Rush Holt

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Etheridge).

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

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank the gentleman for his good remarks, and I also thank the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan). I think they hit it on the head. What we are confronted with here, Mr. Chairman, is an appropriation that comes in not just below the President's budget but below the request of the majority party. In their budget resolution with great fanfare just a couple of months ago they announced that they had increased the number for research to nearly the President's budget. Now we are faced with an appropriations bill that is $500 million below that. This is pennywise and pound foolish. Our investments in research have paid off. I am especially troubled by the $34 million reduction in NSF's education programs below this request. Cuts in undergraduate education undermine scholastic endeavors in every State in the Nation. In my own central New Jersey district, NSF education programs are funding projects at Monmouth University and Princeton University and Rider University. It would be a big mistake to reduce funding in these crucial areas. Mr. Chairman, economists do not agree on much, I find, but there is one thing that I hear over and over again from economists from Berkley to Harvard to Chicago to Alan Greenspan at the Federal Reserve. We are now enjoying the fruits of investment in research and development made in decades past. We are not talking about just a little tweaking of the NSF and Federal research budget. We need to make a significantly greater investment in the research budget if we have any hope of maintaining the kind of economic growth that we are coming to rely on. We also need a smart, well-trained work force, and NSF contributes directly to that through education in elementary and secondary schools through higher education and through public education. We will not find better investments in our children's future than investment in education and in research and development. That is what this amendment is about.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Olver), who knows of what he speaks. He in fact has done NSF-funded research.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Mollohan), the ranking member of the subcommittee.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment as the designee of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall), the ranking member of the House Committee on Science. (Mr. HALL of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson), someone who is very well positioned to speak to this as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Basic Research. (Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), the distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, there are a number of problems with this bill, but I think one of the greatest is the lack of adequate funding for the National Science Foundation. This is an area that I think we should work in a bipartisan way to correct. Let me be clear: the gentleman from New York (Chairman Walsh) and the ranking member and the members of the subcommittee have worked hard to meet the pressing needs with the limited funds that they have been given. They are not at fault here. But because of inadequate appropriations allocation, the National Science Foundation does not receive the funds it needs to continue its vital work. Now, in order to maintain our superb economic growth in this country, we need at least two things: a smart, well trained workforce and new ideas. The National Science Foundation plays a crucial role in both areas, in education, both elementary and secondary, as well as higher education, public education and museums and radio and television, and research in all areas. The NSF supports nearly 50 percent of nonmedical research conducted at academic institutions, and provides the fundamental underpinning for much of the medical research and other research we value in our society. The VA-HUD appropriations bill we are being asked to support comes up short in the needed investments for the National Science Foundation. It cuts NSF investments in science and engineering by over $500 million, or 13 percent below the level requested by the President. So as funded, the bill would weaken U.S. leadership in science and engineering and deny progress that would result in improvement of the quality of life of all Americans. This is not just a case of the congressional leadership ignoring the President's request for the National Science Foundation. No. The leadership is ignoring its own plan for NSF funding. Just two months ago, Congress passed a budget blueprint for FY 2001 that called for significant increases in the National Science Foundation funding. As a member of the Committee on the Budget, I worked to increase that funding. In committee I helped pass an amendment to include an additional $100 million for the National Science Foundation and other government research. Later, as the budget came to the floor, along with advocates on both sides of the aisle, we succeeded in raising that allocation almost to the amount requested by the President. I do not think any of us suspected that a short 60 days later we would be presented with such a disappointing appropriation. At that time, with great fanfare, the majority presented these budget increases, this increase in money for the National Science Foundation. Can they not meet their own level? This is not, and should not be, a partisan issue. Increasing NSF funding would substantially help colleges and universities across the country and would help all Americans benefit in making prudent investments in our future. If we are going to continue to lead the global economy, we must have a well-trained workforce and the best research and scientific explorations in our colleges and universities and research institutions that we can provide. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting full funding for the National Science Foundation. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill to call for removal from the World Trade Organization. Quite simply, the reason for the WTO is that organized, rule-based trading is more reliable and more beneficial to all than unregulated exchanges. This is what we were talking about just a few weeks back when we are talking about permanent normal trade relations with China. I think the argument follows that, of course, what is good for trading of goods is also relevant to other things we hold important. And certainly, the WTO is far from perfect. We need to make some improvements with regard to transparency and the information that is included in the decision-making and public disclosure, and we need to improve the trade and labor working groups and the way the environment is considered. But without the organization, we have nothing to work with. It should be clear that a trade free-for-all is not better than a principle-guided trade regime.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the NEA, the NEH, the Museum and Library Services and in support of the Slaughter-Johnson amendment. My colleague the gentleman from New York (Mr. Houghton) said, Well, we support the arts. We support the Federal Government involvement in the arts. The question is, how much money? Let me take a try at explaining why we should be putting more money into these organizations at this time. The National Endowment for the Arts has been treated unkindly by this body for too long. Since the early 1990s, the NEA, for example, has seen its funding reduced from $162 million in 1995 to $99 million in 1996, to $97.6 million last year. So even if we adopt this amendment, the NEA budget would still fall short of the President's budget request. To the credit of the NEA, it is continuing to do more with less. Even with the shrinking budget over the last 5 years, NEA has provided a greater number of grants to more communities across the entire country. Unfortunately, simple math will tell us, while the number of grants has risen, the average grant amount has dropped by 45 percent. We must stop starving the National Endowment for the Arts. We have won the fight, I hope, for the existence of the NEA and the NEH and Library Services. But every year, it seems, we have to fight to raise it above starvation. Whether it is the Kennedy Center's touring company in Manalapan or the Boy Choir School or the McCarter theater, all of those in my district, or a nonprofit group in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, or in Lake Placid, New York, funding for the NEA touches all of our constituents, bringing them arts, cultural events and educational opportunities. Visual and performing arts, literature and poetry help us know ourselves as a society and help us stretch ourselves and grow as a society. The President made a reasonable request of $150 million for the NEA. My colleagues on the Committee on Appropriations set the NEA allocation at $98 million. This amendment, I think, is a reasonable increase and will help raise this above starvation levels. I urge my colleagues to vote for this opportunity for personal enrichment, for societal enrichment, for cultural enrichment.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Anna Wang, a Supervising Librarian at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters. Mrs. Wang is retiring after 32 years of dedicated service to the library and the community. I join her family, friends, and grateful colleagues in honoring her for her talents and skills that she has shared with our community. Mrs. Wang has worked diligently to select, process and organize the largest Chinese language collection in a public library in New Jersey. This collection, housed in the Shrewsbury, Marlboro, Holmdel, and Manalapan libraries, has been a vital resource for the people of New Jersey. Mrs. Wang has also coordinated Chinese ethnic festivals with local schools and the Friends of the Monmouth County Library; she has arranged an exchange program with the National Central Library in Taipei, Taiwan; and she has obtained numerous dollars in federal grants for these programs. Her talents and hard-work will be sorely missed by the entire community. Mrs. Wang is one of those truly amazing individuals who devotes all of her time to public service. In addition to her tremendous accomplishments at work, Mrs. Wang manages to serve as president of the New Jersey Chinese Book Club. She is also a columnist for the New Jersey Sino Monthly Magazine and the Global Chinese Times. And she is the author of three books. I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in thanking Mrs. Wang for her and contributions to New Jersey, her dedication, and her hard work, and I wish her a happy productive retirement.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman. I rise today to speak about what seems like an annual ritual. We are now in the thick of the appropriations process and that can mean only one thing. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have sharpened their pencils and are loading up budget bills with legislative riders that surrender our environment to special interests. There riders not only threaten important environmental and public health protections, but they subvert the democratic process by trying to force through legislative changes without the benefit of hearings or public scrutiny. I am calling on my colleagues and the public to demand an end to this yearly assault on our precious natural resources and our open form of government. I would like to highlight a few of the attacks within the FY 2001 House Interior Appropriations that is before us today. One rider would prohibit any spending on national monuments developed after 1999. Among the monuments affected are the Grand Canyon- Parashant, Giant Sequoia, Agua Fria and the California Coastal National Monuments. The monuments were created by the Administration to strengthen protection of these unique federal lands. Apparently, for some, it is not important to protect our land. Another rider would effectively prevent agencies from implementing the American Heritage Rivers Program. This is a program where the federal government provides help to river communities looking for backing on environmental and economic development projects. This program helps communities improve water quality. Apparently, for some, it is not important to help communities. Another rider within the bill would block federal agencies funded within the bill from action on global warning. This rider is not even needed because the Administration does not intend to implement the Protocol prior to congressional ratification. The President is continuing to work on international negotiations on this important treaty. Apparently, for some the climate is not important. Finally, besides the various riders, the bill does not adequately fund many programs at the levels needed to carry them out. One such program is the President's Land Legacy Initiative. This appropriation bill places these important conservation programs in jeopardy by rejecting the President's request for a permanent funding source. This program is also drastically under-funded. As a result, federal land conservation efforts to protect national treasures, such as the Everglades, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and various Civil War Battlefields are in jeopardy. Apparently, for some, our national treasures are not important. Well, for many, including people in central New Jersey, our national treasures, our constitution, our communities and our land are important. I urge all of my colleagues to reject these antienvironmental riders that threaten our environment and our democracy.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the environmentally and fiscally wise amendment from my colleague from New Jersey, my colleague, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Wu), and my colleague, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Udall). The Wu-Smith-Udall amendment adds, as we have heard, $14.7 million to the fish and wildlife management line of the Forest Service. Yes, both of the programs that we are talking about here are important, but what we want to do is to establish some balance. How did this come about? The administration requested $220 million for the forest products account, what used to be called timber harvest, and the committee gave the Forest Service $245 million, an increase of $25 million above what the agency requested. Meanwhile, the committee funded the valuable wildlife and fish habitat management accounts $14.7 million below the administration request. Now, fish and wildlife management sorely needs an increase in funding. Of course, they both do. For years, this fish and wildlife program has been underfunded. At the forest level, biologists are scarce and are involved in planning and NEPA work and are frequently unable to do the on-the-ground work that needs to be done. Now on the other hand, there is evidence that the Forest Service timber program is not cost effective. According to the GAO, the program costs the American taxpayer over $2 billion from 1992 to 1997. The Forest Service estimates that this year recreational jobs will account for 77 percent of the national forest employment, whereas timber- related jobs will account for only 2.3 percent. The Wu-Smith-Udall amendment is not only a statement of fiscal responsibility, it is a commitment to preserving natural resources. Without the Wu-Smith-Udall amendment, the current funding levels for fish and wildlife habitat will result in the loss of hundreds of miles of fish habitat restoration and thousands of acres of wildlife habitat restoration. The head of the Forest Service, Chief Dombeck, has changed the focus of the Forest Service. He has done a great job in promoting a sustainable supply of timber, while promoting conservation and habitat restoration. The Wu-Smith-Udall amendment is consistent with Chief Dombeck's leadership in continuing a future and sustainable supply of timber, while maintaining a habitat necessary for healthy fishruns and for healthy stocks of wildlife. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today, I am proud to join many of my Democratic colleagues in signing a discharge petition to bring legislation to the floor of the House of Representatives to require full disclosure of so-called 527 ads--the political attack ads that are becoming a disturbing way of life in politics today. These ads are the latest scheme to get around campaign finance laws. The undermine our democracy. I speak from experience about 527's. As a freshman Member of Congress, I have had these anonymous attack ads running in my central New jersey district--both against me and against the loser of the primary election in my district. 527 ads are the political equivalent of a drive-by shooting. They are deceptive--they are anonymous--and they keep citizens in the dark about who is trying to influence their elections. Citizens deserve the right to know who is contributing money to elections. Full disclosure allows citizens to make more informed judgments about issues and elections. I urge my colleagues to join me in signing the discharge petition.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Douglas H. Niece, the longest-serving Cubmaster in the United States. For over 50 years, Mr. Niece has made tremendous contributions to our community through his commitment and dedication as the Cubmaster of Pack 61, the oldest Cub Scout pack in Hunterdon County. In January 1948, several community leaders in Flemington decided to start a Cub Scout Pack in Hunterdon County. The Pack was founded on the principle of helping young men achieve a sense of self worth and satisfaction from knowing they can accomplish their goals. Today, Pack 61 continues to provide young men with the values and experiences that cultivate discipline and a sense of responsibility; traits that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Mr. Niece has served as Cubmaster of Pack 61 since its inception over 50 years ago. As Cubmaster he has been a mentor to over 5,000 boys during his extraordinary tenure. Mr. Niece has taught Cub Scouts from Pack 61 the value of community and service to our nation. He has instilled lifelong values that will be used to build a foundation for future growth. Many of Mr. Niece's scouts have continued to serve their communities in a variety of ways, including volunteering their time as a Scouter or Cubmaster. Mr. Niece is one of the few surviving graduates of the Flemington Children's Choir School, a school founded at the turn of the 20th century to train children to sing in the local church choirs. Even at the age of 80, he leads carolers around Flemington on Christmas morning, singing carols at any home with the porch light on--a tradition begun by the Choir School in the early 1900's. Mr. Niece is a life-long member of the Flemington Presbyterian Church where he continues to teach Sunday School. He has served as both at Elder and Deacon of the Church and was Superintendent of the Sunday School for over a decade. Several years ago, on Boy Scout Sunday, the church honored him with the ``God and Service Award'' in recognition of his many years of service and dedication to the youth within the community. Mr. Niece embodies the true spirit of giving and dedication. He has centered his life around service to his community. Mr. Douglas H. Niece has been, and continues to be, a strong presence in Central New Jersey. I urge all my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Mr. Niece's commitment and dedication to the children of our community.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this. There are few things that we can point to that have more of an effect on a student's performance than personal attention from teachers, and this is critically important. I have with me here today in Washington representatives of school boards from across central New Jersey, and they have pointed out again and again, wherever I go, whenever I visit schools, that class size is getting the better of them. They want, help and we should be helping them. This is important across the country and we must do It.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 266, legislation expressing the sense of the House regarding the benefits of music education. I am proud to join my colleagues in passing this bipartisan proposal today in the House of Representatives. As a teacher, I can testify to the value that music and art can have in a well-rounded academic program. There is a growing body of scientific research demonstrating that children who receive music instruction perform better on spatial-temporal reasoning tests and proportional math problems. Opportunities in music and the arts have also enabled children with disabilities to participate more fully in school and community activities. There is something special about music and the arts that speak to what is special and unique in the human spirit. Music and the arts can motivate at-risk students to stay in school and become active participants in the educational process. They teach all students about beauty and abstract thinking. According to the College Board, college-bound high school seniors in 1998 who received music instruction scored 53 points higher on the verbal portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test and 39 points higher on the math portion of the test than college-bound high school seniors with no music or arts instruction. Other data shows that individuals who participate in band or orchestra reported the lowest levels of current and lifelong use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Comprehensive, sequential music instruction assists brain development and improves cognitive and communicative skills, self-discipline, and creativity. Mr. Speaker, music education enhances intellectual development and enriches the academic environment for children of all ages. I am proud to join with my colleagues in passing this bipartisan resolution in recognition of these facts.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Eden Institute's 25th Anniversary. Over the last quarter of a century, the Eden Institute has made tremendous contributions to our community through its commitment to meeting the needs of individuals with autism. Eden is a New Jersey-based nonprofit organization founded in 1975 to address the needs of the autistic community. Eden brought both parents and professionals together to assist in the development of a family- oriented, multifaceted program driven by a well trained, dedicated and nurturing staff. Eden was founded on the commitment to provide a cost- effective, community-based alternative to institutionalization and to offering training that would meet the changing needs of children and adults with autism. Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that severely affects social behavior, communication and one's ability to learn, is the result of a neurological disorder that interferes with the functioning of the brain. Autism affects 15 of every 10,000 births and typically appears during the first three years of development. Some of the services offered by Eden include the Eden Institute, a year-round educational program for children ages 3-21; Eden A.C.R.E.s, nine community-based group homes and three supported living apartments for adults; an employment center; year-round retreat opportunities, an early intervention program for infants and toddlers, and many, many more. Although much has changed over the years, Eden's mission is the same--to provide a comprehensive continuum of services designed to enable children and adults with autism to lead fulfilling, productive and independent lives. And they have been extremely successful. Through the work of Eden, parents are now able to more effectively engage their children at home; they have assisted hundreds of children and adults with autism to interact with their communities to the best of their abilities; and Eden has worked very hard to promote community awareness of the challenges associated with autism. The Eden Institute is a great asset to both Central New Jersey and our nation. I urge all my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Eden's dedication to assisting citizens with autism achieve their full potential.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, today I honor a young scientist, Garrett Young, a 17 year-old homeschooled student from Branchburg. Garrett has achieved success on the state, national, and international levels. He has recently been recognized as a top winner at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) sponsored by Intel Corporation. This is the world's largest pre-college science competition that recognizes the world's brightest high school students coming from 40 countries for their scientific achievements. At the international level, he took first place in the category of physics at the ISEF. He also won the Glenn T. Seaborg Nobel Prize Visit Award. The Nobel Prize Visit Award was awarded to the top two individual winners at the Fair and whom they believe will be future Nobel Prize Winners. His project was ``Isolating Plasma Species Initiating Internal Electrostatic Fields for Plasma Heating,'' where Garrett found a way to increase the temperature of plasma in an efficient way. At the national level, he won ``Operation Cherry Blossom.'' This is a trip to Japan that is awarded by the U.S. Army to the top two individual projects of the entire ISEF competition. Garrett was awarded first place by the U.S. Naval Research Labs and the U.S. Air Force. He also received the second place Vacuum Technology Award awarded by the American Vacuum Society. At the state level, Garrett won the Senior Division ISEF trip. He also received the Space Science Award, presented by NASA for his project studying space science, and the Metric Award given by the U.S. Metric Society for the best use of the metric system. In addition, he was awarded a medallion by Yale University as the most outstanding junior student in Science and Engineering. All of his specialized contributions to science are a result of his creative ability and meticulous thought. Mr. Young is truly a remarkable student with a prosperous future ahead of him. Today I honor Garrett's extraordinary accomplishments.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. I yield to the gentleman from Utah.

Mr. HOLT. If the gentleman will yield further, these are roadless wildnerness study areas. This has not been dealt with in the most dramatic fashion. The most dramatic fashion would put an end to this.

Mr. HOLT

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Tierney amendment. The national missile defense as proposed would not be effective. We have heard that over and over again today. It would be costly to deploy and easily circumvented. The proposed missile defense system probably would not work as designed, and wishing so will not overcome the physics. I speak with some background in the area. It could be confused with decoys. It could be bypassed with suitcase bombs and pick-up trucks and sea-launched missiles. It would be not just billions of dollars down the drain. It is not just a diversion of precious resources that could be used for TRICARE or other such things. But we are told that this is going to provide a defense for us. No, it is worse than a waste. Simple strategic analysis tells us that a provocative yet permeable defense system is destabilizing and actually leads to reduced security. In fact, the more effective the system turned out to be, the worse an idea it would be, because of the increase in instability and the damage done to our efforts to reduce weapons around the world. Mr. Chairman, this is a weapons system in search of a cooperative enemy. Sure, it is a shield. We have heard about shields of the knights of yore. But where do the knights use those shields? Not around the house. They uses them in battle. They use them in battle because they can thrust and parry from behind that shield. We say, no, no, this is just a defensive shield. Those other countries do not need to be concerned what we are doing behind our shield. Well, only a cooperative enemy would believe us. Only a cooperative enemy would not try to use technically easily accessible decoys to defeat the system. Therefore, I think we should defeat the Star Wars, Star Wars II, Star Wars Lite, Star Wars again program and use those resources for other, more humanitarian, much saner uses, and in the process, increase our security.