Joseph Hoeffel

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, last night I missed the first vote (#503) which authorized a Privacy Commission. I was unavoidably detained on a train from Philadelphia which was late in arriving. If present, I would have voted ``nay'' on the motion.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, today I congratulate Family Services as they celebrate 100 years of exemplary service in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This organization was established when three local non- profit organizations merged. Family Services of Pottstown, the Lower Montgomery County Service Society, and the Main Line Neighborhood united to provide the community with outstanding social services. The 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania benefits from many programs implemented by Family Services. The services provided by this group address a variety of needs including counseling, access to housing, medical care, delivery of meals, identifying peer support systems, and locating resources to prevent future problems. Family Services works on many programs that have become an integral part of our community including: Meals on Wheels; Project HEARTH (Helping Elderly Adults Remain in Their Homes); Project HOPE, which provides HIV/AIDS Prevention and Support Services; Families and Schools Together; and Safe Kids. Family Services also provides workshops and seminars such as ``Family Violence Prevention'', ``Dating Violence Prevention'', and ``Partnerships for Community Building'', which help families confront many of today's challenges. It is an honor to recognize the remarkable impact this organization has on the community. Family Services has enhanced the quality of life for many of my constituents and it is a privilege to represent such an extraordinary organization.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for his eloquence. Mr. Speaker, those of us in Pennsylvania are very proud of Bill Goodling. I would simply like to add my best wishes to him and my congratulations to him for his long and illustrious career and note in particular with my support and gratitude, his dedication to the concept of local control of education. Every time we try in Congress to deal with educational matters, we can be accused of trying to interfere somehow with the very valid principle of local control of education. I think that Mr. Goodling has always held our feet to the fire as an institution to make sure we did not interfere with that. But he has supported notable legislation, like the Education Flexibility Act, which gives more flexibility locally, while also understanding that the Federal Government has a significant role to play in promoting public schools. I think that Bill Goodling got that balance just about right, and we will remember his leadership on that, and so many other educational issues, after he has left these halls, but certainly not left our memory. We will be grateful to him for many years to come.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Ohio (Mr. Sawyer).

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the township of Whitpain in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on its 300th Anniversary. During the years of 1683 and 1686, Richard Whitpain purchased approximately 4500 acres of land that attracted settlers seeking religious freedom and economic opportunities. This land of promise was established as Whitpain Township in 1701 near the center of the county. Many important historical events took place in Whitpain. During the American Revolution, the Township played an integral role for General George Washington and the Continental Army. Whitpain is home to Dawesfield, George Washington's headquarters, and served as a battleground for skirmishes during the Battle of Germantown. Early Whitpain Township was primarily a fanning area and later evolved to incorporate the growing industries in the vicinity. As early as 1804, there was a weaving enterprise in Centre Square and a mill on Wissahickon Creek. The Township had quickly become a flourishing community with both prosperity and promise. As one of the oldest municipalities in Montgomery County, Whitpain Township is now home to more than 17,000 Pennsylvanians, Montgomery County Community College and several high tech firms. I am proud to represent such an extraordinary town. This anniversary should serve as a long-standing tribute to hard work and dedication for all of those who have made Whitpain Township the wonderful place it is.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Roth Living Farm Museum which has been designated a National Historic Site by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Located in North Wales, Pennsylvania, the Roth Museum was founded in 1993 as a nonprofit organization thanks to a generous donation to the Delaware Valley College by Mrs. Edythe Roth. The museum is an historic farm of 20 acres anchored by a restored 1832 farmhouse and barn to provide visitors with a unique look into the history of U.S. agriculture. The Roth Living Farm Museum provides an educational experience to all who visit the facility. Visitors to the farm can see sheep shearing, antique farm equipment displays, early-American and farm crafts, and resident draft horses, cattle, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, and duck. Homegrown produce, seasonal decorations and firewood are available for sale. In addition, interactive demonstrations are created to provide visitors the opportunity of learning about 19th Century farming. I am pleased to celebrate this significant honor with the college community and all of Montgomery County. We are fortunate to have the Roth Living Farm Museum in our community and especially honored to have it receive this important designation.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the outstanding achievements of an extraordinary man, Al Molitor. For 35 years, Mr. Molitor has served in the administration of public health and welfare programs for non-profit organizations and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In addition, the contributions he has made within the Montgomery County community and particularly the Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee are invaluable. Al earned his bachelor of arts from Temple University and continued his studies at the Bryn Mawr School of Social Work and Research where he received his master of social service degree. Al has held leadership positions in state public health and social work professional associations. He has served on the Abington Township Library Board, in parent-teacher organizations and the Boy Scouts. He also organized the Old York Road Genealogical Society, and served as its president for nearly 4 years. Al has been a prominent figure within the Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee for a number of years and became chairman in 1994. He also served as chair of the Montgomery County Voter Registration Drive from 1992-1994. His work within the Democratic community in Montgomery County is unparalleled and much appreciated. With a solid Republican background, Al found himself as a non-partisan when the moved to Abington in 1958, but quickly found a home within the Democratic community in Montgomery County. In spite of an extremely busy public life, Al remains devoted to his family. He and his wife, Natalie, have two children, Elizabeth and Steve, and three grandchildren. It is an honor and a privilege to acknowledge the dedication and contributions of Al Molitor who has served his community well.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, today I acknowledge the accomplishments of John Kidney. John has been an integral member of the Abington Rockledge Democratic Committee in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania since 1966 and it has been a privilege to work so closely with him over the years. John was raised in Hartford, Connecticut where his political career began. At the age of 17, he was appointed a delegate from East Windsor, Connecticut to the 1944 Democratic State Convention. While earning his undergraduate degree from Yale University, John served as president of the Yale Young Democrats and was invited to be a political commentator at a local radio station during the 1948 presidential election. Upon completion of an MBA from Harvard University, John and his wife Polly moved to Montgomery County. In 1958 they relocated to Italy and did not return to the United States until the mid 1960's. He and Polly have four children and six beautiful grandchildren. John has served as a committee person and the Treasurer of the Abington-Rockledge Democratic Committee since 1971. John worked for Rohm and Haas Corporation in various financial positions from 1951 to 1991. After retiring from Rohm and Haas, he managed investments and administered charitable grant programs for the Haas family. John's expertise and knowledge in the political arena are invaluable assets. It is an honor and a privilege to recognize John Kidney and the outstanding contributions he has made to the Democratic community in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for his kind remarks and his leadership. I also want to thank the chairman and ranking member of the committee that brought this forward and particularly thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood), who went out of his way to make sure the Schuylkill River was included in this legislation that originally was designed to help the Lackawanna River. As the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Holden) said, we are both grateful to be part of this because it is such an important improvement to our home areas. I rise in strong support of this bill because it will give us an opportunity to develop the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County as a real asset to our community. Schuylkill in Dutch means ``hidden river.'' It was named by the Dutch that discovered the Delaware and the confluence of the Delaware with the Schuylkill where Philadelphia now is. They almost missed the mouth of it so they called it the hidden river, the Schuylkill. Unfortunately in modern times, it remains a hidden river, at least in Montgomery County. My county has 700,000 residents, lots of people, lots of industry, lots of activity; but we do not make good use of the riverfront. This legislation will allow us to develop the Schuylkill as an asset in our community. I do not mean develop in the sense of paving over or bulldozing things. What I mean is developing it as a recreational and open space asset, as a community asset, as well as a retail and residential asset. Rivers in our communities, particularly our urban communities and suburban communities, can restore the soul of a community. People like the water. People like to be around the water. They like to shop along the water, they like to live on the water, they like to play and walk along the water. In Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, we have not been able due to a lot of reasons to properly use the Schuylkill. This legislation will encourage the planning at the local and State level and provide some of the funding to pull together the planning already going on by such groups as the Schuylkill River Greenway Association, who will be the managing group under this legislation to make sure that we have a broad vision that can use the riverfront for riverfront walkways, for parks, for recreational opportunities, as well as the kind of retail and residential efforts in communities that people truly desire. I am delighted that this legislation is moving. I compliment again the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) for his leadership. I urge all of my colleagues to vote yes.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3485, the Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act. This legislation strengthens federal laws designed to combat state sponsored terrorism, and I am pleased that it is finally coming before the entire House for a vote. The United States justice system is the envy of the world. We pride ourselves on affording due process to all who come before the court while simultaneously ensuring that no one is above the law. Confidence in our judiciary is the cornerstone of our democracy. Citizens need to know that if they are harmed, the government will stand behind them. This confidence is especially important when Americans are abroad. This principle was behind passage of the 1996 antiterrorism bill. The legislation gave American citizens injured by an act of terrorism the right to bring a private lawsuit against the terrorist state responsible for the act. Three years later Congress approved legislation which allowed the attachment of assets of terrorist states to satisfy judgements. The President was given a waiver in that bill which allowed him to block attachment of assets if it was in the interest of national security. H.R. 3485 allows victims of terrorism to satisfy judgements against foreign states by allowing assets frozen by the U.S. to be subject to attachment. The bill shields diplomatic property from attachment, but does not protect any property which has been used for any non- diplomatic purpose including rental property. This issue has special importance for me because a native of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania has been trying to achieve some justice in this area of the law since his kidnapping almost 15 years ago. Mr. Joseph Cicippio was an employee at the American University in Beirut. On September 12, 1986, he was kidnapped by terrorists and held hostage for five years under terrible conditions including threats of death, physical violence and brutal interrogation. In 1997, Joseph Cicippio brought a suit under the 1996 terrorism bill against the Islamic Republic of Iran for his injuries. He received a judgement for $20 million in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Unfortunately, he has not received any portion of this judgement. The Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act would go a long way toward helping Mr. Cicippio and other plaintiffs like him who together have over $650 million in judgements against Iran. This bill sends a signal loud and clear that justice for U.S. citizens will not stop at the water's edge.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable relationship between two wonderful cities--one here in the United States and the other in Italy. Nine years ago, the borough of Norristown in my district in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and Montella, Italy established a Sister Cities program that has grown stronger each year. Sister Cities International is an organization that motivates and empowers municipal officials, volunteers and youth to conduct long-term programs of mutual benefit and interest between two cities. Norristown and Montella have certainly taken advantage of this program. Norristown is an active participant in the Sister Cities program and has been fortunate to develop a partnership with people of Montella in the Province of Avellino, Italy. Montella is the home for many first and second generation Italian Americans who now reside in Norristown. Thanks to the continued efforts of Norristown officials including Mayor Ted LeBlanc and officials from Montella including Mayor Bruno Fierro and Councilperson Carmelina Chiaradonna, this relationship has been successful in creating an atmosphere in which economic, cultural and personal ties have been implemented and strengthened. Later this month, Joseph Byrnes, President of the Norristown Borough Council, will travel to Montella to visit Norristown's Sister City. I hope this experience, like the other personal, cultural and governmental contacts over the past nine years, will be enriching and enlightening, and I am pleased to have him represent Norristown on this exciting occasion.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Holy See for its contributions to the world community in the areas of peace, human rights, refugees and the underprivileged. I stand in strong support of the right of the Holy See to conduct foreign policy, to send and receive official representatives and to participate in international organizations. The Holy See is the governing authority of the sovereign State of Vatican City and the central governing authority of the Roman Catholic church. As an internationally-recognized legal personality, the Holy See enters into treaties as an equal of a state and maintains its right to send and receive diplomatic representatives. The Holy See currently has formal diplomatic relations with the 169 nations, including the United States and maintains 179 permanent diplomatic missions abroad. The Holy See is active in international organizations, including the United Nations in New York, the Office of the United Nations in Geneva, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, and the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Paris. The Holy See has lent its significant moral influence to a number of important international issues, such as international debt relief, nuclear nonproliferation, human rights and ending world hunger. The Holy See is party to a number of important international treaties and organizations and conventions, including the protocol relating to the Status of Refugees, the Convention against All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We commend the Holy See for its role in promoting international peace and stability and its efforts on behalf of refugees and the poor. I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 253. Frankly, I wish this bill had been referred to the Committee on International Relations so that the committee could take its normal deliberative process over this legislation. We found out from the Republican leadership at 10 p.m. last night this bill would be voted today, but I do vote and do urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 253. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Con. Res. 348. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), the prime author of this very worthwhile bill.

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

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again commend the prime author of this very worthy resolution, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), for his leadership and his hard work. I would like to acknowledge and commend the President for signing this protocol on July 5 of the year 2000 to end the use of children in war. This resolution, which condemns the use of children, is worthy. It points out that in the world today approximately 300,000 children between the ages of 5 and 17 have been compelled and forced and abducted and coerced and brutalized into becoming combat soldiers, personal and sexual slaves, porters, or all of the above. This brutal abuse of children has got to stop. This U.N. protocol is a good beginning. Our support of this protocol is appropriate. The work of the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis) is admirable, and I am very pleased to support this resolution and call on all Members of the House to vote in favor of it.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hinchey), one of the original authors of this bill.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4528. For many American college students, Mr. Speaker, a year abroad can be a life-changing experience. They are exposed when they are abroad to different cultures, languages, educational and political systems and often emerge from their study abroad experience with a greater appreciation of the complex world in which we all live. Unfortunately, many college students with few financial resources cannot afford a semester or a year abroad. These students miss a valuable educational opportunity, particularly if they are interested in a career in international relations or foreign affairs. While it is possible for students to use their Pell Grants and other forms of financial assistance to pay for university costs overseas, the Gilman legislation will provide a critical source of funding to cover all of the costs associated with overseas study, including living and travel expenses. I commend the gentleman from New York (Chairman Gilman) for introducing this bill. It is a very worthwhile and appropriate piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4528. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Campbell bill and, accordingly, in strong support of motion to defeat the previous question by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers). The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) would allow us to avoid this outrageously rigged rule that is designed certainly to scuttle the Campbell bill. The Campbell bill is desperately needed. We have a situation where doctors are put into a very unfair situation, unable to negotiate on a level playing field with the large HMOs and managed care companies. The Campbell bill will stop the arbitrary, unfair, one-sided contracts that the managed care companies are offering to doctors. I listened intently to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) a few minutes ago. He got one fact wrong. He said that the largest managed care company in Philadelphia is controlling 50 percent of the market. They are actually controlling 62 percent of the market, growing every day. That large managed care company recently offered orthopedic surgeons in the Philadelphia area a 40 percent pay cut. That kind of arbitrary activity is unacceptable. The Campbell bill will allow collective bargaining and allow doctors a level playing field, not just to improve their fee agreements, but to avoid the kinds of changes in their medical practices that managed care companies often demand. They want to impose gag rules on doctors so they cannot discuss their treatment options. They want to discourage appropriate referrals. Companies want frequently to block appropriate tests and delay care. They want to grant financial rewards to doctors for not giving care. Those things must be stopped. They can be stopped through appropriate negotiations. But first we must pass the Conyers motion to defeat the previous question. Mr. Speaker, I urge a yes vote on that motion.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Miller amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill. This amendment limits expenditures by the Department of Agriculture for the purchase of sugar. During consideration of my legislation, H.R. 3221, the Corporate Welfare Reform Commission Act, the Budget Committee heard testimony from members of Congress and budget experts about rooting out wasteful spending. The sugar program is high on the list of corporate welfare items that private groups and fiscal watchdogs have targeted for elimination. The sugar program guarantees domestic cane and beet sugar producers a minimum price for sugar. It does this by offering loans to sugar processors at a rate which is written into law. This program has an unusual feature of allowing sugar processors to forfeit their sugar to the federal government instead of paying back their loans. In order to avoid the result of a direct expenditure from the federal government, the program restricts the amount of sugar that can be imported under a low tariff rate. It's not surprising that producers are all eagerly seeking to participate in this program. The amount of sugar under government loan has nearly doubled since 1997. It's also not surprising that there is currently a problem of sugar overproduction and now the sugar industry is not content with the government's subsidies in the form of restrictions on imports and direct payouts. They now are going directly to the Agriculture Department and selling their sugar that no one else wants to buy. The Department of Agriculture recently purchased 150 tons of sugar which cost American taxpayers more than $60 million. This is the height of absurdity. We encourage overproduction of sugar through subsidies and trade restrictions and then when sugar is overproduced, we buy it and then give it away to a third country for free. This amendment puts an end to these purchases. Proponents of this subsidy argue that the program does not cost the taxpayer anything. This argument is especially hollow considering the recent government purchases. But even putting those purchases aside, GAO has estimated that the cost of this program to consumers is nearly $2 billion a year. Every American that drinks a soda, eats a cookie or bakes a cake pays more than they should at the checkout line. This ``tax'' to pay for the sugar program doesn't go toward some public purpose. It goes into the pockets of a few large corporate farmers with an average farm size of 2,800 acres. According to a Time magazine article, one family which Time dubbed ``the first family of corporate welfare'' received $65 million in federally subsidized revenues from the sugar program. Mr. Chairman it is time we put an end to this shell game which always ends with the taxpayers losing. I urge my colleagues to support Mr. Miller's amendment.

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Kelly/Kanjorski amendment to strike language in the Agriculture Appropriations bill which prohibits conservation funds included in the bill from being used for purposes related to the American Heritage Rivers Initiative. The Initiative was created to insure that all local efforts to protect rivers were coordinated and targeted. No new federal funds were obligated, no new regulatory authority was created, and there was no provision for federal land acquisition. When President Clinton created this Initiative, forty-six states voluntarily took part by submitting applications for 126 rivers to be designated as a Heritage River. Fourteen were selected including the Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna River in PA. Even though the Initiative is completely voluntary, there have been detractors which continue to attack it. Efforts to abolish it have failed and a lawsuit designed to eliminate it has been dismissed. In this legislation there is another effort to disable this very successful program. The Agriculture Appropriations bill contains an anti-environmental rider which prohibits any conservation funds under the bill from being used for the Heritage Rivers Initiative. This would prevent the USDA from sharing information with other agencies to benefit all river communities. While there is a partial exemption for the Upper Susquehanna, other river communities are denied the benefits of this initiative. Today, the Schuylkill River is a key focal point for Southeastern Pennsylvania. A major community and economic development project is underway in Montgomery County bringing new attention and energy to the river and its surrounding communities. There will be hiking, biking, and equestrian trails as well as other recreational paths in a linear park along the riverbank. There will be a water trail for canoe paddlers, kayakers, fisherman and other boaters. There will be a fish ladder constructed at flat Rock Dam to make the river passable for fish with the hope of restoring the once plentiful American Shad to the waters upstream. While the Schuylkill River is not a designated Heritage River, the river has benefited from this initiative. The Council on Environmental Quality disseminates information to local communities like those in Southeastern Pennsylvania on how to coordinate efforts and where to look for federal resources. There are the benefits that the America Heritage River program can offer to all communities across the country not just the fourteen designated rivers. The American River Heritage Initiative is a program that deserves our support. Vote to strike this unfortunate anti- environmental rider by supporting the Kelly/Kanjorski amendment.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers) for yielding me this time. I rise in strong support of the Campbell-Conyers bill, a bill that would allow collective bargaining, not unions I would say to the previous speaker, but collective bargaining, so that doctors can deal with the one-sided, unfair arbitrary contracts that are forced upon them by the big managed care companies. Contracts that impose gag rules so that doctors cannot discuss all of their treatment options with their patients. Contracts that discourage referrals to specialists. Contracts that block appropriate tests and delay care to patients. Contracts that give financial rewards for denying care. Mr. Chairman, in southeastern Pennsylvania where one managed care company controls 62 percent of the marketplace, they not only have offered orthopedic surgeons, as one example, a 40 percent cut in compensation, but they have also required that all doctors sign confidentiality agreements before negotiations begin as a precondition of negotiations one-on-one with the doctors. These agreements are unfair. They deny rights that doctors ought to have. Mr. Chairman, I support the bill.

Mr. HOEFFEL

Mr. HOEFFEL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this unfair, partisan, shameful rule. The fact, Mr. Speaker, is Medicare works. That is why we should add to Medicare a prescription drug benefit. That is the only way to add a reliable, affordable, guaranteed benefit for seniors. We should not force seniors to deal with private insurance companies to get prescription drug coverage. Why? Those private insurance companies are not reliable. The two major private insurance companies in Philadelphia that dominate the market have both in recent months reduced their prescription drug coverage, one company reducing from an $1,800 a year benefit to $1,000 and now down to $500 a year benefit, for the same premium I might add; and the second company refusing to cover any more brand name drugs, only covering generics for the same premium they originally charged. That will not do. What can I say to Earl and Irene Baker of Lansdale, Pennsylvania? They need real insurance coverage for prescription drugs. I urge a no vote on this rule.