Pete King

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to commend him for the outstanding work he has done in bringing this resolution to the floor. I also have to pay tremendous gratitude and express a great debt to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) for the absolutely tireless job he has done in procuring the signatures, of working hard, of making the case of just being relentless in making sure that this resolution went forward and he certainly has every reason to be proud of himself for the great job he has done. Most importantly, Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to stand up and speak on behalf of this resolution honoring Father Hesburgh. Father Hesburgh is an outstanding educator, an outstanding religious leader, and an outstanding American. As the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) and others have mentioned, he has done a truly magnificent job during the 35 years that he was president of the University of Notre Dame. I had the privilege of being a law student during the time that he was the President of the university and had firsthand knowledge of the tremendous impact he had on the campus, on all the schools, all its efforts but most importantly of imparting to the students of Notre Dame the obligation of the sense that they had to make a difference, that they had to put into practice what they learned, that religion was not just something that one spoke about in church but something that one lived every day of their life in every endeavor in which one was engaged. Father Hesburgh did that. He did that by his commitment to civil rights, by his commitment to justice, by his commitment to peace, and by his dedication to his country which is why he is such an outstanding American serving President after President on so many issues, always making himself available to make this a better country and to make this a better world. Certainly, as a religious leader, he realized the importance of using religion to bring people together, not to divide them, of exemplifying the very best of Christianity, of Catholicism, indeed of all religions, in showing the one God that binds us all, that brings us all together. That was Father Hesburgh, a man who even to this day is a renowned leader. I was at the Notre Dame campus this weekend and even to this day his presence is still there, not just in the bricks and mortar of the enormous library that is named after him, not just the various programs that are named after him but as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer) said, in the spirit of volunteerism that the students at Notre Dame have accepted and have taken from the Hesburgh tradition; the acknowledgment, the realization that they have the obligation to go out and work among their fellow men and women, those who are not as fortunate as they are, to use the abilities and talents that were brought to fruition in Notre Dame on behalf of those less fortunate than themselves. So to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Father Hesburgh, it is a great moment for Congress, it is a great moment for Notre Dame, it is a great moment for Father Hesburgh, it is a great moment for all of us who have had the opportunity to know him, to work with him, to meet with him, and to realize that he is getting this recognition which he so much deserves. I urge the adoption of the resolution.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge just how fortunate I, my staff and the people of the Third District of New York were to have an intern that could serve as both Commissioner of Food and Beverage and Director of Internal Security for the past two months. To some he was known as Will Rubens but to me he was simply, ``The Commish''. Forget the fact that my Notre Dame doormat was stolen or the fact that my model E-2C Hawkeye was vandalized under his watch. In his investigation of these crimes, the Commish' was undeterred and never allowed conspiracy theories to be generated by anyone other than himself. There was never a business card fight he didn't prematurely end for the sake of my staff or a private conversation he didn't interrupt. Despite the increase in crime in my office over the last two months I know that the Commish's powers are being wasted here while numerous crimes of ineptitude go unresolved on the football fields of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor--an ineptitude which will be glaringly disclosed when Notre Dame's Fighting Irish pulverize the Wolverines on September 4th. I am confident that the Commish' will go on to bigger and better things and it has truly been a pleasure and honor to have him work in my office this summer. His intelligence and unique sense of humor will be missed. I thank you Will for all your hard work and effort. All the best.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the commitment and selfless dedication one young man, Cormac Hennessy has made to myself, my staff and the people of the Third District of New York. Cormac began interning in my office in the Summer of 1998 and since that time he has exhibited all the qualities: intellect, wit and a certain style that make him truly the son of a Diplomat's Deiplomat. In fact, Cormac was an inspiration to those who loved the game of golf, for there was never too dull an assignment or too onerous a task that Cormac did not shirk for the sake of eighteen holes. I am confident that in the care of two truly wonderful people, Pat and Pauline Hennessy, Cormac will amount to something more than the self-proclaimed title of ``King of all Interns.'' Indeed I am certain that his unsurpassed sarcasm, his indecipherable ``Southern'' dialect and his unique charm will cause him to rise to the highest levels of leadership and success. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors and I thank him for all that he has done and meant to me.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform the House that on Sunday, July 25, 1999, at 1:34 a.m., Debbie McGoldrick and Niall O'Dowd because the proud parents of a baby daughter, Alana Kathleen. Alana Kathleen weighed in at 8 pounds, 5\1/2\ ounces and is 21 inches long. The best news is that Alana Kathleen and her mother Debbie are in perfect health. I am proud to be able to call Debbie and Niall my good friends. Niall is the Founding Publisher of the Irish Voice newspaper and Irish America magazine. Debbie, who is clearly the brains and the beauty of the operation, is the Senior Editor of the Irish Voice. Niall and Debbie are leaders in the Irish-American community and have been in the very forefront of the Irish peace process. As happy as Niall and Debbie are over the birth of their beautiful daughter, I know that Alana Kathleen will soon realize how fortunate she is to have such outstanding parents. On behalf of myself and my family I wish them the very best of health and happiness.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. I thank the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. KING. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and, most importantly, I thank him for his kind remarks about the book. Mr. Chairman, I would like to express my support for this important legislation to fund transportation projects in fiscal year 2000 and to communicate my sincere appreciation to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wolf) for his efforts in including $4 million for a project of great importance to me and my constituents, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Long Island Railroad East Side Access Project. This project, to be completed by the year 2009, is a major commuter rail improvement project which will enable 50,000 existing and tens of thousands of new commuters on the Nation's busiest commuter rail line, the Long Island Railroad, to travel directly to final destinations on Manhattan's East Side without spending over half an hour backtracking on subways from Penn Station on the West Side. Over $100 million in combined prior Federal appropriations and State and local funds have already been dedicated to this critical project which will greatly improve transit flow and reduce vehicular traffic in the New York City region. East Side access is supported by a Statewide bipartisan majority of New York's congressional delegation and is the top funding transportation priority of Governor Pataki. I look forward to working with the gentleman from Virginia and the other members of the committee as this vital project goes forward. I thank the gentleman for all his courtesies and generosity on this project.

Mr. KING. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Taiwan's continuing commitment to peace and stability in the Balkan region. Classified by China as a renegade province with no right to diplomatic recognition, Taiwan is excluded from the United Nations and deprived of relations with many nations. Despite this diplomatic embargo, Taiwan unveiled this past Monday, June 7, a $300 million aid package to assist the more than 782,000 ethnic Albanians who have been forced to leave as a result of Slobodan Milosevic's genocidal campaign. This aid package will include emergency supplies for Kosovar refugees and contributions to long-term reconstruction efforts by the international community in Kosovo once a peace plan is accepted and implemented. In addition, it also offers to arrange for Kosovar refugees to receive short-term technical training in Taiwan. I urge my colleagues to recognize Taiwan's sincerity and commitment to join the international drive to help the Kosovar refugees.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my constituents, Fred and Susan Wilmer of Baldwin, NY, whose daughter Jennifer Wilmer has been missing since September 13, 1993, to express my strong support for the Jennifer's Law Act. I am pleased that Congress has made it a priority to support efforts to locate and identify all missing persons. This critical legislation will require all law enforcement agencies to cross reference missing person files with unidentified person files, which believe it or not is rarely done. It will also authorize $2 million in competitive grants so that states can cover the costs of providing this well needed service. Thousands of Americans go through the daily anguish the Wilmer family experiences, wondering if they will ever see their loved ones again. I believe the Jennifer's Law Act will provide the opportunity for many of these families to find peace of mind and closure to their unfortunate tragedies. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to express my gratitude to the Wilmers who have tirelessly transformed their personal grief into political action by committing themselves to helping other families with missing loved ones. They established ``Finding Our Children Under Stress'' FOCUS, an organization dedicated to supporting other parents in distress and promoting state and federal legislation to improve methods of locating missing persons. Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this important legislation, I wholeheartedly urge my colleagues to support this crucial legislation today. The Jennifer's Law Act is a step in the right direction that will help more and more American families locate their loved ones and I strongly urge its adoption.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize the 50th anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Merrick which occurred on Sunday, May 23, 1999. Known as ``The Club With a Heart,'' the work of the Kiwanis Club of Merrick has benefitted children, senior citizens, teachers, students, disabled youth, needy families and Merrick residents in general. By engaging in activities of fundamental importance to our community, the club has consistently shown itself to be a leader in civic service. Whether it is the distribution of food baskets to needy families during the holidays, awarding scholarship funds to deserving high school graduates, picnicking with disabled youth or sponsoring geriatric home visits and sing-along's, the dedicated members of the Merrick Kiwanis Club have played a crucial role in bettering the lives of countless members of New York's third district since the club's foundation in 1949. Most recently, the club has undertaken efforts to donate pediatric trauma kits and portable emergency generators to local fire departments and distribute bicycle safety helmets free to all second and third graders in local elementary schools among many other laudible ventures. As we prepare to enter the 21st century we must recognize those who have brought us to where we are today. For members of the Merrick extended community, the Kiwanis Club and its contributions on such a broad spectrum of initiatives has played an important role in the past half century and on behalf of the third district, I would add, that it is our sincere hope that their important work continues well into the next millenium.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Goodling amendment. I do so despite the fact that I have serious differences with the President on the conduct of this war, specifically the command authority as far as selecting targets and the fact that he took ground troops off the table before the engagement began. But I oppose this amendment because it flies in the face of traditional Republican philosophy. Mr. Speaker, throughout our history, certainly for the last 50 years, the position of the Republican Party has been to support the constitutional right of the Commander in Chief to deploy ground troops. That is why the overwhelming majority of Republicans oppose the War Powers Act. That is why the overwhelming number of Republicans opposed attempts by the Democrats to require President Bush to seek prior approval before troops went into Saudi Arabia. It is also important to note, Mr. Speaker, the original commitment in Kosovo was made by President Bush on Christmas of 1992, when he said he would unilaterally send in American troops if Milosevic in any way moved on Kosovo. It is also significant to note that the Republican candidate for President in 1996 supports the action in Kosovo, as did President Reagan's former Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. Mr. Speaker, the powers of the President as Commander in Chief transcend whoever the President is at the moment. I ask that this House vote down this amendment to preserve the constitutional powers of the President as long defined by the Republican Party.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Dana Walsh of Oceanside, New York for her outstanding fundraising efforts on behalf of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Miss Walsh is an eighth grade student at Oceanside Middle School where she proposed and coordinated a phone-a-thon which raised $3,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She was inspired to fight for those who suffer from Cystic Fibrosis upon learning that the median survival age is only 29. She spent weeks organizing the evening event and in the end, tripled her original goal. In light of the numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Miss Walsh are inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. I want to commend the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith) for his resolution regarding the investigation into the murder of Rosemary Nelson, and I want to commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for his work on bringing this resolution forward on this Good Friday Agreement. Mr. Speaker, the Irish peace process is now in a very critical point in Ireland. The fact is that it was over a year ago that the Good Friday Agreement came to fruition. It was a hard-fought compromise with all sides making concessions, moving forward. The fact is that the Ulster Unionist Party and the leadership of David Trimble is preventing implementation of this agreement by insisting on the precondition of decommissioning. It is really not for us to be arguing the merits of decommissioning. The fact is that the parties signed an agreement. It was ratified by over 80 percent of all the voters on the island of Ireland. It was 95 percent in the south, and 75 percent in the north agreeing to the Good Friday Agreement, which did not impose any precondition whatsoever as far as the issue of decommissioning or any other issue, for that matter. The fact is that right now the agreement is not being fully implemented. It is being stalemated, it is being held up, and there is a real risk that the peace process could come undone unless the agreement is implemented and unless the parties go forward. I know suggestions were made here today that Senator Mitchell get involved. Certainly to me that is a good recommendation. But I think most importantly, the parties have to realize, and the governments have the prime responsibility, specifically the British government, have to realize that the agreement must be implemented. They cannot allow David Trimble to be holding it up. I would ask that the administration continue the very good work it has done in helping to bring about the agreement in the first place, and now to ensure that the agreement not be allowed to founder and to collapse. Too much has gone on, too many lives have been lost, too much hard work has gone into this, too many sacrifices were made to allow one party to in any way frustrate the full implementation of the agreement. This is something which has a tremendous human rights ramification, and it is something where so many people in the United States, including the President, have done so much to bring about the Good Friday Agreement. When we talk about the implementation of the agreement, the fact is that it will never be fully implemented unless there is faith in the law enforcement system in the north of Ireland. Quite frankly, there is very little faith in the Royal Ulster Constabulary among those in the nationalist community. That is why the resolution of the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith) calling for an independent investigation into the murder of Rosemary Nelson is so essential. Rosemary Nelson testified before the Committee on International Relations last year. She felt that she was being threatened by the RUC. Now to allow the Royal Ulster Constabulary to investigate a murder in which its own members may have been involved to me is unbelievable, it is wrong, it cannot be done, it should not be done, and if it is done, then it is going to cause more and more disenchantment by the nationalist community toward the law enforcement authorities in the north. This is not the first case. There was the case of Pat Finucane which I am sure has also been mentioned earlier today, 10 years ago where there was strong evidence that the RUC was involved in his murder, yet it has never been fully investigated. So on both these resolutions, I think it is a tremendous step forward by the Congress of the United States to show our involvement, to show our interest; to show that all Americans, whether they be of Irish ancestry, whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim, atheist, agnostic, nonbeliever, we stand for the cause of freedom, the cause of justice, the cause of human rights. That can best be advanced by the full enactment of this agreement, and secondly, by a full, complete, and independent investigation into the murder of Rosemary Nelson. I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Chairman Smith) for yielding time to me, I commend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for his resolution, and I urge the adoption.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize McKenna Elementary School in Massapequa, New York, for their participation in the national anti-smoking campaign, ``Kick Butts Day.'' This truly motivational program has been diligently organized by the students of this elementary school. As we all know, young people are easy targets for the tobacco industry and this is evidenced by the increase in teen smoking throughout the nation. Smoking hurts young people's physical well- being. It can be associated with poor overall health and can lead to more severe conditions if continued. Many children are pressured into smoking. The younger a child begins smoking, the more likely he is to become strongly addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is a drug that causes cancer, heart disease and emphysema. Statistics show that teens who smoke are more likely than nonsmokers to use alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Children are only putting themselves at risk by starting to smoke. Again, it is important to recognize all the schools throughout the nation participating in ``Kick Butts Day.'' Mr. Speaker, I would especially like to commend Principal John Gleason and all the staff and students of McKenna Elementary School in Massapequa, New York for their outstanding work promoting their message: ``Don't start smoking! If you smoke, stop!''

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the articles of impeachment. My opposition to impeachment has nothing to do at all with Bill Clinton, but everything to do with the office of the presidency. By setting a standard which goes beyond the Constitution, and, my Republican colleagues, beyond the historic position of our party, we are, however well-intentioned, continuing our spiral toward a government subject to the whims of independent counsels and based on the frenzied politics of the moment, rather than a government of immutable principles and transcendent institutions. This is not a decision which came easy to me. It is not a position which I particularly enjoy. No one has a higher respect than I do for the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Henry Hyde). To me he is the conscience of this House, and it causes me great pain to in any way differ from him. But I feel I have no alternative. I strongly believe that for a president to be impeached, a president of the United States to be impeached, for an election to be undone, there must be a direct abuse of presidential power. There must be a president abusing the CIA, abusing citizens with the IRS or the FBI, a crime comparable to treason or bribery. I would say to my colleagues that my position, I believe, is rooted in Republican philosophy. I go back to the Watergate hearings of 1974, when President Nixon's most eloquent defender, subsequently appointed to the United States Court of Appeals by President Reagan, Congressman Charles Wiggins, came back and testified before the committee, and said that if he were a Member of Congress today, he would vote against impeachment. But there is even a larger issue here: Where are we going as a Nation? Quite frankly, when I hear Members on the other side rise up in such opposition to this impeachment, I say, where were they during the times of Robert Bork, Clarence Thomas or John Tower? But two wrongs do not make a right. We are a Nation consumed by investigations, by special counsels. We are a Nation consumed by scandal. We are driving good people from government. What we are talking about here in this case, the President's conduct, was illegal, it was immoral, it was disgraceful, it was indefensible, but the fact is, I don't believe rises to the level of treason or bribery. The principle we are setting that in the future, all of us, anyone who assumes the office of the presidency, is subject to civil depositions, subject to lawsuits, and then to have that deposition examined and scrutinized by an Independent Counsel, how many of our former presidents would we have lost if this was the case, if this rule of law, if this principle, had prevailed in prior times, and prior times of crisis? Also, I would ask my fellow Republicans, throughout the 1980s we saw the abuses of special counsels by Lawrence Walsh and others as they went against members of the Reagan and Bush administration. We saw good people like Elliott Abrams brought down on the flimsiest of charges involving lying. All of us knew it was wrong, and we railed against it. But today somehow we are willing to apply a different standard, a different principle. That is wrong. This is a sad day for our country. It is a sad year for our Nation, because of the conduct of the President, but also because I believe that as Republicans, we have failed to rise to our obligation. As a matter of conscience I must vote against impeachment, and I rue this day.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight in strong support of this initiative by my good friend from New York (Mr. Walsh), and I want to join with the other speakers in commending him for the truly outstanding job he has done in pushing this legislation and advancing it so quickly because it is absolutely essential, I believe, to carry forward the Irish peace process and to continue the very significant role that the United States Government has played. I also wanted to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) for the tremendous cooperation we received from him and from all my colleagues here tonight. I want to join with the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) in commending the gentleman from New York (Mr. Manton). This may well be his last night on the House floor, and no one has fought longer or harder for the cause of Irish freedom, and peace and justice than Tom Manton. Certainly all of us are going to miss him, all of us who cherish his friendship and his sense of loyalty and dedication, and certainly his career has been an outstanding one, and there has been no issue on which he has been more pronounced than the Irish peace process. I also want to commend Senator D'Amato who is going to be carrying this bill in the Senate for the work that he has done on this bill and so many other issues which involve the Irish peace process. And that is what this is really about. It is obviously very important for the 12,000 people who are going to receive visas over the next 3 years. It is very important for families, it is very important for their communities, because these men and women who come here are going to learn skills, they are going to be able to go back to Ireland in several years, they are going to be able to alleviate and attack the terrible poverty that has wracked so many parts of northern Ireland. Those of us who have been to the north have seen the terrible poverty in areas such as Valley Murphy and along the Falls Road and the Shanker Road, and other parts of the north of Ireland and the border counties which have been devastated by 30 years of fighting just in the north of them. So, this bill is very, very important as far as the individuals who are going to be directly affected. But even more importantly, Madam Speaker, it sends a message to the people of Ireland, north and south, that the United States is going to continue its active role in the Irish peace process, that we are going to stay as active players. As my good friend, the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal) pointed out, it was the President of the United States, and it was the United States Congress which had so much to do in bringing all the parties together, and those of us who were just in Ireland last month with the President on his mission realized the one thing the people wanted to see was assurance that the U.S. would stay involved. By measures such as this, it shows we are in this for the long haul, we are committed, we are going to stand firm, and we are going to stand with those who struggle for peace for those who want the process to work. We are not going to allow those who may intend to to disrupt the peace process, to impede it, to slow it down, to throw unnecessary preconditions in the way. We are going to stand with those who want the Good Friday agreement to work. We are committed to making it work, and that is what the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) has done in moving this forward as Chairman of the Friends of Ireland, working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) and all the people here tonight. Madam Speaker, this is a tremendous step forward, and it is another great step by the United States and its commitment to a true and lasting peace for all the people of Ireland, north and south.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was unavoidably detained and missed several votes. Had I been present I would have voted as follows: ``No'' on Rollcall No. 447, the Porter amendment to repeal the provisions that repealed Section 907. ``No'' on Rollcall No. 448, the Kennedy (MA) amendment to ban funding for the School of the Americas. ``Yea'' on Rollcall No. 449, Final passage of the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a special memorial tribute to Ralph G. Caso. My Congressional District, indeed all of Nassau County and Long Island, has suffered a tremendous loss with the death of Ralph Caso, one of the most distinguished public officials ever to serve the people of my town and county. Ralph Caso, husband of Grace and father of Ralph and Jolisa, was born and raised in Manhattan and moved with his family to Long Island in his youth. He was a graduate of New York University Law School and a veteran of World War II. While practicing law in his home community of Merrick, Ralph Caso became involved in local politics and was elected a councilman of America's most populous town--the Town of Hempstead. He rose to the position of supervisor and then presiding supervisor, serving in that position from 1965 to 1970. In 1970 he was the overwhelming choice of the electorate to take the position of Nassau County Executive, the highest elective position in the county. County Executive Caso was re-elected in 1973 and was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1974. While serving in the Town of Hempstead, Ralph Caso demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities. He moved immediately to improve and expand the town's park system, converting it into one of the finest in New York State. In addition, Mr. Caso demonstrated a quality for which he later became renowned--compassion. The father of a handicapped son, he founded Camp Anchor, a summer and after school camp at the seashore for handicapped youngsters. At the same time, Mr. Caso was credited with starting the building of thousands of units of low cost senior citizen housing units for elderly residents living on fixed incomes. Ralph Caso continued his visionary policies when he was elected as County Executive. Among other things, the Nassau County Veterans Memorial Coliseum, home of the New York Islanders hockey team, was built during his administration. In addition, the new 19-story Nassau County Medical Center was completed during his tenure. On a personal level, I wish to record my gratitude to Ralph Caso for agreeing to serve, during his retirement years, as my personal emissary to the senior citizen community where his good works will long be remembered. Mr. Speaker, Nassau County has lost one of its greatest leaders, a man of courage and vision. Ralph Caso will be deeply missed.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to the Hutchinson amendment and in strong support of the Citizens Protection Act of my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade). I think it is time to put a human face on the abuses that are carried out by prosecutors in this country, prosecutors who consistently violate the rights of innocent human beings, innocent citizens and their families, friends and relatives. By putting a human face on it, I would like to refer to a predecessor that I had here in the Congress, Angelo Roncallo, a man who a number of years ago sat in the very seat that I occupy today. And what went on in his case has happened in so many other cases over the years. He was a man who was brought in by the United States Attorney and told he had to deliver a political leader. When he refused to do that, he was called before the grand jury. His family was harassed. He was indicted. His friends were indicted. Everything was leaked to the newspapers. This man's career was destroyed. He was defeated here in the United States Congress. Finally his case went to trial. The jury was out 30 minutes and he was acquitted. It came out during that case that all throughout, from day one, the prosecutors had evidence that would have completely exonerated this defendant. They knew it from day one. Throughout the trial, they had U.S. Marshals stand around the U.S. Attorney's office because they had convinced the judge that this Congressman, Angelo Roncallo, was somehow going to have them killed during the trial. The jury had to witness this, marshals in the courtroom day in and day out. When the trial was over the judge said it was a disgrace. He referred it to the Justice Department to have it investigated. What was done? Nothing. That is what always happens. Nothing. The gentleman from Georgia said it is bizarre. He said that opposition to the Hutchinson amendment is bizarre. He said the comments of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) were bizarre. I would say to the gentleman from Georgia, if he were targeted by a prosecutor, if they tried to destroy his reputation, he would find that bizarre. I think it is important for all of us in this Chamber, those of us who are self-righteous, those of us who say it could never happen to us, let you be the target of an unscrupulous prosecutor, and you will see how fast you will change your tune when you see your wife harassed and your children. And I can go on and on with case after case. I remember I was once negotiating with the United States Attorney in a case and he ended the discussion, ended the negotiation by telling me that he was the United States of America, it was time that I realized it. The fact is, no prosecutor in this country is the United States of America. The United States of America is the people. We represent the people. It is time for us to stand up and say no to these prosecutors, no matter where they are coming from. Prosecutors are out of control. They are ruining the civil liberties of people in this country. I am a Republican. I cannot understand how Members in my party who say they support individual rights could ever allow a prosecutor to trample upon the rights of innocent people, the abuses that they are guilty of. And I just want to concur in what the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) said. I do not know how the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) went through what he went through over the years and stood tall and survived it. He is a man of courage. He is a man who had the guts to stand up. But you think of the average citizen in your home town, if they went after him, would he have that same guts? Would he have that stamina? Would his family be able to resist it? I again urge and implore all of my colleagues to defeat the Hutchinson amendment, stand with the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade), stand with the Constitution and say no to this untrammeled abuse of power by the prosecutors and our Justice Department today.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, this morning I would like to reach across the aisle and extend my sincerest best wishes to my good friend, Tom Manton, who yesterday announced his retirement after this session of the United States Congress. I have had the privilege of knowing Tom Manton for almost 20 years and despite any party differences we may have, I can honestly say I have never met a more decent man, a man of greater integrity, a man of greater commitment to his community and to this Congress. Tom Manton was an outstanding police officer, he was a member of the Marine Corps, he was a member of the New York City Council and a Congressman for the past 14 years. Tom has worked in many areas, probably none more than the quest for Irish peace and freedom, and certainly the Good Friday Agreement that was reached in Belfast this past April is as much a tribute to Tom Manton as any Member of this body or any person in this country. Tom, I wish you the very best, I wish you and your family many years of health and happiness, and thank you for your years of service to this country.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute our Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith. Ambassador Kennedy Smith has announced that she will be leaving Dublin this year, completing a remarkable diplomatic career in Ireland. Under her leadership, the U.S. asserted its moral leadership and began to take an active role in the Irish peace process. Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith deserves much of the credit for helping to bring about the best opportunity for a just and lasting peace in Ireland in more than 75 years. Jean Kennedy Smith is beyond all doubt the most active, dynamic and effective U.S. Ambassador in our entire history of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Ireland. She will be missed and it will be extraordinarily difficult to fill her shoes. I am proud to have worked closely with Ambassador Kennedy Smith and even more to call her my friend. Mr. Speaker, I submit an editorial analysis of Ambassador Kennedy Smith's remarkable legacy from the Irish Voice newspaper. [From the Irish Voice, Mar. 18-24, 1998] Time to Rethink U.S. Embassy Role The announcement that U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith will be leaving her post this summer brings to an end the most extraordinary chapter yet in Irish and American diplomatic relations. She will be greatly missed, not just for her contribution to the peace process but for her overall energy and commitment to improving understanding and links between Ireland and America. There will likely never be another ambassador like Kennedy Smith, who played such a crucial role in the Irish peace process and redefined the American/Irish diplomatic relationship in a way that has transformed that office forever. Indeed, the major question following her departure should be whether it is now time to institutionalize what she has put in place--the acceptance that the U.S. ambassador in Dublin plays as important a role in Northern Ireland affairs as does the American envoy in London. It has always exclusively been the purview of the London ambassador to report on and deliver assessments on Northern Ireland to the Secretary of State and the President. Just how flawed some of those assessments can be was highlighted by the recent memoirs of former U.K. ambassador Raymond Seitz, whose total involvement was to visit Northern Ireland once in a British army helicopter before sending back his ``insights.'' He refused to meet SDLP leader John Hume on that trip, which surely endeared him to moderate Nationalist supporters. At a time when the Irish government is likely to have a larger say in the affairs of the North, it seems fitting that the U.S. ambassador in Dublin should have significant input into State Department decision making, and that it should not again revert to being the sole concern of the U.S. ambassador in Britain. There is also a need to keep a high caliber ambassador in Dublin such as Kennedy Smith. Proximity to the President matters most in such appointments, and there were few closer than Senator Edward Kennedy and his sister to Bill Clinton. Before Kennedy Smith the occupants of the position tended to be elderly, well-heeled gentlemen--appointed mainly in return for financial contributions--who coasted for a few years in Dublin before retirement. The notion of Dublin as a sleepy backwater took hold, encouraged no doubt by those in the State Department who viewed Northern Ireland as a problem for the London embassy to deal with. The notoriously pro-British slant in the State Department also extended to many in their Dublin embassy, a fact which caused Kennedy Smith no amount of problems. It is time that the embassy there reflected the importance of the Irish issue to the U.S., and also that Northern Irish specialists be appointed to Dublin. Kennedy Smith has certainly made a start on this. Despite her lack of experience on Irish issues she entered the minefield of Northern Ireland and emerged not only unscathed but triumphant. At several critical moments in the peace process--most notably when the visa issue for Gerry Adams was being debated--she showed leadership and courage and withstood the slings and arrows of her opponents, many of whom worked through the British press to malign her. She had her share of critics in the State Department too, who saw their long undisputed hegemony over Irish issues crumble. Events and history will prove her right in that debate. The greatest send-off she could now receive would be another visit from the President to Ireland as part of a successful conclusion to the peace process. It is the least Jean Kennedy Smith deserves after such an impressive term of office.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform the House that on February 25, 1998, Dr. Herbert Lepor and Dr. Ellen Shapiro became the proud parents of a baby daughter, Abbey Deena. Abbey Deena was born at The New York Presbyterian Hospital and she weighed in at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. The best news of all is that Abbey Deena and her mother are in perfect health. I am proud to be able to call Dr. Lepor and Dr. Shapiro my good friends. Dr. Shapiro is an internationally renowned Pediatric Urologist and is the Director of Pediatric Urology at New York University Medical Center. She received her medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, was a surgical intern and resident at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and a Clinical Associate in the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. She was a fellow in Pediatric Urology at the Children's Hospital of Michigan and was Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Washington University School of Medicine and at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to moving to New York City, she practiced Pediatric Urology at the Children's Hospital of St. Louis and the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Dr. Lepor has been Chairman of Urology at New York University School of Medicine since 1993. During that time he has established one of the preeminent centers of urological care, education and research in America. Dr. Lepor graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) at the age of 20. He earned his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and completed Urology Residency Training at the Brady Urological Institute at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Lepor is a nationally renowned expert on prostate treatment and has written numerous scientific articles and books on that topic. He performs more radical prostatectomies a year than any other surgeon in the tri-state area. He has been recognized by American Health magazine and New York Magazine for his expertise in prostate cancer. At the time of their marriage, Dr. Lepor and Dr. Shapiro were the only husband and wife Urology team in America. More important than any of their professional abilities, however, they are outstanding people who care deeply about their patients and give untiringly of themselves. As happy as Dr. Lepor and Dr. Shapiro are over the birth of their beautiful daughter, I know that Abbey Deena will soon realize how fortunate she is to have such outstanding parents. On behalf of myself and my family I wish them the very best of health and happiness.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of New York's greatest statesmen, Senator Norman Levy. Norm Levy passed away last month, after a long illness. He will be missed. Norm Levy was one of the giants of the New York State Legislature. He was a dominate presence in the Senate and was admired and respected by members of both parties. As Chairman of the Transportation Committee, he was instrumental in directing policy on issues affecting the lives of all New Yorkers. Norm Levy was also a strong voice for Long Island in Albany. He was unmatched in seeing to it that our region's concerns were addressed by the state government. Norm Levy's absence leaves a great void in Long Island politics. He was an outstanding legislator, a sharp-minded and insightful politician, and unlike many people in our business, a truly nice guy. I was always proud to call him my friend. The people of Long Island and all of New York State will be poorer for his loss.

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, last month the ruler of Communist China, Jiang Zemin, was welcomed to Washington by President Clinton. During his visit to the United States, Jiang was defiant in his defense of Communist China's appalling record on human rights and its violations of non-proliferation agreements. In the aftermath of Jiang's visit, I was interested to read the article that appeared on the front page of The Washington Post on November 8, 1997 relating to the democratically elected government of the Republic of China on Taiwan. Having met President Lee Teng-hui, I know of his deep commitment to democratic values and respect for human rights. The contrast between these two leaders could not be greater and I commend this informative article to the attention of my colleagues. Leader Asserts Taiwan Is ``Independent, Sovereign'' (By Keith B. Richburg) Taipei, Taiwan, Nov. 7.--Facing pressure to renew high- level talks with China, President Lee Teng-hui of Taiwan has taken a defiant stand, ruling out concessions to Beijing and stating bluntly that Taiwan ``is an independent and sovereign country.'' In an interview at the presidential palace Thursday, Lee made it clear he is in no hurry to see Taiwan reunify with China--not until China ``becomes free, democratic and has social justice.'' He said most Taiwanese prefer the status quo and do not consider Taiwan to be a province of China, as Beijing contends. Lee repeated an offer made in his inaugural address last year to travel to China for a meeting with Chinese President Jiang Zemin. But he seemed to add a condition: He would go, he said, only if he were allowed to speak freely to average Chinese about Taiwan's experience with democracy. ``I'd like to talk to the people. I'd like to make a speech,'' he said. ``I'd like to speak to young university students.'' The hour-long interview provided Lee's first detailed comments to an American newspaper since Jiang and President Clinton met last week in Washington. Lee said he is not worried that the new ``strategic partnership'' between Washington and Beijing will jeopardize Taiwan's interests or change the island-state's security relationship with the United States. ``Taiwan is a symbol of American idealism,'' Lee said. ``Freedom, democracy and human rights--Taiwan is a symbol.'' In the interview and 11 pages of answers to written questions, Lee touched on a variety of topics, from concerns over Taiwanese business growing too dependent on investments in China to confidence that Taiwan will weather the turmoil afflicting East Asian economies. He said it is premature for Taiwan to lift its ban on direct shipping and air links with china. And he said his ruling Nationalist Party ``never offered funds, nor has it ever participated in fund- raising activities'' to help American political parties in recent elections. Lee also weighed in on the debate over whether ``Asian values'' or Western-style liberal democracy is more suited to Asian countries developing their political systems. Lee said the talk of Asian having different values from Westerners is ``nonsense.'' ``Human beings are human beings,'' he declared. But it was his comments about Taiwan as an ``independent'' entity that seemed likely to draw the wrath of Chinese leaders. Lee, speaking in heavily accented English, several times referred to Taiwan as ``independent.'' When asked if he really intended to use a word Beijing considers provocative, he defended his characterization and repeated it. While this has been Taiwan's position, Lee had kept a relatively low profile since his election in March 1996. Lee said he has been preoccupied with domestic concerns, but he showed no hesitation in speaking in clear, even blunt, tones. ``Taiwan is Taiwan,'' he said. ``We are an independent, sovereign country.'' At another point, he said, ``Taiwan is already independent. There is no need to say so. . . . Maybe they want us to say the ROC [Republic of China government] is a province of China. Twenty-one million people don't agree that Taiwan is a province of China.'' China repeatedly has threatened to use force against Taiwan if its leaders formally declare independence. Beijing twice in the last two years has staged missile tests and military exercises in the narrow Taiwan Strait that separates the island and China. Since becoming the first native Taiwanese president in 1988, and winning the country's first democratic election last year, Lee constantly has played to the island's separatist sentiment. He has sought to raise Taiwan's profile and break its diplomatic isolation, while being careful not to cross the delicate verbal line that would mark a formal declaration of independence. Against that background, some analysts here were divided over whether Lee's repeated use of the word ``independent'' marked a shift in his rhetoric or whether he was rephrasing a familiar position that the Taiwan government is a sovereign entity representing all China. But most agreed that his statements showed a significant hardening of his position, demonstrating that for the moment he has no interest in restarting talks with China. ``If he says we are an independent sovereign state, that makes it clear we are independent and not a part of China,'' said Andrew Yang, secretary general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies, a think tank. ``It changes a lot. People were really expecting a breakthrough in cross-strait relations. ``He is conveying a very important message to the United States and to the world--that Taiwan is not going to negotiate with China on Beijing's terms; Taiwan has its own agenda; and unless China accepts Taiwan's agenda, there won't be any talks,'' Yang said. ``He has sent a message to Beijing that he must be treated as the leader of a sovereign state.'' He added, ``It is very clear it seems to me, that there's no room to reopen the talks.'' Another academic who follows cross-strait issues, David Auw of the Institute of International Relations, predicted reaction from Beijing may be muted since the Chinese leaders have grown accustomed to Lee's rhetorical flirtations with secessionism and may have determined that they cannot deal with him. ``I think the mainland leadership no longer takes President Lee seriously,'' Auw said. ``It's not the first time he has made confusing remarks. They are starting to question the ability of Lee to have a coherent mainland policy. The majority of scholars and officials on the mainland I talk to say they are willing to wait for the post-Lee era.'' Auw and others said Lee may have been reacting to new pressures on Taiwan to restart high-level talks, which were suspended after Lee's highly publicized 1995 visit to the United States to attend his college reunion. With Hong Kong's so-far successful reversion to Chinese rule under an autonomy formula, and with Jiang's successful visit to Washington, the spotlight has shifted to Taiwan as the largest of the many unresolved trouble spots between the United States and China. But Lee denied feeling particular pressure to restart talks with China. He made it clear he intends to continue his diplomatic outreach, traveling abroad and pushing to gain membership for Taiwan in such international bodies as the World Trade Organization. ``No, I don't feel anything,'' a smiling Lee said, when asked if he felt under pressure. He said he sees no parallel between Hong Kong's handover to China and Taiwan's case, since Hong Kong was a British colony and had no say in its own destiny. ``Taiwan in Taiwan,'' he said. ``They use this to pressure [us]. But I don't feel anything. We are an independent sovereign country.'' On July 1, in the first hours after Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule, Chinese Premier Li Peng said Taiwan should consider rejoining China under the same formula, known as ``one country, two systems.'' But Lee, in the interview, was dismissive. ``They say, `one country, two systems,' I say your system is a Communist system. Taiwan is a free and democratic society. You say Taiwan is a provincial government. I don't think so,'' Lee said. Asked if Taiwan is prepared to make any gesture to restart the stalled dialogue with China, Lee replied. ``We are waiting for them. We won't give anything to them.'' He said the two sides have technical issues to resolve, including smuggling and illegal immigration, which could be addressed with low-level exchanges. But as for broader political dialogue at a higher level, Lee replied. ``I don't see any political issues now.'' Lee also said he does not feel bound by the timetable of Beijing's leaders, particularly Jiang, who would like to see the ``Taiwan problem'' resolved within the next decade. ``We don't care about this timetable,'' Lee said. ``That's his timetable. Here, it's a democratic society. What do the people think about this problem? We have our own reunification timeable. When China becomes free, democratic and has social justice--in that case, we will have unification.'' For all his defiance, though Lee did express concern over a problem that could end up forcing Taiwan's integration with China faster than political leaders on either side of the strait can control: the rush by Taiwan businessmen to invest in the world's fastest-growing economy, and its largest market. Even as Taiwan drifts further from China culturally, socially and politically economic relations are seeing an unmistakable convergence, similar to the kind of convergence that linked Hong Kong to southern China long before the actual transfer of sovereignty this year. And in Taiwan's case, the economic integration is even more dramatic, considering that Taiwan only lifted its travel ban on citizens going to China in 1987, and the two sides are still technically in a state of hostilities. According to government figures 16.5 percent of Taiwan's exports go to China, making China the second-largest export market for Taiwanese goods and its largest foreign investment market. Between 1991 and 1996, the sum of Taiwanese investment in China rose to $14.9 billion about what the United States and Japan invest there. But much of the Taiwanese investment in China goes through Hong Kong and Macau and is unaccounted for, leading some academics to estimate its true size as closer to $30 billion. Lee, in a written answer to a question on the investment problem, said ``excessive investment by Taiwan-based businesses there [in China] may increase the political and economic risks for Taiwan as a whole.'' He said China pursues a long-standing ``economic united front tactic,'' meaning Beijing is trying to ``gradually increase Taiwan's economic independence on the mainland, and to undermine Taiwan's political bargaining position.'' Lee said China has ``stepped up its economic united front tactics'' since its missile tests and military exercises failed to intimidate Taiwan last year. Lee became most animated near the end of the interview, when dealing with the question of ``Asian values'' as espoused by some regional leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Cheehwa and Singapore's founder and elder statesman, Lee Kuan Yew. Those leaders, and other proponents of the ``Asian values'' theory, have suggested that Western-style democratic systems, with their emphasis on individual liberties, are unsuited for Asian countries that value consensus, community and solving problems without confrontation. Critics have said the ``Asian values'' proponents merely are offering excuses for authoritarian government. Lee, who oversaw Taiwan's ``quiet revolution'' from authoritarianism to free-wheeling democracy, dismissed the idea that democracy is unsuited to Asia. ``Asian people are people, are human beings,'' he said. ``They have their culture and heritage and tradition--that's different. But you can't say human nature is different.''

Mr. KING

Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House that this past Tuesday a Catholic priest was found beheaded in Bihar, India, apparently for simply helping Untouchables. I not only deplore this tragedy but urge the Government of India to rectify this situation and end the persecution of religious minorities. I submit for the Record two news articles describing this horrible crime and the persecution of Christians by Indian police. [The New York Times, Thursday, Oct. 30, 1997] 3d Priest Is Killed in India NEW DELHI, Oct. 29 (AP)--A Catholic priest was found beheaded in a forest in northern India, apparently killed for helping untouchables, colleagues said today. A search party from the Australian-run mission that employed the priest, the Rev. A.T. Thomas, found his body Monday near Sirka, Bihar, three days after he was abducted. He was the third Catholic clergyman killed in two years in Bihar, where caste-based gang wars have killed hundreds of people. Father Thomas, an Indian, had established 15 schools and health projects for untouchables. [The Tribune, Oct. 27, 1997] DSP Hurt in Brickbatting Ludhiana, October 26.--The police opened fire in the air and resorted to a lathi charge to disperse an agitated mob of Christians last night and as many as 19 policemen, including a DSP and nine Christians were injured in the brickbatting and lathi charge. Two vehicles were also damaged. The Christians had started a five-day programme on ``Jesus Christ is the answer'' festival from October 22 to October 26 on the Chandigarh Road. They claimed that they were holding their prayers and thousands of Christians were participating in the same. On the other hand BJP activists of the Shiv Sena and the Bajrang Dal objected to the holding of the festival alleging that the Christians were resorting to conversions and indulging in ``magical healing.'' The administration on the first day withdrew permission to hold the festival but on the assurance that no magical healing would be done and no conversions would take place, it relented. However, groups opposed to the holding of the festival continued their protest dharna near the venue of the festival. The police had made elaborate security arrangements. According to a spokesperson for the Christians, the district administration yesterday forced them to wind up the festival as tension was brewing up in the town. He said that on October 22 an attempt was made to set the venue on fire and electric lights were damaged. But the administration did not take any action against the rioters. He said as the announcement for the cancellation of the festival was made the youngster started a dharna on the Chandigah Road. The police lathicharged them and chased them to the CMC Chowk where other Christians had collected in protest against the cancellation of the festival. The spokesman said a deputation of the Christians had also met the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, at a village in Muktsar district two days ago and apprised him of the situation. The SSP, Mr. Dinkar Gupta, said as many as 19 policemen were injured in the brickbatting. He said the police force was outnumbered at the CMC Chowk and had to resort to a lathi charge and open fire in the air to protect themselves.