Steven LaTourette

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3378) to authorize certain actions to address the comprehensive treatment of sewage emanating from the Tijuana River in order to substantially reduce river and ocean pollution in the San Diego border region, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3378, the Tijuana River Valley Estuary and Beach Sewage Cleanup Act of 2000 will help solve sanitation problems in the San Diego and Tijuana border region. San Diego is in a state of emergency. Raw or partially treated sewage flows from Mexico into the United States, creating significant health and safety risks. To comprehensively address the problem, H.R. 3378 encourages the United States to negotiate new international agreements with Mexico and provides the U.S. authority to enter into a public- private partnership with a private corporation to help meet the rapidly growing wastewater treatment needs in the area. I encourage the United States to continue the current proposal involving a public-private partnership to address the treatment problems along the border as quickly as possible. I want to commend two of our colleagues, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), who have been like bulldogs on this issue, and have consistently brought it before the committee and now the full House again for their leadership in helping to resolve this significant international health and environmental issue. I urge my colleagues to support this bill as amended. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Bilbray), one of the authors of the bill and the gentleman who advises me he has been working on this problem for his constituents for a quarter of a century. (Mr. BILBRAY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1775) to catalyze restoration of estuary habitat through more efficient financing of projects and enhanced coordination of Federal and non-Federal restoration programs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1775, the Estuary Restoration Act of 2000, authorizes estuary restoration projects and requires the development of a comprehensive strategy for estuary protection and restoration. This bill, which was introduced by our colleague on the committee, the outstanding gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), will establish the public-private partnerships we need to help preserve and restore water quality, water supply, habitat, commercial fisheries, and many recreational opportunities in our Nation's estuaries. The bill we bring to the floor today represents the combined efforts of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Resources. I want to extend my thanks to the chairman of the Committee on Resources, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and also the ranking member of that committee, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), for their cooperation. In particular, I also want to give thanks to the chairman of our full committee, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), and also to the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), on our committee. I want to assure our colleagues that this bill does not create any new regulatory authorities, and that the restoration strategy is subject to adequate opportunities for public review and comment. I also support the intent of the bill to ensure that projects and activities are based upon sound scientific understanding. I strongly support passage of H.R. 1775, and urge our colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, we have no additional requests for time. We will be prepared to yield back when the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) does the same.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 835) to encourage the restoration of estuary habitat through more efficient project financing and enhanced coordination of Federal and non-Federal restoration programs, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 4115, the legislation in front of the body. Over the last 6 years, I have had the honor of serving as one of the council members of the Holocaust Museum, and I can say with all candor, that that service has been one of the highest honors if not the highest honor that I received since I have been in the United States Congress. During my time of service, I have had the opportunity to learn firsthand what all of us really knew, that it is a remarkable institution. The museum recently marked its 7th anniversary and in its short tenure it certainly made its mark. There was great anticipation and excitement when it was about to open and when the idea was conceived, but I do not think anybody would have recognized what it would achieve in only 7 years. Other speakers have talked about the shattered attendance records. People have talked about the fact that dignitaries from 130 countries have come. And while those dignitaries garner the headlines, it is the everyday people from all walks of life who really make the story of the museum so special: parents and children, school groups, community groups, and teachers. Given the museum's success, it is hard to believe today that before its opening there was genuine concern as to whether or not this museum would appeal to anyone but Jews. People were afraid that visitors would not come. Of the millions of people, Mr. Chairman, who have visited the museum, 80 percent of all visitors are not Jewish, 14 percent are foreigners and 18 percent have come to the museum more than once. When the museum celebrated its 5th anniversary, it commissioned a survey about the Americans' view of the Holocaust. The purpose of the survey was to judge Americans depth of understanding and also to focus and continue to focus the mission of the museum. The survey had encouraging and discouraging results. Seventy-seven percent of Americans had heard of the museum, and 61 percent said they would be interested in visiting it if they came to Washington, D.C. Two of every three Americans polled wanted to learn more about the Holocaust, and minorities were most enthusiastic in that regard including 79 percent of the African Americans polled and 75 percent of the Hispanics. Eighty percent, four out of every five Americans surveyed pictured the Holocaust as one of the history's most important lessons, placing it behind the American Revolution, but ahead of the American Indian struggles, the U.S. civil rights movement, Vietnam, slavery and the Cold War. Responses also proved the value worth of the museum and its role in educating the public. One out of every five Americans, 20 percent, do not know or were not sure that Jews were killed during the Holocaust or that it occurred during the Second World War. More than 70 percent of those polled falsely believed that the United States granted asylum to any and all European Jews that wanted it. Sadly, in fact, the United States had one of the worst records in accepting refugees. Only 21,000 refugees were accepted in the United States as they fled Nazism during World War II. Mr. Chairman, my first experience at the museum, I was taken by a fellow by the name of Mark Newman, whose father was a Holocaust survivor, and although he said I should come back, and I have come back many times to spend 4 hours and 5 hours in the museum at a time, he wanted to show me two exhibits. Because I was going to be a new legislator, he wanted to show me the exhibit on the St. Louis and the exhibit on the failed conference at Evian, the conference wherein supposedly the great powers of the world got together to determine which country would in fact accept refugees who were fleeing for their very lives from the stain of Nazism. That conference failed, it failed, and my host made the observation, because legislators did not do their job at this moment in time, and it remains a stain of shame on the United States. It remained a lesson that I carry with me as I make decisions here in the House of Representatives. I want to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Cannon) for bringing forth this legislation. It is a good bill. It passed unanimously when it was first authorized, and it should again today.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4806, the measure just considered by the House.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I think from comments of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), we now see Mr. Barnett embodies the intermodalism we are so proud of on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I would urge passage of the bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of our time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota, the distinguished ranking member.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4806) to designate the Federal building located at 1710 Alabama Avenue in Jasper, Alabama, as the ``Carl Elliott Federal Building''.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, while Mr. Aderholt was speaking, I was talking to the excellent staff director of our subcommittee, Rick Barnett, and he informed me he also was the recipient of an NDEA loan. While I am on that subject, the members of the subcommittee today as we marked up this piece of legislation were stunned to find out that our staff director, Mr. Barnett, is leaving us and going into private service, and I would be happy to yield some time to the ranking member of the full committee when I finish these remarks. I have been lucky enough to be on this subcommittee for the last 6 years since I came to the Congress in 1995. It is one of the best kept secrets in the United States Congress, this particular subcommittee. It goes through a lot of permutations. But the one constant during my tenure on the subcommittee has been the staff director, Rick Barnett. Anyone who is here for any period of time at all, Mr. Speaker, recognizes that while we get to stand in front of the C-SPAN cameras, it is the staff that is the oil and grease and everything else that makes this place go. Rick Barnett has provided professional service to not only the members of the subcommittee, but to the members of the full committee, and I could not have done my job and I know the chairman of our subcommittee, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks), could not have done his job without him. As a matter of fact, during my three terms, we have had three chairmen, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), Mr. Kim, and now we have had the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Franks), and Mr. Barnett has been the one constant that has made sure all of the ``t's'' were crossed and ``i's'' were dotted. Mr. Barnett, I will miss you very much.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I always learn a great deal when I listen to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) talk, it does not matter what the subject. The gentleman has more knowledge, institutional and otherwise, than any Member of the House. I did not know that Mr. Elliott was the author of the NDEA. And if it had not been for the NDEA, I would not have had the opportunity to afford to go to college. So I am doubly pleased to be bringing the bill to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the author of the legislation before us. (Mr. ADERHOLT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4806 designates the Federal building located at 1710 Alabama Avenue in Jasper, Alabama, as the Carl Elliott Federal building. This legislation was favorably reported out of the Subcommittee on Economic Development, American Public Buildings, Hazardous Materials and Pipeline Transportation this morning. Carl Elliott was born in Vina, Franklin County, Alabama, in 1913. He graduated from the University of Alabama Law School, and he was admitted to the Alabama Bar in 1936. Later that same year, Congressman Elliott established a law practice in Russellville, Alabama, before relocating it to the city of Jasper. Congressman Elliott bravely served the United States of America during the course of World War II. After returning from the war, he was elected to the 81st Congress. During Congressman Elliott's 8 terms in office, he championed educational issues, including providing educational opportunities in rural communities. While serving on the Committee on Rules, Congressman Elliott supported moderate social issues to provide opportunities for all Americans. After leaving office, Congressman Elliott served on President Lyndon Johnson's Library Commission in 1967 and in 1968. He also served under President Johnson and President Nixon's Public Evaluation Committee, Office of State Technical Services, and as a member of the Technical Advisory Board in the Department of Commerce. Congressman Elliott passed away January 9 of last year. This is fitting tribute to a former Member. I support the bill and encourage my colleagues to join in support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member of the full committee; and I would just mention to him, if I am his only competition in cycling, he is going to be way, way ahead of any threat. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest), who was the first chairman that I served under on this wonderful subcommittee.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to welcome the Reverend Glen W. Warner as our guest chaplain today. Glen is the Pastor of the Second Congregational United Church of Christ in Ashtabula, Ohio, a post that he has held for the last 3 years. I have had the pleasure of knowing Glen and his wife Nancy and their wonderful family for the past 6 years. Their generosity in time and spirit is well known in our community. Churches, children's services, and philanthropic causes of all stripes have benefited from Glen and Nancy's involvement. Glen was actually the Republican candidate for the seat that I have the pleasure of holding in 1982. Glen is also blessed with an endearing sense of humor. According to a newspaper account heralding his visit here, Glen was asked what he planned to incorporate into his morning prayer with us this morning. I will quote: ``Warner said he has talked to several Ashtabulans, seeking their opinion as to what he should mention in his prayer. One woman's suggestion that Warner pray for a Democratic majority obviously didn't make the cut.'' Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome Glen to the House this morning and thank him for his service.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I have served now in the House for 6 years, and this is the first time I think I have appeared on the floor to give a special order. There are some Members who have a lot on their minds and give special orders all the time. About some, like myself, some people back in my district say I do not have much on my mind at all. But I will tell the Members, tonight I do feel compelled to come to the floor and spend at least part of that 5 minutes talking about the same subject that was talked about by my colleagues, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and that is the retirement of Ron Lasch. I came back stunned from our Fourth of July recess today to find out that Ron had gone into retirement. The House of Representatives, Mr. Speaker, is a little less rich today than it was before we went on recess. When we first come here, it does not take us long to figure out who knows what is going on and who does not know what is going on. There are a lot of people they will tell us what is going on, but we find out rather quickly they do not. Ron Lasch was somebody we could always count on, someone who had not only our interests, but the body's interest at heart when he gave us advice. The C-SPAN cameras in this Chamber focus on the Members. And I think a lot of people that watch these proceedings know that we have as the oldest serving Members of the House, the dean of the House, the great gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), but I found out something today about my friend Ron Lasch he had been here for 44 years if you totaled up his service back to the time of a page, and I think that that rivals the time of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell) in the House. Mr. Speaker, just a quick anecdote, if I could. A couple of week ago, I had the honor of chairing the proceedings on the Interior Appropriations bill. It was raucous. It was partisan; it was a bitter debate as the parties waged war over funding for the arts and funding for Indian education and all of the things that go into the Department of the Interior and related agencies. And I got myself into a little bit of trouble, Mr. Speaker, during the course of that debate when I closed down a quorum call a little earlier than I probably should have. Some of my friends on the Democratic side of the aisle did not take that very well. They were not taking the debate too well, and they were not taking some of the reverses that occurred during the revotes on some issues very well. At the end of about 20 hours of presiding over that bill, one of the first people that came from the back of the Chamber up to the Speaker's rostrum to tell me it was okay and everything was going to be fine, and I would still get my paycheck and be able to serve the next day was Ron Lasch, and that is exactly the kind of fellow he is, and I am going to miss him. His counsel is invaluable. His knowledge is unsurpassed by almost any that come to work here, but more than that, his interest in us as people was what I will remember of his service here, at least the time that his service coincided with mine. He would always take time to ask how my kids were. He always asked me what the weather was like back in Ohio. He always asked me, when I used to tend the garden, if the corn was knee high by the 4th of July back in Ohio because he had a passion for gardening as well. So I know that today he has submitted his retirement and the official word is that he is not going to come back. And I hope he has a wonderful and fruitful retirement, but more than that, Mr. Speaker, I actually hope that he reconsiders that decision and he comes back and serves. And I see my friend from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) in the well and I would be happy to yield the balance of my time to him for whatever remarks he would like to make.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 809, as amended, the Federal Protective Service Reform Act of 2000, makes the Federal Protective Service a freestanding service within the General Services Administration and creates a Federal Protective Service commissioner with line authority over regional directors. Federal Protective Service is currently under the Public Buildings Service, a real estate function within the GSA. The commissioner of the Public Building Service currently has no line authority over regional directors and can only recommend policies and procedures. This structure leaves the Federal Protective Service with just disjointed authority and blurred accountability. H.R. 809 establishes police and training experience standards for the new Federal Protective Service commissioner, including at least 5 years of professional law enforcement experience. The bill clarifies and broadens authority for the officers regarding arrest and investigative powers and expands jurisdiction to areas adjacent to Federal property. All regulations implementing these expanded authorities are subject to the approval of the Attorney General. The bill requires contract security guards to undergo more rigorous background checks and increases the number of full-time FPS officers to 730. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that our committee could work out a compromise with the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, and section 7 on pay and benefits reflects that compromise. It has been modified to direct that the Office of Personnel Management conduct a study of the pay and benefits of all Federal police forces to determine whether there are disparities between the pay and benefits of such forces. We expect this record will be transmitted to the Congress no later than 12 months following enactment of this legislation. The change to section 7 will reduce the costs of the legislation to those costs to hire additional officers. This legislation enhances the FPS and will make Federal buildings more secure. It has no impact on the facilities secured by the Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshal Service. I want to emphasize that this bill does not affect the statutory authority and responsibility of the Marshal Service to provide protection to the United States judges, U.S. attorneys and others connected with the functions of United States courthouses. The law enforcement community strongly supports this measure. This legislation is long overdue, and I want to commend my colleague, the gentleman from the 17th District of Ohio (Mr. Traficant), for his persistence and active involvement in bringing this measure to the floor. I support this bill and encourage its passage. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following letter for the Record. House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform, Washington, DC, June 13, 2000. Hon. Bud Shuster, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: In the interest of expediting Floor consideration of the bill, the Committee will not exercise its jurisdiction over H.R. 809. However, we have agreed that the following language is to replace the existing language in section 7 of the legislation. ``The Office of Personnel Management shall survey the pay and benefits of all federal police forces to determine whether there are disparities between the pay and benefits of such forces that are not commensurate with differences in duties or working conditions. The Office shall submit a report to the Congress within 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, which shall contain the Office's findings and recommendations. In order for the Committees to properly evaluate granting law enforcement status, the Committees expect the report to be completed and submitted within the stated timeframe.'' As you know, House Rules grant the Committee on Government Reform wide jurisdiction over government management issues including matters related to Federal civil service. This action should not, however, be construed as waiving the Committee's jurisdiction over future legislation of a similar nature. I look forward to working with you on this and other issues throughout the remainder of the 106th Congress. Sincerely, Dan Burton, Chairman.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 4608; H.R. 809, as amended; H.R. 1959, as amended; and H.R. 3323, the measures just considered by the House.

Mr. LaTOURETTE

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3323 designates the FDA facility in Jamaica, Queens, New York, as the Floyd H. Flake Federal Building. This is a leased facility and the building owners have expressed their strong support for this action. Floyd Flake was born in Los Angeles, California, one of 13 children to parents with elementary school educations. He grew up in Houston, attending local schools. Congressman Flake earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio, the first black college in America, founded in 1856. This university was founded by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was named for the English statesman and abolitionist James Wilberforce. Dr. Flake went on to attend Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce before attending Northeastern University and St. Johns University in Queens, New York. Reverend Dr. Flake has been the pastor of the Allen A.M.E. Church in Jamaica, New York, since 1976. He is the founder of the Allen Housing Development Fund Corporation, the Allen Christian School and Multi- purpose Center, the Allen Home Care Agency, Allen Housing Corporation, Allen Neighborhood Preservation and Development Corporation, and a member of the NAACP. Dr. Flake was elected to the 100th Congress and served until his retirement in the 105th Congress. Dr. Flake retired from the Congress to return to his Church, which is 10,000 members strong. When Dr. Flake was in Congress, he was a staunch advocate for policies to revitalize blighted urban and residential communities. His bipartisan nature commanded the respect from Members on both sides of the aisle of this House. He is certainly missed in the House. This is a fitting tribute to a former Member of Congress. I support the bill, and encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3323) to designate the Federal building located at 158-15 Liberty Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, New York, as the ``Floyd H. Flake Federal Building''.