Melissa Hart

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.R. 1140, the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act of 2001. As a cosponsor and one of the 384 yea votes, I am pleased to see the House pass this needed legislation. One of the original meetings I had in my first months in Congress was with a group of widows whose husbands had worked for Conrail in Beaver County in my Pennsylvania district. These women expressed to me how they struggled to pay their high electricity bills and rising health care costs, and that this legislation would go a long way toward helping them meet those costs. Last session, the House approved similar legislation, but the Senate failed to consider it. I hope that the overwhelming support in the House this time will give the momentum we need to give these widows and retires the relief they need. It also modernizes the pension plan--ensuring that the program will continue to railroad workers and their loved ones. This legislation not only increases benefits to widows of railroad employees, but also: Lowers the minimum age of workers with 30 years service eligible for full benefits; Creates an independent Railroad Retirement Trust Fund; and Expands the investment authority of the fund to generate better returns. In a ``railroad state'' like Pennsylvania, legislation like this provides the needed security for a large portion of our residents. It has the backing of both railroad labor and management. Now that we have done our part to pass legislation that strengthens railroad retirement, let's make sure that we follow through and get this legislation to the President's desk.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. It is with pleasure that I stand up to support this energy bill. It contains a lot of different things; it is broad, it is all- encompassing. The problems that we are looking to solve are not new ones. In fact, people in my constituency and probably all over the country have been calling their congressional Members about these for a number of years. But the problem of high gas prices, high electrical prices, high gasoline prices at the pump cannot be solved unless we have a comprehensive energy policy. That is what this bill does. Vice President Cheney came to my district to launch the discussion nationwide. It was very well received. People are very happy to hear that we finally are going to have a comprehensive plan. Advancements in technology are included in here: clean coal technologies, nuclear advancements, fuel cells, investigation of renewable energy sources such as biomass, wind energy, hydro energy. But conservation is a very large part of this, and it is very important that we all understand that it is everyone's responsibility to be part of that conservation. We all intend to work hard to get this passed. I am a big supporter of this, and I want to commend everyone who has been a part of making it happen.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Weldon-Stupak bill. Simply put, cloning another human being, especially for the purpose of conducting experiments on the tiniest form of human being, is wrong. It is clear that it violates a principle that I think we all accept of human individuality and human dignity. That is why it is imperative that all of us support this bill. It is a responsible and reasoned proposal, and it will ensure that we maintain our strong ethical principles. We must have ethical principles to guide scientific research and inquiry. No one who supports this bill suggests that we stop scientific research. In fact, cloning has been used and should continue to be used to produce tissues. It should not, however, be used to produce human beings. If we do not draw a clear line now, when will we do so? There are so many very serious questions that human cloning raises, questions about conducting experiments on a human being bred essentially for that purpose; questions about the evils of social and genetic engineering; questions about the rights and liberties of living beings, of human beings. What about a being that is created in the laboratory and patented as a product? It is still a human being. There are too many serious questions that human cloning brings to the fore. They all have very serious consequences. The consequences that human cloning raises are all ethical questions. For us to move forward and allow science to be conducted without ethical and moral intervention is just crazy. We need nothing short of a full and clear ban on human cloning; otherwise, we are not promoting responsible scientific inquiry, we are promoting bad science fiction and making it a reality.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I take the floor today to pay tribute to two fallen heroes. Anthony Murdick and Scott Wilson were volunteer firefighters in Unionville, Pennsylvania, who drowned while trying to recover the body of a kayaker in Slippery Rock Creek in Slippery Rock Township, on April 8 of this year. Their deaths were the first in the line of duty in the 64-year history of the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company. Their lives and act of bravery are being honored at a memorial service this Saturday, July 26 in Slippery Rock Township. Firefighters Murdick and Wilson, both from Butler, Pennsylvania, traveled similar paths in life. Both were 25 years old; both graduated from Butler High School; and both joined the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company as junior firefighters. Murdick and Wilson were also experienced divers. However, the creek's swift current prevented the firefighters from resurfacing after their dive to retrieve the body of the drowned Ambridge man. In other ways, Murdick and Wilson's lives were very different. Murdick worked as a landscaper, and as a structural firefighter for the VA Medical Center in Butler. He was also taking classes to become a code-enforcement officer. Murdick is survived by his fiancee, Beth McCurdy, and their son, Talan. Wilson graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania's criminal justice training program. He worked with the Butler Ambulance Service, served as a 911-operator, and also served as the director of the ambulance authority in Wetzel County. At the time of his death, Wilson was an instructor at the Butler County Area Vocational Technical School. Wilson is survived by his wife, Tracy, and son, Cole. The act of courage and commitment that these men showed is extraordinary. Without fear or hesitation, Murdick and Wilson dove into the swift waters of Slippery Rock Creek, as their job called upon them to do. On Saturday, these two men will be honored for their valiant act by family, friends, fellow firefighters, and members of the community of Slippery Rock Township. I join them in their tribute and hope that others find inspiration in their sense of duty and selfless service just as I have.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise to the floor today to congratulate several hospitals in western Pennsylvania that were just named as some of the best in the country by U.S. News and World Report. Pittsburgh has a long history as a hub of research and development in health care. From the life saving work of tissue research, to their reputation as a world-renowned provider of pediatric care, Pittsburgh area hospitals continue to make breakthroughs in the care and treatment of the sick. Three local hospitals made U.S. News and World Report's annual assessment of the country's best hospitals, and I would like to pay tribute to them now. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh was ranked as one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country, a testimony to their efforts to ensure that children are in playgrounds and camps during the summer, not hospital beds. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center was named as one of the top otolaryngology centers due to their commitment to curing disorders from hearing loss to neck cancer. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center also joined Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh as two of the best centers in America to treat cancer. These hospitals are on the front lines every day, searching for more answers and providing more cures to some of the most painful and debilitating disorders known to man. I commend these and all other hospitals as they work to make our lives healthier and happier. It is through their tireless work and dedication that we continue to expand the quality of life and health of all western Pennsylvanians, as well as people throughout the world.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the substitute and in support of the bill as it stands. The Community Solutions Act is just that. The Community Solutions Act is designed to aid organizations that aid communities. This is not a jobs bill. I repeat, this is not a jobs bill. This is designed to give more resources to the organizations who know their communities, the organizations who are driven by faith and charity to help people in communities who need help. It is not designed to create a bunch of new jobs. In fact, hopefully, the only people who will take any jobs that may be created by this bill are those who are motivated by charity. These jobs will not pay lots of money. The goal here is to help people. The goal here is to allow those who have been helping people for years to get a few more resources from the Government to do an even better job than they do now.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Wall Street Journal article printed on Friday, July 6th. The story discusses the importance of small manufacturers in our economy, and specifically talks about the success of Extrude Hone Corp. in Irwin, PA. This company is located in my district and produces a special abrasive putty to smooth metal products. Along with thousands of other successful small businesses in western Pennsylvania, Extrude Hone Corp. represents the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit that helps to sustain and drive the American economy. [From the Wall Street Journal, July 6, 2001] By Resisting Layoffs, Small Manufacturers Help Protect Economy (By Clare Ansberry) Irwin, PA.--Extrude Hone Corp. is one of the reasons that the bottom hasn't fallen out of the U.S. economy. Quietly, but profitably, the company is going about its business: making machines that use a special abrasive putty to smooth out rough edges on aircraft engines, fuel-injection systems, artificial knee joints and heart valves. By itself, Extrude Hone, which has a work force of less than 200 locally and 400 world-wide, hardly registers beyond its rural hometown near Pittsburgh and the large community of its customers. But its broader significance lies in the fact that it's far from alone. Extrude Hone is just one of about 4,000 manufacturers in this southwest corner of Pennsylvania, nearly all with fewer than 500 workers. As a group, they employ about 170,000 people, and their payrolls total $7.1 billion annually. Most are too small to show up on Wall Street's radar screen. But these stealth manufacturers, principally durable-goods makers, have an outsized impact on the nation's economy, and many of them are showing surprising strength. Layoffs vs. Hiring Though there have been some recent signs of a pickup, the durable-goods sector, which produces big-ticket items designed for repeated use, has borne the brunt of the manufacturing slump that began in the second half of 2000. Many of the sector's publicly traded giants, such as General Electric Co., Eaton Corp. and International Paper Co., have responded by announcing major layoffs. But despite all that, about 60% of south-western Pennsylvania's durable-goods manufacturers plan to add workers this quarter, according to a recent survey by staffing agency Manpower Inc. Why? Larry Rhoades, Extrude Hone's chief executive, can cite several reasons. So can Kurt Lesker III, whose family- owned company makes vacuum systems, or Robert Moscardini of U.S. Tool & Die Inc., who has nearly tripled his work force to 110 people since 1994 and whose board wants him to increase it to as many as 500. All three businesses have been understaffed in recent years and have had to invest heavily in recruiting and training. Mr. Moscardini figures U.S. Tool & Die spent 3,000 hours training workers last year, even paying an outside welding company to help it in the effort. ``You figure every hour is worth $60 to $100,'' he says, ``That's a big investment. You don't just let those people go.'' Eight Great Years Nor are many small to midsize manufacturers elsewhere in the nation rushing to cut back. Though some have had no choice but to lay off employees, even many of those whose business has softened are holding on to their workers, both out of loyalty to their communities and employees and out of fear that they will be left without much-needed talent when the economy strengthens. And, without public shareholders breathing down their necks demanding that they maximize returns, they have the flexibility to eschew layoffs in favor of longer-range business goals. ``They're not crying the blues because they had eight great years,'' says Dean Garritson of the National Association of Manufacturers, a trade group based in Washington. Most such businesses keep overhead low, and their owners can still afford to put ``dollars into the company,'' he says. ``They're less apt to let people go, and that creates a stabilizing force.'' Upbeat in a Slowdown And a significant one. Those largely anonymous businesses account for about 9.8 million, or more than half, of the nation's manufacturing jobs. And their seeming resistance to layoffs helps explain why consumers, who are also employees, have remained relatively upbeat, despite the current slowdown. Jerry Letendre owns Diamond Casting Corp. in Hollis, N.H., where he and his 50 employees pour molten aluminum into shapes for high-tech pumps. Last year, his profits dropped 50% and sales fell 30%. But rather than make big layoffs, he decided to hold off buying a new computerized milling machine and dug deeper into his own pockets to rebuild inventory and introduce new products. Twenty-five percent of his products were introduced in the past 10 months. ``During good times you conduct yourself so you can comfortably sustain not-so-good times like now,'' Mr. Letendre says. And, he adds, ``I don't have Wall Street calling me asking, `What have you done for me this week?' '' Here in southwest Pennsylvania, industrial stalwarts such as U.S. Steel Corp., Alcoa Inc. and Westinghouse Electric Corp. drove the economy, spawning thousands of smaller operations that were formed solely to supply and serve them. Many of those operations dried up over the decades as Westinghouse left town and steel's presence here shrank. The small manufacturers that have survived the shakeout have done so by keeping in step Extrude Hone is one of them. Mr. Rhoades's father started the business 35 years ago in the back of a tire shop. The company's purpose was to polish rough edges and holes in metal parts. Though that sounds like a minor adjustment, such fine-tuning can greatly enhance a product's performance. Having a smooth hole, rather than a jagged one, in a fuel- injection system, for example, even when the hole is only twice the diameter of a hair, can increase the flow of fuel by 20%. That means improved fuel economy and lower emissions. When it comes to heart valves and knee joints, the difference means better blood flow and less chance of contamination. When it comes to aircraft engines, it means more power. And if the customer doesn't want to do that kind of work itself, Extrude Hone will finish the parts for it in one of its several shops around the world, from Ireland to Japan. It also sells the proprietary putty used in its machines. Exploiting Advantages The fact that Extrude Hone is growing makes it an anomaly among the nation's machine-tool producers, whose overall sales have slumped since the late 1990s. In a recent speech before a business group in Birmingham, England, where the decline of heavy industry has paralleled that of Pittsburgh's, Mr. Rhoades shared his company's survival strategy with an audience eager to know how his manufacturing business had weathered the U.S. steel industry's diminished local presence. The key, Mr. Rhoades said, was exploiting the advantages inherent in being a small manufacturer. Having relatively few employees, he said, helps his company to remain flexible and stay close to the factory floor and customers. Making things more economically, precisely or consistently isn't enough, he told the group. A small manufacturer, he said, has to make something distinctive and difficult for its customers to do without, and that requires investing in new designs and processes. Mr. Rhoades spends about 15% of his company's sales on research and development, a surprisingly high percentage for a machine-tool maker. Many small and private companies are conservative and cautious about spending, in part because they don't have public investors to help them raise cash. That's where being private has its limitations, he says. The upside, he says, is that he is freer to focus on the long term, rather than on quarterly results. Mr. Rhoades's newest and most promising technology, invented at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a process for custom-making hundreds of different parts using a single machine. Rather than stamping a piece out of metal, the new process uses a computer scan of a part to create a copy of it, building it up layer by layer from a mixture of powdered metal and glue, which is then fused in a furnace. Mr. Rhoades says the process eventually could be used by airlines or by auto shops that want to make replacement parts on site, rather than waiting for them to be delivered. And that's why he's hiring. He needs metallurgists and people with computer and software skills, many of whom as recently as two years ago wouldn't have considered working for a machine-tool maker. ``It just got to an unhealthy point where people were being drawn out of the work force and into dot-coms when they could make a bigger economic contribution'' by working in mainstream manufacturing, he says. Manufacturers create a local multiplier effect. They go through a lot of nuts, bolts, grease and paper clips, often relying on other local businesses and keeping their dollars in the community. They use the local delivery service, the local trucking company. Home sales here rose 41% in May, and while there's no direct correlation between robust real- estate sales and an uninterrupted flow of coated metal, it can't hurt either. Last year, U.S. Tool & Die spent $467,853 buying office supplies, gloves, cleaning materials, fasteners, bolts, grinding wheels, sanding belts and lifting devices such as slings from local suppliers. Steel to make its products comes from nearby Allegheny Ludlum Corp. U.S. Tool & Die has survived by evolving. Formed about 50 years ago, it was engaged in the most basic aspect of manufacturing: making parts under contract for customers in the steel industry. In the mid-1970s, it began making racks to store spent nuclear fuel. It didn't change its business, remaining a contract manufacturer, but it changed markets completely. Now, it has contracts all over the world. While U.S. Tool & Die's Mr. Moscardini credits the company's strong sales to dominating a particular niche, others seem to be doing well, too. ``People I associated with in metal working and manufacturing, everyone seems healthy. We probably have 15 to 20 machine shops supporting us with subcontract work, and these guys are all busy.'' John Ross, executive vice president of manufacturing at Kurt J. Lesker Co., Last year, Lesker, which has 200 employees and $40 million a year in sales, expanded its work force by 15%. This year, Mr. Ross says, it plans to expand another 7%. He says Lesker's biggest problem is a shortage of skilled workers, such as welders and machinists. A few years ago, Mr. Ross got together with some other area manufacturers to discuss the problem. With the help of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and a local foundation, they developed a training program aimed at people who had planned to go to college and indicated an interest in a career but had ended up in dead-end jobs. So far, Lesker has hired about 15 graduates of the program, which is called Manufacturing 2000, including Dan McKenzie. More Earning Power Mr. McKenzie, 27, had just finished a stint with the Marine Corps and was working in a pizza shop. He saw the program's ad for free training and jumped on it. Now, he works for Lesker as a machinist and has taken some college courses toward an industrial-engineering degree. As a result, Mr. McKenzie, who made $8.50 an hour delivering pizza, has seen his earning power increase substantially. The average annual wage in the manufacturing sector here is $42,000. The sector, which employs about 15% of the region's workers, accounts for 20% of the region's wages, according to Barry Maciak of Duquesne's Institute for Economic Transformation. Local companies paid $1,250 for each Manufacturing 2000 graduate and considered it a bargain. ``We don't have the resources to train and recruit that larger companies have,'' says Lesker's Mr. Ross. Once it gets people, the company is loath to lose them. Moreover, the average age of machinists, welders and tool grinders is 43, and welders rarely wait until they are 65 to retire because their work is so physically demanding. So, the company has to think about the future. But Lesker also feels a loyalty to its work force, a luxury many public companies can't afford. Kurt Lesker III, Lesker's president, remembers sales plummeting after the fall of the Berlin Wall dried up the company's defense-related business. ``We went through several years of break even. We could have laid off. We decided to keep everyone because it had to get better,'' he says. ``If it was a public company, I would have been fired.''

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, today the House Science Committee, subcommittee on Energy, held a hearing on the ``President's National Energy Policy: Hydrogen and Nuclear Energy Research and Development Legislation.'' One gentleman that was asked to testify was Arthur T. Katsaros, who spoke on behalf of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., a Pennsylvania based company that has been researching and developing the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel source. With the recent coverage of energy and our plans for future use in the United States, I would ask that his testimony be submitted for others to view and learn more about this abundant source: Introduction Mr. Chairman, Ms. Woolsey, and members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify this morning on a subject that may seem futuristic but is actually upon us--the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel source. No matter what one's perspective is on climate change and the role of fossil fuels in the current economy, there is a broad consensus that the United States and the world are moving toward a ``hydrogen economy'' in which fuel is abundant, efficient, renewable, and non-polluting. There is debate over how soon hydrogen will be widely available as a fuel source, but little debate over hydrogen's many virtues. I am pleased to address the viability of hydrogen as a fuel source today and in the years and decades ahead, and to address perfectly legitimate concerns about assuring its safe use. I ask that my full testimony be submitted for the record. I am Arthur Katsaros, Group Vice President for Engineered Services and Development with Air Products and Chemicals, Inc, a Fortune 500 company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and with operations throughout the world. Air Products is among, the world's largest companies in the industrial gas business, and is the leading producer of third-party hydrogen worldwide. Air Products is a recent past chair of the National Hydrogen Association (NHA), whose members include industrial gas producers, automobile manufacturers, energy providers, chemical companies, universities, and research institutions. I am pleased to be appearing on behalf of both Air Products and the NHA. Support for Hydrogen Future Act NHA members wholeheartedly support reauthorization of the Hydrogen Future Act. Indeed, given the focus on hydrogen in the National Energy Policy recently released by the White House, we hope that funding for hydrogen will be increased rather than held constant. The timing is right for the United States to be putting scarce research and development resources into hydrogen as a fuel source. The public is clearly committed to environmental protection. Energy concerns have also come to the fore, both as a result of electricity disruptions in California and the higher fuel prices that we all are facing. Policy makers will find it impossible to discuss energy policy without having to also debate environmental impact. Embracing hydrogen certainly appears to be one answer to the tension between a clean environment and bountiful energy--it provides a method for delivering energy to stationary as well as mobile sources without pollution (its byproduct of combustion is water). For reasons of environmental protection and sustainability, America needs to be on a path that relies increasingly less on carbon as a source of energy--we have moved over the past 150 years from coal, to oil, to natural gas, and we believe eventually our economy will be based primarily on hydrogen. Hydrogen is a Safe Fuel Source Every day, millions of pounds of hydrogen are used--and used safety--in hundreds of industries across the country and around the world (50 million pounds daily in the U.S. alone). As the world's largest third-party hydrogen generator and supplier, Air Products has been addressing hydrogen safety, storage, transportation and other infrastructure concerns for decades. We put an extremely high value on safety at Air Products. The American Chemistry Council last year gave Air Products its highest award for safety. Our experience shows that hydrogen can be handled safely when guidelines for its safe storage, handling and use are observed. Hydrogen is a fuel, and as a fuel it has combustible properties. Hydrogen's combustion properties warrant the same caution any fuel should be given, and like all fuels there are safety measures unique to hydrogen (most people do not refill their own propane tanks, for example, yet propane is widely used at home). There is no scientific or practical barrier to the safe use of hydrogen as a fuel. Safety technologies for hydrogen have progressed in several areas. Gas detection and measurement capability has advanced based in part on the extensive investment of the Department of Energy in the last few years. Several of these technologies are becoming available as commercial products. Hydrogen flame detection has progressed mainly from the commercialization of technology used by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA today uses infrared and ultraviolet detection systems that can detect not only invisible flames produced by burning hydrogen, but also those hidden behind a screen of smoke. In addition, a series of hydrogen sensors has proven to be capable of detecting hydrogen leaks prior to ignition. Air Products operates hundreds of miles of hydrogen pipelines in the U.S. In California alone, we produce approximately 300 million standard-cubic-feet-per-day of hydrogen, which is transported to petroleum refiners in the state to reduce the sulfur, olefins In addition to delivering hydrogen to customers through pipelines, Air Products also liquefies hydrogen at cryogenic temperatures (-423 deg.F) and transports it by truck and barge. We drive 15,000-gallon hydrogen tanker trucks millions of miles per year on U.S. highways without incident. NASA, the largest consumer of liquid hydrogen in the world. has been buying hydrogen for the space program from Air Products for over 35 years under consecutive competitive contracts, totaling over 300 million pounds of liquid hydrogen. Every Space Shuttle flight has been powered by our liquid hydrogen. Codes and Standards Translate into Public Trust Hydrogen energy safety is based on three primary elements: regulatory requirements, capability of safety technology, and the systematic application of equipment and procedures to minimize risks. Industry currently implements many successful proprietary methodologies for safely handling large amounts of hydrogen. There are several codes and standards specifically for hydrogen fuel applications that are under development by international, U.S. and industry organizations (including ISO, DOE and NHA). There are also many efforts underway to standardize hydrogen system component manufacture for hydrogen safety in a variety of potential commercial hydrogen market applications. Widespread hydrogen use will require that safety be intrinsic to all processes and systems. To develop a hydrogen infrastructure that has the public's confidence in its safety and convenience, an industry consensus on safety issues is required. This includes the development of compatible standards and formats (e.g., the same couplings for dispensing the same form of fuel). Product certification protocols are also required. The development of codes and standards for the safe use of hydrogen is an essential aspect of the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program. Utilizing industry expertise and coordinating with government and other official entities, this barrier to commercialization may be overcome, allowing siting of hydrogen components and systems on a worldwide basis. Indeed, the NHA works with leading code- and standard-setting organizations around the world to develop and publish industry consensus standards that account for the outstanding safety record of hydrogen. The workshops, technical meetings, manuals, reports, and sourcebooks of the NHA characterize an industry that wants to leave no stone unturned in a commitment to safety and public trust. We will continue to work with policy makers on standards and codes that promote safety and encourage public confidence in the use of hydrogen in fuel cells and direct combustion. Commercialization is Coming, but it Requires Government Support Our international competitors--often with major help from their governments--are pouring substantial resources into hydrogen research. We believe that hydrogen will be Through our involvement in multiple demonstration projects in North America and Europe, Air Products is very much engaged in the race to commercialize hydrogen technologies. Some examples of our involvement include the design and installation of fueling systems for a hydrogen fuel cell bus demonstration program for the Chicago Transit Authority; Ford Motor Company's fuel cell automobile development facility in Dearborn, Michigan; and a fleet of fuel cell service vehicles for the Palm Springs, California's Airport. Air Products is leading the hydrogen fuel provider team for the California Fuel Cell Partnership. In the next three years, more than 70 fuel cell-powered cars and buses will be placed on the road from the Partnership's West Sacramento facility. We recently installed a gaseous hydrogen fueling station in Atlanta, Georgia for a hydrogen fuel bus project conducted by a consortium of companies led by the Southeastern Technology Center. Air Products has successfully tested the use of Hythane--a blend of hydrogen and natural gas used as an ultra-clean fuel--in projects in Denver, Colorado, and Erie, Pennsylvania. This year we participated in the demonstration of a stationary fuel cell generator that was used to power air quality monitoring equipment used by the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. And Air Products is currently leading a team that will build and operate an on-site hydrogen production facility, fuel cell power plant, and a fueling station capable of dispensing hydrogen and hydrogen-blended fuels to fleets of buses and light duty vehicles in Las Vegas, Nevada. Almost all of these projects have one thing in common: the active support and partnership of government entities. The hydrogen industry recognizes that the markets will ultimately dictate the commercial success of hydrogen. However, we note that a White House that prides itself on its faith in the markets has, in its recent National Energy Policy, supported tax credits for fuel cell vehicles. We suggest that such credits, which would stimulate demand for hydrogen, need to be matched by credits to stimulate hydrogen supply if government is serious about supporting hydrogen utilization. For example, a tax credit for plant and equipment that generates and distributes hydrogen would help develop the infrastructure needed to supply fuel cell vehicles and stationary power generators. Without such an infrastructure, it is less likely that fuel cell manufacturers will have success in selling mass quantities of fuel cells that cannot easily be refilled. Beyond tax credits, vibrant funding of the hydrogen program at DOE--especially research into improved hydrogen storage-- will help lead the country toward widespread commercialization of hydrogen fuel. Utilization of hydrogen fuel on urban bus fleets and other government vehicles, perhaps combined with applications of fuel cell power plants at federal facilities, will demonstrate the role of hydrogen and, by increasing demand, help drive down costs. Conclusion The United States is poised to take a leadership role in the development and commercialization of the global hydrogen economy. Hydrogen's utilization promotes clean air and water, makes the United States more competitive internationally, and ultimately holds Through R&D programs and demonstration projects supported by the DOE and other government agencies, new hydrogen technologies will be tested and prepared for commercial use; By its own use of hydrogen technologies, government will play a key role in stimulating the development of a hydrogen infrastructure; And by driving the development of standards and regulations, government will help with the issues of storage and safe handling of hydrogen required for public confidence. We are pleased this Committee shares the view that hydrogen plays an integral role in energy planning for the future. It is our hope that Congress will take a vital step toward this future by its prompt consideration and passage of the Hydrogen Future Act. We look forward to working with this Committee, with Congress generally, and with an Administration that has identified the need for an increased role for hydrogen to satisfy our energy needs in the near future and beyond.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1319.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment, and I find it interesting that those who claim to support the children and have an interest in the children are standing up here today in support of a system, they are standing up here in support of a system called the public school system. Unfortunately, it is a very inconsistent system. My goal, and I think the goal of those who support this amendment, is to support the children, to give the children the best opportunity to have the tools that they have been given by God to be developed as much as they can be. If their parents believed that they can be developed better in a different school, other than the one that they live in, then they should have that opportunity. This is America. This is the country where parents and families should have the ultimate decision and opportunity to decide how best to use their resources and to succeed. We spend a lot of money on our public schools; and, unfortunately, the one that seems to be failing the most are the ones on which we spend the most dollars. We would actually save the taxpayers' money and save the children if we would direct a small portion of that money towards a school choice voucher. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. I support the children, and I believe my colleagues who support this amendment do as well.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise to the floor today to pay tribute to the law enforcement community of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. These heroic men and women of uniform will be honored on Friday, May 18, 2001 as part of Peace Officers Memorial Day. Pursuant to a joint resolution of the United States Congress issued June 21, 1961, the President of the United States has designated a week in May as Police Week, in honor of the federal, state, and municipal law enforcement officers who have lost their lives or suffered injuries while safeguarding the lives and properties of the communities they serve. I join all the residents of Beaver County in recognizing the courageous service these police officers provide to their communities. Their dedication to protecting and preserving the laws of this great land and ensuring that all citizens receive justice deserves the praise and gratitude of all Americans. I congratulate these men and women who selflessly risk their lives to protect ours, and I thank them for all their service.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) for yielding time. I also rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 91. I think there are some bright spots in dealing with the issue of autism. Some of them are due to the fact that this Autism Caucus was created 7 years ago. There has been a great increase in public education and information on the disorder. Parents have become much more active and involved in helping us to get the word out. The caucus has been designed to show that autism is a major children's health issue. People are beginning to understand how important it is. Based on the dedicated work of the caucus, there have been 10 research programs funded throughout the country in addition to five comprehensive autism centers providing clinical and educational outreach as well as extensive research. One of the best programs is the University of Pittsburgh-Carnegie Mellon Collaborative Program of Excellence in Autism, or CPEA. It works in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh Center for Autism Research. These researchers are going to be part of the key to solving the problems of autism. But aside from the research, it is awareness and community awareness. I want to give special recognition to Renee Georgi, a constituent in my old Senate district who has a son with autism. They discovered very early that her son had autism and because of some of the research and some of the developments in educating young people with autism, her son will be able to be mainstreamed into his elementary school next year. But that is not the complete solution. We do need to find out the causes of autism. We do need to find a cure. It is with dedicated Members of Congress like those here today that we will be able to work together with researchers and parents to make sure that we find that cure and eliminate autism.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and agree with the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot) that this issue has nothing to do with abortion. Unlike the substitute that will be offered later today, this bill specifically exempts any activity involving a legal abortion. This bill is directed only at protecting the unborn child. It is an extension. In fact, this bill allows for an additional prosecution after a person has committed a violent act against the woman herself. Therefore, it does recognize the woman. In fact, it recognizes the woman first. Mr. Speaker, this woman that we are talking about must be pregnant, but she must first be a victim of a crime of one of over 60 Federal statutes that are violent acts perpetrated against the woman. Only then will this legislation kick in, basically, as a way to also prosecute that perpetrator for the crime done against the unborn child. I commend to my colleagues that this is a measure that respects the decision of the woman to bear her child. This is a measure that is an additional ability for the Federal Government to prosecute against an extreme act of domestic violence that causes not only harm to a woman, but also harm and often death to her unborn child. Mr. Speaker, as a State Senator, I worked on issues of domestic violence, and was proud, in 1998, to support Pennsylvania's version of this bill. In fact, the vast majority of Senators and House members in Pennsylvania, both pro-choice and pro-life, supported this measure because we understand that domestic violence is a serious problem in this country. Unfortunately, statistics show that many of the children, the unborn children who are killed in these cases, their mothers are victims of domestic violence, as are they. In fact, as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, March 21, 2001, a study that was done in Maryland recognized the highest percentage of pregnant women who die, die as a result of homicide. Mr. Speaker, I submit to my colleagues that this is a serious issue of violence, a serious issue of domestic violence, and it should not be clouded by concern about future legislation or potential legislation that some believe may try to overturn Roe v. Wade. Our ultimate concern here should be the real victims of crime. The real victims of crime continue to be women who are victims of domestic violence due to an outraged partner. The real victims of crime are their unborn children, who often are the cause of the violence directed towards the mother. Mr. Speaker, I submit to my colleagues that this is commonsense legislation. It is supported across the country, and it is constitutional.

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the underlying bill and in opposition to the Lofgren amendment. It does not, as is claimed by its supporters, accomplish the same goal that those who sponsored the original bill, the underlying bill, have. In fact, it does complicate and somewhat confuse the issue. Claims have been made that are quite disingenuous regarding the underlying bill and also regarding the effectiveness of the proposed substitute. Firstly, the underlying bill is very clear about the violent act that must be committed against the pregnant woman. Although those supporters of the substitute claim that the pregnant woman is not recognized, she clearly is. Federal law recognizes violence against everyone as a crime, and enumerates a number of different crimes which would be the basis for the actual use of this proposal, H.R. 503. The amendment does not refer to these particular laws. It in fact creates a separate offense which is unclear as to its effectiveness by prosecutors. The other legislation that has been on the books has been prosecuted many times. Those who were not even the intended victim of a crime would still be, those women, would still be victims, as a result of transferred intent. It is unclear in the substitute that that principle would be able to be used. Mr. Speaker, I would implore my colleagues to quit hiding from the real issue. The real issue here is actual violence against women and children. The real issue is a way for us to actually prosecute a more severe crime when the woman is lucky enough to survive a dreadful assault, but the child is not. Our goal here is to recognize reality. What our responsibility is here as Representatives is to recognize reality and to protect the citizens of the United States, the women who are victims and the children who are victims.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of House Joint Resolution 41 and believe that this is actually a commonsense measure and one that actually enforces some discipline on the Congress to reexamine spending. As we look at the budgets over recent history, Mr. Speaker, we see that the spending has increased year to year to year by more than inflation. More importantly, Mr. Speaker, it is increased by higher than the average incomes of Pennsylvanians has increased and higher than the incomes of Americans. Mr. Speaker, it is only sensible for us as Members of Congress to enforce some discipline on ourselves so that we do not drive Americans to the poor house. It is a sensible measure that should be supported by all the Members to put this in place, but it is also sensible that to require a tax increase we would have to have bipartisan agreement. Clearly, Americans are of both parties and many other third parties. Americans do not want to be forced to pay more taxes only because of the decision of one-half plus one of the Congress. It only makes sense for us to heed their wishes and be more careful with their dollars. This measure would only enforce that discipline on us. It would make us more responsive to Americans. It would also make them more sensitive to their families' pocketbooks.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Thomas E. Starzl arrived in Pittsburgh some 20 years ago, and began his legendary work at the University of Pittsburgh. It wasn't long after that the city became a world renowned Mecca for organ transplantation. Since his arrival, more than 11,300 organ transplants have been performed at the University--an accomplishment unmatched by any other program in the world. These transplants represent the thousands of lives that Dr. Starzl touched, and the true magnitude of his contribution to medicine. Like Dr. Starzl himself, many of these patients are heroes--who even in their death taught invaluable lessons that have advanced the field of organ transplantation for the betterment of all mankind. Today, we think nothing of replacing organs that have failed. But if it weren't for the trailblazing efforts of Dr. Starzl, which have spanned more than four decades ago, we would not be standing here in celebration of life-- indeed thousands and thousands of lives. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Dr. Starzl's first liver transplant in Pittsburgh, a milestone that spawned two decades of major advances by Dr. Starzl and University of Pittsburgh faculty. Their work sparked clinical and research activity of immense importance to the medical community. Countless numbers of surgeons and researchers have come to Pittsburgh from around the world to learn from the work of Dr. Starzl. Surgeons returned to their home institutions with newly forged skills to offer patients life-saving services. Research scientists went back into the laboratories, On April 27, Dr. Starzl's former students and colleagues will pay tribute to him as he enters emeritus status at the University of Pittsburgh. It will be a celebration much to Dr. Starzl's liking--an academic gathering in order to share important scientific information. Dr. Starzl is a true pioneer who has transformed the world of medicine. Since that day in 1963 when he performed the world's first liver transplant at the University of Colorado, he has been at the forefront of the heroic and life-saving advancements that are continually being made in the medical community. His work will have a lasting influence on the field of organ transplantation, and the world of medicine as a whole. Dr. Starzl continues to inspire a new generation of medical pioneers, and serves as an example of what determination and passion and for one's work can achieve. So we honor you today, Dr. Starzl, for your life's work. We thank you for your passion, which has touched so many lives, and surely will touch many, many more.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of H.R. 974. I am a big fan of giving flexibility to people in their own businesses. Understanding that banks are heavily regulated and understanding also that there was a concern when this initial law was instituted back in the 1930s, that was a long time ago, Mr. Speaker, and it is no longer reasonable for us to be concerned that these banks will put themselves out of business by paying interest to their business customers. Mr. Speaker, this legislation abolishes a ban that is long overdue, preventing banks from offering interest on their business checking accounts. I do not think it is time for us anymore to be worried that these banks would fail because they would pay interest to their business customers. In fact, as a result of Graham-Leach-Bliley, this is just the natural next step. We tried to give the financial services industries more flexibility. We succeeded with Graham-Leach-Bliley, and I think this is simply the next step. I believe that the men and women who run our financial institutions certainly have the training and are much more competent than we are to make those business decisions for them. This policy actually prevented a lot of those financial institutions, those small banks, from being competitive; and like many other districts across the country, my district is heavily populated with some very strong, very successful financial institutions, the Main Street banks that keep a lot of people employed and that provide a very good resource for a lot of small businesspeople. This will certainly allow them to provide even more of a resource for small businesspeople, those who are building up their businesses and want to support the other industries within their own hometown. Now, that hometown bank will be able to provide them with an additional incentive to invest with them. Mr. Speaker, it promotes competition. It promotes consumer convenience. It will repeal, as I said, an outdated and I believe anticompetitive impediment to attracting these interest-bearing accounts to these smaller financial institutions, but also to give the larger financial institutions an opportunity to offer interest.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, Susan B. Anthony once said that she prayed every moment of her life. Not on her knees, but in her work. She said that she prayed to bring women to an equal standing with men. It is this sense of equality and justice that we celebrate during Women's History Month every March. As important as it is to recognize the courage and vision of women's past accomplishments, it is even more important to take our cue from those pioneers and act to alleviate some of the injustices that still take place. One such injustice is the continuing problem of domestic violence. Studies have shown that each year, more than 2 million women are assaulted by their partner--while the real number may be twice that. I do support efforts to counsel and change abusers. Many abusers have been able to change their attitudes and behavior towards their partners and keep their families together. Unfortunately, many have not, and the women, despite the threat to themselves and their children, stay in these abusive relationships. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one of the major reasons women stay in them is a lack of resources or fear of independence--a sense that there is nowhere else for them to go, and there is nowhere for them to get help. They believe that if they leave their partners, they will be forced into poverty and unable to provide for their children. Strong women fought to break all women free from the shackles of being second-class citizens those many years ago. We vote, we work, and we succeed on our own. But too many still need help to enjoy this freedom completely. One of the most impressive programs that I have come across in my years in public service that addresses these concerns is New Choices/New Options. This program provides these new heads-of- household with the skills necessary to compete in today's marketplace. It is a program focused on providing assistance for displaced homemakers. What is most notable about this program is that in addition to teaching career development skills, it helps to instill a new sense of self-confidence in the women who participate in this program. Many women who come from abusive relationships not only need job training, but perhaps more importantly, they need the tools to help rebuild their lives--they need us to help them become pioneers for their children's futures. Participants work one-on-one and in group settings to assess their needs and then design a plan to help meet these needs. They learn conflict resolution techniques and develop effective decision-making skills. This program helps participants build a safe and secure future for themselves and their families. It is so crucial that these women break this new ground like their sisters before them so they can break the cycle of domestic violence. Domestic violence is a societal ill that can occur at any time, to anyone. Let us confront this issue head on, so that during some future celebration of Women's History Month, someone can take to this very floor and commemorate the end of domestic violence.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to a fallen hero. James Naim of Hopewell Township in Pennsylvania was a police officer who was ambushed and fatally shot at point-blank range while he was on foot patrol this past Thursday night. It was a senseless act of violence and cowardice; but unfortunately, such violence has become all too common in our society today. Officer Naim was at a turning point. He was 32 years old. He was only a police officer in the city of Aliquippa for 14 months, and he was only a few weeks away from earning his college degree. He had been working on it part-time. He was about to be reunited with his wife, Sofia, a native of Bulgaria, who had been having trouble getting her visa to return to the United States. This young couple had a bright future ahead of them. In the midst of all of this opportunity and change, James Naim knowingly risked his life every day doing what he loved: protecting the lives of others. All too often we find ourselves looking for heroes in movies and on television, when all we have to do is look next door and see someone like Officer Jim Naim, someone who never sought recognition for his honorable dedication to others, but courageously paid the ultimate price in achieving it. Today over 1,000 police officers attended the burial of Officer Naim, which reflects the profound impact he had on the lives of those around him. I join them in their tribute to his service and ultimate sacrifice, and recognize that the world has tragically lost another hero.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for allowing me the time to honor this great statesman. I am pleased to see that so many of my colleagues have thoughts about the gentleman, President Reagan. Interestingly, from a different perspective, as a college freshman, I did have the opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to travel to Cleveland to witness the presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio between President Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. That evening, I saw what so many of us came to know as the quintessential Reagan, the perfect mix of humor and sincerity, while still being able to communicate the passions that he felt inside, the passions and desires of our Nation. Most people remember that debate for his famous challenge to President Carter over Medicare. However, my memories focus more on the hope that he presented for America that night. I saw a man who sought to govern this Nation not for self-serving reasons or for power, but for the chance to restore the confidence and the spirit to all Americans, a vision which all of us shared, regardless of our party affiliation. While President Reagan's policies, once he was in office, guided our country to a brighter future, it was his leadership skills that brought us together as a people. He possessed the unique ability to express our emotions during both times of sorrow and celebration, whether he was soothing our distraught public during the time after the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster, or his fiery cry to Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin wall, he was both comfortable and confident in his role as the voice of America, but he always took it very seriously. It is important to note that his philosophies evolved from a lifetime spent on both sides of the political spectrum. He was not a partisan. He was convicted. In his early years he was a staunch supporter of F.D.R., campaigned for Harry Truman, while years later delivered a rousing speech in support of Barry Goldwater. His message, though, from that speech is one that really rings true today, and that is that government had gotten too big and too intrusive. His message is one that was carefully formulated through his life experiences as a union President and as governor of California. His ideological evolution is the personification of the man. He carefully studied both sides of the issue before he took a stand. He always had principles. He always stood by them, regardless of their popularity. He was a true leader, never one who would settle for the path of least resistance. Many of the issues that we find ourselves discussing on the floor of the House today are those that were first suggested by President Reagan, such as his Strategic Defense Initiative or Star Wars. Perhaps most notably, he predicted the demise of the communist regime years before scholars and pundits would even acknowledge that his claim was plausible. As early as 1982, he foresaw that the ``march of freedom and democracy'' would leave communism on the ash heap of history where it belongs, and where a lot of us thought it belonged, but where we were not so sure to believe that it could actually happen. His words were dismissed as out of touch. I am very pleased that he was able to see that prediction come true. Overall, Ronald Reagan's greatest gift was his unbridled optimism. It enabled him to transcend the partisanship of Washington, which I am just starting to experience, and unite our Nation. He realized that the strengths and principles of our democracy are more powerful than any adversity or obstacle that we could ever be faced with. When he was asked in 1991 whether he was responsible for the end of the cold war and the revitalization of our economy, he humbly said that people should believe in themselves, and he was pleased that he was able to get us to believe in ourselves again. He did not take credit for the great accomplishments that he really deserved credit for. It is that ability, that ``aw, shucks'' sort of manner that I think endeared him to a lot of people across the Nation, Republicans, Democrats, Independents, people who were not interested in politics at all. Those who knew him as an actor loved him still. It is his faith in Americans and the resilience of our great Nation that I remember most about President Reagan. Twenty-one years ago, he taught me about the honor and importance of public service to our country. Today, he continues to inspire a new generation of Americans, as all of the writers and people who knew him place before a new generation stories of his life, stories of his goals, stories of his leadership. I am pleased that a younger generation is going to be able to experience Ronald Reagan again. I am just sorry that they are not going to be able to experience him in the personal way that we did. My prayers go out to Ronald Reagan and his family tonight on his birthday. My hopes are that the Lord will be with him, and I wish him the happy birthday we all hope we can have.

Ms. HART

Ms. HART. Madam Speaker, back in Pennsylvania, most of our firefighters units are run by volunteers. As a State senator, I did my best to support this proud community tradition, especially at times, like now, when the job is so demanding and the number of volunteers is declining. Firefighting, as we all know, is tough work. It is difficult to find qualified men and women who are willing to serve, whether it is as a volunteer back home, at the Harrison Hills Volunteer Fire House in Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, or as a member of the Federal firefighters who do everything from protecting military bases to responding to national emergencies, such as the Oklahoma City bombing. I was surprised to learn that Federal law actually prevents many seasoned and capable firefighters from staying on the job, even if they wish to. Maybe it is my Pennsylvania perspective, but I believe that we should support our firefighters, not force them into retirement when their experience can still be put to great and even critical use. To me, that means we should ensure our laws give firefighters more authority to decide for themselves how long they can work safely and effectively, and when they should retire. That is why I rise today in support of H.R. 93. The bill would prevent these able-bodied, experienced firefighters from being forced to retire before they wanted to by raising that retirement age to the age of 57. Madam Speaker, it is a great, common-sense measure protecting not only these firefighters, but also public safety, by seeing that they retain the qualified and experienced force. The taxpayers benefit from this measure, too, because the Congressional Budget Office's analysis indicates that this change will save the taxpayers over $4 million over the next 5 years. I commend my colleague from California (Mr. Gallegly) for introducing this measure. I commend my colleagues who support this.