Nick Lampson

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to recognize the achievements of six young men who exemplify the Olympic spirit in both physical endurance and strength of character. They are models for their peers and a source of pride for their community, the City of Beaumont in the Ninth Congressional District of Texas. Chris Henry, age 17, has won two outstanding boxer awards. In 1997, Mr. Henry was the Gulf Association Junior Olympic Champion, the Texas State Junior Olympic Champion and the National Junior Olympic Silver medalist. He won the gold medal in the light-heavyweight division of the U.S. 19-and-Under Championships and is automatically placed on the U.S. National team to represent his country in the World Championships in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Quinton Sells, age 14, has won an Outstanding Boxer Award, was Gulf Association Silver Glove Champion, Texas State Silver Glove Champion, Regional Silver Glove Champion and National Silver Glove Champion all in one year, 1998. In addition to his physical prowess, Mr. Sells has been recognized by his peers for his intellect, having been voted Outstanding Student at Martin Luther King Middle School. K'lon Spencer, age 13, has won 9 Outstanding Boxer awards. In 1997, Mr. Spencer was Gulf Association Silver Glove, Golden Glove and Junior Olympic Champion. The next year he was Texas State Silver Glove, Golden Glove and Junior Olympic Champion. That same year he also won the Junior National Golden Glove Championship. Jordan Burton III, age 13, has won two Outstanding Boxer Awards. He was the Gulf Association Silver Glove, Golden Glove and Junior Olympic Champion in 1997. He is the Texas State Silver Glove, Golden Glove and Junior Olympic Champion for 1998. Cymone Kearney, age 12, was Gulf Association Silver Glove Champion, Texas State Silver Glove Champion, Regional Silver Glove Champion and National Silver Glove Champion in 1998. Mr. Kearney is also the Junior National Olympic Champion. Bryant Thomas, age 12, is the Gulf Association Golden Glove, Silver Glove and Junior Olympic Champion of 1998, the Texas State Golden Glove Champion and the runner-up National Silver Glove Champion of the same year. These young men, whom we praise for their individual prowess, are also part of a team. The Beaumont Police Activities League provides a safe, supportive environment in which all young people are encouraged to succeed. The boxing team was started in September 1996. Since then, they have competed in more than 300 bouts with a team record of 176 wins and 142 losses. They are sanctioned by USA Boxing and have won 8 team championships. This gym alone has produced 5 National Champions, a credit to their coaching as much as individual talent. The coaches have volunteered their time and invested themselves wholeheartedly in the program. Coach Lee Wheeler went so far as to trade his Harley-Davidson motorcycle in order to purchase a van to transport the team across the country. I applaud these six young men for their dedication, fortitude and spirit. I thank them for showing us the courage that exists within us all. And I wish them luck in all of their future endeavors both inside and outside the ring.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, I would ask all of our colleagues to join the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) and myself in supporting the Prescription Drug Fairness Act. Let us pass it and maybe we will be able to save those dollars.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, then who is going to pay for that?

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Prescription Drug Fairness Act. I really want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner) for the hard work that he has done on this extremely important piece of legislation. Obviously, we hope it is a success, and a big success, along the way. I say to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Turner), as I was growing up, thinking back to the time that I was in Beaumont as a kid and knowing that I lived probably about a mile or so from the pharmacy that we used, the Highland Avenue Pharmacy, I know the relationship we built with the Masons, who owned and ran that drugstore. I remember that when we were sick, my mother could call them. They would send a prescription to our home in instances when we could not get there, and there were some difficult times in our own family when I was growing up that would prevent us from driving even that mile to pick up a prescription from the pharmacist. I knew if my mother needed to, instead of sending me to a doctor and spending that extra $5 or $10 or whatever she might have had to spend on me or my sisters or brothers, that she could sometimes pick up the phone and call Mr. Mason and ask a question, and get some advice about what we might need to do. There were instances where that relationship saved a significant amount of money. I know that as we face similar problems today with pricing of pharmaceuticals, we are in many instances losing that ability to have that relationship with our neighborhood pharmacist, with the people who provide much more than just an opportunity to retail-sale drugs to the people in the neighborhoods. I absolutely imagine the choices, the difficult choices that a loved one, perhaps my own mother, would have to face, as the gentleman was talking about a minute ago, when they were faced with the choice of buying medicine or buying food. I do not want my mother having to make that kind of a choice. I know that when I went to the White House Conference on Aging as a delegate in 1995, I heard the plea of the 2,500 or so elderly people who were there as designees from all over the United States asking that we keep those programs in place; that Congress, and I was not a Member of Congress then, but that we keep those programs in place that would help them keep their dignity and their independence, so they would be able to continue to live at home and not be a burden either on their children or on society. It is strange to me that we continue to enact, or try to deenact, if you will, so many things that are putting so many of these folks into troubled times, as the gentleman from Texas just spoke of, such as the woman who may not be able to live in her home if she cannot take the full amount of the medicine that the doctor says is necessary to keep her health good for her quality of life as she reaches those golden years, that are longer today than what they used to be, that we are so proud of. But if we cannot enjoy those days, why live them? That is not a question that our seniors need to be asking. They are paying too high a price, in many instances, as elderly folks, and even oftentimes we are, ourselves. Drug companies charge seniors on an average, I think the gentleman said earlier, 103 percent more than they charge their most favored customers. I looked at the chart that the gentleman has there. I have a copy here. I look across to some medicine that I have to take. I have a stomach problem and I take Prilosec. I want to ask the gentleman a question. From what I understand here, if I can buy, as a favored customer, my bottle of Prilosec that I have to buy every month and I pay $58.38 for it, if I go to my pharmacy at home in Texas I have to pay, for this same bottle, $107.97?

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will continue to yield, that is a 90 percent difference. What the gentleman is saying is that for this bottle that I am holding in my left hand I have to pay $58.38, but for the bottle that I am holding in my right hand I have to pay $107.97. That does not make logical sense to me. When I look at the problems that I know that my own mother faces in attempting to face these same decisions, I have a hard time accepting it, not just for her, but for all of the people in this country. Our neighborhood pharmacies may be put out of business because of these pricing practices. That is something that we all have to be concerned about. It will make senior citizens' lives worse, because they will not be able to depend on their neighborhood pharmacies for advice or even personal care. All of these other figures that the gentleman has cited, that the gentleman has put together through his study, are impressive, but they are also absolutely frightening. The Prescription Drug Fairness Act would protect older Americans from this type of discriminatory pricing. The legislation will create a level playing field by allowing retail pharmacies to buy medication used by senior citizens directly from the General Services Administration, the GSA of the Federal Government. Since the General Services Administration is able to purchase prescription medication at much lower prices, at those favored prices, then pharmacists will be able to pass on a significant cost savings to our senior citizens. Again, our senior citizens should not ever have to choose between their health or other necessities. One more time, it is the difference between the price of the bottle that I hold in my right hand or the price of the bottle that I hold in my left hand. I think we need to pass this legislation for the sake of all America. I thank the gentleman. I appreciate the great work he has been doing. I hope to be able to stand by the gentleman and continue to make a success of this bill.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, one of the points that the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) made is we continue to see the direction go like this where it is harder and harder for seniors to meet the demands that they have on the medicines that they need to buy and they make choices and not take all of their medicine or not take the medicine at all, ultimately they will end up probably going back into institutionalized care. The gentleman from California just mentioned a number of things that we are facing right now, balancing our budget, passing appropriations bills we have not yet done. What are we going to have to be doing in the future if we see an increase in the number of people who are going back into institutionalized care, not being able to stay at home and take care of themselves?

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman will yield, it really would make sense if we can cut the costs of seniors particularly who are in greater need of some of these medications than perhaps other citizens of the country are that we would perhaps be able to save money in the long run in our budget. We would have to appropriate fewer dollars in the future because of these cost saving measures that we take today.

Mr. LAMPSON. And help a lot of elderly folks along the way.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you to recognize Jim and Carol Yarbrough, an exceptional couple who share a love for learning. This love for learning has been realized in the form of the College of the Mainland Foundation's Jim and Carol Yarbrough Scholarship Endowment. Carol Annette Urbani Yarbrough met James Daniel Yarbrough in the summer of 1973 at a dance. She was a junior at O'Connell High School, on her way to becoming valedictorian of her class. He was a senior at Ball High School and a star football player, on his way to leading the University of Texas Longhorns to a Southwest Conference football championship. After graduating from O'Connell in 1975 at the head of her class Carol moved on to UT where she majored in math, graduated in a record 3 years and returned to Galveston to start her own business, Yarbrough Financial Services. Jim, as much a competitor off the field as he was on, was named to the All-Southwest Conference football team, completed his B.B.A. degree at UT in 3\1/2\ years and returned to Galveston to launch a successful business career before being elected Galveston County Judge in 1994. Jim was elected to the Galveston Independent School District Board of Trustees and served a 4-year term from 1991-94 during which time a successful bond issue permitted major construction and renovation of GISD facilities. In 1994, he was a successful candidate for the Galveston County Judge, a leadership position he has held since and from which he has earned much praise for his efforts to streamline county government. The Galveston County Daily News and the Boy Scouts of America both honored him in 1996 as their Citizen of the Year. During the past 10 months, Jim and Carol Yarbrough and their family have faced perhaps their greatest challenge with the discovery of Carol's breast cancer. They recognized immediately the value of educating others to the challenge of cancer when they chose to share their story with the people of Galveston County, and, indeed, all of us. Carol now visits all the Galveston County high schools as a volunteer with the ``Check It Out'' program to educate junior and senior girls about breast cancer. Since education has been an important part of Jim and Carol Yarbrough's success, the College of the Mainland Foundation believes a scholarship named for this remarkable couple will help current and future students succeed. Once again, I commend the Yarbroughs for their leadership in my community.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, this morning, I rise to call on my colleagues to join me in praying for our children, teachers, and administrators as a new school year begins. Why is it important that we pray for our children? Well, it is because our kids face so many more risks today than I ever dreamed possible when I was a child going to school, going to public school, or even as a high school teacher. People of all faiths and convictions throughout this country must come together in prayer for the safety of our own children. Tomorrow, I will hold a prayer breakfast and luncheon with students, parents, clergy, and educators to focus our community on the importance of prayer for our children as they prepare to go back to school. I also ask that we pray for our law enforcement officials who are charged with the responsibility of protecting our children. It takes all of us to ensure the continued well-being of our children and their success throughout the new school year. May God bless us all.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, as a father, one of my biggest fears over the years has been discovering perhaps that one of my daughters would be missing. Sadly, last November, one of my constituents was living mine and every parent's nightmare when she frantically called the Texas City Texas Police Department after her ten year old daughter did not arrive home from school. Recently, my district has been stricken with a stream of missing children. This issue has become my highest priority as well as that of the police departments in my area to try to put an end to this. The chief of police for Texas City, Texas, Jerry Purdon, last year visited the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and underwent training on developing a program for responding to a missing child alert. One of the key elements in the department's new program was the actual response time, which they felt had been a key factor in previous failures. In this Texas City case, the department was able to flood the area with both police and informed neighbors to search for any sign of the missing child. Hours went by until a man appeared in the middle of the neighborhood with the missing girl, stating that he had found her under some stairs. She was immediately rushed to the hospital while the man was questioned by the police. Suspicious from the start, they were able to obtain a full confession. This man, who knew the girl, picked her up from school and returned to his home with her and after sexually abusing her he admitted that he intended to kill her and dispose of the body. In his words, he was prevented from carrying out his plan because, quote, every time I looked out my front window I saw a police car and every time I looked out the back, I saw a neighbor who knew what was happening, unquote. Thanks to the quick response and organization of Chief Purdon and his officers, that little girl was returned to her family. I stand here proud of their efforts and would like to applaud each and every one who helped save the little girl. It is with forceful reactions to crimes like this that we hope to end the disappearances of our children and prevent all parents from experiencing this nightmare.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel).

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, why on Earth do we spend money in space? Mr. Chairman, when a young President, John Kennedy, described his vision in 1961 of landing a man on the moon, he encountered also many skeptics. Some said it could not be done. Some said it would cost too much money. But when I watched Neil Armstrong take his first step on to the moon eight years later, I knew the naysayers were wrong, and so did my high school students, who huddled around the television set with me that unforgettable day. I saw the gleam in their eyes that inspired them to become our future engineers and future scientists. So why on earth do we spend money in space? So our kids will have a dream to dream. Space exploration has evolved over the last 30 years to more than just romantic notions of collecting moon rocks and taking pictures of other planets in our solar system. Scientific studies conducted in space have led to thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of practical applications here on earth, as this graph here illustrates. In fact, financing research projects in space is one of the best investments our Nation can make. For each tax dollar we spend in space, we get a $9 return here on earth in new products, in new technologies, in new improvements for millions of people around the world. It would take too long to recount the many advances in agriculture, business and medicine that are a direct result of manned space exploration. Instead, let me tell you about some real people who have already benefitted from the discoveries made in space for the last three decades. Let me start with someone in the district of the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer). Weather satellite storm prediction systems and long-range weather forecasts developed during space missions helped Brent Graybill, the director of the Elkhart County, Indiana, Office of Emergency Management, to warn residents of hazardous flash floods and dangerous tornados before they destroy people's homes and take their lives, a direct result of manned space exploration. And in the hometown of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Camp), Midland, Michigan, the fire chief there, Dan Hargarten, he uses protective clothing made possible due to space research to help protect his crew from harm as they battle destructive fires, and technological advances in breathing apparatus are studied in space and will allow 68 brave Michigan fire fighters, all volunteers, to battle Florida's fire storms without losing their lives, another direct result of manned space exploration. And in the district of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), the ``After Breast Cancer'' support group meets every Monday evening to share their experiences fighting breast cancer. Well, many cancer survivors are living longer, fuller lives, thanks to early detection of cancer cells made possible by CAT scan technology. You guessed it, a direct result of manned space exploration. So why on earth should we spend money in space? Because we owe it to the millions of Americans who could benefit from future medical advances to continue funding, rather than gutting the International Space Station. NASA researchers are making great strides in, for example, neurobiology, that could help my sister, Mary Jo, and countless others who are confined to wheel chairs regain their mobility. Mr. Chairman, there are those who feel that we do not need men and women, as you have heard, in space, and that they could be replaced by robots. Of course, there are also those who say the same thing about Congress. So why on earth do we spend money in space? For the sake of my sister, and your children's children; because every dollar we spend on a space program yields $9 in returns here on earth; and because that young President said, when he stood in Houston, Texas, on September 12, 1962, This country of the United States was not built by those who waited and rested and wished to look behind them. This country was conquered by those who moved forward, and so will space. I urge Members to vote ``no'' on the Roemer amendment.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, on June 25, 1998, on rollcall vote 274, I am recorded as not voting. I was hosting the Vice President in my district on that afternoon. This bill provides for restructuring the management of the Internal Revenue Service by establishing an oversight board to oversee the agency's operations. Along with expanding certain taxpayer rights, the conference report also reduces from 18 months to 12 months the time a taxpayer must hold an investment before being eligible for the 20 percent tax rate on capital gains. Had I been recorded on that vote, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me the time. I also want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) for his leadership on this issue and for allowing me to join him in this effort. When we formed the Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus a year ago, this was the sort of effort I had in mind. There are a number of Members of Congress who have great interest and ideas on these issues that we needed to bring together. Together we promote our cause with a stronger voice. I appreciate that. The trial and resulting conviction of Jesse Timmendequas for the murder of Megan Kanka was harrowing for all Americans. The thought that someone so violent and dangerous could live across the street from any family in America is chilling. In Friendswood, Texas, in my district, we are still looking for the individual who kidnapped and murdered 12-year-old Laura Kate Smither last year. When we do find this individual, there is a strong likelihood that we will find someone who has committed a sexual offense against a child in the past. We can make that assumption based on the research that shows that the typical sex offender molests an average of 117 children. It is a sad reality that community notification is an absolute necessity. Megan's Law was a giant step forward, and today we try to fill in the last few remaining gaps. The model program we have presented is based upon the knowledge we have gained from the individual community notification laws passed in 46 States. I hope that we will have the three-tiered notification system in place across the Nation. The recidivism rate is so great among those who commit sex crimes against children that we must be proactive in our vigilance. We cannot pretend that a sexual offense against a child is an isolated act. Most of the time, it is a pattern of behavior. Families need and deserve our help in keeping their children safe. As we talk about Megan's Law and the Wetterling Act, we are reminded of the victims of these predators. They reaffirm our resolve to do what we can to prevent more tragedies.

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, as chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I want to commend the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum) for his leadership on a fine piece of legislation. I do, however, want to express my very strong concern that my amendment, the Children's Protection from Internet Predators Act of 1998, was not made in order by the Committee on Rules. My amendment would have authorized $2 million annually, until 2002, for the United States Customs Service Child Pornography Enforcement program, the International Child Pornography Investigation and Coordination Center. Currently ICPICC has only six dedicated agents for tracking child porn on the Internet. My amendment would have provided funding for an additional 14 agents. To help combat the problem of child pornography through the Internet, through computer technology, the U.S. Customs Service established the ICPICC in April 1996. ICPICC is staffed by special agents with expertise in both child pornography and computers. There is a need to adequately direct Federal resources toward attacking the problem of child exploitation over the Net. The U.S. Customs Service has long been recognized by law enforcement and the international community for its knowledge and skill in investigating cases of child pornography and child exploitation. Mr. Chairman, it is my understanding that all members of the Committee on Rules expressed support for my amendment, so it should have been made in order, but it was not. My amendment would have strengthened this bill and provided means to track these criminals and more specifically to make arrests. Mr. Chairman, I ask this body, is $2 million too much to spend to protect our children? I am sure Members will agree that this would have been a small price to pay to reduce the exploitation of our children. I have offered my amendment as a freestanding bill, and I urge the leadership to take a strong look at my legislation. I indeed support this good bill by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum).

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I take to the floor today to express the outrage of the good people of southeast Texas, and my own personal outrage, at the actions of the three men in Jasper, Texas who brutally beat, chained, and savagely dragged James Byrd, Jr., an innocent man, behind their pickup truck to his painful death. This brutal attack should serve as a wakeup call to people who sit comfortably in their seats and blatantly say that racism does not exist. The only reason that Mr. Byrd was singled out for attack by these people is because of his race. It is unbelievable that in this day and age hate crimes against people of color are still occurring, yet they do. We must speak out against all hate crimes toward any person and be strong leaders for tolerance in our society. Mr. Speaker, we must take the lead to challenge the good people of this Nation to come together to condemn such heinous acts. I am personally pained by the continued violence and cruelty levied against people who simply want to live in this country in peace. African Americans and people of color have suffered enough in this Nation because of racism and bigotry. We must not sit idly by and allow this evil to take play. Let us join together as a Nation to say that violence and hatred will not be tolerated.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Nadler, Meehan, Berman, Jackson-Lee amendment to this bill. I think this substitute strikes a fair balance and alleviates many of the concerns that I have with H.R. 3150. I applaud all the hard work of those Members who took part in striking this fair compromise. Everyone is troubled with the record number of personal bankruptcy filings that we are seeing in the United States. Last year, 1.4 million Americans filed bankruptcy. Certainly I am committed to the principle of bankruptcy reform. Certainly I believe that we should rid the system of those who deliberately abuse the system. But I do not believe we should do this at the expense of hard-working families, women and children. The substitute gives child support and alimony payments the highest priority under Federal bankruptcy law. We should not force women and children to compete with creditors' attorneys over limited funds in court. I support this amendment because it offers a more flexible approach when evaluating a debtor's ability to repay. It will make it easier for a debtor's actual expenses that are reasonably necessary to be considered, such as child care payments, health care costs, and the costs of taking care of ill parents. This amendment also alleviates the harsh small business provisions found in H.R. 3150 by providing a safety valve for small businesses hit with financial difficulty. Voting for this amendment will protect hard- working Americans from premature small business liquidations. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the Nadler, Meehan, Berman, Jackson-Lee amendment. It strikes a fair balance in attempting to rid the system of those who choose to abuse the bankruptcy system. At the same time, the amendment protects honest, hard-working Americans who are experiencing real financial difficulty.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment to honor a special man, Don Henley. Many of us know Mr. Henley for the numerous hit records that he has produced over the years. He has been recognized countless times for his fine musical achievements. But today I want to honor Don Henley for something far more than the hit music that he has brought to us over the years. I want to recognize him for the wonderful work that he has done with the Walden Woods project and the Thoreau Institute to preserve the area around Walden Pond. These woods served as an inspiration for Henry David Thoreau's great work, ``Walden.'' Don Henley was drawn to Thoreau's writings as a high school student growing up in East Texas. He was troubled when he learned that the Walden Woods were threatened in 1989 by two commercial development projects. Plans were underway for the construction of an office complex 700 yards from Thoreau's cabin site and 139 condominiums less than 2 miles from Walden Pond itself. In 1990, Mr. Henley founded the Walden Woods project, a nonprofit organization focused on the preservation of the land within the Walden Woods ecosystem. The project was able to raise enough money to purchase and to protect 100 acres of the woods, including the two sites slated for development. Don Henley's work continues as the Walden Woods project has combined efforts with the Thoreau Society to form the Thoreau Institute. On June 5, the Institute was formally inaugurated at the same beautiful landscape that captivated the attention and the appreciation of the great author. The Thoreau Institute will work to unite interest in saving the environmental riches of the woods with the study of Thoreau's scholarly writing. The Institute aspires to bring Thoreau's writings to individuals around the world. Last September, Mr. Henley was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Clinton for his extraordinary work to save Walden Pond. The President noted that the award was given to those men and women who keep the American memory alive and infuse the future with new ideas. Mr. Henley has always been committed to the goals of preserving our environment and our natural resources. Through his hard work and his dedication, Don Henley has ensured that the legacy of Walden Pond will continue to be an inspiration for generations to come.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, I am introducing the Children's Protection From Internet Predators Act of 1998 to help combat the exploitation of our children on the Internet. While the Internet is one of the most powerful tools in finding missing children, its vast reach is unfortunately also being used to hurt our children. Child pornography has resurfaced with a vengeance with the advent of computer technology. Now, child predators have a new medium to lure our children away through chat rooms and web pages. Child pornography has flourished on the Internet, with child pornography being traded freely in chat rooms, news groups and private E-mail. During one week in March of this year, the Houston Chronicle reported that U.S. customs agents, who are charged with investigating Internet crimes against children, seized computers from a home and a church, saying the equipment was used to send and receive child pornography through the Internet. Apparently that was not the only seizure of child porn during that week. A man was accused of possessing and distributing pornographic images of children on the Internet. A subsequent search of his home revealed thousands of pornographic images on his computers, including at least 150 illegal pornographic images of children as young as six years of age. Chat rooms on the Internet are being used by predators to lure our children away from their families. We read in the newspapers about tragic incidents. One of a chemical engineer who traveled from Oklahoma to Corpus Christi, planning a sexual rendezvous with a 13-year-old girl he met over the Internet. In Tacoma, Washington, a 36-year-old man was arrested for raping a girl he met and lured over an Internet chat room. Well, today I am introducing the Children's Protection from Internet Predators Act of 1998 in Congress. It will fund the U.S. Customs Service child pornography enforcement program. That program is called the International Child Pornography Investigation and Coordination Center. It is designed to help combat the growing problem of child pornography and child predators on the Internet. Child pornography and incidents of children being lured on the Internet vastly outnumber the people and the resources in the law enforcement community who are trained to handle such crimes. Well, this legislation gives an extra $2 million to law enforcement to track, monitor and stop child exploitation on the Internet. My concern with the lack of funding provided for the U.S. Customs Service child pornography enforcement program is obvious. Ever mindful of the widespread benefits which the Customs Service provides, I am greatly discouraged that the fiscal year 1999 budget does not provide adequate funding for this program. So I urge my colleagues to take this issue seriously, that we fund the $2 million necessary to help protect our children from victimization. Mr. Speaker, I am sure you will agree that this is a small price to pay to reduce the exploitation of our children.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Centennial Anniversary of the City of Port Arthur, Texas and request that the following Proclamation be made a part of the Congressional Record. Proclamation Whereas Arthur E. Stilwell of Rochester, New York founded the City of Port Arthur on the western shoreline of Lake Sabine in 1898, and Whereas the City of Port Arthur has grown and developed into a major center of petrochemical manufacturing, shipping, and offshore oil exploration, and Whereas the City of Port Arthur has been home to such industrial giants of the 20th Century such as Texaco, Inc., the Gulf Oil Company, Chevron Companies, Fina Oil and Chemical Corporation, Clark Manufacturing Corporation, Star Enterprise, Huntsman Corporation, Equistar Corporation, and Whereas the City of Port Arthur has served not only the industrial and consumer needs of the United States and the world, it has also contributed significantly to the defense of the nation in World Wars I and II and other international conflicts by providing men and women as well as ship construction, merchant marine services, and a sea of petroleum products necessary to win those wars, and Whereas the City of Port Arthur has been home to some of the most colorful people of the 20th Century including former Texas Governor Allan Shivers, Oscar award winner Leach Rhodes, former President of the American Medical Association Daniel ``Stormy'' Johnson, NFL Coach Jimmy Johnson, rock icon Janis Joplin, abstract expressionist Robert Rauschenberg, motion picture actress from Hollywood's Golden Era Evelyn Keyes, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Lucian Adams, Texas businessman and Presidential appointee Mach Hannah, rhythm and blues great Ivory Joe Hunter, and hundreds more who have contributed not only to life in this community, but persons whose contributions are recognized not only to life in this community, but persons whose contributions are recognized throughout Texas, the nation and around the world. Now therefore be it resolved that the City of Port Arthur, a progressive community proud of its multi-cultural heritage of 60,000 citizens, is hereby recognized on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warmest congratulations and best wishes to the State of Israel and to her people on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel. In 1948, Israel arose from the ashes of the Holocaust. On May 14, 1948, the people of Israel proclaimed the establishment of the sovereign and independent State of Israel. Over these last 50 years, the American people have formed a profound friendship with the people of Israel, and these bonds of friendship and cooperation have been significant for both our countries, and we give thanks for the miracle of her survival; for the history of Israel and the Jewish people is the story of redemption and freedom of all oppressed peoples everywhere. So, to the people of Israel, I wish them a peaceful, prosperous, and successful future.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, nothing is more heartbreaking than when a young person turns to drugs. Although the use of drugs by American youth began to level off in 1997, drug-use rates are almost twice as high as they were in 1992. Research indicates that young people who avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco before the age of 18 are likely to avoid chemical dependency problems during the remainder of their lives. This is why it is so important that we all pull together to discourage the distribution, sale, and use of illegal drugs by our Nation's youth. The real desire is to stop juvenile drug use before it starts by teaching children about the dangers of drugs and demonstrating strong values and giving them opportunities. That is why I am such a strong believer and supporter in the Department of Education's safe and drug- free school initiative. Through this program, funds are made available to individual school districts to meet their special needs in educating and protecting their students. These funds can pay for additional school security personnel and equipment or increased antidrug education. These funds can also be used to provide supervised after-school activities. The need for these programs is highlighted by the fact that half of all youth crimes are committed during the unsupervised hours between school and dinner time. Positive parental involvement reduces the likelihood of drug use among children. Parents make the biggest difference in children's attitudes and values--bigger than schools, bigger than community groups, bigger than the government. As we all know, most families need two incomes in today's economy. There is no substitute for a strong, involved family in a life of a child. But we can all work together to fill the gap for our working families as we work to protect our children from the dangers of illicit drugs. Our future depends on it.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Madam Speaker, I yield to Mr. Waxman from California.

Mr. LAMPSON

Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Communities that care about their children and families can and do work together to find solutions to tough problems. It is because of the partnership of a community in my district and a community in another county that I come before you today. The Talmud says that he who saves one life saves the world entire. On April 13, nine-year-old Amber from Webster, Texas, was abducted and sexually assaulted. Within 24 hours after her abduction, Amber was found, and the assailant was placed into custody by the Harrison County Deputy Sheriff, Claire Martinez. Today, I would like to commend the Friendswood Police Department and Deputy Martinez for their great work in apprehending the suspect. Within minutes after Amber's mother reported the abduction, the Webster and Friendswood Police Departments quickly organized themselves and responded to the situation. The result is that nine-year-old Amber is still alive. If the Friendswood Police Department had not developed a procedure for dealing with abductions, the result may have been quite different. The response by these agencies is commendable, needs to be a model throughout the Nation. I would ask that Members wear these little blue ribbons today.