Dennis Kucinich

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Cleveland Society of Poles on its 75th Anniversary. This non-profit organization is dedicated to financially assisting groups and individuals training in the arts. Members of the Society consist of business people and professionals in the Cleveland area. The Society is striving to make 1998, its 75th Anniversary year, the best ever. Numerous charitable, civic, and educational groups as well as individuals will benefit from the commitment the Cleveland Society of Poles and its members have made to promoting the arts. In turn, the Cleveland community benefits from the organization's continued support of the arts by seeing its cultural, educational, and economic vitality grow and flourish. My fellow colleagues, please join me in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Cleveland Society of Poles.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the founders of the Society for the Deaf in Fairview Park, Ohio, Florence Toma and Noreen Chambers. Florence and Noreen, both mothers of deaf children, were introduced to each other through various activities in which their children were involved. They became friends and were actively involved, along with other individuals, in establishing the Society for the Deaf. They both served on the Board of the Society until their deaths. They were both strong advocates for the education of deaf individuals. It is fitting that ongoing scholarships to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. are being established which will continue their goal of education. Gallaudet University is the only liberal arts university in the world designed exclusively for the deaf and hard of hearing. Students come from around the world to participate in all aspects of the thriving campus life and the wide range of academic programs. Thanks to Florence Toma and Noreen Chambers and the Society for the Deaf, these scholarships will give deaf individuals the opportunity to receive a quality education at Gallaudet University and experience the cultural, linguistic, and ethnic diversity of its campus community for years to come.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Ernie Anderson, a beloved television personality in the city of Cleveland. During the 1960's, Ghoulardi, a character created by Anderson, hosted Friday night horror movies on Cleveland's Channel 8. The Friday night movie immediately succeeded and regularly drew a larger audience than Johnny Carson and Steve Allen combined. Ghoulardi also became a cult figure in Cleveland by entertaining thousands of people every week. Through mocking grade-Z horror movies and injecting himself onto the screen to shout at characters and join in the action, Ernie Anderson created a legacy of quality entertainment and humor that television personalities still strive to uphold today. Ernie Anderson eventually moved to California, where he gained national recognition as the man with the golden throat. After acting and performing a comedy routine with Tim Conway, Ernie became ABC's network announcer. During his time with ABC, Ernie's credits ranged from ``The Love Boat'' to ``Roots'' and ``The Winds of War.'' Throughout the years, Ernie Anderson's distinctive and trailblazing style of entertainment brought joy and happiness to millions of individuals across the country. My fellow colleagues, please join me in remembering Ernie Anderson.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Anne Doyle of Brecksville, OH. A Cleveland native, Anne successfully managed a family, a career, and several community activities. In 1959, Anne was named Mother of the Year by the Southeast Mothers of Twins Club. She gave birth to twin sons, one of whom had Hodgkin's disease, only 11 months after the birth of her first child. She and her husband, Bertram, welcomed their fourth child when their oldest was starting kindergarten. Juggling an active household with four young children and budgeting her time to include activities such as Cub Scout den mother and singing with the Sweet Adelines prepared Anne for her later career. She served as an administrative assistant of parking and security for Cleveland State University for 9 years. Anne's strong family values, and her exceptional Czechoslovakian recipes, will endure in her three surviving sons, Michael, Kenneth, and William, and her five grandchildren. She will be greatly missed.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, since the passage of NAFTA, NAFTA has contributed to numerous workplace, economic and environmental problems, including an increase in the import of contaminated food, downward pressure on United States wages, employer threats to move to Mexico, and a skyrocketing trade deficit. Fast-track has failed to address any of those problems. First of all, with respect to our trade deficit growth and the loss of jobs, fast- track takes no action on that, no improvement, fails to address it. Second, there is pressure to lower U.S. wages, and there is lowering of wages going on in this country in manufacturing because of NAFTA. Fast-track fails to address that. Third, since NAFTA, we have had employer threats to move to NAFTA partner countries. The fast-track agreement fails to take action on that and fails to address it. Unless we address these critical problems in fast-track, the NAFTA problems will spread like a virus through North America and the world. We need higher standards for our wages, for our workers and for our countries. Stand up for America; defeat fast-track.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I first want to begin by thanking the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] for his leadership and for his help in moving this along. Certainly that could not have been done without his help and with the help of my good friend the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette] with whom we share this project. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette] has made sure that all the things that needed to be done to get this through the legislative process have been accomplished and really deserves a lot of credit for his assistance. I also want to thank my good friend the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Lipinski] for his efforts and for his willingness to be here to help us move this legislation. I appreciate his help in this, and it is gratefully appreciated, the guidance that he has given us as to how we could achieve this moment. The gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Lipinski] and the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette] both know the help that we got from Senator Glenn on this as well. This particular bill will assist and improve airport transportation not only in the city of Cleveland, but throughout this country. It has the strong support of Cleveland's business community, which has worked for years to try to achieve this agreement between Brook Park and Cleveland, which can now be consummated through the approval of this legislation. I appreciate the support, the bipartisan support, which brought us to this moment. I appreciate the support of the Congress on this bill.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, Congress is being asked to give away our national sovereignty in the name of global corporate trade. Fast track legislation furthers the role of the World Trade Organization, an intertribunal of unelected, unaccountable trade experts with the authority to overrule the U.S. Congress, to overrule our national, State, and local laws. The WTO can overrule laws which include job creation legislation, consumer health and safety protections, and environmental protections. The fast track vote is a vote on the preservation of our national sovereignty, our ability to determine our own destiny. Fast track is an assault on our American political traditions and foundations. It establishes the right of the citizenry to have democratically elected officials be able to make the laws here and the standards we live by. Fast track gives the World Trade Organization the right to overrule this Congress. We begin these sessions of Congress with the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and to the country for which it stands. And if we are to remain one Nation, under God, indivisible, we must stand for liberty and justice and we must reject fast track.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Mr. Bertram F. Doyle for his many years of service and countless contributions to his community and his country. Bertram Doyle was born in Cleveland and raised in Euclid, Ohio. After graduating from Shaw High School in East Cleveland, Mr. Doyle enrolled at Cleveland College of Western Reserve University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business. During World War II, the Marines assigned Mr. Doyle the crucial duty of operating the combat telephone. He played an instrumental role in two of the most important battles of the war, Bougainville Island and Iwo Jima. In 1946, Bertram Doyle was discharged from the Marines, having achieved the rank of staff sergeant. Bertram Doyle served his community through his involvement with Democratic politics and his participation in various charitable organizations. Mr. Boyle served as an administrative assistant to both the Ohio Department of Transportation district director and the Ohio auditor, as well as Democratic ward leader in Seven Hills, Ohio. Mr. Doyle also belonged to the Holy Name Society at St. Columbkille Catholic Church and American Legion Breckville Post 196 and volunteered at the Deaconness Hospital. Mr. Doyle leaves behind a wife, three sons and five grandchildren. He will be greatly missed.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Lucretia Stoica, who will receive an honorary lifetime membership in the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Fulbright Association. As a young child, Ms. Stoica moved to Romania, where she grew up and completed her university studies. Following World War II, Lucretia returned to Cleveland and joined the staff of the organization now known as the International Services Center. During her 41 years of service to the International Services Center, Ms. Stoica served as a case worker, deputy director, and executive director, a position she held for 26 years. As part of her professional activities, Ms. Stoica wrote for the Voice of America, defended aliens in immigration and deportation hearings at Ellis Island, and volunteered for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Over the years, Ms. Stoica received numerous civic and professional awards from various organizations, educational institutions, public officials, and nationality groups. In addition, she served on the boards and committees of the Ohio Arts Council, Greater Cleveland Round Table, Cleveland Bicentennial Commission, Zonta International and the Nationality Movement. With great pleasure, I will be present on November 7, 1997, as my friend, Lucretia Stoica, receives this much deserved recognition for her tireless commitment to her community and country. My fellow colleagues, please join me in congratulating Ms. Lucretia Stoica.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, for those who have been following the debate over fast track, I would just like to review a few facts. First of all, fast track is legislation which provides for expedited congressional consideration. It is called fast track because it is a way to force through Congress an up-or-down vote on a major trade package. Those who are interested in the history of this should remember that fast-track authority was first granted by the Congress in 1974. It gave the President the ability to move along trade agreements. In 1994, fast track expired, after the approval of NAFTA and the Uruguay round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, also known as GATT. What is happening now is that the President is asking for renewed fast-track authority and wants to expand NAFTA and the free trade zone to Chile and the other South American countries, and he wants trade agreements with even more countries as well, using the fast-track legislation. We must keep in mind that fast track does not provide for any amendments, so that this Congress has no ability to change the terms of the fast-track agreement and, therefore, to have an impact on American trade policy. The reason why so many of us in Congress are concerned about this issue is this: I would like to look at the effect that NAFTA has had, because we are really talking about expanding NAFTA here, at northeastern Ohio. Now, I am from the State of Ohio, I am in the 10th Congressional District in Ohio, and I represent an area that includes the city of Cleveland and surrounding suburbs. My constituents include auto workers, steel workers, and their families. They are very dependent on the auto industry and the steel industry for jobs. These are people who have fought for this country, who believe in this country, who have given much to this country, who helped to build this country through building the major industries with their labor. Americans secured its freedom through our strategic industrial base of steel, automotive and aerospace, and the people in Cleveland have been an important part of that. But when a report came out a few months ago on NAFTA, it was learned once and for all how the people of Cleveland and how communities like ours across the United States have been adversely affected by NAFTA. We found out that U.S. exports to Mexico have been inconsequential, a little over $1 billion in the 3 years covered by the study, that Mexico was not the consumer market that everyone said it would be. We were promised that there was going to be expanded trade with Mexico. Well, the fact of the matter is, workers in Mexico who are making 90 cents an hour cannot buy cars made in the United States that cost $16,000. The truth is that Mexico has become increasingly an export platform for vehicles sold in the United States. U.S. auto imports from Mexico are more than 10 times the value of U.S. exports to Mexico. And most importantly, the U.S. auto trade deficit has grown since NAFTA by about 400 percent to $14.6 billion, from $3.6 billion. Mr. Speaker, the business of politics is a very complex business, as those of us who have been in politics for a while understand, and even those who have the best of intentions often are not able to get to their goals that they have stated in promises in order to achieve support for their proposals. There were many promises made to secure support for NAFTA years ago, a few short years ago, and those promises moved votes in this House. Those promises caused people to have hope that somehow NAFTA that we are voting on in the next 2 days, an agreement that would expand NAFTA, that NAFTA would benefit the constituencies which we represent. People were promised that NAFTA would create 200,000 new U.S. jobs. All of us remember that promise. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that the United States has lost more than 430,000 jobs due to NAFTA. For example, Kodak will cut 14,000 jobs and shift production to Mexico. The U.S. people were promised that the United States would inspect imported food for pesticides. Well, we know, the truth is that inspections of illegal pesticides on imported food have actually decreased, and we have seen the consequences with the great strawberry scare of a few months ago where school children in a few States were adversely affected by the pesticides which were put on strawberries. Mr. Speaker, NAFTA has not produced benefits for the American people. It has increased the trade deficit; it puts downward pressure on wages, and I am hopeful that within 4 hours NAFTA will be soundly defeated through us defeating fast track and coming back with a plan to make our trade agreements in this country fairer to the American workers and to their families.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, yesterday one of the most important election issues in America was decided in the State of Ohio in favor of working families. Ohio ``Issue 2'' sought to reduce and eliminate many benefits accorded injured workers under the workers compensation system. When people are injured on the job, they have a right to fair compensation, but Issue 2 would have taken away that right. A powerful coalition led by labor and other representatives of injured workers rose up to protect the moral, the economic, and the spiritual rights of people to be able to be fairly compensated when they are injured on the job. The defeat of Issue 2 is a lesson for those who would seek to use the legislative process to deprive workers of their rights. It is also a lesson for those who would defy power which seems omnipotent, who believe that they could overcome the odds, assert their rights and triumph on behalf of working men and women.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Grant Knisely of Bay Village, OH, who will be honored for his attainment of Eagle Scout. The attainment of Eagle Scout is a high and rare honor requiring years of dedication to self-improvement, hard work, and the community. Each Eagle Scout must earn 21 merit badges, 12 of which are required, including badges in: lifesaving; first aid; citizenship in the community; citizenship in the Nation; citizenship in the world; personal management of time and money; family life, environmental science; and camping. In addition to acquiring and proving proficiency in those and other skills, an Eagle scout must hold leadership positions within the troop where he learns to earn the respect and hear the criticism of those he leads. The Eagle Scout must live by the Scouting Law, which holds that he must be: trustworthy, loyal, brave, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean, and reverent. And the Eagle Scout must complete an Eagle Project, which he must plan, finance, and evaluate on his own. It is no wonder that only 2 percent of all boys entering scouting achieve this rank. My fellow colleagues, let us recognize and praise Grant for his achievement.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Matthew Finlay of Bay Village, OH, who will be honored for his attainment of Eagle Scout on November 23, 1997. The attainment of Eagle Scout is a high and rare honor requiring years of dedication to self-improvement, hard work and the community. Each Eagle Scout must earn 21 merit badges, 12 of which are required, including badges in: lifesaving; first aid; citizenship in the community; citizenship in the Nation; citizenship in the world; personal management of time and money; family life; environmental science; and camping. In addition to acquiring and proving proficiency in those and other skills, an Eagle Scout must hold leadership positions within the troop where he learns to earn the respect and hear the criticism of those he leads. The Eagle Scout must live by the Scouting Law, which holds that he must be: trustworthy, loyal, brave, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean, and reverent. And the Eagle Scout must complete an Eagle project, which he must plan, finance, and evaluate on his own. It is no wonder that only 2 percent of all boys entering scouting achieve this rank. My fellow colleagues, let us recognize and praise Matthew for his achievement.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, next Tuesday the people of Ohio will vote against Issue 2 to overturn a number of destructive changes that have been made in the State's workers compensation system. Those who favor Issue 2 argue that these changes are constructive reforms. Nothing could be further from the truth. The real intent of these changes is to block legitimate applicants from receiving the benefits they deserve because they have been hurt on the job. Issue 2 would impose upon applicants a burden of proof that would be almost impossible to meet. It would allow employers to keep their injury, disease and accident reports hidden from the public. It would cut in half the amount of time that claims would remain open for the payment of compensation and medical benefits. If this law had been in effect in 1995 in Ohio, 9 out of 10 persons who received total permanent disability would have been rejected. It is a total fraud to call Issue 2 a reform of Ohio's workers compensation system. It is a takeaway law that tries to convince working people in Ohio to take away rights and benefits they have had for 80 years. Stand up for injured workers. Vote down Issue 2. Issue 2 is opposed by a broad-based coalition of citizens and municipal organizations such as the Parma City Council. I request that this Emergency Resolution from the Parma City Council be entered into the Congressional Record. Resolution No. 306-97 By: Susan M. Straub, Deborah Lime, Sam C. Bonanno, Dean E. Depiero, Roy J. Jech, J. Kevin Kelley, Paul T. Kirner, John R. Stover, Anthony Zielinski. A Resolution opposing Senate bill 45--Workers' Compensation Reform Bill and urging voters to vote ``No'' on Issue 2 on November 4, 1997, and Declaring an Emergency WHEREAS, the Ohio legislature and Governor Voinovich have decided to tap compensation payments to workers injured or diseased on the job; and, WHEREAS, the most severe benefit cuts are: 1) decreasing benefits to those with permanent partial disabilities; 2) denying coverage to workers who contract occupational cancers and other occupational diseases; 3) denying coverage for those who suffer from carpal tunnel or other repetitive motion injuries; 4) decreasing non-working wage loss from 200 weeks to 26 weeks; and, WHEREAS, a coalition of public interest, labor, and injured worker organizations turned in 415,000 signatures on petitions to the secretary of state on July 21, 1997, forcing a referendum on the so-called Workers' Compensation Reform Bill (SB 45) signed by Governor Voinovich in the spring; and, WHEREAS, the signatures mean that for the first time since 1939, Ohioans will be able to go to the polls and VOTE ``NO'' on anti-injured workers legislation;

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Gust Sevastos. On Saturday, November 8, 1997 the Chios Society-Chapter No. 7 will gather to celebrate the 84th anniversary of Chian liberation from the Ottoman Turks. During this celebration, the Chios Society will honor Gust Sevastos, a recent recipient of the Chian Achievement Award. Mr. Sevastos immigrated to Cleveland, in 1958 to live out the American dream. He got married, started a family, and initiated his own business. Mr. Sevastos also began a legacy of distinguished service to the Greek community. Mr. Sevastos became very involved in the Annunciation Church, serving as the president of the church, helping found the Annunciation Greek Heritage Festival and advising a local youth program. In 1987, Bishop Maximos honored Mr. Sevastos with a proclamation for his outstanding service to the church. During the late 1970's, Gust Sevastos joined the Ohio-West Virginia Chapter of the Chios Society. As a member of the Chios Society, Mr. Sevastos held positions of leadership on both a local and national level. He served six terms as president of his local chapter. On a national level, Mr. Sevastos served as supreme vice president and supreme president. As a member of the Chios Society, Mr. Sevastos helped raise more than $250,000 for the eye clinic and Skilitsio hospital in his homeland; he also helped raise money for the underprivileged in Chios. Over the years, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Secretary General of the Greek Government, Senator Howard Metzenbaum, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and the Chios Omogenon Society in Greece have all honored Mr. Sevastos for his distinguished service to the Greek community. I am proud to know Gust Sevastos and to consider him a friend. He is a remarkable individual, and his contributions to his community--and to the Nation--are noteworthy. My fellow colleagues, please join me in congratulating Gust Sevastos. Through many years of hard work, Mr. Sevastos has made immeasurable contributions to the people of Cleveland and the Greek community as a whole.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, Lincoln is often quoted as saying, ``A government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth.'' Well, neither will radioactive waste. If an accident should occur that exposes the public to spent nuclear fuel, the results could be deadly. A person standing one yard away from an unshielded 10-year-old fuel assembly could receive a lethal dose of radiation in less than 3 minutes, and exposure of only 30 seconds would significantly increase the risk of cancer or genetic damage. So the public ought to be fully informed of such risks. The bill sets a standard which allows an annual radiation dose of 100 millirems per average member of the surrounding population, which is 4 times the amount allowed by current regulations for storage facilities. This exposure level is associated with the lifetime risk of one excess cancer death for every 286 exposed individuals. If the population local to the interim dump site is to be exposed to this increased health risk, then they should be protected in every possible way. I say support the Markey amendment.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment to have a cost- benefit analysis. We are embarking on one of the most dramatic changes in nuclear policy that has ever been conducted in the history of the world. There are going to be 15,000 shipments by rail and highway of radioactive waste through 43 States and the District of Columbia. Hundreds of cities are involved across America's heartland. If nuclear waste is privatized as some are proposing, far more of the waste traffic would go by truck. It is estimated there would be 79,300 truck shipments, 12,600 rail shipments. We ought to evaluate this, we ought to look at the cost-benefit as it affects every community in this country.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment. There are a number of assumptions that are being made here in this debate. I recall the remarks of the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Hall] about betting in Las Vegas. We are betting that radioactive waste cannot spill. We are betting that trucks carrying the radioactive waste will not have accidents. We are betting that trains which carry the radioactive waste will not derail. We are betting that the casks which contain the radioactive waste transported will not break, will not come open or leak. But that has a familiar ring. It sounds like the Titanic will not sink. The Hindenburg will not fall out of the sky. Or if my colleagues want a modern reference, that Three Mile Island will never have an accident. Mr. Chairman, I would say, again referring to the remarks of the gentleman from Texas, that we might have better odds of getting out in front of that bus than we may have of there not being any accident. So safety is an issue. Let us keep focused on this safety issue which is implicit in this amendment. The bill would send an estimated 100,000 shipments of high-level radioactive waste through 43 States, passing 50 million people in their communities. At the very least, we need to ensure there are safeguards in place and that means money to train emergency response teams along the transportation routes. And if there is not enough money, appropriate it to ensure that adequate response teams are in place along the waste transportation route. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Energy ought not be prohibited from planning for the transportation of this radioactive waste.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I would like to correct a few misconceptions that I have heard during this debate. First of all, the American people were never asked to build nuclear powerplants. The industry made the decision to go ahead. There was never a vote on it by the American people. The industry decided to build nuclear powerplants. When the nuclear power plants were built, there were no plans by the industry at that time to talk about how the waste would be dealt with. There are myths about the disposal of nuclear waste. First of all, we cannot dispose of nuclear waste. It lasts for thousands and thousands of years, something the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Markey] pointed out. I would like to add that we cannot move it either, because once it is on a site, that site is contaminated. We cannot transport it out of anywhere. Nuclear power sites essentially are scorched Earth. That land will never be used again for anything. Right now there are nearly 109 nuclear dump sites in America. When the waste is moved to Yucca Mountain, there will be 110 contaminated sites, not 109 less. When it will be moved from Yucca Mountain, then there will be 111 contaminated sites. Nuclear power promised power too cheap to meter. It delivered electricity too expensive to use. It promised safe electricity. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl put the lie to that. The nuclear power industry has caused utility rates to go up across this country. In my State of Ohio in the northern part of our State, utility rates are twice as high as they are in the southern part of the State. Everyone in this country who has nuclear power as a source of energy knows why their electric bills are so high. Now the ratepayers are being told that they will pay more under this bill. Utility rates will go up even higher, and why? To bail out an industry that has built plants that have been neither used nor useful. The nuclear power industry has been holding up utility deregulation until they can dump the responsibility for nuclear waste, re: that stranded investment, on to the residential ratepayers and the small businesses and the taxpayers. This bill is the first step. The waste belongs to nuclear power plants. But by law, when this bill is passed, the Department of Energy takes title. And who is the Department of Energy? The taxpayers of the United States of America. It is then the waste belonging to the people, their responsibility. If there is an accident, the taxpayers will end up paying for it. The waste will last for thousands of years. The taxpayers will end up paying to monitor it. The taxpayers will end up having to pay to isolate it from the biosphere. The taxpayers. The taxpayers. The taxpayers will buy a nuclear pig-in-a-poke waste dump and be stuck with the bill for it forever. There is no known technology which can safely isolate the waste from the biosphere. The transportation of waste through populated communities, 50 million Americans will live within a half mile of the nuclear transportation routes, ensures that there will be a significant hazard to major populated areas. The safety issues have not been adequately met in this legislation. There were amendments that were never even able to get out of the Committee on Rules that would have protected major population areas. This bill will, I believe, begin the dawning of new civic activism in the United States from people who are fed up with a nuclear industry which has in some cases ruined our economy because of high electric rates, passed the bill on to the ratepayers, and now wants to stick the American taxpayers with hundreds of billions of dollars of debt.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Gibbons amendment. The commerce clause of the Constitution of the United States is not a vehicle to endanger the rights of States, but to facilitate the rights of the Union respecting the States. There is no respect for the States when we decide to ship millions of tons of nuclear waste through 43 States without giving the States a strong voice in the process. The Governors are ultimately responsible for the safety of populations within the State. Just today the Subcommittee on Government Operations urged that the protection of gulf war veterans, the responsibility for that protection, be taken away from two major Federal departments because those departments were lax in protecting the gulf war veterans who experienced the gulf war syndrome. States ought to take pause when the safety and protection of their population rests solely on one Federal department which must be responsive first to the nuclear industries, and then perhaps to the civilian population. Mr. Chairman, I urge a vote for the Gibbons amendment.

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Chairman, utility bills will go up because of this legislation. Taxes will go up because of this bill. Utility profits and stocks will also go up. Is there a connection? It is an outrage that the American people will pay the price with their health, with higher utility rates and with higher tax dollars to dispose of waste which comes from commercial nuclear reactors. The Gibbons amendment seeks to mitigate this unfair condition by ensuring that there will be enough money in the Nuclear Waste Fund to pay for the safe disposal of high- level nuclear waste generated at commercial nuclear reactors. Let the nuclear utilities pay the bill for the nuclear dump, not the American taxpayers. Mr. Chairman, the utilities exist for us. We do not exist for them. We give them the right to operate in the public interest, and we have the responsibility to protect the American taxpayers. There is a rather notorious nuclear reactor in northeast Ohio called the Perry Nuclear Power Plant. More than 20 years ago I stood on the grounds where Perry was being built to protest this project. It was supposed to have been 2 reactors at a price of $1 billion, and it turned into one reactor at a price of $6 billion. Guess what? The reactor was built on a fault line. Since then the nuclear utility company has gone down into the dumper and the stocks have gone down. It has almost gone bankrupt. But the taxpayers and ratepayers of northeast Ohio have had to suffer the consequences.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, there is an issue in the State of Ohio which I wanted to call to the attention of the Members. The State of Ohio has on the ballot an issue, issue 2, which would severely restrict the right of people to be able to collect once they are injured on the job. I believe that workers have many rights, and one of the rights which workers have is to be able to be fairly compensated when they are injured on the job. Issue 2 in Ohio would really affect that right of injured workers. It would stop women, for example, from being able to be fairly compensated for repetitive motion injuries. It would cut the amount of time that people would be able to apply for benefits. It would cut the amount of time that people would be able to, in effect, file a complaint about an injury they received on the job. In this Congress we are here to protect our constituents. And as someone who is very concerned about workers' rights and about people's rights to be able to be compensated if they are injured on the job, I am voting against issue 2 in Ohio. And I am hoping all those people in Ohio will recognize that they should do the same, to vote ``no.''

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, the State of Ohio killed a plan to establish a radioactive waste dump because people in Ohio recognized the dangers of moving the waste to our State. I rise in opposition to this rule and to this bill which would permit transport of millions of tons of high-level radioactive waste through 43 States and dump it on the good people of Nevada. It is nothing short of a total outrage that the American people will pay the price with their health and their tax dollars to dispose of waste which comes from commercial nuclear reactors. It is a bitter irony to those of us who oppose nuclear waste to be proven right, but now being forced to accept 15,000 shipments of waste through our communities. This bill is fundamentally flawed. The amendments I tried to offer, but were not ruled in order would have at the very least made the shipments safer. In order to protect our densely populated urban areas, I offered an amendment that would prohibit private companies from transporting high level radioactive waste through any community larger than 50,000 unless the waste originated from that community. That amendment was rejected. The public has a right to know what is being trucked through their communities. I offered an amendment that would require a notice to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in each community through which the waste would be transported and that the notice include a complete inventory of the waste to be transported. We have to be certain that people know what is going on with nuclear waste. Yet that amendment was not accepted, so now the people will not know. We have to be certain that the containers which would carry the waste are safe and durable. So I offered an amendment to mandate that all of these containers used in the transport of the waste be physically crash tested prior to any shipments. None of these amendments were deemed suitable for a vote by the House of Representatives. We must be mindful of the health effects which this waste can have on surrounding communities. So I offered an amendment which would have required an epidemiological study of the communities surrounding the waste dump to be conducted every 5 years after the first shipment of radioactive waste and continue every 5 years as long as the dump exists. Keep in mind, the waste will stay radioactive for thousands of years. I also offered an amendment that would have prevented a temporary storage facility from being built until Yucca Mountain is deemed suitable for storage of high level radioactive waste. It seems logical, but none of these amendments were deemed suitable. The important question here today is, Why do we not have an open rule so that the House of Representatives will be able to debate these and other critical issues on the House floor? When the American people find out what is really in this bill, there will be a deafening outcry. It will not be long before we will be hearing across the country a phrase similar to ``hell no, we won't glow,'' as 15,000 shipments of nuclear waste comes rolling through the backyards of the people of the United States. Members, do not let anyone tells us we have no choice but to pass this. There is an alternative. Do not move the waste. The sites where the waste exists will continue to be contaminated for thousands of years. Vote no on the rule; vote no on this bill.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, as a new Member of Congress, I am proud to be part of a class which included Walter Capps of California. He was a man of decency, integrity, and perseverance. His passing is a loss for Lois and the family, and it is a loss for our congressional family. He had an easygoing style and grace, a light which emanated from his smile and his humor. He was a gentleman in the finest sense, gentle. May he go gently into the light. God bless you, Walter.

Mr. KUCINICH

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, there is a national campaign in our country to weaken the social safety net that has protected our citizens for 6 decades. The latest focal point for that campaign is my home State of Ohio. Last spring, the Ohio State legislature passed, and the Governor signed, a very damaging piece of legislation that seriously undermines the workers compensation system. Under the guise of workers compensation reform, this law would make it very difficult for workers to receive compensation for legitimate workplace injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. It makes a number of extreme changes in workers compensation that would block injured workers from receiving medical care and benefits. Working families would suffer so that Ohio employers can save $200 million per year in payments to injured workers. Mr. Speaker, the citizens of Ohio have said enough is enough. More that 400,000 voters signed petitions to place Issue 2 on the November ballot. Issue 2 would protect the rights and benefits of injured workers by overturning this destruction of Ohio's workers compensation system. This is truly a battle of titans. On the one side is a $10 million advertising blitz financed by big business. On the other side is a coalition of injured workers, senior citizens, churches, public interest organizations, and unions. The entire Nation is watching this vote. The rights and benefits of injured workers hang in the balance.