Jerry Kleczka

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, on April 8, 2001, one of Wisconsin's cornerstone businesses, the Milwaukee Valve Company, celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Since it's founding in 1901, this family-owned business has exemplified the state's long tradition of excellence in manufacturing. While Milwaukee Valve was a successful regional producer in its first half century of existence, it has evolved into an international distributor of more than 4,000 products since Herschel Seder and Max Koenigsberg purchased the company in 1959. The company's place in the community has always been important to Herschel. In a time when manufacturer relocation is all too commonplace, the company is still headquartered at its original location at Burrell Street, near Lake Michigan on Milwaukee's south side. However, Milwaukee Valve's contributions are not limited to the Milwaukee area. The U.S. Navy counts on the manufacturer for its top- quality specialized marine valves, for use in our submarine fleet. The Seders are proud to boast that the ``Made in the USA'' symbol applies to virtually every valve in their product line. Though his company is highly respected throughout the industry, Herschel Seder is equally well known in the Milwaukee area for his devotion to his family and the community around them. Now a second generation of Seders sits at the helm of Milwaukee Valve. With the vision and leadership of Jim, John and Diane, the Seder family business is poised for even greater success into the 21st century. And so, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate the Seder family and all the loyal employees at the Milwaukee Valve Company on this milestone, and wish all the best as they begin their second 100 years.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, the chairman of the committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), a while ago said when this President ran for office, he said there was going to be a change in the environment in Washington, D.C. Over the last few months we have seen that. In fact, most recently we have found that the fundraising in this town has moved from the Lincoln bedroom in the White House to the Cheney bedroom. So already we are seeing this big change that was talked about. What I would like to do this morning is just make some observations on the bill. We are being told by our Republican colleagues that we must give the money back. Taxpayers have been overcharged. Well, let us analyze those two statements. Number one, we have to give the money back, but the problem is, the money is not here. The money is not here. It is a projected surplus over the next 10 years. We hope and pray it is going to be here, but it is not today. So I say, Mr. Speaker, we cannot give the money back if we do not have the money. But this bill does expend all that money, and know full well, if there is a downturn in the economy worse than today, the first thing to go is cutbacks in programs, and not going back on these tax cuts. This will be sacrosanct, we are not going to be able to touch it. As far as overcharging the taxpayers, the taxes that have been coming in over the years have for the most part been going to pay down the annual debt. The gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty) indicated what the interest charge was per year, so taxpayers were not being overcharged. They were being charged for the excesses that started with the tax cut of the Reagan administration. Let me say a couple words about this new thing that is added to the bill. That is the fact that we are going to send checks back. Maybe the chairman of the Committee knows how much that would cost, but to send a check to taxpayers in a month or so is going to cost millions and millions of dollars. Those same millions of dollars could be going for more teachers and more police on the beat. I just want to tell a little story about sending checks back. It comes from an experience in the State of Wisconsin. Then Tommy Thompson, the Governor, signed legislation a little over a year ago to send the checks back to Wisconsinites because of a projected surplus. So we all got about $320 back, very close to what we are going to get today. Mr. Speaker, Tommy Thompson got out of town. He left the State, and that State that sent the checks back today is faced with a $760 million deficit. So I want to thank all for the checks from the Wisconsinites. It is going to go to increased gas and to pay back that $320 to the State. Mr. Speaker, the Tax Conference Report before us today is the result of the surplus dollars projected to be available over the next ten years. The White House and Republican authors of this bill looked at the Congressional Budget Office report, which predicted that $2.7 trillion would be available over the next ten years, and like a kids in a candy store, their eyes got big like saucers. Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues got so excited about the CBO's guesstimate that they forgot to finish reading the report. CBO was so unsure of its surplus estimate that they felt the need to devote an entire chapter to explaining the uncertainty of their projection. If my Republican colleagues had taken the time to review the entire budget document, they would have read that ``a downturn in the economy, depending on its severity and duration, could greatly diminish or even eliminate surpluses over the next few years.'' This tax bill is a gamble. Locking in a tax cut of the proportion will gamble our ability to provide for a sound fiscal future. Looking at the nation's long-term fiscal health, beyond 2011, reveals massive deficits as we try to deal with the costs of providing for our children's education, defense needs, prescription drug benefits, and the solvency and soundness of the Social Security trust fund. The Comptroller General tells us that deficits will occur ten years from now even if we don't pass this $1.35 trillion tax cut! The Conference Report before us is filled with back-loaded tax cuts. It is a ticking time bomb that is set to explode at precisely the same time that the baby boomers begin to retire. It is in the second 10 years that the true cost of this tax bill will be known--precisely the same time that the bulk of baby boomers are retiring. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the cost of the bill in the second ten years is $4.1 trillion. To accomplish this, the bill delays marriage penalty relief for 5 years and waits until 2011 to repeal the estate tax--hiding the true cost outside of the 10-year budget window. By the authors' own admission, this bill is a floor not a ceiling for additional tax cuts. Other bills the Republican Leadership has indicated will likely be considered include a business tax package to accompany the minimum wage, tax extenders, adjustment in the Alternative Minimum Tax, and various tax incentives for health care and education. In addition, the Conference Report does not take into account the hundreds of billions in interest costs that will have to be paid because passage of this bill will jeopardize our ability to pay down the debt. When the debt and all of the remaining tax bills are added together, the total cost is nearly $3 trillion! That's more than the $2.7 trillion in projected surpluses that are available outside the Social Security and Medicare Trust Funds. Inevitably, the Republican tax bills will collapse under their own weight. The tax plan is deja vu. Twenty years ago, Congress passed a large tax cut that quickly tripled the deficit and quadrupled the national debt. Apparently, my friends on the other side of the aisle seem to have selective recall when it comes to that part of our history. Mr. Speaker, the Tax Reconciliation Conference Report before us today is an irresponsible tax proposal that will be paid out of the pockets of our children. I urge its rejection.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, June 4, Judy Bluestone will be honored with the 2001 Community Service Human Relations Award by the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. This award is given to those individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and leadership, two qualities that are exemplified in Judy's work within her community. Since moving to Milwaukee in 1985, she has exhibited a tireless dedication to numerous worthy causes throughout the area. A mother of two, Judy has always been concerned with the needs of young children. She is on the board of the Betty Brinn Children's Museum as well as Start Smart Milwaukee, a child advocacy organization. Her love for the arts is shared with children through her work with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra. However, Bluestone works with more than children in Milwaukee's artistic community. She is beginning her third term on the Milwaukee Arts Board, and also devotes her time and energy to the Artist Series and Skylight Opera Theater. In 1995 she was appointed co-chair of the United Performing Arts Fund's annual campaign. Judy's tireless effort on behalf of such organizations as the United Way and the National Council of Jewish Women has garnered her a number of awards and distinctions. She is a recipient of Israel's Golda Meir Award and the Metropolitan Milwaukee Civic Alliance Award. In 1999 she was elected president of the Women's Division of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation. Her outstanding contributions to the causes that she holds dear serve as a model for community activism that few of us could live up to. And so it is my great pleasure to join the American Jewish Committee, as well as all those whose lives she has touched, in congratulating 2001 Community Service Human Relations Award winner Judy Bluestone on this richly deserved honor.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, each May, our nation pauses to recognize the enormous contributions that Pacific Islanders and Americans of Asian descent have made to our country. One week of this month long celebration, the week following Mother's Day, is designated as Taiwanese-American Heritage Week. This observance offers us the opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of the Taiwanese-American population throughout the United States, and celebrate its rich and unique cultural heritage. There are currently over 10 million Americans of Asian descent in the United States, 500,000 of whom are Taiwanese Americans. In Wisconsin, our Asian-American population has grown statewide to nearly 89,000, with over 25,000 located in Milwaukee County alone. The Taiwanese-American community in the United States places strong emphasis on the importance of education. Over 40% of its population consists of college graduates, many with advanced degrees. Americans of Taiwanese descent have made significant contributions in all walks of life, including the arts, sciences, and the humanities. In fact, the 1986 winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Dr. Lee Yuan-tse, is a Taiwanese American. The Taiwanese-American community in Milwaukee has also made important contributions to the quality of life in our community. This week, Milwaukee-area residents are being given the opportunity to learn more about the Taiwanese American people, its food, culture and history at the Taiwanese-American Heritage Week festival sponsored by the Taiwanese-American Associations of Milwaukee & Madison, the Taiwanese Student Association of UW-Madison and the Formosan Association for Public Affairs-Wisconsin. I congratulate these organizations for their efforts to share their rich cultural heritage with our community, and extend my best wishes for a rewarding and successful day of festivities. And, as we join in celebrating the traditions and culture of the Taiwanese-American community, let us also remember to cherish the diversity that is America, and the spirit of community that binds us together as a nation.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to salute a man from my district who, at a relatively young age, has become quite the success story. Christopher Schmus, President and Chief Executive Officer of ProDriver Leasing (PDL) Systems, Inc., has been honored by the Small Business Administration as its Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Four years ago, after rising through the ranks of the trucking industry, Chris recognized the un-met need for highly qualified, professional truck drivers and set about to establish a business to fill that void. In 1997, at the age of 23, with only $3,000 in cash, Chris started PDL out of his basement with only three drivers, including himself. The business recruits and trains its drivers, who are then placed with trucking companies who don't have enough drivers of their own, for a day, a week, or longer. The company took off, doing a half-million dollars in business its first year. Since that time, ProDriver's commitment to its customers and its employees has earned it a stellar reputation in the business. Its workforce is now approximately 100 employees, and the company earned almost $4 million in sales in 1999. Locally, PDL has been honored by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce as one of the ``Future 50'' companies the group has identified as major contributors to the economic health of the area. ProDriver was also named by the group as one of the five fastest growing companies in Milwaukee. Now the company is being recognized nationally, by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and they couldn't be more deserving. The hard work and dedication that Christopher Schmus has poured into his business for the last five years has paid off. I'm proud to recognize him today for his remarkable accomplishments and the honor he will receive from the SBA here in Washington. Congratulations to all of ProDriver's staff, and continued success in the future.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to permit veterans to obtain prescription medications from Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals by using prescriptions written by their family doctor. Our nation's veterans are entitled to seek care at VA facilities for illnesses incurred not only during their active duty service but also for post-service conditions. Because the VA recognizes that some veterans have more acute illnesses or injuries, all veterans seeking care are placed in one of seven priority categories, with veterans suffering from severe service-connected disabilities receiving higher priority and immediate attention, and those veterans in generally good health and with income exceeding a certain threshold receiving a lower priority for scheduling of care. Presently, veterans without severe service-connected disabilities and whose income is above the level that makes them eligible for free care may obtain needed medications at VA facilities for the very reasonable cost of $2 per prescription per 30-day supply. However, VA facilities only dispense prescription medications to veterans who have received prescriptions from VA physicians after an outpatient visit. While I have heard from many veterans who would like to take advantage of reduced-cost prescription medications, those who are not severely disabled, poor, or suffering from service-connected ailments are faced with waiting periods for the necessary outpatient visits that stretch from several months to over a year. This places an unnecessary financial burden upon our veterans who may be forced to pay retail prices for prescription drugs in the months before they can get in to see a VA primary care physician. This policy can also impose a health burden, as this extensive wait sometimes discourages veterans from seeking VA medication treatment altogether. My legislation would allow veterans immediate access to prescription medications offered through the VA by allowing our veterans to use prescriptions written by their family physician to receive the VA's reduced-cost prescription drugs. Not only will this facilitate timely access to needed medications, but this bill would reduce the caseload of outpatient visits that health care personnel at VA facilities must cope with daily in the delivery of care to our veterans. The effect of this legislation would be to permit VA facilities to devote more time and resources to assisting those veterans who require inpatient care. I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this important legislation to give our nation's veterans prompt access to the prescription medications that they need and have earned.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, on May 15th, 2001 Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) will celebrate 10 years of providing quality care and opportunities to improve the quality of life for Milwaukee's low-income elderly through the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). During the past 10 years PACE has helped over a thousand vulnerable seniors avoid nursing home placement and maintain their quality of life. PACE is a shining example of excellence in elderly health care. Milwaukee's CCE Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly is the fourth site of its kind in the United States. Milwaukee's PACE site is staffed by an extremely dedicated group who also work to assist elderly care providers around the nation to implement this innovative health care delivery system. Community Care's PACE site provides comprehensive case management and access to a multi-disciplinary team of health care providers that includes primary care physicians; registered nurses; nurse practitioners; personal care workers; rehabilitation and recreational therapists; nutritional services staff and social workers. PACE enables the frail elderly to remain in their homes as a viable alternative to nursing home placement. Many seniors they serve only need assistance with household and personal tasks, along with monitored health-care, to allow them to stay in their neighborhoods and connected to the people and places they love. Because of PACE, over 1,300 Milwaukee County elderly residents have been able to avoid nursing home stays and remain in their communities, serving as role models and inspiration to younger generations. These individuals have been able to participate in community life and serve as living keepers of our city's stories and history. And so it is with great pride that I congratulate the Community Care Organization's Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly on their 10th anniversary, serving Milwaukee County's elderly community.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to take the opportunity to recognize an exceptional group of students from Heritage Christian High School, of West Allis, Wisconsin: Jon Carpenter, Steve Cerny, Cassie Daubner, Caitlin Flood, Brad Jacobi, Brian Krueger, Beth MacKay, Anneka McCallum, Lindsey Mueller, Steve Poelzer, Megan Rudebeck, Jessie Sajdowitz, Libby Smith, and Anni Vosswinkel. After months of study and rigorous competition against other high school teams in Wisconsin, the Heritage Christian group was awarded the honor of representing the state at the national competition of the ``We the People . . . the Citizen and the Constitution'' competition in Washington, D.C. The ``We the people . . . the Citizen and the Constitution'' program was developed specifically to educate young people about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Winners from the respective states travel to Washington to take part in a competition modeled on United States Congress hearings. The hearings consist of oral presentations before a panel of judges, followed by a period of questioning by the simulated congressional committee, in which the students demonstrate their understanding and constitutional knowledge. These students are a credit to their high school and to the state of Wisconsin. I would also like to recognize the group's teacher, Tim Moore, who no doubt played a significant role in the success of this class. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to have the opportunity to commend these students and their teacher on their hard work, enthusiasm, and accomplishment in making it to the nationals I wish them much success in their future studies, and congratulations on their achievement.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, over the next 40 years, the percentage of the U.S. population over 65 will almost double. Unfortunately, at a time when more and more people should be putting money away for their retirement, personal savings are at historically low levels. Twenty years ago, Americans saved at a rate of about 10 percent, but by last year that rate had plummeted to one-tenth of 1 percent. Americans must become more proactive in saving and planning for their retirement, and the bill before us today provides the incentives to do so. Retirement security has often been described as being like a three- legged stool because people depend on three means of savings for their retirement: one is Social Security; one is personal savings; and another one, a very important one, is employer-provided pensions. H.R. 10 makes great strides in strengthening the footing for the last two of those legs. One of the most important adjustments this bill makes will be to increase the current limit on annual individual retirement account contributions from $2,000 to $5,000 per year. IRAs are one of the principal instruments used for savings, and this increase will make them a much more valuable tool in retirement planning. It has been almost 20 years since the retirement cap was raised, so an adjustment today is long overdue. To make sure that the benefits of IRAs continue to keep pace with the times, this bill will adjust the cap annually to reflect the effects of inflation. Regarding employer-provided pensions, the bill allows for faster investing so that workers will become eligible for employer-matching contributions to their pension plans in 3 years rather than the current 5. It also breaks down the barriers between private sector 401(k) plans, nonprofit employer 403(b) plans, and local government 457 plans, allowing workers to roll over funds in their pension plans when they move from one job to another. The bill includes catch-up provisions that allow workers 50 years of age and older to save even more for their retirement needs by allowing them to increase by $5,000 the limits on all employee pension contributions. H.R. 10 also streamlines rules and regulations to make it easier for businesses, particularly small businesses, to offer pension plans by eliminating the user fees imposed by the IRS on businesses when they set up a pension plan. It would also ensure that these higher contributions to the pension plans may be deducted by employers. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will help provide the peace of mind that Americans deserve in their retirement years. I urge my colleagues to support this measure. In closing, let me applaud the efforts of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) and also the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman) and thank them for including the changes in section 415, which increases the pension benefits for working men and women. Again, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, we all agree that violence against a pregnant woman, where harm is brought to not only the mother but also the fetus, is a most heinous offense. These acts of violence are tragic and should be recognized by increased federal penalties for those convicted of violence to a pregnant woman. To accomplish this goal, I will be supporting The Motherhood Protection Act, which creates a new, separate federal criminal offense for harm done to a pregnant woman. This bill provides for a maximum twenty year sentence for injury to a woman's pregnancy. Further, it provides a maximum life sentence for termination of a woman's pregnancy. The underlying Unborn Victims of Violence Act (H.R. 503) and The Motherhood Protection Act achieve the exact same goal and provide identical penalties. The only difference is that H.R. 503 includes a legal definition of when life begins. However, medical experts and knowledgeable scientists are still debating this issue, and I don't believe Congress is in a position to make that determination today. Sadly, this serious issue has been turned into an abortion debate, which it is not. The goal of the sponsors of this legislation is to protect pregnant women and the unborn, and The Motherhood Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Zoe Lofgren, accomplishes this purpose. The Motherhood Protection Act has my full support.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, May 12, 2001, the largest one- day food drive in the country will take place. Letter carriers from across the nation will join together and collect nonperishable food items from their customers and the supplies will be taken to food pantries for distribution. In Milwaukee, last year's food drive benefited the community by providing a total of over 376,000 pounds of donations for more than 100 local food operations. These contributions come at a critical time when donations to food pantries traditionally fall. During the summer months, demand for food to feed school-aged children typically peaks as access to school breakfast and lunch programs is restricted. Students suffer as their parents struggle to provide well-balanced meals. It is because of this that the National Letter Carriers Food Drive is so important to the health of our communities. This project has been made possible by the generous sponsorship and efforts of the National Association of Letter Carriers, U.S. Postal Service, AFL-CIO, United Way of Greater Milwaukee, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Covenant Healthcare, and Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. Mr. Speaker, I am here today to ask that my colleagues lend their support to the letter carriers' food drives in their own hometowns and districts. To my neighbors in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, I ask that they look deep in their hearts and pick up a few extra nonperishable items while doing their weekly shopping. As all food collected remains in the community, these essential donations will benefit those that we work and live with. Together we can make a difference in the fight against food shortage. May 12, 2001, the National Letter Carriers' Food Drive provides a practical step in the march to stamp out hunger.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, April 28, 2001 the Milwaukee community will gather to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of St. Francis Hospital. The blessed Felician Sisters opened the doors to this beautiful new facility in 1956, and with the leadership of its first administrator, Sister Mary Liliose, started to minister quality and compassionate health care to those in need. In the years that have followed, St. Francis Hospital has grown and matured, combining a patient-centered, healing ministry with the latest in advanced technology. Today, the facility offers an array of services, specializing in areas such as laser/laparoscopic surgery, orthopedics, sports medicine and women's health services. In addition, this 260 bed, general acute care hospital is internationally recognized for its outstanding cardiac care programs. Now a St. Francis Hospital Center for Cancer Care is currently being constructed in Franklin, Wisconsin, to provide comprehensive services to cancer patients throughout southeastern Wisconsin. The facility has been designed with input from cancer survivors and will provide a healing environment to attend to the unique medical and spiritual needs of cancer patients and their families. A large part of what makes St. Francis Hospital such a special place is its strong commitment to building a healthier community. From its free health care screenings for seniors to its Angel of Hope Clinic located in a homeless shelter on Milwaukee's south side, the staff of St. Francis consistently serves with great care and compassion. On behalf of all the people whose lives have been touched by the Felician Sisters and the physicians, nurses and support staff at St. Francis Hospital, thank you for 45 years of outstanding care to the community, and God's blessings for many more years of exceptional service to the people of Wisconsin.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce legislation, the Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA), that safeguards consumers' personal privacy by giving them the ability to protect personal information from being bought and sold by third parties. This bill would restore consumer control over personal information by requiring that a third party obtain consent from an individual before making commercial use of that person's Social Security number (SSN). In fact, any non- criminal use not explicitly allowed by law would face this restriction, including the growing commercial use of SSNs as personal identifiers by various businesses. Social Security numbers have become our default identifiers for many businesses, and thereby the key to much of our most personal information. That has to stop. As identity theft and fraud increases, action must be taken to ensure that this personal information remains private. Under my legislation, refusing to sell services or goods to consumers who choose not to furnish their SSN would be illegal under the Federal Trade Commission Act, and businesses would be liable for up to $10,000 in fines per violation for committing unfair or deceptive business practices. Credit bureaus would also be prevented from giving out SSNs without a person's consent. PIPA would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Social Security Act to authorize civil penalties for privacy violations ranging from $25,000 to $500,000. Information on products or services bought by an individual and from where they were purchased--also known as transaction histories--could not be sold or transferred for marketing purposes unless a consumer gives written consent. We take for granted that our personal information is private. Unfortunately, that's not the case. We must take action to guard access to our personal information because it's not a commodity to be bought or sold. We as consumers should have the final say over how that information can be used, not some marketing firm. I first introduced PIPA in the 105th Congress, but this version of the bill is slightly different than last session's because two of the bill's components have been enacted into law. As part of the FY 2000 Transportation Appropriations bill, state DMVs are now prohibited from releasing highly restricted personal information without a person's consent. The law now defines SSNs and photographs as ``highly personal information'' and requires a person's consent for disclosure by DMVs. This is a great start, but there's a lot more to be done. We must curb the rampant use of SSNs as personal identifiers. This bill is an important step toward more complete personal privacy protection. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, remember the old song, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Well, we are about to take a giant step to make that a truism today. People come to the floor today and will say that it is time to eliminate this tax. I ask them, why? It is part of our progressive tax system. Those who are worth the most and make the most pay a little more than the rest of us. The fact remains that the Republicans have manipulated this issue to the point where not only do they change the name of the tax, for there is no death tax, it is an estate tax, but they have also convinced every American that they are going to pay it, and that's false. The fact is 2 percent of the wealthiest Americans ever are subjected to the estate tax. In the State of Wisconsin, in 1998, there were 45,000 deaths, 45,000 deaths. Of all of those estates, 828 paid a tax. If, in fact, our proposal to raise the exemption to $5 million would pass in the State of Wisconsin, only 51 estates would pay this tax. Mr. Speaker, I agree with Bill Gates, Sr. He says, do not do this. There is a reason for this tax. And the reason, and I quote him from Senate testimony when he said, ``Without the estate tax,'' Gates told the Senators, ``there would be an aristocracy of wealth that has nothing to do with merit.'' He argued that ``paying the tax is the price of being a U.S. citizen.'' What do we do with the money? We help people like the students that were just in the gallery get to college with Pell grants. But we are told this year we do not have enough money, we cannot provide a sizable increase. We are told for the seniors we cannot afford a drug benefit, but we can spend in this bill today $200 billion for the wealthiest of the wealthy people in this country. Wealthy people have come forward to us and said, do not do this. This is sheer nonsense. This is not for the working men and women in my district in Milwaukee; this is for the Republican contributors, and it is payback time today, my friends, payback time.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, the previous speaker indicated today we are going to repeal the estate tax. Did everyone hear that? Today we are going to repeal the estate tax. That is not accurate. In fact, the bill before us, Mr. Speaker, is a fraud. It is a fraud on the American public. First of all, we are told, or it is indicated, that it is going to be paid. Only the wealthiest 2 percent in the country ever pay an estate tax. Republicans say this is for the family farm and for the small businesspeople. That is not accurate, either. This bill is for the billionaires. Just last week, Wednesday, the Republicans had a little dinner in town knowing this bill would come up; and at that dinner, Mr. Speaker, they raised $7 million. Who does one think was there? The people who are going to benefit from this so-called bill that repeals the estate tax. Let us look and see what the bill does. Here is the current estate tax. The bill before us takes the rate down to this point, costing $200 billion, and then five Congresses from now and three Republican, or three Presidents, and God forbid Republican Presidents, the rate falls from here to zero. This costs $200 billion for 10 years. This in 1 year costs $90 to $100 billion. Does one think the sitting Congress at that point will be able to take that shock to the Treasury? Clearly not. So what will the Congress do? That Congress will then further extend it; and we are going to see at that point, over the next 10 years, the rate go down some more and then finally in the year 2031 the death tax or the estate tax will maybe be repealed. So my advice to the Bill Gateses of the world and those who think this relief is on the way, do not die until the year 2031. What does our bill do? Our bill raises the exemption immediately to $4 million. How many folks in the gallery are worth more than $4 million? I do not see any hands go up. That is the relief that small business and farmers need today. That relief costs about $40 billion, not $200 billion. So this bill is not for the Ma and Pa business people or the farmers; it is for those who were there at that dinner last Wednesday when my Republican colleagues raised $7 million in one 2- to 3-hour period. That is what this debate is all about, make no mistake about it. Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in tribute to fellow Milwaukeean Stanley Gwiazdowski, the St. Joseph Foundation, Inc. 2001 Pal Joey Award winner. Stan will be honored April 23rd at the annual Pal Joey dinner. Stan is a worthy recipient of the prestigious Pal Joey Award as he has served his country, church, community and family faithfully for many years. He graduated from St. Hyacinth School and South Division High School. Drafted into the Army in 1941, Stan was chosen to attend infantry officers school at Fort Benning, Georgia. Sent overseas for the first time, Stan joined the 34th Infantry Division in Africa. His later Army assignments led him to units in Italy, North Africa and France. Stan received numerous military honors, including the Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Upon his return to the United States, Stan transferred to the Army Reserves. He retired from the Reserves in 1980, after nearly 35 years of military service to his country. In 1946, Stan was sworn in as a City of Milwaukee police officer. He proudly served in all of the southside Milwaukee districts and was promoted to patrol sergeant and desk sergeant positions. He retired in may of 1980. Throughout the years, Stan also found time to serve his community. He is the current secretary of the South Side Business Club, a member of the Milwaukee Society, the St. Josephat Foundation, the secret International Mushroom Pickers Society (IMPS), the Reserve Officers Association and Retired Officers Association. Stan married Rose Kalinowski in 1946. The couple has been blessed with seven children and 12 grandchildren. An avid sheepshead player, Stan is quick with a joke and to volunteer whenever and wherever he may be needed. It is my distinct pleasure to join Stan's many friends and family members to saluting his many years of service to the Milwaukee community and especially the St. Joseph Foundation, Inc. May God continue to bless you and your family, Stan. Sto lat!

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation today that will ensure the fair treatment of all civil servant reservists and guardsmen who are called up for active duty service. The Fairness for Civil Servant Reservists and Guardsmen Act of 2001 will mandate that all federal agencies pay the employee share of Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) premiums if they are on active duty for more than 30 days. Currently, the federal government pays only the government portion of the health premium when a reservist is called to active duty. Because these men and women take leave without pay from their federal jobs, they often find themselves having to pay their portion of the premium from a much smaller salary, which can be a serious strain on their family finances. While reservists and their families are also eligible for military health care during this period, this alternative often constitutes a burden on the families, who may have to travel great distances to get to military health facilities and are forced to develop a new relationship with a different doctor. The men and women of our National Guard and Reserve units perform absolutely essential functions in times of conflict. The soldiers of Milwaukee's 128th Air Refueling Wing and 440th Airlift Wing have answered the call time and time again. Those who also happen to be federal employees should not, on top of everything else, have to worry about how their families will get health care while they're off serving our country. During the Gulf War, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) asked federal agencies to cover both employee and employer costs of FEBHP premiums for those reservists and guardsmen who were on active duty and on leave without pay status. Last year, one of my constituents contacted me asking why this policy had not been extended to all civil service employees on active duty since the war. I then began contacting OPM and the Department of Defense (DoD) requesting that the policy be made permanent. In June 2000 the OPM circulated a memo to agency heads encouraging them to make the policy a formal one. Earlier this month, DoD announced that it will begin covering health care premiums for all of its civil servant reservists or guardsmen who are called to active duty. This bill would require that all federal agencies pay the FEHBP premiums of all their employees who are reservists or guardsmen that are called up for active duty in the future. It would also require federal agencies to reimburse the premiums paid by employees who served on active duty during Kosovo, Bosnia, and the 1998 Iraq operations. Regarding the cost of this legislation, it is a very small price to pay for fairness. For example, the Pentagon estimates that it will only cost $2.3 million to reimburse the 1600 DoD employees who have served in the Balkans and Iraq over the past 10 years. Since the DoD is the largest employer of reservists and Guardsmen, that will be the highest amount any agency has to pay. More importantly, the Pentagon has even said they don't need supplemental appropriations to make the retroactive payments. Future costs will vary depending on the individual contingency operation. I urge all of my colleagues to support this fair and important legislation.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Madam Chairman, I rise today in opposition to the Republican Budget Resolution and to urge my colleagues to support the more sensible Democratic alternative. The Republican Budget Resolution before us calls for a massive $1.62 trillion tax cut. I am troubled by this for a number of reasons. First, the House is already on track to exceed this figure. The Ways and Means Committee has already reported out two bills that cut taxes by almost $1.4 trillion. The Committee has yet to consider the remaining pieces of the President's tax cut plan, most notably the estate tax repeal--which the Wall Street Journal today reported would cost an astonishing $662.2 billion if made effective immediately. This brings the price tag to over $2 trillion without providing funds for making the Research and Development tax credit permanent or allowing non-itemizers to deduct charitable contributions--both of which are included in the President's plan. Secondly, I have serious concerns about pinning such a large tax cut on a budget surplus that may never materialize. Predicting so far into the future is fraught with uncertainties, especially in an economic downturn like we are currently experiencing. Would any reasonable person plan a vacation relying on a weather forecast for year 2009 or 2011? Furthermore, the American people have been told that the tax cuts are necessary to stimulate our economy right now. Well, Madam Chairman, your budget plan totally fails in this regard. Taxes are cut by $5.8 billion this year, or 50 cents per day per taxpayer--hardly a drop in the bucket of a $10 trillion dollar economy. This budget resolution directs that two-thirds of the benefits be withheld for 5 years. An economic stimulus plan has been developed by our colleagues in the other body which calls for an immediate $60 billion tax cut for this year. This plan would achieve the goal of pumping up the economy. Finally, I would like to call attention to a serious flaw contained within the Republican Budget Resolution. This budget diverts $153 billion away from the Medicare Hospital Insurance fund under the guise of a yet-to-be-determined prescription drug benefit. However, this money is being raised to pay hospital costs for current and future beneficiaries--it can't be spent twice. The resolution also earmarks another $240 billion in Medicare HI surpluses to a contingent fund. We cannot allow the Medicare Trust Fund to be used for other purposes because it will dramatically shorten the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund. Our Democratic Budget locks away the current surpluses in both the Medicare and Social Security. Madam Chairman, Congress must be prudent and cautious when developing budgets based on less-than certain surplus estimates. We have the resources to give a responsible tax cut to the American people and the Democratic plan does just that. I urge Members to reject the Republican Budget Resolution and support the Democratic substitute.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I am reintroducing legislation today, entitled the Broken Promises Retiree Health Coverage Act, which would assist our nation's retirees who face the unexpected loss of health care benefits promised by a former employer. Thousands of hard-working retirees have been forced to cope with sudden cancellations and reductions of their health coverage over the past several years. In my hometown of Milwaukee, 750 retirees were left high and dry when the Pabst Brewing Company shut down its operations and cancelled retiree health coverage in 1996. Although they went to court and finally won a nominal prescription drug benefit, the loss of promised health coverage was a serious blow to their financial security. This treatment is not what retirees should get in exchange for many years of loyal service to their employer. More recent events in Milwaukee underscore the pressing need for this legislation. Earlier this month, a bankruptcy court judge's decision left an additional 490 Milwaukee-area retirees plus their spouses and dependents of bankrupt Outboard Marine Corporation without any employer-promised health insurance. Unfortunately, reports indicate that this problem will only get worse. Last year, the number of large firms with 500 or more employees offering health coverage for pre-Medicare-eligible retirees fell from 35 percent to 31 percent. This alarming statistic proves that coverage loss is not an isolated incident, but part of a disturbing national trend. As I reintroduce this measure in the 107th Congress, I renew my commitment to providing meaningful support to the retired workers and their families across the nation who have or will experience the tremendous loss of retiree health coverage. My legislation would establish a safety-net for retirees. First, the bill would require employers to give at least six months notice to retirees about their impending loss of health coverage so retirees may be more prepared to handle the coverage loss, and if possible, seek other insurance options. To ensure the cancellations or reductions are lawful, the U.S. Department of Labor must certify that any changes to retiree health benefits meet the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement. Second, the bill ensures that health care options remain for those retirees over 55 by allowing retirees to either buy into the Medicare program or buy into their former employer's current health coverage plan until they turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare. Lastly, the bill would allow retirees, who did not sign up for Medicare or Medigap when they turned 65 years old, to apply for the programs without late-enrollment penalties. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is critical to the retirement security of all American workers. I urge my colleagues to show their support for retired workers and their families by cosponsoring this bill.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the City of Oak Creek, located in my district, for the outstanding work the city's Water and Sewer Utility has done on the Oak Creek Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project. The city, along with the Milwaukee office of CH2M Hill, Inc., is being honored by the American Consulting Engineers Council at its 2001 Engineering Excellence Awards here in Washington, D.C. tonight. Using Aquifer Storage and Recovery technology pioneered by CH2M Hill, Inc., the Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility will store treated surface water in deep wells in the Sandstone Aquifer, where it will be available in the summer to meet seasonal demands. Use of this technology will allow the utility to cut its annual costs in half. Oak Creek is on the cutting edge, Mr. Speaker. This new well is the first of its kind in the state, and by all accounts it's been a rousing success, and I'm pleased to be able to commend them today for receiving this honor. I'm also very proud to announce that the city's water was recently named the best tasting purified water in the world by the judges at the 11th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Testing Contest. I want to recognize the hard work of all the staff at Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility, especially Dan Duchniak, Assistant Manager of the Utility, and former Manager Don Ashbaugh, who are in Washington tonight to receive the award. Kudos as well to Oak Creek Mayor Dale Richards for his leadership in this project.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, thousands of former servicemen and servicewomen in five states are currently prohibited from receiving state-financed home mortgages. That is why Congressman Herger and I, along with seven of our colleagues, are introducing the Veterans American Dream Homeownership Assistance Act. This legislation is similar to bills we introduced in the 104th, 105th, and 106th Congresses. In order to help veterans own a home, Congress created a program where states could issue tax-exempt bonds in order to raise funds to finance mortgages for owner-occupied residences. Five states-- Wisconsin, Alaska, Oregon, California, and Texas--implemented such a program for their veterans. Under a little-known provision in the 1984 tax bill, Congress limited the veterans eligible for this program to those who began military service before 1977. As a result of the 1984 tax bill, veterans who entered military service after January 1, 1977 are prohibited from receiving a state- financed veterans mortgage. This means veterans who served honorably in Panama, Grenada, or the Gulf War cannot get veterans home mortgages from their state government. Are those who began serving our country after January 1, 1977 any less deserving than those who served before? This arbitrary cutoff was created to raise additional revenue in the 1984 tax bill by limiting the issuance of tax-exempt bonds. When this provision was enacted, post-1976 veterans were a small percentage of all veterans, without much voice to protest this discriminatory change. But, nineteen years later, there are thousands of veterans who have served our nation honorably. Mr. Speaker, as time goes by, this legislation takes on increasing importance. The State of Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs has informed me that if the cap on veterans bonds is not lifted this year, the State will be forced to disband the program because too few veterans are eligible for the program. This legislation would simply eliminate the cutoff that exists under current law. Under our proposal, former servicemen and servicewomen in the five states who served our country beginning before or after January 1, 1977 will be eligible to qualify for a state-financed home mortgage. This legislation does not increase federal discretionary spending by 1 cent. It simply allows the five states that have a mortgage finance program for their veterans to provide mortgages to all veterans regardless of when they served in the military. There is no justification to allow some veterans to qualify for a home mortgage while others cannot. Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to help those veterans who have served after January 1, 1977 to own a home and pass this important legislation into law.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, the question before the House today is not whether or not we should have a tax cut; the question is what size should a tax cut be. This meager little 7-page bill before us has a price tag of almost $1 trillion. Well, that is fine, but I ask my colleagues, is the $1 trillion here today? And the answer is no. That is a 10-year projection. So what we are in essence doing is committing money today that we think and hope and pray will come to Washington in the years 2006, 2009, 2011. How many of my colleagues would plan a vacation based on a 10-year weather forecast? Would they reserve the hotel room? Would they buy the airplane ticket because they were told that on a particular week or day in the year 2009 it is going to be good weather? We would all think that is sheer nonsense. Well, my friends, that is what we are doing today. So the Democrats are saying, let us go slower, and if in the year 2006 the surpluses, the projectors, the crystal ball is right, we will cut taxes again. We did this only 20 years ago. A similar Congress with a Republican President cut taxes. And what happened to the country? We ballooned the national debt from $1 trillion to almost $4 trillion. So what I see happening today is deja vu. We have not paid off the old national debt. In fact, I saw a friend of mine at the airport and he said, Jerry, vote to send my money. I want my money back. And, I said, I am going to do that. But, my friend, what should I do about your national debt, totaling $12,500?

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, today I reintroduce legislation that I believe is vital to the safety of our children as they make their way to and from school. The introduction of this legislation is especially timely as we observe National Child Passenger Safety Week, February 12th-16th. Each day, parents in this country send their children off to school believing their young ones will arrive safely. However, since 1985, close to 1,500 people have died in school bus related accidents. These numbers reveal the need for action to make school buses safer. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Emergency Physicians gave their support and endorsement to identical legislation in the last session of Congress. The basic design of the large yellow school bus has not been changed since 1977. While the design of high-back padded seats known as ``compartmentalization'' provides protection in head-on collisions, it does nothing to secure passengers during rear-end, side-impact and rollover collisions. In these situations, children can be thrown from their seats, into one another or into aisles, blocking quick evacuation. My legislation would require seat belts on school buses by prohibiting the manufacture, sale, delivery, or importation of school buses without seat belts. In addition, the measure would impose civil penalties for those that do not comply. Daily, 23.5 million children are taken to and from schools and school-related activities by roughly 440,000 public school buses. Since these buses travel nearly 4.3 billion miles each year with young people on board, it is imperative that every precaution be taken to ensure their safety. Since I last introduced this legislation, the states of Florida, Louisiana, and California have joined the states of New Jersey and New York to require seat belts on school buses. I commend the action of these states, and I urge my fellow colleagues to support the legislation to help make the trip to and from school safer for all of our nation's school children.

Mr. KLECZKA

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Installment Tax Correction bill. As the author of the first bill introduced in the House of Representatives to reinstate the installment method of accounting for accrual basis taxpayers, I commend the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer) for his efforts on this issue. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is needed to correct a flaw in the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act, which was passed by Congress last year. Although the Ticket to Work bill contained many important provisions, it repealed the installment method of accounting for most accrual basis taxpayers. The bill before us is necessary to fix this repeal. The installment sales method is frequently used in the sale and purchase of a small business where bank financing is unavailable. Under the Ticket to Work Act, small business owners selling a business using the installment sales are required to pay all capital gains taxes on the sale of a business all at once even if the proceeds are to be received in installments over the years. As a result, some small businesses now face lump sum income tax payments that are more than the immediate proceeds of the actual sale. In other words, taxpayers have had to pay taxes on money they will not receive for many years in the future or, in some cases, money that they will never receive due to the buyer defaulting on future payments. The intention behind repealing the installment method of accounting was to crack down on large corporations deferring taxes for extended periods of time. Instead of simply addressing a tax avoidance scheme, the Ticket to Work bill also eliminated a perfectly legitimate method of financing sales transactions for small business owners. Clearly, Congress did not consider the full ramifications of this change in the law. It is estimated that more than 250,000 small businesses may have already been adversely affected by this repeal. Many small business sales that were not finalized when the Ticket to Work bill was enacted on December 17, 1999, have fallen apart and countless others have never occurred before because of the repeal contained in the Ticket to Work bill. Furthermore, those business owners who are looking to purchase additional assets in order to expand their operations will now find it more difficult to find a potential seller. As a result, the value of some small businesses may have been reduced by as much as 20 percent. Mr. Speaker, I believe the broad partisan interest that this bill has attracted underscores the importance of passing this legislation to reinstall and to reinstate the installment method of sales. Mr. Speaker, I guess we can deal in a blame game this morning, but I should point out to the Members that in both Republican tax bills, the massive tax bills that were introduced in the House, both of those bills contained this repeal also. So while some may take to the floor to blame the administration, know full well that the blame should be equally spread on all of us. However, the important thing is that the Congress will correct this inequity today. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on H.R. 3594. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means.