Henry Hyde

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 46) to correct the enrollment of H.R. 1298, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), for his generosity. Believe me, he is indispensable to this effort, too. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to increase the salaries of Federal judges. I take this step because there is a serious crisis developing in the recruitment and retention of our Federal judges. The declining salaries in real terms discourage potential candidates from seeking appointments to the bench. The impact of inflation, the withholding of cost-of-living adjustments, and lack of pay increases are causing Federal judges to resign or retire. The Chief Justice has often spoken on this issue identifying the need to increase judicial pay as the most pressing problem facing the judiciary. Of course, it is a well known fact that salaries of Federal judges have not kept pace with those of lawyers in the private sector. The theory behind the judicial pay raise movement is that, without a pay raise, qualified judges will continue to vacate the bench for higher pay in the practice of law. These men and women will often be replaced by new--and less qualified--judges. The Federal judiciary and affected litigants will suffer as a result. Since the independence and quality of the judiciary is at risk because of the inadequacy of the current salaries of Federal judges, I urge my colleagues to support this. bill that will restore the lost cost-of living adjustments which have been denied to the judiciary.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, the children and orphans who are affected by this scourge could have no better champion than the gentlewoman from Minnesota, and we are very pleased to accept her excellent amendment.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Castle).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This is a good amendment, a thoughtful amendment. It adds to the bill, so we are pleased to accept this amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, not since the bubonic plague swept across the world in the last millennium killing more than 250 million people has our world confronted such a horrible, unspeakable curse as we are now witnessing with the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic. In the very short time that we will spend today considering this legislation, thousands of people around the world will die of HIV/AIDS. The number of dead or dying is grotesquely high: 25 million already dead worldwide and growing at the rate of 8,500 every day, with the horror of entire villages populated only by orphans because the adults are dead or dying from AIDS. I do not mean to demean the work of this House, but so much of what we do is really unimportant and trivial; but not today. Today we have an opportunity, the opportunity to do something significant and of lasting importance. Today we have an obligation, the obligation to do something reflecting our commitment to human solidarity. We have a privilege today, the privilege of doing something truly compassionate. It is no exaggeration to compare the AIDS pandemic in Africa to the bubonic plague in medieval Europe. This plague took one-third of Europe's entire population, creating political chaos and set the course of civilization back for decades, perhaps centuries. AIDS in Africa is well on its way to doing something terribly similar, and similarly terrible. Tuesday's Wall Street Journal tells us 42 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS, 30 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone. Today we need to consider H.R. 1298, the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003. We would not be here today with this bill, that I think is an excellent one, without the sincere and heartfelt and invaluable assistance of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), which makes this a truly bipartisan effort. This legislation authorizes the President's 5-year $15 billion emergency plan for treatment and prevention of AIDS in those countries already facing crisis. The legislation creates a more responsive, coordinated, and effective approach among the various agencies of the U.S. Government involved in this global fight. The legislation promotes an approach that provides funds for antiretroviral therapy for more than 2 million people living with HIV. It encourages a strategy that extends palliative care for people living with AIDS. It supports efforts to find vaccines for HIV/AIDS and malaria. It emphasizes the need to keep families together with particular focus on the assistance needs of children and young people with HIV. It endorses prevention programs that stress sexual abstinence and monogamy as a first line of defense against the spread of this disease and contributes to multilateral initiatives that leverage the funds of other donor nations. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is more than a humanitarian crisis. Increasingly, it is a threat to the security of the developed world. Left unchecked, this plague will further rip the fabric of developing societies, pushing fragile governments and economies to the point of collapse. So to those who suggest the U.S. has no stake in this pandemic, let me observe that the specter of failed states across the world certainly is our concern. Africa is a central concern. Today radical Islam is spreading in several African countries, especially Nigeria. This threatens to undercut democracy and make Nigeria a failed state. It is in our interest to counter this movement by doing what we can to build democracy and a growing economy in Nigeria and elsewhere. The spread of HIV/AIDS frustrates this important mission. We also have a strong interest in seeing the development of professional African militaries, militaries capable of maintaining stability in their country, but also capable of contributing to peacekeeping operations elsewhere in Africa. Yet an examination of the HIV/AIDS rates among the armed forces of key African countries, including Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya, reveals infection rates between 30 and 40 percent. HIV/AIDS is a national security issue for those countries and for us. The President's proposal is based on America's deep conviction about the dignity of every human life, and these proposed remedies for the AIDS crisis in Africa recognize that human dignity. In adopting this proposal, we show the world that conviction and compassion go together as we demonstrate that compassion is not a sign of weakness but of strength. America does not have to take on the African AIDS crisis alone; but as is often the case, American leadership, political or financial, is necessary if our friends around the world are to bear their fair share of the burden. That is what the President's proposal does. It sets a pattern of American leadership that others we believe will follow. This bill is a compromise, a delicately arrived at, painstakingly negotiated compromise between various factions interested in this legislation; but it hangs together, and it works and it will advance the cause that we so desperately need to support. AIDS is a mortal challenge to our civilization. Let us today be animated by compassion and, yes, vision that always have defined what it means to be an American. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence) for the purposes of a colloquy.

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

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach).

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, we are prepared to accept the amendment.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon) who, as an original cosponsor of this legislation, has made an invaluable contribution.

Mr. HYDE. The gentleman is correct. Nothing this in this legislation should suggest that it is United States' policy that abortion is a proper and appropriate method for prevention of or treatment of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Needless to say, I am very moved by the generosity of my friend from California. Mr. Chairman, I have just a couple of simple thoughts in closing on the Pitts amendment. First of all, please note what the amendment actually does. It simply says 33 percent of the funds to be expended for prevention under this total program shall go to support abstinence. That is all it says. It does not downgrade or denigrate condoms or family fidelity, marital fidelity. It simply says as we move forward in this war, do not forget abstinence, which is the one sure preventative for AIDS. One need not be a microbiologist to know that if abstinence were practiced, you would have far less of a serious problem. So, this amendment does not distort the balance of ABC. This amendment reinforces the balance by saying abstinence, family fidelity and condoms, but to not forget abstinence. That is all it says. I hope those of you who are convinced with me that this is a bill that has to pass, that this is a statement that has to be made, will understand that this amendment does not distort the spirit nor the principle nor the thrust of our bill in chief. It actually reinforces the balance. I hope Members will support this so we can pass this bill this afternoon and say we did a great day's work. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, this is an effort to make the army in opposition, the army that is fighting AIDS as inclusive as possible. Just think for a moment, put biases aside. Here is an organization that takes care of 1 in 4 people afflicted with AIDS, the Catholic Relief Services. Without this amendment, they stand very much in jeopardy of being excluded from this program. Why should we hobble ourselves as we are attacking the deadly scourge of AIDS? There are religious people who do not believe in condoms who can teach, who can go from village to village administering medicines. There are so many things that need to be done on the human level, and why should we exclude them because they have moral scruples against condoms. This is a 3-part attack: Abstinence, as well as being faithful and using condoms. We can certainly do some good teaching abstinence, teaching fidelity in the family, and many other creature comforts that can be administered by Muslim groups that do not support condoms. Why exclude people from this force that is going to attack AIDS? I think it is irrational. The purpose of the bill is to get as many forces together to attack AIDS. If we exclude people because they do not believe in condoms, we are tying our hands and it is a big mistake. I hope this amendment passes. It in no way at this diminishes the efficacy of this bill. It simply says there are people who do not subscribe to the ``C'' of the ABC, but they do to the ``A'' and ``B,'' and we need all of the people we can muster in this struggle. I hope the Smith amendment passes.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. We are very pleased to accept this amendment which adds to the quality of bill. I thank the gentlewoman and we are pleased to accept it.

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Chairman, it is always a pleasure to engage with the gentleman from Michigan in debates, but the gentleman keeps citing the President. That has been overtaken by a statement of position from the White House supporting our version and in opposition to yours. The fact is, under the Smith amendment, there is no net saving. There is a reshuffling of money within the 5-year framework, but it still adds up to $15 billion. With respect, I hope the gentleman loses the amendment.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention today the exemplary work and most commendable public service of a fine and most outstanding music teacher, Mr. Fred Lewis. After 45 years as director of the Fenton High School Band located in Bensenville, Illinois, Mr. Fred Lewis is retiring in June of 2003. During his tenure, he has instructed over 2000 band members and conducted hundreds of community concerts. Since 1955 the band has toured every two years throughout the United States and Europe gaining national and international recognition. Mr. Lewis' final concert will be held on May 10, 2003. At that time, a scholarship fund will be established in Mr. Lewis' name at Fenton High School. Each year the Fred Lewis Scholarship Fund Committee will provide a cash award to a graduating senior band member to be used for continuing music education. Also, the Fenton Auditorium will be renamed Lewis/Huffman Auditorium. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring and offering congratulations to this outstanding teacher of 45 years for his selfless dedication to his students and to Fenton High School.

Mr. HYDE

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill H.R. 1298, which we are about to consider.