Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention today the selfless volunteers of the Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of the Inland Empire, who give emotional help and support to the families of hundreds of children who are fighting cancer at the Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. During the month of September, which is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the foundation is celebrating its 18th anniversary of working to ensure that these families do not feel isolated, frustrated, and fearful while trying to cope with the potentially devastating battle against this disease. The Candlelighters maintain a two-bedroom house near the medical center so parents can be near their child, and provide canned food and laundry services. Among their other services, the foundation keeps a Toy Closet stocked for children who have to have special treatment at an outpatient clinic. The highlight of the year for the Candlelighters and the children they serve is a Christmas celebration, which annually attracts 600 people and hands out more than 400 gifts for kids. A summer picnic gives these children a chance to play games and take train rides, as well. Mr. Speaker, all of these services, and many others, are provided through donations and by volunteers. Please join me in heartfelt appreciation for these hard-working individuals during Child Cancer Awareness month.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Redlands Foothill Groves citrus cooperative, which for the past 75 years has been packing the very best navel oranges in downtown Redlands and sending them throughout the world. Chroniclers of California history have suggested that the lush orange groves of the Inland Empire were as important to the growth of the Golden State as the gold rush itself. From the time that the first navel oranges were successfully grown in towns like Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland and East Highlands, California became known as the producer of the very best fruit. The groves that once covered 49,000 acres of San Bernardino County have dwindled to just over 5,000, but the fruit produced by the members of the Redlands Foothill Groves is still considered some of the best in the world. Much of the crop that is packed here is shipped overseas, where it commands a premium price as a delicacy. The packinghouse is one of only two remaining of the 33 that once were the economic heart of Redlands. Redlands Foothill Groves has harvested 57,257,959 field boxes of citrus since it was founded on Sept. 15, 1924. The fruit is marketed today through Sunkist Growers, Inc. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating association president C.R. McKeehan, general manager Tim Farmer and the 220 growers of Redlands Foothill Groves as they celebrate this milestone in good taste.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I offer a motion.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 2561) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would say to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey) that he is never here on the floor alone when he and I have an opportunity to work on behalf of the American public together. In the meantime, the motion of the gentleman is a good one. It is not controversial. We are pleased to accept it on our sides. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention today the fine work and outstanding public service of Herbert L. Fischer, who celebrated his 80th birthday today--still working every day as the well-respected owner of Flowerland Nursery in San Bernardino and as a volunteer in a myriad of community organizations. Herb opened Flowerland in 1947 with his wife, Mary L. Fischer, and has been at the store every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Sought out by three generations of gardeners for his sage advice, Herb says he can't take a day off because his customers are all his friends, as well. He's recognized as one of the longest-serving licensed landscape architects still practicing in California. He and Mary both served as state presidents of the California Association of Nurserymen, and his community involvement includes serving as president of the National Orange Show, and lifelong involvement in the Future Farmers of America, Boy Scouts, San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce, Calvary Baptist Church, and many school programs. During his 52 years of business, Herb has hosted thousands of school children in field trips to Flowerland, and has given out thousands of tree seedlings to youngsters to celebrate Arbor Day. His son, Herb Fischer Jr., is San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in recognizing the tremendous contributions of a man who has brought decades of natural beauty to his community and wonder to the lives of generations of children.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I very much appreciate my colleague bringing this matter to our attention. I have a very similar interests that he has here, and we are happy to accept the gentleman's amendment.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank my colleague from Nebraska for bringing his concern to my attention, and I share his concern about the potential consequences that the current outsourcing initiative may have on the Department of Defense. I would also like to assure the gentleman that the intent of sections 8109 and 8110 is to give greater consideration to government employees and military service members as the Department of Defense continues its outsourcing initiative.

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

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I offer a manager's amendment on behalf of myself and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha). As I mentioned, this has been cleared on both sides, and I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for his cooperation.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move the amendment be adopted.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume, not by way of responding to the comments of the gentleman from Georgia or to others who have taken a position today in support of the F-22, but rather to make certain that all of our colleagues understand exactly how we got to this point preceding this debate. Earlier on in the year when I suddenly found myself with this chairmanship, my friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha) said to me, ``Jerry, you're going to shortly realize there's only so much money to go around, and it's our job to make the tough choices.'' In that connection as we looked over the whole array of requirements and needs of our national defense, it became very clear, in competition with other programs that are a Federal responsibility, that indeed this is a very challenging responsibility. Among those items that came before me in the early days of homework regarding this bill was the fact that we were on a line that would take us to three production lines of tactical fighter needs for the future. That involved the development further of the F-18E/F, the F-22, and the Joint Strike Fighter in the near future. It is the F-22 which we have discussed rather extensively today. If we follow through on the development of all three of those lines, we will eventually commit somewhere near $340 billion of expenditure. If we can, after reexamination, reduce that by just one aircraft line, we will save as much as $60 billion and at the end we will still have the finest tactical fighter force in the entire world. That is our entire objective. I can assure my colleagues that we are going to do everything necessary to ensure that no nation will be able to threaten us in terms of tactical air in the future. Having said that, Mr. Chairman, this has been a very difficult process. I want my colleagues to know how much I appreciate their serious cooperation regarding this amendment. Between now and the time that we go to conference with the Senate, we will be carefully evaluating that request for $3 billion for the tactical fighters in the future. Presently the bill provides for $1.2 billion for research and development. This funding will give us all the flexibility we need to have adequate discussions with the Senate. Between now and then, we are expecting serious responses from the Air Force and others as to how we can develop these programs and make sense out of our conflicting budgetary problems. And so with that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time, with the exception of yielding a minute to the gentleman from Georgia for purposes of a motion to withdraw.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) my colleague, for purposes of a colloquy.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Chambliss) my colleague. (Mr. CHAMBLISS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I also yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Kingston).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Metcalf). (Mr. METCALF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger).

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased to work with the gentleman as we go towards conference. I am delighted to have his cooperation in this matter.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Illinois for yielding to me. It is correct to say the FCC does have an obligation under law to make a public interest determination, prior to auctioning this spectrum, concerning which telecommunications services should be eligible to operate on it. The FCC must structure its service and auction rules so as to implement the public interest determination. It is important to ensure that the FCC may not, for example, permit any use of this spectrum that might result in harmful interference to public safety systems, especially those used by States and localities in their important crime and fire prevention pursuits which operate on adjacent bands to what would be auctioned here.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Appropriations may have until midnight, Friday, July 23, 1999 to file a privileged report on a bill making appropriations for energy and water development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2000, and for other purposes.