Maurice Hinchey

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an exciting event between the Ulster County, New York United Travel Soccer Club and the Shrewsbury House Soccer Club of England. On August 30th and 31st, the two Soccer Clubs will compete against each other in the Cantine Field Sports Complex in my hometown of Saugerties, New York. The matches will promote a greater understanding between the players and continue the great tradition of cooperation between the United States and England. The players from England will be staying with families in Saugerties, which will serve as an educational experience for the players and citizens of Saugerties. Indeed, as our world becomes increasingly connected, it is critically important that we provide opportunities for our children to interact with different cultures. The athletic contests will help facilitate an exchange of ideas and I am pleased to welcome the Shrewsbury House Soccer Club to Ulster County. The Ulster United Travel Soccer Club is an important resource for the young people of my district. Indeed, the club promotes teamwork, sportsmanship, positive thinking and physical fitness. In addition, the Club is a member of the Northern Catskill Youth Association (NCYA) and participates in tournaments throughout the Northeast. I applaud the Ulster United Travel Soccer Club for its steadfast commitment to our young people. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to salute the Ulster United Travel Soccer Club and the Shrewsbury House Soccer Club for arranging this unique international competition.

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, this amendment is necessary. It is necessary, particularly in light of some of the omissions in the pension bill that passed the House yesterday. Among those omissions was the failure to deal with the increasing propensity of many major corporations across America to move from defined benefit pension plans to cash balance pension plans, and thereby, as a result of that move, reducing pension benefits for the more senior employees in the organization. So this amendment is absolutely necessary. It draws attention to that omission, and, in fact, it draws attention of the IRS to the fact that its responsibilities with regard to pensions has to be observed, particularly, those responsibilities with regard to protecting older employees in their retirement. This amendment is necessary. It should be passed.

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, extend my appreciation for the leadership that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), chairman of the Committee on International Relations, is showing with regard to the introduction of this measure. What the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is doing here, I think, is extremely important; and the importance of it will resound for many years, decades and longer into the future. I also want to express my appreciation to Roger Bowen, who is the president of the State University College at New Paltz for his interest in international studies and promoting study abroad. The bill of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is an extremely important measure. Obviously, it is important for these students who will be the primary beneficiaries in that they will have the opportunity to travel and study in a foreign country and get all of the benefits that flow from such an experience, benefits of interacting with the culture that is different from their own, benefits from having the opportunity to become more familiar with the language which is different from their own, and also opportunities to expand their own personal knowledge and experience. But the beneficiaries of this bill go far beyond the individuals who will be initially benefited. In fact, I think, Mr. Speaker, the initiative of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) will benefit the country as a whole. As we find more and more that we are put in the position of being the principal leader militarily and economically in so many places around the world, nevertheless, at the same time, we find that so many of our students, future leaders in this country, are unaware of foreign cultures and inadequately versed in foreign languages. That leaves us unable in many ways to take the kind of leadership role which we ought to and appropriately would be taking. The legislation of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is going to fill that gap. More and more students who would not have the opportunity because of their financial situation to travel and study abroad will now be given the opportunity to do so. Their benefits will inure to themselves, to their families and to their future. But those benefits also will inure in a very profound and long lasting way to the benefits of our country and the other countries around the world with which we interact. So I think that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) is doing something here today that is very, very important; and I hope that all of us will fully recognize the significance of his initiative and that we will all support it very enthusiastically.

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I wanted to say a word about the amendment offered by the gentleman from Colorado, because I think that it is important that the full dimensions of the effect of his amendment be more clearly understood by the Members of the House. One of the strengths of American agriculture is its diversity. We grow enormous amounts of food and fiber in this country. We do it in very diverse ways under very diverse circumstances. I suppose that some people living on the edge of the Great Plains may not have an appreciation for the small farms that exist in other parts of the country. The gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) told us quite a bit about the circumstances of family farming in Vermont. Those circumstances are very similar to those that exist in New York and other places in New England and in the central States, as well; I think on the West Coast, in many instances, also, as well as many parts of the South. As we have heard from some of our colleagues, that occurs in the Midwest, also. In many areas, particularly in areas where farmers are trying to survive on the edge of metropolitan centers, there is great pressure coming out of those metropolitan centers for the land on which agriculture now is carried out. We have a great interest in this country, I think, in keeping that land in agriculture and supporting those farmers who live near metropolitan centers and doing everything we can to help them continue in agriculture. That is, first of all, because the products that they produce are important to us. The food and fiber that comes out of those farms is important to those metropolitan areas and to other places all across the country. So we have an interest in keeping those farms viable, successful, economically strong, allowing those family farms to make a living and helping them to do so. We perform in a variety of ways here in this Congress to support agriculture. Just earlier this year we provided $5.5 billion, $5.5 billion in supplemental crop payments for farmers who needed assistance in the Great Plains and elsewhere. I live far away from the Great Plains, but I understand the problems of agriculture in the Great Plains. I supported that $5.5 billion of supplemental payments and crop insurance in that bill. I did so because I have an appreciation for the problems that those farmers are facing out in the Great Plains and elsewhere who would benefit from that kind of support from the Federal government. The Federal government has a strong and long history of providing support for agriculture here in the United States. That I think is appropriate, and we should continue to do so. What we are asking for here today, the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders) and myself and the others who sponsor this small amount of money in the agriculture appropriations bill, is simply this, a recognition of the kind of circumstances under which agriculture on small farms, in orchards, in vegetable farms, in vineyards and other similar circumstances around the country, have to operate in order to survive. Agricultural tourism is increasingly becoming a very important part of that, a very important part of their economics, the economics that allows them to continue operating their farms, feeding their families, providing the produce from those farms that are so highly valued by the other Americans who consume them. This is an important program. Yes, it is relatively new, but it is very important. I hope that the vast majority of the Members of this House will join all of the rest of us who have spoken on this bill this afternoon in showing that we appreciate agriculture in its great diversity. We appreciate the small vegetable farms, we appreciate the orchards that grow apples and other fruits. We appreciate the vineyards that grow vines for the production of wine and other agricultural products from those vines. We want to do what we can to sustain those farmers in agriculture; keep that land out of other less appropriate, less environmentally sound, less ecologically healthy development, keep it in agriculture. The way to do that in large measure, Mr. Chairman, is by supporting agricultural tourism and this small amount of money that is asked for in this appropriations bill.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. I want to say a word with regard to the amendment that just passed. The American Heritage Rivers program is one of the proud initiatives of the Clinton administration. I think that as the years go by, it will be increasingly recognized as such. A decade from now, indeed, 100 years from now, people will recognize that the American Heritage Rivers initiative coming from the Clinton administration was one of the important environmental initiatives, among many, that the Clinton administration has been responsible for. I am very proud to be a supporter of that initiative, and I am also very proud that New York contains two of the rivers that have been designated in this initiative, the Hudson River and the Upper Susquehanna, Lackawanna Rivers. I want to say also with regard to the amendment that just passed, although it is an amendment that does absolutely no harm, it is also an amendment that was, in fact, unnecessary, because as a result of the cooperation of the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture of the Committee on Appropriations, we were able to place language in the bill which removed any ambiguity whatsoever with regard to the Department of Agriculture's ability to fund the Upper Susquehanna and Lackawanna River and the Hudson River American Heritage Rivers. It is a fact that these are the only two rivers that are funded in any way by the Department of Agriculture. The other American Heritage Rivers are funded through other appropriations bills and are under the auspices of other agencies. So with the cooperation of our chairman, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen), we were able to take care of any problem that may have been foreseen to have existed with regard to these heritage rivers; and the language in the bill makes it clear that the Department of Agriculture may, in fact, and will, in fact, continue to fund the Hudson River navigators and the Susquehanna, Upper Susquehanna/ Lackawanna Rivers and other aspects that relate to the American Heritage Rivers program of these two rivers, these two rivers being the only two rivers that, in the American Heritage Rivers initiative, are funded through the Department of Agriculture and, therefore, under the jurisdiction of this bill.

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my leader, for yielding me this time. First of all, I want to express my appreciation to our chairman. I have never met a more affable man, nor a better gentleman, and to say it has been a pleasure to serve under his leadership for the past 2 years on this subcommittee is, frankly, an understatement. It has been more than that, and it has been a learning experience as well. I particularly want to thank our chairman for the help and consideration that he and his staff provided in recognizing some of the agricultural problems that exist in the northeastern part of the country and elsewhere as well. Particularly with regard to apples and, to some extent potatoes, as a result of that cooperation, we were able to obtain in this bill $115 million, which will provide assistance for apple-growers in New England and New York and elsewhere around the country whose crop has been hard hit, first of all, by economic circumstances and secondly, by weather, hurricanes, and hail over the course of the last couple of years. I can tell my colleagues that the apple farmers in New York are going to be very grateful for this assistance. It is modest assistance. Yes, it is. Nevertheless, it is assistance that is very desperately needed and will be very greatly appreciated. In addition to that, we have another amendment in this bill which I was able to pass through the subcommittee again, with the blessings of my chairman and the help of the staff to provide $57 million for additional rural development. I think that that is very important. The bill itself underfunded rural development, not because of deficiencies in the approach by our Chairman, but by the fact that the allocation was so low. Now with his assistance, we have been able to provide an additional $57 million in rural development assistance in various places across the country. So for these two measures particularly, I want to express my appreciation to the chairman for this legislation. I do not want to give the impression that that is perfect by any means. There are certain aspects of the bill which need improving which we will point out as we go through the debate, but I do want to again express my appreciation to the chairman for his leadership and for the pleasure it has been working with him through this process.

Mr. HINCHEY

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) for bringing this issue before the House in this way. It is about time that this body faced this issue squarely. We have been ignoring it now for too many years. It was only several years ago that a bill came before us which changed the way we deal with immigrants in very stark and dramatic ways. I am one of those who voted against that bill at that time because I was fearful that the kind of circumstance that this amendment addresses would arise, and it would arise all too soon. And most certainly it has. The gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell), I think in his opening remarks, put it very, very well. The fundamental right of any person to face their accuser and to know the basis upon which that accusation is made is, and ought to be, ingrained in our law, in our being, in our essence, in our society, in every way; and we ought to fight and struggle to the utmost of our ability when anyone tries to take it away from us. This is the way liberty is lost, by degrees, by inches, incrementally, not by huge gaps but by tiny measures, by tiny measures that grow into larger ones and larger ones and larger ones. First, it is this small group of people who are affected; and we ignore them because they are not us, they are not of us. And then it is another group, and then another, and another. And before we know it, it is those who are around us, those who are of our blood, those who are us ourselves. That is the problem that we are facing here. And today we are offered a remedy. It is a good and proper remedy. I hope that we will have the wisdom to take it. I thank these gentlemen for giving us this opportunity. It is, in fact, about time that this House face this issue.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HINCHEY. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman very much for those remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I just want to make it clear of what my intentions are here in this amendment. My intentions are that the money that I am suggesting, $49.5 million to be put into the Economic Development Administration, be taken out of the construction program for prisons; not for the purposes which the chairman was addressing, but wholly, completely and exclusively from the amount of money that has been provided for prison construction. Now, that amount is very substantial, $687 million. We would leave $637 million. But the money that I am seeking to take out would be funding that would come only exclusively and wholly from the construction program and nothing but the construction program.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, first I want to express my appreciation to the chairman of the subcommittee for the very diligent and effective work that he has done in putting this bill together and bringing it to the floor. And I am sure the vast majority of the Members of the House very much appreciate the effort and energy and wisdom that has gone into putting this bill together. I have a very modest change that I would like to make in the bill. This change would take $49.5 million out of prison construction and transfer it to the Economic Development Administration. I know that the chairman and other Members of the House have a keen appreciation for the very valuable work that is done by EDA. EDA, in many regards, is one of the most effective economic engines that we have in the Federal Government. Not only has it provided over the years a substantial number of loans and other economic incentives for communities around the country, but all of that money that EDA has put in, the public money, has generated enormous amounts of private investment that have far and away by orders of magnitude surpassed the amount of funds that were provided from public sources. Many jobs have been created, much wealth has been created, and economic growth has been experienced in communities all across the country as a result of the work of EDA. The EDA in this particular budget is flatlined essentially from last year, and it is my hope that the chairman and the majority of the Members of the House will join me in accepting this amendment to take $49.5 million out of prison construction and put it into the good work that can be accomplished through EDA. Even with the removal of this $489.5 million from prison construction, there will still remain $637 million for the construction and upgrading of prisons around the country. I happen to believe, Mr. Chairman, that we may be spending too much on prison construction. We have now in this country almost 2 million people locked behind bars; and it seems that the more prisons we construct, the more people we find to fill them. I believe that we ought to engage in this effort, which, while taking some small amount of money from prison construction, will put it into the kinds of efforts that will generate jobs, and hopefully thereby will alleviate the need for additional prison space and will reduce the number of people who find themselves in that situation. Mr. Chairman, I offer this amendment with a great deal of respect and admiration for the work that has been accomplished in this bill, and I hope that the chairman and the majority of the Members will join me in supporting it.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HINCHEY

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

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the time that is remaining.

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), ranking member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment). (Mr. BORSKI asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman).

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the remaining time. In closing, I would just say to my colleagues that this is not a regional issue, this is an issue that affects veterans coast to coast, as we have seen in the arguments that have been presented here this evening. If it happens that one's particular district or one's particular State is not adversely affected at this particular moment, it will be shortly. Mr. Chairman, this formula has got to change. Please support the amendment.

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

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey). (Mrs. LOWEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).

Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Chairman, I yield 90 seconds to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown).