Steny Hoyer

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, Casey Martin is a 25-year-old young man who lives in America, the land of opportunity. He suffers from K-T-W syndrome which is a circulatory disorder in his right leg which causes great pain when he walks significant distances. Notwithstanding that, he had the courage to become a second team all-American on the Stanford golf team. The Professional Golfers Association said that the ADA did not apply to Casey Martin and it was not designed or intended to apply to competitors in professional sporting events. The judge felt differently and sustained what I think we in this body felt, that somebody with a disability ought to be given a reasonable accommodation to participate as fully as their courage and commitment would allow. Gary Phelan, a disability expert, was quoted as saying that the ADA was about opportunity, not pity. Casey Martin was the victim of fate, but he was not defeated by that disability. He has competed and prevailed. It was a great day for America yesterday when he was allowed to compete fully to the extent of his ability.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleague, Louis Stokes, in celebration of black history month. This special order is a time honored tradition in the House, and I always enjoy participating. For the past 17 years, I have celebrated black history month with the families, community leaders and elected officials of the fifth congressional district in Maryland, together, we reflect the memory of African American leaders past, honor the leaders and activists in the present, and encourage the development and education of future leaders: the children. One of the reasons I celebrate black history month is because I believe that African American history is the foundation of American history: They are indeed one in the same. African American history is a celebration of the journey of a people from which all Americans are able to witness the meaning of strength, perseverance, resilience, talent, faith, leadership, economic empowerment, and vision. Strength was what the African ancestors drew upon when they were stripped from their native land, chained in the bowels of a slave ship, and forced to make the traumatic transatlantic voyage into the unknown. Strength was the African slaves' will to survive in a foreign land, under violent, torturous and deplorable conditions for over 260 years. Perseverance was when Harriet Tubman, ``the Moses of her people'' led slaves to freedom countless times, dubbed ``the underground railroad'' in the face of danger and exhaustion. I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of Mr. Stokes' bill, H.R. 1635, the national underground railroad network to Freedom Act of 1998. This legislation would authorize the National Park Service to link together in a coordinated and cohesive fashion the many sites, structures, activities, museums and programs that commemorate and celebrate this African American triumph. Resilience is Booker T. Washington, who, after walking from West Virginia to Hampton Institute located in Hampton, Virginia, swept the floors of a classroom as his admissions test, and went on to become the principal of Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama. Washington played a defining leadership role in American politics in the early 1900's. Talent is defined by the great storytellers of the Harlem Renaissance era, like Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Nella Larsen, and Claude McKay--writers who drew upon their own experiences and societal African American culture as the basis of their compelling text. Talent is the musical genius of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, who developed the wonders of jazz music and laid the foundation of America's appreciation for many genres of contemporary music. Faith is what the late Jackie Robinson had when he became the first black player in modern major league baseball in 1947, an act which helped break down racial barriers in professional sports. We just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his feat last year, marking this triumphant point in history and reminding our youth of how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in fighting discrimination. Faith is what Rosa Parks had when she denied a white person a seat on a bus, which helped lead us into the greatest movement in American history--the civil rights movement. Faith is what nine students in little rock, Arkansas had when they integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, becoming symbols of educational equality. The late Thurgood Marshall demonstrated leadership when he became the first black associate justice of the supreme court in 1967. The vital role he played as counsel in Brown v. Board of Education Topeka, Kansas left an indelible mark on the history of education in America, eliminating the cruel ruse of ``Separate but equal''--overturning Plessy v. Ferguson. The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and will remain one of America's most revered and honored leaders as an advocate for racial harmony. Like many other leaders of the 1960's, Dr. King's assassination took him from us physically, but his spirit of leadership and his vision for racial equality still lives. Economic empowerment is what all of us here are seeking to sustain and create. We all want to develop and strengthen our communities economically by creating jobs and other opportunities to make sure that our neighborhoods are prosperous and our children are provided for. All of these attribute I have touched upon lead us to vision. African-Americans have always had a vision, whether it was of freedom, equality, voting rights civil rights, economic stability or justice. It must be noted historically that, when reviewing the visions of African Americans from one point in history to another, one thing rings true: The vision is always realized. As we approach the year 2000, we should all take a long, hard look at the journey that our ancestors have taken, that we have taken--and how, we need to look at the road we have left for our children to take on their journey. We leave our children with a rich history full of leaders and innovators, of men and women who made a difference and ensured the survival of a race of people in the face of adversity. Yet, as we prepare to pass the legacy of a people to the next generation, it is still incumbent upon us to tell the story, to celebrate the history. We must impress upon our children not to give up, but to always hope. They must hold onto the vision for their journey, and stick with it until it is realized--as our African American forefathers and mothers did. It is impossible for me to recognize all of the African-Americans throughout history who have influenced our lives. However, I am truly thankful that, with the leadership of Representative Stokes and others here today on the floor, we take the time to recognize black history month. Today, we are celebrating the African-American journey and are passing the legacy onto the next generation. I am proud to have participated in this special order commemorating black history month in 1998.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have prepared remarks, as so many do, but I have much more in my heart that is not written down in these prepared remarks, and so I will include them. They talk about my sadness in hearing of Ron's decision to retire. Not sadness for him, because for him it is the right thing to do at this time, but sadness for his colleagues and his friends, his brothers, as my colleague who previously spoke enunciated; sadness for the people of California and of Berkeley and of his district; sadness for this institution. Ron Dellums is a tall man. He is a stately man. The Washingtonian called him one of the best dressed men in Washington. He is indeed one of the best dressed men in this country. But those are superficial distinctions, because the measure of the man that we know as Ron Dellums is not on the outside, it is on the inside. A man of great conviction, which he couples with great courage, which he applies to deeply held principles as he debates the issues of the day and, indeed, of the centuries. Ron Dellums is a man of purpose, a man of humor, and a man of serious resolution. Ron Dellums is a man who has demonstrated the best there is in this body. Many of us will rise and say from time to time we disagreed with Ron Dellums and, very frankly, we could say that about any person in this House, because never do we always agree with everybody else. But there was never, ever a disagreement that Ron Dellums was one of the most respected, if not the most respected person in this body. And when he rose to speak, people listened, not because they were convinced they would agree but because they were convinced that they would learn and they would hear the best side of the argument. We are all very sad, Ron, that you are leaving this body. It will be a lesser body for your leaving. We will be less happy for your absence, but we will be eternally grateful to God that he gave you to us to enrich our lives, enrich our intellects, and expand our knowledge. Ron Dellums tells a story about being a Negro when he tried to join the Marines. And he joined the Marines and was considered to be an officer. And because they found he was a Negro, not an African- American, not a black, but a Negro, he was not admitted to OCS. How ironic that he would rise to be the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, one of the most powerful representatives of the defense establishment in America. And the great thing about Ron Dellums is he looks back on that without rancor, without anger, but with a conviction that America has changed, and America has changed for the better. It has done so in part because of the leadership of our friend and our colleague, a great American, a great Member of Congress, and a great member of humankind. Thank you, Ron, for all you have given and all you have meant to all of us.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend of mine, Congressman Ron Dellums of California. It is with great sadness that I note that Ron will be retiring from the 105th Congress, after serving in this body for 27 years. Ron brought a tremendous amount of insight to his work in Congress. Having once worked as a social worker he ran for the Berkeley city council in 1967, starting his political career. In 1970, he beat a Democratic incumbent to win a seat in Congress. Times were turbulent when Ron entered Congress, particularly in his home town of Berkeley, California. He immediately sought and won a seat on the Armed Services Committee, where he became a leader in helping to craft American military and foreign policy and advocated for an end to the Vietnam war. Ron used his seat on Armed Forces to push for arms reductions, peaceful resolution of international conflict and for alternatives to the use of military force. Representing Berkeley and Oakland, California, Ron used his position on Armed Forces to advocate for funding of social programs to invigorate and renew these two cities. He pushed for money to be spend on the poor and uneducated and gave voice to those in society who often do not have a voice in government. In 1993, he became chairman of the Armed Service Committee. His chairmanship is remembered as being very even handed with a strong respect for the input of all committee members. As chairman on the committee, and continuing this Congress through his role as the ranking member, Ron has consistently examined the military's role in the post cold-war era, while advocating for stronger rules on sexual harassment and discrimination in America's Armed Forces. While he and I have sometimes differed on our national security goals, Ron has always taken the views of other Members into his consideration. This sense of fairness and respect for this institution is what will be missed. Along with identifying himself as a progressive expert in military affairs, Ron has been a consistent champion of civil rights and equal rights for all Americans. In 1971, as a freshman Member, Ron first proposed sanctions against South Africa. Throughout a bitter battle in the 70's and 80's these sanctions were finally passed in 1986. Through his dedication and leadership, Congress imposed sanctions on the apartheid government of South Africa, which led to democracy and full party participation. The highlight of Ron Dellums work on bringing this issue to the attention of Congress and the American people was when South African President Nelson Mandela addressed Congress. This day must have been one of Ron's best days and fondest memory while serving in Congress. I will miss my friend Ron and the work we have done together. The institution of Congress is losing one of its finest Members, not to mention one of its best dressed according to Washingtonian Magazine. His tireless advocacy for the poor, and less fortunate will be missed by myself and many Members of this body. I wish Ron the best of luck and continuing success in all of his endeavors.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I thank the Chair. We would like to do that.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, am I correct from a parliamentary standpoint under the rules this resolution would be debatable for 1 hour, if not tabled?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for an end to the contested election in the 46th District of California. Enough is enough. It is unfortunate that our second session is starting out much the same as our first session did. Members of the Republican leadership are publicly making unsubstantiated assertions about illegal voting in the 46th District and about the involvement of the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez). The facts, however, tell a different story. The facts are that the grand jury investigating this matter for 13 months found no credible evidence on which to base a criminal prosecution, not one, although Hermandad was called a criminal organization in this House on this floor. No conspiracy to commit voter fraud was found. The Orange County District Attorney had a thorough and fair investigation. It yielded no indictments. The facts are that the Committee on House Oversight asked Secretary Jones to investigate a list. He gave us that list back and he said that he could not vouch for any list because he did not know how it was put together. Let us end this sad event in our Congress' history.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters] for yielding. I want to join her very appropriate comments regarding Denzel Washington, who has been a really outstanding leader. Also, we ought to mention Colin Powell. This is one of the first boards that he joined among thousands that he was requested to join. So many people understand the worth of this organization and, therefore, join in it. And I want to congratulate the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters] herself, who is a leader in this country of national renown, who herself has joined in this effort, and I thank her for her efforts.

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for yielding me the time. I rise, obviously, in strong support of this legislation. I presume there will be unanimous support for this legislation. As one who has been involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs through many years and who was himself a participant in the Miami Boys and Girls Club when I was in my very early teens, I can attest to the effectiveness of these organizations. In recent years, I have cochaired the breakfast held annually on Capitol Hill with Senator Strom Thurmond. As we all know, the Boys and Girls Clubs are authorized under a congressional act and chartered under a congressional act; and, so, they submit annually a report to the Congress of the United States. It is one of the best breakfasts that I attend during the year, because at that point in time, they cite from four regions of the country outstanding young people. Invariably, those young people have overcome incredible obstacles to become outstanding young people, both academically, athletically, civically. They contribute mightily as young people to their peers and mightily to the strength of this Nation. This effort, therefore, is a very worthwhile effort, which, for a relatively modest investment, will pay off incredibly large dividends. Investing in our young people clearly is the best investment that we citizens can make. Investing tax dollars in our young citizens is one of the best application of tax dollars that we can make, and, in my opinion, an investment strongly supported by the American people. So I am very pleased to join the gentleman from Florida [Mr. McCollum], the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] and the committee in putting forth this bill, which will have great positive impact on the future of our country.

Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for yielding. I rise, Ed, on behalf of myself, but also on behalf of the Minority Leader, Dick Gephardt; our Whip, David Bonior; the Chairman of our Caucus, Vic Fazio, and the Vice Chairman of our Caucus, Barbara Kennelly, and all the other leadership and Members on our side of the aisle. Ed Nichols has chosen well for the Eastern Shore. Now, I represent the Western Shore, and Wayne Gilchrest is not here, but I am sure that Wayne would swell with pride and be delighted, Ed, that you are going to spend many years of full enjoyment of not only the Shore, but of the many recreational opportunities it has. As the gentleman from Wisconsin has said, and the majority leader said, a house full of relatives and friends. Far too often, as I have said so many times on this floor, the public turns on C-Span and they see confrontation. Sometimes they even see vitriol directed at one another. What they do not see often enough is the human relationships of which the gentlewoman from Washington [Ms. Dunn] spoke. What they do not see is the commitment and dedication of the folks who sit at the desk and stand on the floor to ensure that in the context of the confrontation of philosophies and ideas, that there is a semblance of order which allows us to do the people's business, which allows this people's House to act in the finest traditions of democracy. It is people who, as has been said before, like Ed Nichols, dedicated to his country, dedicated to this institution. Ed Nichols has served under 5 Speakers of the House: Speaker Albert, Speaker O'Neill, Speaker Wright, Speaker Foley, and now Speaker Gingrich. He has served, as my colleagues can tell from listening to the comments made by both sides of the aisle, by Members more liberal, by Members more conservative, he has dealt with each of us in an evenhanded, positive fashion, reaching out to us to assist us in representing to the very best of our abilities the people of our constituencies. And in so doing, he has made a very significant and lasting contribution to the strength of this country and the strength of this institution. Ed, we will miss you from this floor. We will not forget you. We hope you will return often for that smile and the warm word, the handshake, the nod of encouragement. It meant a great deal to all of us. God bless and Godspeed.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from West Virginia for yielding me this time. Sampling will clearly be one of the most important issues that we confront in the next session of Congress that is being addressed in this bill. I am going to support this bill, and I, too, congratulate the chairman and the ranking member for accomplishing a very difficult task. I rise briefly, however, to call the attention to what the Speaker of the House said just a few years ago. I want to read it: I respectfully request that the census numbers for the State of Georgia be readjusted, that is after counting, I tell my friend, from door to door, to reflect the accurate population of the State so as to include the over 300,000 which were previously not included. That is in the door-to-door count, according to the Speaker. Based on available information, without an adjustment to compensate for the undercount, minorities in Georgia could lose two State Senate seats and four to five House seats. As a result of conversations with black legislators, it is my understanding that they have not only concurred with this request, but stated that they believe it is required under the Voting Rights Act. Representative Newt Gingrich sent that to Bob Mosbacher, then Secretary of Commerce, with respect to sampling. We are not going to argue situational ethics, I hope. If sampling was good then in this letter from Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1991 to Secretary Mosbacher, it is good today. Now, my friends, let me tell you, there was a similar letter, and I will not read it, you can read it for yourself, from the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Ros-Lehtinen], the gentleman from Mississippi [Mr. Parker], the gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Bateman], the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Spence], the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Tauzin], the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Clay Shaw], in a letter to Bill Clinton in 1994. Barbara Bryant, who was the head of the census under George Bush, clearly says, in the long run our Nation is best served by accuracy. Sample surveys to estimate those who will not or cannot be counted in the 2000 census after the Census Bureau has made every reasonable and good faith effort to voluntarily enumerate will increase the accuracy of the census. My friends, again, let us not be into situational ethics. Let us not be into which side gains politically. The Speaker thought in 1991 perhaps it served his political interest. But I also believe he said and believed that that was the accurate way to count. Let us not deviate from that for the situational effects that it may have.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, during the August recess, I had the good fortune to spend some time with members of our naval forces, specifically the officers and crews of the aircraft carrier, U.S.S. ``George Washington'' and the ballistic missile submarine, U.S.S. ``Maryland''. I was joined on the ``George Washington'' visit by Congressman Gil Gutknecht. Congressman Ben Cardin and I were together on the ``Maryland'' visit. We were able to stay for an overnight on each vessel and observe the ship's personnel, as they went about their normal duties. Mr. Speaker, it was a distinct pleasure and source of pride watching our Navy in action. You would truly be amazed at the amount of coordination and communication that is required to safely and effectively utilize all of their ship's warfighting capabilities. Yet, these crews carried out their duties with great skill, making it all look easy. In the case of the U.S.S. ``George Washington'', the advertisements are correct and possibly even understated. At almost 1,100 feet long, 257 feet wide, 244 feet high, and capable of housing and feeding over 5,000 sailors and marines, she really is 4\1/2\ acres of sovereign territory. A cornerstone of our national defense strategy, ``George'' can transport over 70 combat aircraft almost anywhere in the world. Such an important capability becomes even more invaluable as budgets and politics dictate that we vacate our forward bases. It is easy to see why our Nation's aircraft carriers have played a major role in almost every world crisis. Their forward presence is invaluable to our national defense. Much less apparent--by design, I might add--but certainly no less important in its role, is the U.S.S. ``Maryland'', a strategic ballistic missile submarine. The ``Maryland'' is over 560 feet long with a hull diameter of 42 feet. She carries a complement of approximately 157 officers and enlisted personnel. For armament, she has 24 missile tubes carrying the Trident II D-5 missile and 4 torpedo tubes capable of firing the Mark 48 antisubmarine torpedo. As an undersea launching platform, the Maryland is virtually undetectable. Her state-of-the-art mobility, speed, and quietness makes her one of our most survivable and cost-effective strategic systems. As you know, the Navy is a very important part of my southern Maryland constituency. The Fifth Congressional District is home to the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and St. Inigoes. We also have the Indian Head Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center. Pax River personnel are trained to develop and test a host of systems designed to enhance the safety and reliability of all naval aircraft. In addition, St. Inigoes develops communications and radar systems designed to provide the fleet with state-of-the-art eyes and ears. Similarly, Indian Head is a leading developer of insensitive missile and gun propellants for the fleet. As a result of their efforts, sailors can literally sleep on their munitions without concern. The research and development conducted at Pax River, St. Inigoes, and Indian Head is absolutely critical to our national defense. It is their creativity and support that contributes to the excellence of our Navy. When you combine their know how with the quality of our sailors, you have an unbeatable combination. As good as our hardware is, it still requires human intervention. I was extraordinarily impressed by the professionalism and the dedication of the naval personnel assigned to the George Washington and the Maryland. Their days are long and the work is demanding. In addition, they endure long absences from their families. I witnessed two separate crews with vastly different assignments, but with the common goal of being the best in the world. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to have the opportunity to talk to the members of the crew. They are young, insightful, professional, and most of all, enthusiastic about their jobs and the Navy. Their training is first rate and constantly updated. It gives them a confidence that is unmistakable and it shows in the way that they carry themselves. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers and crews of the George Washington and the Maryland and their families that provide so much inspiration and support. You are the best. I would like to acknowledge the following naval personnel whose participation in my visits made them so memorable: U.S.S. George Washington visit: RADM Tim Ziemer, Commander, Naval Base, Norfolk; RADM Mike Mullen, Commander, George Washington Battle Group; Capt. Lindell ``Yank'' Rutherford, Commanding Officer, U.S.S. George Washington; Capt. John ``Boomer'' Stuffelbeem, Commander, Carrier Air Wing One; Command Master Chief Kevin Lavin; and Lt. Steve West, House Navy Liaison Office. U.S.S. Maryland visit: RADM Chuck Beers, Commander, Submarine Group Ten; Capt. Randy Zeller, Commanding Officer, Trident Refit Facility; Comdr. Scott Gray, Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Maryland; Lt. Comdr. Tim Luffy, Executive Officer, U.S.S. Maryland; Lt. Comdr. Travis Hayes, House Navy Liaison Office; and Sonar Technician Senior Chief Tom Tribble, Chief of the Boat, U.S.S. Maryland. Mr. Speaker, we owe the men and women of our Navy the best of everything--the best training, the best equipment, and the best support. I can assure you that they will use it wisely.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the first health outreach programs in the State of Maryland to deal with immunizing children. The Well Child Outreach Program in St. Mary's County is a partnership between private practitioners and the St. Mary's County Health Department that was created to reduce the fragmented care of children in southern Maryland. In addition to providing medical care to uninsured and underinsured children, the program coordinates with the Department of Social Services, St. Mary's County public schools, WIC and Head Start in order to immunize as many children as possible throughout the county. In its 9 years in existence, child immunization rates have improved, 98 percent of children entering county schools have complied with the entry physicals and 90 percent of the clients have kept their appointments. The State of Maryland supports State and local health departments throughout the State that follow the well child outreach model. I applaud the St. Mary's County Health Department and the physicians who began the Well Child Outreach Program.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, as everybody is as tired and interested in going home as I am, it bears repeating that, and I did not know that the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Slaughter] was going to mention the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Sanchez], but, as we leave, to repeat that this is the longest pending case in history under the Federal Contested Election Act, the longest in history.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, over the past several years, Turkey, a NATO ally and United States friend, has made repeated incursions into Iraq. The invasions, which violate international law, are undertaken ostensibly against Kurdish guerillas waging a violent insurgency in Turkey. In reality, these military campaigns result in countless civilian casualties, widespread population displacement, severe economic hardship, and if anything, encourage local support for the guerrillas. While the Turkish military declares the guerrillas eradicated after each incursion, repeated cross-border attacks expose this as a fiction. The latest invasion raises new cause for concern. For more than three weeks, Turkish forces have actively supported the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which has been engaged in years of bloody fighting with its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Widespread reports indicate Turkey is using napalm and cluster bombs, despite international covenants banning their use. The PUK receives significant United States funding, so in effect, our ally Turkey is attacking a party which receives funds from the United States Government. I question why our Government refuses to acknowledge this inconsistency. And even more importantly, I question our Government's silence when a United States-supplied ally violates a United States-imposed `no-fly zone' to kill Kurdish civilians and destroy their villages in the so- called safe haven. Mr. Speaker, Turkey along with the United States and Great Britain, had been participating in the ``Ankara Process'' in an effort to bring the two feuding Kurdish factions to the negotiating table. Turkey's military support for the KDP ends any hope that it can serve as a neutral regional peace-broker. Furthermore, Turkish plans to establish a ``buffer zone'' in Iraqi Kurdistan, with at least 8,000 troops, will destabilize the entire region and invite intervention by Iraq, Iran and Syria. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the record an editorial by Jim Hoagland from last Sunday's Washington Post that further questions the logic of U.S. policy in this area. It is tragic and ironic that Turkey seeks answers to its ``Kurdish question'' outside its borders, when in reality it should be working these issues out at home. Turkey's 15 million Kurds have faced oppression since modern Turkey was forged in 1923. Since then, there have been 28 major Kurdish uprisings. The most recent, underway since 1984, has claimed almost 30,000 lives. According to Turkish Government sources 3,185 Kurdish villages have been evacuated and up to three million people have been internally displaced from southeast Turkey. Dispite the severity of the conflict, Turkey refuses access by the International Red Cross to the stricken region. The conflict costs billions of dollars each year and destroys hopes of economic development that is greatly needed in the region. Mr. Speaker, the Turkish regime must put flesh on its skeletal democracy, or the Kurdish problem and other pressing issues will fester and continue to prevent Turkey from moving closer to Europe. Turkey's civilian and military leaders have repeatedly stated their intentions to address human rights problems, yet the problems persist and reform efforts seem little more than public relations exercises. Meanwhile, our Government continues business as usual, sending billions of dollars worth of security assistance to Ankara while refusing to acknowledge increasing signs of political instability. Such unequivocal support is unwise because it reinforces the military and other non-democratic forces in Turkey, and sends a message that the United States Government will support the Turkish Government no matter how deficient it remains in human rights areas. Mr. Speaker, as I stand before this distinguished body, a group of Kurds and Americans, including Kathryn Cameron Porter, are fasting in front of this building to protest human rights violations in Turkey. They too believe our Government has remained silent in the face of growing threats to democracy in Turkey. A major impetus for their protest is the continued imprisonment of four Kurdish parliamentarians, including Leyla Zana, whose indictment included charges related to her appearance at a Helsinki commission briefing. All Kurdish-based political parties in Turkey are suppressed, even though Kurdish political opinions must be considered if political institutions are to be truly representative. Non-violent Kurdish parties must be allowed to participate in political life. Individuals should not be jailed for expressing opinions deemed harmful by the Government. Open debate and dialogue is imperative. Mr. Speaker, another democratic measure is freedom of the media. On October 21, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a report entitled ``The Anatolian Archipelago'' which details the fate of 78 journalists jailed for speech crimes in Turkey. CPJ, which does meticulous research and seeks Turkish Government input before publishing, has concluded in each of the last 3 years that more journalists are jailed in Turkey than in any other country. Human rights defenders and Kurdish peace activists are also subject to harassment, imprisonment or worse. This past week, Yavuz Onen and Akin Birdal, two internationally recognized rights leaders, and Ahmet Turk, a Kurd, were charged for reading in public a report detailing the ongoing scandal linking officials to death squads and face up to 3 years in prison. On October 20, well-known peace activist, Esber Yagmurdereli, was jailed for 22 years. On October 21, the president and 7 other Human Rights Association (HRA) executives were sentenced to between 1 and 2 years in prison for speeches made during human rights week in 1996. In recent years, 20 HRA branches have been closed, including all that serve Kurdish communities in Southeast Turkey. Free expression is only one area where Turkey is deficient in meeting its stated human rights commitments. Local NGOS, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and our own State Department conclude that torture remains widespread and few accused of torture are brought to justice. Last week, a panel of judges presiding over an internationally publicized trial, refused to make police accused of torturing 14 young people, some as young as 13, appear in court. Also pending is the legal appeal of the human rights foundation doctor who refused to turn over to the government information on victims of torture. Mr. Speaker, I have joined more than 160 of our colleagues in signing a letter calling for the release of imprisoned parliamentarians in Turkey. At the very least, as Members of an elected legislature, we should demand that our colleagues in Turkey be freed, for it is unthinkable that legislators in a democratic society would be jailed for speaking out on behalf of democratic society would be jailed for speaking out on behalf of their constituents. I urge my colleagues to sign the ``Dear Colleague'' letter and to visit those fasting on the steps of this building. I have also joined my colleagues on the Helsinki Commission in introducing a resolution expressing the sense of the Congress that Turkey should not be chosen as the host of the next summit meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. As long as Turkey continues to violate international law and its own commitments to OSCE principles, Turkey should not be considered an appropriate venue for a human rights summit. Such a privilege, Mr. Speaker, should be reserved for participating States that have demonstrated, in word and in deed, steadfast support for Helsinki principles and standards, particularly respect for basic human rights. [From The Washington Post, Nov. 2, 1997] Before Turkey Joins Europe (By Jim Hoagland) Friend and ally to Turkey for half a century, the United States today plays a new role: pusher. The drug of choice is unrealistic ambition, fed by Washington to Ankara to keep the Turks cooperative. The Clinton administration has correctly identified Turkey as the new ``front-line state'' in global conflict. It is the major crossroads of the religious, social and nationalist fractures of new-era politics, and gateway to the oil fields of Central Asia, Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Turkey counts. But Washington is as weak at remedy as it is strong on diagnosis. In no other region of the post-Cold War world is the imbalance greater between a region's declared importance to U.S. interests and active, sustained U.S. involvement. Instead the Clinton administration offers diplomatic opium to the Turks, suggesting that the answer to their problems is quick membership in the European Union, and then presses the Europeans to admit the Turks and overlook a few flaws here and there. There is nothing inherently wrong with the U.S. goal of Turkish membership in the 15-member club of Europe's most affluent nations. A Turkey that fits into Europe economically and socially would be a more stable nation, as U.S. diplomats argue at international conferences and in increasingly acrimonious private exchanges with their European counterparts. But Washington turns a blind eye to the self-destructive, addictive behavior of the Turkish military that makes EU membership in the near future a pipe dream. Worse: Washington denies its own responsibility for conditions that feed that behavior. The Turkish military, which dominates the weak coalition government in Ankara, is not interested in harmonizing value added taxes, a perennial hot topic in the EU. The Turkish military expends its energies persecuting dissidents at home--a new wave of arrests of human rights activists was launched last week--and plunging deeper into a nasty civil war in neighboring northern Iraq. For several weeks Turkish warplanes have been strafing Kurdish guerrillas in Iraq on a near-daily basis. Turkey has moved U.S.-supplied artillery into Iraq to fire on one Kurdish faction, and is dropping napalm on them from U.S.-supplied warplanes, Kurdish spokesmen say. Turkey's involvement in the Kurdish civil war demolishes the notion that this is a distant, small conflict with no consequence for the United States. The White House pretends otherwise in its misleading reports to Congress and in its anesthetizing public statements playing up the ``success'' of U.S. policy in northern Iraq and Turkey. The confusion of American purposes and methods is made clear by this officially unacknowledged, bizarre reality: The main targets of Turkey's current attacks inside Iraq are the guerrillas of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, an organization that receives at least $500,000 a month in covert support from the Central Intelligence Agency. Official American money intended to finance peacekeeping has also been flowing to the PUK's Kurdish opponents, led by Massoud Barzani, who has allied himself with the Baghdad regime of Saddam Hussein. The Turks are now weary of the vacuum that the United States has let develop in northern Iraq, a U.S. protectorate after the gulf war. They are also understandably upset about the heavy financial sacrifices the long U.S.-led economic blockade on Saddam has imposed on them. Frustrated and confused about U.S. goals, the Turks follow policies that will result in both Kurdish groups reconciling with Saddam, who will resume operational control of the north. On top of this disastrous scenario, the brutal Turkish campaign pushes further and further away the day when Ankara would be accepted by the European Union. U.S. abdication in northern Iraq, and its self-imposed blindness to the regional consequences of that abdication, undermine its proposed solution for Turkey's problems. This large, developing Muslim nation already faces nearly insurmountable hurdles in gaining EU membership. Germany, with 2 million Turkish residents and 500,000 Kurds on its soil, is terrified of new waves of immigration. The Europeans are also keenly aware that they are being asked by the Americans to provide more financial support for Turkey so U.S. help can decline. Washington needs to acknowledge the damage its vacillating policy on Iraq has caused Turkey and offer financial compensation to Ankara. The deal must include Turkey's ending its human rights abuses at home and the border war on the Kurds, as part of a self-help program to get ready to join Europe. Friends challenge self-delusion. They do not feed it.

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I was told by the majority leader that we would have time to debate this resolution. I was also told by the Speaker that we would have time to debate this resolution. Am I correct that voting for this motion made by the Chairman of the Committee on Rules will obviate the representations of the Speaker and the majority leader?

Mr. HOYER

Mr. HOYER. I yield to the gentleman from Oregon.

Mr. HOYER. I know the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith] thinks that is good. The chairman or the ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations does not think it is good. The reason he does not think it is good is because we on the Committee on Appropriations are concerned that there is already a done deal and the Committee on Appropriations is going to be in a bad strait as a result.

Mr. HOYER. I voted ``aye'' on the bill.

Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith]. Under those circumstances, I will not object. Mr. Speaker, I withdraw my reservation of objection.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, reserving the right to object, I ask the gentleman from Oregon [Mr. Smith], is this on the bill we just passed? I voted for the bill that we just passed. But there is a lot of concern, as my colleague knows. And I presume we are going to conference on this bill. Is that correct, Mr. Chairman?