Darlene Hooley

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, do we need to give him the phone numbers of those people?

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is probably a very small amount of money compared to all the money he brought in off of government.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I think this is, and people have said it before, this is probably one of the most important elections we will ever have. It is interesting. I turned on the news last night when I got home, and I watched them talking to many people who were undecided. One of the things they said over and over again was, well, there is not much difference between the two of them. Well, we like one. We know he does not know much, but we do not like his personality much. So those were the kinds of information that they were talking to the press about. Or I do not know whether I am going to vote. I guess I want people to keep a couple of things in mind as this election comes up. First of all, one of the things that makes this country so great is that people participate. So voting is absolutely critical. It is really all about democracy. If we want to keep this democracy going, then people really need to participate, and they need to do that by voting. Then I think they have to really think through what a President does. I mean, a President deals with the Congress. They deal with policy that affects everyday people's lives, day in and day out, whether it is if they can go and afford their prescription drugs, whether there is a safety net for them with Social Security so that, when they retire, if they do not have much money, like my mom did. I mean, she had $72 a month in her retirement plan. She could not have survived without Social Security. It is the roads we built. It is making sure that we keep our Nation free. It is how they deal with foreign policy. It is who appoints the Supreme Court. It is who sets the policy, and are they looking out for just a few people, or are they looking out for all of us. I want them to think very, very carefully about this election. I want them to vote. But this decision is in their hands about who is it that they want for President, to think through the kind of person they want as President and the skills that person has to help each person in this country.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. As we look at this election and look at what it means to people, I think sometimes as we talk about in this Congress, we have actually stopped a lot of environmental riders. Well, what are riders? What does that mean? What does really affect people in their everyday lives? All I have to do is look back at the time when in 1994, 6 short years ago, when Gingrich and gang took over and some of the policies that they tried to put into effect. I mean whether it was doing away with our clean drinking water amendments or our clean air provisions and laws, and what does that mean to real people. Well, first of all, when we do not have clean air and we have any kind of a lung problem or one has asthma, I mean, this is devastating to someone if they do not have clean air to breath. Look at the Bush record and look at what has happened in Texas, and they have some of the worst air pollution in the world. Well, if I have any kind of a respiratory problem, I do not want to live there. I want to make sure our State and our Nation has clean air to breathe. If we look at people's everyday health and how it relates to water, would it not be a shame if one went to the faucet, took a glass, filled it full of water and said well, I really cannot drink that. I have to buy bottled water and the cost of that.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, today I will vote against the fiscal year 2001 Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill because language has been included in the conference report which, instead of solving the problem of the sale of Social Security numbers over the Internet, actually shields those who sell Social Security numbers. As the original sponsor of H.R. 4311, The Identity Theft Prevention Act, I well know the opportunity that the sale of Social Security Numbers gives to identity theft criminals. The move to outlaw the sale of Social Security Numbers gained momentum when a New Hampshire woman, Amy Boyer, was stalked and killed by a man who purchased her Social Security number over the Internet. But, instead of incorporating language into the conference report that would outlaw the purchase or sale of Social Security Numbers, the leadership has done just the opposite. In the provision that I voted against today, for the first time ever in law, banks, hospitals, and credit bureaus are explicitly allowed to sell our Social Security numbers. The bill does nothing to restrict the purchase of Social Security numbers or restrict the use of it by people who obtain it over the Internet. Members of Amy Boyer's family are angry at what has happened to their original proposal, and have asked that Amy's name not be associated with it. The proposal is opposed by numerous consumer, civil liberties and privacy organizations, including Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, the Consumers Union, the ACLU, Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. For this reason, I was unable to support the 2001 Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. This bill contains a provision that would overturn Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law. Now, I appreciate the fact that we were given a whole day to debate this bill, and it was an up-and-down vote. We got enough votes if the President decided to veto it that we could uphold that veto. On the Senate side we were told that it would not be attached to another bill; that it would be a fair fight; that, again, it would be an up-and-down vote. And here we stand today at the end of the session with a piece of legislation that contains a lot of provisions I like in it. But I will tell my colleagues something that is more important to me. More important to me than anything else is our system of democracy. More important to me than anything else is the people's right to vote and that their voices are heard and that their vote counts for something. In our State, not once but twice, people said we want physician- assisted suicide. Somehow or another my colleagues here seem to know better. They seem to say that they do not care about the people's vote; that it does not count; they do not care that the people's voices are not heard; they know better; they are going to overturn the people's law. Well, let me tell my colleagues two things: one, they are overturning the will of the people of my State; and, number two, they are breaking promises. This promise was made that it would be an up-and-down vote on the Senate side; that it would not be attached to this bill. Yet here we find that happening today. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this rule.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to thank my colleagues for all of their hard work on this piece of legislation. I rise in strong support of H.R. 2389. The children in my district in Oregon and the children in over 800 counties across the rest of the United States are being shortchanged. People in Oregon and across the United States that live in rural areas with vast amounts of Federal land depend on payments from the Federal Government. Unfortunately, these payments have decreased in recent years; and, as a consequence, education programs and county services have been subjected to massive budget cuts. Over the last 10 years, I have seen class sizes grow while teachers, buses, music and art programs and many other services are reduced or eliminated. These cuts need to be restored. The children in these counties deserve the same quality schools and educational opportunities as the rest of America. In this election year, we have heard a lot about education and how it is a priority for everybody. Well, this is a chance for people in this House to show their commitment to education by voting yes on H.R. 2389. I hope they will join me in voting yes on education and voting yes on H.R. 2389.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding the time to me, and I rise in strong support of this legislation, the Steens Mountain Wilderness Act. Anyone who has ever been to Oregon and has seen the Steens Mountain and the Alvord Desert knows it is one of the most beautiful and pristine places in the world. Madam Chairman, what is more, if you have not been to Oregon, you probably know about our passion for making sure that we keep Oregon beautiful and protecting our resources; and that is why we have before us today this wonderful, outstanding consensus piece of legislation. H.R. 4828 is an Oregon-based solution that not only protects private property rights, but will also protect the scientifically important landscape. Madam Chairman, I would like to thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), for his working so hard to bring this bill to the floor today. I look at how this was handled by the gentleman; and it is typical, I think, about how Oregonians solve problems. He brought everyone to the table, and he worked very hard to find that win-win solution. Frankly, like my colleague, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), I think this would be a wonderful model that we could use in Congress and do seldom use. In addition, I would like to thank Secretary Babbitt and my colleague, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the ranking member on the Committee on Resources, for working out all the nitty-gritty details. I mean, this is a kind of legislation that is not only protecting this wonderful area, but how do you get all of those little details and all the staff that worked on this. Again, while not a Member of Congress, I would like to thank my staff, Chris Huckleberry, for all the hard work he did on it in the last year. Finally, I would like to include a letter of support from the Oregon governor, John Kitzhaber, into the Record. October 4, 2000. To the Oregon Congressional Delegation: The Steens Mountain Area is a state and national treasure. Its beauty and ecological value are immense. The Steens-Alvord area is home to multiple rare species, scientifically important landscapes and outstanding recreational and scenic values. It is our duty to conserve and protect it for generations to come. The Steens Mountain Area is also home to a rich and valuable Oregon culture. From the ancestors of the Burns Paiute Native American tribe to the family ranches of today, the Steens-Alvord area has cultural, historical, and economic value. We must not lose this value. We must diligently safeguard the existing culture and way of life on the mountain, for if we do not we will surely diminish all the critical values of the mountain--its ecology, its culture, and its people. The legislation before the House today goes a long way toward achieving these purposes and I am happy to join the Oregon congressional delegation in supporting this needed legislation. Governor John A. Kitzhaber, M.D. Madam Chairman, again, I thank all of the people that worked so hard on this. It is a wonderful solution to a problem, and it is a model this Congress could use and hopefully will use more in the future. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to commend the President, Speaker Hastert, and the other Members who worked so hard in a variety of committees. This bill is about hope and opportunity, to make sure that all people can share in our economic good times. As an original cosponsor of the American Private Investment Companies Act, I have supported the President's New Markets proposals because it will bring investments to areas left behind. In my home state of Oregon, the Portland area has been booming from an infusion of high-tech jobs, but many rural areas have actually experienced reduced employment. Last year, our largest newspaper, the Oregonian, published an article called ``A Growing Gap'' which stated, ``Oregon's rural counties aren't keeping pace with Portland. Despite a decade of prosperity, inequalities not only exist, but they appear to be growing.'' One machinist was quoted as saying that in his hometown, people are standing in line for minimum wage jobs. What a contrast to the new economy boom towns like Seattle and Portland. APIC and other programs in this bill will work, because they bring private sector solutions that have worked so well in other areas to our distressed rural and urban areas that have been left behind. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of a family that I have come to know very well in my time in Congress. Julian and Veronica Mart and their children Paul and Adelina fled their homeland of Romania in the turmoil surrounding the downfall of communism. They came to the United States, like so many others before them, seeking its promise, and fleeing from a country where the freedom we cherish was unknown. They fled tyranny and persecution and wanted nothing more than to live out the American dream, to make a better life for themselves and their children. When they entered America, Lady Liberty welcomed them to our shores-- but the INS did not. The INS has done everything in its considerable powers to deny the Marts the opportunity to live the American dream. The INS denied their application for political asylum, despite credible evidence that they faced retribution from the Romanian government if they returned home. And now INS bureaucrats have denied their application under the Diversity Visa program--on a technicality. The INS has done a great injustice to this family that must be made right. If it is not, the Marts may be deported. The Marts have made a great impact on their community and have become well-loved by their friends and neighbors. I have here signatures from over 700 people who believe the Marts should be allowed to stay in the country. What is truly remarkable about this is that these signatures were gathered by teenage girls, friends of Adelina Mart who love her so much and believe so strongly in her cause that they have made this effort to help her. Even the Honorable Robert Jones, a federal judge who heard the Marts' case against the INS, agrees that their treatment has been unjust. In handing down his opinion, he said, ``The Marts are good people. They are highly intelligent, creative people. . . . And this is where they-- in my view, this is the country where they belong. . . . The person was given the lottery opportunity, was denied that opportunity on a technicality, and it just isn't right in my opinion.'' America has always been a city upon a hill and a light unto the world. And throughout our history America has welcomed those who have been driven from their homelands by hunger, government tyranny, religious persecution, and poverty. We must not allow this proud legacy to die. We must not drive away those whom we should welcome with open arms. We must not allow this injustice to stand. And we must not allow the INS to deport this family.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, June 28, 2000 during the Democratic motion to recommit H.R. 4680, my pager malfunctioned. As a result, I was not aware of the ongoing vote, and as a result I was prevented from participating. However, if present I would have voted ``yes'' on this measure (Vote 356).

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise to enter into a colloquy with the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my good friend and a friend of rural America who does a wonderful job. The Rural Development section of this bill includes language concerning a region of importance not only to the State, but certainly to the county of Tillamook County. In 1996, floods wiped out the rail link from Tillamook County to the largest population center in Portland, which is 75 miles away. Last year, Congress provided $5 million from Rural Development to reimburse the port for money that they already spent for the 1996 floods, as well as to make improvements to the rail right-of-way that also serves as Alaska's fiber optic corridor to the lower 48 States. I am currently working with USDA to ensure that the entire $5 million is released to the port. Next year, a diverse route will be constructed from Nedonna Beach terminal along 20 miles of railroad right-of-way south of Tillamook, and then east along Highway 6 to Portland. This section of rail bed was not included in the portion repaired following the 1996 floods and needs immediate upgrades to reduce the risk of service interruption for all users. The Port of Tillamook Bay needs $3 million from Rural Development to upgrade the railroad infrastructure and protect the fiber optic telecommunication network. Now, not only does this corridor serve Alaska, but it also serves as a landing for MCI WorldCom's Southern Cross that crosses the Pacific from Australia. There will be two more cable landings next year. Within a short time, Tillamook's communication corridor has become a strategic location for the telecommunication world. Mr. Chairman, we need to create a diverse route, a redundant loop, to make sure that we guarantee connectivity; and I ask for the committee's assistance in securing this badly needed funding from USDA.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership and her commitment to Tillamook County.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, every senior in the United States that needs a prescription should be able to get it filled, no extra paperwork, no hunting around to find a private insurance company that might be so kind as to decide they are a good enough risk and sell them a policy. Unfortunately, the bill being rammed through Congress today is all smoke and mirrors. In this bill, who knows what the premium will be? We do not know. Who knows what the benefit will be? We do not know. Who knows what the co- pay will be? We do not know. We have seen private insurance companies in the Medicare+Choice plan pull out of areas in Oregon. The insurance companies have said they will not be in this plan. Our seniors are demanding coverage through the tried-and-true insurer that has not failed them, and that is Medicare. I want to make sure we take care of our seniors. I want to do it in a bipartisan way, but it is very hard to be bipartisan when we cannot get an amendment in, and we cannot get an alternative here. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this sham of a bill and support real drug benefits for our seniors.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 19, I was unavoidably detained and forced to miss two votes. If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the motion that the Committee rise on H.R. 4635 (Vote 292). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on agreeing to Mr. Waxman's amendment to H.R. 4635 (Vote 292).

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, June 15, I was unavoidably detained and forced to miss several votes. If present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to Rep. Stearn's amendment to H.R. 4578 (Vote 282). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on agreeing to Rep. Slaughter's amendment to H.R. 4578 (Vote 283). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the motion that the Committee rise on H.R. 4578 (Vote 284). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the quorum call for H.R. 4578 (Vote 285). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on agreeing to Rep. Sander's amendment to H.R. 4578 (Vote 286). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the motion that the Committee rise on H.R. 4578 (Vote 287). If present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to Rep. Nethercutt's amendment to H.R. 4578 (Vote 288). If present, I would have voted ``no'' on agreeing to Rep. Weldon's amendment to H.R. 4578 (Vote 289). If present, I would have voted ``yes'' on the motion to recommit H.R. 4578 with instructions to the Committee (Vote 290). If present, I would have voted ``no'' on the final passage of H.R. 4578 (Vote 291).

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I rise to show my strong support for the Lowey amendment. This is a crisis. When we have had crises before, the Federal Government has, in fact, stepped in. Over the last 4 years, I visited many of the schools in my district and, frankly, I was shocked by the conditions I found. Our teachers are holding classes in trailers because their classrooms aren't safe. Students crowd into these rooms. They sit on floors. They sit on radiators. They have classes in closets. Just this morning, a gentleman came into my office. He said his daughter in high school went into a classroom, 40 chairs, 60 students. Schools in my district are being forced to trade teachers for bricks and mortar. These children cannot afford the trade-off and they should not have to expect to choose between safe and adequate classrooms and more teachers. Studies show that on the average, students who attend schools in poor conditions score lower on achievement tests. This is just one more hurdle our students should not have to jump through. One-third of all of our schools need extensive repair and over half of our schools need repair of at least one major building. Please support this amendment. It provides the States the much-needed assistance to renovate the decrepit schools.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, on April 8, 2000 nineteen U.S. Marines were killed in the Arizona desert when their MV-22 Osprey crashed during a training exercise. Two of those Marines, Lance Corporal Keoki Santos and Lance Corporal Seth Jones, were citizens of Oregon. Lance Corporal Santos--who was only 24 years old--was a native of Grande Ronde, a Native American confederation which I have the good fortune of representing here in Congress. He was an outstanding Marine. Keoki was also deeply loved by his mother, Mrs. Christina Mercier. Lance Corporal Jones, who was only 19 years old, was an equally outstanding Marine. He too left behind grieving relatives--his mother, Ms. Michele Tytlar, lives in Portland, Oregon and his father, Mr. Daniel Jones, lives in Bend, Oregon. Mr. Speaker, this Monday is Memorial Day. Most, if not every Member of Congress, will return home to participate in official remembrance ceremonies. Yesterday, three flags were flown over the Capitol of the United States commemorating the bravery of Lance Corporal Santos and Lance Corporal Jones. This Memorial Day, I will present these flags to the families of these two Marines at Willamette National Cemetery. I will also read aloud and present each family a letter from the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James L. Jones. This letter shares the Commandant's thoughts on the service and loss of not just these men, but all nineteen of the Marines killed in this tragic accident. We owe an enormous debt to every American soldier, sailor, flyer, and Marine. As we all return home this weekend to observe Memorial Day, we must remember those who served our Nation in uniform and now lie in eternal rest.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues a story that was told to me by a mother in my community. Kathy Abel of Keizer, Oregon, was met at her doorstep by a police officer to inform her that her 18-year-old son was dead. Kathy's son James did not die in a car accident or a shooting. Kathy's son died at the hands of an everyday household product. Kathy's son died as a result of inhalant abuse. Kathy's son James was no different than most high school students. He was active in school, popular amongst his classmates, and on his way to starting his life as an adult. The death of this bright young man should never have happened. The young man that James was with should not know what it feels like to have his friend die in his arms, and James's family should not have known the hopeless, tragic feeling of hearing that their beloved son was dead. Most of us do not even know what inhalant abuse is, and too often we find out after it is too late. Inhalant abuse is the intentional breathing in of gas and vapors with the goal of getting high. Typical substances that are inhaled include gasoline, paint thinner, nail polish remover, typewriter correction fluid, butane and propane. These products are typically household items that we all keep in our homes. In Oregon, a 1998 study showed that 20 percent of 8th graders have tried inhalants. That is one out of every five students. Scarier yet is the fact that children can often die after inhaling these substances only one time. Inhalants also serve as a gateway drug that can lead young people toward other forms of drug abuse. Let me explain the way inhalants affect the body. Inhalants produce an effect within seconds that may last from 15 to 45 minutes. They will generally act as central nervous system depressants. After an initial euphoria, a depressed state follows that can be accompanied by drowsiness or sleep. Inhalants lower breathing and heart rates and impair coordination and judgment. Dosages must be repeated to maintain intoxication. Inhalants can cause severe and permanent damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and other organs. More than any substance, inhalants can cause sudden death resulting from heart arrhythmia and suffocation. Let me repeat that. More than any other substance, inhalants can cause Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome. This means users can die the first time, the 10th time, or the 100th time. No one really knows. Today my colleague the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and I are introducing a bill that will allow grants to go for education programs to combat inhalant abuse. If passed, this legislation will bring much-needed attention to this very serious problem. It is never too early to teach our children about the dangers of inhalants. Inhalant use starts as early as elementary school. Parents often remain ignorant of inhalant use or do not educate their children until it is too late. Let me remind my colleagues, inhalants are not drugs. They are poisons and toxins and should be discussed as such. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America produced this ad in Monday's New York Times. It says, ``Every parent should take a drug test. Learn about inhalants. What you don't know may surprise you.'' Mr. Speaker, I include the article for the Record: [From the New York Times, May 22, 2000] Every Parent Should Take a Drug Test learn about inhalants. What you don't know may surprise you An alarming number of children across the country are using household products to get high. If you're going to protect your kids, you'd better know something about this problem. Here's a chance to test yourself. The answers are printed below. 1. How many substances found in the average home can make you high if inhaled? a. 10-15 b. More than 25 c. More than 100 d. More than 500 e. More than 1,000 2. By the eighth grade, how many kids have tried at least one inhalant? a. One in a hundred b. One in fifty c. One in 25 d. One in 5 e. One in 2 3. Which of the following can you use with an inhalant to get high? a. A soda can b. A sock c. A plastic bag d. A balloon e. All of the above 4. What is ``huffing?'' a. Sucking on an aerosol can b. Blowing into a bag, then inhaling the fumes c. Inhaling a chemical by panting d. Putting a rag soaked with a chemical to your mouth and inhaling the fumes e. Pouring a chemical directly into your mouth and breathing the fumes 5. What percentage of inhalants can be toxic? a. 10-15% b. 15-20% c. 25-50% d. 50-75% e. All of them 6. A danger of inhaling chemical substances is: a. Brain damage b. Liver and Kidney damage c. Suffocation d. Death e. All of the above 7. Of the inhalants that will make you ``high,'' how many can cause permanent brain damage? a. One or two b. A dozen or so c. Almost a hundred d. Nearly all of them e. None of them 8. Why do kids abuse inhalants? a. Products that can be sniffed to get high can be found in every household b. They're inexpensive c. They're legal d. Users don't realize how dangerous they are e. All of the above 9. What is SSD? a. Sweet Sniffing Dreams b. Sudden Sniffing Desire c. Sudden Sniffing Death d. Sure Sniffing Damage e. Shaky Sniffing Dancing 10. The best approach to prevention with kids is: a. Threaten them--e.g. ``I'll break your neck if I ever catch you using inhalants b. Talk with them, tell them how you feel about inhalants, and warn them of the dangers c. Ignore the problem. What your kids don't know can't hurt them d. Tell your kids you want them to talk with their guidance counselor in school about inhalants e. Talk with the guidance counselor yourself and get his or her advice Answers: 1(c); 2(d); 3(e); 4(d); 5(e); 6(e); 7(d); 8(e); 9(c); 10(b) or (e). You don't need to score 100% before you talk about this problem with your kids. You simply have to let them know how you feel about the problem and warn them of the dangers. Don't be put off if your words don't seem to register. What does register is not so much what you say, but the fact you care enough to be concerned. Kids have a name for this kind of parental involvement. Love. A good first step is simply to clip this test and put it up on your refrigerator. Your kids may make jokes about it. But they'll get it. For more information call, 1-800-729-6686. Many States, including Oregon, have begun a campaign to inform children and their parents about inhalant abuse. We must begin our own fight at the national level. The Senate recently passed identical legislation unanimously. It is time that we give this issue due credit in the House and begin this crusade to educate ourselves and our children about this terrible problem.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, while I understand the frustrations sometimes we have with the budget process, I come from a State that had biennial budgets. They did not work very well. Let me tell my colleagues why they did not work very well. In that off year, we talk about having review and oversight. Well, when we do it in the off year, what I found is that it does not work very well, it has no teeth. It was a time when that oversight is less systematic, it is less intense and, again, it really does not have any teeth. In fact, most of the time it did not happen. So it does not work very well. This is only chance we have to sit down every year and go over those budgets item by item and agency by agency. And again, by my experience, biennial budgets do not work very well. If we want to experiment, let us experiment with it. But this is a time that we should not change the process because there is not the oversight that happens in those opposite years.

Ms. HOOLEY

Ms. HOOLEY. Mr. Speaker, in honor of H. Con. Res. 310--which was passed by the House last week--to Commend the Charter School Movement, I rise to pay tribute to a new PUBLIC charter high school in Salem, Oregon, the heart of my district. The 21st Century Community Schoolhouse is a small high school where no student is anonymous. With a curriculum that integrates ALL subjects, it is founded on the belief that students' work must be relevant to them, incorporate high academic standards, and include extensive community service. These students, who formerly have been alienated because of whatever differences make them special, will now become connected to each other, to their teachers, and to adult mentors in the community. I believe that we cannot afford to let one high school student slip through the cracks in the public school system, and the 21st Century Community Schoolhouse provides a model for school districts across the country to follow. This resolution represents a national commemoration of the charter school movement and the contribution charter schools have made to improving the nation's public school system. But we are not only here to applaud charter schools today--this resolution will continue to express our appreciation of charter schools by designating a National Charter Schools Week. Often times, we forget to celebrate the parts of our education system which are working. The 21st Century Community Schoolhouse in my district works and I wish to celebrate them.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, in honor of National Teachers Appreciation Week, I rise to pay tribute to our teachers. I would like to recognize Mike Weddle, a teacher from Waldo Middle School in Salem, Oregon, who was recently awarded one of the three Milken awards for his exceptional work as a teacher in Oregon. Mr. Weddle was chosen to receive this award because of his constant efforts to go above and beyond the required duties providing the best possible education for the children of Oregon. Mike Weddle is just one example of the thousands upon thousands of teachers out there determined to make a difference in a student's life. In cities and towns across my district, teachers arrive to greet their overcrowded classes of 25, 30 and sometimes 35 students. Many teach in less than ideal environments, in schools that many of us would not work in. But they come back, day after day, dedicated to teaching our children. There are few things that are more important to the people in my district than the education of our children. However, we often take our teachers for granted and forget to say thank you for all the tireless work that they do. I am here today to say thank you. Thank you for working to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn and to achieve his or her fullest potential. Let us really say thank you to our teachers by passing the school construction bill.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of CARA, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act, and in opposition to this amendment and all other amendments. I would like to thank the chairman, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the ranking member, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for all of their hard work on this piece of historic legislation. This bill will restore our national commitment to America's natural resources. CARA redeems the solemn pledge made over 30 years ago to reinvest the profits from off-shore energy production back into our natural resources. CARA will fulfill the promise of steady and certain funding for public lands. CARA will support State and local efforts to protect our wildlife and to preserve and protect our local green spaces. Our coastal resources are under increasing pressure from population growth, expansion of coastal tourism and recreation, increased maritime traffic, threats to our water quality, and loss of essential fish and other coastal habitats. CARA is essential in helping to combat this growing problem. Mr. Chairman, I urge Members to oppose this amendment and all other amendments to the bill. It is important that the integrity of this bill remain intact for this carefully crafted bipartisan bill.

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon. Mr. Chairman, in October of 1998, we overwhelmingly passed the Internet Tax Freedom Act, a law to keep the heavy-handed government taxes off the Internet. We passed this law because we all know that if we overburden e-commerce by taxing it, it will never achieve its full economic potential. This 3-year moratorium has worked. Over the past years, the growth of Internet use has been tremendous. The number of Internet users doubles every 100 days according to the U.S. Department of Commerce and accounts for 15 percent of our total economic growth. Many of us are talking about closing the digital divide. What better way to make the Internet more affordable for everyone than by extending this tax moratorium. With the rapid growth of the Internet and the economic benefits that it brings, use of the Internet should not be restricted by multiple and discriminatory taxes. That is why this legislation to extend the Internet tax moratorium for 5 years is so important. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.