Walter Jones

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. You have been in that campaign. I want you to come back.

Mr. JONES. I just want to thank the gentleman for being on the floor tonight. I know the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) is going to join him. I thank the gentleman for letting me be a small part of this tonight. I want to thank the gentleman from California and the gentleman from New Jersey because they are the leaders in the Republican Party; in the House, they are the people that many of us look to for guidance as it relates to helping our military remain the power that it needs to be to protect the freedoms of this country. I must say to the gentleman from California and to the gentleman from New Jersey that what they are doing tonight is extremely helpful, because every civic club I speak to back in my district, I always close with comments about the needs of our military to protect the freedoms of this country. That is really what it comes down to. I always close by telling the people that if you have not read the book by Caspar Weinberger called The Next War, you need to read it, because there is a lot of good information as to what is out there that threatens our security and our freedoms. Again, I thank the gentleman for letting me be a small part of this.

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, let me tell the gentleman as chairman of the Subcommittee on Military Procurement, I say that respectfully for those who might be watching, the gentleman from Texas does such an outstanding job. I have three bases in my district. I have Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, I have Camp Lejeune Marine Base in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and I have Cherry Point Marine Air Station in Havelock, North Carolina. During the Christmas break, I had the occasion to meet with two pilots from Cherry Point off base, out of uniform. I was distressd with what they told me. These are young men in their early thirties, mid thirties and wanting to make a career out of the Marine Corps. Again, they are telling me how they are being restricted as it relates to their flying time, to their combat practices. When you are making all these comments, I want the people that might be watching tonight, the American people, to know that we are talking about readiness. We are telling our pilots, as you were saying, we do not have enough money for you to get up there and do what you need to do to be at a razor sharp edge so that you can defend this Nation. You can take care of yourself. You can take care of that plane. I get a little frustrated, and I guess that is why I am kind of fumbling, to see, as the gentleman made mention in his comments, these fine young men and women that are dedicated to this Nation. I am afraid that, too many times, all of us as American citizens take our military for granted. We do not think about what they need, what we need to do to have a strong military until they are called upon. I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Saxton) who is now on the floor. I am sure he wants to engage in some discussion in just a moment. But I think that the gentleman from California talks about the deployment and what it has cost, and I want to ask him a question because of his experience and expertise being in the position he is in. We talk about China. We talk about Iran. We talk about Iraq. Can you tell me how, let us take China for an example, how they are building their military. Are they somewhat stagnated, or are they spending money to build a strong military?

Mr. JONES. I must tell the gentleman, he said South Carolina. I know he meant North Carolina.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, today we are 35 days away from April the 15th, a dreaded day for every American taxpayer. As we all struggle through this burdensome time of year, please allow me to share with my colleagues some facts. The average American family today pays more in taxes than it spends on food, clothing and shelter combined. Mr. Speaker, I want to repeat that. The average working family in America today pays more in taxes than it spends on food, clothing and shelter combined. The Gettysburg address is only 269 words, the Declaration of Independence is only 1,337 words, and the Holy Bible is only 773,000 words. However, the tax law has grown from 11,400 words in 1913, to 7 million words today. I want to repeat that. The tax law has grown from 11,400 words in 1913 to 7 million words today. There are at least 480 different tax forms. The easiest form, the 1040 EZ, has 33 pages of instructions, all in fine print. As a result, Americans devote 5.4 billion hours, 5.4 billion hours, to complying with the Tax Code each year, which is more time than it takes to produce every car, truck and van made in the United States. I think that is worthy to be repeated also, Mr. Speaker. Americans devote 5.4 billion hours to complying with the Tax Code each year, which is more time than it takes to produce every car, truck and van made in the United States. Americans also spend $200 billion each year on tax lawyers, accountants and other costs associated with tax law compliance. The IRS sends out 8 billion pages of forms and instructions each year, which, if laid end to end, would stretch 28 times around the earth. I want to repeat that. The Internal Revenue Service sends out 8 billion pages of forms and instructions each year which, if laid end to end, would stretch 28 times around the earth. The IRS, the Internal Revenue Service, employs 114,000 people. That is twice as many as the CIA and five times more than the FBI. Unfortunately, I could go on and on with equally horrifying facts. The American tax system is simply out of control. Our families and businesses are facing a burden that is far too high and this Congress must do something to help them. Last year we provided the first tax relief in 16 years, and that is a good start, but, Mr. Speaker, it is not enough. The American tax burden is much more than the size of the check we write to the Internal Revenue Service each year. It is also the difficulty in cost of complying with a lengthy and complicated Tax Code. The best thing that we can do to help families and businesses nationwide is to give them a simpler, fairer tax system. This will give families more time to spend together, it will give businesses more time to do their business, and it will allow everyone to keep more of their hard-earned dollars. I know that a reduced tax burden is appealing to people in my district, the third district of eastern North Carolina. Somehow I imagine that people throughout this Nation think it is a pretty good idea also. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join those of us in this Congress, bipartisan, to reduce the tremendous burden American taxpayers currently face. Bills have been introduced to sunset the Tax Code and to replace it with a fairer and simpler tax system. It is critical that we pass this legislation and start the debate about how exactly to give the taxpayers the relief they deserve. Whether it be a flat tax or a national sales tax, or another modification of the tax system, the American people need this and deserve this. This debate will separate those of us on both sides of the aisle who are serious about tax reform from those who simply talk about it. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Mr. Speaker, we have an opportunity in this Congress, the 105th Congress, to bring relief to the American taxpayers and it is something we need to do. I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation for the sake of the American people. Let us eliminate the Internal Revenue Code and replace it with a fairer and simpler tax system.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, today the average American will work 2 hours and 49 minutes of an 8-hour work day just to pay his or her taxes. Many of them will go home not to spend quality time with their families, but to tackle a complicated maze of IRS rules and forms simply so they can figure out how much of their hard-earned money they will send to Washington this year. Mr. Speaker, this is not what America should be about. The tax burden of this country is far too high, both in the size of the checks that taxpayers must write to the IRS each year and in the amount of time and money: 5 billion hours and $225 billion annually they must spend complying with the lengthy and complicated Tax Code. The American people want, need and deserve a fairer, simpler tax system. I hope my colleagues in this Congress will join a bipartisan effort to provide them with the very critical tax relief they deserve.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, on Monday the President indicated that he will not support efforts to sunset the Internal Revenue Code and to replace it with a fairer, simpler tax system. His statement has caused me a great concern, especially since I do not know how much longer American families and businesses can afford to shoulder the tremendous tax burden they are currently facing. Taxes are simply too high, and the Internal Revenue Code is too lengthy and too complicated. Polls prove that a fairer, simpler tax system is what the American people want. I know from speaking to the people in my district that it is not only what they want, it is what they need. I urge the President to join those of us who are working to give the American people the tax relief they deserve, want and need. It is past time for a fairer, simpler tax system in this country.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to talk about our Nation's wetlands and a bill I have introduced to protect and expand these national treasures. I represent a district in eastern North Carolina which includes a majority of the State's coast and 4 major river basins. According to the Federal Government, 65 percent of the area can be classified as wetlands. Clearly wetlands are very important to me and to the citizens of my district. Eastern North Carolina appreciates the beauty and value of wetlands as much if not more than anybody else. They understand the importance of wetlands to the environment, to water quality and to the life they support. Eastern North Carolinians also want to respect the rights of property owners, and therefore have reached for a balanced approach to protecting our wetlands while allowing landowners to have reasonable use of their properties. Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that the common sense solution we have sought is wetlands mitigation banking. Mitigation banking allows private property owners to pay wetlands experts to mitigate the impact their development will have on wetlands. Those experts, working with regulators, do the mitigation in banks of land which are set aside, restored to wetland status and, most importantly, enhanced. This concept has been embraced by regulators, developers and the conservation community. It is an improvement upon traditional mitigation, which simply is not working because it is too expensive, time consuming and ineffective. Approximately 90 percent of on-site mitigation is unsuccessful. Mitigation banking, on the other hand, creates complete ecosystems. Regulators usually require that more wetlands be restored in a bank than are destroyed in a development project. For example, in some parts of the South that ratio is 4 to 1, meaning that 4 acres of land must be restored for each acre that was destroyed. So instead of only trying to protect the remaining wetlands with mitigation banking, we are actually increasing wetlands acreage. What is more, because mitigation banks give economic value to wetlands, potentially billions of private sector dollars could flow into restoring wetlands in sensitive watersheds. Mitigation banking is already being implemented in several areas throughout our Nation. The problem is there is no statutory authority to guide mitigation bankers. Let me repeat that, Mr. Speaker: The problem is there is no statutory authority to guide mitigation bankers. Thus investors are hesitant to supply the money needed without legal certainty. For this reason, I have introduced the Wetlands Restoration and Improvement Act, H.R. 1290. The legislation, one, requires the bank to meet rigorous financial and legal standards to ensure that wetlands are restored and preserved over the long term; secondly, provides for ample opportunity for meaningful public participation; and, third, ensures that the bank itself has a credible, long-term operation and maintenance plan. This legislation is the common-sense, balanced approach America needs to protect both our valuable wetlands and the rights of property owners. I hope my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, in the House will look seriously at cosponsoring this legislation.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage the President to join the coalition supporting a fairer, simpler tax system. The President seems to think that the status quo is okay. He obviously has not been speaking to people in eastern North Carolina because they remind me daily that the status quo is out of control. When the American taxpayer spends 5 billion hours and $225 billion annually just to prepare their tax returns, something is clearly wrong. Mr. Speaker, the American people need relief, not only from their ever- increasing tax burden of 38 percent but from the lengthy and complicated tax code itself. I ask the President to join those of us who are fighting to provide the taxpayers with the relief they so rightly deserve. Reject the status quo and support a fairer, simpler tax system for the American people.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, the average American is now faced with a tax burden that is over 38 percent. I emphasize ``burden'' because that is exactly what it is. I am one who believes that Americans should be rewarded for their hard work. To the contrary of that belief, however, people in our Nation today face a system that is penalizing their efforts to earn and save money by slapping them in the face with more and more taxes. Last session, the Congress provided American families with the first tax relief they have seen in 16 long years. I hope that we will be able to continue that trend this year with further tax cuts and ultimately with a fairer and simpler tax system. Let us once again reward the American people for their hard work and savings by giving them the tax relief they so rightly deserve.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in recognition of the sailors and marines who served in the United States Navy Asiatic fleet and in support of legislation that Senator John Warner and I have introduced in their honor. Although many of my colleagues may not be familiar with the efforts waged by the Asiatic fleet, these brave men played a critical role in protecting American security interests. From the early 1900s until just after Pearl Harbor, the Fleet sailed courageously across the coastal waters between China and the Philippines as well as in Russian waters and in the straits and narrows of Malaysia and Indonesia during the very dynamic period in history. The Asiatic fleet had originally been established in August of 1910 as a successor of the Asiatic station to protect American lives and property in the Philippines and in China. It sailed the seas in defense of American interests and in Southeast Asian waters until 1942. In the final years of the Asiatic Fleet operations, these sailors and marines distinguished themselves by defending against the tidal wave of Japanese aggression. Fighting against the larger modern Japanese naval forces were the fleet's three cruisers, 13 World War I-vintage destroyers, 29 submarines and a handful of gunboats and patrol aircraft. In all, the fleet lost 22 ships. More importantly and most gravely, 1,826 men were killed and over 500 were said to be placed in prison camps. Sadly, many of these sailors taken prisoners were beaten, tortured, and killed in the most gruesome of manners. They made the supreme sacrifice for their country, but regrettably, Congress and the American people have never risen to recognize the valiant actions of the Asiatic Fleet, the precursor to today's Seventh Fleet. Mr. Speaker, I rise today dedicated to granting long overdue recognition of the heartbreaking struggles of the fleet that fought alone against the overwhelming modern Japanese Navy. It is altogether fitting and appropriate that this Nation pause and reflect upon the noble action of these fine sailors and marines of the Asiatic Fleet. It is for these reasons that I have joined my colleague in the Senate, Senator Warner, to introduce a resolution calling for the recognition of the 56th anniversary of the sinking of the Asiatic Fleet flagship, the USS Houston. This resolution supports the efforts of the Senate to designate March 1, 1988, as the ``United States Navy Asiatic Fleet Memorial Day.'' Mr. Speaker, I call upon my colleagues to join me today in this effort to give these forgotten heroes Congress' support for long- awaited and much-deserved recognition by joining me in cosponsoring H.J. Res. 100.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, many of us take our local radio and TV stations for granted. Whenever we want to see the news, the weather, our favorite show, we can simply turn on our televisions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But there is another commitment our local broadcasters make, a commitment to our communities. I am pleased today to commend the good work being done by stations in eastern North Carolina. Radio and television stations alike in the area run thousands of public service announcements each year covering every topic from alcohol abuse to senior issues. In addition, many eastern North Carolina stations play an active role in worthy causes such as raising funds for children's hospitals, collecting contributions to the Toys for Tots program and gathering pledges for local food banks. Whether it is helping the needy, protecting us with storm information or covering the local news, local broadcasters have built a great legacy of public service. I come to the floor today to salute the fine work of broadcasters in eastern North Carolina and throughout the Nation, and to let them know that their efforts are appreciated.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I stand here today with one simple question for the FCC. Where is the telecommunications competition that Congress promised the American people two years ago? Did the dog eat it? Is it in the mail? Congress spend years crafting a well-balanced compromise that became the Telecommunications Act of 1996. It needed only a light touch from regulators to steer it to a safe harbor, bringing much-needed competition to cable, long distance and local markets. Instead, the Washington bureaucrats churned out unnecessary and unintended regulations. These regulations, subsequent court cases and the steadfast quarantine of the Baby Bells has actually delayed competition by creating confusion and uncertainty. Congress' intention was to simplify this industry. Unfortunately, this commonsense philosophy seems lost on the FCC. So, Mr. Speaker, I renew my question for the FCC. Where is the competition that Congress promised the American people? Did the dog eat it? Is it in the mail? Or has the FCC frittered it away with detail?

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, last year, this Congress made great strides toward keeping the Federal bureaucracy out of our children's classrooms. Unfortunately, the administration is now trying to reverse our progress and to put Federal bureaucrats back in local classrooms by implementing a national testing program that Congress has already once clearly rejected. I have said it before, and I will say it again: National testing is not in the best interest of this country. The key to providing America's children with the best possible education is to put control in the hands of the parents, teachers and communities, not in the hands of Federal bureaucrats who are hundreds and even thousands of miles away. For the sake of our children, I hope those of us who believe in parents and teachers, instead of bureaucrats, will pass H.R. 2846 to prohibit Federal testing, without the authorization of Congress.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 731) to extend the legislative authority for construction of the National Peace Garden Memorial, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. JONES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 731 and urge its adoption. The bill grants a 5-year extension to the legislative authority for the construction of the National Peace Garden Memorial on Federal lands within the District of Columbia. Madam Speaker, section 10(b) of the Commemorative Works Act of 1986 provides that the legislative authority to construct a memorial expires 7 years after the date the memorial was authorized by Congress. In 1994, Congress extended the legislative authority for the National Peace Garden Memorial through June 30, 1997. S. 731 would extend the legislative authority for the National Peace Garden Memorial until June 30, 2002. Madam Speaker, S. 731 has been amended to incorporate H.R. 765, a bill I introduced to protect the Shackleford Banks Wild Horses at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina. The House passed H.R. 765 on July 22, 1997, by a vote of 416 to 6. Since that time, the Senate has amended the House-passed bill to clarify several management issues of concern to the National Park Service. The amendment to S. 731 offered today reflects the amendments agreed to by the majority and minority members of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Madam Speaker, S. 713 will assure that a healthy survival herd of wild roaming horses will remain on the Cape Lookout National Seashore, and their 400-year history will continue as a major legacy of the culture and heritage of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support S. 731 as amended. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 731, as amended.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to report to the people of eastern North Carolina that when it comes to providing real relief for the American taxpayer, this Congress is finally taking steps in the right direction. Last week, the House passed an IRS reform bill giving taxpayers new and important protection in their dealings with the IRS. This legislation represents a significant step toward providing the American people with the relief they deserve from their unfair tax burden, but it is not enough. In order to truly act in the best interests of the taxpayers, this Congress should abolish the lengthy and complicated Tax Code and create a shorter, more concise Tax Code. I urge my colleagues to continue to work for real tax reform and to support the termination of the Internal Revenue Code. Let us give the American people a simpler and fairer tax system. The taxpayers deserve relief.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce legislation commending the sailors and marines who served in the U.S. Navy Asiatic Fleet. I commend the actions of Senator Warner who first heard and responded to the call of these forgotten heroes with his introduction of Senate Joint Resolution 30. While many of my colleagues may not be familiar with the efforts waged by the Asiatic Fleet, I am here today to tell you of their critical role in American security interests. From the early 1900's until just after Pearl Harbor, the fleet sailed courageously across the coastal waters between China and the Philippines, as well as in Russian waters and on the straits and narrows of Malaysia and Indonesia during this very dynamic period in history. The Asiatic Fleet had originally been established in August 1910 as a successor of the Asiatic Station, to protect American lives and property in the Philippines and in China. The Asiatic Fleet sailed the seas in defense of American interests in the Southeast Asian waters until 1942. In the final years of the Asiatic Fleet operations, these sailors and marines distinguished themselves by defending against the tidal wave of Japanese aggression. Fighting against the larger modern Japanese naval forces were the fleet's 3 cruisers, 13 WWI-vintage destroyers, 29 submarines, and a handful of gunboats and patrol aircraft. In all, the fleet lost 22 ships. 1,826 were killed and over 500 were said to be placed in prison camps. Sadly, many of these sailors taken prisoner were beaten, tortured, and killed in the most gruesome of manners. Regrettably, Congress and the American people have never risen to recognize the valiant actions of this Asiatic Fleet, the precursor to today's 7th Fleet. I rise today dedicated to granting long overdue recognition of the heartbreaking struggles of the fleet that fought alone against the overwhelming modern Japanese Navy. It is altogether fitting and appropriate that this Nation pause and reflect upon the noble actions of these fine sailors and marines of the Asiatic Fleet. It is for these reasons that today I will join my colleague in the Senate, Senator Warner, to introduce a resolution calling for the recognition of the 56th anniversary of the sinking of the Asiatic Fleet's flagship, the U.S.S. Houston. This resolution supports the efforts of the Senate to designate March 1, 1998 as the ``United States Navy Asiatic Fleet Memorial Day.'' I call upon my colleagues to join me today in this effort to give these forgotten heroes Congress' support for long awaited recognition. The battles fought by the U.S.S. Houston in her service to the Asiatic Fleet are best told in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. I would ask that the history of the U.S.S. Houston be printed following my remarks. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this defense conference report. It is a responsible approach to our defense needs that lives within the budget that we all agree must be balanced. Mr. Speaker, this bill contains critical quality of life initiatives and continues to address modernization shortfalls. It implements real defense reform and it restores the integrity of the BRAC process. In sum, this bill provides our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines with the technological edge to dominate on the new world battlefield. Support our troops; vote for H.R. 1119.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, as an American citizen concerned about our Nation's children and as a member of the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I have always admired the work of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This organization, among numerous other tasks, works in cooperation with law enforcement agencies to help locate missing children. Regrettably, I had the opportunity to see this process firsthand during the August recess. I received a phone call in my eastern North Carolina district office from the parents of a young girl who was missing. I telephoned the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and was relieved to hear that the center was already working on the case. Although the following days must have seemed like years to the young girl's parents, the center worked efficiently with the Lenoir County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies to locate the missing girl. I am pleased to report that those parents got their daughter back safely. The young girl was returned to them as a result of the hard work of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and their cooperation with local law enforcement. Unfortunately, not all parents with missing children see this positive outcome. Each year more than 4,600 children are abducted by nonfamily members. It pains me to say that 800 of these abductions end in murder. The good people at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and a number of law enforcement agencies respond to reports of child abduction quickly, but saving each child is too often impossible. For this reason, the organization not only helps to locate missing children but it also works to raise public awareness about ways to prevent child abduction and exploitation. Mr. Speaker, America's children are the future of this Nation. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of protecting them from the many dangers that unfortunately exist in today's world. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and law enforcement agencies throughout America for their hard work and dedication, not only in the case I just spoke of but in their efforts to protect all of our Nation's children. If we all continue to work together, I am confident that we can make the world a safer place for our children.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, the Internal Revenue Service is bullying the American taxpayer, and it is time for this practice to stop. I appreciate what my colleagues in both the Senate and the House have done to look into this problem with the IRS. Now it is time for real action. The Congress needs to build on the current momentum and take advantage of this opportunity for true tax reform. To police the tax system, our government employs over 110,000 IRS agents at an annual cost of $9.8 billion a year. A fair, simpler tax system would eliminate the need for this tremendous and unethical bureaucracy. The American taxpayers have known this for years, that the IRS needs drastic reform. Now it is time for the Congress to help the taxpayers of America and simplify the Tax Code. Let us give the taxpayers the relief they deserve.

Mr. JONES

Mr. JONES. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, October 1, 1997, I missed rollcall votes 484 to 489. I was presenting testimony on behalf of my legislation, H.R. 765, to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Historic Preservation, and Recreation. If I had been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on roll call 484, 485, 487, 488 and 489. I would have voted ``no'' on roll call 486.