Nick Lampson

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Maury Meyers, who will be receiving the Jay C. Crager Award from the American Heart Association. This award is given to outstanding citizens who have distinguished themselves with unselfish civic responsibility and community service. It is fitting that Maury Meyers is receiving this award because he has dedicated his life to serving his community. Maury meets the description of a leader, he has been involved with every aspect of the community, and taught us as a community to believe in ourselves. Maury has contributed so much to the community of Beaumont and the people who live there. He believes in Beaumont and its residents, and has unfalteringly placed his time and energy into its progression. Maury's first two terms as Mayor, from 1978-1982, changed the face of Beaumont and the character of the community through unparalleled initiatives. Maury returned to the Mayor's office in 1986 and faced a city that was suffering economically and was experiencing problems in the public and private sectors. The problem of economic recovery and the creation of jobs was Maury's top priority upon his return to office, he wanted to invigorate Beaumont and the people who lived there. To address this problem, he created the ``Worlds Largest Economic Development Committee'' when 8,000 residents of all ages and walks of life filled the Beaumont Civic Center to participate in an economic summit. Maury Meyers is a people person, and he took that spirit to the Mayor's office. He believed that everybody had a role and a voice in their community, and during his time in office hundreds of private citizens served on city-appointed advisory committees, neighborhood town-hall meetings and public hearings. An organization known as ``Planning Economic Progress'' was created by Maury and brought labor and management together on issues affecting commercial and industrial growth, as well as community development. The Texas Energy Museum is in Beaumont because of Maury's hard work and perseverance. Competition for the museum between Beaumont and other major cities and Universities was fierce, and conditions made it necessary to organize a strictly private effort. In just a few days, he was able to raise more than $1 million and brought the museum to Beaumont. He also founded the Southeast Texas Inc., a non-profit organization focusing on innovative regional economic development. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to speak on behalf of Mr. Maury Meyers and all of his accomplishments. He is a man that I look to for inspiration as I continue to work for the communities and neighborhoods of Texas. While I can not be with him when he receives his award, I am proud to recognize him on the floor of the House. He is a man who has committed his life not to himself, but to the people of Southeast Texas.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, on November 17, 1999, on rollcall votes 596 and 597, I am recorded as not voting. I am happy to announce that I was present at the birth of my first grandchild, Nicholas William Shanning. Had I been present for votes, I would have voted ``aye'' on rollcall 596 and ``no'' on rollcall vote 597.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today because this Republican Congress is failing American families. The gentleman from Illinois (Speaker Hastert) originally promised that the Republican-controlled Congress would finish work on the budget nearly 2 months ago. Yet, they continue to sit here and waste our time with political stunts. The American people have become used to a Republican Congress that is no longer just a ``do nothing'' Congress, but a ``do the wrong thing'' Congress. Americans deserve a budget; they deserve to have the issues they care about most addressed. There is positive legislation that our constituents are asking us to bring to the House floor. We could be saving Social Security, building new schools, reducing classroom size. We could be increasing the minimum wage so that workers can provide for their families. We could be ensuring patients' rights and putting the care back into health care. Instead, we are mired down in partisan rhetoric and debate. Mr. Speaker, the people of southeast Texas and I have been waiting for over 5 weeks for the Republicans to finish the budget, but we cannot wait much longer. They need to quit stalling and together let us get the people's business done.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, unlike so many of our colleagues who have spoken, I did not know George Brown before I came to Congress. And when I learned that I would have the opportunity to work alongside the late George Brown, who served for 32 years on the Committee on Science, 32\1/2\ years of his 18 terms, I was quite pleased and thrilled, having been a high school science teacher for the time during the 1960s and watching and knowing of what his work consisted. While Congressman Brown served as chairman of the Committee on Science during from 1991 to 1994 and ranking member from 1995 to 1999, he worked diligently to create the institutional framework necessary to bring science and technology into the Federal Government. And from the mid-1960s on, he led an effort to restructure and strengthen the National Science Foundation, moving the agency into much more active roles in engineering, science education, and the development of advanced technologies. I guess I came to Congress expecting more camaraderie and less partisanship than what I have seen so far, but for me it was George Brown who I will remember as the statesman and the consensus builder on the Committee on Science. And in addition to that, he developed legislation that created what later became the President's Office of Science and Technology Policy and pushed for the development of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Technology Assessment. Throughout his impeccable congressional career, George Brown pushed the envelope not only for NASA and the human space exploration program, but also, as we have already heard, for civil rights, the environment, even family farmers throughout the Nation. While I was only able to spend 2\1/2\ years getting to know George, the stories that I have heard continue to make me smile and will keep him in my memory for an awful long time. Chairman George Brown cannot be replaced and he will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Thank you and God bless the family.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if our colleague, the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Coburn), would read the experience of Texas, he would know that his statements about unions and lawyers is false, and he would vote yes on this motion. Not long ago I spoke about a constituent of mine, Regina Cowles, who was diagnosed with breast cancer but was being denied payment of a treatment by her insurance company. Regina ultimately got some of the help that we wanted for her from her insurance company, but it was too little too late. I am sad to report that Regina died last week. Regina and my own daughter, Stephanie, who was also denied coverage until a big fight reversed a decision, brought to mind the problem we have in this country with access to health care. It is one thing to keep costs down, but it cannot be done at the patient's expense. If adoption of this motion is supported, that will ensure in the conference that medical judgments will be made by medical experts. Adoption of this motion to instruct will give people like Regina Cowles and Stephanie Lampson the health care they deserve. It is time for us to put our money where our mouth is and prove to the American people that this Congress can work together to address issues they really care about.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman was just talking about the use of the interest. I wonder if he would reclarify that. He is telling us we can get rid of the interest on our debt, which is almost $4 trillion, and by paying down our debt, that interest payment, that amounts to almost as much as we are paying on defense for our whole Nation, could ultimately be used in the Social Security program and Medicare. Talk about that for a minute, would you, please?

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) for yielding to me. It is nice to be able to rise and join the Speaker and other Members and begin to talk about this particular issue because it affects hundreds of seniors, millions of senior citizens across this country and their families. They are the people that I am hearing about in my own office. It is not just the comments that I get from my own mother and others in my family, my uncles and aunts; but it is the letters that are written there concerning the future of Social Security. Americans from all walks of life recognize that this sacred contract between the public and their government must be addressed and must be addressed now. If it can be done as simply and logically as what the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) has just said, then it does not make sense for us not to pick it up and go forward with it. The people do not want Congress to play games with this matter, with this retirement security that they feel so strongly on. As we look toward the 21st century, we cannot afford to risk losing this opportunity to save Social Security by allowing ourselves to become mired in partisan rhetoric or by failing to use creative approaches to problem solving. It has been said that opportunity knocks but once, and Congress has to answer the door. We owe that to the American people. Nancy Lampson happens to be my mother. She lives in Texas. She is 89 years old and lives by herself. Like millions of other senior citizens, she is worried about the future of Social Security. She, indeed, relies on it. She is afraid that it will not be there for me and my brothers and sisters. She knows what it has done for her. My mother knows that Social Security is not just good for retirement security for her. It is also good for me, her children, her grandchildren, and great grandchildren, including my own grandchild who will be born in just a few weeks. Just as the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) spoke a few minutes ago about his own personal experiences, my mother, who is now 89, faced the task of raising six children when my father died when I was 12 years old. Not an easy task for a family to face, not an easy task for a single mother who had no education to be able to face in this country. Without the assistance of Social Security survivors benefits, our family would not have stayed together. It is difficult to imagine, as the gentleman from North Dakota said, what would happen to those families who do not have that kind of security, that wherewithal. One child goes off to live with one relative, another goes off with another. Perhaps they never see each other again. Perhaps they are not able to grow up in the manner that we all believe so strongly in, as family can support each other in their quest to become productive citizens in this country. Well, many claim that this Congress is claiming, and particularly the Republicans within Congress, claiming their budget does not touch the surplus. But such a claim is a ruse. The leadership of this House continues to use gimmicks and false promises in an attempt to mislead the American public. We need to put aside the surplus for Social Security, not spend it and, in turn, reduce the national debt and the billions of dollars that we are wasting each year on those interest payments that I asked the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) about a minute ago. Winnowing down the national debt will be good for my mother's great grandchildren, my grandchildren. Currently, the United States of America spends nearly as much on interest payments as it does on national defense. If we wisely invest the surplus in Social Security, then we can reduce our interest payments from almost 20 percent of the budget in 1999 to around 2 percent in 2014. It is just 15 years away. Investing in Social Security will not only reduce the debt, but it will also lower interest rates, boost economic growth, and increase the financial security of working families. One does not have to be a Harvard economist to know that this makes good sense for the American people. Well, I am dedicated to ensuring the long-term solvency of Social Security and committed to guaranteeing American families financial security upon retirement and in the event of death or disability. Social Security has kept millions of retired seniors from living in poverty and by providing a guaranteed cash benefit with a lifetime protection against inflation. That amount of money only amounts to $571 for my mother, but it makes a difference in her life. For about two-thirds of the beneficiaries, Social Security provides about half of their annual income. For 30 percent of the beneficiaries, Social Security provides 90 percent of their annual income. Social Security is the only source of income for one in six older Americans. If the Republicans succeed with their budgetary sham, the quality of life of seniors in this country will be put at risk. On behalf of my mother, on behalf of the people of my district in southeast Texas, on behalf of the millions of people across this country that we in Congress represent, I urge all of my colleagues to avoid the trap that is being set by the leaders of this House. Before we do anything else, we must save Social Security. We need to focus on the present and the future by investing the budget surplus in Social Security. Mr. Speaker, I would love to participate more as this dialogue continues. I thank the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) for the leadership that he is showing on this issue.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of a man who is not only a great Galvestonian, but a great American, Mr. George P. Mitchell. On Friday, the City of Galveston will pay tribute to George for his service to the community by naming a street after him. Business took George away from the 9th District, but be came back to make it a better place to live. George Mitchell was born in the Ninth Congressional District, the area of Texas that I have the privilege to represent. Following his graduation from Texas A&M University and his service during World War II, he went to work for a newly formed wildcatting company. In 1959 he was appointed president and guided the progression of the company to its current status as one of the most extensive independent gas and oil producers in the nation and one of the largest real estate developers in the Houston-Galveston region. A man of great vision, George developed a real estate project in the 1960's on a scale never seen in the flourishing Houston area. He created The Woodlands, a 25,000-acre planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. Today, more than 40,000 people reside in The Woodlands and are living George Mitchell's dream. George has made the bulk of his substantial contributions to the Galveston community and the people who live there. He believes in Galveston and its residents, and has unfalteringly placed his time and energy into its progression. As I thank George for his contributions, I also must recognize his wife, Cynthia Mitchell, who was by his side lending strong support and partnership throughout his career. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to speak on behalf of Mr. George Mitchell and all of his accomplishments. He is a man that I look to for inspiration as I continue to work for the communities and neighborhoods of Texas. When I drive down ``Mitchell Avenue'' it will be with great pleasure, as it recognizes a man who has committed his life not to himself, but to others.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, 20 years ago a person of vision saw a way to improve the sight of many residents. With his foresight and dedication the Gulf Coast branch of Prevent Blindness Texas was formed and began its mission. Tonight, the Gulf Coast branch will proudly celebrate its 20th anniversary with a gala event, and on this occasion the founder of the Gulf Coast branch of Prevent Blindness, Dr. Bernard Milstein, will be honored as this year's person of vision. I commend Dr. Milstein on this wonderful honor. Prevent Blindness Texas is the largest voluntary health organization in Texas that takes proactive measures in the prevention of blindness. Over the years Prevent Blindness Texas has provided free vision screening to almost one million Texas preschoolers and screened well over 650,000 adults for blinding glaucoma. The Gulf Coast branch alone screened nearly 2,100 adults and children during the last fiscal year. Nearly 500 Galveston residents were provided free eye exams and glasses from this branch last year, almost doubling the prior year. This organization exists without government funding or United Way funding because of the generosity of people who share in its vision of saving sight. Funds are raised locally and work locally. My heartiest congratulations to Dr. Bernard Milstein and to Prevent Blindness Texas.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to challenge all of my colleagues, Democrats, Republicans, Independent, to pass legislation that would provide all Americans with the health care protections they need and deserve. It concerns me that patients from my district are being denied the health coverage they need to lead productive lives. It seems that I cannot pick up the Beaumont Enterprise or Texas City Sun without reading about someone who was denied care because some insurance company decided that a procedure was not necessary. It has even happened to my own daughter, Stephanie. It is one thing to keep costs down, but it cannot be done at the patient's expense. That is why I support the Bipartisan Consensus Managed Care Improvement Act of 1999. I am confident that this bill will give residents of Hotel Beaumont, a senior citizens community in the heart of my hometown, the right to choose a specialist and see the same doctor throughout treatment. It is time for us to put our money where our mouth is. Let us prove to the American people that this Congress can work together to address issues that they really care about. Let us pass H.R. 2723.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak in support of H.R. 356. This bill was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Condit). It has been favorably reported by the Subcommittee on Space. Basically, the bill would convey a piece of excess property currently owned by NASA to Stanislaus County, California. The property was previously owned by the Navy and then transferred to NASA. NASA currently has no use for the property. This bill does, however, make provision for NASA to retain the right to use the property for aviation activities under terms and conditions mutually acceptable to NASA and to the county. In addition, it should be noted that the conveyance does not relieve the Federal Government of any responsibility for any environmental remediation. This is a straightforward piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to suspend the rules and pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to rise in support of H.R. 2607. As the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Sensenbrenner) has very eloquently stated, this bill addresses a clear need of the U.S. commercial space industry. A central feature of the bill is a 5-year extension of the commercial space launch indemnification authority that has existed in law since 1988. That authority has established a risk-sharing regime between the launch industry and the Federal Government. That indemnification authority has helped to level the international playing field with non- U.S. space launch companies whose governments have provided them with similar risk-sharing arrangements. The provisions have not cost the U.S. taxpayer a single dollar since they went into force a decade ago. The indemnification authority has been renewed once since its initial establishment, and H.R. 2607 would extend that authority for another 5 years. I believe that extension of the indemnification authority is in our Nation's best interests, and I urge Members to vote to suspend the rules and pass the bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, perhaps the best thing to do, to sum up all of this, is let us get past the partisan rhetoric, get down to business, and do our jobs, and maybe then America will respect what we are doing here.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I am here this afternoon to say a few words about why research and technology is important to America. For me, it is a simple story. Technology gives people the tools to live better lives, beginning with the discovery of fire on a winter night somewhere back in history. Technology creates jobs, raises standards of living, and allows people to live longer and fuller lives. My home, in the Ninth District of Texas, has really three prime examples of the power of new technologies to spur growth and create opportunities: petroleum, space, and medicine. In my hometown of Beaumont, in 1901, an era began when oil drillers hit the Lucas Gusher in Spindletop. By the end of that year, Spindletop's production exceeded all the rest of the world combined. The technologies that unfolded in the following decade in the use of automobiles, aircraft, petroleum refining totally changed the shape of our world, making mobility a commonplace rather than a luxury for the wealthy, allowing average Americans to enjoy the personal freedom to travel, to work, to shop, just to have fun, for pleasure. Almost a hundred years later, technology continues to find new uses for our hydrocarbon resources and to make transportation more safe and more compatible with the environment. Beaumont and East Texas still have a major share of America's petroleum refining and petrochemical manufacturing capacity. And what keeps the industry a vigorous source of employment everyone recognizes is research and technological innovation. Energy, oil, and chemicals are increasingly international industries. They have to compete successfully with industries worldwide in the field of efficiency and innovation, and they need to find new ways to minimize their impact on the environment. The road to those goals is paved by research. A few miles southwest of Spindletop is the Johnson Space Center, one of the major centers of America's space program. As the Lucas Gusher celebrated the beginning of the 20th century, the International Space Station, managed by the Johnson Space Center, will mark the beginning of the 21st century. This is the largest space project in the history and a collaboration between the United States, Canada, the member states of the European Space Agency, Japan, Russia, and Brazil to build a laboratory in permanent orbit around the Earth. Where will this step lead us? Space station research and medicine and biomedical technologies will help open the door to new advances in health care, research, and physical sciences and engineering; will enable development of a new generation of materials for optical computing, technologies for increased efficiencies engines, and a host of other advances that we cannot even predict. The Space Station will be advancing knowledge in the basic sciences across the spectrum and providing opportunity for commercial research and development opportunity as well. And on the Space Station we will also be developing a whole spectrum of space technologies that will enable a tremendous expansion of our capabilities for commerce and exploration. The course of human space exploration is not set today, but I believe that humans will over the course of the next century make the trip to Mars if not a routine, then at least a regular, event. America should lead that chapter in the history of humanity. One of the things that we can predict about the 21st century is that our citizens will increasingly find themselves in competition with labor from around the world. This competition does not have to be a zero-sum game where they can get richer by making any neighbor poorer. The 21st century can be a win-win game if advances in research and technology give our workers the knowledge and the tools needed to continue to lead the growth of prosperity in the global economy. It is obvious to me that research is not a luxury. It is a necessity. We have to make the investments necessary to make sure that the economic opportunity made possible by technology-led growth are available to our children's generation and to make sure that we can maintain our standard of living and to improve our stewardship of the environment, to make sure that our longer lives are healthier, richer, and less expensive medically, to manage the continued growth of the world's population, and to open the universe to the continuing epic of human discovery. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I ask that as we proceed through the next few weeks to negotiate our final appropriations decisions for fiscal 2000 that we remember the importance of research and the importance of agencies like NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health to our country's future.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I listened very carefully to Chairman Sensenbrenner's opening remarks during the hearing on this bill a couple of months ago. He stated that ``We must ensure that the Russian government is not facilitating the proliferation of missile technology * * * If the President finds that Russia is contributing to Iran's attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, then the bill prohibits NASA from transferring U.S. tax dollars to the Russian Space Agency and any enterprise under its jurisdiction.'' I can't agree more with the intent of this statement. During Committee markup, I had planned on offering an amendment to this bill that I believe would have clarified and honored the original intent of the bill by changing the nature of Section 6 to one that would have prohibited payments if proliferation was to occur, but wouldn't require advance certification that it hasn't. No one will disagree, I believe, that we should punish cheating, and this amendment would have achieved that goal in a less burdensome manner than the existing provision. However, I decided against offering this amendment. While I still have major concerns that Section 6 will not materially improve the effectiveness of this legislation in discouraging weapons technology transfer to Iran, and will cast a shadow over the greatest example of international cooperation in the peaceful use of space, I will reluctantly support H.R. 1883. That being said, I will diligently work to have the section relating to Space Station removed as soon as possible. I continue to believe that singling out Space Station is not the answer to stopping proliferation--Russian contributions to the International Space Station, a permanently inhabited research facility in space, in fact are not close to the weapons technologies that are of so much concern to us, and we should encourage the Russians to continue on with us in the peaceful exploration of space. In addition, the reporting requirements of Section 6 unnecessarily duplicate other sections of the bill. Section 2 already requires that the President identify every Russian against whom ``credible information'' exists regarding tech transfers to Iran. This is, in fact, a harder test than the requirement for a ``policy'' certification from the President. I support this bill with the hope that my concerns will be addressed by all parties involved, at a later date.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to tell all of my colleagues about a brave 6\1/2\ year-old girl named Keeley Woodruff from Beaumont, Texas. Yesterday, Keeley braved Vagus Nerve Stimulator implant surgery to stop the more than 50 epileptic seizures that she has suffered daily since she was 1\1/2\ years old. Well, this stimulator has proved to be a safe and effective therapy for patients with severe epilepsy, but it has not been approved by the State of Texas for patients under 12 years old. The bottom line is that costs associated with this life-changing procedure often are not covered. Mr. Speaker, thanks to the fast action and cooperation among a University of Texas medical branch physician; the manufacturer, Cyberonics; and Medicaid this procedure was allowed for Keeley. And thankfully her parents, Rob and Christi, informed me that she has only suffered two seizures since the surgery. While Keeley's story has a happy ending, there are many other children who face the same situation, and very soon I will be in contact with Texas and Medicaid officials to see what can be done to approve this device for all children under 12 years old. Mr. Speaker, we as Members of Congress must do all we can to make sure that medical policy keeps pace with medical technology.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to talk about a first that is, in my opinion, long overdue. Early tomorrow morning, shortly after midnight, Lieutenant Colonel Eileen Collins, the first woman in the history of NASA, will command a 5-day Columbia space shuttle mission to launch NASA's most powerful space telescope, the Chandra X- ray Observatory. Lieutenant Collins, who also can boast that she is the first female pilot of a space shuttle, is a good example of how far our space program has come since the first lunar landing 30 years ago tomorrow. In these days of economic progress and budget surpluses, I urge all of my colleagues to support continued funding of the manned space program so that today's little girls can grow up knowing that they may be one of the first to walk on Mars or to conduct research in the international space station right alongside scientists from Italy, Russia, Japan, or wherever else in the world. As a member of the House Committee on Science, and I guess a confirmed space nut, it makes me proud that I represent Johnson Space Center and its efforts to put more women into manned or, perhaps I should say, womaned space program. Lieutenant Colonel Collins, I wish her Godspeed, a most successful mission, and a safe return for her and her crew.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to ask my colleagues to stop lollygagging around and to pass meaningful HMO reform as quickly as possible. Hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries have been dumped by their Medicare HMOs in Texas. Three healthcare plans that I know of, and there could easily be more, have decided not to renew their contracts with the Healthcare Financing Administration. This is why Medicare HMO reform is needed ASAP. Congress needs to step up to the plate and enact legislation that ensures quality healthcare coverage for all our Nation's elderly. We need to make sure that treatment decisions are made by doctors, like my brother, not insurance company bureaucrats. Plus, we need to hold HMOs accountable for healthcare decisions that people or their doctors disagree with. We must keep Medicare HMOs at the forefront of this Congressional agenda.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute and honor the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and its Commissioner, Mrs. Sadako Ogata. Mrs. Ogata as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible for protecting and finding solutions for refugees around the world. I would like to pay tribute to this organization today and to the work it is doing to help refugees around the world, but particularly the Kosovars. Mrs. Ogata's organization is now working with more than 850,000 refugees from Kosovo, most of whom are in Albania and Macedonia, two small countries, who are struggling to aid these refugees despite their own substantial economic problems. UNHCR is the lead UN agency working throughout the countries of the former Yugoslavia. It has been hard pressed to raise the funds and find the staff and management skills, diplomatic support and logistical support needed to handle such an enormous undertaking as the Kosovo refugee emergency. The organization has had its problems. It depends on voluntary contributions to fund its programs and must respond to emergencies by moving staff from other duties to the latest crisis and unfortunately in refugee emergencies, no one is ever sure just how many people will be forced to flee their homelands, or how long they will have to live under difficult conditions. Recently, the UNHCR told donor governments that it still needed $30 million to meet costs for the month of June ($143 million required from March to June 30) and an additional $246 million to continue its operations over the next 6 months. UNHCR as an intergovernmental organization works with governments, other UN and international organizations and private voluntary organizations to aid the refugees. The U.S. has been one of UNHCR's major supporters both politically and financially. One of the important tasks that UNHCR must fulfill is to protect the lives and well being of refugees, particularly those who are vulnerable or at-risk because of physical or mental illness, insecurity, or separation from their families. Despite all the big problems UNHCR faces in Kosovo, it can't forget the needs of individual families, like that of my constituents, the Halili family of San Leon, Texas whose relatives from Macedonia are safe today in Texas. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the tremendous contributions of UNHCR and to its hard working staff and the NGO partners in Albania and Macedonia, and in Washington, who were willing to put in extra hours and deal with lots of paperwork and overcome many obstacles to speed the evacuation and the suffering of the Halili family.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow thousands and thousands of African Americans in Galveston, Texas, the birthplace of Juneteenth, and around the Nation will celebrate this holiday of freedom and justice. President Abraham Lincoln technically ended the right to own human beings in 1863, but most slaves gained their freedom only after Union troops took control of Confederate territory and released them from bondage. It took 2\1/2\ years after the Emancipation Proclamation for the Union Army to reach Texas, the last place where slavery was not only allowed, but also enforced. After Union General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston and announced to the States' 200,000 slaves that they were free, they immediately erupted into jubilant celebration, much like the 4th of July. As we look ahead to the next millennium, I challenge all of us to take this opportunity while we celebrate the rich history of this celebration of freedom to rededicate ourselves to the value of equal opportunity for all Americans, because that is at the heart of Juneteenth and the American ideal.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the gentleman from Missouri's amendment which would delete the language that would prohibit funding military operations, be they offensive or defensive, in Yugoslavia. In the tradition of the home State of the gentleman from Missouri, it is time that the United States show the world and Slobodan Milosevic that we as a Nation of peacekeeping people are committed to ensuring peace in Kosovo by continuing to fund the military operations in this region of the world. Congress must support this important amendment. Now is not the time to blink. To cut off military funding in Yugoslavia during this initial stage of Serb troop withdrawals is not only bad policy for Kosovo but also for America and for the world. Support this amendment. Our Nation must show the world that we follow through on our promises to ensure peace in Kosovo now and for the future.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, again I congratulate the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) on the good work that he has done on this bill because it will make a difference for people like Susan Wilmer, the mother of Jennifer. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to talk about H.R. 1915, Jennifer's Law, which would help parents of missing children bring closure to their nightmare and begin the healing process. As my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lazio) just said, the Committee on the Judiciary is to be commended and he, too, is to be commended for the work that he has done in bringing this bill to the floor of the House of Representatives, and to make sure that we can do everything that we can to correct the shortcomings that exist in present law. Under current law, States are required to report information on missing children to the FBI so that data can be entered into the National Crime Information Center, NCIC, their missing persons file. However, States are not required to report the information to the NCIC's Unidentified Person File whenever they recover an unidentified body. Unfortunately, a logical and complete cross-referencing of the missing person file and the unidentified person file does not currently exist. Every week unidentified bodies of children are found, but the parents of missing children are not contacted to make positive identifications. Not knowing that the body of an unidentified child has been recovered, thousands of parents continue their heart-wrenching search for their missing loved one. Jessica Cane is a young girl who was abducted, we assume abducted, perhaps murdered, we do not know her whereabouts, 3 weeks before her 18th birthday. Today her parents continue to search for her, believe that she is alive, hope that she is alive, and expect that she will return home one day. So with that hope, they travel from city to city, they spend their money, they spend their time, their waking hours hoping that Jessica will return to them. As the chairman and founder of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I see the pain families of missing or abducted children endure firsthand. I can only imagine the agony of GiGi Arnett Harris' family and the agony that they suffered when this Houston, Texas family discovered that GiGi's body had remained unidentified in a morgue for 2 years while they unknowingly continued their search. Well, stories like these would not occur if Jennifer's Law were enacted. This law would correct identification problems by encouraging States to report unidentified people to the NCIC in their jurisdiction in return for Federal grant funds. It is time to bring comfort to families of missing children. It is the very least Congress can do to alleviate their suffering. I urge all of our colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 1915, the Jennifer's Law. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise for 2 reasons: First, to applaud the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) for her efforts to help the U.S. Customs Service battle against child exploitation on the Internet, and second, to support the provisions of her legislation included in H.R. 1838. Child pornography was a worldwide industry that was all but eradicated in the 1980s, but the explosive growth of computer technology via e-mail, chatrooms, and news groups have created a bigger demand for pornographic pictures of our children on the information superhighway. Congress must step up to the plate and take some action to stem the growing tide of child exploitation on the Internet. In February, I introduced a bill to authorize $5 million to appropriate each year for the next 4 fiscal years to fund the Cyber Smuggling Center. Until that bill reaches the floor, I would ask Members' complete support for H.R. 1838, which contains provisions championed by the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson), including the addition of $100,000 for the Cyber Smuggling Center for fiscal year 2000. I urge all of the Members, on this National Missing Children's Day, to support the Customs Service's fight against child pornography on the Internet by voting in favor of H.R. 1833.