Carolyn Maloney

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to William N. Hubbard, Esq. Mr. Hubbard is an honorable citizen who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for countless New Yorkers. Among Mr. Hubbard's many contributions to the health and well-being of New York City residents, he cofounded the Environmental Action Coalition and was associated with the New York Urban Coalition's Housing Rehabilitation Task Force. Mr. Hubbard is chairman and president of Center of Development Corporation and of its predecessor, Center for Housing Partnerships, which he formed in 1971 to revitalize urban neighborhoods. On December 6, 1999, Mr. Hubbard will be honored by Trees New York for his tremendous advocacy for trees and greening in New York, reflected in many of his inner city development projects. Mr. Hubbard served as general counsel to New York State Senator Thomas Bartosiewicz and is a member of the New York State Democratic Advisory Committee. He is a trustee of the Citizens Housing and Planning Council, a director of the State Council on Waterways, and serves on the executive committee of the Association for a Better New York. Mr. Hubbard is a graduate of Williams College (1963), the London School of Economics (1964), and he holds a law degree from the University of Virginia (1967). He is a former associate of the Wall Street law firm of Thacher, Proffitt, and Wood, and a former trustee and officer of the City Club of New York where he chaired its Housing Committee. Mr. Speaker, I salute the life and work of Mr. William N. Hubbard and I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join me in recognizing Mr. Hubbard's contributions to the New York community and to our great country.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Frances LoPresto. Ms. LoPresto has been a civic activist and pillar of the Queens, New York community for more than 50 years. Ms. LoPresto's dedication and service to neighborhoods all across Queens deserves our recognition. Her years of community leadership serve as a model for future generations. Ms. LoPresto is a member of the United Community Civic Association (UCCA) of Jackson Heights, New York and is on UCCA's Board of Directors. She is also a Board member of the Kiwanis Club of Jackson Heights. In this leadership position, Ms. LoPresto has initiated the Kiwanis mission of service; to the advancement of individual, community, and national welfare; and to the strengthening of international goodwill. During the Second World War, Ms. LoPresto joined a national effort to protect against air attacks through the Civil Defense Alert Team. She traveled night after night, in rain, sleet, or snow, to make sure all lights were turned off. Additionally, Ms. LoPresto has been a District Leader in Astoria, Queens for many years. In this role, she has contributed to community dialogue on issues of public concern and sustained the spirit of civic participation so important to our nation's health and well-being. Mr. Speaker, I salute the life and work of Ms. Frances LoPresto and I ask my fellow Members of Congress to join me in recognizing her significant contributions to the Queens community and to our great nation.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the bill. After 66 years, it is time for Congress to retire Glass-Steagall. The markets already have. Today's current confused state of financial services law is not the result of any policy decision by Congress, rather it is the result of chipping away at Glass-Steagall by unelected regulators and court decisions. The legislation before us will bring order to the law, to reflect the reality of today's financial markets. Advances in technology are presenting financial companies with new opportunities to better serve their customers here at home and to compete for business around the world. Without congressional action establishing a consistent legal framework in the United States, we risk losing international opportunities to other nations. While on the whole I believe the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act promotes needed legal consistency and makes United States companies more competitive, it could have been improved in several areas. I supported stronger CRA and privacy provisions than those in the bill before us; but, overall, I support this bill and I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. To say that Glass-Steagall effectively separates banking and securities is to ignore the realities of the marketplace. Today, banks can buy securities firms and banks can sell insurance. This bill provides legal and regulatory clarity. While on the whole, the act makes U.S. companies more competitive, I would like to have seen it improved in several areas. With regard to privacy, the bill establishes the principle of Federal regulation of consumer privacy for the first time. I would have liked to have seen stronger language. In the conference, numerous amendments toughening the privacy language were offered and defeated on largely party lines. I look forward to returning to this issue next year. I would also have liked to have seen stronger CRAs, a goal toward which the gentleman from New York (Mr. LaFalce), the ranking member, ably fought. Even so, I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives. Perhaps most importantly, the conference committee upheld the strict separation of banking and commerce, a goal which the gentleman from Iowa (Chairman Leach) has long championed. Madam Speaker, the markets have already overwhelmed the Glass- Steagall wall. Gramm-Leach-Bliley will provide new modern rules allowing U.S. companies to move forward and compete globally in the new Internet economy. I urge a yes vote.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez), the Chair of the Census Task Force in the Hispanic Caucus, a new Member, a freshman from the great State of Texas. Already the gentleman has brought new leadership and enthusiasm, a tremendous amount of dedication, and long hours really in reaching out to the Latino community, which is one of the largest undercounted communities in America. We know that 8.4 million people were missed and that 4.4 million were counted twice, and that a large number of those were children and minorities. On behalf of the subcommittee I want to thank the gentleman for all he has done. He has always been there, and he has brought great leadership to this issue.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I likewise would like to thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) for working in such a bipartisan manner on this resolution. We have had our differences in the past over the best way to conduct the census, but I think we both agree that now is the time to put those differences behind us and to get about conducting the most accurate census we can, the massive operation of the 2000 census. On a personal note, I must say that regardless of our differences, it was never personal, you have always been a gentleman and I have enjoyed tremendously working with you. I am very happy to join the gentleman from Florida in sponsoring House Resolution 193, a resolution which reaffirms the spirit of cooperation between the Census Bureau and Congress and establishes a public partnership between us. This partnership is vital, because though the Bureau is doing an excellent job in preparing for the 2000 census, it truly is a huge undertaking which deserves all the support we can give it. Just to give Members an idea of the scale of the 2000 census, it will be the largest peacetime mobilization ever conducted by our country. It will count approximately 275 million people in 120 million housing units across our Nation. In order to carry out this massive operation, the Census Bureau will have to process 1.5 million pieces of paper and it will have to do this in a very short time. To conduct the 2000 census, the Bureau will have to fill more than 860,000 temporary positions. This is more people than are currently in the United States Army. In a very real sense, the 2000 census has already begun. The forms are being printed as we speak and transported around the Nation. The media time for the $160 million advertising campaign is being bought even as we are right here speaking. During the time when the public will be filling out their census forms and mailing them back, February through mid March, the buy on public television and on television in general will be the third largest in the Nation, preceded only by McDonald's and Burger King. It will be in 17 different languages in order to increase awareness and participation in the census 2000. The Bureau plans to open 520 local census offices. One hundred thirty of those are already open. The remaining 390 are leased and will be open on a flow basis through the beginning of next year. Every Member of Congress needs to do all they can to encourage this partnership with the 2000 census. I urge Members to appoint a census liaison person in their district offices to keep them up to date on local census events. Their offices will be getting a great number of calls and inquiries once the media begins to hit the public. I urge Members to use their newsletters to increase awareness of the census, to produce public service announcements for local cable and network television, to participate in the openings of the local census offices in their districts and participate in other local census events. These are just a few of many ideas on how to promote the census in your districts and to increase a more accurate count. One program that the Bureau has developed for the census, which is my personal favorite, is the Census in the Schools program. Recently, Rudy Crew, who is the Chancellor of the New York City school system, attended a Census in the Schools program with me in my district, and he pledged to make it a priority in every classroom throughout New York City. More than 50 percent of all those not counted in 1990 were young people, were children. The Census in the Schools project aims to help children learn what a census is and why it is important to them that their families and the community at large participate. The program also aims to increase participation in census 2000 by engaging not only the children but their parents so that they can fill out census forms. It will also help recruit teachers and parents to work as census takers. Mr. Speaker, State, local and tribal governments as well as businesses and nonprofit organizations have become partners with the Census Bureau in an effort to make the 2000 census the best that we have ever had. The constitutionally mandated census we take every 10 years is one of the most important civic rituals our Nation has. It determines the distribution of political and economic power in our country for a decade. Over $189 billion per year in Federal funds, that is over $2 trillion over 10 years, will be distributed based on census distribution formulas that will build roads, assist day care centers, senior centers, public education, public transportation and many, many of the services that come into our districts and into our local communities. It is an important civic ceremony in which every resident should participate. I urge every Member to actively participate in making it a success. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis), the distinguished member of the Subcommittee on Census. For the past 2 years he has worked selflessly, consistently and with great dedication on any and every census issue. I thank the gentleman for his leadership. We all in this body on both sides appreciate all of his hard work.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Souder) for his comments. The gentleman rightly pointed out that participating in the census is merely 10 minutes at most every 10 years, so every resident in our country should, at the very least, give 10 minutes every 10 years to be part of this important civic ceremony of the census 2000. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), the distinguished leader of the Census Task Force for the Black Caucus, who earlier this year hosted, along with the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller), a hearing in Florida on the census. The gentlewoman has been a consistent and strong voice of support for the Census Bureau and the census, and I thank the gentlewoman for her leadership.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. I want to understore what the gentleman said about the Congressional Partnership Toolkit. Every single congressional office has a copy of this booklet that has all kinds of projects and ways that we can increase awareness and participation in our home districts. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ford), another member of our Subcommittee on Census who has joined us. We thank him for his leadership and hard work.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Joint Resolution 46 that would confer honorary veteran status on a true American patriot, an individual who supported not only our Armed Forces and the Department of Defense but also the many Americans and their families at home, Zachary Fisher. Zach was an extraordinary man. He received every single honor our country could bestow on him, save one. He wanted to be a member of the military. He wanted to be a veteran. The bill before us today, which I authored along with the ranking member of the Defense Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murtha), the chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Young), and the chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), named Zachary Fisher an honorary veteran. This great honor has been given only once before in the history of our great Nation. This act before us, which I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions), the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Evans) for helping me bring before Congress today, makes Zachary Fisher an honorary veteran. It would have made him tremendously happy because it puts an official seal on what he already was, a member of the military family. Zachary Fisher had many accomplishments, activities and interests, but his great love was the military. I remember him explaining to me why it was so important to him. He tried to enlist during World War II but was turned down for physical disabilities which he received as a young man working on construction sites. Since he could not serve, he was especially grateful for those who served for him, for us, for our Nation. He spent the rest of his life serving the military in any way he could. Zach Fisher knew that it was not the accumulation of great wealth which he valued but the judicious use of that wealth for humanity. He often said to me, and I quote, it is not what I make in life but what I give that lives after me, and that lasts for eternity. By that standard, he was tremendously successful. Zach and Elizabeth Fisher created many foundations and found numerous ways to help the military. He saved the USS Intrepid from becoming scrap metal and turned this great ship into a sea-air-space museum in New York City Harbor. His dedication turned the USS Intrepid into a nationally-recognized museum with more than 500,000 visitors annually. Through the Fisher Armed Services Foundation he created the first Fisher House in 1990 to allow families to stay near their loved ones who undergo surgery and treatments at military hospitals and veteran medical centers. We all know the financial and emotional strain on a family when a loved one is in the hospital. Fisher Houses give these families a comfortable and affordable option near their loved ones. There are now more than 25 Fisher Houses across the United States from here in Washington, D.C. to San Diego, California. Mr. Fisher further expanded his foundation to provide scholarships to those who have served in the military. He provided scholarships to the sons and daughters of families who have lost a loved one in service so that they could go to college. More than 700 students have been able to go to college, a goal that might otherwise not have been there for them. Zach's most recent contribution was to create a partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation for a state of the art research center on Alzheimer's disease at Rockefeller University. In the halls of the Intrepid, there are numerous honors and awards on the walls. From each branch of the armed services, the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, the major veterans organizations, to the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Zach Fisher has been recognized for his contributions to the military. Now today we have the opportunity to give him the one award he desired the most, the honor of being a veteran of the armed services of the United States. I would like to add to the Record the listing of all the veterans organizations that endorse this legislation. I cannot conclude better than using the words of Zach Fisher's best friend Michael Stern. At Zach's funeral, he said, and I quote, ``I sought fitting words to say good-bye to my friend. I could not improve on the words of Ronald Reagan. Well done, soldier.'' The following Organizations support H.J. Res. 46: Air Force Association (AFA), Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), The American Legion Rhinelander East Side Post 6, Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Assn. of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Disabled American Veterans, Commissioned Officers Assn. of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc., CWO and WO Association of the U.S. Coast Guard, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., Marine Corps League, Marine Corps Reserve Officers Association (MCROA), National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), National Military Family Association (NMFA), National Order of Battlefield Commissions (NOBC), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Naval Reserve Association. Navy League of the United States, Reserve Officers Association (ROA), The Military Chaplains Association of the U.S.A., The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), The Retired Officers Association (TROA), The Society of Medical Consultants to the Armed Forces, United Armed Forces Association, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Assn., U.S. Army Warrant Offices Association, United War Veterans' Council of New York County, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time, and on behalf of the family, Mrs. Elizabeth Fisher, Anthony Fisher, Richard Fisher, Arnold Fisher, Michael Stern, Billy White, and many others, I would like to place in the Record, along with my colleagues in this bipartisan effort, letters from President Clinton, former President Bush, the former First Lady, Nancy Reagan, prominent religious leaders, political leaders, and many, many friends and supporters. The White House, Washington, DC, June 9, 1999. Elizabeth Fisher, One Intrepid Square, West 46th & 12th Avenue, New York, NY. Dear Elizabeth: We were so saddened to learn of Zachary's death and wanted to extend our deepest sympathy to you and your family during this difficult time. As demonstrated by Zachary's remarkable career and extraordinary awards such as the Presidential Citizens Medal and the National Medal of Freedom, he was a noble and wonderful individual who well deserved his reputation as a patriot and humanitarian. His contributions to our country are an example for us all. From his support to American armed forces and their families, to his distinguished commitment against the struggle of Alzheimer's disease, he'll long be remembered and deeply missed by those who were privileged to know him and to be inspired by his generosity and service. With lasting gratitude and respect to Zachary's accomplishments, we send our heartfelt condolences to you, Larry, Ginny, and all of your family. We'll be keeping you all in our prayers. Sincerely, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bill Clinton.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, a 1-percent across-the-board cut is one of the most half-baked wacky ways to balance a budget this country has ever seen. One leg of the federal government that needs no budget trimming is the Decennial Census. And I thought the House leadership knew that-- because just a few weeks ago, we were told that the Census budget is so crucial that it is ``an emergency.'' And now, we're being told that the Census budget should be cut. Well, is the Census an emergency or should it be cut? This cut to the Census Bureau's budget will lead to a less accurate census. Can the Republican leadership tell me where there is waste, fraud or abuse in the Census Bureau? Because, the GAO cannot. The GAO released a report only last month that said there was no waste in the budget for the 2000 Census! Mr. Speaker, the Census, has had its budget called an emergency one week and had its budget cut the next. This is wacky.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the bipartisan Johnson amendment. This debate today is not about squashing the Oregon law 3,000 miles away. It is about whether or not people can get appropriate pain relief in our own neighborhoods at home, our parents, our friends. One of my constituents writes, ``After 5 years and one suicide attempt and my doctor saying he could not legally go any higher on my pain relief medication, I do not want to live anymore. I want to be productive and see my young girl grow up but I really feel I have been sentenced to death.'' I ask my colleagues to consider the lives of people who depend on appropriate pain medication to live. It is not our place or government's place to come between doctors and their patients and potentially criminalize their efforts to ease the suffering of those who need help, who need pain relief. I urge all of my colleagues to vote for the Johnson substitute and against the base bill.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Johnson-Hooley-Roukema-Maloney-Rothman amendment and against the base bill. The first principle of the Hippocratic oath is to do no harm, yet the base bill before us does harm. The Pain Relief Promotion Act does little to relieve pain. Instead, it focuses on abolishing physician- assisted suicide. It expands the authority of the Drug Enforcement Administration agents to judge the practices of well-meaning doctors. This means that even when death results from sincere efforts to provide appropriate pain relief, a doctor's intent can be questioned. Last night, I spoke with one of my constituents. Her name is Lisa Pearlman. She was just 22 years old when she developed fibromyalgia. This disease causes pain throughout the body. Lisa said there were days when she could barely function, there were times she could not even pick up her young child. She said she went to at least a dozen doctors before she found one who could manage her pain. Now for flare-ups she takes pain killers to manage the pain so she can take care of her two young children. But what if Lisa's doctor were too afraid of a criminal investigation to order the drugs that changed her life? Where would Lisa and so many patients be? The American Pain Foundation predicts that the base bill could actually increase the rate of suicide among the terminally ill because people who suffer from severe, chronic pain will no longer have an alternative. By intimidating doctors with pulled licenses and jail sentences, the base bill does more to threaten the lives of those who desperately want to live than those who do not want to live. It gives drug enforcement agents too much control over decisions that should be made by doctors and their patients. I ask my colleagues to consider the lives of people who depend on aggressive pain medication to live. It is not our place to come between a doctor and their patient in important decisions. I include for the Record the following letter from Memorial Sloan- Kettering in support of the Johnson bipartisan bill. I urge my colleagues to support the Johnson bill. I am a neuro-oncologist and palliative care physician. On a daily basis, I treat patients with cancer who have pain and other symptoms in the course of their illness, including patients who are dying. I am writing to urge you to oppose H.R. 2260, The Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999 (Hyde/ Nichols). As a palliative care physician, I know that pain is under-treated and that palliative care services are underutilized. While H.R. 2260 is well intentioned, it is counterproductive. It will likely have a chilling effect on aggressive pain management. As the co-chairman of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) expert panel on cancer pain guidelines, I know that physicians often prescribe inadequate amounts of pain medicines, and use less potent pain medications because of fears of regulatory scrutiny. I wish to make it clear that I am opposed to physician-assisted suicide. Furthermore, I feel it is profoundly unfair to provide an option for physician-assisted suicide in circumstances where many patients do not have full access to health care and quality pain management and palliative care. However, in considering the issue of physician-assisted suicide, Congress should not tamper with the Controlled Substances Act and endanger patients in need of aggressive pain and symptom management. I urge you to support an amendment to strike Title 1 and thereby remove the provisions that turn the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) into a medical oversight body charged with investigating the ``intent'' and ``purpose'' in a physician's care for a patient. I also urge you to support a substitute amendment incorporating the provisions of the Conquering Pain Act (H.R. 2188)--a bill that would constructively promote end-of-life and palliative care--as long as the substitute amendment includes elimination of the changes to the Controlled Substances Act of Title 1 of H.R. 2260. Unless one of these amendments is passed to remove the provisions that would increase barriers to aggressive pain management, I strongly urge you to vote against H.R. 2260 as reported by committee. Please do not increase the barriers for physicians to provide the pain management, palliative and end-of-life care that the American public needs. Sincerely, Richard Payne, MD, Professor of Neurology and Pharmacology, Cornell University Medical College.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to Marvin D. Genzer, Esq. Recently, Mr. Genzer was honored by the Pace University School of Law for his outstanding contributions to the Bar, Pace University School of Law, and his community. Mr. Genzer is the Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary responsible for all legal affairs of the EDO Corporation in New York. He is a past president of the Corporate Bar Association of Westchester and Fairfield. Mr. Genzer teaches the Daniel A. Austin Memorial Lecture Series on In-House Corporate Practice as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Pace University School of Law and is a 1981 graduate of the law school. While Mr. Genzer has been with the EDO Corporation since 1966, his first profession was in Electrical Engineering. In this endeavor, Mr. Genzer contributed greatly to our national safety and planning. He was Program Manager of the Lunar Landing Probe and a designer of the logistics program for the U.S. Magnetic-Minesweeping of Haiphong Harbor. He is active in his Community, was President of the Fox Lane Ski Club, and has been involved in Little League and Youth Soccer. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring to your attention the outstanding life and work of Mr. Marvin D. Genzer. I ask that my Colleagues join me in congratulating Mr. Genzer on his well deserved honor.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding time to me, and for his leadership in this body on so many important issues, both humanitarian, international, and just plain good policies for the United States of America. As co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Hellenic Issues and as an original sponsor of this legislation, I rise in strong support of resolution 188. I would first like to thank the other co-chair of the Hellenic Caucus, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), for his support on this legislation and his continued good work on behalf of the people in Greece and Cyprus. I would also like to thank the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) for his leadership on this issue and many others, and my colleague, the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), for working with us to develop this legislation; and of course my colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), for bringing this bill quickly to the floor, along with the assistance and support of the ranking member, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Gejdenson). This resolution commends Greece and Turkey for their quick and measured response to each other in their time of great need. When the terrible earthquake struck Turkey in August, Greece was the first country, the absolute first country to send in planes and their very best military unit to provide aid. Just weeks later, Turkey returned the gesture of caring, humanitarian feelings, and friendship by immediately responding to the earthquake in Greece with aid in tow. I have also heard accounts and read in the papers that during this terrible aftermath of the earthquake, that Turkish papers printed for the first time Greek headlines thanking their friends in Greece for coming to help them in their great time of need. This was especially important because there has been great animosity between the two countries, great conflicts. Yet, in the hands of tragedy, these two countries reached across their often turbulent past with humanitarian aid and as helping friends. While this is a great step forward, we must continue to reach out to our allies, Greece and Turkey, to help them to build their relationship together. The recently witnessed good will between the two countries will not continue if they do not continue to build a dialogue and foundation between the two countries. After the earthquakes, there were meetings that took place between the foreign ministers, foreign minister George Papandreou and the Greek foreign minister, Mr. Cem, on the disputes in the Aegean, in the disputes over Cyprus. They have been trying to work together for some just resolution. We really want to applaud their work, and hope that they will build a better foundation for future relations. The international community has seen the signs of these two countries working together, and we need to encourage them to continue this good will in resolving their ongoing differences in the ongoing talks they are having. We urge them to continue to resolve the conflicts between them. Once the dust settles from the earthquake, the problems of yesterday will still be there unless they build a lasting relationship. I really feel very strongly about the possibility of reaching a solution based on the foundation that they are building. Both Greece and Turkey are important U.S. allies. It is important also because the President hopes to visit these two countries, and hopefully he can be part of an ongoing effort to resolve some of the disputes between them. At this point I rise to applaud the two countries, and really to applaud my colleagues for bringing this issue to the floor.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule and to the underlying bill. I would say to my friend on the other side of the aisle, who says that we want to spend more money. Actually we are trying to save money. One of the terrible, anti-environmental riders is also very anti- taxpayer. It is an undisputed fact that the oil rider that is attached costs the American taxpayer $66 million a year. This is money that could go to education, to our schools. We just had a bill on the floor where people talked about the need for more money for education. This is where we could save some money, where we could save some money by doing what is right. I would just like to say that what basically has happened is for decades the oil companies have underpaid the Government for oil extracted from federally owned lands. They got caught by the Department of Justice, by the Department of Interior, and I would say by the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology headed by the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn), who held many hearings on the underpayment of oil royalties, the royalty holiday of the oil companies stealing money from the American taxpayer. They had to pay $5 billion in penalties for what they ripped off in the past. So what we have before us is a number of anti-environmental riders that are terribly unacceptable. I must say that the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Dicks), who is the ranking member, and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Regula) did a wonderful job keeping them off of the House version, but we need to keep them off the conference report, too. So I hope that my friends on the other side of the aisle will join us in voting against this rule, against the unacceptable oil riders and other riders that hurt the environment, that steal money from the taxpayers that could be going to education. It is just a bad bill. We need to stand up for America's schools, for the American taxpayers, and stand up against the anti-environmental rip-off and oppose this conference report. There is no reason why we should continue paying big oil companies $66 million that they do not deserve, because they pay themselves market price. But when it comes to paying American schoolteachers and the government for federally owned land, they underpay to the tune of $66 million a year. It is wrong. It is terribly wrong. If my colleagues are fiscally conservative, vote against this bill just on the oil rider alone. Mr. Speaker I rise in strong opposition to this conference report. Because it contains an unacceptable rider, that will let big oil companies, continue to steal money from our nation's schoolchildren, to fatten their own wallets. Mr. Speaker, these oil companies, have been caught cheating, on the royalty payments they owe, for drilling oil on federal land. Royalty payments, that benefit our schools, our environment, and the American taxpayer. As a result, they have to pay almost five billion dollars in settlements. But now, every time that the Interior Department has tried to fix the rules so that they pay the money they owe. The supporters of big oil, have come to this Congress, and blocked them from doing it. This time, they were a little more creative, they decided to delay the rules until the General Accounting Office, can audit Interior's rulemaking process. But we all know, that this is just another delay, designed to get us to the next must-pass appropriations bill, when they'll attach another rider, so we can start this process all over again. In fact, Mr. Speaker, GAO has already issued a report on Interior's rulemaking process, and found that Interior has been extremely thorough, and gone out of its way to respond to the comments of the oil industry. Mr. Speaker, I listened yesterday as my colleagues on the other side of the aisle promised to do everything they could, to save every penny in the social security trust fund. So I cannot understand why when we're cutting the COPS program: Cutting the NEA; cutting the Land and Water Conservation Fund; When we're cutting all these vital programs--we're telling deadbeat oil companies, that owe the American taxpayer millions. ``It's OK--we really don't need the money.'' Mr. Speaker, this is absurd and illogical. I urge my colleagues to stand up for the American taxpayer. Stand up for America's schools. Stand up against this anti- environmental rip-off. And oppose this conference report. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record the following documents: [From the New York Times, Sept. 27, 1999] The Senate's Oily Deal Though it was little noticed at the time, a donnybrook over Senate rules last week illustrated the outsized role of special interests in government. The issue was a money grab by oil businesses, which want to lower the royalties they have to pay the Government for drilling on Federal land. When Senator Russell Feingold of Wisconsin tried to block an amendment that would let them keep their royalty payments artificially low and pointed out that oil-sector campaign donations were calling the shots, several senators objected. Their reason? Mr. Feingold's recitation of campaign donations was not ``germane'' and therefore not allowed during the debate. How quaint of the senators to disparage the germaneness of campaign contributions. In fact, nothing could be more relevant than the power of donors to call the tune in Congress. Fortunately, Mr. Feingold was allowed to continue, in spite of complaints from Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, the amendment's sponsor, and Senator Craig Thomas of Wyoming. Unfortunately, the measure passed. The bill to which it is attached contains objectionable anti-environmental features, and President Clinton should veto it. It is perverse for the Senate to cut school aid, housing and other domestic programs on the ground that the budget needs to be balanced, and then to cut revenues even more by handing out a big break to oil companies. Mr. Feingold, in raising the campaign reform issue, knew that simply pointing out what everyone knows is true would be embarrassing. If embarrassment moves the senators to act, it should be not to stop someone from telling the truth, but to pass the ban on unlimited ``soft money'' to parties sponsored by Mr. Feingold and John McCain of Arizona. Mr. Feingold likes to point out that he is an heir to the Senate seat of Robert La Follette, the progressive hero of nearly a century ago, who used to ``call the roll'' of railroads and other big donors who got their way in government. La Follette's ability to embarrass his colleagues led eventually to the ban on corporate donations to individual candidates of 1907, a ban that is now being undone by the ``soft money'' scam whereby the money is given to parties, not candidates. Mr. Feingold's ``Calling of the Bankroll'' has pointed out how health insurance donors influenced legislation governing health-maintenance organizations, how the tax-cut bill got packed with treats for businesses, and how big donations by Chevron, Atlantic Richfield and BP Amoco led to the break on oil royalties. This season of Republican-touted budget restraint was enlivened by the influence of a different special interest in the defense area. Trent Lott, the majority leader, wants a half billion dollars to start building a ship, the LHD-8. The Navy says it does not need the money or the ship, Naturally, the Senate has approved the money. Not all spending restraint is healthy, at least to some senators. Perhaps it is germane to point out that the ship would built at a shipyard in Mr. Lott's home state of Mississippi.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words, and I rise to really thank my colleagues, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Mrs. Mink), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez), and the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for their bipartisan amendment. Earlier today the gentlewoman from Hawaii told me that of all of her many achievements in her long career, she was most proud of having authored and enacted WEEA. We must restore gender equity language that helps girls succeed in schools. WEAA is the only Federal program dedicated to gender equity that has provided teaching materials, projects, programs to schools to eliminate gender bias. If the WEAA center is not funded, all the classroom records, program materials, anthology of women's voices, and years and years of research will be lost. More than 55 organizations wrote me in support of this program, and I would provide that list for the Record. There are those on the other side of the aisle that say this program is not needed. Whether it is the medical profession or engineering, these fields continue to change and evolve. Just like these fields, gender equity needs to be continually updated with new research and techniques. The appropriators just funded WEAA for $3 million for fiscal year 2000. Even with the tight budget caps, they recognized the importance of this program. But today, some want to throw away over 25 years of research, assistance, and expertise. WEAA helps our Nation's girls, but some people think girls no longer need assistance in overcoming barriers. Yes, women have made great strides, however, these strides have not happened by themselves. It has been programs like WEAA that provide the training and the materials and the support for girls in education. In the last 6 months alone, WEAA has received over 700 requests for information on gender bias. Glass ceilings still exist in the classroom, in universities, and in the marketplace. Women still only make 72 cents to every dollar a man earns. When girls are exposed to math and sciences, they tend to choose nontraditional female careers, careers such as bankers and engineers, that have lifetime earnings of more than 150 percent above their peers who choose traditional careers, such as nursing and secretaries. This glass ceiling still exists, and we will not break out of it until we break out of this pink collar ghetto. Last year, more than 65 percent of all jobs will require technology skills. But girls make up only 17 percent of the students taking advanced placement computer science tests. Even in basic computer usage, girls repeatedly rate their computer skills as far lower than boys. Yes, our underserved populations, girls and boys, need to have equal opportunities for success, yet girls in underserved populations have two barriers before them. They not only lack access to math and technology, but they still have the disadvantage of being a girl in a society that often treats them differently from boys. More than 60 percent of new teachers, when shown videotapes of their classroom instruction, were unaware of the disparity between how they treated boy and girl students. WEAA provides teachers with training and materials to help them adapt their teaching techniques to provide more equity in the classroom. This essential, unique service provided by WEAA helps our teachers, administrators, and other school staff work with the learning needs of both boys and girls. Studies have shown that girls and boys learn differently. Newer teaching techniques can help boys excel in greater numbers in the social sciences and with communication skills--an area typically favoring girls. WEEA's training material help teachers address these issues, issues special to boys, in their classrooms too. As we head into the next century, we cannot turn our backs on women and girls. As the educational needs of our society change and grow, at math and technology continue to become prominent skills of our everyday lives, gender equity in our education system is more essential than ever girls must catch up with boys when it comes to math and technology. To the critics who say there is no longer a need to assist girls and young women in America's education system--I say this: A quote from a former WEEA director: ``If we as a nation had decided to stop funding research on heart disease after we made the first mechanical heart, we would have wasted our initial investment. Like medicine, equity is an evolving process and needs to be continually examined, revised, and supported. There is still a lot of work to do, and it changes over time, but gender equity is a real issue that needs to be addressed anew ever year.'' Even though only 12 percent of the House of Representatives are women I hope the rest of the House will vote bipartisan and vote for gender equity. I ask my colleagues to support the Mink/Woolsey/Sanchez/Morella Amendment. Madam Chairman, the following is the list I referred to earlier: American Association of University Women, American Association of School Administrators, American Educational Research Association, American Civil Liberties Union, American Civil Liberties Union--Women's Rights Project, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, American Federation of Teachers, American Jewish Committee, American Psychological Association, Association of Teacher Educators, Association for Women in Science, Business and Professional Women/USA. Center for Advancement of Public Policy, Center for Women Policy Studies, Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), Church Women United. Coalition of Labor Union Women, Council of Chief State School Officers, Council for Exceptional Children. ERA Summit, Federation of Organizations for Professional Women. Girl Scouts of the United States of America, Girls Incorporated. Hadassah, Human Rights Campaign. Jewish Council for Public Affairs. Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Myra Sadker Advocates for Gender Equity. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium, National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators, National Association of Commissions for Women (NACW), National Association for Bilingual Education, National Association for Female Executives, National Association for Girls and Women in Sport, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of State Directors of Special Education. National Center on Women and Aging, National Coalition for Sex Equity in Education, National Council of Administrative Women in Education, National Council of Jewish Women, National Council of La Raza, National Education Association, National Parent Teacher Association, National Partnership for Women and Families, National School Boards Association, National Science Teachers Association. National Urban League, National Women's Conference, National Women's History Project, National Women's Law Center, NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund. Older Women's League. Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO, Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, Soroptimist International of the Americas. United Church of Christ Board for Homeland Ministries, United States Student Association. Wider Opportunities for Women, Women Employed, Women and Philanthropy, Women of Reform Judaism, Women Work! Women's Business Development Center, Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement, Women's Sports Foundation, YWCA of the U.S.A.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's attention to this matter. When the President vetoes this bill, I hope the gentleman will accept the language that will remove the framework restrictive language on the census from the report, but I appreciate the gentleman's other efforts.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address an issue of critical importance to our Nation, the upcoming decennial census of the population of the U.S., a constitutionally mandated activity, which will be the largest peace-time mobilization ever undertaken by our Nation. The administration requested $4.5 billion this fiscal year in order to count everyone in our country. The conference report before us today contains all but about $11 million of that request, and I commend the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers) and the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano) for their hard work with the other body in providing the necessary funds. I also commend the chairman in that this bill contains none of the onerous, contentious language prohibiting the use of modern statistical methods which has been in previous CJS conference reports. While this report still designates the funding for the 2000 census as emergency funding, if all the funding was not there, then it truly would be an emergency. So I am glad the funding is there, whatever the designation. However, a number of important problems remain. First and foremost is the language in the conference report regarding frameworks which would require the Census Bureau to go through a long and complex process before shifting money from one activity in the decennial census to another, for example, for spending money on census takers or additional computers. Such congressional micromanagement is unprecedented in the decennial census. A programming request could take months. In fact, the most recent request in the Commerce Department took 7 months. But the 2000 census cannot possibly operate under that kind of framework. The census is a massive undertaking which must be completed on an extremely tight time frame. A Congress of 535 Members cannot possibly make the decisions necessary or quickly enough to cover the unpredictable events which might occur. In conclusion, this restrictive language must be removed, and, hopefully, the President will remove this language when he vetoes this bill. I call upon my colleagues to vote against the bill for the funding for the U.N. and the cops on our streets.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. The Director of the Census, Dr. Prewitt, is very concerned about this restrictive language. The framework language was in report language before; now it has been legislated, which is more restrictive.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1993, the Export Enhancement Act, and specifically in support of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Since 1971, OPIC has worked with U.S. investors who do business overseas by supporting projects where private financing and insurance are unavailable or insufficient. OPIC provides insurance against political risk, financing assistance through loans and loan guarantees, and financing for private investment funds that provide equity to businesses overseas. OPIC also acts as an important advocate for American businesses in foreign countries. The facilitation of private investments overseas provides benefits for the American economy. Since 1971, OPIC has paved the way for upwards of $58 billion in exports and the creation of over 200,000 jobs. Today OPIC supports U.S. businesses in 140 countries. Perhaps, most importantly, this successful program is self-sustaining and operating at no cost to the American taxpayer. An important part of OPIC's work is focusing on and helping small businesses. I look forward to voting in favor of this legislation, not only the rule but the underlying bill, that will reauthorize the program through 2003. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mrs. MALONEY of New York

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I really rise to thank the gentleman from Florida (Chairman Miller) from the Subcommittee on the Census for working in a bipartisan manner on a resolution that we have put forward, and on tomorrow's briefing which we have invited every Member of the House to attend, a briefing by Director Prewitt on ways to involve Members in getting an accurate count for the Census. I know that in the past we have had our differences over the best way to conduct the Census, but I think we both now agree that now is the time to put those differences behind us and to go forward with the business of conducting the massive operation of the 2000 census. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to join the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) on House Resolution 193, a resolution which reaffirms the spirit of cooperation between the Census Bureau and Congress, and establishes a public partnership between us. This partnership is vital because, though the Bureau is doing a very fine job in preparing for the 2000 Census, it truly is a huge undertaking which deserves the support it can receive from any sector. Just to give an idea of the scale of the 2000 Census, it will be the largest peacetime mobilization ever conducted by our country. It will count approximately 275 million people and 120 million housing units across this Nation. In order to carry out this massive operation, the Census Bureau will have to process 1.5 billion pieces of paper, and it will have to do this in a very short time period. To conduct the 2000 Census, the Bureau will have to fill more than 860,000 temporary positions. They will have to hire more people than are in the Army. In a very real sense, the 2000 Census has already begun. The forms are being printed and transported across the Nation. The Bureau plans to open 520 local Census offices. One hundred thirty of those are already open, and the remaining 390 are leased and will be open on a flow basis through the beginning of next year. Every Member of Congress needs to do all they can to encourage this partnership with the 2000 Census from their newsletters, from public service announcements, to participating in local forums. One new program the Bureau has developed for the Census, which I think is particularly effective, is Census in the Schools. More than 50 percent of all those not counted in 1990 were children. The Census in Schools program aims to help children learn what a Census is and why it is important to them and their families and their community at large. The program also aims to increase participation in Census 2000 by engaging not only the children but their parents, so that they will fill out the Census forms. It will also help recruit teachers and parents to work as Census-takers. Mr. Speaker, State, local, and tribal governments, as well as businesses and nonprofit organizations, have become partners with the Census Bureau in the effort to make the 2000 Census the best ever. The constitutionally-mandated Census we take every 10 years is one of the most important civic rituals our Nation has. It determines the distribution of over $185 billion in Federal aid. It determines the distribution of political and economic power in our country for a decade. I urge every Member to actively participate in making it a success.