Frank Lucas

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Watts].

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5\1/2\ minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from Oklahoma [Mr. Istook].

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, for the purposes of debate only, I yield 30 minutes to my friend and colleague, the senior member of the Oklahoma House delegation, the gentleman from Oklahoma, [Mr. Brewster], pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I truly wish the first bill that I had managed on the House floor would have been anything other than the resolution that we have before us today. I would like to thank the leadership on both sides of the aisle for allowing the House to consider this measure in such an expeditious manner. Over the next hour we will talk of lost innocence, tragedy, death, resilience, human spirit, and rebuilding. I thank my colleagues for taking part in this debate. Mr. SPEAKER, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 135) condemning the bombing in Oklahoma City, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Weldon]. (Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am a proud fifth generation Oklahoman. My family has tilled and toiled in the soil of western Oklahoma for over 90 years. When you come to Oklahoma, you will encounter big-hearted folks who will meet you with a smile and a warm greeting on a downtown sidewalk. We Oklahomans are known for our perseverance, fortitude, and our compassion. We have weathered great droughts, the Great Depression, feast and famine, business boom and bust. Our mettle has been tested, our endurance challenged in good times as well as the bad. Never have these attributes been more evident on a local or international stage than in the past 13 days. On Wednesday morning, April 19, at 2 minutes after 9 o'clock, America's heartland lost its innocence. The bombing in downtown Oklahoma City was a cowardly act of tragic proportions with no justification. Mr. Speaker, I come here today to ask all of my colleagues to join me in expressing outrage at and condemnation of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. I pray for the hundreds of injured and their families, friends, and loved ones. I pray for the rescue teams, the doctors, the nurses, firefighters, police officers, and other volunteers from all across the Nation who came at their own expense and who continue to work tirelessly to this very hour. These are truly God's chosen people for Oklahoma at this time. And, yes, I pray for our Nation that we might be able to heal. So now, Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in sending a message of heartfelt condolences to the families of the 140 that have been confirmed lost and the dozens still missing among the rubble. I, like you and the Nation as a whole, will never forget that scene of devastation, the death, the suffering, and, most of all, the innocent children. I cannot begin to express the heartbreak and sense of helplessness one feels when faced with such a gruesome scene. Many mothers, fathers, grandparents, spouses, and some children are still missing, making it difficult, if not impossible, for our families and communities as a whole to bring this disaster to a close. So many wonderful, productive lives were destroyed. Although we know the children who thought they were safe in the haven of that day care center on the site are in God's arms now, I pray for their families. These were vibrant lives, some of considerable accomplishment, others with so much potential yet to be realized, senselessly and needlessly snuffed out for no just or conceivable reason. Let us express our hopes for a rapid and complete healing of the wounded. Let us join in commending the rapid response taken by the President to provide assistance to the victims and aid to our battered city. We commend his resolve and prompt action in the investigation, to seek, find, and apprehend the perpetrators of this act. Let us join together and send a strong and unambiguous message to any individual or group who may contemplate another such massacre in your city or town, such evil acts will not be tolerated, and to those involved in this horrendous act, your actions will result in your swift and certain punishment. We must allow no mercy to those who allowed no mercy to others. Mr. Speaker, I will close by citing a spontaneous tribute to the victims of this massacre which is formed along the perimeter around the largest crime scene in American history. A mound of wreathes and flowers and teddy bears and tear-stained poems have been laid tribute to the hundreds of perished and wounded. One particular offering which speaks, I believe, so simply, yet so eloquently, for all Oklahomans consists of a teddy bear with a paper heart attached bearing in crayon an inscription that reads as follows: ``Oklahoma, broken-hearted, yes; broken spirit, never.''

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. I also strongly support the bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment coauthored by my good friends, Mr. Condit and Mr. Combest. I believe that of all the amendments offered to improve this legislation this is one of the most important. The 104th Congress must put a moratorium on any future endangered species listings until the Endangered Species Act is reauthorized. As currently written, the Endangered Species Act should be considered a pariah in society and be cast out with many other over-zealous big- government institutions that plague individual freedom, industry and potential economic development. It is fundamentally flawed and must be redrafted. Last month, I came to the floor and spoke in morning hour about a little bait fish lurking in the Arkansas River Basin that might have the power to stop those in the agriculture industry from irrigating their land, or protecting their crops. I wondered if the little bait fish might inhibit rural towns from utilizing their primary water sources or impact a major metropolitan area's $250 million downtown restoration project which is crucial to its economic future. I spoke of my dissatisfaction with the Fish and Wildlife Service who failed to respond to my queries on the proposed listing of the Arkansas River Shiner in a timely fashion. And I called on my colleagues to cosponsor legislation putting a moratorium on any new listings until the ESA is reauthorized. This bipartisan amendment offered by Mr. Condit and Mr. Combest will buy the American people time and protection from the ever growing ESA web that is sweeping our country. I am confident this Congress will shortly take up this task. I look forward to infusing a little common sense into the act. Private property rights, economic impact, cost- benefit analysis, and human compassion must be an integral part of a new Endangered Species Act. In addition to the sponsors of the amendment, I would like to laud Mr. Smith, Mr. Bonilla, and Mr. Pombo for their efforts on the issue. I urge my colleagues to support this important addition to this legislation.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to bring my colleagues' attention to a growing threat to our national security--our increased reliance on foreign oil. Last year, for the first time in the history of our Nation, we imported over half the oil that we consumed. By the year 2010, the Department of Energy [DOE] estimates that imports could makeup as much as 60 percent of our Nation's petroleum needs. While imports are rising, U.S. oil production is on a drastic decline. Crude oil production in 1994 averaged 6.6 million barrels per day, in comparison to the 6.8 million barrels per day in 1993--this represents one of the lowest oil production levels in the history of our country. Oil prices continue to fluctuate and natural gas prices are on a steady decline. The truth is, that it's just plain tough for domestic oil and gas producers to operate in today's market. The cost of operation, high taxes, and costly environmental regulations make it difficult to continue to drill for oil and gas. It's time for us to start paying attention and provide some relief and incentives for the American energy industry. Everyone talks a good game about ``America first''* * *buy American products* * *hire American labor* * *and I agree. But, those same people don't seem to have a problem pouring foreign gasoline in our American cars. Earlier today I, along with Representatives Coburn, Brewster, Istook, Largent, and Watts, introduced a plan that would help boost domestic production and lessen our reliance on foreign oil. The Domestic Oil and Gas Production and Preservation Act, would provide tax incentives for new and marginal well production; relief from burdensome Federal regulations; and would abolish existing bans on the export of U.S. crude oil. This bill will put people back to work, boost revenues, and help make the domestic oil and gas industry more competitive in world markets. According to a recent investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, this bill is needed now more than ever. The Commerce investigation, conducted under the Trade Expansion Act, apparently determined that increased oil imports could impair the national security of the United States. The Trade Expansion Act requires the President to respond to the report within 90 days of the Commerce Department's findings. It is imperative that Congress and the President take action to alleviate this threat to our national security. Many of my colleagues will turn a blind eye to this report. However, I believe it is a warning signal that we must not ignore. This is not just an oil State problem, the energy crisis is a national concern that everyone should be worried about. U.S. marginal wells--or low-income wells--are particularly at risk. Most people don't understand that each time a marginal well is plugged, jobs are lost and we increase our reliance on foreign oil and run the risk of losing one of our Nation's natural resources forever. Plugging a well is like shutting down a small in our communities back home. Plugging a well is permanent. The only way to recover these resources is to drill a new well, which is extremely costly. Nationally, we plug a marginal well every 30 minutes. In Oklahoma, we plug eight marginal wells per day. In 1993, the State of Oklahoma had over 70,000 marginal wells in operation. The same year, nearly 1,356 marginal wells were abandoned. As a result, my State of Oklahoma lost nearly $20 million in gross revenues. This bleak situation has forced businesses to close, imperiled thousands of jobs, and caused States to lose large amounts of production and income taxes. Over the last decade, this country has lost nearly 500,000 jobs as a result of low domestic oil and gas productivity. It's time for the U.S. Government to open its eyes and support a plan to help restore our domestic industry. I believe that the bill we introduced today marks the first step in this plan. It will help stop the abandonment of wells, pump revenues back into State and Federal budgets, and preserve our Nation's natural resources. It is in the best interest of our country to support this bill and protect our Nation's oil supplies. It would be one of our Nation's darkest days should we awaken to find ourselves with a depleted oil supply, leaving us totally at the mercy of the world's unstable oil producing nations. Our Nation's oil and gas supplies are a national treasure that must be preserved and maintained. I look forward to working with my colleagues and I urge them to support this critical legislation.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Chairman, one of the prime functions of the Federal Government of the United States is to maintain a strong national defense. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I rise to voice my wholehearted support for this measure. Passage of H.R. 7, the National Security Revitalization Act, is a vital step toward maintaining our Nation's military status in the world. Its passage will assure that U.S. troops are only deployed to support missions in the United States national security interests. It also would reinvigorate the national missile defense system, and ensure that there be no threat to our military readiness as we move toward the next century. U.S. defense spending--as a percentage of GDP--is at its lowest since the end of World War II. Despite severe personnel reductions and shortfalls in funding, U.S. troops are being deployed more often and are taking part in more operations than ever before. This legislation will ensure that our forces will be deployed under American command and not under the flag of the United Nations or any other political entity. We have the finest and most professional military force in the world, and our country's security depends on their readiness. However, study after study is beginning to describe our forces as ``hollow''. Enactment of this measure is a good first step toward restoring our national defense back to its proper levels. As I went door-to-door in Oklahoma's Sixth District last fall, I heard at every corner concerns about this Administration's defense policies. I am sure most of my colleagues heard the same thoughts. I would urge my colleagues to heed their calls for passage of this measure.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to step to the plate and take a few swings at the baseball strike. The Natural tendency for all baseball fans is, I think, to urge Congress to involve itself in this labor dispute which impacts all of us beyond the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, I am not inclined to believe it is our place to send these players back to their Field of Dreams. As it stands now, if something is not done, we may have a 1995 Rookie of the Year from the Little Big League. I would strongly urge that both sides stop slinging the Bull Durham that we have endured for the past several months, and send Eight Men Out to negotiate a workable agreement, or The Pride of the Yankees will be playing for the Bad News Bears this summer.

Mr. LUCAS

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I say to my colleagues if you are fishing in the Arkansas River Basin, you had better watch what you put on your hook. There is a mighty dangerous little bait fish lurking in the basin's waters when there is water in the basin. This little bait fish might have the power to stop those in the agriculture industry from irrigating their land, or protecting their crops. This little bait fish might inhibit rural towns from utilizing their primary water sources. This little bait fish might even stop a major metropolitan area from completing its $250 million downtown restoration project which is crucial to its economic future. Yes my colleagues should know there is a dangerous little bait fish lurking in the river. The Fish and Wildlife Service is considering whether to put the Arkansas River shiner on the endangered species list. As a new Member of Congress, I am truly underwhelmed by my first dealings with this segment of our Nation's Government. On September 15, 1994, I joined Congressman Pat Roberts of Kansas, and Congressman Larry Combest of Texas in sending a letter to Ms. Mollie H. Beattie, the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, expressing our thoughts on the Arkansas River shiner proposal. To date, neither of my colleagues nor I have received a formal reply. In our letter, we stated that we were concerned that the listing of the Arkansas River shiner could result in land- and water-use restrictions and other prohibitions that preclude full economic use of property, lower property values, and decimate the economies of the communities in the area. We further urged the Fish and Wildlife Service or an appropriate Government agency to conduct an assessment of the economic impact of any proposal to preserve this little bait fish. In recent history, western Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and western Kansas were the heart of the legendary Dust Bowl. One generation removed from today's watched as their top soil dried up and blew away. The fact that thriving economies have developed on this once barren land is a testament to the drive and fortitude of the people that live there and their ability to use these resources is water. All of us who live in the region will fight any attempts to turn back the clock of progress. While I believe the Endangered Species Act is important, I believe as written it is flawed because of its lack of human compassion. Economic impact and private property rights must be taken into account in future draftings of the act. Many of my colleagues know, there is a strong push in the early days of the 104th Congress to put a moratorium on any future endangered species listings until the act is reauthorized. I support this effort wholeheartedly and have cosponsored both the Farm, Ranch and Homestead Protection Act of 1995 by Mr. Smith and the Endangered Species Moratorium Act by Mr. Bonilla. I would urge my colleagues to do the same. Beware, there is probably a little minnow lurking somewhere in your district too.