Joseph Hoeffel

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. I thank the gentleman for yielding and want to compliment the gentleman from Florida for his leadership in standing up for Israel and the people of Israel and for helping to organize and really being the guiding light beyond the trip that four Members of Congress took to Israel this past weekend. I was pleased to join that trip led by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch) and honored to be here tonight to share some of the findings that we had. We designed this trip, Mr. Speaker, to express our solidarity with the people of Israel and the government of Israel in the face of the war of terror that has faced the people of Israel over these last few months and even over these last few decades. What has happened recently has been horrible and is unacceptable, and the act of terror yesterday is a reminder of how difficult the situation is and how the people of Israel face the uncertainty every day, whether they will face this kind of terror, whether they will be able to go shopping, whether they will be able to stand at a bus stop, whether they will be able to socialize with friends and family in safety. Too many times recently the answer has been that they cannot do that safely. We feel very strongly that the terror that has faced Israel must be firmly opposed. We heard on our trip from Prime Minister Sharon that there can be no compromise with terror. President Bush has said that there should be zero tolerance for terror. All four of us, and I am sure that the whole Congress, agrees with both of those statements from those two leaders. I know those of us on the trip feel that there cannot be a Yasar Arafat exemption to the ``no tolerance for terror'' rule. We need to determine what we can do as a Nation to help Israel deal with this challenge and help her in her undeniable right to defend herself against acts of terror and to make sure that we do not set artificial limits or restraints upon her legitimate right of self-defense. Mr. Speaker, let me yield back to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutsch). I know that he has other photographs of some of the illegal weapons that we inspected, all of which were in violation of the Oslo Agreements.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to do so. I must say that I have never seen a more evil thing than the suicide bombing vest that we inspected as part of the seized weapons and munitions that the Palestinians have stored illegally in the West Bank. The vest that we inspected from a distance looks innocuous. It is a plain gray, down- filled vest. Close inspection indicated that it was manufactured in China with a Western logo. It is called the Masters Company and the Masters name is on the vest, obviously intended for a Western audience. But inside the vest, a webbing has been sown and straps that are designed to hold small pieces of PCV piping, tubing; and the experts informed us that inside of those tubes, the suicide bombers place their C-4 explosives and a collection of ball bearings. So when the explosion occurs, it kills the suicide bomber, the explosive force kills and maims people around the bomber, and the ball bearings just shred the people that are in the vicinity of the bomber. Our delegation met with a former constituent of mine who is now a resident of Israel who was the victim of one of these bombings. Her name is Gila Weiss. She was stepping onto a bus at the Jewish market in Jerusalem when a suicide bomber stepped off and the vest detonated, killing six people, wounding 40, including Gila Weiss. Now, her devastating injuries are just appalling; but the doctors are confident that she will have a recovery and hopefully regain all of her eyesight that has been threatened by this explosive blast. She is pockmarked with shrapnel marks, but they have all been removed and the doctors believe she will heal well. The most encouraging thing about this was her spirit, Mr. Speaker. Her father, my constituent, flew over when they learned, her parents learned of her injuries and asked her in the hospital, ``Honey, do you think now it is time for you to come home?'' And this brave woman responded ``Daddy, I am home.'' And that is the spirit of confidence and resolve that our delegation found throughout Israel. It is because of that spirit that I am confident that the State of Israel will continue to exist and to thrive, and I look forward to giving my full support to that.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to. I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. The people we met in Israel on the trip this past weekend all knew about the resolution that the House had passed the day before. It was a remarkable demonstration to me of how much our actions here in the House are followed by the citizens and the government of Israel. Everyone we met with, from Prime Minister Sharon, Foreign Minister Peres, Security Minister Landau, to the Mayor of Jerusalem, to Mikeli the taxicab driver, all knew and all appreciated the work that was done here last Thursday on a bipartisan basis by passing that resolution expressing solidarity with Israel and denouncing the terror. So I thank the gentleman for the opportunity just to once more say that what happens here is followed in Israel. They appreciated the solidarity that we expressed, and there was a strong feeling of appreciation for what we did.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. With the passage of this resolution, we stand in solidarity with Israel and with her people, and offer our support and our sympathy. We are outraged by the use of terror against innocent civilians. It is time for the Arab leaders and the Palestinian leaders to completely renounce the use of terror, in word and in deed. There is no moral equivalency, as my friend from California has said, between the use of terror against innocent civilians and with Israeli self-defense. There are simple truths here. Israel has the right to defend herself, and this country should not be putting limits on that right of self-defense. I will join three of my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, in a trip this weekend to Israel to demonstrate by our presence the solidarity and concern and support that this House will voice through a majority vote here today. We stand with Israel. Our support is rock solid, and Israel will survive.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Penelope C. Cutler, on being named ``Democrat of the Year'' by the Cheltenham Democratic Committee in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania. Penelope has been an active supporter of the Democratic party and I am pleased to honor her. Penelope was born in Rapid City, South Dakota and graduated from Carlton College where she received her bachelor of arts degree in math. She continued her education at Cornell University and in 1965 earned her masters degree in math. For over thirty years she taught in the Philadelphia school system before leaving to teach part-time at Temple University. She has lived in Jenkintown for the last nineteen years with her husband, William, and their three daughters. Penelope is an active Democratic committee person and has worked tirelessly for Democrats in the 154th state legislative district. In addition, she represents Area 9 on the Executive Committee for Montgomery County Democrats. She has been an energetic and dedicated volunteer for many political races throughout the area. I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize Penelope Cutler for her dedication and commitment.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Earle Noble Wagner of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, on his installment as the 90th President of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association. Dr. Wagner has distinguished himself as a dedicated physician who continues providing exemplary family medicine. Following his graduation from Cheltenham High School, Dr. Wagner attended Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, where he graduated in 1951. He went on to graduate from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Since 1956 Dr. Wagner has been in family practice. He has served five hospitals and continues to be on the staff of the Jeanes Hospital where he is the Chairman of the Family Practice Department and a member of the Executive Council. He has also served as the Medical Director of the Luther Woods Convalescent Center for twenty-three years. Dr. Wagner has been a trustee-at-large of the Pennsylvania Medical Association and a delegate to the American Osteopathic Association. He has received many awards throughout his long career including the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society Family Physician of the Year Award in 1999. Dr. Wagner and his wife Helga, have been good friends of mine for many years. I am truly honored to recognize Dr. Earle Noble Wagner for all of his hard work, dedication and significant achievements.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the 131st anniversary of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. As the oldest African American congregation in the Pottstown community, the church has had a long commitment to serving the spiritual needs of the community. The Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was formally established in 1871. Over the course of its long history, the church has grown and expanded as the number of members increased. On May 20, 2001, the Reverend Vernon Ross, Jr. was officially appointed pastor of the church. Under his leadership, the church has continued to strengthen spiritually and financially. The church membership and Sunday School have continued to grow and an after school tutorial program has been initiated. Throughout its history, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church has served the needs of many members. It has been successful in bringing many people together in Christian brotherhood. As one of the oldest churches in Montgomery County, it stands as a pillar of strength and prosperity in the Pottstown community. It is a privilege to recognize Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on their 131st anniversary.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Corporal Peter Patzer who retired from the Lower Gwynedd Township Police Department in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, after twenty-seven years of outstanding service. Mr. Patzer served in the United States Navy from 1965 through 1967. He served on the USS Forrestal CVA-59 Mediterranean Fleet and was honorably discharged in 1971 with the rank of E-3. He returned home and began his tenure with Lower Gwynedd as a police officer in 1974 and was later promoted to Corporal in 1987. Corporal Patzer served as the Traffic Safety officer for Lower Gwynedd Township. He has been recognized by his community for his fine work and service. I am pleased to honor Corporal Peter Patzer on his retirement. He has made significant contributions to his community and is deserving of the praise he has received from members of his community.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sergeant Gary O'Connor who retired from the Lower Gwynedd Police Department in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on July 13, 2001 after twenty-seven years of service. Sergeant O'Connor graduated from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. Throughout his career he has displayed a special interest in juvenile justice and headed the Lower Gwynedd Police Department juvenile division for ten years. Currently, he also is a trainer and consultant for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National School Safety Center, and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Since 1983, Sergeant O'Connor has also instructed and consulted on police training for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Sergeant O'Connor has received many awards for his fine work including Pennsylvania's Juvenile Officer of the Year, Montgomery County's Police Officer of the Year, and North Penn Area's Outstanding Police Officer. The police force was no doubt stronger because of Sergeant O'Connor. It is a privilege to honor the contributions of Sergeant Gary O'Connor to the citizens of Lower Gwynedd.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Corporal Walter West. Corporal West retired on August 12, 2001 from the Lower Gwynedd Township Police in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania after thirty-five years of service. He has been an outstanding member of his community. Mr. West began his career in the U.S. Army in 1959. He was honorably discharged in 1965, having attained the rank of E-4. He became a part- time police officer in May of 1966 and three years later became a full- time officer. In 1970, he attended the Philadelphia Police Academy and earned an Associate Degree in Applied Science from Montgomery County Community College. Corporal West served in the Lower Gwynedd police force admirably. In fact, he was inducted into the American Police Hall of Fame in 1983. Corporal West has been active in the F.O.P. Montgomery County Lodge #14 and has participated in other community programs such as The Salvation Army Holiday Food Drive, the Home Run Derby, the YMCA physical fitness program and the Rotary Club of which he was a past president. He has been recognized by many in his community for his years of dedicated service. I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize Corporal Walter West for his many years of dedicated service. Our community is a better place because of his contributions.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Corporal Robert Thomas. Corporal Thomas retired from the Lower Gwynedd Police Department in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on August 12, 2001 after twenty-six years of service. Corporal Thomas has provided his community with outstanding service. Corporal Thomas served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1965 until 1967 when he was honorably discharged. In 1977 he was selected as Police Officer of the Year and he received an Exceptional Service Award and ribbon in 1978. Corporal Thomas also earned an Honorable Service Award. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal in 1984. In addition, Corporal Thomas was a member of the Montgomery County Emergency Response Team and has many letters of praise from the community and area police departments. He was inducted into the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum in 1978. I am pleased and honored to present this award to Corporal Robert Thomas.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Peter Cogan of Amber, Pennsylvania. For twenty-five years Peter has served as the executive director of the Children's Aid Society (CAS) in Southeastern Pennsylvania. He has done an outstanding job for his community. CAS provides specialized, professional, family-focused social services to abused, neglected and delinquent children and youth within and outside of the context of their families. Peter received his bachelor's degree from Georgetown and his master's degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1977, the board of directors of CAS selected Peter to become the executive director of their organization. During his tenure, Peter brought CAS from an agency that operated primarily in one county to a regional organization serving Southeastern Pennsylvania. Through his diligence and vision, Peter has started programs that have maintained CAS as a reliable, high quality delivery system that protects children, empowers families, and achieves permanent homes for children. Peter and his wife Donna reside in Ambler and are the proud parents of three children. I am pleased to recognize Peter Cogan for his many years of dedicated work. Our community is fortunate to have someone of such distinction.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 90th Anniversary of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. This valuable organization has been empowering young women to develop leadership skills, along with a sense of determination, self-reliance and teamwork since 1912. Today, the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. have over 3.8 million members throughout the United States. In my district alone, 10,000 Girls Scouts are able to acquire the self-confidence and expertise that is needed to distinguish themselves as leaders in their communities. I commend the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania and the Girl Scouts of Freedom Valley for their outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service and personal development. Both of these chapters offer young women in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania the opportunity to develop life skills that will enable them to become confident and caring adults. For 90 years, the Girls Scouts of the U.S.A. have had a positive impact on the lives of countless young women nationwide. It is my hope that the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. continue these strong traditions for the next 90 years and beyond.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, President Bush started with a balanced budget and budget surpluses as far as the eye could see, but today the GOP budget plan has squandered that surplus, and we will have to borrow $1 trillion from Social Security over the next 5 years and $2 trillion from Social Security and Medicare over the next 10 years just to pay their bills. The lockbox that we all talked about a year ago has been smashed and the contents have been looted. This budget does, indeed, represent a generational mugging. The majority is demanding spending programs and tax cuts for themselves, paid for by borrowing Social Security and Medicare dollars from seniors and leaving the bill for our children. This budget is putting money in the form of spending programs and tax cuts into the left-hand pocket of the taxpayer, but taking out money from their right-hand pocket where the trust funds are located. The Social Security trust fund surplus is estimated to be $2 trillion over the next 10 years. This budget spends $1.5 trillion of those dollars by borrowing that money, plus all of the surplus, $556 billion of the Medicare trust fund, in order to pay these bills. If we take Social Security and Medicare out of the mix, as we all agreed to last year, this year we will have a $244 billion on-budget deficit with similar deficits of that size each year for the next 10 years. Last year, the CBO, Mr. Chairman, estimated that we could pay off our entire debt by 2011. In just 1 year, after the tax cuts, 9-11, and a short recession, we are now projected to have a debt of $2.8 trillion by 2011. The impact of debt, Mr. Chairman, is higher interest payments by the government. One year ago we were facing $709 billion in interest payments over the next 10 years. Now we are facing $1.8 trillion of interest payments, a $1 trillion increase. This budget plan alone for the 2003 budget year requires us to pay $220 billion in interest payments, 11 percent of our Federal budget. The impact of higher debt and more borrowing is also higher interest rates paid by consumers. When we borrow in Washington, we drive up the long-term rates and the consumer costs for purchases, such as homes and cars and college tuitions. We need reduced government borrowing, Mr. Chairman, lower government debt, lower interest rates, and increased savings to continue the growth of productivity and the recovery of our economy. This budget plan will do none of these things and should be defeated. Mr. Chairman, when you find yourself in a hole, the wise man says, stop digging; stop making the problem worse. Stop the renewed borrowing, stop the return of deficits. Vote ``no'' on this budget resolution. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. HOEFFEL. I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran).

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 339 and compliment the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) for his cosponsorship of this important resolution, for his passionate statement on the floor today, and for his work behind the scenes to get this resolution on the floor today. It was not easy to do. We were running short on time. This is the last week of our session before the Ukrainian parliamentary elections on March 31, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) worked with dispatch and effectiveness behind the scenes. I am sure that the freedom-loving people of Ukraine are glad that the gentleman did, as well. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) of the Committee on International Relations and subcommittee chair, the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly), for their commitment to move this bill forward. There were several bumps in the road, but cooperation carried the day. We kept the bill in a strong and effective form, and I compliment all on the majority side for bringing this resolution forward. I certainly compliment the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), co-chair with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Schaffer) of the Ukrainian Caucus in the House. The gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) is the prime sponsor of this important legislation. We are all here today to promote this legislation, which urges the Government of the Ukraine to ensure a democratic, transparent, and fair parliamentary election on March 31. The resolution also urges the Government of Ukraine to implement basic tools in order to ensure free and fair elections, including a transparency of election procedures, access for international election observers, multiparty representation on election commissions, and equal access to the media for all election candidates. Mr. Speaker, this is the third parliamentary election in the Ukraine since they gained their independence 10 years ago. It is the most critical. This is a big deal in the Ukraine. If they fail to continue to move forward with democratic reforms, if this is not a fair and free election, it will be a major setback to the cause of democracy in Ukraine. It is very appropriate for this government, as friendly as we are with the people and the Government of Ukraine, to urge that the government in Ukraine do everything in its power to ensure the fairness and openness of this election process. Ukraine has come a long way in the last 10 years. Its economy grew more than 6 percent last year. It has voluntarily given up the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world, and has consistently sought to eliminate its existing stockpile of strategic missiles. There are basic political reforms under way in the country, and we have friendly relations with the Ukraine and we want those relations to continue to be as friendly and supportive as possible. But significant challenges remain. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and others have indicated the challenges that we have. There are restrictions on basic democratic freedoms in the country. The nuclear plants I mentioned are in desperate need of appropriate clean up. The media suffers from blatant government harassment and pressure, and government corruption runs rampant. There have been a number of activities and accusations involving the government that are terribly disturbing. The gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) has talked about the unsolved murder of the brave journalist Heorhiy Gongadze in September 2000, and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) and I participated in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe held last July in Paris in which the OSCE awarded a prize to the widow of Mr. Gongadze in honor of his great service and the sacrifice he made in support of freedom of the press. I, as does the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), remember well the passionate speech that Mrs. Gongadze made in Paris a year ago. I am happy to tell the gentleman from New Jersey that Mrs. Gongadze visited my district this past weekend and spoke again with great passion at the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center of Greater Philadelphia on a panel called to discuss the importance of the Ukrainian elections identified as ``Ukraine at a Crossroads''; and her passion for democratic reforms remains unabated, as is her desire, as is ours, to determine and hold accountable those that murdered her husband. The OSCE, through their Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, has issued a final report on Ukraine's most recent national election, the presidential election of 1999, and indicates that that election was marred by violations of Ukrainian election law and failed to meet a number of OSCE election commitments. There was state interference with the campaign and government pressure on the media. This month's election has been reviewed ahead of time. There is a group called the Committee of Voters of Ukraine, the leading Ukrainian watchdog group on elections; and they have reported numerous violations in the run-up to the 2002 parliamentary election. So the challenge is still present. This is a very important watershed election in Ukraine. They have got to get this right. They cannot slip back and repeat the mistakes of the 1999 presidential election. They must continue to move forward; and it is very appropriate for this Congress, this House, to urge the Government of Ukraine to run as fair and open an election as possible. Mr. Speaker, Ukraine strives to realize a more robust democracy, and it needs our encouragement and support. It has both, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. General Leave

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments and simply add that we take elections for granted in this country. We know how important they are, but we assume that they will be fair and open and transparent. We need to do everything in our power to encourage the same in the emerging democracies in Europe. Those countries, such as Ukraine, emerging from the tyranny of the Soviet bloc, for 10 years a new independence and freedom has been observed in Ukraine; but this election is of critical importance. They have got to get it right. We have to help them get it right, and this legislation is dedicated to that proposition. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, a real leader on Ukrainian issues in the House. I compliment her on her remarks.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Amanda Wetzel, who was recently named a George Mitchell Scholarship recipient for 2002-2003. Amanda was 1 of only 12 scholars nationwide selected for this prestigious award. The scholarship will include a year of postgraduate study in Northern Ireland. The George Mitchell Scholarship is awarded to American students who have demonstrated the highest standards of academic excellence, leadership, and community service. Since its inception in 1998, the Mitchell scholarship is recognized among the most prestigious fellowships for international study. The program is named in honor of former Senator George J. Mitchell and is administered by the United States-Ireland Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. In May, Amanda will receive her bachelor's degree in International Politics from Penn State University. While attending Penn State, Amanda has served as director of the Innovation and Quality Team Program at the Schreyer Institute for Innovative Learning. She directed groups who provided feedback and policy based recommendations to improve meaningful teaming in Penn State classes. She also interned at the U.S. Consulate in Belfast and as intern in the European Affairs Bureau at the State Department. Amanda is a hard-working, dedicated student and American. I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize Amanda Wetzel for her commitment and achievement.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and I rise in opposition to the Ney substitute, because it is clearly designed to send campaign reform to conference where it will die. I rise in full support of the Shays-Meehan underlying bill. It is time that we get soft money out of Federal elections. It is time that we control the sham issue ads. In fact, Mr. Chairman, it is time for a lot more reform. This is only one good step forward into cleaning up our Federal elections. We should consider other steps that would limit the corrupting influence of private money on public campaigns. We should consider a measure of public financing for congressional elections, as we do for Presidential elections. We should consider ways to raise the discourse and stop the negative ads, and do other things to clean up our system and restore a sense to the democratic process that it belongs to the people, not the big donors, and restore a sense that it matters what we say in campaigns and what people do in campaigns. I oppose the substitute and support Shays-Meehan.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, this resolution before us today is a sham. This resolution is a political tool, not an economic tool. If this resolution was really about improving our economy, it would proclaim the need to protect Social Security and Medicare and not ill conceived tax cuts that are plunging this country back into deficit spending. If it was about improving the economy, it would seek to explain how a projected $5.6 trillion in surpluses over 10 years have been reduced to $661 billion in just eight months. If it was about improving the economy, it would explain to the American people how we can afford $2 trillion in tax cuts, while our budget is in deficit. If it was truly about improving the economy, it would explain how three-quarters of that $2 trillion will be borrowed from Social Security, and the other 25 percent ($550 billion) will be borrowed form Medicare, which, by the way, is all of the projected surplus in Medicare. I am one of the fiscally responsible members of this body that apparently caused the tax-cut-all-all-cost sponsors of this resolution to draft it. I called for a freeze of still-to-be-enacted tax cuts that would allow us to determine how much the war on terrorism, recession and the already enacted tax cuts will cost us. I have not called for a tax increase. I have not called for a rollback of taxes. I have called for a common sense breather to assess our situation. Anyone calling this tax freeze a tax increase is suffering from a brain freeze. The President's budget, which includes many laudable items, includes about $80 billion in tax cuts next year. Not coincidentally, about $80 billion is expected to be borrowed form Social Security and Medicare next year, according to his budget. What good does it do for the federal government to give money to American taxpayers with one hand, and take it away with the other? If corporate America treated pension funds like Congress treats Social Security, someone would be in jail. We can't steal from the future to pay for today's unwise fiscal policies. I urge my colleagues who support this resolution to stop playing ``gotcha'', because the American people ``get it''. They understand that it is wrong to borrow from Social Security and Medicare. They understand that it is wrong to prolong deficit spending. They understand that every additional dollar we pay in interest on our national debt is a dollar that we don't use to pay down our debt. And because they do understand, I wholeheartedly vote against this ill-conceived, petty resolution.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor John ``Jack'' Phipps Sr. who will be retiring from the Harmonville Fire Company No. 1 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania after twenty-one years of service as Fire Chief. Since 1960, Jack has served the Harmonville Fire Company with pride and distinction. In 1963, he was a member of the SCUBA team which at the time had the most complete fire and rescue operations in the area. He was elected Financial Secretary in 1963 and held this position for nine years until 1971. Jack advanced to fire line officer when he was elected to be Battalion Chief in 1976 and 1977. He became Fire Chief in 1981. Jack has held the position of Fire Chief of the Harmonville Fire Company longer than any other person in the history of the fire company. Jack has been involved in his community as a member of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the Plymouth Township Relief Association, and numerous other civic activities. He has selflessly given his time and energy to projects such as the building of a substation in Plymouth Valley. In addition, Jack played a crucial role in obtaining a rescue helicopter for Montgomery County. I am pleased and honored to recognize Jack Phipps on his great career of service. His dedication to his community has been truly outstanding.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution, which urges the Government of Ukraine to ensure a democratic, transparent, and fair election process leading up to the March 31, 2002, parliamentary elections. I would first like to thank my colleague, Louise Slaughter, for her hard work in initializing the development of this important resolution. I am appreciative of her leadership on issues relating to Ukraine, and I am pleased to have worked so closely with her in crafting this legislation. I would also like to thank my House International Relations Committee colleagues, Elton Gallegly and Chris Smith, for their contributions to this resolution, and to acknowledge their commitment to a meaningful democratization process in Ukraine. The importance of Ukraine's March 31, 2002 parliamentary elections-- the third parliamentary elections since gaining independence over ten years ago--should not be underestimated. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine has worked to achieve a more western, democratic approach in its governance, and the upcoming elections mark an historical crossroads for a country undergoing dramatic democratic transformation. Significant challenges remain--restrictions on basic democratic freedoms are alarming; its nuclear plants are in need of clean-up; the media suffers from blatant harassment and government corruption runs rampant. Ukraine has also come a long way in just a decade. Its economy grew more than six percent last year. It not only voluntarily gave up the third-largest nuclear arsenal in the world, but has also consistently, with the U.S. assistance, sought to eliminate its stockpile of strategic missiles. Basic political reforms have begun in earnest. The resolution we have introduced today acknowledges the democratic reforms that Ukraine has achieved, but it also sheds light on the vast improvements Ukraine must make in order to become a full-fledged democracy. The resolution encourages the Government of Ukraine to implement basic tools in order to ensure free and fair elections including a transparency of election procedures, access for international election observers, multiparty representation on election commissions and equal access to the media for all election candidates. Now more than ever, as Ukraine strives to realize a more robust democracy, it needs the encouragement of the United States as well as its scrutiny. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution when it comes before them on the House floor.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I want to compliment the gentleman for organizing this Special Order and for his leadership on budget matters. The gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) has lead the charge for fiscal responsibility and restraint in Congress for many years before I got here. I am proud to stand with him today to add my voice to those who are extremely alarmed by the budget problem, the budget crisis that we find ourselves in. The charts that the gentleman has been describing, the points that he has made in his presentation, point out in crystal clear fashion the huge budget problem we are now faced with. We have burned through $4 trillion of an estimated surplus that was projected a year ago at a total of $5.7 trillion. Now the Congressional Budget Office says the surplus for the next 10 years is just $1.7 trillion; $4 trillion is gone from the projections due to war, due to recession, and due to tax cuts, those three reasons. The President, the White House and the Congressional Members of the Republican Party are very sensitive to the notion that the tax cut may be responsible for this loss of surplus and the return of budgetary deficits. They are correct that it is not the only reason, and it is wrong for anybody to suggest that the big tax cut of last summer that will cost $1.7 trillion over 10 years, that is not the reason that deficits have returned. But we cut it too close to the bone. We did not allow for the unforeseen. We said at the time a tax cut that large, if the economy leveled off, could push us close to deficit spending again, but we did not anticipate that the economy would actually go into the recession that we are still in. Certainly nobody could anticipate the war that we are in after September 11 and the huge amounts of spending that we all agree need to be spent to improve our homeland security and to prosecute the war on terror. So because of war and recession and a tax cut that was too big and too gimmicky and too much favoring the wealthy, we have burned through $4 trillion of a surplus projection that was after all just a projection. It is not going to come true. We now have a very real government deficit, a budget deficit. This current fiscal year, and for at least the next 2 years, we are back into deficit spending. Now, what is wrong with that? Is there anything wrong with deficit spending? Does it matter to people that we are no longer continuing with balanced national budgets that we enjoyed for 3 years? Does it matter that we are now once again borrowing money to pay for ongoing government operating expenses? I think it matters very, very much. It is bad for the government to borrow. I mean it is just a bad policy. We should pay our own way. We should balance revenue and expenditures. We should not borrow money because it means we are going into debt and we have to repay that money. It is bad to allow the government debt to increase. We have been accumulating debt for 200 and some years. We quadrupled our level of debt during the Reagan and Bush years. During the Clinton years that debt was actually reducing as we balanced the budget and ran surpluses for 3 years. But now we will go back to increasing the government debt, a debt that our children and grandchildren will have to pay. It increases our annual interest payments on that debt. The gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) just pointed out correctly that we now have $1 trillion of increased interest payments over the next 10 years on our new borrowing. Paying interest on a debt is legally necessary. It is also the most unproductive thing we can do with Federal money. It does not buy a tank, it does not pave a road, it does not educate a child or provide prescription drugs for anybody; it is paying off legally-obligated interest payments to the people that lend us money. It is a bad position to be caught in and we do not want to be increasing our interest payments, but we will if we continue down the road toward government deficits. We will also be increasing the interest rates that consumers have to pay. When consumers borrow for a house or for a college education or to buy a car, when we are borrowing money, when the Federal Government is in the private markets borrowing money, we are pushing up long-term interest rates and increasing the interest that consumers have to pay on their personal debt. It is a very bad practice. But perhaps the worst is we are breaking our promise to stop borrowing from the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds, because that is the first place we will go. When we start running deficits and borrowing money, the first place we will go is to borrow even more, a practice that we stopped, from the Social Security Trust Fund and the Medicare Trust Fund. Now, that money will be paid back. We are not stealing the money, and seniors should not be alarmed about that. But it is a bad practice. We should not continue to borrow from those trust funds. That is not why they are there. All of this is going to result from the deficit spending that we are facing. We have a war, we have a recession, and we have big tax cuts. We need fiscal responsibility. We do not need fiscal denial. We need both political parties, both Houses of Congress, and the White House to face reality and to make some tough decisions and to be honest with ourselves, honest with our colleagues, and honest with our constituents about what we need to do. Some people, for example, have called for a tax freeze. It is a proposal I favor. There is certainly not consensus on this at this point. One of the most distressing things about this notion is the response we hear from the White House and Republican colleagues that that is a tax increase, that Democrats are dying to increase taxes. Nobody is for that. Nobody is talking about raising taxes. I am not sure, I say to the gentleman, what it is about the word ``freeze'' that our colleagues do not understand. A tax freeze is not a tax increase. A tax freeze is a tax freeze. It means holding things in place. Why is that something we should consider? Because we do not know yet what it is going to cost to win the war on terror. The President is going to ask for a 15 percent increase in the defense budget next year. We are all going to vote for that, or something close to what the President is recommending, because we have to win that war on terror. But we do not know over the next 10 years what the cost is going to be. We do not know what it is going to cost to improve homeland security. Hundreds of billions of dollars need to be spent in the next couple of years alone on improving homeland security. We do not know what that cost will be. Should we not take a time-out? Should we not determine what our future costs are? Should we not factor in what it is going to take to address health care needs and public education needs? What about our desire to add prescription drugs to Medicare? Everybody wants to do that and we need to do it to keep faith with seniors, but it is going to cost a lot of money. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest we consider a wartime tax freeze, because that is what we are in. In the Second World War, the United States increased taxes 500 percent, a factor of 5. Nobody is talking about a tax increase now. But that is what had to be done in the Second World War, and we still fell into debt as a result of that war. We must be fiscally responsible. We must do the right thing by the taxpayers. We must avoid government debt. We must avoid increasing our interest payments. We must avoid crowding out private sector dollars which then increases interest rates that consumers must pay. We must avoid borrowing more from the Social Security Trust Fund and the Medicare Trust Fund. We need to be fiscally responsible. That is why we are sent here. That is what we have to do. I thank the gentleman for his leadership. I join with him in this enterprise. I am glad to be standing shoulder to shoulder with the gentleman.