Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Frelinghuysen], a member of our subcommittee. (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Lofgren]. (Ms. LOFGREN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. Hutchinson].

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Whitfield].

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California [Mr. Kim]. (Mr. KIM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Hayes].

Mr. LEWIS of California. If the gentleman would yield further, I must say to my colleague, Mr. Talent, that such a phone call does not surprise this Member. I have had similar calls in my own district which suggested that if work at a Superfund site that is ongoing, it might be in trouble if they do not get the kind of funding that they would expect. This bill provides for over $6 billion of funding for ongoing work at Superfund sites. Those sorts of phone calls do not surprise me. I consider the EPA to be a regulatory agency out of control.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would yield, is he suggesting that EPA staff called his office last night essentially to imply that unless they got all the money they wanted that in some way they would not deal with a cleanup problem at a Superfund site in his district; is that what he is saying?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Access to capital is very fundamental to the success of the kind that the gentleman is talking about. I want all of my colleagues to know that, while the committee did zero CDFI by way of $104 million, that this was in no small part because there is in the bill the President signed yesterday a $50 million pool for this activity that is to be run through the Department of the Treasury. Frankly, I am scratching my head about whether that is the right approach. As we go toward the Senate for a conference, I want to be discussing this in depth with the gentleman and very much appreciate the commitment that all the gentlemen have to this very important work. [[Page H 7931]]

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California [Mr. Pombo].

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Emerson]. (Mr. EMERSON asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Latham]. (Mr. LATHAM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate my colleague from California [Mr. Fazio] raising this question. We did discuss it to some extent yesterday on the floor. There is no question about the need in northern California for advanced services available to the veterans who live in that region. You and I know, serving on the Committee on Appropriations, the difficulties that we face. I am not only pleased with the level of contact and communication I have had from all of your delegation regarding this matter, I certainly look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Hall].

Mr. LEWIS of California. I very much appreciate what the gentlewoman is trying to do. Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I take this time to advise the distinguished subcommittee chairman that I follow up on the colloquy which he just had with the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida. I want to add that we have the exact same problem in Texas and particularly in south Texas, where we are 25 miles away from a VA hospital. Although we have a clinic that is doing its best, the allocations are not favorable because in the wintertime, we have an influx of veterans from the midwestern States. The allocation gives their States the amount but the services are rendered in another State. I would like to apprise the distinguished gentleman of that fact and would hope that he would work with us in trying to arrive at an equitable solution.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield? Mr. de la GARZA. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate my friend, Mr. de la Garza, for bringing his concerns to our attention. There is little doubt that inequitable distribution is a problem that we must work out. In the meantime, shortage of resources results in great pressure, but I think the point the gentleman makes is very important. And the southwest, of course, is of special importance to the gentleman. Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman. I appreciate the work he has done within the constraints of the budget. But nonetheless, somehow we need to arrive at some equitable solution to these problems, and I thank him for his cooperation. amendment offered by mr. fields of louisiana

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve a point of order on the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I was trying to get the Chair's attention, but the Committee was not in order.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am reserving that right. I do not wish to interfere with the gentleman's right to proceed.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker], chairman of the Committee on Science.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the following committees and their subcommittees be permitted to sit today while the House is meeting in the Committee of the Whole House under the 5-minute rule: the Committee on Commerce, the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the Committee on International Relations, the Committee on the Judiciary, and the Committee on National Security.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 2099, and that I be permitted to include tables, charts, and other extraneous material.