Robert Matsui

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Chairman Callahan and Ranking Member Visclosky, and the Members of the Subcommittee for their support of Sacramento flood control projects included in the Fiscal Year 2002 Energy and Water Appropriations bill. As this body knows, with a mere 85-year level of protection, Sacramento has been identified by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as having the least amount of flood protection of any major metropolitan area in the nation. At risk are roughly half-a-million people and $40 billion in economic value. This includes 1,200 public facilities, 130 schools, 26 nursing home facilities, 7 major hospitals, major interstates and highways, and the Capitol to the world's sixth largest economy. Thankfully, this subcommittee has again generously funded numerous project requests in my Sacramento district essential to the ongoing flood work necessary to address this dire situation. Specifically, I thank the subcommittee for the $8 million allocation for continued construction modifications to Folsom Dam These flood outlet modifications represent the linchpin to Sacramento's flood control system, providing a doubling of Sacramento's flood protection and giving to the flood plain its first major improvements to flood control in more than 40 years. I also am grateful for the $15 million included for the American River Watershed Common Elements which will provide much needed improvements to more than 36 miles of Sacramento's levees, the last line of defense against catastrophic flooding. I also would like to thank the Members for their efforts in securing additional funding for a series of smaller, yet no less critical, regional flood control projects. This includes projects for Sacramento River bank protection, work on the Lower Strong and Chicken Ranch Slough, Magpie Creek, and funds to allow for ongoing studies for American River Watershed flood control. It is my hope that as this legislation continues to move through the legislative process, serious consideration is given to funding ``new starts'' construction projects. The South Sacramento Streams project will provide protection to more than 100,000 people and 41,000 structures from a network of creeks and small rivers in the region. This project was authorized in the 1999 Water Resources Development Act and is now ready for construction. Although I recognize the extremely tight budgetary constraints confronting this subcommittee, the perilous situation that these streams pose to the South Sacramento region makes initial construction funding essential. I ask for your support in providing funding for this critical new start project in the conference committee. Again, on behalf of my Sacramento constituents, I remain grateful for your past and continuing support of these vital, life-saving projects. Thank you for your efforts in supporting essential federal assistance to the most pressing public safety issue confronting the region.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Dorothy Stevens Enomoto, the first African American woman to manage a California Department of Corrections institution. Mrs. Enomoto, one of Sacramento's most notable citizens, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from California State University, Sacramento on May 25th, 2001. As her friends and family gather to celebrate Mrs. Enomoto's outstanding achievement, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting this truly remarkable citizen of Sacramento. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Mrs. Enomoto graduated from Booker T. Washington Senior High School, where she shared valedictorian honors with the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mrs. Enomoto attended Clarke College, now Clarke Atlanta University, where she attained Senior status before she was forced to withdraw for family and economic reasons. In hopes of securing a better future for herself and her children, Mrs. Enomoto moved to California. In time, Mrs. Enomoto obtained a Correctional Officer's position with the California Department of Corrections, where she rose through the ranks and became a trailblazing pioneer. During her tenure at the California Department of Corrections, Mrs. Enomoto became the first African American woman to manage a California Department of Corrections institution, the Women's Civil Addict Unit at the California Rehabilitation Center. In addition, Mrs. Enomoto was also the first African American woman to hold the position of Deputy Director in the Department. Following her retirement, Mrs. Enomoto has remained active and dedicated to making Sacramento a better place for all. Mrs. Enomoto is currently a Commissioner on the Sacramento City and County Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission, having served as Chair in 1997. In addition, Mrs. Enomoto is also co-chair of the Greater Sacramento Area Hate Crimes Task Force. Mrs. Enomoto's considerable expertise on the issue of hate crime prevention prompted her appointment by President Clinton to a national hate crime conference. Widely touted as one of Sacramento's most cherished and prominent citizens, Mrs. Enomoto has been recognized with numerous awards over the years. Some of these include the United Negro College Fund Frederick V. Patterson ``Outstanding Individual of the Year'' award in 1994 and her induction into the African American Criminal Justice ``Hall of Fame'' in 1994. In addition, she is the recipient of the ``Bridgebuilder'' award from the Jewish Community Relations Council in 1997 and the 1994 Sacramento YWCA ``Outstanding Woman of the Year'' award. Mr. Speaker, as Mrs. Dorothy Enomoto's friends and family gather for the commencement exercises, I am honored to pay tribute to one of Sacramento's most honorable citizens. Her successes are unparalleled, and it is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to pay tribute to her contributions to the city of Sacramento. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing Mrs. Enomoto continued success in all her future endeavors.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me this time. I might just express my disappointment to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), because over the last few days I had given him a number of provisions that I thought other Members of this body, Democratic Members particularly, would find helpful in terms of this tax bill, so perhaps we could have voted for it. But, then I found, after the gentleman had received all of these tax proposals that I had, that well, he was not allowed to go into the conference or allowed to go into the meetings. So I am sorry that I burdened the gentleman with that information, because it is pretty obvious that the gentleman was shut out. So I just want to make this effort to thank him for his effort.

Mr. MATSUI. I yield to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I think the good news is the fact that the Senate will change in another week. This will be the last extreme bill that we will have before the body that will be sent to the President. I would like to point out a few things. One, the document that showed that we have a $5.6 trillion surplus over the next 10 years, that same document said that there was only a 50 percent chance of accuracy that these 5-year numbers are correct and they have no basis to make an accuracy projection on the 10-year numbers. This could have been $8.9 trillion or $1.6 trillion or perhaps 0. So we are basing this $5.6 trillion surplus on speculation, and that is exactly what this bill is all about. Now, let me just make a couple of observations. The chairman of the committee says that this will not affect Social Security, because in the 10-year window, it will not have any impact on Social Security. The reason for that is because in the year 2014, 13 years from now, is when Social Security has the cash flow problem. So basically, yes, for the next 10 years, it may not have an impact on Social Security, but it will have a devastating impact on Social Security in terms of its long- term survivability. I will say that a ``yes'' vote on this bill, will mean that senior citizens will, in fact, have significant reductions in their benefits. There is no question about it. The chairman of the Committee on the Budget made an interesting observation. He said that this bill really does not go to the wealthy. The problem is that he is using a 5-year projection. Of course, in the 5-year projections, it is not until the 6th to the 10th year that the tax benefits for the wealthy actually phase in. As a result of that, those people that earn $1.1 million a year on their tax returns will get 38 percent of these benefits. That is not good budget policy.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Jean Runyon, a woman with a remarkable career in public service. To say that Jean has a flair for politics would only begin to skim the surface of the many wonderful contributions that she has made to numerous causes over the years. Jean first got involved in politics during the 1948 gubernatorial campaign of Adlai Stevenson and has been a devoted social and political activist ever since. The best way to describe Jean's political interests and involvement is exhaustive. Jean's presence is a staple in the Democratic Party. She carries with her enough charisma to charm a crowd as well as the political savvy and dedication needed to fight the good fight. She has done everything from chairing the 1980 Kennedy Caucus to hosting political leaders at her home. In fact, the only thing that stretches farther than Jean's dedication is her knowledge of the political scene. By just glancing at her impressive list of political involvement, it is easy to see that Jean is a true champion of public service. Jean has been selected as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention five times in the past 30 years, served as co-chair of the California Affirmative Action Committee in 1976 as well as co- chair of the California Democratic Party Budget and Finance Committee in 1976. Over the years, Jean has been recognized by a host of organizations for her Herculean efforts. She was named Democratic Woman of the Year in 1975 and Key Woman of the Democratic Woman's Forum in 1960. This year, she is being recognized once more by the esteemed publication Asia Week for her many years of outstanding public service. As a founding member of the First Asian Pacific Caucus in 1976, Jean helped to pave the way for equal and just treatment of Asian Pacific Americans. Time and time again, she has succeeded in ensuring that the interests of the Asian Pacific Community are heard and protected. Jean has truly been a shining light that has inspired scores of youth to get involved in politics. I cannot think of anyone else more deserving of this honor than she. Jean's public involvement is not exclusive to strictly politics. She is an active member of numerous organizations including the PTA, ACLU, Women for Peace and the League of Women Voters to name a few. Furthermore, programs such as Meals on Wheels and the Women and Children Crisis Shelter would not have achieved the success that they have enjoyed without Jean's instrumental support. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Jean Runyon. Her continuous leadership is a true testament to public service. If a template of leadership could be made, it would certainly bear the resemblance of my friend Jean Runyon. Her career thus far as a social and political activist is commendable. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting this truly remarkable political activist.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Ways and Means, for yielding this time. Mr. Speaker, I am kind of surprised that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle keep talking about Democrats bringing up the issue of greed and envy. I thought we were supposed to debate these things and state the facts. The fact of the matter is, if you took all of the bills that were passed over the last 3 months on the other side of the aisle there, you would find that the top 1 percent of the taxpayers in the America, that is, people that file tax returns on the average of $1.1 million a year, their earned income, they get 46 percent of this tax cut. Mr. Speaker, we cannot change that fact, and I think it is only right that the American public know this fact, the fact that those people that make over a million dollars a year get 46 percent of the benefit. It seems to me something that everybody should know before they vote on this particular bill. This is not talking about, making discussions about greed and envy; it is just stating a fact. But rhetoric is always there, and that is what I guess this floor is all about. This is what we are talking about in terms of lowering the rhetoric on the floor of the House. The fact of the matter is that not only are we talking about where the distribution of this tax cut goes, but there is also something interesting about the so-called surplus. If you recall, we are talking about the basis of this tax cut, $5.6 trillion in surpluses over the next 10 years, of which one-third, or about 30 percent of it, will be in the first 5 years; and then a 70 percent total of this $5.6 trillion will be in the second 5 years. The same people that predicted this number, the Congressional Budget Office, said that there is only a 50 percent chance of accuracy that the first 5-year projection will be correct. Then in the last sentence in the same document, the same Congressional Budget Office that made this prediction says they cannot really even make a forecast on 10-year projections. The only reason they do it is because we in Congress mandated it. We could be talking about $10.9 trillion or $1.6 trillion, or maybe even a deficit, because these numbers are based upon projections. They are projecting, for example, there will be a 4.6 growth rate over the next 10 years. Mr. Speaker, I would imagine any one of you sitting in the hall here would have to say that you cannot make projections about what your income or your child's income will be 10 years from now. But, nevertheless, we are doing this. I have to say another thing. This is redistribution. About 60 percent of the $5.6 trillion is in the form of Social Security payroll taxes. Who gets the burden of that? The average American, because it is capped at $76,000 a year. So we are going to take the payroll taxes and we are going to redistribute it to those people that file income tax returns of $1.1 million a year. We are playing a gamble with the deficit and with the future of our children, and we are redistributing this tax cut in a way that takes from the average taxpayer or the average worker and gives to the super- rich. This bill should be voted down. The budget is a sham.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. I thank the ranking Democrat, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I have to say that this bill here that is on the floor today that my Republican colleagues have offered, it really will not become effective until the year 2011, 10 years from now. The Democratic substitute which will be offered in a little while provides immediate relief, up to $2 million per person, $4 million per couple. This would give almost 99 percent of the farmers, 99 percent of the small businesses in America immediate relief. We do also provide a continuation of the stepped-up basis. What is very interesting is that you do not hit $2 million on the Republican bill until the year 2011. In fact, you do not even get a million dollars' worth of relief until the year 2006 in the Republican bill. Why is it that it phases in? It phases in because they cannot be sure of these surpluses. The fact of the matter is that the Congressional Budget Office has said that there will be $5.6 trillion worth of surpluses over the next 10 years. They also say in that same document that for a 5-year projection, they are only 50 percent accurate and for the 10-year projection they are basically saying it is not yet possible to assess its accuracy. We are really playing with speculation at this particular point in time. The reality is that we do not know what these surpluses will be. At the other side of the table, if you add up every bill that the Republicans have passed since January of this year till now, it totals about $2 trillion with the loss of interest. At the same time, and this is the astonishing number, this is absolutely astonishing, the top 1 percent of the taxpayers that average $1.1 million a year will get 43 percent of these benefits. I have to say that a good part, about 50 percent, believe it or not, 50 percent of this $5.7 trillion speculative surplus is payroll taxes, payroll taxes that the average American wage earner pays. So we are going to have middle-income people pay essentially for the tax cut for those people that make over $1 million a year. That is not fair. That is not equitable. Actually, that is absolutely unconscionable. As a result of that, I hope my colleagues come to their senses and realize that what we are seeing here right now is not a whole issue of fairness. This is a whole issue of unfairness to the average American at a time when the market is failing, when unemployment will probably go up because the President is not paying attention to the economy of the United States.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the ranking member of the Committee on Ways and Means for yielding the time to me. The whole basis upon which this tax cut, which is about $400 billion over the next 10 years, the whole basis of this tax cut is based upon the $5.6 trillion that the Congressional Budget Office says will be available over the next 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office, however, said one other thing, too. They also said in the same document, when they made this prediction about the $5.6 trillion, that there is only a 50 percent accuracy or probability that the 5-year projections of the $5.6 trillion will become true, and they cannot even make a prediction on the 10-year numbers. In other words, they are basically saying we are using the number of $5.6 trillion, but really do not rely upon the accuracy of it because we cannot really say it is going to happen. We do not know if it is going to happen. It may not happen. So the whole basis of this tax cut is based upon conjecture, and I have to say that after this tax cut passes, and then after we pass the estate tax repeal next week, we will be at about $1.7 trillion or $1.8 trillion, and that does not even include the loss of interests on that money. So we are probably talking about $2 trillion, $2.5 trillion of the $5.7 trillion that may not exist. What is interesting is that we have had a lot of statistical studies on this. The top 1 percent of the taxpayers in America, those people that make $370,000 a year and above, actually the average is about $1.1 million income per family, the top 1 percent, they are going to get about 40 percent of this total tax cut, this so-called phantom tax cut. This is a bad bill. The Democrats have a tax cut bill that is modest. It is actually very large. It is about $700 billion, but it fits within a budgetary framework. It takes into consideration in the event these numbers do not come into effect and are not accurate, and it pays down the debt. Mr. Speaker, I believe very, very strongly that if this bill passes, the estate tax bill passes next week, you are going to see a reduction in Social Security benefits over the next 3 years or 4 years. We will not be able to do prescription drugs. All this talk the President has about education; that will not come to pass. And certainly Medicare is going to be in deep trouble, too. This is a bad bill. We should vote for the Democratic substitute, which is more modest. It does deal with the marriage penalty. We do want a tax cut, but we want to make sure it is modest, and that, obviously, it fits within fiscal discipline, which has given us the enormous growth we had over the last 10 years under Bill Clinton.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to the Sacramento Symphony League. On March 14th, 2001, the League will host a luncheon to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. As the members gather to celebrate, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in saluting one of Sacramento's finest organizations. Fifty years ago, the Sacramento Philharmonic Association asked Mrs. Sheldon Brandenburger to organize a women's group to promote the activities of the orchestra. Thirty charter members entered into an active program of musical and financial support forming the Sacramento Symphony League. In the ensuing years, the Sacramento Symphony has enjoyed unparalleled success. With the introduction of Harry Newstone as conductor in 1963-1964, the symphony began to draw large audiences. The standing room only crowds helped the symphony gain recognition. In 1965-1966, the Sacramento Symphony was chosen by the Ford foundation to receive a five-year grant, which established a million-dollar endowment. The orchestra's success continued until the Symphony Association filed for bankruptcy in September of 1996. In the wake of this unfortunate occurrence, the Sacramento Symphony League voted immediately to continue with the broader purpose of supporting classical music and youth education. Today, the Sacramento Symphony League is once again flourishing. Through its ``Music in the Schools'' programs, the League has made a dramatic difference in Sacramento youth music education and participation. The Music Ensemble Program provides ensembles to play in schools throughout the area for music education programs. The Docent Program provides teams to visit schools and present an educational puppet show with musical accompaniment. The Classroom Classics Program provides quality CD players and classical CDs for teachers to play in their classrooms. In addition, the League provides scholarships for student musicians and oversees an instrument restoration program for area schools. Mr. Speaker, as the Sacramento Symphony League gathers to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, I am honored to pay tribute to an invaluable resource to the Sacramento community. The League's commitment to youth music programs has been commendable. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing the Sacramento Symphony League continued success in all its future endeavors.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for yielding the time to me. Mr. Speaker, the whole basis of this Bush tax cut which ultimately will be $1.6 trillion, maybe $2 trillion or $3 trillion, when it is finished, no one knows what the total amount will be, the whole basis of this tax cut is based upon surplus projections over the next 10 years from the Congressional Surplus Budget Office that does estimates. In the document that said that we will have $5.6 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office also said that there is only a 50 percent probability that the 5-year projections will be correct, and they say in the 10-year projections they cannot even assess whether or not they will occur because they have no experience at it. If you take away the fact that these projections are kind of guesswork, like whether the weather, in fact, will have snow next week or last week, and maybe it did not, then if you take away that, the whole basis of this tax cut then becomes illusionary, and that means if it does not happen, we are going to have to cut health care benefits. We are not going to be able to get prescription drug treatment to our senior citizens. Mr. Speaker, I will guarantee that we will have to make significant cuts in Social Security, if, in fact, this tax cut occurs and these numbers do not come up, and we know these numbers are just based upon nothing but guesswork, and it is my hope that the Members will come to their senses and be very, very cautious, because the Democrats have a tax cut that basically is modest. It is about $600 billion, which is a lot of money, but at the same time that tax cut is well within a budget framework and obviously will stay within these guesswork numbers.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Costello) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues before me, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), have said, we have all been inspired by Jim Corman. I was a freshman Member in 1979, when Jim actually was serving his last term in office and he and his wife Nancy opened their hearts up to the freshman Members and hosted us at their home and made sure that we were comfortable and really understood this town. I have to say that my relationship with him, my wife Doris' relationship with Nancy, was one of the finest that we have had in our years in Washington, D.C. Jim had two children from his first marriage, Mary Anne and Chuck Corman, had two sons with his wife Nancy, Adam and Brian, who are now, one is in college and the other one is, I believe, in high school. From a professional level, I just want to tell one anecdote about Jim Corman, and I guess it says a lot about him as a person and as a human being. In 1980, when he was up for reelection, he knew he was going to have a very, very difficult race because the antibusing leader in the San Fernando Valley which he represented decided to run against him for Congress in the Republican Party. Jim had always been an advocate of allowing busing to occur. There was a constitutional amendment on the floor of the House, I believe it was in the spring of 1980, some months before the general election. Many of us new Members, who perhaps were a little more attuned to our congressional districts, went to Jim and said, ``Jim, vote in favor of this constitutional amendment. You can take this. This is not a big deal. Why should you stick your neck out?'' Jim thought about it for a minute while he was looking at the three or four of us that were talking to him on the floor of the House, and he said, ``I feel very strongly that everyone should have equal opportunities in school.'' You may agree or disagree with the concept of busing that was going on in the sixties, seventies and eighties. Jim Corman happened to believe that busing was a tool to use in order to make sure that we had diversity obviously in our communities and in our Nation. He said that he could not work against his beliefs for political purposes, and he took that hard vote and a press conference was held against him. He went out later and talked to the press and defended his position in a way that was very, very strong, very, very sensitive. I would say that many Members at that time perhaps would have capitulated and basically have said, yeah, why not just take a pass on this one here. Jim Corman lost that election, partly because President Carter had announced the election was over and conceded defeat very early, it was 5 o'clock in California, but also because he was a principled individual. Many of us over the years, the next 20 years of his life, talked to him about that vote and his legacy. He said, ``You know, that was the hardest vote but it was the finest vote I ever had in this institution.'' I have to say that if all of us would act as Jim Corman acts, this country and this institution would be a better place. Let me just conclude by making one other observation, Mr. Speaker. From a personal level, Corman was really one of the finest gentlemen that I have ever had the opportunity to meet. When he passed away and his obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Times, before I had a chance to call my son Brian, my son called me when he saw the obituary and he said, I saw that Mr. Corman passed away. Brian was 6 or 7 years old when Jim was still a Member of the House. And he said, Dad, I cannot tell you how much Mr. Corman means to me or meant to me. Jim loved children. Jim would spend hours and hours with children of the Members of Congress, and I have to say that Jim Corman's legacy will be this post office but his legacy also will be the many, many Americans who will be thinking about him as long as they live. I cannot think of a greater tribute than to name a post office after Jim Corman and to pay tribute to him on the floor of this institution.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the many accomplishments of my friend, Mr. Joe Moakley of Massachusetts. I stand before you to commend a man who embodies infinite courage and legendary patriotism. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the dedicated service of Congressman Joe Moakley. Bound by a sense of service to country, Joe lied about his young age to enlist in the U.S. Navy. Risking his life to defend our country during World War II only marked the beginning of his career in public service. Joe rose through the ranks of local government and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972. It has been my distinct honor to work with him the past 22 years, and in that time I have come to recognize him, as have many others, as a man driven by principal and conviction. During his tenure in the House, Joe has become a renegade for human rights. His desire to find answers to the brutal murders of innocent civilians in El Salvador led a divided country to an eventual peace agreement in 1992. His leadership, his passion and his dedication to civic justice will truly be remembered. Most significantly, I have admired Joe for his tireless commitment to the people of the Ninth District of Massachusetts. Joe is a member of this body who will truly be missed. While this tribute cannot begin to communicate his greatness as a leader and friend, I can say that this body has been made better by his presence and will be lesser in his absence. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join with me today in celebrating the accomplishments of Congressman Joe Moakley.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, this month we are going to have Girl Scout cookie week because you may have read in The Washington Post that Girl Scouts will be selling cookies all over the United States, particularly in Washington. For some reason Washingtonians like cookies. This proposal, the lockbox proposal, has about as much weight to save Social Security as if we would have declared this month the month in which we would honor Girl Scouts for selling cookies. It has no relevance at all. If you want to reduce the debt, just do not spend the money. In fact, even if you try to spend the money, one way to overcome it is if in fact you just waive points of order. The real issue, and an issue that my Republican colleagues unfortunately refuse to face is the $1.6 trillion tax cut that will probably be coming up in the next month or so. That is the real rub. That is what will endanger Social Security and Medicare in the long run. The fact of the matter is the President is now talking about retroactively applying it. That will make the $1.6 trillion debt $2 trillion. Plus the loss of interest, we are probably talking about $2.5 trillion that will be reducing taxes over the next decade. The surplus will not sustain that. The fact of the matter is as we pay down the debt with the Social Security surplus, in the next 10 years we are going to have to increase the debt in order to pay the Social Security benefits that will not be available because of reductions, because the payroll tax will not match it. And as a result of that, the debt reduction in all of this is just temporary. If you are 65 years and younger, your Social Security benefits will be in jeopardy if in fact this tax bill is passed. Because anybody 65 and younger will probably be facing a situation in the next 10 years in which we are going to have to make a decision to increase payroll taxes, reduce Social Security benefits, or increase the national debt. The reality is that this tax cut will be the key. It is not this resolution that has no weight, no force, and is somewhat irrelevant.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Dixon and I came in together in 1978, as the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) mentioned. Eleven Members from California came in 1978, new Members; and on the Democratic side it was Mr. Dixon, Tony Coehlo, Vic Fazio, and myself. I have to tell you, this is a shocking moment for all of us in this body. Julian Dixon was the type of individual that was about the calmest person that I have ever come across. He is an individual that obviously Members looked to in terms of seeking advice. He was somebody that all of us in the California delegation saw as a moral compass of our State, and certainly in this body, the House of Representatives. As long as there will be such an institution, Julian Dixon will be part of that, because his memory is in all of us, and it will be forever. I obviously express my regards to his family and indicate how much we will miss him.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Walter F. Payne, president and chief executive officer of Blue Diamond Growers, on the occasion of his retirement. A cooperative owned by nearly 4,000 almond growers, Blue Diamond is the world's largest nut-tree marketing and processing company. Under the steadfast leadership of Walt Payne, Blue Diamond processes nearly one-third of the world's crop of almonds, making that commodity California's largest food export. I ask my colleagues to join with me today in honoring the dedicated service of Walt Payne. Mr. Payne joined Blue Diamond in 1973 as the director of marketing and planning. In 1990, Mr. Payne was appointed chief operating officer and in 1992 became president and chief executive officer. His prior 17 years as a marketing executive provided him with the necessary tools to lead Blue Diamond into a period of unprecedented growth and fundamental change. Under this leadership, the cooperative was transformed into a more efficient and organized business dedicated to cutting unnecessary costs and increasing production and sales. However, it is his inclusive management style, in combination with his desire for open and honest communication that will truly be remembered. Mr. Payne has worked tirelessly to include the views of management, member growers and plant workers alike to create a more effective business. In an organization that had previously been run from the top down, Walt found it more productive to establish an environment that encouraged the inclusion of employees, at all levels, in the development and implementation of ideas. In fact, it is this inclusive management style that has proved to be an integral component to the unprecedented success of Blue Diamond. When Walter Payne was named CEO, he vowed to spend 15 percent of his time in the fields meeting with growers, listening to and addressing their concerns. It was this commitment to open and honest communication that won him national acknowledgment as ``CEO Outstanding Communicator of the Year'' in 1998, awarded by the Cooperative Communicators Association. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to pay tribute to my friend, Walt Payne, a truly outstanding member of our community. As CEO, he fostered an atmosphere based on teamwork, open communication and productivity at all levels. As a testament to his success, Payne's first crop as a young marketer at Blue Diamond totaled 145 million pounds. His last crop set a state record at 830 million pounds. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in celebrating the accomplishments of an extraordinary leader and wish him all the best as he begins a new phase in his life.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to Mayor Jimmie R. Yee of Sacramento, California. After Mayor Joe Serna, Jr. passed away, Jimmie Yee has filled in admirably as Mayor of Sacramento. A tribute dinner will be held in his honor on November 13, 2000. As his friends and family gather to celebrate, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting his outstanding career. Over the years, Jimmie Yee has amassed a wealth of experience, both as a public servant and as an engineer. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1956, he went on to work as a California Structural and Civil Engineer. He proudly served his nation as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps of Engineers from 1957-1965. As an engineer, Jimmie Yee has been an active and influential member of our community. He has served as a Fellow on the American Society of Civil Engineers since 1954. In addition, he has been a Fellow, a member of the Board of Directors, Secretary-Treasurer, and President of the Structural Engineers Association of Central California. Furthermore, he has been affiliated with the Consulting Engineers Association of California and the National Council of Engineering Examiners, just to name a few. Jimmie Yee first became involved in public service in 1973 as a member of the Sacramento Citizens Committee on Police Practices. Since then, he has served in numerous positions throughout local government. Most recently, he has served as a City Council member for the Fourth District of the City of Sacramento, a post he has held since 1992. After the death of Mayor Joe Serna, Jr. in 1999, Jimmie Yee was an overwhelming choice to fill in as interim Mayor. In his short term as Mayor, Jimmie Yee has further enhanced his reputation as an honest and trustworthy public servant. He now plans to resume his position with the Sacramento City Council where he remains one of Sacramento's most popular and well-respected elected officials. Mr. Speaker, as the grateful citizens of Sacramento gather for Mayor Yee's tribute dinner, I am honored to have this opportunity to pay tribute to a truly remarkable citizen of Sacramento. Jimmie Yee's contributions to our community as an engineer, community servant, and elected official have indeed been commendable. Every resident of Sacramento owes him a debt of gratitude. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Judge David E. Russell, Chief Bankruptcy Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eastern District of California. After 14 years as a Bankruptcy Judge and 40 years of service in the legal profession, Judge Russell has announced his retirement. He will be honored at a retirement party on Friday, November 3, 2000 at the Tsakopoulos Library in Sacramento. As his friends and family gather to celebrate, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting his remarkable career. David E. Russell was born on March 19, 1935 in Chicago Heights, Illinois. He was married on October 31, 1982 to Sandra Niemeyer, and they are the proud parents of seven children. He began his education at the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1957 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He went on to obtain his Jurisprudence Doctorate from Boalt Hall, University of California at Berkeley in 1960. David Russell began his career as an accountant for Lybrand, Ross Brothers and Montgomery in San Francisco, CA. Here he stayed for three years, during which time he was admitted to the California Bar in 1961. In 1965, he became a partner with Russell, Humphreys and Estabrook. Later to be known as Russell, Jarvis, Estabrook and Dashiell, he continued to work with the firm as a lawyer until 1986. In 1986, David Russell was appointed to a 14-year term as a United States Bankruptcy Judge. In those 14 years, Judge Russell has developed a reputation as a fair and honest man, and he has served his appointment admirably. I am honored to have the opportunity to congratulate Judge Russell as he begins his well-deserved retirement. Mr. Speaker, as Judge David Russell's friends and family gather to celebrate his retirement, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a truly remarkable person. His career with the United States Court of Appeals has indeed been commendable. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing him continued success in all his future endeavors.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to a truly outstanding citizen of Sacramento, Jim Mouer. He will be retiring after over 45 years of service in the baking industry and 21 years of working for BCTGM Local 85. As his friends and family gather to celebrate on Saturday, October 28, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in saluting his remarkable career. Jim Mouer was born on September 27, 1935 at County Hospital on Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento. He graduated from Sacramento High School in June 1954. After attending Sacramento City College, Jim went on to work as a bakery apprentice at Hearts Bakery. His career continued as a baker with several employers, including his own bakery with his father. He eventually joined Continental Bakery (Wonder Bread) in 1960. After 19 years with Wonder Bread, Jim went on to become Secretary/ Treasurer of the Bakers Union, Local 85. Since then, he has guided the Union in contract negotiations and related matters. In addition to his work with BCTGM Local 85, Jim Mouer was instrumental in the rebirth of the Coalition of Organized Labor, an organization dedicated to the sharing of ideas and uniting the labor community. In 1984, Jim and fellow labor leaders Chuck Brooks, Obie Brandon, and Tom Lawson recognized the need to organize various local unions with the intent of creating a better working relationship among the various labor groups. The Coalition was able to achieve numerous goals including promoting Union Solidarity, establishing coordinated boycott actions, and educating members. In retirement, Jim will have the opportunity to spend more time with his strong, growing family. He and his wife Audrey have six children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, as Jim Mouer's friends and family gather to celebrate his retirement, I am honored to pay tribute to a truly remarkable citizen of Sacramento. His contributions to our area have indeed been commendable. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in wishing him and his family continued success in all their future endeavors.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Congressman Ron Packard as he prepares to retire at the end of the 106th Congress and conclude his remarkable career as an elected representative. For 18 years, I have had the honor of serving with my distinguished California colleague. Upon his arrival in 1982, Mr. Packard immediately immersed himself in many of the most significant policy debates of the time by serving on the Transportation and Science Committees. His vast intellect and ability to work with Members in a bipartisan fashion became apparent immediately, foreshadowing a long-standing career of effective and responsible leadership. Mr. Packard eventually made the transition to the Appropriations Committee where he went on to become one of the most well respected Chairmen of the Military Construction Subcommittee, and later the Energy and Water Subcommittee. Through his extraordinary work, he has become one of the most ardent fiscal hawks, has legislated against wasteful government spending and has continuously fought to solve the many immigration challenges confronting the state of California. Also, Mr. Packard has been a constant champion of the men and women who serve in our armed forces, and has led with a clear vision in working to meet the water, environmental, and energy needs of California and our nation. But given his lifetime of public service, Mr. Packard's success in Congress comes as no surprise. That service began in the military as a dentist with the U.S. Navy Dental Corps at Camp Pendleton, California located in the congressional district he would later represent. He soon became active in local and civic affairs, first serving on the Carlsbad school board, then the Chamber of Commerce, served two years on the Carlsbad City Council and eventually became the mayor of Carlsbad in 1978. It was during these years that the people of the 48th district in California learned of Mr. Packard's ability to fairly and justly serve those he represented, and as a result, they entrusted him with their congressional seat by electing him as a write-in candidate in 1982. Mr. Packard's career has been exemplified by the values of hard-work, honor and integrity that are all too often absent in society. Through his ability to work in a bipartisan manner, he has been one of the most potent and influential leaders in this body and for 18 years has worked tirelessly to serve his constituents and our nation. Although my colleagues and I will miss his presence, we wish him well as he prepares for retirement and pursues new challenges. Ron, best wishes to you and your family.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5214, offered by my good friend and colleague on the Smithsonian Board of Regents, Mr. Regula. H.R. 5214 simply redesignates the current National Museum of American Art as the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This name change has been unanimously approved by the Smithsonian Board of Regents, but requires legislative approval to become official. The renaming directed in this legislation has become necessary to allieviate confusion that has arisen between the current National Museum of American Art, which is a Smithsonian museum, and the many other museums titled ``National Museum'' most of which are not Smithsonian museums. This will be the third name change for this museum, which was first established in 1908 as the ``National Gallery of Art.'' When Congress founded the current National Art Gallery, in 1937, the Smithsonian changed its gallery's name to ``National Collection of Fine Arts.'' Most recently, in 1980, Congress renamed it to its current title to more accurately reflect its collections. Mr. Speaker, this legislation, while non-controversial, is an important formality for the Smithsonian Institution. The name ``Smithsonian'' is instantly recognized worldwide, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be the beneficiary of that international reputation. I want to thank Mr. Thomas, the chairman of the House Administration Committee, and Mr. Hoyer, its ranking Member for their support in moving this legislation, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I want to add my strong support of S. 2498. This legislation was introduced by Senator Moynihan, a member of the Smithsonian Board of Regents, and passed by unanimous consent in the Senate on June 14th, earlier this year. S. 2498 authorizes $4.5 million to design and build a new base camp facility for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Submillimeter Array Operation, on Mauna Kea in Hilo, Hawaii. The base camp facility will be constructed at the base of Mauna Kea, at sea level, and will provide necessary space to enable staff to conduct repairs, operations, and scientific analysis of the information gained from the submillimeter telescope array, which is located at the top of Mauna Kea. As many of my colleagues may be aware, Mauna Kea, an inactive volcano, is home to many telescopic observatories due to its ideal climate and atmosphere. Smithsonian's submillimeter array program, when fully implemented, will consist of eight antennae whose signals will be combined to produce finely detailed images of distant objects. The need for the Smithsonian's new base camp facility arises from two developments. First, the facilities currently being used by Smithsonian submillimeter array operation staff is in shared space occupied many observatories on the island. As technologies, equipment and staff have expanded, the existing aging shared facilities have become overcrowded. Second, a plan by the Smithsonian to lease space in a building that was to be developed by GSA at the University of Hawaii fell through when GSA canceled the project. A new base camp is the only alternative for the Smithsonian. Mr. Speaker, the Interior Appropriations legislation signed into law last week, contains $2 million for this as-yet unauthorized project. The inclusion of those funds was due to the efforts of Chairman Ralph Regula, another colleague of mine from the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, and I want to thank him for ensuring that this important project does not fall behind schedule. I also want to thank Mr. Thomas, the Chair of the House Administration Committee, and the Ranking Democrat, Mr. Hoyer, for allowing this bill to be brought to the floor for immediate consideration. Finally, I want to thank my colleagues from Hawaii, Mrs. Mink and Mr. Abercrombie for their support and cosponsorship, along with Mr. Hoyer, of H.R. 4729, the House companion to the legislation before us today. I urge adoption of this legislation.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the Chairman of the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Representative Ron Packard and the Ranking Member, Representative Peter Visclosky, and the conferees for their support of Sacramento flood control projects included in the FY 2001 Energy and Water Appropriations Conference Report. Flooding remains the single greatest threat to the public safety of the Sacramento community, posing a constant risk to the lives of my constituents and to the regional economy. Thanks to your efforts and the efforts of this Committee, Sacramento can continue to work toward improved flood protection. With a mere 85-year level of protection, Sacramento remains the metropolitan area in this nation most at risk to flooding. More than 400,000 people and $37 billion in property reside within the Sacramento flood plain, posing catastrophic consequences in the event of a flood. While Congress will continue to consider the best long-term solution to this threat, funding in this bill will provide much needed improvements to the existing flood control facilities throughout the region. I am grateful that the Committee was able to find the necessary resources to provide funding for the Folsom Dam Modifications under the Army Corps of Engineers New Starts construction account. This project is crucial to the public safety of the residents in the Sacramento flood plain. The funding allotted will be used to make modifications to the outlet works on Folsom Dam, improving its flood control efficiency, and allowing more water to be released earlier during storms that cause flooding. These improvements represent the first significant enhancements to Sacramento's flood control works in roughly 50 years, and will boost its level of flood protection to approximately 140- years. Also, this legislation provides funding that allows for the continuation of levee improvements and bank stabilization projects along the lower American and Sacramento Rivers, increasing levee reliability and stemming bank erosion. Additionally, I greatly appreciate the Committee's willingness to provide funding for projects--including the Strong Ranch and Chicken Ranch Sloughs, and Magpie Creek--aimed at preventing flooding from a series of smaller rivers and streams that present substantial threats separate from those posed by the major rivers in the region. Importantly, the Committee's willingness to include funding for the American River Comprehensive Plan will allow for ongoing Corps of Engineers general investigation work on all area flood control needs, including a permanent long-term solution. Again, I am thankful this Committee has recognized the grave danger confronting Sacramento and by this funding has signaled a willingness by the federal government to maintain a strong commitment to the community. On behalf of my constituents, I am grateful for your support in helping to address this perilous situation.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize California's State Capitol, the great city of Sacramento, in celebration of the 150th anniversary of California's admission to the Union. Located in the heart of Northern California, the River City of Sacramento boasts a rich blending of art and culture offering the comforts of a small town and the amenities of a growing metropolitan area. As the capitol of the sixth largest economy in the world, California, Sacramento is home to the world's largest almond processing plant, Blue Diamond and continues to rank as a major agricultural producer year after year. But while Sacramento has a thriving business community, the state legislature also claims Sacramento as its home base. The magnificent State Capital building alone attracts scores of world leaders, businessmen and women, school children and tourists alike. Helping to keep Sacramento's economy booming is its natural positioning as a gateway for industry. Located at the crossroads of the state's north-south and east-west trade routes, Sacramento is able to host a deep-water port and a major airport. The film industry is another enterprise attracted to Sacramento, but for different reasons. From gold-rush era store fronts to picture perfect Victorian homes to modern office buildings, Sacramento has lent itself as an aesthetically pleasing backdrop to a long list of cinema classics, most recently, The General's Daughter and Oscar Winner, American Beauty. Major league sports teams have also found a successful and welcoming home along the Delta. Two major league basketball teams, the Sacramento Kings and the Sacramento Monarchs play to sold out crowds in the Arco Arena. Most recently, Sacramento welcomed a new team, the Sacramento River Cats. A farm team for the Oakland A's, the River Cats play in a brand new stadium just 450 yards from Old Town Sacramento, bridging together Sacramento's colorful gold rush past with a new set of hometown heroes. Over the years, Sacramento has seen some significant firsts. The initial transcontinental railroad meeting between the ``Big Four'', Leland Stanford, Charles Crocker, Collis P. Hunington, and Mark Hopkins was held above a downtown hardware store in 1860. Also in 1860, the Pony Express began its 1,980-mile ten-day delivery service between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento. And Tower Records, America's second largest record retailer got its start selling used jukebox records for 10 cents each in a Sacramento drug store. Known for its many acclaimed historical points of interest such as Sutter's Fort and the Delta King, Sacramento is also respected for being an environmentally conscious community. With all that goes on in and around this city, one would hardly guess that Sacramento could brag about having more park space per capital than any other city in the nation. But it is true; this city has many more trees than people. One of the greatest success stories is the American River Parkway. Designated a natural preserve in 1960, the 32-mile long parkway is the first, and one of the few, riparian river habitat preservations within a major urban center. Its 7,000-acres offer opportunities for fishing, rafting, kayaking, hiking, and nature study. Clearly, residents of Sacramento have a great city to be proud of. With all that Sacramento has to offer, some like to think of Sacramento as California's best-kept secret. True, it is the ideal place to live and do business. But I like to think of it simply as home.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Minnesota, the ranking Democrat on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for yielding this time. I would like to commend both the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), obviously my colleague and chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security (Mr. Shaw), and other Members who have been working on this legislation. This legislation is supported and sponsored by the Association of American Railroads, which are all the railroads in the United States, along with 60 percent of the membership of the railroad labor unions. In my opinion, it took years and years to put together, and for Members to vote this down now would be tragic, because this would have an impact on 254,000 current employees of the industry, and over 700,000 families and individuals that are currently retired. This helps widows and widowers, who will have a $300 increase in benefits, and it will reduce the age of retirement from 62 to 60, the change we made in 1983, and we now need to go back to age 60. So in terms of benefits to the employees and to the industry, this is tremendous. The reason that there is a cost, as the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Smith) has raised, as I think the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Shaw) has indicated, there is a one-time cost, because what we are doing is we are bringing in government bonds to allow the Tier II part of the system to be invested in the private equity market. That is not a violation of Social Security or anything like that. All that is for, that is like a private defined benefit pension. Tier I programs are like Social Security. Tier II is like a private pension system. Frankly, it is the only pension system that the Federal Government operates, because of a historic relationship with the railroad industry and obviously with the employees. So the $15 billion will be paid down over time. It will not be a continuing obligation to the Federal Government. Secondly, we received a letter dated the 18th of July, 2000, from Steven Goss, the deputy chief actuary of the Social Security system, to Harry Ballentine, the chief actuary; and in this letter it indicates that there is no impact at all on the Social Security trust fund. So the gentleman from Michigan may want to read this letter, who made the allegation that this would diminish the Social Security trust fund. It will have no impact at all, according to the actuaries. We must pass this legislation. This is legislation that will help the railroads, and also it will help the employees and current beneficiaries and retirees.