Rush Holt

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the occasion of the 91st birthday of John Archibald Wheeler, one of the preeminent figures in twentieth-century theoretical physics. John Wheeler was born on July 9, 1911 in Jacksonville, Florida. The son of librarians, John was an inquisitive child who started experimenting at an early age. At the age of sixteen, Wheeler entered Johns Hopkins University to study engineering. While studying at Johns Hopkins, Wheeler discovered a passion for physics and by 1933 had graduated with a Ph.D. in theoretical physics. In 1938, Wheeler joined the Physics Department at Princeton University, where he remained until 1976 when he moved to the University of Texas, Austin, to become the Director of the Center for Theoretical Physics. He now resides in New Jersey. Dr. Wheeler's contributions to the scientific community are numerous, as a scientist, a scholar, a mentor, and a teacher. He was the first American to learn of the discovery of nuclear fission and he later worked with his former mentor Niels Bohr to write an article on nuclear fission. He mentored and worked with future Nobel laureate Richard Feynman on a novel approach to electrodynamics. Dr. Wheeler led the theoretical development of the hydrogen bond in the United States and worked on the Manhattan Project. He worked with Albert Einstein and formulated new solutions to Einstein's gravitational equations. He pioneered studies on gravitational collapse and coined the term ``black hole''. His many publications include the books ``Gravitation'' and ``Frontiers of Time'' as well as his autobiography ``Geons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam: A Life in Physics''. Dr. Wheeler's accomplishments have been recognized with many awards and honors. He served as president of the American Physical Society. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1952. Wheeler received the Albert Einstein Prize of the Strauss Foundation in 1965, the Enrico Fermi Award in 1968, the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1969, and the National Medal of Science in 1971. Today, he is Professor Emeritus of Physics at Princeton University and the University of Texas, Austin. Mr. Speaker, I commend John Archibald Wheeler on the occasion of his 91st birthday and for the contribution he has made to physics and American science.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. James E. Carnes, a constituent of mine who retired earlier this month after a distinguished career of service at the Sarnoff Corporation, the last eleven and a half years as President and CEO. Dr. Carnes holds nine U.S. patents and is the author of more than 100 papers and presentations. He received the David Samoff Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement in 1981. He has made tremendous contributions to science, to Sarnoff and to our central New Jersey community. Carnes earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Princeton University and B.S. in engineering science from Pennsylvania State University, and served four years in the U.S. Navy. Dr. Carnes began his career in 1969 when he joined RCA Laboratories as a member of the technical staff. In 1977, he transferred to RCA's Consumer Electronics Division, holding a variety of management positions, including Vice President of Engineering. In 1987, when Sarnoff Carnes became a subsidiary of SRI International, Dr. Carnes was named Vice President of Consumer Electronics and Information Sciences Research. In addition to serving on the board of directors of SRI International and Sarnoff, Carnes serves on the board of several emerging growth technology companies including Sensar, Inc., Sarif, Inc., Orchid Biocomputer and Sarnoff Digital Communications. We in central New Jersey will miss Dr. Carnes and his steady leadership at Samrnoff. I hope that all of my colleagues in the House will join with me in wishing him every success in his future endeavors.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the career and commitment of Former ambassador and Smith College graduate Anne Martindell. Ambassador Martindell's involvement in government is notable in itself. Her early support for women's rights and principled objection to the Vietnam conflict were part of a long career of public service. She served four years in the New Jersey State Senate before being appointed director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. In 1979 she was appointed Ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa. She continues her involvement in US-New Zealand relations as founder of the United States-New Zealand Council. Anne Martindell's friends have always known her as a determined, energetic, and extraordinarily capable person. What brought these qualities to the attention of the general American public was her decision a few years ago to return to college to obtain her long- delayed degree--after nearly 7 decades. She was admitted to Smith College in 1932, but her parents removed her after her freshman year. Despite a lifetime of achievement, she felt this lack of a college degree, and returned to Smith College in the fall semester of 2000. She graduated this May 19th with a Bachelor of the Arts degree and received an Honorary Law Doctorate, certainly an unusual combination. Ambassador Martindell's commitment to education and public service should serve as a model for us all. In her unwavering commitment to education lasting 69 years, she should inspire us all to similar commitments to higher education. In the words of her Smith College advisor Prof. Daniel Horowitz ``At the most profound level, Anne is a testament to the importance of education.'' It is an honor to represent Ambassador Martindell in congress. Once again, I rise to commend Ambassador Anne Martindell for her long career of public service and her commitment to education. I wish her much success in her future endeavors, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing her accomplishments.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize, honor and thank Mr. Allen Silk, a dedicated advocate for abused and neglected children and their families in the Trenton/Mercer County area since 1976. Over four separate decades, Mr. Silk has been active in helping children and families through the Mill Hill Child and Family Development Corporation. Established in 1971 as a child care center and safe haven for babies ages 2-12 months, Allen has helped to expand the center's reach tremendously. Specifically, Allen Silk has helped to expand the services of the Mill Hill Center from just sixty children to over one hundred and forty children at any given time. Mr. Silk has also played an integral role in forming the Mill Hill Foundation, and in doing so he has aided in raising awareness and funds for the abused and neglected children at the Mill Hill Center. By increasing awareness, Mr. Silk has helped many Americans to come to terms with the reality of child abuse and neglect. I commend Mr. Silk on the work he has done to help children and families. Mr. Silk has helped those children who do not have a chance to defend themselves from the ravages of abuse and neglect, and I am sure that Mr. Silk has helped to improve the lives of thousands of children. Allen Silk has truly been a champion for those children and families served by Mill Hill. I am very pleased to be able to recognize his passion and devotion to helping so many people. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate and honor this true New Jersey treasure. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Allen M. Silk, Esq. of the Mill Hill Child and Family Development Corporation.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of legislation considered by the House this week which calls attention to an under recognized historical figure, Antonio Meucci, and his work on an invention that we today know as the telephone. Mr. Meucci is a testament to the hard work and innovation that made America great. Most Americans know the story of Alexander Graham Bell, the man given sole credit for the invention of the telephone. This resolution makes clear, though, that another man made enormous strides in laying the groundwork for the invention, an Italian immigrant by the name of Antonio Meucci. Antonio Meucci was born near Florence, Italy, in 1808. He studied mechanical engineering at Florence's Academy of Fine Arts and then worked in the Teatro della Pergola and various other theaters as a stage technician until 1835, when he accepted a job as a scenic designer and stage technician in Havana, Cuba. Fascinated by research, Meucci read every scientific tract he could get his hands on, and spent all his spare time in Havana on research, inventing a new method of galvanizing metals that he applied to military equipment for the Cuban government. At the same time, he continued his work in the theater and pursued his experiments. As a result of his research, Meucci had developed a method of using electric shocks to treat various illnesses. One day, while preparing to administer such a treatment, Meucci heard his friend's voice over the piece of copper wire running between them. He realized he had stumbled onto something much more important than any other discovery he had ever made, and he spent the next ten years bringing the principle to a practical stage. The following decade was to be spent perfecting the original device. Antonio Meucci called his work on this project, ``teletrofono.'' Meucci was unable to commercialize his invention because he did not speak enough English to navigate the American business community, and, having spent most of his life savings on his work, he was unable to raise sufficient funds to pay his way through the patent process. Instead, he had to settle for a caveat, a one-year renewable notice of an impending patent, which Meucci first filed in 1871. While a brilliant inventor, Meucci was victim of a series of financial and personal misfortunes. A Western Union affiliate laboratory--where Meucci was keeping his models to demonstrate his work--reportedly lost his working models, and as Meucci--was subsiding off public assistance, he could not afford the $10 necessary to renew the caveat in 1874. In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell, who conducted experiments in the same laboratory where Meucci's materials had been stored, was granted a patent, and thereafter credited with inventing the telephone. Nine months later, the government moved to annul Bell's patent on the grounds of fraud and misrepresentation, which the Supreme Court remanded for trial. Meucci died in 1889, the Bell patent expired in 1893 and the case was discounted as moot without ever uncovering the true inventor of the telephone. If Meucci were able to renew his caveat, a patent to Bell could have never been issued. The world of science and invention is a highly competitive one, where inventors compete to make and market their discoveries. It is only right that we call attention to the work of one brilliant inventor who history has not given his proper due, and who made enormous contributions toward the invention of this device. I urge support for the bill.

Mr. HOLT of New Jersey

Mr. HOLT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of very special young men and women from Central New Jersey. One of the most important duties of a Member of Congress, as well as one of the most enjoyable, is nominating students to the United States service academies. In an age when media portrayals of young people are increasingly negative, getting to know students through the nomination process is an important reminder of the patriotism, dedication, and excellence of America's youth. From a pool of over 50 students from my district who went through the rigorous and time-consuming process of applying for a Congressional nomination, I am very proud to say that fourteen young women and men from Central New Jersey will be enrolling in America's service academies this year. They are the very best of an exceptional group, and I was proud to nominate them. Two young people from the area will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. I would like to recognize Saddie Colon of Eatontown and Adrian Gennusa of Holmdel. Six young people from Central New Jersey will be attending the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. I would like to recognize Nicholas Abbate of Middletown, Jillian Danback of Eatontown, John Michel of Cranbury, John Rundy of Holmdel, Sheila Singer of Princeton, and Kristin Strizki of Flemington. Two young men from my district will be attending the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado. I would like to recognize Kenneth Fenton of Oceanport and Matthew Vanderschuere of Princeton Junction. Two young men from Central New Jersey will be attending the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. I would like to recognize Timothy Cain of Marlboro and Graham Mergenthaler of Colts Neck. Mr. Speaker, I hope the House joins me in noting the accomplishments of these young men and women, and in wishing them the best of luck at the service academies and in their careers.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize, honor and thank Reverend Richard Miller, Pastor of The Stanton Reformed Church in Stanton, New Jersey since 1965, and dedicated community leader. In a span covering four decades Reverend Miller has provided more than religious services. He has long been a dependable and reliable listener, who has always taken a personal and heartfelt interest in all of the community. In fact Reverend Miller and the Stanton Reformed Church provide an example of what a community church should be. Ten years ago, when a member of the community was diagnosed with leukemia, Reverend Miller opened the doors and initiated a bone marrow drive. The program was subsequently supported by Merck & Co and has resulted in several matches. This is but one example, however, of the many lives he touched. Reverend Miller has also served as the Chaplain to the Hunterdon County Jail and the Readington Township PBA. Furthermore, he has served as a role model to our youth as both an Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts of America since 1969. The Stanton Grange recognized this distinguished service in 1975 with a Community Service Award. It is with great pride that I join the members of the Reform Church in recognizing the thirty-seven years of service that Mr. Miller has given to the people of Stanton. He has been the ear that listens, the shoulder to lean on and the modest individual who gave all he had to his community. Reverend Miller is truly a treasure in New Jersey's cultural heritage. His example is an inspiration to all Central New Jerseyans. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, again, I rise to celebrate and honor this true New Jersey treasure. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Reverend Richard Miller of the Reformed Church in Stanton, New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I thank my friend, the gentlewoman from California, for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to support this legislation. It is, I think, very important, and I think the committee, under the leadership of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), has done an excellent job. We heard that the National Science Foundation provides only a few percent of the total Federal research and development budget, but it provides a large fraction of the support for mathematics, biological sciences, earth sciences, social sciences, and engineering. We have all heard about the many things that have come out of NSF research: the work in thin film technology, in genetics, in magnetic resonance imaging, CD players, printers, Taxol, and so forth. It is also important to recognize the return on investment to this Federal investment. Economists will argue about whether the return on investment in research and development is 20 percent, 40 percent, or 60 percent. Whatever it is, it is extraordinarily high. This is one of the best things that we as a Congress can do who have been entrusted with the worthwhile expenditure of taxpayer money. As one Member of Congress who himself has conducted NSF-funded research, and who every year that I have been in Congress has worked to see the NSF budget increased, I am very pleased to see the NSF on this faster growth path, because we can talk about funding the National Institutes of Health and other health-related research here in the United States, but unless we invest in the research that leads to improved techniques and instrumentation and the training of scientists, that investment in health research will not yield the returns that we should be getting from it. Just today I have been having some briefings with investigative and intelligence organizations. They have reminded me just today how much they are dependent on research that is coming out of the National Science Foundation for their work in dealing with anthrax and other pathogens. Finally, I would say the most important work that the National Science Foundation is doing is the work in our schools, particularly in the pre-college setting. The members of the committee are to be commended for putting together such a good authorization bill.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, empowerment is a word that has become a cliche, but that is what this is about. The bill before us today does not empower people to become self-sufficient. This bill will result in more, not fewer, people ending up in poverty. I support strongly the substitute amendment, and I urge my colleagues to oppose the underlying bill. Mr. Speaker, the percentage of Americans on public assistance today-- about 2.1 percent--is at its lowest since 1964. The percentage of working recipients is also at its highest ever--at about 33 percent-- and according to the best figures available two-thirds of those who've left welfare since 1996 are holding down jobs. Despite those statistics, in many ways welfare reform is still an experiment in progress. We still do not know what happens to people who leave the welfare rolls. Are they working? Are they unemployed? Are they simply off the rolls? No one knows for sure. Another question is what are the factors that contribute to the ability of people to comply with the TANF work requirement? There are good indications that the 1996 welfare reforms are helping disadvantaged individuals and society at large. We have an opportunity to build on the success of the 1996 welfare reform law, and to make it better; to do the things Congress should have done before. Congress should resist attempts to relax TANF's time limits and work requirements. That means continuing ambitious work and job retention goals while also increasing financial incentives and rewards for those who succeed. We must keep in mind that the goal of welfare is to create productive self-sufficient citizens. There are a number of things we must do to see that people on welfare can and do meet these stronger requirements. As we go through this reauthorization process it is vitally important that we improve the research and data reporting in TANF. In order to make informed decisions on the direction that TANF and CCDBG should take we need more information on the issue. I offered an amendment in the Rules Committee to begin this process. However, they refused to make it in order. While maintaining pressure on the states to move people from welfare to work, the renewed TANF should also help families move up the job and income ladders. We should consider a number of amendments to help do this. We should eliminate the caseload reduction credit and phase in an employment credit. For each 1 percent of the caseload that obtains employment, the work participation rate would be reduced by 1 percent. In addition, there would be extra credit for recipients who obtain higher paying jobs. That is a good step. Another way of assisting families in moving up the income ladder is giving individuals the tools to get a good job. This should be a job with the potential for advancement not a dead-end make-work job. This is the best way to ensure that families will not return to the welfare roles. In order for them to obtain quality jobs we need to provide the training for individuals to qualify for them. We must also provide the resources for parents to achieve these work requirements. First and foremost this means providing funding for quality childcare. A parent will not make a reliable employee if she is concerned about the quality of her child's care, or cannot get childcare at all. This cannot be over-emphasized. For a positive change in our society welfare recipients must have real jobs that uplift their self-sufficiency and if children are going to have the care and attention they need to grow positively, we must have programs of adequate childcare. The bill before us today does not have adequate programs. Finally Mr. Speaker, I hope that we will provide the states with the kind of resources and flexibility that has allowed welfare caseloads to fall by 57 percent since 1996. It is not achieved by simply allowing states to do what they want or by eliminating a national safety net for people who need help. Our action on the floor today is not the end of the process aimed at having all Americans support themselves and contribute to our common economy. I urge my colleagues to support the substitute of Mr. Cardin, and if that should fail, I urge them to oppose the bill before us today. This bill likely will result in more not fewer people trapped in poverty. And I must express outrage at how this has been handled. This afternoon the House will go into recess for an awards ceremony. Nearly everyone here has supported and does support that award, but no member should have the nerve to tell us or the public that there just wasn't time to debate and vote on amendments to his major bill on welfare reform, to improve education, childcare, or to gather data.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, while there are many things in the defense authorization bill that I support, national missile defense is not one of them, and the gentleman from Massachusetts is seeking to eliminate one of the more senseless parts of the supposed national missile defense system. The proposed missile defense system would not work as designed, as wishing will not overcome the physics. It could be confused with the decoys, it could be bypassed for suitcase bombs, pickup trucks, sea- launched missiles. It would be billions of dollars down the drain. But it is not just a diversion of resources. It is worse than a waste. Simple strategic analysis tells us that provocative yet permeable defenses are destabilizing and would reduce our security. Americans have been awakened in recent months to threats to our national security and they understand that a space-based missile defense will not help. Americans have learned in recent months that we need anthrax defense, we need container ship defense, we need bridge and tunnel defense. We do not need space-based national missile defense.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, this could be such a better bill if the committee had made many more amendments in order. There are major changes in defense policy in this bill that may become law without debate. The rule to stifle debate is not just a procedural outrage, it is contrary to our national security. I offered an amendment to the Rules Committee that was not made in order that would have eliminated funding for a program in the bill that does not merit the support of this Congress. My amendment would remove $7.5 million added to this bill for the Kinetic Energy Anti-Satellite--also known as the KE-ASAT-- program. Like a giant fly swatter in space, this weapon would knock out enemy satellites. The Department of Defense does not support KE-ASAT. President Bush requested no money for it. Former President Clinton line item vetoed funding for it in 1998. Defense Secretaries, Pentagon weapons advisory boards and independent defense analysts have all called KE-ASAT a horrendous waste. The GAO, in its examination of this program called KE-ASAT a program ``in disarray.'' Yet we continue to fund it. This money was added to the bill without debate, and, unfortunately, we will not have the opportunity to debate it today. I ask my colleagues: How many other meritorious defense needs could benefit from that $7.5 million? Any one of us could write a laundry list of other, better uses for this money, both in and out of the defense budget. At this time, when our nation's military is facing so many challenges, it is simply unconscionable to waste money on systems like this. I respectfully urge my colleagues to make my amendment in order and give the Members of the House the opportunity to work their will on this subject.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call the attention of my colleagues to an effort taking place in central New Jersey today to honor one of our area's most noted spiritual and community leaders, the late Reverend Dr. S. Howard Woodson, Jr. Today, in the City of Trenton, New Jersey, one of our community's busiest thoroughfares, Calhoun Street, is being renamed in honor of Dr. Woodson. It's an expression of thanks from a grateful community for over half a century of leadership and community involvement by this amazing man. Reverend Woodson was a community leader in Trenton since 1946. As the respected pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, Dr. Woodson was also a noted leader in our nation's civil rights movement. As the Chairman of the Board of the Carver YMCA, Rev. Woodson fought to be granted independent status from the National YMCA, in order to desegregate that community institution. Later, as President of the State Conference of the NAACP, he convinced officials to convene the first state conference on housing discrimination. This conference raised awareness and led to many advances in housing rights for all in our community. Reverend Woodson's long and distinguished career has been marked by many firsts. He was the first individual of color elected as councilman-at-large in Trenton. He was also the first person of color to serve as Chairman of the Ranking Legislative Committee, Assistant Democratic Leader, and Speaker of the New Jersey State House. In addition to being a respected and influential leader in community events, Reverend Woodson nurtured and helped grow the congregation of the Shiloh Baptist Church into one of the strongest, most committed and most spiritually vibrant churches in New Jersey. Through Reverend Woodson's leadership, the church erected a new center of worship and reached out to our community to clean up neighborhoods and bring people together for positive social change. Today's honor is well deserved, and one of many earned by the late Dr. Woodson over his long and distinguished career. I take pride in joining with my colleagues in the House in marking this honor for an individual who meant so much to so many in central New Jersey.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in very strong support of Representative DeGette's motion to agree to provisions in the DOJ Authorization bill that strengthen and elevate the Violence Against Women Office. This is an important motion that deserves our support. Since 1995, the Violence Against Women Office at the Department of justice has handled policy issues regarding violence against women, provided national and international leadership on the subject and worked with other DOJ offices to implement the mandates of the Violence Against Women Act. The Office is responsible for coordinating the training of judges, law enforcement personnel and prosecutors in responding to victims of domestic violence, stalking and assault. it works with states and localities to provide a coordinated community response to domestic violence and establishes public education initiatives to heighten awareness about domestic violence. The office has awarded more than $1 billion in grant funds, making over 1,250 discretionary grants and 336 formula grants to states. These grant programs help train personnel, establish specialized domestic violence and sexual assault units, assist victims of violence, and hold perpetrators accountable. In Mercer County, New Jersey, local social service groups have used grant funding from the Office to recruit and train pro bono attorneys and advocates to help provide legal assistance to battered women and their families. Domestic violence is still shockingly pervasive in our society. The National Violence Against Women Survey found that domestic abuse rates remain disturbingly high. Clearly this violence is a national concern, and we need to do everything within our capabilities to make sure that it receives due attention. The DeGette motion to instruct would go a long way toward strengthening and elevating this office and its mission. The Violence Against Women Office should be front and center in the Department of Justice. I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday April 26, 2002, I was unavoidably detained in my congressional district in New Jersey, attending a memorial service for a close friend and former co-worker. Because of that, I missed record votes in the House. Had I been present, Mr. Speaker, I would have voted yes on rollcall 111, yes on rollcall 112, yes on rollcall 113, no on rollcall 114, no on rollcall 115, and yes on rollcall 116.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 64, the Strengthening Science at the Environmental Protection Agency Act. In a report published in June of 2000, the National Academy of Sciences recommended the restructuring of the EPA's science programs to strengthen the role that science plays in the decision-making process. The National Academy's recommendations call for the establishment of a Deputy Administrator for Science and Technology and an appointment for the position of Assistant Administrator for Research and Development. I am pleased that Mr. Ehlers introduced H.R. 64, which will make these recommendations a reality. Protection of our environment is dependent on science both to assess problems and to develop solutions. This bill enhances the mission of the Environmental Protection Agency to include conducting, sponsoring, and evaluating environmental science and technology research. The agency will then use the results of this research to carry out the EPA's agenda with regard to protecting the environment. With this shift to a more science-based decision-making process at the Environmental Protection Agency, it only makes sense that the people who oversee science and technology at the EPA should be well- respected researchers who understand the scientific process. This bill directs the President to appoint a Deputy Administrator for Science and Technology and an Assistant Administrator for Research and Development (or Chief Scientist) who both have outstanding backgrounds, including research accomplishments, scientific reputation and leadership experience. Although I support this effort, I wanted to sound one cautionary note. As we pass this bill, we will need to monitor its implementation carefully. We want to make sure that our direction that EPA has a Deputy Administrator for Science and Technology and an appointment for the position of Assistant Administrator for Research and Development not be distorted by anyone with a political agenda. We want to make sure the people who fill these new positions at EPA are truly scientists, not politicians intent on using junk science or biased science to fulfill a political agenda. That is equally true for pro- industry and pro-environmental positions. All too often in the environmental arena we see decisionmaking being dictated by a reliance on studies created or funded by industry. In many instances, we don't have access to the raw data underlying these studies. As any scientist will tell you, this is a perversion of the peer review process that is the basis of all good science. We have also seen groups make wild claims that have no basis in scientific analysis. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 64 is a well-intentioned bill and a step forward to see that our decisions are guided by the best available data. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on HR 3801, the Education Sciences Reform Act. The bill restructures the current statute governing the Office of Educational Research and Improvement by creating the Academy of Education Sciences. While there are many positive things in this bill, it also has a number of weaknesses that should be addressed. Unfortunately, because this bill is on the suspension calendar, we will not get a chance to amend it. This legislation is missing two important initiatives, the Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Consortia and the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse. We must continue to make science education a priority in order to be prepared to compete in the global market place. One way of doing this is the Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Consortia. Currently, the 10 regional Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortia provide expert, research-based advice to teachers, schools, and states on how to improve their math and science programs and accountability systems. The Consortia have economies of scale for expert staff and programs that most school districts could never duplicate; and as a network, their use of Federal resources is even more efficient. With their regional partners, the Consortia provide professional development and technical assistance that enables teachers and policymakers learn from math and science research in their efforts to improve math and science teaching and learning. The Consortia work with National Science Foundation to disseminate exemplary teaching methods for science and math. The Consortia coordinate resources on math and science within their regions to maximize their collective impact. The Consortia deliver customized services without red tape. Without the Consortia, teachers and administrators must procure other funds with the associated paperwork for assistance that the Consortia proactively supply without administrative burdens. The other important science and mathematics institution is the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse. The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse acquires and catalogs mathematics and science curriculum resources, creating the most comprehensive collection in the nation. The clearinghouse provides the best selection of math and science education resources on the Internet. The clearinghouse also supports teachers' professional development in math, science, and the effective use of technology. Most importantly it serves all K-12 educators, parents, and students with free products and services. To help them do the best possible job of teaching math and science to our kids. We must supply the resources for our schools and teachers for math and science education. Giving all children an understanding of science is one of the greatest challenges facing our nation today. The degree to which our children acquire these important skills will help determine their future economic success and, in turn, will help shape the productivity and economic future of the entire United States. A quality science education is important for reasons of economics or national security. But it is also important for personal well-being and for the well-being of our democracy. Science brings order, harmony, and balance to our lives. It teaches us that our world is intelligible and not capricious. They give us the skill for lifelong learning, for creating progress itself. Mr. Speaker, this bill will pass today, but as it moves forward we should correct this oversight regarding the Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Consortia and the Eisenhower National Clearinghouse. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, our nation lost a pioneer and leading intellect in the U.S. fusion energy program and the originator of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) project. The former director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) located in central New Jersey, Harold P. Furth died on February 21, 2002. Furth made a career of research on controlled fusion, making countless contributions to the science of fusion plasmas (hot, ionized gases) and the fundamentals of plasma physics. He provided scientific and managerial leadership to the world fusion program throughout his career. In the 1960s, Furth and others developed a critically important theoretical description of instabilities arising due to resistance in a plasma. Later, he and two others described a method for using energized ion beams to heat a plasma in such a way as to enhance fusion reactions. This breakthrough was critical to the design of TFTR and enabled the production of world-record levels of fusion power and the study of the fusion power reactions. Furth also was instrumental in research on the physics of ignited (self-sustained) plasmas. In the early 1970s, he conceived the TFTR project, the most advanced and highest performance fusion device ever constructed in the United States. Furth served as Director of PPPL from 1981 to 1990, during which time TFTR was launched. The machine operated for 14 years, producing world record-setting and major scientific results before closing down in 1997. A native of Vienna, Furth came to the U.S. in 1941. He received a Ph.D., in physics from Harvard in 1960 and worked on controlled magnetic fusion research at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory (now the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) in California prior to joining PPPL in 1967 and being appointed Professor of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. He co-headed the Experimental Division at the Laboratory from 1967 to 1978, when he was appointed Associate Director and Head of the Research Department at PPPL. He became Program Director in 1980 and Director of the Laboratory in 1981. A fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, Furth served on the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Research Council's Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics and Resources. He received the E.O. Lawrence Memorial Award from the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission in 1974, the James Clerk Maxwell Prize in Plasma Physics from the American Physical Society in 1983, and the Delmer S. Fahrney Medal from the Committee on Science and The Arts of The Franklin Institute in 1992. In 1999, Furth said, ``It is very good to imagine things, but actually to do things and get results that make scientific sense is a solemn and inspiring path.'' He held more than 20 patents, primarily in the areas of controlled magnetic fusion technology and metal forming with pulsed magnetic fields, and had published more than 200 technical papers. In addition, Furth had served on committees and panels for the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, NASA, the National Academy of Sciences, and other scientific and technical organizations, as well as on various advisory committees for such organizations as the Max Planck Gesellschaft. In 1999, Furth became Professor Emeritus of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. He was active in research at PPPL until shortly before his death. Harold Furth was my friend, advisor, and leader. He hired me as his Assistant Director at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Although ill health forced him to step down as Director only a few months after I came to PPPL, those months working under Harold were exhilarating and exciting for me. He was indeed leading the research community on ``a solemn and inspiring path''; his work and the work of those he led has taken the world much closer to a fundamental understanding of plasmas and to the practical application of an abundant, environmentally attractive energy source. However, I never found Harold himself to be solemn. It is true that the problems Harold worked on were momentous and of daunting difficulty and he took very seriously the welfare of the people for whose jobs he was responsible, yet there was such a deep playful and humorous strand in his character that he constantly delighted us with his sparkling intellect. Harold Furth has left an important scientific legacy for those who never knew him and rich personal memories for those who were fortunate enough to know him.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 3839 the Keeping Children And Families Safe Act. There are approximately three million reports of child abuse every year. Of this number, 1 million are substantiated. It is estimated that children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to be victims of abuse and neglect than children without disabilities. A 1993 study by the Office of Child Abuse and Neglect found that 36 percent of the substantiated cases of child maltreatment, or about 300,000 children, caused disabilities in those children. But the problems of child abuse and neglect are even more serious then these statistics may suggest. A 1995 Gallup poll of parents, reports of physical abuses were about 16 times higher than the number or reports officially recorded, and reports of sexual abuse were some 10 times higher than the officially reported number. Unfortunately, less than half of the children who are abused or neglected receive any services at all. The bill before us today is intended to address these gaps in service. The bill requires State child welfare agencies to develop policies involving abused or neglected children so that they can be referred to the statewide early intervention system funded under part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. This will ensure that abused children will get the early intervention they need, such as services to help them learn, grow, and thus enter school ready to learn. The bill also improves the way society provides healthcare to abused and neglected children. Children in the child welfare system are at higher risk for health problems than other children. Because child abuse often causes disabilities appropriate health and developmental evaluations and treatment are vitally important. A 1995 GAO study concluded that barriers prevent many children in the welfare system from receiving adequate health care. H.R. 3839 takes steps to help states address this problem and improve services for victims of child abuse and neglect. Among other things, H.R. 3839 promotes links between child protection and health care agencies, including mental health, agencies. Our Nation's current system of protecting children is heavily weighted toward protecting children who have been so seriously maltreated they are no longer safe at home and must be placed in foster care or adoptive homes. These are children whose safety is in danger and they demand our immediate attention. Unfortunately, far less attention is directed at preventing harm to these children from happening in the first place, or providing the appropriate services and treatment needed by families and children victimized by abuse or neglect. The changes made in H.R. 3839, will help improve the Child Protective Services (CPS) system nationwide. Through the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act basic State grant program, we would take an important step forward providing support for the CPS system infrastructure and to begin to rectify the imbalance in society's response to the abuse and neglect of children. Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today, Wednesday, April 17, is Yom Ha'Atzmaut--Israel's Independence Day. As the people of Israel celebrate 54 years as the only democracy in the Middle East, I am proud to join with my colleagues to reiterate our continued strong support of Israel, its right to defend itself and its people from terrorism, and to focus on the special relationship that exists between our two nations. We all know that these are troubling times for Israel, and indeed, the entire Middle East. The world has watched in horror as terrorist attacks have killed more than 450 Israelis and wounded nearly 4,000. Car bombings, suicide attacks and widespread terrorism in residential areas have disrupted the lives of Israelis. Men and women fear that an ordinary trip to their local market will result in tragedy. Children longer feel safe to ride their school buses, and families sitting down to celebrate a holy meal have been murdered by suicide bombers. Since September 11, I think all Americans have a new understanding of the threats that Israelis face and have faced for some time. And I think all Americans have been steeled in their resolve to root out terror wherever it may be found. Before and since being elected to Congress, I have supported a strong Israel. America has always had a unique relationship with Israel. They are our most important strategic ally in this volatile area, and a nation whose founding and existence clearly makes the world better. The United States must continue to voice its support for Israel and for their right to defend their people and to exist. That is particularly true at this terrible time. The United States must be prepared to continue to provide the diplomatic, military, and economic support that Israel needs. As the world's only superpower, the United States plays an essential role as a broker of peace in the region. I am pleased to see President Bush engaged on this issue, sending Secretary of State Powell to the Middle East to try to end the violence. But we must not let that role keep us from speaking the truth. As our President has said, terrorism is unacceptable in all its forms. Palestinians must end the violence against the Israelis. The attacks must stop. When they do, Israel must respond, as I am confident she will, with corresponding steps to reduce the level of tension. That is the only way to get back to the peace table. And only peace discussions can achieve the lasting, just peace that will best serve the interests of all Israelis, all Palestinians and indeed, all of us throughout the world. Mr. Speaker, my personal sense of commitment to Israel has only been strengthened by recent developments. Today, as Israelis' mark their 54th anniversary, we can celebrate the existence of a strong and vibrant Jewish state. I am proud to observe this occasion and to use this opportunity to join with my colleagues to reaffirm our solidarity with Israel and the Israeli people.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, despite the fact that a majority of Americans believe that we should do more, not less, to protect our environment, President Bush is pursuing several policies to roll back environmental progress. Let us look at our national parks. Despite the clear evidence that snowmobile use is not compatible with the preservation and public enjoyment of Yellowstone, our world's oldest national park, the President is pushing to roll back a rule that would prevent snowmobile use there, a rule that the EPA said was among the most thorough and substantial scientifically based rules they had seen. Right now, the administration and the Republican majority here is also trying to roll back a ban on personal watercraft like jet skis in our national parks, despite the clear indication from rangers that these have a negative effect on the enjoyment and preservation of the parks. Mr. Speaker, our environment and our national parks belong to all of us, and we cannot let these series of environmental rollbacks ruin them for us.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us today might be called the ``We Have Learned Nothing From Enron Yet Act.'' The first lesson of Enron is Enron is not alone. The problem is endemic in corporate America. The retirement security of millions of Americans is at risk. For years, corporations have moved more and more toward defined contribution plans. In other words, the corporations took less and less responsibility for their employees' retirement and no one was looking after the employees' interests. Employees in many cases were denied the opportunity to look after their own interests. They were denied information about their company and the actions of their executives. Now, the bill before us today fails to give employees notice when executives are dumping company stock. It denies employees a crucial voice on pension boards. It limits the ability of employees to collect damages resulting from misconduct of corporate officials. It allows executives to continue to have their savings set aside and protected if a company fails, while rank-and-file employees are left to fend for themselves in line in bankruptcy proceedings. Perhaps most important, the bill leaves employees' money locked into company stock. Think Enron here. Locked into company stock for long periods against their will. The bill ties employees' hands from diversifying, even if they want to, for a 5-year period or a 3-year rolling period after that, and corporate executives will be allowed to unload their stock options. I asked the Committee on Rules to allow a vote on my amendment that would allow employees to be vested in their 401(k) plans after 1 year. I thought that was a fairly generous period, instead of 5 years. The Committee on Rules would not even allow a vote on that. Now, I have sided with the Republican majority on provisions with regard to pension whenever I can, but now they put together this bill that falls woefully short. All I can ask of my colleagues is take the side of employees. Pass the Democratic alternative.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, it is really quite simple. We have learned some very simple lessons; perhaps we should have learned them a long time ago, but we certainly should learn them now in light of Enron. The employees have been left holding the bag, while the corporate executives, sometimes in a very duplicitous way, walk away with their options, walk away with their bundles. We have such a good opportunity here to get things right. But the bill before us, the underlying bill, fails to give employees notice when executives are dumping company stock. It fails to hold the plan fiduciaries accountable and limits the ability of the employees to collect damages resulting from misconduct under the pension plan. It denies employees a spot on the pension board. How simple could that be? Yet the bill fails to do that. Mr. Speaker, it also continues special treatment of executives. In other words, executives could continue to have their savings set aside and protected through their stock options and so forth when a company fails, while rank and file would be at the end of the line in bankruptcy holding this empty bag. Perhaps most important, it fails to give employees early control of their assets. Anybody's standard financial advice would be to diversify, and yet the employees are denied the opportunity to diversify for at least 5 years under the underlying bill. Ordinary employees would be prevented from diversifying while corporate executives would be allowed to sell the stock they receive in stock options. We are missing a real opportunity here to help the employees.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. I thank my friend from Washington for yielding. I am pleased to be here with the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind), who understands the word ``sustainable'' and tries to build that into the agriculture bill to protect topsoil and water. It is a key word, sustainable, here. If I may take issue with my good friend from Washington, perhaps the phrase should not be ``filthy rich,'' but we will become ``clean rich'' if American industry takes advantage of the opportunity for developing sustainable technologies. It is not a matter of growth or environmental protection; and we cannot emphasize that too strongly, because we have got to beat down this misconception that the administration appears to have, and that I must say the leadership here in the House seems to have, that environmental protection is somehow costly. As the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) points out, the cost of not doing anything is great, the cost in child asthma, the cost in public health. But let me turn to something here that emphasizes it in a way that I think even the most hard-nosed business type would understand. This is an article that just appeared a few days ago, written by the chief executive officer of BP, one of the world's largest corporations. They not only produce energy and drill for oil but they also, of course, use a lot of energy. They decided, 5 years ago, that they should cut their energy use and that they could cut their energy use. The reason was that the emission of carbon into the atmosphere was changing the climate for the worse and that to do nothing would be costly to society and perhaps, they thought, even costly to themselves. And so they thought that they would take preventive action. They have cut their carbon emissions to below their 1990 level. Back in 1997 when they set themselves on this course, they set a 10-year goal. Already halfway into that time period, they have already achieved their goal of cutting their carbon emissions below the 1990 level by 10 percent. But get this, here is the clincher. Today, says Lord Browne, we can assert two things with confidence: savings from reduced energy inputs and increased efficiency outweigh all the expenditures involved. In other words, they did it at no cost. And growth is not at risk from this precautionary action. If BP can do it, any company can do it. And if they can do it, a country can do it. Unfortunately, the administration here in the United States has taken the approach that, Well, no, we cannot cut our carbon emissions. What we are going to do is not let our carbon emissions grow quite so fast. We won't let them grow quite as fast as our gross domestic product is growing. I have news for the President. That has been true since 1975. Our carbon emissions have been growing less fast than our economy. In other words, the President is saying, let's take a do-nothing approach to the greatest environmental insult that we are, our country, our globe, placing on the environment. And we have right here very good evidence from a hard-nosed business person that we can cut these greenhouse gases at no cost to our economic growth. As you and the gentleman from Wisconsin point out, with other technologies, we can even contribute to our economic growth. There is money to be made in clean, sustainable environmental technologies. We should be there taking advantage of them. I applaud my colleague for not only taking the time now to make these good points that he has made but for all the work he is doing day in and day out on these environmental issues. I am pleased to be here in the company of such a devoted environmentalist.

Mr. HOLT. As a physicist I am sure I have spent more time on energy questions and energy technology than any other Member of the House. It is something that I think is so important to do, because, as I was alluding to before, I would say the number one insult to our planet is the way we produce and use energy. We have to turn attention to a way to do that in a sustainable fashion.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, there is much in this budget that is not as it appears. We have just now heard the fact that this actually cuts $90 million from the President's much touted Leave No Child Behind Act. It cuts back on educational funding. In the area of the environment, the authors of the budget claim to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund; but in fact if you remove from this the account that funds open space and parkland and preserving critical natural resources, if you remove the items that do not belong in there, that are added, that are not really new spending, budget accounting gimmicks, it actually is a reduction. It does not fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund. With regard to research and development in science, the authors here have claimed that there is an 11 percent increase. Actually if you do their math correctly, it is really closer to 8 percent. But then if you remove the accounting gimmicks, the things that have been added in there that are not new spending in the National Science Foundation, for example, the sea grant program and EPA education programs, you find out that there is really a growth of perhaps 1 percent. This is not enough. If we shortchange research and development in the United States, we cannot hope to have the kind of economic growth that the authors of this budget resolution are counting on in some magic wand way to get us out of deficit spending. As a Nation we underinvest in research and development. This budget resolution not only fails to balance, it fails to fund our Nation's critical needs.