Mary Landrieu

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of Senator Breaux and myself to take note of the 100th birthday of one of Louisiana's favorite sons and one of our Nation's finest talents. Most Americans know Jimmie Davis through his world-famous song, ``You Are My Sunshine,'' one of the most popular songs in the history of recorded music. However, for Louisianians, Jimmie Davis is much more than a consummate entertainer and southern gentleman, he also helped lead Louisiana's government to new heights, passing the first retirement benefits for State employees, the first reforestation legislation and the first program to give free milk to school children. Jimmie Davis has been a college teacher, shaken hands with five or six Presidents, appeared in half a dozen movies, performed with stars such as Gene Autry, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, and twice was elected Governor of Louisiana. During his second term as Governor, the State's economy was in a downward spiral. However, by the end of his term, employment was higher than ever, personal incomes were up, school teachers saw their full salary schedule implemented and the ambitious Toledo Bend Dam was started. Jimmie Davis is widely known as a beloved and colorful leader. One day on the way to his office, he rode his horse up the Capitol steps, into the elevator and into his office. He ended every State legislative session with his band's rendition of ``It Makes No Difference Now.'' Jimmie Davis is truly a Louisiana State treasure and a treasure for all Americans. He definitely is our sunshine. He is a man whom we all hope we can be like, because he is, as I say, celebrating his 100th birthday. So with those of us who hope to live to be 100, Jimmie Davis is a good example of how to do it. Jimmie Davis still loves to sing to this day, and if Majority Leader Lott would encourage him, he would probably join the Senate singing group because he is still quite active. Governor Jimmie Davis is one of Louisiana's favorite sons. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I would like to engage into a colloquy with the distinguished Chairman and the senior senator from Louisiana, Mr. Breaux, about two very important ongoing agriculture research projects relating to Formosan termites, and phytoestrogen research ongoing in Louisiana, which the Appropriations Committee has supported in the past. For the past two fiscal years, vital funding has been provided to the Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans to continue ``Operation FullStop'', which has targeted research and test pilots to find ways to control the Formosan termite. This past, first introduced into the United States from east Asia in the 1940s has spread like a plague through the Southeast, and its range now extends from Texas to South Carolina. In Louisiana, damage is most severe in New Orleans where the total annual cost of termite damage and treatment is estimated at an astonishing $217,000,000. Many historic structures in the French Quarter have been devastated, and now as many as \1/3\ of the beloved live oaks that shade historic thoroughfares such as St. Charles Avenue are at risk of being lost to termite damage. To help find appropriate controls for Formosan termites in Louisiana and other states where termites are just being found, it is critical for this research to continue. Additionally, the Southern Regional Research Center in coordination with Tulane and Xavier Universities in New Orleans have merged their complementary expertise in a unique and powerful collaborative on comparative research of the impact of Phytoestrogens on human health. These natural chemicals in soybeans and other plant substances is only starting to receive attention as dietary substances capable of improving human health. In addition, to showing beneficial health effects for the prevention of breast cancer and other health disorders, this research has developed techniques in molecular biology which could lead to applications that control the development of harmful insects. Researchers are on the verge of harnessing this knowledge and applying it to the possible biological amelioration of Foremosan termite infestations. Thus, continuation of this research funded by a special Agriculture Research Service grant, is needed to build upon the ongoing program and hopefully find answers to how chemicals found in plant products could be used to replace other toxic pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I speak today to honor the Soldiers of the 314th Infantry Regiment, 79th Reconnaissance Troop, 79th Infantry Division. The 79th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy on June 14, 1944 and entered combat on June 19. Launching a 10-month drive through France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia, the 79th Infantry Division eventually repulsed heavy German counter- attacks and secured Allied positions all the way to the Rhine-Herne Canal and the north bank of the Ruhr. As a unit, the 314th Inf Rgmt earned the French Fourragere, the Croix de Guerre with Palm Streamer embroidered ``Parroy Forest,'' and the Croix de Guerre Streamer with Palm embroidered ``Normandy to Paris;'' battalions of the 314th earned four Presidential Unite Citations. Soldiers of the 314th earned a Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Crosses, and Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medals, as well as the French Legion of Honor in the Grade of Chalier, the Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Croix de Guerre with Silver Gilt Star, the Croix de Guerre with Gilt Star and the Croix de Guerre with Bronze Star and the British Military Medal. Awarding the French Croix de Guerre with Palm to the 79th Infantry Division on July 22, 1946, the President of the Provisional Government of the French Republic praised the remarkable unit which displayed splendid endurance and exceptional fighting zeal. . . . In spite of heavy losses, it fought stubbornly against a dashing and fanatical enemy, preventing it from reappearing in the Vosges. It thus contributed greatly to the liberation of Baccaret, Phalsbourg and Saverne. Three years later, the French Minister of National Defense cited the 79th Infantry Division: [A] splendid unit incited by savage vigor, landed in Normandy in June 1944. Covered itself with glory in the battles of Saint-Lo and at Haye de-Puits. Participated in the capture of Fougeres, Laval, and Le Mans, then crossing on the enemy before marching triumphantly into Paris on 27 August 1944. By its bold actions, contributed largely to the success of the Allied armies and the liberation of Paris. Most notably,the 79th Infantry Division reinforced the greatest amphibious assault in modern history in its drive across the continent. On June 6, 2000, the National D-Day museum will open in New Orleans to not only commemorate the landing of America's initial World War II armada but celebrate the valiant achievements of subsequent Army Divisions. As I see it, the invasion of Normandy in the summer of 1944 made three monumental accomplishments: it marked a critical milestone in military strategic history, initiated the Allied victory against Nazi Germany, and essentially a new era of American military leadership. Today, the American soldiers who risked their lives to foment these changes continue to inspire works of artists, authors, film writers, soldiers, and policymakers. In the words of Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the United States, has become the ``indispensable country'' for preserving stability and security in the world. If this is true, then certainly these men make up an ``indispensable generation.'' Most recently, the writings of Tom Brokaw, Steven Spielberg, and New Orleans' own Stephen Ambrose have captured the sense of American idealism and patriotic fervor invigorating our World War II veterans. These men's contributions have persisted decades after V-E Day in driving the United States to the forefront of world economic, political, and technological development. Accordingly, in the post-Cold War era, the United States and its allies have once again faced down mass-scale murder in Europe reminiscent of the Holocaust you so bravely arrested. Our cooperation with Europe has evidently worked once again. As the European Union begins to realize its economic and political potential, it is especially essential that we retain our trans-Atlantic relationship which has fostered the most intimate system of inter-state security for over fifty years. My state has a particular interest in maintaining ties with the continent from which much of our unique cultural and political identity derives. As Louisiana celebrates its French heritage in its 300th Francofete year, the people of our state salute you, in light of your supreme accomplishments: helping in the liberation of France and dismantlement of the Nazi Third Reich, inaugurating an era of American preeminence and ultimately, making the world safe for democracy.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise to associate myself with the remarks of my senior Senator from Louisiana who has led this fight successfully for many years and who has crafted a program that is working not only for sugar growers in 40 States around the country, with over 400,000 jobs represented directly or indirectly, it is also actually working for the refineries and the consumer. I am surprised that this amendment has come up, particularly at this time. I don't believe it is good to kick farmers while they are down. That is what this amendment does. The rural economies in our country are really struggling. Commodity prices from the west coast to the east coast, to Louisiana, up to the Dakotas, have been at historic lows. We are struggling to find the balance as to how our agricultural community can compete. The sugar growers in Louisiana are highly efficient. We can compete with farmers all over the world, but we can't compete with foreign governments. That is what this whole issue is about. This sugar program is working for everyone. It costs the taxpayer nothing. It has actually been a revenue raiser since 1991. Now is simply not the time to kick the farmers when they are down. I associate myself with the remarks of my senior colleague from Louisiana. I thank the manager for giving me and other Senators time to speak on this important issue, and I yield back the remainder of my time.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Chair. (The remarks of Ms. Landrieu pertaining to the introduction of S. 1485 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I rise for the purpose of introducing a piece of legislation as in morning business.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that my State director, Don Hutchinson, be granted the privilege of the floor.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am proud to join the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Don Nickles, and a number of my colleagues, including Senators Ashcroft, Bond, Brownback, Chafee, Cochran, Craig, DeWine, Edwards, Grassley, Hollings, Inhofe, Kennedy, Levin, Lott, Rockefeller, and Gordon Smith in introducing a very important piece of legislation called the Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act. As you can see from this long list of distinguished Members, the Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act is an important piece of legislation and one I hope, by introducing it today, we could actually have some committee and floor action on in the weeks and months ahead. I commend Senator Nickles for his leadership. We have presented this bill on behalf of the 15,000 children who are adopted into our country each year through the process of international adoption. A few weeks ago, I had the great privilege to join Senator Levin and others to travel to Romania and had the opportunity to see firsthand the institutions and orphanages. Over 100,000 children of Romania call these places home, but they in fact do not look much like homes, as you can imagine. The staff at these homes try very hard to give the children in their care the love and support they need as they grow and mature, yet the fact is they are living in these institutions. Nothing can really supplant or take the place of a family or home to call your own. Not only in Romania but in many places in the world, American families are building their families through the process of international adoption. Last year alone, 15,000 families opened their homes and their hearts to adopt a child from another country, and 85,000 families adopted children from within the United States. But this bill is directed at the families who are bringing children from other parts of the world to come and be part of an American family and become American citizens. What people may not realize is that now, when the adoption process is final, when all the paperwork has been done, after all the time and energy and in some cases a considerable amount of financial expense that is associated with these particular adoptions, under our current law, these children and these families still have to go through a citizenship process. This bill will basically make that process automatic and would, as the other parts of our law, recognize no difference between a child who is a biological child and a child who is an adopted child. It simplifies our law, it reduces paperwork, it reduces heartaches, reduces headaches, and really is something we should have done years ago. I am proud to join my colleagues today to introduce this legislation that, if passed, will make it automatic that children who are adopted into families in the United States will receive, with their adoption finalization, automatic citizenship, to be citizens of the United States of America. I think this change is long overdue. I can say, as the mother of two beautiful adopted children, obviously there is no difference between biological and adopted children. Both are wonderful ways to build families. Through the adoption process, many families in the United States are able to provide homes for children who were not fortunate enough to have them the first time around. So I am happy to join my colleagues to introduce this bill. I send it to the desk and ask it be referred to the proper committee, and I ask unanimous consent the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I am proud to join the Senator from Oklahoma, Mr. Don Nickles, and a number of my colleagues, including Senators Ashcroft, Bond, Brownback, Chafee, Cochran, Craig, DeWine, Edwards, Grassley, Hollings, Inhofe, Kennedy, Levin, Lott, Rockefeller, and Gordon Smith in introducing a very important piece of legislation called the Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act. As you can see from this long list of distinguished Members, the Adopted Orphans Citizenship Act is an important piece of legislation and one I hope, by introducing it today, we could actually have some committee and floor action on in the weeks and months ahead. I commend Senator Nickles for his leadership. We have presented this bill on behalf of the 15,000 children who are adopted into our country each year through the process of international adoption. A few weeks ago, I had the great privilege to join Senator Levin and others to travel to Romania and had the opportunity to see firsthand the institutions and orphanages. Over 100,000 children of Romania call these places home, but they in fact do not look much like homes, as you can imagine. The staff at these homes try very hard to give the children in their care the love and support they need as they grow and mature, yet the fact is they are living in these institutions. Nothing can really supplant or take the place of a family or home to call your own. Not only in Romania but in many places in the world, American families are building their families through the process of international adoption. Last year alone, 15,000 families opened their homes and their hearts to adopt a child from another country, and 85,000 families adopted children from within the United States. But this bill is directed at the families who are bringing children from other parts of the world to come and be part of an American family and become American citizens. What people may not realize is that now, when the adoption process is final, when all the paperwork has been done, after all the time and energy and in some cases a considerable amount of financial expense that is associated with these particular adoptions, under our current law, these children and these families still have to go through a citizenship process. This bill will basically make that process automatic and would, as the other parts of our law, recognize no difference between a child who is a biological child and a child who is an adopted child. It simplifies our law, it reduces paperwork, it reduces heartaches, reduces headaches, and really is something we should have done years ago. I am proud to join my colleagues today to introduce this legislation that, if passed, will make it automatic that children who are adopted into families in the United States will receive, with their adoption finalization, automatic citizenship, to be citizens of the United States of America. I think this change is long overdue. I can say, as the mother of two beautiful adopted children, obviously there is no difference between biological and adopted children. Both are wonderful ways to build families. Through the adoption process, many families in the United States are able to provide homes for children who were not fortunate enough to have them the first time around. So I am happy to join my colleagues to introduce this bill. I send it to the desk and ask it be referred to the proper committee, and I ask unanimous consent the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that two staffers, Kathleen Strottman and Ben Cannon, have floor privileges.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Chair. Mr. President, I rise to support my senior colleague from Louisiana and thank him and Senator Chafee for bringing us together and for bringing this measure before the Senate and before the American people, a measure that, in my mind, is a very good starting point for where we need to be and on what we need to be focused. It does a couple of things of which I am very proud and a couple of things for which I believe I ran for the Senate to try to do. One, it is very fiscally responsible. It pays down a significant portion of the publicly held debt and gives tremendous benefits to the market and to our economy because of that savings approach. It also sets aside a prudent amount of money, and under the leadership of my senior Senator, it enables us to not only throw more money at Medicare, which we need to do for prescription drugs, but it provides a floor or a framework for us to really put in some systemic reforms if we could come to an agreement to strengthen a program that is depended on by almost everyone in our Nation. It also gives us a starting point and a proposal to reduce taxes, not for the very rich, not for those who have already benefited from this booming economy, but it gives us an opportunity, through strategic tax cuts, to make it possible for more people to enjoy this new historic economic boom that we are experiencing. It does this in very strategic ways, and I will hit on a few in a moment. Before I begin that point, I want to say that I have the greatest respect for the Senators from Connecticut and particularly my good friend, Senator Joe Lieberman, who just spoke. There is hardly a time I ever disagree with him on an issue of this magnitude, but I have also looked at the projections underlying the bipartisan plan of Senator Breaux and Senator Chafee. I have learned through that review that over the last 50 years, the average rate of growth has been 3.3 percent. This plan is based on a very conservative projection, I believe, of a 2.4-percent growth. I do not concede the point that these projections are off. I will concede that on the other side, in terms of the spending projections, we are tight. But we have never, as Senator Bayh pointed out, spent the inflationary standard. There is room to pay down our debt, provide for reform of Medicare, provide a new and very much needed prescription drug benefit, leave room for some reasonable, responsible new spending for programs, and give some strategic relief to hard-working American families, families that are struggling every day to put their children through school, families who are struggling to keep an elderly person at home with the added expense so they do not have to live alone or live in a nursing home that perhaps is not appropriate for them. There are many important parts of this bipartisan plan that help average, hard-working families begin to be a part of this new economy. One of the things I want to mention that is actually interesting but not a part of this plan, and I hope as it is massaged and improved and perfected over the next weeks there can be some strategic tax relief to encourage low-income families to begin saving, just as we have the Roth IRA plan and the traditional IRA plan. Those have really helped a lot of middle-income Americans. But today there are many Americans who live in Louisiana who do not make enough money to set aside $2,000 a year. So there is a possibility, through this tax proposal, that we could structure some tax relief to enable these lower-income, hard-working Americans, to begin savings accounts that can promote their wealth, promote their economic fortune, and help them to participate in the new economy.

Ms. LANDRIEU. If I could have 30 seconds to wrap up. So besides the program I have just described, there is family tax relief, savings and investments, education--tax relief for small businesses; their No. 1 request to us is for some tax relief so they can continue to afford insurance for themselves and small businesses throughout this country. There are many others--tax credits for the renovation of historic homes, and some other things that create jobs, stir investment, and give people the tools they need to participate in this new economy. I thank my senior Senator. I am proud to be a part of this bipartisan effort. I ask unanimous consent to be added as a cosponsor of the amendment.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Senator from Ohio for recognizing that I want to speak for 10 minutes. I would be happy to yield several minutes to the Senator from Illinois.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I commend the Senator from Ohio for his remarks about the importance of our Social Security surplus and preserving it so we can invest and strengthen something the American people and the American families have come to rely on and to appreciate. It is actually something that sets us apart from many nations in the world, that we actually have a safety net that works for older Americans--to honor the fact that they have worked hard through their lives, sometimes at minimum wage jobs, for 30 and 40 and 50 years. We say, as Americans, if you are president of a corporation or if you are an owner of a small business, or even if you are a minimum wage laborer, we want to have a retirement system that keeps you out of poverty when you are simply at an age where you cannot work and increase your income. So it is important to us. It is a value. It is something more than just a program. It is something more than just a Government program or an initiative. It is a value of America. I think both sides of the aisle recognize that. Although there are some differences in the way we would approach the specific lockbox notion, we have made great strides in recognizing that $2 trillion of this $3 trillion surplus needs to be set aside for Social Security. It is important for our Nation. Most certainly, it is important to people from Louisiana. I commend him and also commend the Senator from Illinois for underlining some of those points.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I come to the floor today to talk about another particular aspect of fiscal responsibility that is so important. We are in the middle of one of the most important debates of this Congress that may have repercussions for the next generation or two, an opportunity that we haven't really had since 1981 when there was a huge tax cut, and, many of us think, an irresponsible tax cut given at that time that drove our deficits tremendously upward and raised the debt of this Nation. We are now in the process of debating what to do with our great fortune, a real surplus in non-Social Security revenues. We know what we want to do with the Social Security surplus, and that is to set it aside to strengthen this program because it is a value that Americans share. What do we do with the non-Social Security surplus? I am one of the Members on this side who hope we can find some measure of tax relief for hard-working, middle-income, low-income Americans, to do it in a way that helps to close the gap in this country between the haves and the have-nots, that helps our children in the next generation to become part of this new economy. I hope we can fashion some smaller, responsible, well-thought-through, and careful tax relief for low-income and middle-income families that will help them, their children, and their grandchildren to participate in perhaps the greatest economic boom to ever happen in the history of the world, not just in this Nation, not just in this democracy, not just in this century, but an economic prosperity that is unprecedented in the history of many nations. What we want to do if we are going to have a tax cut--and I certainly support one that is responsible and along responsible fiscal lines--is to craft it in such a way that it helps to give our children and our grandchildren the opportunity to participate by improving their skills, by improving their opportunity to create their own businesses, by creating perhaps opportunities for them to participate in this new economy. One of the things that is very important to our generation and to the generations to come is reflected in a new poll that was just released this week by Frank Luntz, commissioned by the Nature Conservancy, about fiscal responsibility. It is also about the Department of Interior, the appropriations bill we are going to be discussing for that Department also this week. One of the important issues is how we might reallocate surpluses in our continued quest for fiscal responsibility in this Nation, how to direct some of the revenues coming into the Federal Treasury. A great source of revenue that has been coming into the Federal Treasury over the last 50 years at about $4 billion a year--sometimes more, sometimes less-- for a total of $120 billion since 1955 has been money from offshore oil and gas revenues. That money, from the Outer Continental Shelf of the United States, primarily off the shores of Louisiana, contributed to a great deal by Mississippi, Texas, and Alaska, the producing States, has gone in the Federal Treasury and has been used basically for general operating funds. I and many of my colleagues on this and the other side of the aisle, a bipartisan coalition, think now is the time, as we debate what to do with these surpluses, as we debate how to reallocate some of these revenues, as we debate what are the proper investments to make in the next century regarding tax reductions and investments in education, to talk about making a strong, permanent commitment to our environment. As the poll results I am going to submit for the Record this afternoon indicate, by a wide majority, Republicans and Democrats, young and old, people who live on the east coast and the west coast, people who live in the flat plains and in the mountains overwhelmingly support a real trust fund and a real commitment to preserve parks, recreation areas, open spaces, and wildlife in this Nation. That is what one of the bills, S. 25, which has been moving through this process both in the House and the Senate, will do. It would make permanent a source of funding from Outer Continental Shelf revenues within the framework of a balanced budget, in a very fiscally conservative way, by using these revenues that are coming from a nonrenewable resource. One day these oil and gas wells are going to dry up. I spent my time and energy trying to take some of these tax dollars that are already being paid to invest in something that will last for generations to come, something the American people want to pay for, something the American people believe in; that is, creating open spaces for parks and recreation. I will submit this polling information for the Record. I rise to speak for a few minutes about the importance of fiscal responsibility, about a tax cut that could be meaningful, if it is done correctly, and about the potential of using some of these dollars--not raise dollars but redirect some of our dollars into a program that is so important to the American people--full funding for land and water conservation, funding for needs of coastal cities and coastal communities, and also wildlife conservation programs throughout the Nation. I thank the Chair and yield back the remainder of my time.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Chair. (The remarks of Ms. Landrieu and Mr. Akaka pertaining to the introduction of S. 1434 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I yield back the remainder of my time. Mr. CONRAD addressed the Chair.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of myself and Senators Akaka and Cleland to introduce this legislation that would extend the authorization for appropriations for the National Historic Preservation Fund, as established by the Historic Preservation Act amendments of 1976. On September 30, 1997, the authorization for deposits into the Historic Preservation Fund from revenues due and payable to the United States under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act expired. So we introduce this legislation with the purpose of reauthorizing the deposits at the same level of $150 million annually through the year 2005. As you are aware, and others in this Chamber, this fund account supports roughly one-half of the cost of the Nation's historic preservation programs. State governments contribute the other half. This is a partnership that is working--preserving our communities, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for this partnership to flourish. States and certain local governments and Native American tribes carry out our historic preservation programs under the act for the Secretary of the Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. This program involves the identification of historic places, working with property owners in nominating significant places to the National Register, consulting with Federal agencies on projects that may adversely impact historic places, advising investors on important tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic buildings, and offering information and educational opportunities to the private and public sectors on historic preservation. This program is made possible through the Historic Preservation Fund, and it contributes significantly, as I have said, to community revitalization and to economic development. We believe it is extremely worthwhile, it is a program that works, and we must reauthorize this fund so the State historic preservation offices and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation may continue this important work. I would just like to state for the Record some very brief examples of how this has worked around the Nation. One example is from my hometown in New Orleans. The Maginnis Cotton Mill, which was constructed in 1884, was the largest textile manufacturing plant in the South. It was once a ``model institution'' employing 450 workers. The Maginnis Mill remained the largest in the South until it closed in 1944. Over 50 years had passed before any restorative work was done to the mill. In 1996, while maintaining the original ascetic integrity of this enormous complex in downtown New Orleans, the Historic Restoration Group, Inc., converted the old mill into 267 apartments. It has now been completed. It is a beautiful renovation project. It is now the home for 267 residents and their families, and it has increased the housing in that area by 26 percent. The building, which has been called a ``freeze frame'' of the development of the city, has greatly increased property values in that area, not to mention the surrounding area. Another example is Chinatown, Honolulu. Once nearly engulfed with high-rise redevelopment, Chinatown today is protected by a requirement that new construction be reviewed by a design commission. Tools used include a National Register of Historic Places nomination, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation review, and the preservation tax incentives. Another example is the Indianapolis Union Railway Station. A $40 million rehabilitation project over a decade drew on several Federal funding programs and extensive consultation with the State and has spurred other adjacent rehabilitations. The station now serves as a festival marketplace with hotel and transportation facilities. Another example is Formosan Termite Control. A threat to the Vieux Carre and other historic districts in the South, the Formosan termite is immune to common treatment. A Historic Preservation Fund grant is enabling Louisiana State University to study ways of improving detection and eradication of the pest. Another example is Ledbetter Heights low-income housing, Shreveport. Section 8 housing designation and the preservation tax incentives were used to purchase and rehabilitate shotgun houses in the St. Paul's Bottoms Historic District. Shreveport Landmarks, Inc., cooperated with a tenants' council in the process. There are literally hundreds of other examples of successful renovation projects that would not be possible without the Historic Preservation Fund. From Hawaii to Maine, from Louisiana to North Dakota, and all in between, there are places in urban and rural areas that have greatly benefited by the presence of this fund. So I introduce this legislation tonight. I look forward to finding the funding for not just a one-time appropriation. As you know, S. 25 is a bill that seeks to find a permanent source of funding for many important environmental and wildlife conservation projects. Perhaps our National Historic Fund could become part of that so this permanent source of funding could go on to our cities and our communities so they would have a steady stream of revenue to continue to improve these areas in our communities, both in urban and rural parts of our Nation.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise on behalf of myself and Senators Akaka and Cleland to introduce this legislation that would extend the authorization for appropriations for the National Historic Preservation Fund, as established by the Historic Preservation Act amendments of 1976. On September 30, 1997, the authorization for deposits into the Historic Preservation Fund from revenues due and payable to the United States under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act expired. So we introduce this legislation with the purpose of reauthorizing the deposits at the same level of $150 million annually through the year 2005. As you are aware, and others in this Chamber, this fund account supports roughly one-half of the cost of the Nation's historic preservation programs. State governments contribute the other half. This is a partnership that is working--preserving our communities, creating jobs, and providing opportunities for this partnership to flourish. States and certain local governments and Native American tribes carry out our historic preservation programs under the act for the Secretary of the Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. This program involves the identification of historic places, working with property owners in nominating significant places to the National Register, consulting with Federal agencies on projects that may adversely impact historic places, advising investors on important tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic buildings, and offering information and educational opportunities to the private and public sectors on historic preservation. This program is made possible through the Historic Preservation Fund, and it contributes significantly, as I have said, to community revitalization and to economic development. We believe it is extremely worthwhile, it is a program that works, and we must reauthorize this fund so the State historic preservation offices and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation may continue this important work. I would just like to state for the Record some very brief examples of how this has worked around the Nation. One example is from my hometown in New Orleans. The Maginnis Cotton Mill, which was constructed in 1884, was the largest textile manufacturing plant in the South. It was once a ``model institution'' employing 450 workers. The Maginnis Mill remained the largest in the South until it closed in 1944. Over 50 years had passed before any restorative work was done to the mill. In 1996, while maintaining the original ascetic integrity of this enormous complex in downtown New Orleans, the Historic Restoration Group, Inc., converted the old mill into 267 apartments. It has now been completed. It is a beautiful renovation project. It is now the home for 267 residents and their families, and it has increased the housing in that area by 26 percent. The building, which has been called a ``freeze frame'' of the development of the city, has greatly increased property values in that area, not to mention the surrounding area. Another example is Chinatown, Honolulu. Once nearly engulfed with high-rise redevelopment, Chinatown today is protected by a requirement that new construction be reviewed by a design commission. Tools used include a National Register of Historic Places nomination, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation review, and the preservation tax incentives. Another example is the Indianapolis Union Railway Station. A $40 million rehabilitation project over a decade drew on several Federal funding programs and extensive consultation with the State and has spurred other adjacent rehabilitations. The station now serves as a festival marketplace with hotel and transportation facilities. Another example is Formosan Termite Control. A threat to the Vieux Carre and other historic districts in the South, the Formosan termite is immune to common treatment. A Historic Preservation Fund grant is enabling Louisiana State University to study ways of improving detection and eradication of the pest. Another example is Ledbetter Heights low-income housing, Shreveport. Section 8 housing designation and the preservation tax incentives were used to purchase and rehabilitate shotgun houses in the St. Paul's Bottoms Historic District. Shreveport Landmarks, Inc., cooperated with a tenants' council in the process. There are literally hundreds of other examples of successful renovation projects that would not be possible without the Historic Preservation Fund. From Hawaii to Maine, from Louisiana to North Dakota, and all in between, there are places in urban and rural areas that have greatly benefited by the presence of this fund. So I introduce this legislation tonight. I look forward to finding the funding for not just a one-time appropriation. As you know, S. 25 is a bill that seeks to find a permanent source of funding for many important environmental and wildlife conservation projects. Perhaps our National Historic Fund could become part of that so this permanent source of funding could go on to our cities and our communities so they would have a steady stream of revenue to continue to improve these areas in our communities, both in urban and rural parts of our Nation.

Ms. LANDRIEU

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk. I have discussed this with the manager.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. LANDRIEU. I thank the Chair. I will not ask for a vote tonight on this. I have discussed this with the manager, but I want to call it to the attention of the Senate. It is something Senator Specter and I have worked on, along with many others on both sides, dealing with monies to properly fund the War Crimes Tribunal. It has come to our attention that even though we were successful in putting some additional funding into the War Crimes Tribunal for all the situations occurring in Kosovo, some of the money, sort of the standard amount of money that we spend on war crimes, is not present in the current bill we are discussing. I wanted to offer an amendment to restore it. Given the late hour, given the tight constraints, I have talked with the Senator, and he said they will try to work this out at conference. I bring it to the attention of the Senate to thank him for his consideration. At this time I will withdraw the amendment.

Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for 30 seconds.