Frank Lucas

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske).

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to urge my colleagues to support S. 657, a bill that authorizes funding for the National 4-H Program Centennial Initiative. 4-H has been a guiding force for America's youth for over the past century. It has taught countless numbers of youth responsibility and a sense of community. This bill is identical to a House version, H.R. 1388, that the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Ganske) and the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) and I strongly support. S. 657 will provide the money for the 4-H programs in all 50 States to conduct meetings, seminars, and listening sessions on the national, State and local levels regarding strategies for youth development. Most importantly, it requires a report that Congress and the President can use to help determine what avenues and programs are best suited to helping the youth of this country. S. 657 will allow the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a $5 million grant to the National 4-H Council. The bill sets up a cost- share structure so that the private sector will match the grant up to $5 million. For those of my colleagues that are wondering why my Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development and Research is so concerned, let me get right to the point. The rural development and research programs that my subcommittee is responsible for overseeing are stretched very thin, and the loss of young people in our rural areas is extremely disturbing. The best thing about the 4-H youth program is that it not only helps youth in rural communities but urban and suburban communities as well, because 4-H programs are present in over 3,000 counties in the United States. The National 4-H Program Centennial Initiative is good for America's youth and for America's future. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important piece of legislation. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 657) to authorize funding for the National 4-H Program Centennial Initiative.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, this is one of those occasions where as a Member of Congress, we have an opportunity to return something to one of the organizations that gave us the opportunities that we now enjoy. I think back to my days at Crawford Public School as a member of the Crawford Junior 4-H Club when I had my first opportunity to participate in leadership experience, my first opportunity to be a president of anything. This is my opportunity to return to 4-H, this body's opportunity to return to 4-H, part of what it has provided all of us with.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 657, the Senate bill just passed.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word for the purpose of engaging the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Skeen) in a colloquy. Mr. Chairman, last March the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a rule designating critical habitat for the Arkansas River shiner. The designated areas include 300 feet on either side of more than 1,100 miles of river in four States, including Oklahoma. This critical habitat for the Arkansas River shiner was designated as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. Recently, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the way the Fish and Wildlife Service conducts economic analysis for critical habitat designations does not comply with the Endangered Species Act and the court set aside the designation for critical habitat for the Southwestern willow flycatcher. The same type of analysis invalidated in that case was used in the Arkansas River shiner habitat designation. This recent court decision casts a shadow of doubt on all recent critical habitat designations. The original intent of the Endangered Species Act has been lost as designations of critical habitat have gotten completely out of hand, while true endangered species recovery efforts are ignored. Mr. Chairman, if I had my way, we would prohibit any finding in this bill to be used for the implementation of the critical habitat for the Arkansas River shiner. However, I know this debate is greater than just one species. I would challenge my colleagues to join me in calling for much needed reform of the Endangered Species Act. If we do not do something soon, then it will be our farmers and landowners impacted by these designations that will become extinct.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. I yield to the gentleman from New Mexico.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Senate Concurrent Resolution 106, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5273.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the bill before the House today, introduced by and at the request of the Treasury Department, is a simple technical corrections bill and does just three things. Most importantly, the mint has sought language that would excuse it from the law that requires it to make a silver proof version of the new golden $1 coin. It is obvious that this makes no sense at all to make a silver version of a coin that is gold in color. But language left over from the time when the silver- colored Susan B. Anthony dollar coins were made would require the all- silver proof version. Not having this clarification has held up the mint's production of proof sets for collectors, and it is illegal to produce coins in a year other than in which they are issued. Failure to pass this bill would result either in a nonsensical proof set or no proof set for collectors at all this year. Also contained in the bill is a clarifying section inserting the word ``platinum'' inadvertently dropped when Congress authorized production of platinum and platinum bullion coins a few years ago and a section calling for increased reporting requirements for the mint's cost of producing, distributing, and marketing circulating coins. This is a small bill, but important to the mint and important to coin collectors. It has no cost implications whatsoever. I urge its immediate passage. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5273) to clarify the intention of the Congress with regard to the authority of the United States Mint to produce numismatic coins, and for other purposes.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4259, the National Museum of the American Indian Commemorative Coin Act of 2000, partly because I introduced the bill earlier this year and partly because, as my colleagues have just alluded to, it is a good piece of legislation. I want to begin by thanking my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, nearly 300 in total, who enabled H.R. 4259 to move forward by becoming cosponsors. I appreciate all of the help that they have provided by signing on to this important piece of legislation. Without their help, this would not be here today. We would not be here today debating this bill. Mr. Speaker, the museum of the American Indian, of the Smithsonian Institute was established by an Act of Congress in 1989 to serve as a permanent repository of Native American culture. With our 39 recognized tribes, my home State of Oklahoma has a strong and rich heritage in our country's Native American history and culture. In fact, the name ``Oklahoma'' means ``Land of the Red People'' in the Choctaw language. My State has many wonderful and respected facilities that are dedicated to preserving our country's Native American culture. We appreciate that a museum is being built in our Nation's capital that will supplement all of the diligent efforts of those in Oklahoma. As a part of the highly respected Smithsonian Institute, which is now one of the world's largest museum complexes, the National Museum of the American Indian will collect, preserve, and exhibit Native American objects of artistic, historical, cultural, literary and scientific interest. It will provide for the Native American research and study programs. Mr. Speaker, I introduced H.R. 4259 in an effort to commemorate the opening of this historic museum. It calls for the minting in the year 2001 of a special silver dollar coin, which collectors would probably refer to as a standard silver dollar, modeled after the old buffalo nickel which was designed by James Earle Fraser and minted from 1913 through 1938. The proceeds of the sale of this coin will go towards funding the opening of the museum and will supplement the museums endowment and educational outreach funds. Because the mint will be reimbursed the cost of minting the coin before the funds are given to the museum, this bill will have no net cost to the American taxpayer. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that H.R. 4259 has reached the floor today. Again, I would like to thank my colleagues that have already shown their support for H.R. 4259, and I urge the remainder of my colleagues to support this bill as well.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter). (Mr. BEREUTER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I wish once again to express my appreciation of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), and the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood) and all of the members of the various committees and subcommittees who worked on this. From a concept that initially came together in July of 1998 at a gathering to celebrate 50 years of successful service by one of these structures to the bill, that was then filed again in February of 1999, that has worked its way through subcommittee and full Committee on Agriculture, subcommittee and full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, that has been examined by resources, a bill that is, if there is such a thing, a textbook way of reviewing legislation, we have at one point or other in the last year and a half examined every facet of this concept, I think, from every perspective. The legislation that we have today, thanks to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), ranking member, and the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Combest), and many other Members, is a good solid piece of legislation that will do the things that need to be done in this country and in a fashion we will all be proud of. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the continued program that has been so successful for half a century now or more.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood).

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the efforts of the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Combest) and the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm), in helping me bring forward H.R. 728, the Small Watershed Rehabilitation Amendments. I also appreciate the support of the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Chairman Shuster) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) for this very important bill. Seeing the need for rehabilitation of aging dams built across the State of Oklahoma and the country, I introduced H.R. 728. This legislation will give the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to provide financial assistance to local organizations for up to 65 percent of the total rehabilitation construction costs for those dams built under the Small Watershed Program. H.R. 728 will authorize a total of $90 million over the next 5 years, beginning in 2001, to help us rehabilitate our Nation's watershed projects and ensure that we and our communities continue to enjoy the benefits that watershed projects offer. My predecessors left a legacy with the Small Watershed Program. They realized the impact that this program would have on both the State of Oklahoma and the Nation as whole. I was raised in and still live in Roger Mills County, Oklahoma. One of the things I most clearly recall from growing up there was the sight of these flood control dams near my home. I did not know it at the time, but those dams were built because community and political leaders knew from firsthand experience the importance of flood control. They had witnessed the horrible floods that washed across Oklahoma's watersheds in the 1930s and 1940s, terrifying events that inspired them to take the necessary steps to reduce the threats that flooding poses to people, land, and water quality. Since 1944, over 10\1/2\ thousand small watershed dams have been built in the United States. Over 2,000 of those dams are located in Oklahoma. Many of these dams were planned and designed with a lifespan of 50 years. Fifty years ago there was little concern about what to do when these dams reached their life expectancy. During the week of July 4, 1998, a celebration in Cordell, Oklahoma, marked the 50th anniversary of America's first United States Department of Agriculture small watershed dam. This is just one of a thousand dams that will reach the end of their 50-year life expectancy within the next 10 years. Although the Federal government paid for the construction costs of these dams, under current law, there is no Federal authority or funds to rehabilitate them. Repair costs are far beyond the budgets of the local sponsors. The Federal government clearly has a responsibility to ensure dam safety. We cannot wait until a disaster happens. If rehabilitation is not done, we may be faced with the awesome and awful possibilities of flooding, loss of wildlife habitat, water shortages, and pollution. Far more regrettable in the case of failure, we might be confronted with the loss of life, and yes, property, crops, and livestock. The economic impact of dam failures on communities and local economies would be devastating. We must act before any of these situations occur. The small watershed program is one of our Nation's most successful public and private partnerships. In fact, these completed small watershed projects have provided over $2.20 in benefits for every $1 in cost. Very few government programs can make that claim. We must continue to build on this partnership. Today the Small Watershed Program represents an $8.5 billion Federal investment and an estimated $6 billion local investment in the infrastructure of our Nation. We do not allow our highways to crumble, nor should we ignore our small watershed dams. It is time we address the rehabilitation needs of these structures. The fact is, these small watersheds have done such a good job that most people do not even realize they exist as they drive by them, as they go up and down the highways. There are not many programs that have that kind of a success factor. We must continue to build on this program that our predecessors started over 50 years ago. It has been a great privilege to champion this cause here in our Nation's capital that will have such a direct impact on my home county, my home State, and our Nation as a whole. I look forward to seeing this legislation passed into law, and continuing to build on one of the most successful programs our government has known. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 728) to amend the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide cost share assistance for the rehabilitation of structural measures constructed as part of water resource projects previously funded by the Secretary under such Act or related laws, as amended.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 728, the bill just adopted.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the chairman and ranking member for all their work and all their efforts on this legislation. It includes three initiatives that will greatly benefit Oklahoma producers. We reform the crop insurance system, we double the AMTA payments, and we include LDP graze-out language. This legislation is a big win for Oklahoma producers. I would especially like to thank the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Combest) for his help in including the LDP graze-out language, which I introduced last August. This legislation is the single most important issue for Oklahoma producers. Currently, producers are eligible for a loan deficiency payment if their wheat crop is hayed, put into silage, or cut for grain. However, if a producer chooses to graze out his wheat crop, he does not qualify for the LDP payment and is left at an extreme disadvantage. Oklahoma producers have been calling for Congress to correct this inequity for some time. H.R. 2559 includes language that will allow producers to collect a payment equivalent to LDP if they opt to graze out instead of putting their wheat into hay or through the combine. I encourage all my colleagues to support this very important legislation. This legislation provides more flexibility and options for our producers.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce remarkable news from the great State of Oklahoma. Today, the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation will announce a breakthrough discovery in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at OMRF discovered the enzyme which is found in our brains and which scientists believe is directly responsible for the Alzheimer's disease. Not only did Oklahoma researchers pinpoint the cause of Alzheimer's disease, they have also designed a way to stop it. If this breakthrough can successfully be transformed into a drug, Alzheimer's could become a manageable disease, like high blood pressure, diabetes, not the terminal disease we know now. This discovery will have a profound impact, since 4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's and another 19 million members of their families suffer along with them. I hope one day my kids can view Alzheimer's the same way my generation views polio, a terrible disease that was conquered with scientific advances. Basic research forms the building blocks of science and medicine and this type of breakthrough clearly illustrates why the Federal Government's investment in basic research is invaluable. Again, I am excited to report this and the many coming announcements of good news from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, my home State of Oklahoma has a strong heritage in our Nation's Native American history and culture. In fact, the name ``Oklahoma'' means ``Land of the Red People'' in the Choctaw language. So nowhere else in this country is there more appreciation than in Oklahoma that a museum dedicated to preserving this legacy is being constructed in Washington, D.C. The National Museum of the American Indian was established as an act of Congress in 1989 to serve as a permanent repository of Native American culture. The groundbreaking took place in September of 1999, and it is scheduled to open in the summer of 2002. Because of the historic significance and importance of this museum to the people of Oklahoma, I am introducing a bill today that will commemorate its opening. The National Museum of the American Indian Commemorative Coin Act of 2000 will call for the minting of a special $1 silver coin intended to raise funds for the museum and celebrate its completion. As part of the highly respected Smithsonian institution, which is now the world's largest museum complex, the National Museum of the American Indian will collect, preserve, and exhibit Native American objects of artistic, historical, literary, anthropological, and scientific interest. Also important is that it will provide for Native American research and study programs. The coin my bill proposes will be of proof quality and be minted only in the year 2001. Sales of the coin could continue until the date that the stock is depleted. The coin would be of no net cost to the American taxpayer, and the proceeds from its sale will go towards funding the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian. The proceeds would also help supplement the museum's endowment and educational outreach funds. Based on past sales of coins of this nature, we are likely perhaps to raise roughly in the range of $3.5 million for the museum. The coin will be modeled after the original 5 cent buffalo nickel designed by James Earl Fraser and minted from 1913 to 1938, which portrays a profile representation of a Native American on the obverse, and an American buffalo, American bison, on the coin's reverse side. Mr. Speaker, as an Oklahoman, I was proud to have led the effort in Congress to designate the Roger Mills County site of the November, 1868 Battle of the Washita, yes, some might more accurately describe it as a massacre, as a national historic site. This site in Western Oklahoma, where Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and the 7th U.S. cavalry attacked the Cheyenne Peace Chief Black Kettle's village. Now I am pleased to introduce the National Museum of the American Indian Commemorative Coin Act of 2000. A like version of this bill is already making its way through the Senate, having been introduced there by United States Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell of Colorado and Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. Mr. Speaker, I urge my fellow colleagues in the House to take this opportunity to recognize the importance to our Nation of the National Museum of the American Indian by becoming a cosponsor of my bill.

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma

Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.