Dale Kildee

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, H.R. 2140 modifies the boundaries of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area with the intention of providing for the inclusion of land within 2,000 feet of each bank of the Chattahoochee River on a 48-mile segment in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. At the hearing on H.R. 2140 on July 20, 1999, the National Park Service testified in support of the legislation as introduced, with one technical change. As amended by the Committee on Resources, one substantive change and a number of technical and conforming changes have been made to the bill. The one substantive change is the new requirement that land could only be acquired on a willing-seller basis. As the National Park Service noted in its testimony, there are cases of potentially severe and irreparable damage to resources that can only be prevented through the use of eminent domain. Given that rapid development and urbanization of the area, threats to these resources are a real danger. The National Park Service also noted that, although eminent domain authority at Chattahoochee currently exists, it has never been used, and the National Park Service hopes it never will be. By tying the National Park Service's hands on acquisitions, we could open up the area to developers and speculators who can name their price with no recourse. However, Madam Speaker, overall, H.R. 2140 is a good bill, and I would hate to see the bill hung up on this point. I understand that the Senate companion legislation has language on this point that the administration supports. Hopefully, this can be resolved so action on the measure can be completed and a bill sent to the President that has the support of all parties.

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

Mr. KILDEE

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

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

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I wish to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn) for his hard work in sponsoring this bill and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) for shepherding this bill through committee and now bringing this to the floor for consideration. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides immigration and naturalization benefits for the alien children of United States citizens. The word child, however, is a term of art with various definitions. In order to be considered a child in the basis of an adoption, an alien must be an unmarried person under 21 years of age who is adopted while under the age of 16 years. This bill would expand the definition of an adopted child to include an adoptive person between the ages of 16 and 18, provided that the child who is between 16 and 18 is a natural sibling of a child adopted while under the age of 16. This bill would achieve a worthwhile purpose. If a United States citizen adopts a 15-year-old child, they should also be able to obtain immigration benefits for the child's 17-year-old sibling if they adopt the sibling too. Since most parents prefer to adopt infants, or very young children, older children constitute a relatively small portion of the adopted children admitted as immigrants. According to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, out of a total of 11,316 immigrant orphans admitted in fiscal year 1996, only 351 were age 10 or older. However, in cases involving siblings, adoptive parents frequently wish to adopt the older child or children in order to keep a family group intact. If the oldest sibling happens to be 16 or 17, there is no way under current law that the child can immigrate to the U.S. This bill would change that. H.R. 2886 will further the goal of maintaining family unity in the relatively small number of cases involving the adoption of siblings, one of whom is 16 or 17 at the time the adoptive parents file visa petitions on the children's behalf. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, President Gerald and Mrs. Betty Ford are two of the finest people I have ever known. They came, as I do, from Michigan, great citizens of Michigan. I happen to have had the great pleasure of serving with the brother of President Gerald Ford, Tom Ford, in the Michigan Legislature; and, in that fashion, I met Gerald Ford many, many times when he was minority leader here in the House where he conducted himself very, very well, was chosen, in a wise decision, to become the Vice President of the United States, and then succeeded to the presidency of the United States. He and his wife brought to the White House exactly what America needed at that time. They brought decency and a concern and helped heal this Nation. This Nation and I personally are grateful to President Gerald and Mrs. Betty Ford for what they have done for this country. They certainly deserve this medal and certainly deserve this ceremony in the rotunda. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of House Concurrent Resolution 196, to reserve the Rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony to present a Congressional Gold Medal to our distinguished former President, Gerald R. Ford, and our former First Lady, Betty Ford, for their ``dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions to the people of the United States.'' I was among the more than 300 cosponsors of legislation, enacted on October 21, 1998, to authorize this honor. Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned Gold Medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Each medal is individually struck to honor a particular individual or individuals, institution, or notable event. President Ford is the first former President to be so honored during his lifetime, and this is also the first time that a President and First Lady have been honored jointly. Congress has awarded Gold Medals to several distinguished men during their military careers who would later go on to become Presidents of the United States: George Washington, by the Continental Congress before the Revolutionary War began in 1776; Andrew Jackson in 1815; William Henry Harrison, in 1818; Zachary Taylor, three times, in 1846, 1847, and 1848; and Ulysses S. Grant, in 1863. President Harry S. Truman was honored posthumously in 1984. Mrs. Ford will be the second First Lady to be so honored; the first was Lady Bird Johnson in 1984. Gerald Ford is, of course, best known for his service as the 38th President of the United States who attempted to move the Nation past the scars left by the Watergate scandal. He was the first person in history to have been appointed Vice President of the United States to fill a vacancy, pursuant to the 25th amendment to the Constitution. He was confirmed in that office by vote of this House and of the Senate. He was also the first person to have assumed the Presidency, in 1974, without having been elected to national office. As such, Gerald Ford served the Nation for two years and five months as President under very trying political circumstances. But Gerald Ford is best known to this chamber as a ``Man of the House'', who served from 1949 to 1973 as a Representative from Michigan and from 1965 to 1973 as minority leader of the House. While Representative Ford could be tough and partisan, he represented a tradition of bipartisanship and friendship across the aisle which served the House and the Nation well for many years. His accession to the Presidency was welcomed with joy by Members of Congress from both parties. In his retirement, the former President has often spoken out against the divisiveness and harsh partisanship which have enveloped our political institutions in the decades after he left office, and which have so damaged the national interest. Betty Ford, a model of an outspoken and courageous First Lady in the White House, is perhaps best known since her retirement for showing Americans who suffer from personal despair that recovery is possible. She established the Betty Ford Center, to help those seeking to reestablish productive lives after suffering from drug dependency. She has been active in many philanthropic causes. Madam Speaker, the Fords were perhaps the first modern ``First Family'' to jointly lead both active public and private lives once out of office, and they established a pattern for other Presidents and spouses to follow in the future. They set a worthy example of service to America, and I am pleased to support our action today in approving this ceremony to recognize their achievements.

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

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, this legislation was introduced by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Gekas), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum), the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Romero-Barcelo) on February 2, 1999. It would make a technical correction to the legislation enacted in the 104th Congress which exempted from income tax certain retirement income paid to a nonresident of the State in which the retirement income was earned. The proposed legislation merely clarifies that governmental plans, that is public employee retirement plans, includes plans provided by governments of possessions of the United States. The original bill only applied to States and, thus, excluded retirees from governmental entities of U.S. possessions. It would address the situation now faced by retirees from Puerto Rico who now reside in the United States who are unable to take advantage of the benefits of this law on par with the other retirees. This bill has strong bipartisan support, it is technical in nature, and would grant equal treatment to retirees similarly situated. I urge its adoption. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. KILDEE

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

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation. I commend my good friend, the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Hill), for his hard, hard work on this legislation. It balances all the interests so very carefully, and I commend him for bringing it to this point. This legislation provides for a comprehensive settlement of the water rights claims of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation in Montana. Under the terms of this legislation, Congress would approve and authorize participation in a water rights compact entered into by the tribe and the State of Montana. The compact recognizes the tribe's rights to approximately 10,000 acre feet of water on the reservation, and provides for specific water development projects and funding to benefit the tribe. The future water rights of the tribe are also provided for in this bill. The Chippewa Cree Tribe, the State of Montana, and representatives from the Department of Interior have worked very, very hard for many years to secure agreement on this water rights settlement. Again, the work of the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Hill) has brought this to a culmination. H.R. 795 provides an opportunity to ratify the first Indian water settlement since the early 1990s, and I urge my colleagues to support enactment of this important legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, the council established under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act has made tremendous positive impact in helping to restore and conserve wetlands across the North American continent. Projects supported by the council help to preserve wetlands and provide crucial forage and resting habitats for migratory birds, not only in our Nation, but also in Canada and Mexico. H.R. 2821 would simply add two additional nongovernmental seats to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, thereby increasing the size of the council from 9 to 11 members in total. There would be no increase in the current number of two permanent seats in the council, which are reserved for the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the executive secretary of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. It is my understanding from the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) that this increase in nongovernmental seats is considered an appropriate step in order to provide new opportunities for public participation on the council by a broader number of charitable and nongovernmental organizations. Furthermore, it is my understanding that the administration does not oppose this increase in seats. As such, the bill appears to be straightforward and noncontroversial. Since the only intention of this bill is to increase the number of opportunities for nonprofit participation in the council, I strongly support this legislation. By all measures, the North American Wetlands Conservation Council has proven itself to be a very effective and strong advocate for wetlands conservation and restoration. I believe most, if not all, Members of this House can agree that the modest increase in nonprofit seats proposed by this legislation would be a positive enhancement to this extremely successful council. I urge all members to vote ``aye'' on this bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the dean of the U.S. House of Representatives. I might add the youngest dean in this century. (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

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

Mr. KILDEE

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

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I would like to commend my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) for his very, very hard work and tenacious work on this bill. I know this is a happy day for him.

Mr. KILDEE. Madam Speaker, H.R. 659 is a comprehensive measure which provides assistance for the preservation of two Revolutionary War battlefields in Pennsylvania. In addition, the bill authorizes a public-private partnership agreement for the construction of a museum on Federal land within the Valley Forge National Historic Park. The legislation originally passed the House on June 22, 1999. The Senate considered the measure on October 14 and returned a bill with several minor changes. Title I of H.R. 659 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to provide up to $1.25 million to assist in the protection and preservation of the area known as the Paoli Battlefield. It also authorizes up to $3 million to assist in the protection and preservation of the area known as the Meeting House Corridor, part of the Brandywine Battlefield. In both instances the funds provided are for land acquisition only, and all funds provided by the Secretary are to be matched dollar for dollar by non-Federal sources. The Secretary is also authorized to provide technical assistance and to enter into cooperative agreements to provide for ownership and management of the battlefields by the non- Federal partners. Madam Speaker, Title II of H.R. 659 deals with the Valley Forge National Historic Park, which is so ably represented by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel). The bill authorizes the Secretary to enter into an agreement under appropriate terms and conditions with the Valley Forge Historical Society, construct the Valley Forge Museum of the American Revolution on park property. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Hoeffel) has been a strong supporter of this provision and for that he is to be commended. The Senate amendments to H.R. 659 changed the title of the legislation and deleted the provisions for a special resource study of the Paoli and Brandywine Battlefields. These changes do not alter the primary purpose of the legislation. As such, we have no objections to H.R. 659, as amended. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, as Co-chairman of the House Congressional Native American Caucus, it is an honor for me to introduce a bill creating an American Indian Education Foundation. I especially want to thank the original cosponsors of this bill; they include: Representatives Patrick Kennedy, George Miller, Tom Udall, J.D. Hayworth, Earl Pomeroy and Jim Kolbe. As a senior member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I have enjoyed the opportunity of developing proposals designed to support Indian education. Up for reauthorization this Congress is the Elementary and Secondary Education Assistance Act that includes a section devoted to Indian education. This act supports the educational, cultural and academic needs of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian children. It is estimated that the BIA educates approximately 12 percent of the Native American K-12 population. This means that 88 percent of our American Indian and Alaska Native youth rely on supplemental educational programs like Johnson O'Malley. This program provides services to more than 200,000 Indian students. However, these programs are drastically underfunded. A critical need for an increase in funding for school construction exists in Indian country. When I came to Congress 23 years ago, I was appointed chairman of the Indian Education Task Force. I will never forget visiting schools that were in such poor condition that the children of these schools could barely keep warm let alone have a chance at getting a decent education. I know that the judges in my hometown in Michigan shutdown prisons that were in better condition than many schools I visited. Our Native American students deserve a decent education. It is our responsibility to ensure that our children are studying in environments conducive to learning. I support the creation of an American Indian Education Foundation because I believe Congress must find a new way to supplement current funding for BIA Indian education programs. The Foundation would encourage gifts of real and personal property and income for support of the education goals of the BIA's Office of Indian Education Programs and to further the educational opportunities of American Indian and Alaska Native students. The governing body of the Foundation would consist of nine board of directors who are appointed by the Secretary of Interior for an initial period. The secretary of Interior and the Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs would serve as ex officio nonvoting members. Members of the board have to be ``knowledgeable or experienced in American Indian education and . . . represent diverse points of view relating to the education of American Indians.'' Election, terms of office, and duties of members would be provided in the constitution and bylaws of the Foundation. Administering the funds would be the responsibility of the Foundation. This bill would allow the Secretary of Interior to transfer certain funds to the Foundation. It is my understanding that the initial funding for the Foundation would come from existing donations or bequests made to the BIA. Funds prohibited by the terms of the donations would not be used for the Foundation. The Foundation is not a new idea to Congress. Congress has, from time to time, created federally chartered corporations. In 1967, Congress established the National Park Foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to raise funds for the benefit of the National Park Service. Funds received from individuals, corporations, and foundations are distributed to individual parks through competitive grants. My bill is modeled after the 1967 Act. I believe that an American Indian Education Foundation could be just as successful as the National Park Foundation. I want to emphasize that I believe that Congress has a Federal trust responsibility to ensure that every Native American receives a decent education. This Foundation would not replace that responsibility, but would supplement it through grants designed to support educational, cultural and academic programs. Mr. Speaker, this concludes my remarks on creating an American Indian Education Foundation.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of a woman, who, for nearly 40 years, has worked to improve the quality of life for our citizens. On Tuesday, October 12, members of Flint's International Institute will gather to present to Mrs. Irene Hanson, its prestigious Golden Door Award, given annually to an individual who has made a positive impact on the greater Flint community and the Institute itself. Born in December of 1920, in Breslau, Germany, what is now Wroclaw, Poland, Irene spent her early years as an apprentice in a wholesale paper company, and upon completing her apprenticeship, remained with the company as its bookkeeper. After the war, Irene and her family, including her mother and two daughters lived in Hanover, West Germany, until the Displaced Persons Act brought them to Flint in 1952, under the sponsorship of Calvary Lutheran Church. Soon after, a third child, a son, was born. After settling in Flint, Irene sought out and forged a relationship with the International Institute, a relationship that has continued to this day. She has served a great number of roles, including teacher, presenter, activities chair, and board member. It is in each of these positions that she has excelled in her efforts to enhance the lives of those she comes into contact with. Other positions followed, such as in 1962, where she worked as a receptionist, bookkeeper, and fitter at Flint Limb and Brace Company. In 1964, Irene began teaching German for Mott Adult Education, which she still continued to do. In addition to her work with the International Institute, Irene has also been involved and remains active with the German American National Congress, the American Association of Teachers of German, and the St. Cecilia Society. She has also been an avid supporter of the Flint Institute of Music, Flint Institute of Arts, and the Sloan Museum. Mr. Speaker, I am always fascinated by stories such as Irene Hanson's. Through tremendous adversity, she was able to fulfill the true American Dream, and find success in her new homeland. She is truly an inspiration to all who come into contact with her. I ask my colleagues in the 106th Congress to please join me to congratulate and wish Irene the very best.

Mr. KILDEE

Mr. KILDEE. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1231 directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey without consideration 2 acres of National Forest land to Elko County, Nevada. The land conveyance would include a historic cemetery and a road and bridge leading to it on the Humboldt- Toiyabe National Forest. It is our understanding that a private individual had offered to provide for the maintenance of the cemetery as long as the land was conveyed to the county. At the hearing, the Forest Service expressed concerns that this bill was inconsistent with laws that require the Secretary of Agriculture to obtain fair market value for exchange or sale of National Forest Service land. While we share these agency concerns and generally support a policy of obtaining fair market value for the sake of disposition of public resources, the lands in this case are certainly de minimis. We anticipate that Elko County will be a good steward of the cemetery, and we certainly support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons). His gentlemanliness both in committee and on the floor makes it a pleasure to work in both places. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.