are racist themselves. Without a doubt, it is unacceptable for anti-Semitic language to be used in the conference's Program of Action to address the Arab-Israeli conflict. The notion of equating Zionism with racism is one that we rejected over twenty years ago when we spoke out vehemently against a U.N. resolution that made such an insidious claim. Thus, it is critical that we carefully consider the consequences of attending a conference that promotes a tenet we simply cannot accept. At the same time, we must reaffirm our commitment to working together with the international community to eradicate global discrimination and establish ourselves as a leader in this cause. We cannot let our silence speak for us now. This legislation, Mr. Speaker, promotes U.S. support of the World Conference Against Racism and encourages us to take action in a manner consistent with our American values of racial and religious tolerance. It is essential that we support such legislation and not allow our global fight against racism to vanish into thin air or be diminished by language that exacerbates the problem rather than fixing it. I urge my colleagues to support this unique opportunity to address global discrimination and to support House Resolution 212.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in commemoration of the life of an inspirational leader and a truly committed social activist, my good friend, the late Charles Spencer Pompey. At a time when Martin Luther King Jr. had not yet shared his dream of racial equality with America, Mr. Pompey challenged the injustices of segregation with his work ethic and his passion. ``If you are ever fired from a job,`` Spencer Pompey would say, ``let it not be because of the color of your skin, or the lack of preparedness to do the job.'' Today, Congress must be prepared to do its job, and continue to tear down the barriers of racial inequity that linger within our nation. When Mr. Pompey came to Palm Beach County in 1939, as one of five teachers at Washington Junior High School, it was clear that separate but equal was more of a rhetorical myth than a reality. Black students were taught in dilapidated buildings, using supplies that white schools had discarded. To make matters worse, black teachers could not join the only teachers' union of the time, the Florida Education Association. Always a crusader, Mr. Pompey organized black teachers to form the Palm Beach County Teachers Association and served as the group's first president. Twenty-four years later, he was named to the board of the Florida Education Association, which had once made the mistake of judging him by his skin color rather than the content of his character. Perhaps the most inspirational aspect of Mr. Pompey's life was his unwavering dedication to helping youth in his community. He was the first individual, white or black, to develop a program of organized recreation for young people, working through the Naciremas Club. In addition, Mr. Pompey served as a coach of several champion football teams, emphasizing the importance of being a scholar as well as an athlete. As a principal, teacher, and coach, as well as a religious leader, Mr. Pompey taught a generation of young black Floridians to dream, to aspire, and to persevere. Mr. Speaker, in proper tribute to the legendary activist, Charles Spencer Pompey, I urge Congress to recommit to the goal of promoting improved race relations. We cannot allow the specter of segregation to haunt our institutions, and we cannot allow glass ceilings or lack of resources to impede the progress of our growing minority communities. Let us guarantee that an individual's right to vote is held sacred, regardless of his or her race. Let us not forget the past and abandon policies of affirmative action, which will ensure that our history of discrimination can be overcome and replaced by success for all in the twenty-first century. We have a duty to all American citizens to preserve the legacy and teachings of Charles Spencer Pompey, a true friend and a true American hero.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Capps amendment to the VA-HUD Appropriations bill. This is a good amendment, and I applaud the gentlewoman from California, Ms. Capps, for offering it to a bill that clearly has missed the mark on its funding priorities. The Capps amendment earmarks $25 million to the Emergency Management Planning and Assistance account to continue funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Project Impact. This amendment restores the amount of funding to Project Impact at the same level this body approved last year. For the more than 250 communities in all fifty states who participate in Project Impact, it is essential that the House approve this amendment. In the nearly four years that this program has been in existence, it has been a low cost way to save lives and prevent damage in the case of natural disasters and other emergencies. For the State of Florida, Project Impact is needed and utilized. In fact, in my district, the City of Deerfield Beach has been a beneficiary of Project Impact since the Project's creation in 1997. In addition, Miami-Dade County, just two months ago, was recognized by Project Impact for the county's ongoing efforts in dealing with local emergencies. Tampa, Jacksonville, and Pensacola, as well as Brevard and Volusia Counties, all participate in Project Impact. Any cut in funding will be felt state-wide. Fortunately, the hurricane season has been kind to Florida since Project Impact began to assist South Florida. Regardless, if we do not fund this program today, I fear what will occur next time a Hurricane Andrew sweeps across South Florida. While we may not see the effects of out budget cuts today, the effects of Hurricane Andrew, which destroyed South Florida nearly a decade ago, are still seen and felt by my constituents. When Project Impact was founded in 1997, former FEMA Director James Lee Witt recognized the importance of preparing for a natural disaster. While giving a speech in Miami, he noted, ``We've got to change the way we deal with disasters. We have to break the damage-repair, damage- repair cycle. We need to have communities and businesses come together to reduce the cost and consequences of disasters.'' Mr. Chairman, we have got to change the way we deal with disasters. Too many communities today are inadequately prepared to deal with natural disasters. Contrary to what some may believe, failing to adequately fund Project Impact is not an effective tool in changing the way we deal with disasters. By not funding this needed program, we risk the lives of thousands throughout this great country. This is unacceptable, and for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to recognize the importance of Project Impact and support the Capps amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, with health care costs rising astronomically and millions of Americans feeling abused and neglected by their health care providers, it is high time that we in Congress do something to alleviate this situation. Americans feel vulnerable to the financial whims of the health care industry and they worry that their health will suffer because health care providers are more concerned with the bottom line on their quarterly reports rather than the line on a patient's heart monitor. I feel that it is my duty to stand up for the American people to protect them from runaway costs and abusive health care services. I rise today to introduce the Prescription Drug Consumer Information Act of 2001. This bill directs the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to prepare and publish an annual consumer guide detailing prescription drug prices. This catalog will prove invaluable both to consumers and to health care providers. This is a logical and necessary step in the process of ensuring affordable health care of every person in this country who buys prescription drugs. I submit that every single one of us is currently paying too much for quality health care. Health insurance programs in the United States cover tens of millions of elderly and disabled persons. While these programs do provide quality coverage for many health care services, they often lack effective prescription drug benefits for the people who need them the most. This bill is a wonderful and significant first step in the process of providing those benefits. Under the Prescription Drug Consumer Information Act of 2001, a complete consumer guide to all current and available prescription drugs will be distributed across the country. This catalog will contain a list of prices for all prescription drugs in an easy-to-understand format organized by therapeutic category so that the reader will be able to quickly peruse the various drugs for his or her specific condition. This catalog will be updated annually, and additional updates may be sent out during the year if a change were to occur in a drug's availability or price. Mr. Speaker, this catalog will have numerous advantages for both consumers and health care providers. The most obvious advantage is that this catalog will enable the reader to quickly determine what drugs are available to treat his or her condition. Consumers will also be able to reduce their expenses for prescription drugs by comparing the prices of various drugs side by side. The convenience of being able to look up any prescription drug on the market for information about its price and effectiveness will prove to be an invaluable coup for the health care consumer. My bill will also have advantages for health care providers. With this catalog, health care providers will be able to determine very easily the cost-effectiveness of certain prescription drugs as compared to other prescription drugs and therapies. This will result in a lower cost overall for both the health care provider and the consumer, as health care providers will be able to choose the most cost-effective prescription drug for their patients. Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to vote favorably on this important piece of legislation. My bill is a meaningful, proactive, and decent effort on our part to help the people that need our help. How could anyone possibly be against providing the American people with the information that they need to ensure that they receive the best health care possible? We all talk about the importance of extending prescription drug benefits to the American people. Mr. Speaker, my bill, which will benefit the American people by enabling them to have access to accurate and timely information about prescription drugs, is an important first step, and I sincerely hope that this House will recognize it as so.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce a bill which authorizes the use of a vessel to transport the naval harbor tug U.S.S. Hoga to Port Everglades, Florida, for use as a memorial to veterans and provide vocational seamanship training. This bill will carry out the longstanding intent of Congress in preserving and protecting historic landmarks and national monuments. The U.S.S. Hoga is recognized by the United States Park Service as a national monument, and appears in the national register of historic places. Unfortunately, the U.S.S. Hoga is no longer seaworthy, and cannot safely be towed on the open sea. If towed through the water, it may fall apart, and we stand to lose this national monument forever. Thus, I encourage you, Mr. Speaker, and my colleagues here in Congress, to support this initiative that will allow a means to transport the U.S.S. Hoga on a transporter vessel, enabling the ship to arrive undamaged to the state of Florida. Veterans have long been the thread holding together out nation, defining American independence, and ensuring American freedom. Despite the high concentration of World War II veterans in Florida, with the majority of them calling South Florida home, the state of Florida is the only coastal state without a commemorative World War II warship. This legislation will assist the U.S.S. Hoga Association in transporting the U.S.S. Hoga to its final resting place at the New River in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Mr. Speaker, in the next two decades, the last of the World War II veterans will have passed on. As an immobile World War II veteran, the U.S.S. Hoga will be a place for future generations to pay homage to those who fought bravely under and for the United States flag. The U.S.S. Hoga is indeed a national treasure, and will serve many additional uses in the state of Florida. Currently, boatyards are underemployed, and fewer Americans consider a calling to defend our great country. In addition to being a memorial, the U.S.S. Hoga will be used to train students in seamanship duties and promote national defense by preparing young Americans for service in the United States Navy. Finally, Mr. Speaker, let me say that I take a great deal of pride in the fact that South Florida boasts one of the nation's highest percentage of World War II veterans. I would also like to commend the U.S.S. Hoga Association for the tremendous work and effort it has contributed to attain this goal. As we approach the 65-year mark commemorating the beginning of World War II, I ask that we fulfill a small request made by Florida veterans to aid them in transporting a tribute to those citizens who fought for our country. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to submit this amendment to the VA-HUD Appropriations bill. This amendment would appropriate an additional $1 million to the Veterans Health Administration. I had another amendment that would come later, but I am not going to offer it in the interest of the time of all of the membership of this body, but I am determined to try and do something about the hypocrisy that sometimes abounds in this Congress. I want to make it very clear that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), the chairman of the subcommittee; the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan); the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the full committee; and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), the ranking member of the full committee, have done the very best that they can within the budgetary boundaries under which they must operate. The arguments that we are making do not go, in the final analysis, to class warfare, they go to: What is it that motivates us as individuals to want to take care of the needs of this country? It is commonly said, ``The mark of a great country is not what it does for those with the most, but for what it does for those with the least.'' This bill clearly does not do enough, having argued that the persons who have the responsibility of perpetrating it have done what they can, but it does not mean all of us did everything that we could. Public housing is grossly underfunded in this bill. This underfunding harms the people who depend on Congress to help them live meaningful lives. Without it, many could be evicted from their homes and forced into the streets. Congress, this institution, I think, tends to forget that we are talking about real people, about real families; people who depend on all of us, all 435 here and the 100 in the other body, to do something about their problems, to look out for them and to work to ensure that their lives are not wasted away in degradation and poverty. It is not an abstract issue of refunding a few hundred dollars to people who do not really need the money. Let me address the gentleman from Florida, my dear friend and colleague, that said that not many would send theirs back. I would send mine back in the morning if I knew that it was going to provide for veterans; if I knew that it was going to provide for public housing in this country that is desperately in deterioration and in need of assistance from all of us. Let me give as an analogy what transpired in the great State of Florida that I am a fifth generation person from. Living there all of these years, we came to a point where we decided 2 years ago that we were going to give the taxpayers, me, my mama, everybody else in Florida, $1 billion back, while our schools were deteriorating, while our election system was putrid, and while all of the circumstances surrounding those who are impoverished in our State were continuing to deteriorate. Ostensibly, each one of us was supposed to get $260. I never got my check. What it was was hocus-pocus. It was a whole bunch of mysterious accounting; but yet, when the legislature convened this year, there was a $1 billion shortfall, and still the schools are crumbling, still the schools are overcrowded. Yes, the poor are desperate. The gentleman from Wisconsin was correct. None of us need not make an apology at all about caring, and every man and woman in this institution cares about veterans. But how did we address them? We did not address them. According to the major veterans' organizations, this bill provides less than one-half the amount that is considered necessary to ensure decent health care for our Nation's veterans. Veterans put their lives on the line. We come down here and say that all the time. They put their lives on the line for all of us; they left their families for us. I traveled with my Republican colleagues very recently to Normandy and we stood there and saw what veterans have done on behalf of all of us, and there was not a man or woman among us, and it was a bipartisan group, that did not leave there teary-eyed, mindful that we were standing on the shoulders of those 9,000 people, including countless others, who gave us this right to come here and try to do something for everybody, not just for a handful of people in our country. Yet, we are not willing to pay even half of what veterans should receive.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh). I thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan), the ranking member, and maybe the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Foley); and I can use it on the 45th Street Veterans Administration Building.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

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

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to my good friend and colleague, the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. I yield to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that the amendment I offered be withdrawn.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, this morning in the Committee on Rules, which you Chair, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) said the following: ``225 have passed where the Federal Government has committed zero dollars for the infrastructure in States and localities. This must change, and it must change now.'' Mr. Chairman, I wanted to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young), for his interest in this issue. His presence here on the floor as our debate has proceeded sends a clear message to anyone who does not wish to see election reform succeed. I also would like to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for his continuing efforts in producing an election reform package that is acceptable to all sides. Also I would like to thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Istook) for his efforts and willingness to participate with us and the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) for his leadership in this body and the entire caucus. In addiction, I would like to thank the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney) for his leadership on this issue as well. The chairman has pointed out that the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Ney), the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), a lot of us, have been discussing this matter, not in the light of the public as we have here today, but in an effort to really try to get something done. I am confident that under the leadership of these individuals, we will succeed in once again bringing dignity to the American election system. One of my colleagues from California pointed out inequities with reference to military ballots. I did not bother to try to take a shot at him, because the election is over. It is time for us to move forward and reform our election system in this Nation. I challenge this body to roll up its sleeves and pass meaningful election reform. Mr. Chairman, with that, with the chairman's final remarks, I am prepared to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Baltimore, Maryland (Mr. Cummings).