Frank LoBiondo

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, duty, honor, valor, these are principles that will take on a new meaning for many students in the Second Congressional District of New Jersey as they seek to attend one of our U.S. Service Academies. Every year, high school seniors work diligently on essays and applications in their effort to secure a bid to one of our nation's military academies. One of the prerequisites to attend a U.S. Service Academy is receiving a nomination from the student's Representative in Congress, U.S. Senator, or the Vice President. The process for this year has been completed, and I was very impressed with the caliber of candidates I had the privilege of nominating to the academies. I would like to recognize all of the students who received nominations from my office. The list of nominated students includes: Liznelia Alicea of Woodbine, Rebecca Baldwin of Pittsgrove, Brion Bennett of Marmora, Andrew Berenato of Ocean City, Christopher Broome of Linwood, Charles Bylone of Vineland, John R. Clark III of Monroeville, Andrew Clemmensen of Mays Landing, Christy Cohen of Port Republic, Steven Datz of Pitman, Dana Andrew Denny of Pilesgrove, Geoffrey Dull of Marmora, Caroline Farnoly of Vineland, George Eric Fleming of Egg Harbor Township, Tyler Forrest of Linwood, Brian Forster of Minotola, Colin Gold of Estell Manor, Heidi Gomeringer of Salem, Jennifer Janezic of Cape May, Jill Kozakowski of Ocean City, Matthew McCoach of Cape May Court House, George McConnell of Port Norris, Corey Meeks of Glassboro, Stacey Miller of Bridgeton, James Nicolosi of Pitman, Melanie Peter of Millville, Benjamin Pitts of Monroeville, Jonathan Pogranicy of Port Republic, Christopher Poponak of Cape May Court House, Melissa Reichenbach of Egg Harbor City, Dylan Rogers of Wildwood Crest, Edison C. Rush III of Pennsville, Christopher Ryckebusch of Mays Landing, Angelina Schulz of Fortescue, Michael Skey of Linwood, Larry Smashey of Monroeville, Joel Sofia of Pitman, Adam Sparks of Carneys Point, Juancarlos Villar of Vineland, Robert Ward of Cape May Court House, and Joseph Welsh of Northfield. To demonstrate the dedication of students who received nominations, let me provide a synopsis of the application process. High school seniors mail personal information directly to the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy once they become interested in attending. Information includes academic achievement, college entry test scores, and other activities. At this time, they also inform their Representative of their desire to be nominated. The academies then assess the applicants, rank them based on the data supplied, and furnish my office with their evaluations of each student. Students are then interviewed by an Academy Screening Board made up of local citizens who volunteer their time to conduct interviews for my office. Given the caliber of each of this year's applicants, I know the Board's job was particularly difficult. I would like to recognize these men and women who served on the Academy Screening Board and to thank them for giving up their time and for all of their hard work. These individuals have contributed to their communities in a variety of ways and are characterized by a strong commitment to public service and their country. The students who have made it through the nomination process are to be commended. They have worked hard and their families, schools and communities should be proud of their efforts. I wish all of them the best of luck in their quest to receive an invitation to one of our Country's prestigious academies.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 927, the National Sea Grant College Program Reauthorization Act. This is a long- awaited measure that reorganizes the nation's foremost aquatic educational grant program for the challenges of the Twenty-First Century. We have only begun to understand the depth of knowledge that our oceans can yield to us. What little we have learned has done much to change humanity's perspective on its relationship with the sea. And I am proud to say that Sea Grant has had a major role in the progress made in aquatic research at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory, located in Port Norris, New Jersey. In noting the provisions contained in S. 927 that authorize grants for oyster disease research, I am excited by the prospect of one day seeing Southern New Jersey watermen shovel bushels of oysters from the Delaware Bay, as they did many years ago. Research undertaken in this area by Rutgers University, through the financial assistance of New Jersey Sea Grant, will hopefully resurrect an industry that has all but disappeared from the Second Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support S. 927.

Mr. LOBIONDO

Mr. LOBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 1349) to authorize the Secretary of Transportation to issue a certificate of documentation with appropriate endorsement for employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel Prince Nova, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. LOBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to issue a certificate of documentation for employment in the coastwise trade for the vessel Prince Nova. The owner operates an auto and ferry service across Long Island Sound between Long Island Sound, New York, and New London, Connecticut. The company plans to purchase the ferry Prince Nova to improve and expand its ferry service. With an upgraded ferry service, the owner will be better able to meet the growing transportation demands of the Long Islands region. Allowing the Prince Nova to operate in the Long Island Sound will benefit transportation needs in the region as well as foster economic growth and job. This bill has already been approved by the House as part of H.R. 2204, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1997; and the House approved H.R. 2204 on October 21, 1997, by voice vote. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the efforts of our colleague, Congresswoman Nancy Johnson, for her leadership in bringing this important matter to our attention; and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, today I am joining with my colleague Peter Visclosky of Indiana in introducing the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 1997. This bill will create a new U.S. Department of Justice grant program which will assist State and local law enforcement agencies in providing their officers with the protection of bullet- resistant vests. Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of the material used in vests, the lives of more than 2,000 officers have been saved because they were wearing protective vests or other body armor. Nonetheless, I was dismayed--but not surprised--to learn that 25 percent of our Nation's police officers are on the streets without vests due to a lack of available funding. This underscores the need to provide those resources for our States and localities so that they may purchase critically needed vests. To me its simple--when you get your badge and gun, you should get your vest too. I owe my level of interest and involvement on this issue to my friend Sgt. Rich Gray of the Pleasantville Police Department. It was Sgt. Gray who first brought this issue to my attention several years ago soon after he founded Vest-A-Cop Inc. and was working intensely to get the program moving. Vest-A-Cop is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the objective of outfitting all full-time duly sworn law enforcement officers in Atlantic County, NJ. Not only is Sgt. Gray well on his way to being successful in reaching that goal after working diligently to secure funding from a variety of sources, but last year his tireless efforts resulted in Governor Whitman signing into law a bill which would create a funding source to buy protective vests for every police officer in the State. Rich Gray is not only an exceptional police officer and dedicated president of the Vest-A-Cop organization, but is a model citizen in other ways as well. He regularly organizes the Millville Harley- Davidson & Pleasantiville Police Department Toy Run--an effort dedicated to providing toys and canned goods to the needy in Atlantic County--as well as other worthy community projects. For all his duty- and civic-minded devotion and commitment, I am taking this opportunity to publicly recognize thank Sgt. Rich Gray. He is a model citizen and personal friend and I am proud to work with him on this important issue.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out that my good friend, the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Traficant] pointed out what is needed in this bill and referred to the comments of the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster]. If we do not enact these reforms, we are not going to have Amtrak. Maybe some Members in this House do not care about Amtrak. Maybe some Members say it does not affect them. But it does. It is an important component of our rail system that we need to pass the Quinn amendment to be able to keep this alive. The gentleman from New York [Mr. Quinn] has worked tirelessly on these issues to help promote the common good, to try to draw Members together, to try to draw consensus. If we are to move forward with Amtrak, we need these reforms to be able to put in place the funding. So if Members care about Amtrak, if they want to see Amtrak continue to operate, this is essential. That is the bottom line. We can talk all we want about everything else. There will not be any jobs. It will be bankrupt. It will be belly up. Those jobs will be gone. So we want these reforms enacted so we can protect it.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I would like to voice my strong support for H.R. 2204, the Coast Guard Authorization Act. In addition to funding for critical drug interdiction activities, this bill contains a significant increase in the Coast Guard operating expense account. This boost will allow the Coast Guard to do their job more effectively. In my district, Mr. Chairman, this will benefit the Coast Guard's training center in Cape May, which is the only recruit training center in our Nation. In addition, the completion of the new air station in Atlantic City will ensure better and faster search and rescue missions along the east coast. I want to thank the Coast Guard for the important service that they are performing in southern New Jersey and throughout our Nation. Their small boat stations have been a great help to fishermen and recreational boaters. Their rapid response saved the lives of two Air National Guard pilots forced to eject into the Atlantic in a recent accident. In general, Mr. Chairman, the Coast Guard personnel have proven to be very welcome members of the community in southern New Jersey and, in fact, throughout our Nation where the Coast Guard has a presence. And I would like to, Mr. Chairman, in conclusion, congratulate and to thank the Coast Guard for the great job that they are doing in so many different ways. As the gentleman from Maryland has stated, they are putting their lives on the line day in and day out, very often without recognition, and I want to say how very proud we are of the great job that they are doing.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, since I have become a Member of Congress, and I am sure well before that, some in Congress have called for the repeal of Davis-Bacon. I have opposed these efforts and will continue to oppose any weakening of this important law. As an operator of a small business, with unionized workers, for years before I entered public life, I learned that in general you truly do get what you pay for. It is not as simple as some claim, that there would be a major cost saving by eliminating this requirement. Studies have been shown that prove differently. I support Davis-Bacon. I will vote for the gentleman's amendment, and I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Indiana for yielding me this time, and I rise in strong support of the amendment by my colleague from Indiana; [Mr. Burton]. I believe everyone should have access to legal services, but in the case of Legal Services Corp., it is no longer just defending individuals, it is bullying employers, specifically farmers. The Legal Services Corp. is not just representing but it is, instead, prosecuting and twisting the laws originally intended to shield those who need protection, to badger legitimate and honest small business people. In southern New Jersey we have a thriving agricultural industry, and it is common between employers and employees at times in any arena. And occasionally there is litigation between the farmers and workers over various employment issues. The Legal Services Corp. is there to provide representation for the workers who are often unable financially to secure legal representation on their own. However, the complaint I frequently hear from the farmers in my district and from my State is that the Legal Services Corp. attorneys pursue such litigation recklessly, with questionable tactics and motives; again, with questionable tactics and motives. Let me share two examples that occurred in my district. A farmer from Salem County, NJ, settled a multiple plaintiff claim for $500 per worker, the total amount to be put in escrow and distributed by the Legal Services Corp. in Puerto Rico where the plaintiffs lived. LSC first reported to the farmer there was a $500 surplus which he would get back. Just earlier this year, however, LSC wrote informing him that a man had walked in claiming to have worked for the farmer and was entitled to the $500, just upon that claim of walking in. LSC let the farmer know that he could respond via his attorney within 20 days or the $500 would be given to the plaintiff. This is insanity. Despite this, the farmer had no record of the claimant ever working for him. It would have cost him more than $500 just to respond through his attorney, so he was forced to allow the distribution and forego the surplus. Another farmer from Atlanta County, NJ, called the local police to escort a disruptive worker with a weapon off his property. LSC got involved and 2 years later their lawyers filed a claim against the farmer for eviction. This farmer took it to the U.S. Department of Labor arbitration and won. Legal Services Corp. refused to appear at the arbitration. They refused to appear at the arbitration but, instead, pursued a case in court against the farmer and the city. The case against the farmer is still going on and LSC refuses to settle for less than $11,000. Think about that. After the police escort someone from his home who has threatened him with an ice pick he got sued for eviction. Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, these are the kinds of abuses that continuously take place. I strongly support the gentleman's amendment because we have to start to rectify these many problems that are going after by legal services who are targeting farmers of moderate means, farmers of moderate means who are forced into settlements that do not make any sense. This is wrong. It needs to be corrected.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the amendment offered by the gentlelady from Idaho. Mr. Chairman, let me emphasize something I have said time and time again here on the House floor: Senior nutrition programs are Government and local partnerships that work. They provide humanitarian assistance to old Americans who are grateful for the helping hand of their neighbors. Congregate Meals programs, in particular, give seniors the opportunity to get out of their homes, socialize, and eat nutritious, low-cost meals. In short, they allow seniors to feel like they are a part of the community. At a time when the senior population in our country is growing rapidly, Congress needs to expand its support for senior meal programs. It makes good fiscal sense to support them--because a dollar spent on senior nutrition programs goes a long way. In fact, Federal funding for Congregate Meals and Meals On Wheels actually saves money in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to vote for the Chenoweth amendment, and help restore funding for Congregate Meals programs to fiscal year 1997 levels.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Saxton, for his efforts on the behalf of fishermen in New Jersey. Make no mistake, Mr. Chairman, the appearance of factory trawlers in Atlantic waters is one of the most serious issues fishermen on the eastern seaboard have ever faced. These vessels, which are built only to haul large amounts of fish in a short amount of time, are nothing more than seagoing vacuum cleaners. Factory trawlers represent a threat to the job of American fishermen. Many of these hard-working people have generational ties to the waters in which they fish. Equally as important is the damage these vessels can do to fisheries. Regional fishery councils are working hard to strike a balance between conservation and the needs of fishermen. The entry of factory trawlers in Atlantic waters will only serve to disrupt that balance, and ultimately deplete fishery stocks. Mr. Chairman, let me conclude by saying that H.R. 1855 is a commonsense solution to this problem, and I am proud to join the environmentalists, commercial fishermen, and recreational anglers who have thrown their support behind this legislation.

Mr. LOBIONDO

Mr. LOBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman from Vermont [Mr. Sanders] for his cooperation and work on this very important amendment. Mr. Chairman, in my district the Meals on Wheels programs in Cumberland, Gloucester, Cape May, Atlantic, Burlington and Salem Counties consistently provide a valuable humanitarian service to thousands of seniors. Typically, the recipients of this service are individuals who are unable to leave their homes for a variety of reasons, sometimes due to chronic illness, sometimes because of a handicap, sometimes because of a temporary physical ailment. At a cost of between $5 and $6 per meal per day, county employees and volunteers, I may stress a large number of volunteers, deliver a meal on weekdays and sometimes on weekends to the doorsteps of needy senior citizens. These meals are hot, well planned and nutritionally balanced. More importantly, Mr. Chairman, these programs safeguard the well- being of local seniors. For instance, volunteers delivering meals can check to see if the water is running. They can check to see, during this summertime when the temperatures are soaring, if air conditioning is working, if the seniors need any help. Library books are often delivered along with the meals. And an ambulance can be sent or help can be summoned if in fact the volunteer determines there is a need. I have personally participated in delivering Meals on Wheels with volunteers in the past, and can tell my colleagues from firsthand experience that this is a program that makes a positive difference to elderly Americans. As the gentleman from Vermont will point out, Meals on Wheels is also an efficient Federal program. For every $1 spent, $3 are saved on other senior programs like Medicare and Medicaid. And as we struggle to find those dollars, I think it is important to note how cost-effective these are. There are not many programs that can match this fiscal rate of success. Clearly, Mr. Chairman, Meals on Wheels is the kind of successful Federal and local partnership that Congress should be encouraging and looking to do more with. It strengthens the support of family, friends and neighbors. It encourages volunteerism. It is cost-effective. And yet, despite all these positive aspects, the Meals on Wheels program suffers from a chronic shortage of funding. In fact, this problem is starting to have a tangible effect on the local level. Mr. Chairman, I urge all my colleagues to vote for this amendment.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise alongside my colleagues from the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee in strong support of the amendment to H.R. 1119 offered by my good friend, Mr. Frelinghuysen. Mr. Chairman, the Delaware Bay, which stretches across the width of the second district, is a high-traffic area for tankers transiting to and from Philadelphia. From Cape May Point, watching the tankers on the horizon, I am reminded that a disaster like the Exxon Valdez spill could happen again at any time--so I am thankful for the much-needed safeguards put in motion by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 [OPA 90] The double hull provisions in OPA 90 were created expressly for the purpose of preventing another disaster like the Valdez spill. Anyone who doubts the wisdom of these requirements should visit the bayside communities in the second district. It would be plain to see the amount of wildlife and coastal vegetation that would be affected by a spill is too staggering to comprehend. Commercial and recreational fishermen who rely on the Delaware Bay would face certain losses as well. That is why I strongly object to shippers attempting to remeasure or reduce their vessels' gross tonnage in order to evade the double hull requirements. Each year that owners or operators extend the life of older vessels only increases the chance of a disastrous hull breach. Mr. Chairman, we can close this loophole in OPA 90 now, or agonize over why we did not after the next spill occurs. While I am a strong supporter of American cabotage, and believe that international shipping is vital to the commerce of the United States, we cannot have shippers abusing the law. Mr. Frelinghuysen's amendment is a commonsense improvement, and I urge its support to all my colleagues.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand today and join so many of my colleagues as an original cosponsor and strong supporter of House Joint Resolution 54, the flag desecration amendment. Many individuals have given their lives, have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the values that are embodied in our flag. To desecrate the flag, I think, is to belittle the sacrifices of our patriots. Forty-nine out of fifty States, including my home State of New Jersey, have passed resolutions urging the adoption of a constitutional amendment prohibiting the desecration of our flag. We often talk about listening to the people in this body. We talk about how important it is to listen to what the citizens of the United States are looking for from us, their elected representatives. Mr. Speaker, I think that in this particular case it is time for us to listen to the will of the people. We cannot deny the will of the people on this particular issue, because it is so overwhelming from every segment of society that this is what we should do, and we cannot forsake the service of our veterans. This weekend I will observe Flag Day in the small down of Clayton, N.J. As I meet the veterans in that community, I would love to be able to tell them that we in the House of Representatives of this U.S. Congress overwhelmingly passed this resolution that will enable us to protect our flag. I think it is the least we can do for the citizens of the country and for our veterans. In Clayton we will celebrate the flag as our national monument. No single statue or memorial embodies our national civic pride like the values of our flag. Vandalizing the Washington Monument or the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia would be considered a despicable crime and would be dealt with very severely. The flag should receive nothing less. It should receive the same measure of respect and protection. I urge my colleagues, think about what is at stake here and please support this bipartisan amendment that would protect our flag.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I seek recognition to speak out of order. Mr. Speaker, last Friday, May 16, my wife fulfilled a lifelong dream. Having stayed at home to raise our two children, my wife had recently returned to school to get her degree in education. Last Friday, she achieved that goal in a commencement ceremony at Rowan University in my district. I could not be more proud of her. Needless to say, because I attended my wife's commencement I was unable to attend Friday's session and was therefore forced to miss votes that day. However, I wish to submit for the record that had I been present, I would have voted ``no'' on the Owens amendment, and ``yes'' on final passage of the bill H.R. 1385.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman of the Committee on Science and the staff of the Subcommittee on Technology for the opportunity to clarify for the Record the impact of H.R. 1271 on the Hughes Technical Center.

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, as the gentleman may be aware, this facility, located in the congressional district which I represent, is the FAA's premier research and development center. Perhaps the gentleman is also aware that this facility has performed and is performing cutting-edge research and testing in the areas of advanced air traffic control and navigation technology, airport security, fire safety technology and runway safety and pavement durability systems. Mr. Chairman, I should note for the Record that the Hughes Technical Center maintains and operates the only configuration managed lab in the world capable of testing new equipment and systems without disrupting or compromising the safety of air traffic. In other words, these labs allow the FAA to test all equipment and systems in an environment that is identical to the actual air traffic control facilities so we know how the equipment will work together and otherwise function with existing systems before it is fielded. This work and capability is largely responsible for the unparalleled record of aviation safety in this country. For purposes of clarification, Mr. Chairman, I ask the gentleman if there is anything in the bill to require consolidation of the functions and activities of the Hughes Technical Center with any other Federal Aviation Administration facility?

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I wish to engage in a colloquy with the chairman. It is my understanding that because H.R. 1271 would authorize $672 million over the next three fiscal years for the Federal Aviation Administration's research, engineering and development programs, some of the functions of the FAA technical center in Pomona, NJ, are within that authorization.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the Roemer amendment to terminate funding for the international space station. In my view the space station is not a responsible use of taxpayer dollars. It was originally projected to cost $8 billion. Recent estimates put the price tag at $94 billion. The $18 billion that has been spent thus far in construction only began in 1995. It is time for the taxpayers to cut their losses. Eliminating the program now will save $78 billion, four times what has been spent this far, dollars that are desperately needed for programs here at home. NASA is projecting the space station budget to be an average of 75 percent over budget from what they originally planned. As somebody who spent over 25 years in a small business, I find that spending dollars wisely and cost efficiently is not only critical, it is essential. While I think our space program can provide significant scientific contributions to society, I do not think the space station is worth the price. Of the eight original scientific objectives for the program, only two remain, just two out of the eight. Many of the proposed experiments can be done on unmanned satellites or aboard the space shuttle for just a fraction of the cost. NASA now says that the primary reason to build the space station is for the sake of learning how to build a Space Station. In the wake of our $5 trillion national debt, I do not think we can afford to pursue a multibillion dollar endeavor of questionable scientific merit. I hope my colleagues will make their stands for the taxpayers today and vote for the Roemer amendment, because once again, my colleagues, as we struggle with how to find sufficient dollars for education, for seniors, for our environment, this spending is critical.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a member of the congressional caucus on Hellenic issues to again recognize Greek Independence Day. This is a day to honor the sacrifices made by the Greek people over hundreds of years in their struggle against the oppressive rule of the Ottoman Empire. This day also reminds us that Greece and the United States share much in common, including the 1.1 million American citizens who are of Greek ancestry. I am pleased to join New Jersey's Greek-American citizens in their celebration. Many artistic and intellectual traditions have been handed down to the people of the United States of America by the people of Greece. Our Nation is richer for these traditions, and we remain grateful to Greece. The ties that bind America to Greece are not only historical, but also modern. Americans have fought side by side with Greeks in two world wars as well as in the Persian Gulf war. Today, Greece is our invaluable ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. I call upon President Clinton and the Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, to make Greece--and the protection of Greeks in Cyprus and Turkey--a primary focus of United States foreign policy. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would ask all Members of the House to join with me in honoring the historical ties between the United States and Greece and in continuing to foster the close relationship between our two countries that has proven so successful.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of this legislation. I would like to point out that according to the Small Business Administration, small business owners spend at least 1 billion, that is right, 1 billion hours a year in filling out government forms, at an annual cost of $100 billion. As someone who has spent more than 25 years in a small business, I can testify to the accuracy of this statistic. I spent more than my fair share of time filling out form after form after form. The paperwork required by the Government was seemingly endless. The Paperwork Elimination Act will alleviate the paper burden by giving small business owners and employees the option to submit information by electronic means. Over the last several years, we have seen historic changes in the field of telecommunications. This bill will bring the Government into the information age. Many small businesses already take advantage of various technologies used for communication. This initiative would give businesses the option to use this technology to submit information to the Government. If it does not have the capability or the desire to exchange information electronically, if a business does not want to do that, they will not be penalized under this bill. I hope the days of filling out forms in triplicates will be behind us. Passing this bill will be a giant step closer to that end. In the last Congress, this legislation passed the House of Representatives with unanimous support but it never saw action on the Senate floor. In this session I hope we can put this bill on the President's desk, and I urge all of my colleagues to strongly support the legislation.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Chairman, one thing I wanted to start off with is I often hear where a great American, one of our Founding Fathers, is quoted in this great body of ours. We refer to him often, sometimes when it is more convenient than others, and that is Thomas Jefferson, who in 1787, soon after formulating our Constitution, this is what he had to say: ``The second feature I dislike--about the new Constitution--and greatly dislike, is the abandonment in every instance of the necessity of rotation in office.'' This is Thomas Jefferson, one of the people we put a great deal of faith and trust in. Before I came to Congress, I believed in term limits and after having served here for 2 years, I feel stronger than ever before that this is absolutely the right way to go. I think that term limits are needed so that we can maintain the energy level necessary to keep up with what is necessary to give 150 percent, and I think it is somewhat questionable if you can do that after 25 years, or less than that. I think it is necessary to make sure that Members stay in touch with their district, the real world. While this is where we work and vote, the real world is back in our districts. That is what we need to keep the link with. I think we need to make sure that Members stay rooted in what their constituents feel strongly about, what they feel passionately about, what is on their minds. In my belief, term limits will help us do that. Creating a healthy turnover among Members will make our Federal Government less responsive to the needs of special interest groups and more responsive to the needs of everyday Americans that we are entrusted to represent. I do not imagine, and I cannot conceive, that our Founding Fathers ever would have envisioned elected officials making a career out of politics.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce legislation to provide for a Medicare prospective payment system [PPS] for inpatient rehabilitation hospital and rehabilitation unit services. Prior to 1983, the Medicare Act paid hospitals the reasonable cost of treating Medicare patients. Generally, this meant that the more a hospital spent, the more it was paid from the Medicare Trust Fund. The result was a rapid rate of increase in Medicare spending for hospitalization. In 1983, this system was replaced with a prospective payment system under which hospitals were paid fixed rates for various types of diagnostic groups, commonly known as DRG's. Certain providers of care were exempted from this system because a way to appropriately group their patients did not exist. Among these were rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units in general hospitals. These continued to be reimbursed based on costs incurred, but subject to limits on payment per discharge. These limits are imposed under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, and are commonly known as TEFRA limits. TEFRA limits were to be a short term solution to reduce the rate of increase in hospital payments pending adoption of a PPS for rehabilitation hospitals and units. TEFRA limits are based on Medicare operating cost of a hospital or unit in an assigned base year divided by the number of Medicare discharges in that year. This value is updated annually by an update factor, which is intended to reflect inflation. A hospital's or unit's ceiling on Medicare reimbursement is the TEFRA limit for a given year times the number of its Medicare discharges in that period--the TEFRA ceiling. Under the current--and flawed--TEFRA system, for cost reporting periods beginning on and after October 11, 1991, the Medicare Program reimburses a portion of a provider's cost over its TEFRA ceiling in an amount which is the lower of 50 percent of cost over the ceiling or 10 percent of the ceiling. Provision for such payment was made by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 [OBRA 90]. If a provider's costs are less than its TEFRA ceiling, the provider is paid an incentive payment equal to the lower of 50 percent of the difference between its Medicare operating costs and its TEFRA ceiling or 5 percent of that ceiling. When this system was adopted, it was assumed that it would be in place only a short time and then be replaced with a PPS for excluded hospitals and units. New hospitals and units coming in line after the TEFRA system was in place were in a much better position than older facilities, simply because their more current base years included more contemporary wage rates and other operating costs. This now very old temporary system is flawed for the following reasons: Medicare pays widely varying amounts for similar services, producing serious inequities among competing institutions; New hospitals and units can establish limits based on contemporary wage levels and otherwise achieve much higher limits than older hospitals, putting the latter at a great advantage; By treating all rehabilitation discharges as having the same financial value, the TEFRA system provides a strong incentive to admit and treat short-stay, less complex cases and to avoid long-stay, more disabled beneficiaries. This is faulty and misguided public policy; Because any change in services that will increase average length of stay or intensity of services will likely result in cost over a TEFRA limit, the system inhibits the development of new programs. This is also faulty and misguided policy; and The process for administrative adjustment of limits does not provide a remedy because it is not timely. HCFA does not decide cases within the 180-day period required by law and does not recognize many legitimate costs. The very strong incentive to develop new rehabilitation hospitals and units has resulted in an increase in the number of rehabilitation hospitals and units. PROPAC reports that in 1985, there were 545 such hospitals and units. In 1995, there were 1,019. Between 1990 and 1994 Medicare payments to such facilities increased from $1.9 billion to $3.7 billion. This increase in part reflects the fact that rehabilitation services were not widely available in 1983. Consequently, many older facilities have had to live with very low limits of Medicare reimbursement and have been paid less than their costs of operation. To the contrary, many new facilities are being paid much higher cost reimbursement and bonuses as well. It is hard to imagine a worse system. The clear solution to this situation is to introduce a prospective payment system for rehabilitation facilities under which providers are paid similar amounts for similar services and payments are scaled to the duration and intensity of services required by patients. Such a system has been devised by a research team at the University of Pennsylvania. It is based on the functional abilities of patients receiving rehabilitation services. It is now being used by the RAND Corp., under contract with the Health Care Financing Administration, to design a payment system. This work is to be completed before April of this year. My bill would require that a PPS for rehabilitation be implemented by the Secretary of HHS for Medicare cost reporting years beginning on and after October 1, 1998. This date would allow adequate time to adopt regulations and administrative procedures. And my bill requires that this payment system is budget neutral. Enactment of this bill would have multiple benefits. It would benefit patients by removing the implied financial penalty for treating severely disabled patients; It would benefit providers of services by putting all rehabilitation facilities on a level playing field; and It would benefit the Medicare Trust Fund by eliminating the enormous incentive in present law to duplicate service capacity. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this important legislation, and welcome cosponsorship of this measure. Any interested cosponsors should contact me or Carl Thorsen of my staff.

Mr. LoBIONDO

Mr. LoBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, on November 9 the career of one of the best teachers I've been privileged to know will come to a close. On that day, Jim Fegan will end his 36-year tenure as head football coach at Georgetown Prep, located just outside this city. In that time, he has never missed a practice, posted 33 winning seasons, 9 of which were undefeated, won 13 league titles and a metropolitan area No. 1 ranking. His teams' records total 230 wins, 61 losses, and 12 ties entering this season. I take pride in not only having played for Coach Fegan, but also in having served as a cocaptain on one of his ``very best'' teams. The story of his career and the values he has imparted to his players, his student body, and his institution are reflected in, but cannot be measured by, his won-lost records, nor in the numerous awards he has won. His lessons for me and my teammates during his first season in 1961 and for all that followed were every bit as much about personal responsibility for mistakes, dedication to team in lieu of personal goals, the importance of academics over athletics, acceptable and unacceptable personal behavior, dealing with success as well as failure, and realizing that there is no easy way to success, as they were about blocking and tackling. All the more remarkable is that this level of successful instruction has been sustained over a period of great change in society's values and society's attitudes. Coach Fegan, his wife Barbara (Bunny) Fegan, and his children and grandchildren are all a vital part of Georgetown Prep's family. He has played a large role in preparing so many students for the practical challenges of later life. As one who was fortunate to benefit from his great lessons, I am proud to commend him to you as an exemplary educator and mentor.