Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding. The spirit that is being presented here is very much to be followed by a special order recognizing the service of our colleague, the gentleman from California (George Brown), so that Members would know that. In the meantime, I very much appreciate the communication between both sides this evening.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) very much for his remarks as well as his time. Mr. Speaker, in the years I have served in the Congress, I hold in the highest regard the work that I have done with the Members of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in the House and in the other body as well. But, particularly, I want to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Goss) as well as to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dixon) and their very fine staffs for the conference report they have developed this year. I also want to extend my appreciation for their patience with me as I have gone about learning the work that swirls around the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations this year. I have not been available as nearly as much as I would have liked, but their patience is much appreciated as well as their help. I want to spend a few minutes discussing what I view perhaps is the most important action taken in this conference report. It should come as no surprise to anyone who follows unclassified discussions of our intelligence capabilities that we are at the beginning of building a space-borne imagery intelligence capability that is meant to take us through the next several decades. This capability, usually known as FIA for the term ``future imagery architecture,'' will be an incredible improvement over what we can now do. The satellites promise to deliver many times the data at a much- reduced interval between pictures. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we employ our military. It can also greatly complicate the lives of those terrorists, drug lords, and weapons proliferators who threaten our national security. For this reason, Congress has been supportive of FIA. FIA, to be carried out over the next decade or so, will be the most expensive program in the history of the intelligence community. Over the last 2 years, Congress has imposed spending caps on the program to make sure its costs will not overwhelm the limited money that is available for our intelligence work. Despite this imposition of those spending caps, there remain severe problems with FIA. We on the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence are gravely concerned that the program as currently planned has the potential of being the biggest white elephant in U.S. intelligence history. Now, why would I suggest that? Well, why? Because there is, effectively, no money budgeted now to task the satellites, process the digital data they collect, exploit the information coming from the data, and then disseminate the information to the national policymaker, the President perhaps, the analysts, or the military unit that needs the information. The best that we can do is hope, in the current circumstances. Let me say that, for 4 years, Congress has warned that the intelligence and the defense communities must keep up to the need to fund the activities to step up to that need to fund these activities to make the system useful. The tasking, the processing, exploitation and dissemination, what we call TPED, has got to have that fundamental support. We have been told do not worry, we will take care of it. All the while, we get candid comments from the executive branch that, in reality, there is no plan to fund TPED and not even an understanding of how we ought to go about it. In this bill, Congress has told the administration enough is enough. We have said that, unless there is a plan implemented that will process the satellite data that FIA will collect, we will not buy the satellite system as currently proposed. In English, it does not do any good to take pictures that no one will ever see. We are hopeful the administration will step up to the challenge, that the military services who are to be the principal beneficiaries will step up and help pay for the bill, and that the intelligence community will also help by finding priorities that it, too, can set aside for a while. If not, they must next year join with us to rethink this hugely expensive program so as to downsize it and somehow find other savings in its development that will allow us to fund the TPED functions without which FIA will be worthless. This has been a difficult matter, and I am proud of how the members of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligences have dealt with this head on. We are all advocates of a strong intelligence community, but such advocacy must be guided by good sense, good judgment, and a jealous protection of taxpayers' dollars. It is time to pay the bill for taking the intelligence community into the new millennium.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to recognize the remarkable career of Jim Cox, who came to Victorville, California in 1967 as an administrative assistant, became city manager in 1969 and guided the city in that position for 30 years until his recent retirement. Jim Cox began his public service--and his time in California--when he joined the Navy at 17 and moved to San Diego to be a medic. He first joined city government as an intern in La Mesa, California, while attending San Diego State College. After serving as assistant city manager of Indio for two years, he went to work in the Mojave Desert hub of Victorville--population 11,290. He quickly took on increasing responsibility, going from administrative assistant in charge of finance and personnel, to Director of Planning, Assistant City Manager, and finally City Manager in December 1969. The city budget that year was $750,000. His final budget, submitted this year, was for $72 million, for a city with a population of 63,478. As one of the longest-serving managers in California, Jim Cox provided a stabilizing influence not only for his rapidly growing city, but also for the entire Victor Valley, whose population has grown ten- fold in the past 30 years. He was instrumental in helping the region weather the closure of George Air Force Base in 1988, and its economic revival over the past 10 years. Adding to his extensive public service credentials, Cox is a California Redevelopment Association director and on the Revenue and Taxation Committee for the League of California Cities. He is chairman for the Victor Valley Transit Board of Directors and served on the County Formation Review Committee. He is an instructor with a lifetime teaching credential at California State University, San Bernardino and at Victor Valley Community College. His community activities include the Victorville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Rotary International. Mr. Speaker, Jim Cox has been justifiably credited with helping Victorville and the Victor Valley grow from a desert hamlet to a vital, successful city in one of the fastest-growing areas of California. Please join me in congratulating him on his years of public service, and wishing him well in his future endeavors.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the retirement of my very good friend, Alexander Zane. Al has had a distinguished career spanning twenty-five years and thirteen diverse career assignments with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). I am proud to say that one of those assignments was in my congressional office where Al worked with the same dedication and professionalism for which he is well known and respected. Al Zane came to my office in July, 1995 when I took the helm of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development (VA-HUD). As a seasoned professional, Al dove right in to investigating allegations of fraud at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which was no easy task. He served on my staff until February, 1997 and made contributions that are now being felt in communities across the United States. In addition to his professionalism, Al's ready smile, easy laugh and sincere friendship endeared him to my staff and made him a pleasure to work with. Truly, my staff and I were all sorry when Al's detail to our office was concluded. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing my gratitude to Alexander Zane for his dedicated service and wishing he, his wife, Mary, and family the very best in the years to come.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the comments of my colleague and helpmate on the Subcommittee on Defense. The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) is a great American, and I appreciate his help and his work. I would like to spend just a moment addressing a couple other areas relative to this debate before going back to defense. For, as I listened to other people earlier, Mr. Speaker, I could not help but think of that old line that there are darn liars and statisticians. That line very much applies to a lot of the debate that has taken place here today. Let me speak a moment about the whole ruckus swirling around the Social Security Trust Fund. That is very, very disconcerting to me. But I start by saying that one of the great things that have happened in this year is that the majority in Congress, and I know the Republicans as well as Democrats, are concerned about that trust fund. But to hear the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), my ranking member, talking about a set of statistics that suggest that one way or the other the bills that are passing here will be signed into law perhaps have already gone into the trust fund by $17 billion, and then another set of statisticians who reflect the administration's view of the way dollars worked, suggest we have not really gone into the trust fund yet. The point is really not that. It is that there is a new call to set aside the Social Security Trust Fund and to protect it. That, in view of the history of the Congress, the old majority, the business as usual majority, using it constantly to build more and more spending programs around the Federal Government, that is the point that needs to be made and remembered. One of the items that was discussed earlier today related to education funding within this bill, Labor-HHS, that portion of it, suggesting that one way or another we are of great disservice to Federal education efforts. Indeed, the proposal of the committee was $375 million above the President's request. A 1 percent across-the-board would bring it down to the President's request. That is $30 billion in total; more money at a Federal level than throughout history for Federal money for education. We all know that most education dollars are raised and spent at the local level and the responsibility of the States and local school districts. My last point takes me to the comments of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha). I could not agree with him more. We produced an excellent bill this year. An across-the-board cut is not the way to deal with our bill, in my view. And, indeed, to reduce that effort is not helpful to our national defense purposes. But having said that, the Congress has exercised itself by way of across-the-board cuts before. I remember a discussion with my friend, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), talking about his favorite programs around here in the Labor-HHS bill, this very bill. And I asked him how he could possibly stand aside for an across-the-board cut in Labor-HHS. Really, our discussion came to the point that at the crunch time, when there are Democrats and Republicans, and there are these two bodies, as well as the administration, sometimes that is the only way to get to the final straw. Well, my colleagues, we are at the final straw at this moment. It is time for us to come together and support this measure and get our work done.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the chairman yielding. Mr. Speaker, I did not intend to speak during this discussion on the bill that is before us, but the comments made by the last speaker are of concern to me as well, for in those comments he presumed in the next bill there may be some across-the-board cut that could affect the bill we have recently had the President sign, the bill funding national defense. Indeed, it is conceivable that if the House does adopt and there is signed into law an across-the-board provision that affects all accounts, that defense could be affected, and that does concern me a lot. But I must tell you, Mr. Speaker, it concerns me most because of the condition we find our national services in today. There is little doubt that the bill the President signed is a breath of fresh air in terms of returning to recognizing the priority needed for national defense. But indeed the reason we need to be concerned is because of the actions of past Congresses. Since I have been in the Congress, we have reduced our annual expenditures for national expense in amounts of almost $150 billion. If indeed we have had a problem funding our personnel, keeping our forces and numbers and strength that is required, it is because of that past history of a lack of support of the former majority of our national defense systems. I am very concerned about the discussion that is going forward. But, in the meantime, I think the public should understand what this discussion is actually all about as it relates to national defense.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding Naval Officer, Captain Richard L. Rodgers, who has served with distinction for the past two years for the Secretary of the Navy as the Head of Appropriations Matters Office under the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller.) It is a privilege for me to recognize his many outstanding achievements in this capacity and commend him for a career of superb service that he has provided to the Department of the Navy, the Congress, and our great Nation as a whole. During his tenure as Head, Appropriations Matters Office, which began in April of 1997, Captain Rodgers has provided members of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as our professional and personal staffs with timely and accurate support regarding Department of Navy plans, programs and budget decisions. His valuable contributions have enabled the Committee and the Department of the Navy to strengthen their close working relationship and to ensure the most modern, well- trained and well-equipped naval forces are attained for the defense of our great nation. Mr. Chairman, Richard Rodgers and his wife, Jackie, have made many sacrifices during his career, and as they embark on the next great adventure beyond their beloved Navy, I call upon my colleagues to wish him every success and to thank him for his long, distinguished and ever-faithful service to God, country and the Navy.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. Having the majority leader rise and recognize the long service to this House of Walter Kennedy is most appreciated. On both sides of the aisle we have people who are working professionals who are willing to give a hand and meet challenges when crises occur, and for years and years around here Walter was one of those people giving advice and counsel, especially to newer Members as we came along. His passing this weekend is a great sadness for his family, I know, but also for all of us who respect him for his work.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding. Let me say this: the questions that he is raising in his statement are very legitimate questions, and I must say that the gentleman has been more than professional in his dealings with me. I, too, feel that we need to work very hard to make sure that we eliminate conflicts between the authorizing process where they may exist and the appropriations process. In this case, I guess the gentleman and I working together would probably agree regarding most of the projects that may have been authorized. Sometimes elements at a different level than that of the gentleman and mine and the House get involved between us. So, in connection with that, let me say to the gentleman that I commit to him that he and I will work very closely to try to eliminate this kind of problem in the future dealing with our leadership and otherwise. And with that, while the gentleman is expressing very well his concern about this matter, recognizing the broad base of values in this bill, I would hope in the final analysis even with this protest I would have the vote of this gentleman.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. LEWIS of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks, and include extraneous material.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, a very brief comment in closing. I would be remiss if I did not just take a moment to express my deep appreciation to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) who is not just a pro at this business but who has been a great leader on behalf of national defense for a long, long time. Within our subcommittee, he has been the driving force that has allowed us to create an environment that is literally nonpartisan as it relates to national defense. No bill is more important to the national government, to America and indeed to the world than this one. The gentleman from Pennsylvania has played a key role in making this year's effort such a success. Beyond that, I would also like to express my appreciation to Greg Dahlberg, his fine staff assistant who has worked so closely with us this year, Kevin Roper, my staff director, and I must say my own personal staff as well as our Appropriations Committee staff. Mr. Speaker, I do not know where or how we find such fabulous young people who are willing to work endless hours, endless days. They do not know weekends. They have done a fantastic job this year to create an extraordinary bill. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13OC99.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13OC99.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13OC99.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH13OC99.004

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of our full committee.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hefley).

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 326, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2561) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I first rise to ask the membership for their support for this very important bill. It involves the national defense of our country. In doing so, Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my personal appreciation to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have been, not just cooperative, but who have been truly professional in the best possible sense in presenting their viewpoints regarding a number of items that are very important, which we will consider as we go forward with this debate today. In particular, I would like to express my appreciation to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), the chairman of the full committee. He has been essentially my trainer since I assumed this job, for he chaired the committee before I did. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young) is not just a great leader of the full Committee on Appropriations, but, for his entire career, he has provided the kind of leadership that has allowed us to make certain that America is the strongest country in the world, as we play a role in leadership for peace in that world. Mr. Speaker, speaking just for a moment about the bill, this legislation does provide for $267.7 billion in discretionary spending authority for fiscal year 2000. It meets all budget authority and outlay limits set in the subcommittee's 302(b) allocation. This bill provides for $17.3 billion more than was appropriated in fiscal year 1999 and is $4.5 billion above the administration's 2000 budget request. Let me take just a moment to outline some of the highlights of the bill. This legislation provides $73.9 billion to meet the most critical personnel needs of our military. One of our top priorities has been to improve the training, benefits, and quality of life, to ensure that the armed services retain their most valuable asset, that asset being the men and women who serve the country in uniform. There are essentially 2.25 million men and women serving in the Armed Forces, the reserves, and the National Guard. These personnel, as well as our colleagues, will be pleased to know that this bill fully funds the 4.8 percent pay raise that we have discussed previously. Mr. Speaker, with those brief comments outlining the highlights of the bill, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to call your attention to an unprecedented accomplishment by Capt. Sandra Redding, who on Nov. 1 will become the first woman to serve as assistant chief of the California Highway Patrol. A graduate of San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino, Capt. Redding has risen quickly through the ranks of the CHP to her present position as commander for the San Bernardino area, where she has served since 1996. Although she originally attended California State College, San Bernardino, with the goal of becoming a teacher, Capt. Redding developed a love of law enforcement and joined the San Bernardino Police Department in 1977. That same year, she was appointed to the CHP academy, and in 1978 joined that renowned law enforcement agency. Serving throughout Southern California, Capt. Redding was promoted sergeant in 1983--the second woman to reach that position in the CHP. She became the second woman promoted to lieutenant in 1987, and was the third woman appointed as captain in 1996. When she moves up to her new post as assistant chief, Capt. Redding will move to CHP headquarters in Sacramento to oversee programs in the Personnel and Training Division. She will be joined there by her husband, Jarrell, who is retiring after 27 years in the CHP, and stepdaughters Jessica and Jacqueline. But the Inland Empire will keep a claim on her through her proud parents, Joseph and Betty Hayes, who live in Highland. Mr. Speaker, we can all be proud of the accomplishments of this product of San Bernardino schools. I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating her and wishing her well in her new assignment.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the managers on the part of the House may have until midnight, Friday, October 8, 1999, to file the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2561) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to recognize Bob Reed, who over the past 25 years has become a local institution as the ``chairman of the bar'' at one of the most pleasant eating establishments on Capitol Hill, the Monocle. Nearly a generation of Members of Congress and others who toil on the Hill have found refuge in Bob's company. He is that rarest of personalities in this town: strictly nonpartisan and unopinionated, a sympathetic ear for anyone, regardless of their politics or philosophy. For 25 years, he has always met his guests on a positive note--even during those times when there wasn't much to be positive about. Bob was raised in West Virginia and enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He has resided in Washington since 1951. Since joining the Monocle in September 1974, he has been a friend to me and many other Members of Congress from both parties. Mr. Speaker, I'm sure you and my colleagues will join me in congratulating Bob Reed on his career milestone, and thank him for providing a quiet harbor from turbulent political seas.