Sue Kelly

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas. The amendment seeks to cut funding from the Federal Impact Aid Program and transfer the moneys to bilingual education. Without debating the merits of bilingual education, let me emphasize that cutting impact aid, especially section 8002 of the program, will be devastating to schools around the country that depend upon this assistance. Local governments cannot collect property tax revenue from federally- owned property, which affects their ability to provide sufficient revenue to the local school system. Section 8002 of impact aid reimburses local governments for the lost tax revenue. Funding for impact aid represents the Federal Government's commitment to reimburse local governments impacted by a Federal presence. By cutting these funds, regardless of the reason, we are essentially turning our back on this commitment. I represent the Highland Falls-Fort Montgomery School District, which sits adjacent to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and is very dependent on the moneys it receives from the Impact Aid Program to survive. I fear the gentlewoman's amendment, if passed, could seriously jeopardize the school district's ability to remain open or adequately serve its students. The Federal Government must live up to the commitment it has made to the communities in my district and across the country who depend on the Impact Aid Program. The bill contains a modest amount of funding to reimburse land-impacted school districts like the one I represent. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 193, a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the cost of Government spending and regulatory programs should be reduced so that American families will be able to keep more of what they earn. July 3, 1996, is Cost of Government Day, the date when the average American has earned enough in gross income to pay off all direct and hidden taxes--total Federal, State, and local government spending, plus the cost of regulation. In other words, July 3 is the day when Americans stop working for Uncle Sam and start working for themselves and their families. This year, the total bill comes to $3.38 trillion--$13,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. Mr. Speaker, the people that I represent live in the 12th most taxed congressional district in the Nation, and the 2d most taxed State in the Union. The cost of government has become too expensive, too burdensome, and they need relief. When working Americans are forced to take two jobs, work longer hours away from their families, simply to makes ends meet, something is wrong. Congress created new programs in the past, often with the best of intentions, but failed to consider how its decisions affect the people who must pay the bills. When you add to the Federal tax burden the taxes paid at the State and local level, and consider the hidden costs--costs associated with compliance with Federal regulations and mandates--it becomes clear that the American people can no longer afford the huge government bureaucracy that has been created over the years. I am proud to say that this Congress recognizes the fiscal pressures facing working Americans today, and is working to ease the burdensome cost of government. We passed a balanced budget plan to stop the runaway spending that threatens our future and the future of our children and grandchildren; we've passed regulatory relief legislation to restore a degree of common sense to the manner in which Government regulations are drafted and carried out; we've passed legislation to give working Americans a modest degree of tax relief, and we have even attempted to roll back the tax increase that President Clinton pushed through Congress in 1993. Unfortunately, the President has fought us at every turn. We owe it to working Americans to keep trying, Mr. Speaker, and enact policies that will allow them to keep more of what they earn. The cost of government is simply too high. We can do something about it, and I urge my colleagues to join me today in supporting this important resolution, and join me in working for a leaner--and better--government.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, President Clinton is hosting a 2-day drug summit in El Paso, but 2 days hardly make up for his administration's 3\1/2\ years of neglect. But let's see what the numbers really say: Total drug-related cases are up 30 percent; cocaine use is up 33 percent; heroin use is up 77 percent; marijuana use is up 108 percent; and methamphetamine use is up an alarming 308 percent. No rhetoric, just the facts. But, Mr. Speaker, these facts have a brutal impacts on our society, especially our Nation's children. I've worked in the emergency rooms where these children come in. I've seen how these drugs can destroy generations of families. How has our President responded? He cut the DEA agents by 227. He shortened mandatory minimum sentences for convicted drug traffickers. And he even mothballed nine Coast Guard ships and seven aircraft that were needed to stem the flow of drugs into this country. No, Mr. Speaker, 2 days cannot make up for lapses of this magnitude. President Clinton has abandoned our Nation's drug control efforts and it is our children who will bear this heavy burden.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the proceedings had during the recess be printed in the Record.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Veterans' Nursing Care Availability Act of 1996. This important legislation will help correct a flaw that exists in the way that the Department of Veterans Affairs ranks applications for its State Extended Care Facilities grant program. The State Extended Care Facilities grant program provides Federal funding for up to 65 percent of the total cost for the construction of State veterans nursing homes. Many States have been desperately trying to get a grant under this program to assist in the construction of State veterans nursing homes. However, despite documented need, they have been unable to get the Federal funding necessary to move forward. Because of the overall inequity of the system that the VA uses to rank State applications, I have decided to introduce legislation that will ensure that States with the greatest veteran need receive priority funding. The current system that the VA uses to rank State applications gives priority to States that have never received a similar grant in the past. While on the surface this may seem logical, the practical effect is that States with the highest veteran's need are often neglected because they received a grant sometime in the past. As a matter of fairness, I believe applications should be ranked solely on the needs of veterans. The legislation I am introducing will correct this inequity by ensuring that States with the highest need receive priority. The Department of Veterans Affairs has determined that there should be four nursing home beds for every 1000 veterans in a State. Using this determination, my bill would have applications based on a formula where veteran need is defined as the number of veterans in the State multiplied by four and divided by 1000--need = veterans population * 4 / 1000. Mr. Speaker, this is an important piece of legislation for our Nation's veterans. I urge all of my colleagues to join me in working for its enactment.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my enthusiastic support for the Stump-Montgomery-Solomon amendment. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will increase the VA's medical care account by $40 million. I would like to commend the bipartisan sponsors of this amendment for their recognition of the pressing need to maintain an adequately funded VA medical care account. The bill that we are currently considering already provides a substantial increase in the medical care account over last year's funding level. It includes the budget request of the President of more than $17 billion. This is $444.5 million dollars more than the fiscal 1996 level. By passing this amendment, we are further strengthening our commitment to providing quality medical care for our Nation's veterans. The need for adequate resources for veterans health care is nowhere more evident than in the congressional district that I represent. Located within New York's 19th District are two VA hospitals: the Castle Point Medical Center and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Medical Center. Both of these facilities are working to improve efficiency and extend the limited Federal resources they have, without compromising the quality of the health care provided to the veterans. Many of these reforms and changes are going to be difficult to adjust to, but many of them are also necessary to eliminate waste and maintain a viable and healthy VA health care system. Other reforms are still necessary to ensure the long-range stability of the system. However, as this reform process moves forward, we must never lose sight of the fact that the freedom that our veterans have provided us and secured for our country did not come without a price. Accordingly, we must remember that providing health care for our veterans when they are in need, as they provided service when the Nation was in need, does not come without a price, either. It is a fundamental responsibility of our Government to see the adequate medical care is always provided to our veterans. This bill, improved by this amendment, will help to ensure that this responsibility is met. Mr. Chairman, this amendment will help the veterans in my district, my State, and the country as a whole. I strongly urge all Members to join with me and support its passage.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage our colleagues to join me in calling on the Senate to pass our commonsense health care reforms now. These are reasonable changes like portability, affordability, and most of all, accessibility. Portability is within this Congress' grasp. And here our reforms can end job lock, giving tens of thousands of Americans the opportunity to maintain their health care coverage, without sacrificing their careers. Second, by allowing individuals tax-free medical savings accounts, expanding the health insurance deduction for the self-employed and introducing tax incentives to promote long-term care coverage, we are helping people help themselves. But finally, Mr. Speaker, this Congress has the opportunity to end the preexisting conditions exclusion, which keeps more than 20 million Americans from the coverage they need. One of these is, in fact, one of my own family. They have a full time job and pay their taxes. Yet, because of a condition that they developed, they cannot secure the health care coverage that they need and want. I can assure you, Mr. Speaker, that when we cast our final votes on this package, it will be these three commonsense reforms, portability, affordability, and accessibility, that will be foremost in the minds of all Americans.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, on May 9, 1996, 18 of my colleagues and I sent a letter to the SEC regarding that agency's recent approval of preferencing on the Cincinnati Stock Exchange or CSE. In the letter, we expressed concern that the SEC had acted precipitously to permit this questionable practice on a securities exchange without an adequate empirical or legal basis. Preferencing enables a broker-dealer to take the other side of its own customer orders, to the exclusion of other competing market interest. In practice, CSE operates as a pure dealer market, depriving customers of the opportunity for their orders to be executed against each other. The ability of customer to meet customer is one of the hallmarks of the agency auction system, and frequently results in improved prices. In spite of the central place that customer order interaction plays on a true exchange, the SEC's order approving preferencing on the CSE leaves unanswered many questions about the practice's effect on customers. For example, the order does not examine whether customers whose orders are preference on the CSE are receiving the best prices for their transactions. Given the excellent job that the SEC has done over the years in safeguarding customers and pressing for fair treatment of customer orders, it is indeed surprising that the order approving the CSE preferencing program does not address so basic an issue. Mr. Speaker, today we take up H.R. 3005, the Securities Amendments of 1996. This legislation does not address the issue of preferencing but I understand that similar legislation in the other body may contain a provision directing the SEC to undertake a detailed study of preferencing on exchange markets. I believe that such a study could be most helpful in addressing, among other issues, the quality of customer executions on the CSE. I urge support for such a study in conference. If the study identifies no tangible benefits to investors and the capital formation from preferencing on exchanges, I would support action to ban this practice.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a true American hero. Terri McNair, a constituent of mine, is the living embodiment of the spirit of charity and giving that this Nation was built on. She has devoted her career, and much of her free time, to easing the pain and the burden on people who are less fortunate. As the volunteer president of the Community Center in Katonah, NY, Terri McNair coordinates an operation that provides food, clothing, literacy programs, career counseling, and most importantly, a helping hand and word of encouragement to needy people in my district and hometown. The Katonah Community Center is a place of refuge for many people, and she is a beacon of hope for those people who seek out this refuge. Terri McNair's commitment to the less fortunate does not end when she goes to her full-time job. She is a social worker who coordinates the Family Violence Program at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. As a social worker at New York's only maximum security women's prison, Terri McNair works with inmates who have been both the perpetrators and the victims of violence and she is in a key position to help these women stop this endless cycle of violence. For her commitment to making her community and our world a better place, I rise today to pay tribute to a woman whose commitment to the less fortunate is unmatched and whose charity and compassion is truly awe-inspiring. Terri McNair, on behalf of myself, my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives and all of the people whose lives you have touched, I want to offer you my most sincere thanks. Terri, you truly are an American hero.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Homeowners Relief Act, legislation to provide homeowners with relief from capital gains taxes upon the sale of their principal residence. This legislation recognizes that a person's home is something more than a simple investment; it's a fundamental part of the American dream, and our Tax Code should recognize this fact. The bill exempts the sale of a principal residence from capital gains taxation. Specifically, the bill excludes from taxation the gains from the sale of a principal residence if, during the 7-year period prior to the sale of the residence, the property was owned by the taxpayer and used as the taxpayer's principal residence for 5 or more years. Under current law, capital gains liability on the sale of a principal residence is postponed if another residence of equal or greater value is purchased within 2 years. In addition, taxpayers 55 years of age or older may claim a one-time $125,000 exclusion of the gain from the sale of a principal residence during any 3 of 5 years immediately preceding the sale. Further, taxpayers can also avoid capital gains on owner- occupied housing by holding the asset until death and leaving it to their heirs. While these exemptions serve to shield most homeowners from capital gains liability, certain circumstances force many homeowners to shoulder a significant capital gains tax bite when they sell their home. Increased home values put many taxpayers, particularly older Americans looking to retire, in the difficult situation of having to pay substantial capital gains taxes. In addition, at a time when corporate downsizing is all too common, often the most substantial asset held by laid-off workers is their home. The problem is, current law has the effect of locking individuals into homes that, but for the Tax Code, they might wish to sell. Those individuals who can afford to purchase a more expensive home can postpone capital gains liability, while those who need to move to more modest accommodations, because their economic circumstances warrant doing so, must pay a tax. Mr. Speaker, passage of this legislation will give homeowners needed relief from this inequity, and will put recognition in the Tax Code of the special status of the home. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Homeowners Relief Act of 1996.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I am delighted to welcome Rev. Brewster Beach to the Halls of Congress and recognize him for delivering that inspirational opening prayer. Reverend Beach has recently retired from St. Peter's Episcopal Church of Lithgow where his devotion and dedication helped the church grow considerably. Over the years, Reverend Beach started a Sunday School, formed a choir, expanded the church hall, and almost doubled the size of the parish. He is well known throughout the Hudson Valley and into New York City, not only as a minister but as a psychotherapist. I would like to thank former Congressman Hamilton Fish for arranging to have Reverend Beach lead us in our opening prayer. We are all honored that he traveled all the way from Millbrook, NY, to join us today. Thank you again, Rev. Brewster Beach.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, the Hudson River is one of the crown jewels of America's wonders. It has helped to shape our Nation's history and its beauty has inspired generations of Americans. This is why I rise today to introduce the Hudson River Habitat Restoration Act of 1996, legislation to authorize Federal funding for needed habitat restoration projects along New York's Hudson River. A Reconnaissance report released by the Corps of Engineers in February 1995 identified several critical habitat restoration projects along the Hudson River in New York--projects intended to restore habitats damaged by industry and agricultural operations that have occurred along the river over the past century. My predecessor, former Congressman Hamilton Fish, secured the funds for the reconnaissance study. My legislation seeks to continue this process by authorizing funding for one or more of the priority projects identified by the Corps' study. Mr. Speaker, the Hudson River estuary is an important habitat to a wide range of waterfowl and aquatic species. Many important habitats along the river--wetlands, marshes, and so forth--have been degraded over the past century as industry and agriculture grew along the river. My legislation seeks Federal funding for critical habitat projects identified by the Corps of Engineers and New York's Department of Environmental Conservation. Recently, I had the pleasure of touring the Manitou Marsh in Phillipstown, Putnam County, one of the sites identified in the Corps' study and an ideal candidate for restoration. The marsh is a very productive ecosystem, great habitat for raptors, waterfowl and fish, and serves to clean pollutants from the river. Road and factory construction dating from the 19th century has adversely affected the tidal flows in and out of the marsh, a problem my legislation seeks to correct. This legislation supports an ongoing and cooperative effort that has involved various levels of government, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, local environmental organizations, such as the Museum of the Hudson Highlands, Scenic Hudson, and the Audubon Society, as well as private sector businesses, such as Metro North Railroad. Passage of the Hudson River Habitat Restoration Act will be an important step in protecting the environmental quality of this important waterway. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand and join with my colleagues in commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Armenian genocide. I would like to thank the other members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, and particularly the cochairmen, Mr. Porter and Mr. Pallone, for their tireless efforts in organizing this fitting tribute. On April 24, 1915, 81 years ago today, the nightmare in Armenia began. Hundreds of Armenian religious, political, and educational leaders were arrested, exiled, and murdered. These events marked the beginning of the systematic execution of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire, and also launched the first genocide of the 20th century. Over the next 8 years, 1.5 million Armenians were put to their deaths and more than 500,000 more were exiled from their homes. The details of these atrocities are among the most cruel and inhumane acts that have ever been recorded. As we reflect today on the horrors that were initiated 81 years ago, I cannot help but be disturbed by the forces who wish to discredit or deny that these deeds occurred. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary--eyewitness accounts, official archives, photographic evidence, diplomatic reports, and testimony of survivors--they reject the claim that genocide, or any other crime for that matter, was perpetrated against Armenians. Well, History tells a different story. Let me read a quote from Henry Morgenthau, Sr., United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire at the time, which helps to set the record straight. He said, ``When the Turkish authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well, and, in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt to conceal the fact * * *.'' The world knows the truth about this sad episode of human affairs. We will not allow those who wish to rewrite history to absolve themselves from responsibility for their actions. This evening's event here in the House of Representatives is testament to that fact. I would like to once again thank the organizers of this event and I would like to once again reaffirm my sincere thanks for being given the opportunity to participate in this solemn remembrance.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 842, legislation which will restore honesty and integrity in the manner in which we utilize the transportation trust funds. H.R. 842 will remove the four transportation trust funds--the highway trust fund, the airport and airway trust fund, the inland waterways trust fund, and the harbor maintenance trust fund--from the totals of the budget submitted by the President and the congressional budget. In other words, the bill takes these trust funds off budget and puts a stop to the time-worn practice of using them to mask the size of the deficit. The legislation should be adopted for a number of reasons, Mr. Chairman. Investment in infrastructure means jobs for American companies and American workers. Improved infrastructure also translates into a more productive economy, and boosts our competitiveness in the world market. The most important reason to pass H.R. 842, however, is trust. Every time a motorist fills up at the gas pump, they do so with the understanding that the Federal gas taxes they are paying will be invested in new and improved roads, bridges, transit systems, and other needed infrastructure improvements. By failing to use these moneys for their intended purpose we are, in effect, violating that trust. This failure to live up to the public trust comes at a price, as well. It is estimated that New York has lost nearly $390 million between the years of 1992 and 1996 due to the failure to fully fund the program at authorized levels. Let's keep our promise to the American people, Mr. Chairman, and use the trust fund moneys for the purpose for which they were intended-- developing and improving the Nation's roadways, airways, and waterways.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, the Hudson Valley and the people of my congressional district sustained a tremendous loss this week when Louis Pataki, father of New York Governor George Pataki, passed away. A life-long resident of the Hudson Valley, Mr. Pataki was born in Peekskill, NY, into a family of Hungarian immigrants. It was in Peekskill that he raised his own family and continued to operate the family farm for many years. Mr. Pataki was a beloved father and grandfather whose devoted care shaped the lives of his children and grandchildren. Louis Pataki was also devoted to his community and to his country. He worked as a mailman and retired as assistant postmaster in Peekskill after 30 years of service. For more than 50 years, he also served as a volunteer fireman who protected the lives and property of his neighbors. Speaking on behalf of the Pataki family, the Governor said ``* * * no one cared more or did more for his family and community than our father. We owe everything to him, and we will miss him enormously.'' What better tribute to family values has any of us ever heard? Mr. Speaker, we have sustained a great loss and we reach out to the Pataki family in their grief. But even so, the spirit and integrity of Louis Pataki continues on in his wonderful family, and in the memory of his many friends whose own lives were enriched by him.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Women's History Month to acknowledge the formidable accomplishments of a fellow New Yorker, Dr. Mary Edwards Walker. Disregarding the prejudices of the 1840's and 1850's which looked with scandalized disapproval on attempts by women to join professions, Mary Edwards Walker successfully struggled to pursue her ambition to study medicine. Graduating from Syracuse Medical College in 1855, she became one of the first women physicians in the country. In 1865, Dr. Walker became the first and only women to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravely serving as a surgeon in the Union Army during the Civil War. She held this title with distinction for 35 years until the Adverse Action Medal of Honor Board took it away from her, claiming her status with the Army had been ambiguous. It wasn't until 58 years after her death that she reclaimed the honor she rightfully deserved. Dr. Walker stood alone as an activist for women in a time when women thought their role in society was unchangeable. She fought for what she believed instead of just accepting what she was told. The efforts of trailblazers like Dr. Walker made it possible for me to be standing here in the well today. As a woman and a Member of Congress, I am grateful for Dr. Walker's legacy and will work to uphold it for future generations of young women.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, my head tells me to balance the budget but my heart tells me to do it compassionately. Despite all the rhetoric that we have heard over the past week, the budget policies we have been fighting for maintain the Federal commitment to our children. Over the past year, I have had the pleasure to visit schools and child care facilities all over my district. Visits to the John Jay High School, the Fox Lane Middle School, the Poughkeepsie Magnet Schools, the Hawthorne Cedar-Knolls School, and the Katonah Country Children's Center, just to name a few, underscore the importance of our efforts to support all aspects of education and child care. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want all of us to believe that we are gutting education, that we are imposing inappropriate cuts to programs which serve our children. Mr. Speaker, I have to ask, how compassionate is it to continue to tax and spend, policies that have left our children a legacy of debt? How compassionate is it to pump millions of dollars into hundreds of programs of education that may actually not work? Compassion is not necessarily measured in dollars and cents, but the manner in which we spend those dollars. It is important. I think this institution may have forgotten that fact.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. We have led the President to at least agree to the principle of balancing the budget, but he just won't take the next step and do it. No matter how hard we try to make the President understand the importance of a balanced budget, for our future and for the future of our children and grandchildren, he fights us at every turn. As a new Member of the House of Representatives, I came here to get a job done. The American people sent us here to put a stop to the reckless spending practices that have saddled us all with a mountain of debt. But the Clinton administration fights us at every turn. Somehow, President Clinton wants us to believe that in a budget of about a trillion and a half dollars, we're still not spending enough. Mr. Speaker, the American people are listening; they have a Congress committed to a balanced budget and a President that isn't, despite his rhetoric to the contrary. If we cannot convince him to do what's right, perhaps the American people will.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to share a few names with you and hopefully our President: Adam Kopald, Bridgit Mennite, Liesl Himmelberger, Amy Ziegler, Emily Nytko, and Kellie Ernzen. These are just a few of the names that our President is planning to veto this Friday. Those six young men and women are the top honor students at James O'Neill High School in Highland Falls, NY. Their school district vitally depends on the Impact Aid Program. Last week this House stood up for these children and their school district by funding this program--despite the White House's attempts to zero it out. If the President vetoes our measure, which adds an additional $3.3 billion for education and environmental programs, he vetoes the education of those six students. It's that simple. The President can talk all he wants about children, but the fact will remain that he abandoned them--not this House. Mr. Speaker, my mother used to tell me that actions speak louder than words. So, I urge the President to hear the please of these children, and help us save the Impact Aid Program.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the great dedication and good work of a Purdys, NY-based organization called Friends of Karen. When Sheila Peterson heard that the 16-year-old daughter of her neighbor and friend was dying of Lafora's disease in 1978, she knew she had to help. Sheila petitioned the community to help her raise thousands of dollars in order to allow Karen to spend her remaining months at home. After young Karen passed away, it was apparent that the services performed for her and her family were desperately needed by many others, hence the formation of Friends of Karen. For the past 17 years, this organization has provided financial, emotional, and advocacy support for more than 1,000 catastrophically and terminally ill children and their families. Spending more than $500,000 a year on as many as 200 families, Friends of Karen spends 80 cents out of every dollar directly on services to those in need. Administrative costs are kept down, by having 11 part-time employees and only one full-timer. In order to accomplish as much as they do, Friends of Karen relies on more than 100 dedicated volunteers. Social workers at Friends of Karen help families maximize their assistance from insurance plans, government programs, and related community agencies. They provide financial assistance for real life problems related to children's illness. This can include everything from transportation to and from medical treatment, to in-hospital expenses such as telephone, TV, parking, and meals for parents, to child care for siblings, and even to family bereavement support. Having served on the board of directors of Friends of Karen, I know first hand what a great organization this is. These are people who care deeply about the welfare of sick children and their families. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have an organization like Friends of Karen in my community. From the bottom of my heart, I thank Friends of Karen for their commitment to the welfare of our children, and for the tremendous contribution they make to the quality of life in our community.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise at this time to acknowledge the extraordinary work being done by Food-PATCH, an organization in my congressional district. Food-PATCH, which stands for People Allied to Combat Hunger, is dedicated to alleviating hunger while minimizing food waste in Westchester County, NY. This 7-year-old organization was formed as a nonprofit emergency food distribution center. With financial support of Kraft Foods and Diversified Investment Advisors, Food-PATCH began its work in a 13,000- square-foot warehouse in Millwood, NY. With the help of 10 full-time, 6 part-time employees, and more than 8,000 volunteer hours, Food-PATCH distributed more than 3 million pounds of food to more than 140 emergency food providers last year. This translates to more than 8 tons of food a day to soup kitchens, food pantries, Head Start programs, shelters, senior programs, AIDS programs, and many others that provide meals for 220,000 individuals. In short, Food-PATCH has been dedicated to ensuring that no one in Westchester County goes to bed hungry. Food-PATCH's T-shirts bear this motto and I and hundreds of others from Westchester County proudly wear ours in tribute to this wonderful organization. Mr. Speaker, at a time when we must be especially mindful of the needs of others, I ask you to join with me in honoring the men and women at Food-PATCH who keep the true spirit of this season all year long.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1963.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 534, legislation to reestablish a modest degree of local flow control for the disposal of municiple solid waste. The bill seeks to preserve local flow control authority for communities which had such rules in effect prior to the Supreme Court's Carbone decision in 1994. Mr. Speaker, Dutchess County, New York offers a good example of the desperate need to pass flow control legislation. The Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency runs a waste-to-energy and recycling facility that was constructed with the belief that a steady stream of waste--and revenue--would be available to meet the financial obligations incurred by the county. However, the Supreme Court's Carbone decision invalidated local flow control ordinances under the view that they violate the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution. Since that time, revenue streams and the bond ratings for waste facilities have fallen off. In New York State alone, over $1.2 billion in public debt for solid waste management facilities and programs is threatened unless this can be resolved--$43 million of that debt was incurred by the Dutchess County Resources Recovery Agency. The loss of flow control authority resulted in a $3 million shortfall to the facility last year, and a similar shortfall is expected this year unless corrective action is taken. Of course, in the end, Dutchess County taxpayers must make up the difference for any shortfall to the facility. Mr. Speaker, similar legislation passed the House of Representatives during the last session by an overwhelming margin. It was recognized then, as in the case today, that once the bond obligations have been met, flow control authority ceases and the free market takes over. I recognize that legitimate concerns remain with respect to the regulation of waste streams between States, but we cannot let this issue further delay the passage of this fair and commonsense legislation. Dutchess County, and many others around the country, can no longer afford to see the resolution of this issue delayed. I urge my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to have my name removed as cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 119.

Mrs. KELLY

Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 325, legislation to make optional the Employee Commute Option [ECO] trip reduction program. The dilemma facing Zierick Manufacturing Corp. is possibly the best reason why we should pass H.R. 325. Zierick Manufacturing Corp. is a small manufacturer of electronic connectors and assembly equipment located in Mount Kisco in northern Westchester County, NY. With over 120 employees, they are faced with the impossible task of complying with the Employee Commute Options program. Part of the problem is the limited availability of public transportation. In addition, the train station and the nearest bus stop are over a mile from the factory. If the employee took a cab from the station to the factory, under the regulations developed by New York State to comply with this Federal mandate, the 1-mile cab ride would be counted as if the employee drove the entire distance from home. In other words, the employee could ride a train for 50 miles, but the cab ride from the train station would be the mode of travel counted under the formula used to calculate employee trips. Ridesharing opportunities are limited in Mount Kisco, and since Zierick employees are spread out over 12 counties in 3 States, carpools are difficult to form. Zierick is a manufacturing facility, so telecommuting is not an option. Zierick Manufacturing is clearly faced with a set of circumstances which prevent it from complying with the law, and yet the regulations allow for no flexibility in these situations. As a result, the company presently faces fines of $43,800 per year. Ms. Gretchen Zierick, the company's corporate secretary, has indicated that their plans for future growth will be directly affected by this legislation. Mr. Harold Vogt, the chairman and CEO of the Westchester County Chamber of Commerce, wrote to me recently and put this issue into perspective: In the last five years, Westchester County has suffered enough as we've seen 40,000 jobs leave our county. The Employee Trip Reduction/Employee Commute Option Mandate gives businesses just one more reason to look elsewhere when making plans to grow. Similarly, businesses looking to relocate to our county may well think twice about moving here. We cannot afford any more disincentives to reviving Westchester's economy. We need relief from this costly and inefficient mandate. Mr. Chairman, our support for H.R. 325 will send Zierick Manufacturing in Westchester County and the approximately 28,000 other employers around the country affected by the ECO mandate a clear message that we care about their future, and we care about creating jobs. I urge my colleagues to pass this bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.