Robert Matsui

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns). (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks and to include extraneous material.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). (Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin). (Mr. Cardin asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just have to say that Mary Jane Wignot has been on the Committee on Ways and Means staff now since 1974, 24 years, but before that, many Members do not know this, but there was an office called the Special Trade Representative's office, and she actually virtually opened that office in 1964 with, believe it or not, the former Secretary of State; at that time he was the special trade representative, Christian Herter. That goes back an awful long ways in most of our memories. There are so many nuggets, jewels on this Capitol Hill. She is a Vassar graduate, cum laude. She was graduated from the London School of Economics at the University of London, Columbia University in New York, the International School of International Affairs. She is really just an outstanding individual, and she has toiled in Washington for 34 years, 24 years on the Committee on Ways and Means. She served with Chairman Mills, Chairman Ullman, Chairman Rostenkowski, and Chairman Archer. I would say that her loss to all of us and our committee and perhaps even in this body will probably be one of the major losses we have, probably more than all of the Members in this institution, because she is the institutional memory. She is the one who helped develop international trade policy in America for the last 30 years. So, Mary Jane, we love you, and we are going to miss you a lot.

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Farr.). (Mr. FARR of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the Democratic leader. (Mr. GEPHARDT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield 10 minutes of my time to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, in support of the bill, and that he in turn be permitted to control that time.

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer). (Mr. ROEMER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in opposition to H.R. 2621, reluctantly, Mr. Speaker. Today's exercise in this legislation soils our national trade policy with the mud of partisan politics. It shows a disdain for the legislative process, and it threatens to disrupt international markets and quite possibly our national economy. I would first like to make absolutely clear that I support granting the President fast track negotiating authority that he needs to enter into trade agreements. Fast track authority is essential to maintain U.S. economic leadership by opening foreign markets to American agriculture, manufactured goods and services. I supported it in 1988, I supported it last year, I intend to support it in the future. But I will not, however, support it today. This debate, Mr. Speaker, is not about fast track. This debate is about partisan politics. The fast track bill that we are considering today is not scheduled and will not pass in the Chamber of this House, but it is, rather, an attempt to embarrass members of my party. I will tell the Members, I will not participate in any effort to do damage or defeat any of my colleagues by using trade policy as a tool. When the Republican leadership decided to bring fast track up in the waning days of this Congress, there was little attempt to disguise the motivations, the political motivations, behind it. In fact, the chairman of the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee was quoted in the Washington Post on July 20, 1998, specifically naming one of my Democratic colleagues, with the clear threat to use this vote against him in the upcoming election. In addition, Willard Workman, a senior official of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, suggested that he would rather see fast track brought up to lose, which it will, so that he could make an issue out of it in the November election. It is personally surprising to me that one of the Nation's premier business lobbying organizations would display such a reckless attitude about fast track for the sake of perceived partisan advantage. As I said, however, today is not about passing fast track. We all know that. This bill is virtually identical to the one that was shelved last year. Since then, there has been absolutely no effort to refashion this legislation. Many of us, including the President, worked very hard last year to pass it, but we could not muster the bipartisan support needed. The sensible and rational thing to do, if we want to pass it, would be to make changes to add additional support. But that simply has not happened. If the Republican leadership sincerely wanted to pass this bill, it would have made the necessary changes to broaden the base of support on the floor of the House. Our colleagues have modified this bill to take care of agriculture, or at least perceived to take care of agriculture. There has really been no effort to reach out to Members in other areas of this legislation. For example, there has been no discussion on labor and the environment, about language that would implement and expand the implementation if the bill is finally passed, or other bipartisan changes that could get a majority for a good fast track bill. In fact, this bill under consideration actually limits the President's negotiating authority, compared to the bill that President Reagan and President Bush had, which had flexibility, the law that expired. While political points may be scored to defeat fast track on the floor today, Mr. Speaker, it will have serious and negative consequences. When coupled with our failure to pass MFN funding, funding for the United Nations, and loose talk about impeachment, this body sends a dangerous message to investors in the markets in Asia, Russia, and Latin America. A signal such as the defeat of fast track today is further evidence that the U.S., or at least this Congress, is not serious about international leadership. Just as significantly, what happens here also sends a new signal that American trade policy is used for partisan advantage, and that strong bipartisanship in the area of free and international trade no longer exists. I will tell the Members, we all know that the votes are not there for passage of this legislation. This is brought up only for partisan advantage. That is not the way to use trade policy in America. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield one minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Klink).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis). (Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to yield 2 additional minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) who is a member of the Committee on Ways and Means and that he in turn be permitted to control that time.

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just might mention to the chair of the subcommittee that we did not even bring this bill to the committee nor subcommittee. We just brought it right to the floor because you were so anxious to make a political point. I might add also last week in Congress Daily AM, ``One senior Republican aide appeared to view the bill as a loser, indicating that the leadership's decision to press is based upon political calculations. `The decision to do it is to show business who is in the camp of business and who is in the camp of labor.' '' That is a great way to pass legislation. You know this bill is not going to pass. All this rhetoric about how we really need fast track is just that. It is rhetoric. This is not a debating society. This is to pass good legislation. But you are incapable of doing it because you folks do not know how to compromise. We passed NAFTA. We passed GATT. We passed the MFN China. You cannot pass legislation, because you just do not know how to compromise and make deals. That is the problem. You like to just talk about it. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Becerra).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, just to mention to the gentleman, if you want to pass fast track, all you have to do is get the law that expired in 1994, which we passed in 1988, put it on the floor, and you will probably have 250 votes. But you do not want to do that because you really do not want this bill to pass. You want to use it for partisan advantage. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I just hope that the gentleman from Illinois has picked up some votes with the major changes he made in the legislation. I suspect not, but I just hope he picked up a few votes, because he gave up so much. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio).

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Mr. Hall, the gentleman from Ohio, for yielding this time to me. I was fortunate and honored to come in in 1979 with the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio). We were a class of 77 members, 44 Democrats and 33 Republicans. And last November, November of 1997, when the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio) told me, we were at McClelland Air Force Base. He wanted to call me later that night and asked where I was, and we spoke on the phone, and he said that he was retiring and leaving the Congress. I have to say that after I got over my shock it was probably one of the saddest occasions that I have had. And since that time I have had an opportunity to really think of his role in this institution and back home and as a colleague of mine, adjacent are our districts, and I have come to really believe that our constituents in Sacramento, northern California and all of California in January will really come to understand the value of the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio). Mr. Speaker, we will not have his advice, we will not have his counsel, we will not have his very powerful role in the House Committee on Appropriations. We will not have his ability to glue all of the California delegation, all the very diverse elements of the California delegations together. And I have to say that the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio) in my opinion is really one of the true giants and one of the true leaders, the Dick Bollings of the world, those that really gave stature to this institution. He will be remembered in that light. From a personal level I just have to say that I want to thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Fazio) very much because, over the 20 years that we have had the opportunity to serve together, through his example he really taught me and I have learned through him the real value of what it is to be a politician. You, more than any other person, have given me really the kind of understanding what a noble profession it really could be through your example and through your leadership. Personally, I am just going to really miss you a lot. We have become almost the best of friends. You and Judy, I have to say, are wonderful people, and you mean so much to Doris and myself and to all of us in this country. Thank you for your service.

Mr. MATSUI

Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in tribute to the late Gerald Peter ``Jerry'' Mikacich of Sacramento, California. As a beloved husband, father, and friend to many, Jerry Mikacich will be remembered as one of our community's must active and giving citizens. Today, Jerry will be eulogized at a memorial Mass in his hometown. I ask all of my colleagues to join with me in paying tribute to this incredibly caring man whose goodwill will indeed be his lasting legacy. A native of Northern California, Jerry Mikacich was born in Sacramento on May 10, 1930. He was an active student, athlete and Eagle Scout before he graduated from Christian Brothers High School in 1948. Then, he enrolled at Sacramento Junior College which is Sacramento City College today, and eventually San Jose State. Since the 1940s, Jerry had a reputation as an avid skier, beginning in childhood and blossoming into a long-term career as a ski shop proprietor. Throughout college, Jerry was known to be a great fan of skiing and an exceptional athlete. In fact, Jerry first came to know his future wife Georgia on the ski slopes. After college, Jerry soon established a reputation as an expert in the field of winter sporting equipment. Skiers in our area came to rely on Jerry's professional assistance and wisdom. He made this sport available to many who otherwise would never have experienced its thrills, including amputees for whom he adapted ski equipment. The strength of Jerry's personal character was forever a part of his life. He and Georgia were married on June 19, 1961 and their union remained strong until his passing. As a caring entrepreneur and devoted family man, he served as an outstanding role model for many. On a personal note, Jerry Mikacich was one of my most valued friends since the early days of my career in public service. He was always there for me and his assistance was tireless and very much appreciated. My thoughts and prayers are with Jerry's wife Georgia, his mother Lottie Munizich Mikacich, his four children, and all the rest of his family during this most difficult of times. Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join with me today in remembering a gracious and generous man, as well as a very dear friend, Jerry Mikacich.