John Larson

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the House on the Municipal Preparations Strategic Response Act of 2001, H.R. 3161. Mr. Speaker, I think it has become clear to a number of Members that September 11 has clearly changed the lives of all American citizens. And, as we reflect on the events of September 11, I do not think it is lost on the Members here about the tremendous heroic effort that was put forward on behalf of the victims of the World Trade Center, of the Pentagon, and those valiant people of Flight 93. But also not lost on the Members of this body and the other body was that it was not the FBI or the CIA or the FAA or the Armed Services that was first to respond to these tragic events of September 11. They are local firefighters, police, emergency medical teams, allied health professionals, hospitals. They are, in fact, our first line of defense. Mr. Speaker, I commend the President for his appointment of Tom Ridge and the emphasis on homeland defense. What the Municipal Preparations Strategic Response Act of 2001 recognizes is that homeland defense begins at home, and it begins with those who are in the front lines, those that respond first. The genesis for this bill comes from a series of meetings that a number of Members on both sides of the aisle have been conducting back in their home districts. In the process, what we have heard is that when it comes to the Federal budget with respect to dealing with terrorism, that of approximately $8.9 billion that is appropriated, only a scant $300 million makes it back out to our municipalities. The rest remains here in the beltway with Federal agencies. The concern, of course, is that in our ability to deal with terrorist attacks, we must make sure that all of our frontline responders are well equipped, are well trained, and are well prepared. As important, as many municipalities and many States, as has the great State of California, have prepared for many natural disasters, there is much that we can learn from our local county and State government, and that should all be part of the bottom-up strategic planning that goes forward as Mr. Ridge takes over his most important office of Homeland Defense. But without appropriate funding, without making sure that the first-line responders have the kind of financial aid that they are going to need, this simply will not take place. Mr. Speaker, I am joined this evening by several of my colleagues who have both conducted hearings and are coauthors of this legislation. Let me prevail first upon the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller), the ranking member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, who most recently this past week had one of these such meetings.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Our bill does do just that. Again, several Members, and I especially want to commend the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor), who has done an outstanding job in his district both conducting and holding meetings and someone himself who is often times entering other countries, going undercover, wearing disguises, et cetera, all in the pursuit of gaining information. Also, the gentleman from California (Mr. George Miller) mentioned earlier, and as a member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce perhaps he could provide insight here as well. He said one of the things that the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) found that in conducting her meetings back home in her district is there is grave concern around the whole issue of schools, and what do we do, and how are we prepared with respect to schools. I know this is a longstanding interest of the gentleman; and as someone who is in the forefront of education issues, is this something the gentleman is picking up in New Jersey?

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. We sure do. I thank the gentleman from Texas; and I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt), who is also a coauthor of this piece of legislation and has conducted and held meetings in his district in New Jersey.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I thank him again for being a coauthor of this bill. I thank him for the input that he has provided for what I think is a very strong and bipartisan bill. I have to point out that the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), who has been a tremendous help to me since I have been a Member of Congress, is an early signer onto this bill. He has also been very active with the Congressional Fire Services Caucus as well, and I think intuitively he understood how important this is. I think once the Members get to see, and we already have more than 70 Members who have signed on, but I believe that people will sign onto H.R. 3161 because of its commonsense approach. That is what we are seeking to do here is to not only engage our local officials, but also recognize that they are on the front line, and not just pay them lip service but actually provide them with the funding to carry out the strategic planning, as well as providing them with the equipment and the expertise they will need if we are going to send them into battle.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that America has long recognized that its long-term strength and security, and its ability to recover and sustain high levels of economic growth, depends on maintaining its edge in scientific achievement and technological innovation. Biomedical advances have permitted us to live longer, healthier, and more productively. Advances in agricultural technology have permitted us to be able to feed more and healthier people at a cheaper cost, more efficiently. The information revolution can be seen today in the advanced instruments schools are using to instruct our children and in the vast information resources that are opened up as a result of the linkages created by a networked global society. Our children today can grow up to know, see, and read more, be more diverse, and have more options in their lives for learning and growing. Other emerging technologies--such as nanotechnology--have untold potential to make our lives more exciting, secure, prosperous, and challenging. Many countries also recognize this and they, therefore, focus their industrial, economic, and security policies on the nurturing and diffusion of technological advancement through all levels of society in a deliberate fashion. Countries that follow this path of nurturing innovation focus a lot of their efforts into recruiting and training the very best engineers and scientists, ensuring that a pipeline which pumps talented and imaginative minds and skills is connected to the needs of the country's socio-economic and security enterprise. Yet here in this country, this pipeline is broken, threatening the competitive edge we enjoy in the business of technological innovation. Fewer and fewer Americans are getting degrees in scientific and technical fields--even as the demand grows. For example, the number of bachelors degrees awarded in math, computer science, and electrical engineering has fallen 35 percent and 39 percent respectively from their peaks in 1987, at a time when total BA degrees have increased. The number of graduate degrees in those fields has either fallen noticeable or stayed flat. And only about half of all engineering doctoral degrees granted in the U.S. are earned by Americans. The nation has dealt with this crisis in the recent past by expanding the H1B Visa program to let more foreign residents with science and engineering degrees enter the country. But the H1B program was never intended to be more than an interim solution. The long-term solution has to be ensuring that more Americans get into these fields. Therefore, today, along with House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert, and Representatives Melissa Hart, Mark Udall, and Mike Honda, I have introduced the Tech Talent Act, H.R. 3130, aimed at increasing the number of scientists, engineers, and technologists in the United States. Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Christopher Bond (R-MO), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Bill Frist (R-TN), and Pete Domenici (R-NM) introduced a companion bill in the Senate. This legislation addresses the tech worker shortage by establishing a competitive grant program at the National Science Foundation that rewards universities and community colleges that pledge to increase the number of U.S. citizens or permanent residents obtaining degrees in science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) fields. The pilot program, which will award three-year grants, is authorized at $25 million in the next fiscal year, with funding expected to increase if the initial results are encouraging. It always pays to be mindful of the fact--especially in the wake of the September 11 events--that there is a strong and tight linkage between our national security and the level of science and technology proficiency in America. Our strength and leadership in the world is based on the might of our defense, strength of our economy, and the quality of our education system. Without any one of these three components the global preeminence of the nation suffers. In the House Science Committee room there is an inscription: Where there is no vision, the people perish. To remain a strong nation, we must ensure that the single most important element that keeps us dynamic, innovative, prosperous, and secure--and therefore mighty--is there for us: our students, teachers, researchers, engineers, scientists, and technologists. In short, we need more people with vision. This bill will keep them coming. I am honored to be a sponsor of this important legislation in the United States House of Representatives.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. It has not been missed on a number of us as well that since September 11, we have spent an awful lot of time focusing on homeland defense and first responders and appropriately so. It was not the FBI, the CIA, the FAA, or the Armed Services that responded first in the New York, in the fields of Pennsylvania, or the Pentagon. It was our frontline individuals. I have met with them. If we talk to people back in our home district, and they will quote us. Take a look at the budget as it exists today in the Federal Government as it relates to terrorism and how we are prepared, we have appropriated about $8.9 billion, only $300 million of which gets outside of the Beltway. To the gentleman's point about the reluctance of the airlines and the need for the Federal Government to step forward here, is that this truly is a frontline initiative that is going to need the funding. Now, if that requires, as the gentleman rightly points out, $2 or $3 more to make sure the cockpit is secure, to make sure we have the kind of technology available at our airports so the people feel safe and secure, I think the American public needs to hear that debate and that dialogue. I believe they are ready to step forward and make sure we embrace safety and security. That is what September 11 has done, it has gelled us together as a Nation in patriotic fervor, yes, but also with the notion of what to do beyond this; to make sure in that time-honored tradition of the Boy Scouts that we are prepared, and the gentleman's bill prepares us for that future. And, again, I want to commend the gentleman.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee) for his outstanding leadership on this issue. I rise to associate myself with the comments of him and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland), the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee), and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Shows), which follow in what the gentleman has rightly put forward is a very commonsense approach. Since September 11, clearly the world as we have known previously has changed in dramatic fashion. Thomas Friedman wrote in The New York Times that if we are to point fingers and look for blame, one of the areas we ought to look to is failure of imagination, failure to think through the potential of what could happen. This very commonsense proposal does not require an awful lot of imagination. What it requires is the will to step forward and recognize in a very pragmatic fashion what needs to be done in the country immediately. And as we take up the issue of airport security, whether it be marshals on planes, whether it be cockpit security, whether it be the use of greater technology, this is something that the American public is insisting upon. We cannot expect to go forward and have tourism continue at its pace previously or commerce and business to travel across this Nation if we are not willing in this body to put forward legislation that as the gentleman has put forward, would provide us with the most up-to-date technological ability of screening and also federalizing our airports in such a manner that we know we are getting the kind of scrutiny and security that the American public demands. Why do they demand it? Because our televisions, our cable TV broadcasts are replete with what has happened since September 11. And the concerns have been put out there. They were eloquently stated by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland), and these need to be addressed in a very commonsense manner. To move away from an important security issue at a time when we are focusing on homeland defense just makes no sense whatsoever. I conduct hearings back in my district and have met with local municipal officials. Truly this is another area of frontline defense. And if we are not taking every precaution necessary at our airports to make sure that people are safe and secure while traveling, then who but to blame then the United States Congress for not taking the appropriate action. I commend the gentleman for his persistency in this issue. For more often than not in a legislative body it is persistency that counts. It is making sure that the public understands that this issue is not going to go away, and it is incumbent upon the public to contact their local Congressman. So for those of you who are listening tonight and are interested in this subject matter, do not write the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee). He is a supporter of this. Write your local Congressman. Talk about this importance too with them. Send them a letter. Call them on the telephone. The pressure has to come from the bottom up in order for us to move legislation in this body. If there is one lesson that we have learned, the silver lining in September 11, is a renewed interest on the part of the public, an understanding that we no longer can be passive participants and defer responsibility to someone else, but have to take the steps ourselves to get involved in our community, to get involved in our State, to get involved in our Nation. We can do that very easily by picking up the phone, by writing a letter, by sending an e-mail and supporting this key piece of legislation. Again, I want to commend the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee) for his outstanding work in this area and his persistency.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, reclaiming my time, someone who understands that and who has done an outstanding job in the 107th Congress is the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), who also is currently on a terrorist task force and has been one of our leaders, especially in the area of firefighting. And his bill last year I think has done immeasurable good and hopefully with additional funding coming forward will be able to assist again those very important front-line defenders, our firefighters, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill), who indeed has been a warrior himself on behalf of local firefighters, police and law enforcement individuals. I thank the gentleman who gives me far too much credit. The genesis of this legislation, indeed, came from those front-line responders. It was their input. As the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) has pointed out, as the gentleman has eloquently stated, as we go back and talk to our local municipalities, we hear this repeated all across the Nation. Is that what the gentleman has found in his 2-hour meeting?

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. The gentleman will understand this firsthand, as he is a former mayor.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I want to thank the gentleman especially for the outreach he has done in various caucuses but, as has been acknowledged from the outset, this is a bipartisan effort. I think the heartening thing that is going on in America as we respond to this tragedy is the way the country has reacted. It is the way this body, in truth, which oftentimes is very partisan, but on this issue, from the night of the attack, when we all stood together, Democrat, Republican, Senate and House, on those steps out front and spontaneously broke into God Bless America, from that point forward we understood how clear this mission was; that it is important for us, especially at the grass roots level and with local government to make sure that we are providing resources to our front line defenders. I especially want to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) as well, who has been a champion, and who has worked with the gentleman on many issues that involve firefighters, and for the lead he has taken and for his willingness to recognize how important it is going to be for us to get resources back to our local communities. I also want to indicate to our colleagues who may be listening this evening and to those out in this great country of ours that are listening to call in, to implore people to sign onto this legislation. We are having a press conference tomorrow with a number of associations and groups and Members who have already signed on to the proposal, but we are hoping to attract more original sponsors of the bill and hope that in true bipartisan fashion, in the way that the gentleman has reached out to so many, that we are able to bring this legislation forward and hopefully enact it before we leave here so that our first line responders get that money when they need it, because, as the gentleman so eloquently pointed out, they need it yesterday. They need it now. We were caught off guard. We were stunned. We have gone through, clearly, a period of mourning that, as the gentleman indicated, I do not know that we will ever get over. But to honor the memory of those brave heroes is to make sure that we are prepared for this response; that part of our resolve towards terrorism is at every single level of government and then intercoordinated between them. Again, this is an experience the gentleman knows about better than most. One of the issues that was raised locally with the individuals and firefighters, police officers, municipal leaders, mayors and State legislative representatives in my meeting was that, look, there needs to be better coordination. Somehow we have to get on to a system of commonality of communication. Was that part of the gentleman's experience?

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Let me first of all recognize the outstanding job that you have done both as an architect of this specific legislation and your outstanding work both in the last session and this session in terms of bringing to Congress the importance and need of firefighting, as you have eloquently pointed out the need for training, the need for counseling, the need to see that there are appropriate resources there at the point of delivery. Clearly, if we have learned anything from September 11, and with all due respect to our great Federal agencies of the CIA, the FBI, our armed services, the FAA, those first on the scene, those rushing up the stairs all came from our local communities. And that was true in Pennsylvania. It was true at the Pentagon. It was true in New York City. I hope the gentleman will stay as we enter into further dialogue, but I am proud to say that we have been joined by another architect of this legislation, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hill), who also understands the importance of funding local initiatives and is also a co-author of this legislation.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. I thank the gentlewoman from California for sharing with us her experience and the sentiments, not only of people from her native California, but people across this great Nation of ours. I believe the silver lining of all of this is that we are a nation that has come together. It is clear that September 11 has perhaps forever changed this Nation, but perhaps also with an eye toward our communities coming together, with neighbors caring more about one another, with specific outreach that is going on in our communities. In going back to my community and talking to a number of the firefighters and emergency medical people who, in fact, went to New York City as well, the volunteer efforts across the Nation have just been outstanding. I come back to the point, though, of our legislation, which is the one thing the municipal leaders have said to me repeatedly is let us make sure when Congress gets together that it does not forget who, in fact, are their front-line defenders, who are the first responders; and as the case is with homeland defense, any act of terrorism is more likely to have firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, emergency medical teams, allied health professionals, all being the first people to arrive on the scene. Therefore, they want to be included in the planning. Forty-five legislatures have already signed on to the proposal, also feel very strongly about meeting with Tom Ridge and his new task force which is an enormous responsibility. And, again, we applaud the President for his selection and look forward to working with him in this endeavor but want to make sure that we get bottom-up solutions as well from those that are in the front lines. They are all asking what they can do to help, and they are anxious to provide the Nation with their knowledge, with their expertise. We ought to highlight and spotlight these individuals who are in the field, who do understand intuitively some of the problems we are going to face, and to develop a commonality of communication to get them the strategic planning money that they are going to need, the funding for equipment that they are going to need, to deal with heretofore issues that while they may have been talked about in the press, while we may have heard about them for some time, September 11 has changed all that, and now we have got to respond and the time for us to act is now.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise this evening and discuss very important legislation that we intend to introduce tomorrow on the floor. My colleagues should know that this is the collaboration of more than 45 Members of Congress who have gone home and listened to their leaders, listened to their local fire chiefs, police chiefs, emergency medical people, allied health professionals, and who understand the importance of having a Municipal Preparation and Strategic Response Act. That is what our bill is called: the Municipal Preparation and Strategic Response Act of 2001. The September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States has prompted increasing debate and attention to several proposals addressing homeland security in the United States at the Federal level. The President is to be complimented for his appointment of Tom Ridge, who we believe will do an outstanding job in spearheading this effort in our Nation. The one thing that the recent attack made clear was that for this new kind of warfare being conducted against the United States, that those truly in the frontline of defense are indeed our local firefighters, our police force, our emergency medical teams, the allied health professionals that get involved in meeting this kind of imminent emergency. It has not been lost on Members of Congress as we have gone home to our districts and talked to people about what has happened at the World Trade Center, in the fields of Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon that the first to respond was not the FBI, the CIA, the FAA, or our Armed Forces, but indeed, they were firefighters, they were police officers, they were emergency medical teams, they were our allied health professionals. These are the individuals that are most in need, at this very critical juncture of homeland defense, of the support and money necessitated to carry out homeland defense to make sure that our people here at home are safe and secure. To do this, they require appropriate funding, and funding that will allow them from the bottom up, starting with our local communities, to become more involved with the strategic planning, and to be able to coordinate with State and Federal agencies in such a manner that will provide commonality of communication, that will allow them to prepare themselves with the various kinds of equipment they are going to need to handle this new threat, this new era that we are living in. I am proud to join more than 45 Members in sponsoring this very important legislation. The nuts and bolts of this legislation are as follows: This legislation would provide a total of $1 billion in funding to towns, cities, and tribes for strategic planning needed to ensure that local emergency responders, including municipal, private, and volunteer fire departments, police departments, emergency medical technicians, EMTs, paramedics, and other health professionals are fully prepared and equipped and trained for emergency and security issues that arise from terrorist attacks. It would also provide for the development of coordinated regional responses to terrorist attacks or other catastrophes utilizing Federal, State, and local agencies, and provide an additional $250 million to the COPS program and $250 million to the assistance to the firefighters program to establish grants specifically for counterterrorism response, training, and equipment; and most importantly, as we have heard from all of our local officials, with no local matching funds required. It is important to emphasize how critical it is that we are proposing no local matching funds for these programs. The threat to our communities is now, and we cannot give those at war with the United States the opportunity to strike while our communities spend years saving enough money to pay the local match for Federal grants to provide the training and equipment necessary to safeguard the American people today. In the edition of the Hartford Courant this past Sunday in my district, they talked about specific interviews they have had with local police departments who say that they are in no way prepared for the kind of terrorist threats that currently we can face here in this Nation. With the State Department predicting it is near a 100 percent certainty that given the most recent attacks on Afghanistan that there will be a response, it becomes abundantly clear that we need to make sure that our front line defenders, that those who are the first to respond to these attacks, have the money in place, the training in place, the communication that is necessary in order for them to do their jobs. Our bill specifically establishes a $1 billion grant program for cities, counties, towns, boroughs, tribes, and other municipal or regional authorities to develop local emergency response plans that include the following, and I think it important to enumerate on these specific goals: That develop strategic response plans that provide for a clearly defined and unified response to terrorist attacks or other catastrophes. Municipal leaders feel very strongly, in acknowledging their role as the first responders, that it is important that Congress not make decisions in a vacuum; that we reach out to our local municipalities, that we involve discussion from the bottom up, and not foist a top-down decision upon them, so that we are better prepared to coordinate the activities and procedures of various emergency response units, and that we better define the relationship, the roles, responsibilities, jurisdiction, command structures, and communication protocols of emergency response units; that we coordinate response procedures with similar emergency response units in neighboring units of local government, as well as with State and Federal agencies; that we identify potential local targets of terrorism, and include specific response procedures for each potential target, notwithstanding concerns about our local schools, about water supplies, about nuclear generating power facilities. It is important that we take this kind of forward- thinking action, and we do so now. The bill will also allow communities to prepare and issue reports to units of local government, State legislators, and Congress that include recommendations for specific legislative action; conduct public forums or other appropriate activities to educate the public about potential threats and steps the public can take to prepare for them. I do not think there is a community that any Member of Congress has visited since September 11 where people have not been willing to roll up their sleeves and say, what can we do to help? But in meeting with our local officials, they have also said, as much as we are willing to help, we lack the necessary resources to do so. The best way that we can help and engage in homeland defense is to make sure that our local municipalities have the resources available to carry out this function. To help accomplish this goal, we have asked FEMA to designate for each State a representative, not to dictate but to assist and advise units of local government with the development of a strategic response plan, act as a liaison between units of local government, and coordinate the sharing of information about Federal Government initiatives and protocol. It is clear in talking to a number of local officials, as well, that the commonality of communication is at the heart of being able to respond successfully. It is this commonality that local municipalities seek, recognizing that to have commonality nationwide is going to require an enormous effort with regard to coordinating all the various agencies at local, State, and Federal levels. But it definitely needs the input of our local municipalities. It definitely needs the information that so many of them are anxious to share with us. It definitely requires the kind of coordination that will identify the gaps in our program, will identify where there are overlaps, and seek to better coordinate our response, no matter what the act of terrorism may be. It is so critical, as we have witnessed in what happened and transpired in New York, in the fields of Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. I am proud that this is a bipartisan effort, as well, and that Members like the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon), the founder of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, is a cosponsor, and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak), who heads up the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, is also a sponsor of this critical legislation that has more than 45 Members who have already signed on. I am also pleased to announce that we have met with several groups representing first responders. They have agreed with the need to have a coordinated local approach, including the National Association of Police Organizations, the National Sheriffs Association, the International Arson Investigators, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the Congressional Fire Services Institute, and the National Association for Fire Chiefs. In addition, we are also in the process of soliciting input from the National Council of Mayors, the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Regional Councils, and the New England Association of Regional Councils; the point being, here again, of making sure that as we put forward solutions to this problem, as we seek to work with Tom Ridge and the administration, and as Congress seeks to look at this issue in a rather broad fashion, that we not forget our local communities, that we not forget who indeed are the first responders, that we not forget who truly are our front line of defense. One can only recall the statements of so many of us who have been to New York, and so many people who have talked about the faces of the heroes that they saw climbing up the stairs to go save those who were in need. They were valiant heroes. The best thing I believe that we can do to respect their memory is to make sure that we are providing the appropriate kind of funding, and the ability for them to respond with the kind of equipment and the kind of training and strategy necessary to defend against terrorist attacks. I am pleased to be joined by an esteemed colleague on the Committee on Armed Services who understands this issue very well, and has always been in the forefront of supporting local firefighters and policemen, as well. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. LARSON

Mr. LARSON. I thank the gentleman again for all his help, and would only add as well that I think the important lesson for our children with regard to September 11 is how this Nation responded. It has been noted by many how several events, including sporting events and celebrity activities, were canceled. It was a time when our children really, truly got to appreciate the difference between celebrities and heroes. The events of September 11, and those brave heroes and heroines in New York, those that boarded planes, those who proceeded with the heroic acts in the fields of Pennsylvania and those at the Pentagon are indeed heroes. We have become a Nation now that understands the importance of community and working together and extending a hand to our neighbors and not painting with the broad brush of prejudice the many because of the acts of a fanatical few. These are important lessons for our children to understand. It is important that they understand how our constitution works and how we must safeguard our liberties and our freedoms and how we must stand together as a Nation. As Members of Congress, we must understand that aside from the rhetoric that we put forward, that we have to provide the resources, and those resources have never been needed more than they are today for our local communities. We hear this loud and clear from them. There is not a Member of the Congress on either side of the aisle who does not understand or appreciate the needs of their local mayor or selectmen, volunteer fire department, law enforcement officials, or emergency medical help people. This is something that Congress simply must respond to and act now. We must embrace the agenda and proposals of the President and of his new appointee, Tom Ridge, with respect to homeland defense, and then come together as a body and act soon. Tomorrow is the first step in that action. We will be introducing this piece of legislation, and we hope to get further input from our municipalities so that Congress can join together to make sure that our municipalities are prepared, so that strategically, and from the standpoint of having appropriate equipment, and from the ability of us to respond appropriately, we will be prepared.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2646, the 2001 Farm Bill, but also to express my support for several amendments that will be offered, specifically the Boehlert/Kind/ Gilchrest/Dingell amendment that would provide a more equitable distribution of government resources to farms and farmers throughout the United States, and the Sherwood/Etheridge/McHugh amendment to permanently authorize the Northeast Dairy Compact. For most people in this country, talking about farming does not conjure up images of my home state of Connecticut. For most people, Connecticut likely generates images of insurance companies, or submarine and aerospace manufacturers, rather than farms. But farming is a critical part of the Connecticut economy and our traditions. In fact, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture estimates that Connecticut receives a $900 million income from agriculture production, and adds about $2.1 billion to the state's economy. There are approximately 4,000 farms holding approximately 370,000 acres of land in Connecticut. In a state that is only 4,872 square miles, that represents over 11 percent of our land devoted directly to farming. In the 370,000 acres committed to farming, Connecticut ranks first in the nation in the density of egg laying poultry and the density of horses. We are fifth in mushroom production, seventh in pear production, eighth in the density of dairy cows and tenth in milk production per dairy cow. Aquaculture in Connecticut is an $18 million industry, and the value of oyster farming ranks Connecticut among the top five in the nation. In addition, nursery and greenhouse production was valued at $168 million, and bedding and garden plant production was valued at $50 million in 1999. Exacting so much agricultural production within such a small geographic area has meant seamlessly integrating our farms within our communities and as well as working to harvest the resources of natural environment in ways not duplicated in other places in the United States. But Connecticut is the home of ``Yankee Ingenuity'', and our farmers carry this tradition proudly, pursuing a dynamic range of enterprises and farming practices that leave the ``traditional farming'' label far behind. Innovative methods and creative planning, combined with one of the nation's best and original agriculture land grant universities at the University of Connecticut, put Connecticut farms at the forefront of exploring new ways of agriculture production. One of the issues that is raised repeatedly in my district and throughout Connecticut is the increasing ``multifunctionality'' of our farms. In New England, our farms are not just producing commodities for direct consumption, they interact with the foundation of our communities and economy in subtle ways often overlooked by most people. The open space and rolling hills protected by Connecticut farms are critical areas of open space in an increasingly urbanized environment. They provide a continuous source of local community income through a thriving agritourism industry. So for all of these reasons, we in Connecticut and the Northeast need a farm bill that recognizes the needs of our farmers and the region. The underlying bill has many important programs that our farmers need, but the Boehlert/Kind/Gilchrest/Dingell amendment greatly improves it, paying more attention to the diverse and unique needs of farmers in the Northeast. I also strongly support the Sherwood/Etheridge/McHugh amendment to permanently authorize the Northeast Dairy Compact. The Compact, as many of you know, was authorized in the 1996 Farm Bill, but was designated to sunset in 1999 pending reform of the federal milk marketing order program, a program that still fails to take into account the needs of dairy production at small family farms. Therefore the compact is still needed and Congress has twice extended its authority, the last time through September 30, 2001. But today is October 3, 2001 and this Congress, under pressure from special interests, has still not acted to address this critical issue for the people of my State and instead has allowed the compact to expire. Now I understand that opponents are moving to block consideration by attempting to rule the amendment out of order because it is not germane to debate in the context of the Farm Bill. Action on the Dairy Compact is the number one priority for the Connecticut agriculture community. Legislation to permanently authorize the Compact has been introduced by Congressman Hutchinson and carried forward by Congressman Sherwood and Congressman Etheridge that has the support of over 160 cosponsors. There is strong local support for this bill and this amendment. All of the state legislatures included in the Northeast Dairy Compact have approved it, as have the state legislatures in numerous states around the country who are waiting for this Congress to act so that they can join and form additional regional compacts. The compact is necessary because the federal minimum farm milk price is not sufficient to cover the cost of producing milk in the small family farms throughout New England, forcing the region's dairy farmers out of business. Simply put, dairy farming is the lifeblood of the Connecticut agricultural economy. As dairy farms are forced to close, demand for feed and other support crops, farm machinery, open space and agri-tourism all follow suit, creating a devastating and unrecoverable fallout of the local economy for those reliant on the business created by dairy farming. The loss of these resources and farms is unacceptable and irrecoverable, and in my opinion speaking now as a Member of the Armed Services Committee, a weakening of our domestic national security. Despite arguments by opponents, the compact does not cost the federal government or the taxpayers of the United States anything. This is not a subsidy program. In fact, the compact specifically, requires the Compact compensate USDA for the amount of federal price support purchases it makes a result of potential overproduction of milk, and for an technical assistance it receives from USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service. Additionally, the Compact reimburses participants in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program to offset any increase cost of fluid milk caused by premiums within the Compact. The Compact is also expressly prohibited from discriminating in any way against the marketing of milk produced anywhere else in the United States. As for arguments that the Compact artificially increases prices, the record has shown that price increases have been negligible to consumers, who in general have also strongly support the Compact. The Congress produces a major Farm Bill only once every five years. Debate and consideration of the amendment is critical at this time and germane. There is no other more germane legislation within which to address this issue, and our farmers cannot wait another five years for the next Farm Bill. It is time for us to have this debate and proceed with an up or down vote on this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support the Sherwood/Etheridge/McHugh amendment, or at least support its fair consideration. Finally, Mr. Chairman, I would like to bring to the House's attention an important provision in the bill, aimed at rural development. Section 615 of the bill establishes a National Rural Development Partnership composed of the Coordinating Committee and the state rural development councils. State Rural Development Councils, like the Connecticut Rural Development Council, were established to promote interagency coordination among federal departments and agencies that administer policies and programs that impact rural areas and to promote intergovernmental collaboration among federal agencies and state, local, and tribal governments and the private and non-profit sectors. These local councils have done tremendous work and are an important local resource for our communities. They continue to prove extremely successful at local levels, and have worked at the local level to leverage the roughly $35 million annually appropriated by Congress in the past into more than $1 billion annually for conservation, as well as rural and urban development projects. For every dollar appropriated by Congress, local Councils have leveraged an average of $14 from non- federal sources. The Rural Development Councils are an example of how local governments and the federal government should work together, and I am pleased to see that this bill recognizes their importance by establishing this partnership. This is a step in the right direction, and as much as could be accomplished in the Farm Bill at this time. However, Congressional Rural Caucus Agricultural Task Force Co-Chairs Congressman Pickering and Congressman Turner are working to introduce a more comprehensive proposal in the near future, and I would urge my colleagues to support their legislation to further this important initiative.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Chairman, I want to join with those who have come to this floor today to express, first and foremost, the heartfelt feelings that all of us on the committee have for the extraordinary leadership on this committee, exemplified by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton). Truly in this hour of need for our country and throughout their service on this committee, they have always put America first. The help that I have received in putting forward legislation from people like the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Weldon) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) and working with the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Taylor) and the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Abercrombie), makes this committee, makes this Chamber, especially during this hour of crisis, that much more significant, that much more important. To see the debate that just transpired between two colleagues lets the American people know how strong and firm and committed we remain.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, the events of this past week clearly have brought this Nation together. And listening to my colleagues step forward and address the body today, I cannot help but reflect on the events of this past week, in so many ways surreal in terms of the stunning manner and catastrophic fashion in which they unfolded before us: the absolute horror, the unbelievable human sacrifice, the unbelievable human effort and heroism that took place. Even the elements themselves, happening during otherwise sunny and beautiful days, and then just proceeding to our Cathedral in a mist of rain to mourn and pray only entering out to the sunshine. As a Nation, we mourn our innocent victims, our valiant heroes, our men and women who wear the uniform who have perished. It is a time of shared pain and prayer and a reaching out with acts of kindness that comfort and console. It is a time that the Nation, as we have seen all across this great country of ours, rolls up its sleeves and comes together. It volunteers. It gives blood. It provides its brawn to continue the efforts to dig out, to recover, to rebuild, and take heart in what binds us all in this country: our love of freedom, our love of this Nation, our deep and abiding love of one another. This is also a time of grim resolve. Shortly, we will be voting on granting war powers and stand united behind President Bush and sound forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat. There can be no quarter given to the cowards who perpetrate acts of evil against innocent people. For these cowards, the wrath of a just and free people will be severe. Our resolve is to ferret out the perpetrators, wherever they may be, and provide them no place to hide; with the further resolve that any Nation that seeks to harbor them, as the President has indicated earlier this week, we will make no distinction. And while there must be no mistake about our resolve, let there also be no mistake about the manner in which we measure the actions we will take and direct our efforts at terrorists and not at the innocent. God bless America.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as an original cosponsor of H.R. 2884, the Victims' Tax Relief Act, and to ask my colleagues to show their support of this legislation which will provide comfort and economic relief to the families of the victims of the Acts of War perpetrated in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. It has been two days since terrorists robbed America of its sense of security and freedom. We, as Americans, know that our lives will never be the same. We will never walk down our streets with the same feeling of freedom and safety that we have enjoyed for so long. However for many of us, we will get through this with comfort of knowing that our families are intact. We will mourn and we will empathize, but we will not have to suffer the tragedy of losing a loved one. But the families of the thousands of victims of these heinous acts are suffering and they will continue to suffer for years to come. They will have to have to answer the questions of their children; they will have to put the broken pieces of their lives back together. What is worse is that these families will have to worry how to put food on the table, how to pay their mortgages or how to pay for their children to go college. According to my local newspaper, the Hartford Courant, seven individuals from Connecticut have been identified as victims of this act of terrorism. Seven families have been ripped apart. In the days and weeks to come that number will only increase. The grief and sorrow that these families will suffer through is enough. The innocent victims of the terrorist attacks on Tuesday have paid the ultimate price already; their families should not have to pay anymore. The Victims Tax Relief Act will allow families to direct their energies to rebuilding, and alleviate some of their financial burdens. The Victims' Tax Relief Act will exempt individuals killed in the heinous attacks of September 11, 2001, or who die as a result of injuries suffered in those attacks, from paying federal income tax in the year of their death. Also, it would reduce the estate tax liability for these victims. Presently, these exemptions and reductions are reserved for members of the Armed Services who are killed in a combat zone. In addition, this bill would exempt the payments made to families of the 266 passengers by United Airlines and American Airlines from Federal income taxes. And it would ensure that Federal Emergency Relief payments are exempt from Federal income tax. Although these victims were not serving in the Armed Services, they were in the combat zone and because of this, there is no reason why we should treat them any differently than those who have formally enlisted into our military. The actions of this week were acts of war, and the victims of these acts of war should be treated as casualties of war. Mr. Speaker, no American will ever forget September 11, 2001. We will never forget the horrible images that we have seen. We will never forget the heroism and dedication displayed by the many firefighters, police officers, and all other emergency workers fighting to save the lives of our fellow Americans. We would be performing a disservice to the families of these heroes and the innocent victims of these cowardly attacks by adding economic hardship to their incredible loss. This bill is the very least we can do for the mothers, daughters, sons, husbands and wives of these victims who have suffered and who will continue to suffer in the days to come. Therefore, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 2884.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 61. Yesterday, September 11, 2001, a cowardly attack of horrific proportions was perpetrated against the United States. Words simply cannot explain the enormity and horror of what was witnessed yesterday. It was a day of barbaric acts in striking contrast, the darkest side perpetuating an act of cowardice and the American resolve and heroism, of individuals rushing to rescue those fallen by this despicable cowardly attack. At this time our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the innocent Americans who were murdered or injured in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on board the airlines, in this unprovoked and unconscionable attack on the United States. Make no mistake; what happened Tuesday, September 11, was an act of war, perpetrated by cowardly fanatics with no regard for life. It was an attack against our basic freedoms and values. Our response must be just, swift, and severe. During this time of tragedy, the United States Congress and its members stand strongly united behind our President, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the nation. The United States stands prepared with grim resolve to identify, pursue, and capture, and bring to justice the perpetrators of these attacks. America's resolve is unwavering, with no quarter given to those who have committed these heinous crimes and those who harbor them. There can be no distinction between terrorist and those nations who seek to give them sanctuary and asylum. Yesterday, the world changed. Yesterday, humanity's innocence was stripped away and violated in a flash of fire and the haze of destruction. The nation will do what generations of Americans have done before us, we will roll up our sleeves and get to work, continue the ongoing rescue efforts, mourn those we have lost, rebuild what has been destroyed, and seek justice for this diabolical attack on our Nation.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to state on the record that my vote on Roll Call Vote 248 (final passage for H.R. 2500, Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2002) did not register. I inserted my voting card into the machine and voted aye, but my vote did not register. This is the second time that this has occurred this year on the final passage of a bill, despite the fact that my voting card was recently replaced after it would not work at all. While I realize that human error can be involved in this situation, the fact that I was in the Chamber and voting, and my card has malfunctioned so many times in the past, I think it is self-evident that my vote should have been recorded as aye on Roll Call Vote 248 and I ask unanimous consent that this statement appear after Roll Call Vote No. 248 in the permanent Congressional Record.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Trinity College senior Amanda Rival of Berlin, Connecticut. On May 25, 2001, Rival won the heptathlon in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Rival won with 4,603 points, edging out the competition by 24 points. This is the latest, and perhaps the most prestigious award that Amanda Rival has received in the years that she has dedicated to athletics. As a student at Berlin High School, she won numerous state titles and set many school records. She also concluded her successful youth career, by winning the Connecticut High School State Open in the long jump and high jump events. Amanda Rival continued her success in the track and field arena throughout her college years. In indoor tack, she was a four time All-New England pentathlete, a three time All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) selection, and the winner of the New England Pentathlon Championship title for the past three years. Amanda was also extremely successful in outdoor track. She was a three time All-New England selection, a two time All- NESCAC selection, and an All-ECAC member in 1999. Amanda Rival also competed well enough to earn All-American honors in 1999. This year, Rival recorded the team's season best results in the shot put, long jump, high jump, javelin, 100-meter high hurdles and the 200-meter dash. In addition to her many athletic achievements, Amanda Rival has also thrived as a student at Trinity College. She was acknowledged for her success as a student-athlete by receiving the prestigious Trinity Club of Hartford award this year. Amanda also received Trinity's award for architecture for her academic achievements in that field of study. Amanda Rival graduated from Trinity College this past spring with a 3.0 G.P.A. I commend Amanda Rival for the determination and dedication she has shown throughout her life as a student-athlete. I urge my colleagues to join me in wishing her nothing but the best of luck in the next chapter of her life, as I am sure she will continue to maintain a strong work ethic throughout her life.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to show my strong support for the recognition of the day that slavery in the United States came to an end. June 19, 1865 was coined as ``Juneteenth Independence Day,'' for the newly freed slaves of the Southwest when they finally learned of the Thirteenth Amendment that legally abolished slavery, which was passed in January of 1863. This delay of vital news as delayed by the dawdling relay of information across the country in that day. Since that day of emancipation, the descendants of slaves in the Southwest view this day as the anniversary of the end of a tragic period in our nation's history. It is known that the dishonor, suffering and brutality of slavery cannot be erased, but the memory and feeling can provide reassurance that such inhumanity should never again take part in the United States of America. Madam Speaker, Juneteenth Independence Day is historically significant for not only those races subject to discrimination, but also for every freedom-loving American. It is a date that marked the development of equality, equal opportunity, and unity in the United States. I urge all of my fellow Members to vote with me in support of this bill that provides a means for both understanding the past and solving the challenges of the future.

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut

Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, for Roll Call Vote No. 161, on final passage of H. Con. Res. 145, condemning the recent order by the Taliban regime of Afghanistan to require Hindus in Afghanistan to wear symbols identifying them as Hindu, I was unable to be present and voting in the Chamber as I was on my way to Connecticut to attend funeral services for Mrs. Barbara L. Bailey, the mother of my predecessor, former Congresswoman Barbara B. Kennelly. Had I been present and voting in the Chamber, I would have joined my colleagues in voting in favor of condemning the Taliban for their atrocious policies.