Steny Hoyer

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I retain the balance of my time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, cute debating tricks on the floor will not hack it, I say to my friend. Germaneness will not hack it; hiding behind a parliamentary procedure, which says we are not going to allow the amendment because it is not germane, when the gentleman knows that the Committee on Rules could say it is germane, because we want to debate it. The gentleman's amendment will not prevent it, and the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) said so on the floor today. How did the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) say it? He said because if you preclude the procedure of the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady), there are three other procedures to accomplish the same objective. The gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) said it. He said it less than 3 hours ago. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) cannot get around that. If the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) is going to be intellectually honest, this is a purely political bill. This is a serious issue. We ought to deal with it seriously. We should have had full debate. We should decide between ourselves what the legitimate options are that we can accomplish within the Constitution to protect the health of women and protect the lives of babies. Your rule did not do that. Your bill does not do that, and the debate undermines the quality of this discussion. It is unfortunate. My friends, I tell you, that this legislation that we proposed, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) and I, is the only piece of legislation which would have adopted a policy in the United States of America, which 40 States have adopted, which say that we are opposed to late-term abortions, post-viability abortions, the State should make that criminal. Do we make exceptions? Of course. Why? Because the Constitution and Supreme Court have said we must, and we should.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield himself the time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, this is a difficult issue. It is an issue which tears Americans apart. Almost every American I know values life, values children, values those in the dawn of their life, as was said earlier. Let me start by accepting the premises put forth by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn), the premises as to why this procedure is used. Let us accept that. But let us also accept his other proposition, that the termination of the pregnancy can be effected by three other methods. That is what the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn) just told us minutes ago. Then let me turn to the gentleman's assertion that he could have supported and would support the amendment offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank). Then let me assert that it is my position, the position of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), and the position of those of us who ask for this amendment, the Hoyer-Greenwood amendment to be made in order, that we are opposed to all late-term abortions because we value that viable child; because we believe, consistent with the Constitution, the State has an interest in ensuring that that child has every opportunity to live. Yes, as the Supreme Court and the Constitution require, we adopt the premise that one must relate to the life of the mother and to the health of the mother. As an aside, let me say that most Members and clearly most of the public believe that rape and incest ought to be exceptions. As the good doctor knows, a woman's physical health is not put at risk per se because the pregnancy results from either incest or rape. It is in fact in the combination of the physical and mental trauma from which that pregnancy results. In fact, what we ask for in this, the people's House, we send 435 Members, men and women from across the breadth of this land to try to come together and make very difficult judgments. This rule adopts the premise that there is a simplistic approach. It is a gag rule. It is a closed rule. It allows for no alternatives but the alternative presented, not even by the committee, which did not report this bill out. It is in that sense clearly, Mr. Speaker, a political, as opposed to substantive, approach to legislating in this House. This ought not to be on an issue of this consequence, of this seriousness. There should have been allowed by this rule the opportunity for full debate and alternatives to be considered. My bill, the bill of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), the amendment we sought, said we want to make it the policy of the United States of America that late-term abortions are illegal, not allowed, prevented; not just one procedure of which the gentleman from Oklahoma speaks, but including the three procedures that the gentleman from Oklahoma also referred to, by whatever procedure. We want to deal with this issue substantively. Mr. Speaker, I ask Members to vote against this rule. Let us legislate thoughtfully, fully, on this critically important matter, and let us prevent and make illegal late-term abortions.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I regret when we debate serious issues, somebody can stand up and make a comment that clearly is not true, and there is not the opportunity to give and take. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Canady) is a bright man. The gentleman is well educated. To say that my agreement prohibits no abortions is absolutely, on its face, ludicrous; it prevents all late- term abortions. Does it have any exception? Yes. The gentleman presumably is a well- educated individual that knows the Constitution of the United States and knows the constitutional edicts from the Supreme Court. The gentleman knows his bill is not constitutional; that is the irony of the gentleman's contention. In fact, the Hoyer-Greenwood alternative is the only alternative that prevents abortions. Joe Scheidler of the Right to Life Committee, I say to the gentleman, says not of myself, not of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood), not to any of the other cosponsors, Joe Scheidler says your bill will not stop one abortion. Why? The gentleman pretends he is not even listening; perhaps this is not important to him.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the Library of Congress Financial Management Act of 2000, bipartisan legislation which will authorize the Library to create a revolving fund which would allow a number of the Library's cost-recovery programs to operate more efficiently. This legislation, which the Library has sought for a number of years, would provide for more efficient and accountable financial management of fee-based Library programs and would correct longstanding deficiencies first identified by the General Accounting Office in 1991 and highlighted in subsequent independent audits. The legislation has bipartisan, bicameral support. Our colleague Senator Cochran of Mississippi, who serves with me as a member of the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library, has introduced similar legislation in the Senate (S. 2286). It is especially appropriate for Congress to address these matters now, in the year of the Library's Bicentennial, as the Library retools itself to meet the needs of Congress and the American people in the new century. The bill authorizes a financial restructuring of existing fee-based program operations. It authorizes no new fees, other than for specified activities relating to audio-visual preservation services associated with the Library's role as a national conservation center. The bill would increase the efficiency of the Library's cost-recovery programs by establishing a systematic relationship between program costs and fees charged, setting program operations on a more business- like foundation. A 1996 Library of Congress management audit report stated that ``charging fees for services works best when the appropriate financial structures, such as revolving funds, are in place.'' The report also stated that a revolving fund mechanism allows managers to better control their resources, monitor their costs, and track performance, and most importantly, allow accumulation of reserves for slow periods and the development of strategic plans that address productivity objectives across fiscal years. This legislation will increase the accountability of the Library's current self-sustaining programs by: providing proper statutory authority for retaining receipts, as GAO has often suggested; limiting obligations to amounts approved in annual appropriations bills; requiring annual independent audits of financial statements following government auditing standards; requiring annual submission of the audited financial statements to Congress; and establishing separate accounts for each fund service unit. In the most recent audit report reviewing the Library's financial statements, the independent auditor again noted the Library's need for proper Congressional authority to operate gift revolving funds. This is now the sole remaining vulnerability identified by the auditor's examination of compliance with certain laws and regulations. The bill will also transfer to the revolving fund certain cost- recovery programs currently authorized under the Economy Act. The major programs included are FedLink and Federal Research Division [FRD]; the services the Library of Congress is able to provide the federal sector through these programs are invaluable, and the Library is uniquely able to provide them because of its collections and its acquisitions expertise. The transfer of these programs to a revolving fund will eliminate significant costs currently incurred by annual shut-down and start-up imposed under that Act. With the requested revolving fund authority, federal libraries participating in FedLink could save, in the aggregate, an estimated $1.37 million each year in increased efficiencies and improved vendor discounts. The paperwork burden of federal librarians, such as overly complex inter-agency agreements and year-end closeout, refund and re- registration chores required by the Economy Act, could also be significantly reduced. Revolving fund authority would, simply put, save costs and place both programs on a firmer business foundation. The Financial Management Act also includes language to update the outdated 1902 law authorizing the sale of cataloging data to libraries across the nation, by allowing the use of new technologies and enabling a more businesslike cost-recovery mechanism. In addition, it includes administrative changes to the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board to permit more efficient operation of the Board's decision- making functions. The Library's Inspector General, in reviewing this legislation, strongly believes it will strengthen the internal controls and accountability of the Library's business-type operations, as well as clarify the legislative authority for the operation of these programs. Mr. Speaker, a more detailed section-by-section description of the legislation follows: The Library of Congress Financial Management Act of 2000 Section-by- Section Analysis summary The Library of Congress Financial Management Act of 2000 is intended to improve the Library of Congress's financial management and administration and to maximize the use of its resources. The bill encompasses three changes in the Library's authorizing legislation: (1) it establishes a revolving fund for the operation of most cost-recovery services, as recommended by the General Accounting Office, and Economy Act (inter-agency) activities; (2) it updates the 1902 authority provided in 2 U.S.C. 150 that allows the sale of cataloging products and services to the nation's libraries; and (3) it makes needed changes to enhance the continuity of the Library's Trust Fund Board. title i. library of congress revolving fund The legislation establishes cost recovery for the direct and indirect costs of information products and services, through a Library of Congress Revolving Fund. This practice embodies the principles of 31 U.S.C. 9701: ``It is the sense of Congress that each service or thing of value provided by an agency . . . to a person . . . is to be self-sustaining to the extent possible.'' The Library currently provides a variety of these types of services through various self-sustaining funds, the most notable of which, the Photoduplication Service, has existed since 1938. However, the General Accounting Office (GAO) in its August 1991 report, First Audit of the Library of Congress Discloses Significant Problems (as well as subsequent reviews), recommended the Library seek authorization of a separate revolving fund to handle these types of activities. This legislation enables the Librarian to implement that recommendation. A fundamental reason to establish a revolving fund is to provide for the systematic disclosure of the relationship between program income and costs for products and services, thereby providing a firm basis for decisions regarding services to be undertaken and prices to be charged. Thus, the revolving fund will improve accountability to the Congress, as recommended by the GAO. Section 101. Availability of fund service activities This section authorizes the Librarian of Congress to: (1) establish specific cost-recovery activities as Revolving Fund service activities; and (2) establish Revolving Fund service units to carry out activities supported by the revolving fund's cost-recovery mechanism. These service units (an organizational term already employed in the Library) may be partially or fully sustained through the Revolving Fund established under the Act. The intent of this provision is to authorize, but not require, fee service activities to operate under the revolving fund on or after the effective date of this Act. The Library anticipates restructuring the financial operation of these activities as soon as is feasible, but it is recognized that it may be necessary to transfer some activities to the revolving fund in phases. Section 102. Fund service activities authorized This section lists the Fund service activities authorized by this act that may be conducted by Fund service units. These activities are limited to the following seven: (1) preparation of research reports, translations, analytical studies, and related services, for any entity of the Federal government or the District of Columbia (but would not, for example, cover such appropriated research activities as those conducted for the Congress by the Congressional Research Service); (2) centralized acquisition of publications and library materials in any format; information, research, and library support services; training in library and information services; and related services for any entity of the Federal government or the District of Columbia; (3) decimal classification development; (4) gift shop and other activities involving sale of items associated with Library collections, exhibits, performances, or other events; (5) location, copying, storage, preservation and delivery services for library materials (not including domestic interlibrary loans), and international interlibrary lending; (6) special events and programs, performances, exhibits, workshops, and training; and (7) cooperative acquisitions of foreign publications and research materials and related services on behalf of participating institutions. For the most part, these activities describe programs the Library conducts currently. Some examples of these current activities are: a bibliography of citations to scientific literature on the earth's cold regions, compiled for the National Science Foundation; area studies handbooks prepared for the Department of Defense; centralized and cost-effective procurement of commercial database services for Federal agencies through FedLink; sale of exhibition catalogs in the gift shop, such as Rome Reborn: the Vatican Library & Renaissance Culture, and African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship; development of the Dewey Decimal classification tables, and the Library's Cooperative Acquisitions Program, which will be folded into the newly created fund under this legislation. Charging fees under the authority set forth in item (e) for retrieval and delivery of library materials will not infringe on basic library services, but will allow the Library to, for example, continue to make its film collections available for loan by permitting recovery and retention of costs of making a loan copy of the film from a master copy. The intent of section 102 is to authorize a revolving fund mechanism for current fee-based activities of the Library which now operate under the Economy Act, or the Library's extant gift fund authority, plus the following activities not currently being done or for which fees are not currently charged: (1) charging fees for attending films and other performances; (2) charging fees for borrowing films; and (3) charging fees for services relating to a national audio- visual conservation center (preservation, copying, transporting and storage of films and other audio-visual materials). Section 103. Establishment of the Library of Congress revolving fund Section 103 establishes the Library of Congress Revolving Fund in the U.S. Treasury as a ``no year'' fund to carry out Fund service activities; this means that money remains available in the Fund until expended. This section also sets forth the sources of the Fund capital, and specifies amounts received for Fund activities that are to be credited to the Fund. This section also establishes various operational controls and limitations on the fund, including: (1) specification of the capital and credits to be deposited into the fund; (2) limiting obligations under the fund to limits set under the legislative branch appropriations act for any fiscal year; (3) requiring annual audits of fund financial statements, to be submitted to Congress; and (4) requiring separate fund service unit activity accounts. The intent of sub. (b)(2), authorizing funds from other Library appropriations accounts to be temporarily transferred to the Fund, is primarily for the purpose of initially capitalizing activities previously conducted under section 1535 of Title 31, U.S. Code [the Economy Act]. This subsection requires the fund to reimburse such a ``loan'' within the period for which the appropriation is available. Subsection (b) also specifies other amounts to be deposited into the fund. Subsection (c) specifies amounts to be added to the fund as credits to the service unit accounts. The intent of sub. (d) is to ensure that, once the Librarian determines the appropriate grouping of activities into fund service units, the reimbursable portion of each service unit will be self-sufficient, operated under a separate account within the revolving fund. Subsection (e) is standard language applying to self- supporting programs, requiring the agency to designate excess amounts in the fund as miscellaneous receipts and deposit such funds in the Treasury. Subsection (f) requires that a financial statement be prepared annually, that the statement be audited, and that the audit be submitted to Congress on an annual basis. Section 104. Operation of revolving fund activities Section 104 establishes parameters for the operation of the Revolving Fund activities Subsection (a) authorizes the Librarian to set fees to recover the costs of activities authorized by sec. 102, and authorizes the Library to sell products and services resulting from those activities. This section limits the purchase prices to levels necessary to recover the direct and indirect costs for each fund service unit, over a reasonable period of time. Subsection (b) provides express authority to require participants (including federal participants) to provide advance payments, where necessary to ensure that the fund is sufficiently capitalized, and under other circumstances upon agreement with participants. Subsection (c) permits fund activities to engage in multi- year contracts. This language parallels identical authority currently afforded executive branch agencies and the General Accounting Office under the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act [41 U.S.C. 253l and 254c]. Section 105. Repeal Section 105 repeals the current authorization for the Cooperative Acquisitions Program revolving fund; that fund, and the corresponding activities associated with it, are incorporated into the new Library of Congress Revolving Fund created under Title I of this bill. Section 106. No effect on personnel This section specifies that nothing in Title I of this Act is intended to affect the terms and conditions of employment of any employee of the Library of Congress who carries out any Revolving Fund activity. The purpose of this section is to avoid any unintended consequences of restructuring current activities to operate under a new revolving fund. title ii--cataloging products and services In 1902, the Library of Congress was first authorized by Congress to serve the Nation's libraries by producing and distributing catalog cards. These cards establish and describe the author, title, and physical characteristics of a book and contain subject headings and a classification number to enable researchers to locate books by author, title, or topic. Over the years, the Library of Congress has expanded its catalog card service by producing and distributing additional bibliographic and technical products and services. In addition to the print format, the Library has utilized other formats to make cataloging data available, e.g., magnetic tapes and CD-ROMs, and has recovered the distributing costs for providing these products. As a result of this centralized cataloging activity, the Nation's academic and public libraries save significantly on costs they would incur if they had to create their own cataloging records. Title II modernizes the authority given in the 1902 law under which the Library provides these bibliographic information services and products; and makes funds available until expended. Section 201. Availability of cataloging products and services In addition to authorizing the Librarian of Congress to sell cataloging products and services, this section limits the prices charged for such products and services to recovery of the distribution costs associated with furnishing such products and services, rather than the current ``cost plus 10 percent.'' This section also provides that all moneys received through the distribution of such products and services shall be deposited in the Treasury and credited to the Library of Congress salaries and expenses appropriation, to remain available until expended. This mechanism will provide a more stable financial base for cataloging distribution operations. For the purposes of this title, ``cataloging products and services'' is defined to mean those bibliographic products and services, in any format now known or later developed, that are used by libraries and library organizations, including other Library-created databases, and related technical publications. The language ``over a reasonable period of time'' is included to make the provision consistent with the revolving fund language under s. 101. This language will assist the Cataloging Distribution Service in bridging fiscal years if some distribution costs are incurred over more than one fiscal year, and recognizes that the sale price of cataloging products must be established on a businesslike basis, i.e. based on overall distribution costs, measured by the estimated sales volume of cataloging products over the estimated duration of sale of any given item. Section 202. Repeal This section repeals the obsolete 1902 law authorizing the production and sale of cataloging cards and records, in light of the new authority established under sec. 201. title iii--trust fund board amendments Title III of the bill, amending the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board Act, will ensure the Board's continuity across members' terms as well as the Congressional calendar. The Library of Congress Trust Fund Board was created by Congress in 1925 and charged with the acceptance, deposit, and administration of funds given or bequeathed to the Board for the benefit of the Library. In 1992, the Board was expanded from 5 to 13 members. Three are ex-officio (The Librarian of Congress, the Secretary of the Treasury; and the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library); the remaining members, who serve five-year terms, consist of two appointed by the President, and four each appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate (both in consultation with the respective minority leaders). Section 301. Addition of congressional board member Section 301 increases the size of the Board by the addition of a new member--the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on the Library. The Committee's Chairman has been an ex-officio member of the Trust Fund Board since the Board's creation in 1925. Because the Chairmanship and Vice-Chairmanship of the Joint Committee on the Library alternate each Congress between the Senate and the House of Representatives, this provision is intended to enhance the continuity of the Library's Congressional overseers in the activities of the Trust Fund Board. Section 302. Temporary extension of board member term The bill authorizes the Board Chairman to extend temporarily the term of an appointive board member whose period of appointment has expired. Such an extension could not exceed two years, and would expire immediately upon the appointment of a successor. The Library is requesting this provision on behalf of the Trust Fund Board, which approved the request by resolution on September 24, 1998. Vacancies on the Trust Fund Board have occurred due to the expiration of the members' terms, resignations, deaths and for other reasons. Due to the press of Executive and Congressional business, these vacancies often cannot be filled to ensure that the Board consists of a sufficient number of members necessary to conduct business and carry out its fiduciary responsibilities. In recent cases, this has meant, for example, that funds given to the Board to benefit the Library have not been able to be accepted and invested in a timely manner, at the expense of valuable investment income to the Library. Section 303. Trust fund board quorum Section 303 amends the Trust Fund Board Act to specify that seven members of the 14-member Board constitute a quorum; current law requires nine of 13 members to conduct business. The Library is also requesting this provision on behalf of the Trust Fund Board, which approved the request by resolution on September 24, 1998.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, in 1973, the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control issued its ``America Burining'' report. For the fire service this was a turning point in its 350 year history and led to the creation of the United States Fire Administration. Today is another such turning point because this afternoon we will see a renewed Federal commitment to the fire service. I will get into the details in a moment but first I would like to thank a few of my colleagues for their leadership. First, is my good friend from Pennsylvania Curt Weldon. As all of you know, Representative Weldon is the founder of the Fire Caucus and has done more to advance the cause of first responders than any other Member in Congress. Secondly, I would like to thank my friend from New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell. Congressman Pascrell is the sponsor of the FIRE Act, H.R. 1168. The FIRE Act has energized the fire service and the grant provisions to our first responders included in the amendment today are largely derived from his legislation. Finally, are my Fire Caucus Co-chairs. Representative Rob Andrews and Representative Sherry Boehlert, and Representatives Nick Smith who serves as Chairman of the Basic Research Subcommittee of the Science Committee. All of them have worked very hard to get us here today. Mr. Chairman, as I said before this is a watershed moment for the fire service. The proposed amendment does four very important things for the fire service. First, it makes available $10 million for the Volunteer Fire Assistance program. This program helps fire departments in rural and suburban areas prepare for and fight wildfires. The second component is $10 million for a competitive grant program administered by FEMA for burn prevention, research, and treatment. This money will be used by groups like Safe Kid, AARP, and NFPA to prevent fires before they start. Groups like the International Association of Fire Fighters will be able to apply for the money to augment their very successful burn camp. Unlike other accident victims, burn survivors are often permanently disfigured and require extensive physical therapy, job re-training and counseling. The fourth item is the $80 million that will be made available to fire fighter health and safety. Sadly, every year roughly 100 fire fighters are killed in the line of duty. This money will be used to purchase turnout gear, communications equipment, promote fire fighter fitness, increase training, and enforce the fire codes. Mr. Chairman, I want to urge all of my colleagues to support this amendment.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, further reserving the right to object, I thank the gentleman for his remarks, and I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), chairman of the subcommittee overseeing these matters.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, reserving the right to object, I will not object and I will yield to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) for an explanation of his modification.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, further reserving the right to object, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his action, and I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) who has been the principal sponsor of a very large bill pending which will be heard on April 12, of which this is a part.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, further reserving the right to object, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), my friend and cochair of the Fire Service Caucus.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, further reserving my right to object, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Frank), ranking member of the committee of jurisdiction.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, under my reservation, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) who, in fact, I think has led us to this very outstanding resolution of this issue.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, again, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) for her outstanding leadership. Mr. Chairman, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, would the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) briefly tell us what the schedule will be today?

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, I thank the gentleman for his comments on that. As he knows, we were hopeful that perhaps we could get a matter that was of some controversy last night out of the way. If the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) gets here in the next few seconds, and I am hoping to see him come through the door because, happily, we have resolved that issue, I think, on both sides with all the relevant parties. I know the gentleman is on his way. He will be here in a second I am told by his advance person.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, further reserving the right to object, the gentleman from Florida has informed me of that and, as always, I know the gentleman will be eminently fair. The Speaker is in the chair, and I would like to say as one member of the Committee on Appropriations, but I think that I speak for every member on our side of the aisle, that we perceive the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Young) to be a man of great fairness who runs the committee so that everybody has the opportunity to participate fully. I want the gentleman to know that we appreciate that consideration and that involvement on his behalf. It is very impressive. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) is here, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) is here, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is here. Now if we had the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), we would be in good shape. And, of course, the distinguished gentleman from Alabama is here. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the men and women of the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, and congratulate them on their continued success as one of our Nation's premier space flight centers. In December, Goddard led a successful mission to service the Hubble space telescope and launched the Terra spacecraft, the first of an exciting line of satellites based at Goddard. During the 1999 holiday season, the Hubble was given new navigation equipment and an improved vision of the universe. During an 8-day mission, beginning on December 19, the crew of the space shuttle Discovery captured, serviced, and redeployed the Hubble space telescope. On Christmas day it was released back into orbit, returning it to full operation with a new and improved view of the universe. Through these improvements, Hubble scientists, for the first time in its 10-year history, have identified and impelemented a value measurement for how fast the universe is expanding. This rate of expansion--the Hubble constant--is essential in determining the age and size of the universe. In addition to the great accomplishments with the Hubble, on December 18, the first Earth-observing system satellite was successfully launched. This system, known as Terra is operating as expected and will enable new research into the ways Earth's land mass, oceans, air, ice, and life interact as a whole climate. Since 1993, NASA has cut the cost of missions by two-thirds and has cut the time it takes to develop spacecraft by 40 percent. NASA is also launching an average of four times as many science missions per year. The great successes of Goddard Space Flight Center would not be possible without the outstanding support that has been provided by the contracting and business community of this region. Their efforts, in partnership with NASA, have been critical in placing Goddard in the forefront of space technology and giving the United States the recognition of being number one in space exploration and know-how. In closing, Mr. Speaker, as we enter the new millennium, let us continue to support the men and women leading us onto the new frontier of space exploration. These men and women of the Goddard Space Flight Center are furthering our knowledge of the planet and the universe by which we are surrounded. I thank the astronomers, scientists, and the entire space exploration community for a job well done.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I regret that I have not had the opportunity to talk to the gentlewoman from Miami, Florida (Mrs. Meek) who is my great friend and whom I deeply respect. I had understood that this question had been discussed with the committee and did not know about this particular problem. I would assure the gentlewoman as a strong supporter of this amendment, which I think is an important amendment, that I will work strenuously to make sure that we protect each and every community. Because my own community, Prince George's County, obviously cares a great deal about the CDBG and the integrity of its provisions. What this amendment does, it provides a portion of what the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) has been working on very, very hard, as well as the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews), and others on behalf of the fire fighters of America, both paid and volunteer. This money will be also used for burn victims, $10 million of it will be for victims of fire and fire research. Frankly, I regret that I did not know of the concern of the gentlewoman from Florida until just now. I was surprised. But at some point in time I would like to have the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), who is really the author of much of this, have some time.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield, the agreement is that it be 5 and 5. Obviously, if we are asking for 5 additional minutes as proponents, the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), who is not objecting to the request, correctly observes that she ought to have 5 minutes in opposition and I think that is fair.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, as I understand the intention of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio), it would be a modification of the existing amendment.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, having had the time expire, would it nevertheless, notwithstanding the fact that the time has expired, be possible for the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) to offer the unanimous consent for the amendment that he suggests be in order at this time?

Mr. HOYER. Parliamentary inquiry, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), whose bill will be heard on April 12, which is a major fire service bill. He has worked very closely with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and I and others on this and we have worked very closely with him on the major piece of legislation which we hope it see move forward as well.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Chairman, I have spoken to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) and he wants to speak, and I have \1/2\ minute left.