Jerry Lewis

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. The agency must include a formal protocol proposal as part of their fiscal year 1999 operations plan before implementing any security protocol.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Yes, the EPA has been working closely with FBI and other law enforcement and security experts to develop a system limiting inappropriate access to such information. That system is expected to be completed by the end of 1998 as the committee expects to be updated on a monthly basis on the progress and development of security protocol.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, it is my pleasure to yield 2\1/4\ minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Roukema).

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen). (Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN 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 Michigan (Mr. Joe Knollenberg), my colleague from the committee. (Mr. KNOLLENBERG asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I want to at the outset mention to my colleagues that beyond the substance of this bill, which is considerable, during the day today I expect that we will have a good deal of discussion of the reality that there is another piece of substance that indeed deserves our recognition, for as many people know, and I would like the Members who are on their way over time here today to know, that this is the last bill that I will have the privilege of working with my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) on, on the floor. I think everybody knows of our friendship, and I think as this debate goes forward, people will be reminded of the incredible contribution that the gentleman has made, not just to this legislation, not just to our committee, but to the House as a whole. Before we perhaps discuss that in a little different environment than the one we have on the floor presently, I would like to spend a few moments with a brief overview of the fiscal year 1999 VA-HUD bill. Due to the delayed budget process and upcoming election cycle, we find ourselves working under a very compressed schedule. This is evidenced by the fact that our Senate VA-HUD counterparts have already moved their bill through the full committee, and last evening they completed their debate on the bill. This morning they will begin simply the voting process. So they really are ahead of us in that cycle, a most unusual circumstance. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes) and I are hopeful that we can have a conference report completed before the August recess. That is a goal that may be a bit optimistic, but we both are committed to pushing the process forward and getting a bill that can be signed to the President's desk. The bill before us today is within our allocation in both budget authority and outlays. Our proposal provides $70.894 billion, including $10.2 billion for Section 8 rental assistance. Hidden gimmicks in the President's request, which includes items like receipts from the tobacco settlement, which of course is a fiction, those items make our total $70,894 billion in discretionary spending. They appear to be over the budget request. We are, in fact, if we take out those gimmicks, some $2 billion in real spending below the administration's request. The VA-HUD subcommittee, by cutting over $25 billion over the last several years, has demonstrated that we can, in a bipartisan way, reduce the rate of growth of government without putting those who rely upon these programs for assistance, including veterans and residents of public housing, for example, without putting those citizens in jeopardy. With regard to veterans' programs, this bill provides $17.057 billion for veterans' medical care, an increase of $29 million over the administration's request. VA medical research is funded at $320 million, an increase of $20 million over the President's request, and $48 million over last year's bill. Within HUD's budget, we have funded the Section 8 rental assistance program at $10.2 billion. The CDBG program and drug elimination grant programs have been funded at the budget request of $4.725 billion, and $290 million respectively. We have also provided $100 million in vouchers designed to implement welfare reform. The section 202 elderly housing program has been funded at $645 million, $109 million over the President's request. Section 811 disabled housing program has been funded at $194 million, which is an increase of $20 million over the request. Accounts within HUD which have demonstrated positive results have been increased. Those that either are without measurable results, or which have not worked well at all, have been treated differently under this measure. With regard to the Environmental Protection Agency, we have slightly increased the Agency's budget over the current fiscal year to $7.422 billion. This included level funding of $1.5 billion for the Superfund, a program that has been described as being broken by the administrator. We have been waiting now for several years to receive that promised fix for the Superfund program. We have also funded the President's request for Safe Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, SRF, at $775 million, a $50 million increase over fiscal year 1998, and a Clean Water SRF at $1.250 billion, an increase of $175 million over the President's request. Finally, we have fully funded the President's clean water action plan. Moving to the National Science Foundation, this bill has increased funding over last year's level for research by $269 million, for major equipment, by $16 million and educational programs by $10 million. As a result of the Frelinghuysen-Neumann amendment, which was adopted in the full committee, the funding for important research programs has been increased by approximately 10 percent over the current fiscal year. With regard to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, we have provided $13.328 billion, a $138 million figure below the administration's request. In part, this reduction represents the fact that due to the space station assembly delays, we may be reducing planned space shuttle launches from eight to six in fiscal year 1999. NASA's science and aeronautics technical account is below the 1998 level, but is $89 million above the President's request. We plan to continue our positive working relationship with NASA's Administrator, Dan Goldin, to ensure that our final bill reflects our mutual priorities involving science, research, manned space flight, as well as space station assembly. Moving into AmeriCorps, we have decided that instead of entering into an extended floor fight involving the funding for the Corporation of National and Community Service, the committee intends to first work very closely with our colleagues in the other body. This bill zeroes that program. It is pretty apparent, though, to the Members of the House that in the past when such discussions and actions have taken place, we finally come to a resolution in conference that reflected that broad will of both bodies, and I anticipate that that will be the case in this instance. Finally, I would like to express my deep reservations to the President of attaching H.R. 2, the public housing reform bill, to this important funding bill in which HUD is just one important component of a much broader and difficult package. While I certainly understand the reasons that we are once again being asked to carry this heavy load that essentially is an authorizing load, it is my fervent hope that authorizing committees of jurisdiction will work to find an acceptable compromise with all parties so that this measure does not unfairly; that is, the authorizing side does not unfairly bring down an appropriations bill that otherwise should be signed into law. I trust that the leadership will work with us to assure that the overall VA-HUD bill, which currently strikes a delicate balance, will not ultimately be placed in jeopardy. In closing, my colleagues, in terms of this portion of any formal remarks I might have, outside of expressing the pleasure that I have had working with my colleague, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), and the reality that we think this bill, that is the appropriations bill, indeed does, once again, reflect the best of nonpartisan effort in dealing with very complex programs. That product is the result of the hard work of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Stokes), first and foremost. I want to further acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Del Davis and David Reich, and Fredette West from the minority staff, as well as Paul Thomson, who is serving as my clerk today; Tim Peterson, Valerie Baldwin, and Dena Baron; from my own staff, David LesStrang, Alex Heslop and Jeff Schockey. I want to take a moment to pay special tribute and attention to my committee staff director, Frank Cushing, who, unfortunately, could not be with us today due to the death of Alan Tack Hammer, his wife Amy's father. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH17JY98.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH17JY98.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH17JY98.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH17JY98.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH17JY98.005

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words for just a moment. Mr. Chairman, I must say that as I sat in my office watching this discussion on television, I could not help but be moved to come and at least have my voice be heard in connection with the proposal being made by my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner). I must say that in the years that I have been in this body, I have seen on more than one occasion on both sides of the aisle a propensity to demagogue both salary adjustments as well as benefits for the Members of this House. It is most disconcerting to me that people would, on either side of the aisle, ever play politics for the sake of politics on issues such as this. I am particularly disconcerted by this pattern because it has dramatically impacted over the years a number of younger Members who are serving very well in this body, who, because upon arriving here with young children, otherwise unaware of the incredible cost of living in this region and maintaining residence at home, et cetera, found themselves leaving the body long before their service was well completed. It does not serve the body well or the American public well to simply demagogue an issue like this because somebody thinks it may be votes at home for someone that they might choose. I have never seen this issue make a difference in a significant congressional race, but people love to demagogue it. Mr. Chairman, I not only applaud my colleague, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hefner), I intend to support his position. I would urge as many Members in the House on both sides of the aisle who can stand the heat to do so as well.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentlewoman yielding. I certainly would not repeat the exhilerating speech I gave earlier. Because there is a possibility that when the gentlewoman's former amendment was stricken, our language might have been stricken, I would like to make sure that the world does not miss the opportunity of reading these wonderful remarks.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate of the gentlewoman yielding. I asked her to yield simply to say it was my intention to give support to the gentlewoman's position regarding the language that has been stricken from the bill. Indeed, there is little question that the Postal Service currently is in a very unusual position of paying no sales taxes, no income taxes, no property taxes, and, ofttimes, find themselves competing with organizations using that advantage to essentially take the marketplace away from that which could be served at least as well in the private sector. I appreciate the gentlewoman's work in this connection, and look forward to continuing to work with her.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my colleague yielding to me, and I must say that I do so only to say that I very much appreciate the remarks of my colleague and I want the House to note my grave reservations about this rule.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I express my appreciation to my colleague from the Committee on Rules not only for his work today but the hard work he has put into shaping this rule and being of such assistance to those of us on the task force who are involved in attempting to save the Salton Sea. I listened to the discussion of my colleague from California from the committee as he was discussing the rule and could not help but be reminded of the fact that, as he reminded us, that the Salton Sea has been under consideration for a considerable length of time. The problem is that the Salton Sea and the economic, the environmental challenge it provides for us has been around for a long, long time. It is to the point of being the most significant environmental crisis in the west at this moment. If indeed our committees had chosen to go forward with serious action regarding this problem years and years ago, the problem would have already been solved. It would have cost considerably less money. I must say that this very important environmental project has not received that kind of priority in the past, and I am very disconcerted about that, especially when Members suggest that we are moving forward much too rapidly now in terms of consideration when the challenge has been there for several decades. I must say that I could not be more pleased, however, with the fact that this act will be entitled the Sonny Bono Memorial Salton Sea Reclamation Act, for it was not until Sonny Bono really grabbed this problem by the horns and drug a lot of us along with him to make sure that the Congress focused upon this crisis, made sure we had a pathway to action regarding finding a solution, he was responsible for leading the Salton Sea task force, which involves my colleagues, the gentlemen from California (Mr. Brown), who is in the adjacent district of mine in Southern California, (Mr. Hunter), (Mr. Calvert) along with myself. And in recent months we have had the able leadership of the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), our colleague who represents much of the sea. I must say it has been her dynamic expression of concern that we follow through on this priority of Sonny's that has added the sort of momentum that we need to see this legislation through to success. There is little doubt that the challenge is very real, but also the problem is a solvable problem if we will but move forward. This legislation lays the foundation for reviewing a whole series of studies that have gone on for years and years and years, selecting the alternative approach to solution, and at the same time lays the foundation for the kind of authorization we need to actually decide on which avenue is the best one to follow. We have begun the appropriations process by the way. There is funding in a number of appropriations subcommittee bills now to move forward with the studies that we are talking about. In turn, we want to make sure as quickly as possible to move forward with authorization of construction for there is not time to fool around with this any longer. The committees have ignored it in the past for far too long. It is my judgment the sooner we have a broadly based authorization, the sooner we can get appropriations in line that will actually lead to construction and begin to save this fabulous environmental opportunity that we have in the southland that provides huge recreational opportunities, economic opportunities, changing an entire region in terms of that which will be available to a sizable portion of the population in Southern California and regions that surround. So I want to express my deep appreciation first to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Mary Bono) for her leadership, but beyond that to the gentleman from California (Mr. David Dreier) and the Committee on Rules for helping us with this rule today, and we urge support for the rule.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I do not mean to take much of the gentleman's time, but I was away at that hanging as well, and I must say, at the Library of Congress they had this wonderful ceremony where both the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Jim Sensenbrenner) and the chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Brown) were being honored with their portraits being presented to a cross-section of family and friends as a reflection of years and years of dedicated work on both their parts, but especially my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Brown). And I know he wanted to be here. I say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Brown), he should be the first to know that we have taken out of the bill those few little items he was concerned about, so he can be as enthusiastic as he likes.

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

Mr. LEWIS of California. It will be a great time to celebrate, but it is only the beginning. I really do appreciate this nonpartisan effort.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that, but I would not have been able to do that if the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono) had not been beating me over the head almost every day.

Mr. LEWIS of California. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding time to me. It is a pleasure to rise today and join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who are strongly committed to finding solutions to the tremendous challenge that is this great environmental project in Southern California that is known as the Salton Sea. I must say that in the initial stages of my hearing this discussion, I was intrigued to see both my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) speaking, and he was being aided by his friend, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Bruce Vento), and it was almost deja vu all over again. I remember fighting months on this, fighting to get access to our desert lands by both the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Vento) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), and the thrill of that process was that we won a few. I have a sense we might win a few today, as well, for there is little question that this coalition has gone together that is a nonpartisan, bipartisan effort to make sure that this tremendous asset, the Salton Sea, is saved, finally. It is going forward. I must say to my friend, it is going forward almost entirely because of the rather fantastic leadership of the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Bono), the new congresswoman from Riverside County, who has done a phenomenal job to make sure we keep our eye on this very important target. If we should remove our serious attention from this for a moment the Salton Sea will be gone in terms of its effective use for the people of Southern California, and peoples all over the country who appreciate just what an important environmental asset this is. I must say that the cost that is being suggested here is almost beside the point. We are moving forward quickly with rounding out what have been years and years of study. The authorized amount that involves the project is the minimum amount we need for whatever approach is finally selected. There is little doubt that we are going to get to that decision very, very quickly. I would suggest to my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Miller), that we need to have this authorization in place early on because that is the way we go about getting money in the pipeline in the appropriations process, very quickly. We cannot afford to wait. Therefore, we are going forward with that minimum amount that is needed. In turn, I must say that if my colleague remembers some years ago, back in 1974, when Shirley Pettis was a Member of Congress, she being here because her husband, too, had been killed in a tragic accident, raised this flag, the most important environmental project in the country, I must say, if we had moved forward then instead of having these same kinds of questions interfering with that progress, the project would have been completed. It would have cost, before, one- fifth of what it is going to cost, and indeed, this discussion would not have been necessary today. I want Members to know that I am proud, very proud of those colleagues who have joined with me in this effort, but especially pleased to join with the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Mary Bono) in what will be a successful and perhaps the most important environmental project of this decade.

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 Mr. Ronald L. Wilson, the recipient of the 1998 Citizen of the Year Award by the California Inland Empire Council of Boy Scouts of America. Ron will be recognized at a dinner in his honor on Saturday, July 11 in Victorville, California. Ron Wilson was born on October 12, 1953 in Hyden, Kentucky. In 1958, however, Ron and his family moved to Arizona where he graduated from Cortez High School and Grand Canyon University. It was in Arizona that he first discovered his love for banking. In 1989, Ron was appointed Executive Vice President/Chief Administrative Officer of Desert Community Bank and President/Chief Executive Officer in 1990. Ronald is very dedicated to the banking business and as acting CEO, he has achieved unprecedented success for Desert Community Bank. In addition, Ron has also received a number of awards which he has shared with the Bank and its employees. These extraordinary entrepreneurial skills, however, are not all Ron has given to the community. At present, Ron serves on the Board for Victorville Rotary, St. Mary Foundation, Partnership in Academic Excellence Foundation/Academy of Academic Excellence, United Way, Apple Valley Care Center, Victor Valley Union High School District and San Bernardino County Fair Board. Ronald also writes a weekly newspaper column for the Daily Press and hosts a weekly television interview shown on Channel 64 and two cable stations. Clearly, Ronald L. Wilson's service is a model of outstanding citizenship. Mr. Speaker, it is people like Ron that make our community a better place to live. I ask that you join me, our colleagues, and the California Inland Empire Council of Boy Scouts of America in recognizing Ron Wilson as 1998 Citizen of the Year.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention the fine achievement of Megan Johnston-Cox, an eighth grade student from Home Street Middle School in Bishop, California. Megan was a recent competitor in the National History Day Competition (June 14- 18) at the University of Maryland. The competition, sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, involved students from across the United States who submitted essays on this year's theme: ``Migration in History: People, Cultures, and Ideas.'' In fact, Megan's project was selected for display at the National Archives branch office near the University of Maryland on June 17. Megan qualified for the national competition by first winning California State History Day competitions at both the county and state levels. Her essay, entitled ``Farm to Factory: The Migration of Yankee Women,'' traced the migration of women from the farms to the textile mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. Megan also researched the impact and development of the textile industry in the United States. Megan's outstanding accomplishments were undoubtedly guided by the leadership of her teacher, Mrs. Irene Sorenson. Irene is a past winner of the Richard Farrell Award from the Constitutional Rights Foundation which recognized her as the National History Day Teacher of Merit in 1995. Also in 1995, Irene sent another student, Will Baylies, to the National History Day competition. Clearly, the dedication of young students such as Megan and Will, and the guidance of teachers like Irene Sorenson, make our public school system the finest in the world. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me and our colleagues in recognizing Megan Johnston-Cox for her fine accomplishment. To say the least, her fine work is admired by all of us. I'd also like to commend Irene Sorenson for her fine leadership and her devotion to such remarkable educational standards. Students like Megan and instructors like Irene set a fine example for us all and it is only appropriate that the House pay tribute to them both today.

Mr. LEWIS of California

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I rise today not to complain a bit about the work of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. McDade) or the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio) in terms of the subcommittee report that is before us, but rather to say that a very interesting experience has been mine in recent weeks as I have observed these two gentlemen approaching today, for as has been said many a time before today, they both are contemplating leaving the House at the end of this session. In beautiful northern California, in spite of the fact that there is a propensity even in that great State for people surrounding the State capital to often point a finger at elected officials and wonder what they are all about, in the last several weeks, suddenly out of the woodwork all kinds of people are saying, ``Oh my God, what are we going to do? Vic Fazio is not going to be there to represent us anymore.'' Suddenly citizens are beginning to realize that, unnoticed in many ways, almost never has there been quite the contribution to their community that has been made by their Congressman from Sacramento and regions that surround. In beautiful downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, a similar occurrence of people for years and years and years have been pointing around at what local officials in one location or another have not quite done to their satisfaction, and they too in the last many weeks have begun to say, ``Oh my God, what are we going to do without Joe McDade to take care of our problems'' that we ask about always at the last moment. Mr. Chairman, it is important for us to note that in public affairs, most problems have absolutely very little to do with partisan politics. If there are two gentlemen who serve this House well who recognize that more than these two, I do not know who they are. Both the gentleman from Pennsylvania and the gentleman from California have been a great tribute to the House of Representatives. It has been my privilege to know them as human beings and as personal friends, but most important to have the opportunity to rise and say that I am proud just to be their colleague.