Carolyn McCarthy

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4009 and Senate bill 2235. I became involved in education issues because I see education as an antidote to gangs and guns. But how can our kids realize their full potential if the violence is happening on school grounds? Sadly, schools are not immune from crime. Incidents in places like Jonesboro, Arkansas and Springfield, Oregon have shown us that every school, in every part the country, must work to prevent violence, and address violence when it happens. When I visit the schools on Long Island, I see their commitment to keeping students safe. But my schools tell me that they often do not have the resources to fight violence. The more time and energy they need to devote to preventing violence, the less they have to educate students. Teachers and principals should not have to serve as police officers. H.R. 4009 will provide the tools to help schools and the police work in partnership to keep young people safe. I want to commend my colleague from Connecticut for introducing this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Madam Speaker, I am the newest member of this caucus, and it has been a privilege for me to learn from all of my colleagues in the last 2 years. I had the privilege of traveling with many of my colleagues a month ago over to Ireland to continue the peace talks. It was my first trip to Ireland, and I have to tell my colleagues what I saw and the faith of the people there was unbelievable. But it was up to that point where I had learned from the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Manton), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), that I appreciate. Because going there and seeing what they have worked for so hard and to see that peace process come and see it in the faces of the people was unbelievable. This bill that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) has put forward I support wholeheartedly, mainly because it is a common sense bill. It is a bill that will certainly continue the peace process, and that is what we have to do. This will give the opportunity for many young people to come over here to learn different skills and to go back home and bring those skills back, and that will only bring together again the tie of Irish Americans and certainly the Irish people in Ireland. This bill will pass, this bill will do very well, and I am grateful for the privilege of working with all of my colleagues. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4293, the Northern Ireland Visa for Peace and Reconciliation. I want to commend Representative Walsh and all my colleagues on the Congressional Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs for their hard work and commitment to the peace process in Ireland. Like so many fellow Americans of Irish descent, I was thrilled when the Good Friday Agreement was signed earlier this year. This historic agreement, which was the result of the hard work by the people of Northern Ireland along with the dedication of the Irish, British and American governments, signaled a new day in Northern Ireland. After decades of turmoil, the people of Northern Ireland can now look towards a future with peace and justice. But peace and justice do not come easy. True peace will take a lot of hard work and the continued commitment of all parties involved, including the United States. That is why I am so proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 4293. By creating a temporary non-immigrant visa program targeted at young men and women from disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland, this legislation will assist Northern Ireland in its transition to a peacetime economy. This Visa initiative is designed to afford individuals from Northern Ireland and the Border Counties the opportunity to develop valuable 21st century job skills and the experience of working in the world's greatest economy. After their visit, they would return home providing the crucial skill base needed to attract private investment in their local communities. This low- cost, low-risk, high-return investment in peace would also pay dividends by introducing its participants to the diverse, cooperative, and multi-cultural environment present in the United States. Last month, I went to Ireland with a number of my colleagues. Traveling from city to city, both north and south of the border, one thing became clear to us--the people of Ireland want peace. And their dreams and aspirations are no different from those of ordinary Americans. the people of Northern Ireland want a safe and economically secure life, for themselves and their children. H.R. 4293 will help achieve that goal and I urge all my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, although I am one of the newer Members of this body and have had the privilege to serve with Mr. Solomon for only one term, I am very sorry to see him leave us. When I first came to Congress, Mr. Solomon asked me to call him Jerry, but I have never been able to do that. Not because I didn't feel close to him but because I have such a deep respect for him both as a person and as a public servant that I felt that he deserved a title reflecting that respect. Sometimes as Members of Congress, we don't always treat each other or this institution with the respect that it deserves. We let partisanship cloud our better judgment and we aren't very civil in our debates. Although Mr. Solomon and I couldn't have held more opposite points of view on certain issues, I always felt that we could be open and honest in our disagreement. And we would always part ways, maybe disagreeing but with a mutual respect for each other and our differences. He is a true gentleman, one that will be greatly missed by this body and the New York delegation in particular. God's speed, Mr. Solomon, and thank you for your years of service to this country and to New York.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4646, a bill allowing pharmacies to purchase drugs for Medicare beneficiaries at the substantially reduced prices already available under the Federal supply schedule. This important piece of legislation would dramatically lower prescription drug costs for senior citizens. Most Americans are aware of the ever increasing costs of health care and prescription medication. But no segment of the American population is impacted more than our senior citizens. Senior citizens are having an increasingly difficult time affording prescription drugs. For senior citizens on fixed incomes, the cost of prescription drugs is one of their highest monthly bills and can mean the difference between buying basic necessities or medicine. No senior should ever be forced to choose between buying food or medicine, especially those with disabling ailments who often depend on their medication just to make it through the day. Seniors are being forced to pay much steeper prices than the ``most favored customers'' of drug companies such as HMO's. It's just plain wrong for large pharmaceutical companies to be charging the highest prices to those who can least afford to pay them. Large corporations should not be making a profit at the expense of our senior's health. H.R. 4646 would fix this problem by leveling the playing field for retail pharmacies who sell drugs to senior citizens. This legislation would allow retail pharmacies to buy medications used by senior citizens directly from the General Services Administration (GSA) of the Federal Government. Because the GSA is one of the entities able to purchase prescription medication at much lower prices, this procedure will allow pharmacists to pass on significant savings to senior citizens. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation that protects the health of our Nation's senior citizens. I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report for H.R. 6. We certainly have heard everyone here, back and forth, saying what a great bill it is, and it is. It has been a pleasure in my freshman year, which is actually two years, but we are freshmen for a long time around here, to share in the work that everybody did. This is what should be getting through to the American people, that we are doing our work and we do care about certainly our young people out there. I commend everybody that put their hard work in, because we do care about our children and we care about the future of our children, and it just goes to show that when you work in a bipartisan way, you can get things done. I am really pleased that H.R. 6 still includes many of the provisions of my bill, the America's Teacher Preparation Improvement Act. We know if we do not teach our teachers to be better teachers, our children are going to suffer. I think that is wonderful having that in there. I am also pleased that H.R. 6 includes legislation that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and I introduced to protect consumers. H.R. 6 requires the Department of Education to put out up-to-date information about financial aid scholarship scams on its web site. We wish we could have put even more into this particular bill, but, as always, there are restraints. But it represents a major step forward for making college accessible and affordable. I urge my colleagues to support it. We can make college affordable for every person in this country. That is our job, and we have taken a giant step towards that. I thank everyone so much.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the conference report for H.R. 6 includes many provisions that I have long supported, and which are very important to my constituents on Long Island. I am especially pleased that the bill increases the authorization for the maximum Pell grant to $5,800 by the 2003-2004 academic year. I also am pleased that we have taken action to ensure that the FFEL and Direct Loan programs can continue providing financial aid to students. As the sponsor of the America's Teacher Preparation Improvement Act of 1997, I have worked hard to ensure that the final version of H.R. 6 makes a strong statement in support of teachers. I am delighted that the conference report includes many of the provisions of my bill, including: replacing 17 ineffective programs with a consolidated program; creating partnerships between education schools, school districts and community groups; funding grants to recruit new teachers, including minorities, veterans and people changing careers; helping teachers learn the latest technology; providing mentoring for teachers in their first years on the job; helping states recruit teachers for undeserved areas; and helping the education system toughen the standards for preparing teachers. These provisions will help ensure that every classroom has a well-prepared teacher. H.R. 6 also includes legislation that I introduced with Congressman Engel, H.R. 1440. Our bill ensures that students have reliable information about financial aid. While the Internet offer many legitimate scholarships, the World Wide Web also is home to scam artists who promise students financial aid--for a hefty fee--but don't deliver. H.R. 6 directs the Education Department to place information on its Web site about legitimate and fraudulent financial aid offers on the Internet. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 3293, the Women's Higher Education Opportunity Act of 1998, I am very pleased that H.R. 6 includes several provisions to help women students, including grants to help colleges and universities establish child care centers for students with children, and grants to combat violent crime against women on campus. Similarly, I am pleased that the bill incorporates provisions of H.R. 715, the Accuracy in Campus Crime Reporting Act, legislation I cosponsored to improve safety on campuses. H.R. 6 expands the list of crimes that schools must report to the public, and requires institutions of higher education to keep daily logs of crimes reported to police or campus security. This will go a long way towards ensuring that students can learn in a safe environment. I was concerned that the House-passed H.R. 6 would have eliminated a separate authorization for the Jacob Javits Fellowship program for competitive grants for doctoral-level study in the arts, humanities and social sciences. I joined Congressman Payne to urge the conferees to maintain the Javits program. I am pleased that they did. Finally, H.R. 6 includes a new program which will help grade school students prepare for college, and ensure they can afford it. The GEAR- UP program, based on legislation I cosponsored, H.R. 777, the 21st Century Scholars Act, lets young people know that higher education is a reality for them. As I said, this bill contains many provisions to make college more accessible. However, I am deeply concerned that one provision will actually make college less accessible. H.R. 6 eliminates schools from the Pell Grant Program if they are eliminated from student loan programs for having three consecutive years of cohort default rates over 25 percent. While supporters of the provision maintain it is needed to prevent fly-by-night colleges from defrauding students with Federal money, the reality is that this provision will cause many excellent schools that serve low-income populations to shut their doors. I would like to call my colleagues' attention to a recent GAO report which evaluated several studies of default rates. According to GAO, ``A key theme from these studies is that student loan repayment and default behavior are primarily influenced by individual borrower characteristics rather than by the characteristics of the educational institutions they attend.'' We need to hold schools accountable. But we need to look very closely at the measurements we use to determine how well they are performing. I fear that the end result of this provision will be that many low-income students will not have access to a higher education. At a time when we are trying to move more people off welfare and into the workforce, the last thing we should do is make education unaffordable. This is a provision which I believe we will need to revisit next year. On balance, H.R. 6 makes huge strides toward making higher education accessible and affordable. And it is faithful to the spirit of the original 1965 Higher Education Act. I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of Representative Ramstad's amendment which prohibits health insurance plans from providing lower levels of benefits for substance abuse treatment services than for medical and surgical benefits. Illegal drug use is taking an enormous toll on our society--both financially and emotionally. Over 26 million Americans suffer from alcoholism and drug addiction and illegal drug use and alcohol abuse reduces workplace productivity, devastates families and contributes to a high crime rate. We must address this serious problem Today, we are considering a number of bills intended to end the scourge of drugs. A great deal of effort is focused on eliminating the flow of drugs into this country. But ending the flow of drugs is not enough. If we are truly committed to a drug-free society, we must also stop the demand for drugs. This means educating people, especially our children, on drug prevention. It also means treating those who are already suffering from drug and alcohol addition. As a nurse, I know substance abuse addiction is a complicated disease. But I also know that treatment programs work. For every dollar invested in treatment, there are significant savings in health care costs. The statistics are clear--addicts who undergo treatment are less likely to require emergency room visits or hospitalization. They are also less likely to suffer the long-term medical complications that accompany drug and alcohol abuse. And treatment not only reduces health care costs, it reduces crime and increases workplace productivity. Comprehensive substance abuse treatment just makes sense. But treatment is only effective if it is affordable and accessible. That is why I support Representative Ramstad's amendment. By extending parity in health care plans for substance abuse treatment to the private sector, Representative Ramstad's amendment reinforces the overall goal of H.R. 4450. It ensures that all people who are suffering from the ravages of alcoholism or drug abuse have access to effective medical treatment. As a nurse, I know that substance abuse treatment works. If we are truly serious about winning the war on drugs in this country, we must ensure that all addicts have access to effective treatment. That is why I urge all of my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this time. I rise in opposition to the motion to suspend the rules and pass S. 2073 as amended. My work to end violence in this country has shown me that attacking violence requires a wide range of measures, including getting guns out of the hands of our young people. If we want to reduce juvenile crime, we must address guns and how kids get ahold of them. Since the House passed H.R. 3 and H.R. 1818 last year, unfortunately, there have been several tragic incidents of violence in our schools. Last June, I introduced the Children's Gun Violence Prevention Act, common sense legislation to keep guns out of the hands of children. It has received broad support from both sides of the aisle and would take a major step towards reducing juvenile crime. Sadly, the process we are using today will give either chamber the chance to address my legislation or any steps we must take towards reducing gun violence. That is just not right. Today may be our last chance to debate the issue of juvenile crime this year. If we fail to address gun violence as part of this effort, we will not be doing our job. If we are serious about reducing gun violence among our youth, and violence in general, then we have to do something about keeping our schools safe. We should defeat this motion, Mr. Speaker. We want to do the right thing in this chamber, and sometimes, unfortunately, when we rush through things, we are not doing the right thing. I ask my colleagues to defeat this, to go back, and let us really do the right thing for our young people in this country.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I don't think there is any doubt that we, as a nation, must make sure that all children learn English. English is our common language, and if we want young people to succeed, then they must be fluent in English. Most people would agree that our federal bilingual education program can be improved. In fact, New York is working to improve its own program, as are many states. However, I am deeply concerned that H.R. 3892 will hurt many of the young people we want to help. In particular, I believe that this legislation will place inflexible mandates on states and school districts. It will not allow children with limited English skills to excel in their other course work. And it will not guarantee that federal funds go to where they are most needed. According to the New York State Board of Regents, this bill would directly contradict our state's laws on bilingual education. They say-- and I quote: Enactment of H.R. 3892 would effectively remove limited- English proficient students from the overall reform effort underway nationwide and in New York State--where our reforms focus on improving education and achievement for all students. In addition, this bill would severely limit funds needed to prepare bilingual teachers. As the sponsor of the America's Teacher Preparation Improvement Act, I do not believe we should reduce support for our students, including those with limited English skills. All young people deserve a qualified teacher. Congress will have an excellent chance to reform the bilingual education programs when we re-authorize the ESEA next year. I am strongly committed to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to draft a common-sense bilingual education bill that will ensure that no child is left behind. We should not let that opportunity slip away, but we also should not rush through a bill this year that may end up denying many children the best education possible.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, again, when we all came together as a freshman class, one of the first things that we said, what was the most horrible thing about going through our campaign? And we were all tired, and we were all sick of the things that happened to us, and that is when this idea came together. Our freshman class has nothing to be embarrassed about. We worked together, we stood together, and because we did that, that is why we are going to see campaign finance reform. Before we go home we will have campaign finance reform, and do my colleagues know what? The people outside this Beltway, and a lot of us are new to that, can hold our heads up high. We will fight for the people back home. I do not want to spend 20 to 30 hours a week raising money, and I have not done that. None of us want to do that. But until we have campaign finance reform, and I am sorry, I do not want someone to say, ``Let me donate to you, but I want your vote.'' We have to get rid of that.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of Representative Hinchey's amendment to prohibit funding for the implementation of the Veteran's Equitable Resource Allocation program. Making sure our veterans receive high quality care is one of my top priorities. This is an issue of basic fairness--when our country called on men and women to serve, they answered without hesitation. In return, we promised to take care of them when they got sick or old. Our country must honor their part of this agreement. I often visit the Northport VA facility on Long Island and I am always impressed by the quality of health care that is available. More importantly, I am impressed by the praise the facility received from the patients themselves. As a nurse, I know that the best critic of a health care facility is its patients. I am pleased to say that the veterans treated at the Northport facility are extremely satisfied with their quality of care. Unfortunately, I am also aware that this high quality health care is in jeopardy. In the Northeast, the implementation of VERA would result in decreased funding for our VA facilities. At this point, most of our VA hospitals in the Northeast have already cut back on spending and trimmed down. Further cutbacks in funding to our VA hospitals will come at the expense of patient care. Our VA hospitals will be forced to cut back on the bare necessities, like nursing and support staff, which we all know are the backbone of quality care. We must not allow this to happen. That is why I rise in support of Representative Hinchey's amendment to prohibit the implementation of the Veteran's Resource Allocation Program. This amendment will ensure that valuable resource dollars for veterans health care remain in the Northeast.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding this time to me. Mr. Chairman, I would like to call attention to an item that is contained in the other body's VA-HUD appropriations bill. It is my understanding that the other body has allowed $7 million for the water systems improvement project in the village of Hempstead, New York. I say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) this program is very important to a large number of my constituents. I would be interested in knowing if the gentleman will give consideration in conference to accepting this project?

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. I yield to the gentleman from California.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my great sorrow at the passing of a wonderful man, Mr. Paul O'Dwyer who died last night at his home in Goshen, New York. Born in the tiny village of Bohola, County Mayo, Ireland, Paul was one of eleven children--the youngest son of two school teachers. As a young man, Paul left his native home and like millions of his fellow countrymen before him, set sail for America seeking a better life. He arrived in New York in 1926, and found work as a laborer on the shipping docks in lower Manhattan. While working long hours by day as a laborer, Paul managed to earn his law degree at night from St. John's University Law school. As a young attorney in New York, Paul became the driving political force among the Irish of New York. He was a man of tremendous energy, and more importantly, tremendous conviction. His office was open to all who needed help and he was always ready to champion a good cause. Whether it was signing up African-American voters in the South when they were being denied the right to vote; organizing efforts to break the British blockade of Israel in 1948; fighting for the rights of labor; or galvanizing the Irish-American movement for justice in Northern Ireland, Paul never saw a wrong he didn't try to right. I speak for all who of us who knew an loved Paul when I say he will be sorely missed--but his legacy will live on. I would like to extend my deepest sympathy to Paul's wife, Patricia, his sons, Brian, Rory, William, his daughter, Eileen and the rest of his family.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 2853, the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998. I also commend my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on bringing this bill to the floor. I think it is an important bill and I think it is going to help our small businesses. It has been a pleasure working on the Committee on Small Business on a lot of the issues that we have been doing this year. Mr. Speaker, drugs in the workplace is a serious and costly problem. Drugs among employees result in increased sick days, accidents, and decreased productivity. Large companies have always recognized this problem and have set up drug-free workplace programs. Unfortunately, although small businesses employ over half the workforce in the country, most small businesses do not have drug-free workplace programs. We must give small businesses the tools they need to ensure their workplaces are drug-free. The Drug-Free Workplace Act does just that. It provides incentives for small businesses to set up drug-free programs. One important piece of a drug-free program is training. Training for the supervisors. Training for the employees who participate in the program. As a nurse, I know how complicated drug addiction can be. That is why it is so important for people who are participating with the program to have proper training. Mr. Speaker, I was delighted that the committee adopted my amendment to strengthen the training requirements. My amendment ensures that small business owners, supervisors, and employees receive the training necessary to make them effective in identifying possible substance abuse problems. I think this is a commonplace improvement to the bill that will ensure small businesses are able to successfully implement a drug-free workplace program. I think we are doing our small businesses a great service, and I encourage my colleagues to vote for this.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with my colleagues the very thoughtful and powerful speech that Education Secretary Richard Riley delivered on June 9th to the Safe and Drug Free Schools Conference in Washington. Secretary Riley spoke eloquently about what we can do in Congress and across the nation to protect young people from violence. After the recent incidents in Springfield, Jonesboro, West Paducah and Pearl, the Secretary's message is more important than ever. Next week, I will introduce the Children's Gun Violence Prevention Act. Many of the provisions of my bill will address the issues that Secretary Riley raised, including making sure that children cannot get access to guns and helping schools prevent violence. As Secretary Riley says, we need to send the message to our children that ``violence is not the solution to any problems that you may have.'' Reconnecting With our Children and Keeping Them Safe I want to thank all of you for coming to this important conference and for your personal commitment to the children of America. I know that each and every one of you is making a sacrifice to do the jobs you do. That, to my way of thinking, is the very essence of patriotism and what it means to be a good American. Yesterday, I went to New York at the request of the President and joined Attorney General Reno, General McCaffrey and several other cabinet members as the President gave a very important anti-drug speech at the United Nations. The essence of his message was very simple--the United States will remain unrelenting in its efforts to stem the use and abuse of drugs. It is a message that needs to be heard again and again. There is another message that our young people need to hear again and again and that is this--please, young Americans, please listen to me--violence is not the solution to any problem that you may have. The recent wave of terrible killings in Springfield, Oregon; Edinboro, Pennsylvania; Jonesboro, Arkansas; West Paducah, Kentucky; Pearl, Mississippi, and other places have struck a nerve and sent a shudder of doubt throughout our great country. Yet, I know that America's schools are among the safest places to be on a day-to-day basis because of your good work. Ninety percent of our schools are free of serious violent crime. We have millions of young people who are healthy and happy and want to learn. I've met them and so have you. There are so many good kids all over America who really are the hope of the future. They are energetic, smart, creative, and they truly seek a moral dimension to their lives. But as long as this society continues to glorify violence, continues to make it easy for young people to get guns--and as long as we continue to hide our heads in the sand or fail to reach out when a young person is truly troubled--we will have to confront tragedies like Springfield and Jonesboro. So we need to stop and think hard about what we can do to help our children grow up safely and learn to reject violence. I am troubled by the fact--and this is something that I have said again and again--that so many young people in America are growing up disconnected. They are growing up almost alone. And then we wonder why some adults fear our own children. Last year a Public Agenda report stated that over 60 percent of American adults view young people in the negative. This is a rather extraordinary finding but there it is-- another sign that there is a disconnection here that we need to address. So where do we start? At the turn of the century, the American philosopher, Henry Adams in writing his autobiography, defined what he called the ``Law of acceleration.'' He wondered whether people would have the capacity to keep up with what he called the ``velocity of change'' in the 20th century. Here at the end of the century, I have my own concern. I wonder if, in our haste to keep up with the velocity of change, we are forgetting those things that are most essential to our children: giving them that deep, abiding sense of trust, guidance and security that tells them that they are truly loved, cared about and respected. In countless conversations, Americans are wondering what is going on with our children. My answer to them is that our children reflect who we are as a people. We seem to have a love affair with violence and it will take a sea change in our culture to move away from this thinking. When 6,000 young people are killed every year with a gun, when 5,000 young people commit suicide every year, when over a million young people run away from home every year, when almost a half million young people drop out of school every year, and when hundreds of thousands of young people get into drugs and alcohol and tobacco and just mess up their lives, can we truly say we are a child-centered society, that we are giving all due attention and concern to their upbringing? When we see children killing children, can we say that we have listened to them with all due care? Violence is a language, a sound that always captures our attention but always too late. This is why ``connectedness'' is so important. Reconnecting With Our Children Last year, the Journal of the American Medical Association published the results of a survey of 90,000 young people concerning high risk behavior that included face-to-face interviews with more than 12,000 teenagers in their homes. This survey was one of the most comprehensive that has ever been done and it went to great lengths to reach young people on sensitive subjects such as drug use, sexuality, violence and suicide, even allowing the young people to key their answers into a laptop computer to protect their confidentiality. The results were remarkable in their simplicity and depth. The survey indicated that young people who felt connected to their parents and schools were less likely to engage in high risk behavior. As Doctor Robert Blum, the survey director, stated, ``kids who feel connected to school are more likely to feel connected at home, and kids who perform better in school are the same ones who are told at home that school is important.'' This is why every school in the nation has to actively engage and encourage parents and do everything possible to mitigate the time crunch of daily life so parents stay connected to their children. We need to urge parents to slow down their lives and as educators we must slow down our lives as well. We must commit ourselves to one very basic idea: that every child in America in a school has a positive and caring relationship with at least one adult. This simply has to be the new standard we set for our nation's schools and communities. This is something that Paul Schwarz, our principal-in-residence, talked to you about yesterday. Yes, there are innumerable obstacles to reaching this goal. And, yes, many seasoned educators will immediately say that there is no time, that teachers and administrators are already stretched too thin. But the goal of having every child in a school be connected to some caring adult is not unrealistic. I have visited mega-schools that have become schools- within-schools. I have visited charter schools, career academies, and schools that have created family units within larger schools. I have visited schools that actively involve parents and senior citizens. And I have visited schools in drug-infested neighborhoods where the entire community makes sure that children come and go to school safely. The secret of success at all of these schools is the willingness of teachers, parents and the entire community to go to great lengths to make sure that every child and every family feels connected and valued. Congress Must Act This is why the many programs that President Clinton has sent to the Congress--from reducing class size to school construction to expanding after-school programs--need to be seen as a direct help to those of you on the front line. Congress needs to stop worrying about politics and start passing legislation that will make a difference in the lives of our children. Our prisons are full of high school dropouts who cannot read and that is one reason why funding the America Reads Challenge is so important. Yet, Congress continues to dilly dally and dawdle. And just think about how many young people we might help and get on the right track if they were connected to a young college student mentor as part of our High Hopes program that would link middle schools to colleges. I urge the Congress to act on all of these important pieces of legislation. I single out for special attention the President's proposal to fund 1,300 drug and violence prevention coordinators to serve 6,500 of our nation's middle schools. When Congress goes home in October, this piece of legislation--indeed all the pieces of legislation that I have just mentioned--needs to be on the President's desk for his signature. And I will tell you why. I visit 60 to 70 schools a year. I see the best schools and the most run down schools and all kinds of schools in between. I see them all. I talk to teachers and principals, the counselors and the parents. I try to be a good listener. I know that when I come for a visit, the school staff wants to tell me two things: what they are accomplishing and what truly worries them. As I make my visits, I detect a growing sense of urgency. The message I hear again and again is that schools are being asked to ``detox'' young people from the glorification of violence and an easy acceptance of drugs, and to sensitize children about the value of life itself. Schools are being asked to pick up the pieces. Schools are being asked to teach young people basic coping and social skills from anger management to cooperation, and sometimes educators are finding themselves at their wits' end. A few days ago, I read a small news item about how a teacher had been attacked by four girls at a school who demanded that the teacher turn on the tasteless ``Jerry Springer Show'' in lieu of a documentary. Have we come to that? My friends, we need to recognize that ending the violence and drug abuse is not simply a family nor a school problem. As PTA president Lois Jean White said last week, ``it is America's problem.'' And, I would add, it is every community's problem as well. This is why we cannot let this summer slip by without planning ahead for the next school year. Now is the time to build community support for our nation's schools. This is why this speech will be the first in a series of events that I will participate in to suggest some practical and urgent steps we can take to help in your work. To that end, I am announcing a series of action steps that the Administration will begin to take this summer to encourage a public dialogue and to help you make our schools even safer places to learn. Listen to Our Children First, the Attorney General and I will meet this summer and during the next school year with young people to talk directly with them regarding violence and drugs. We can't begin to end the violence unless we reach out to our young people, truly listen to their voices, and tune in to what they are really trying to say. And we must make them part of the solution. Again and again in the aftermath of the tragedies like Springfield and Jonesboro we are told that other children thought trouble was coming. So we need to stop and listen to our young people and build those levels of trust that allow them to talk to us when they are worried and fearful. Effective programs We can't begin to talk about improving the safety of our nation's schools unless we tighten up our own programs to make sure that they are research-based and have met the highest standards. This is why we are putting into place Principles of Effectiveness to re-direct our own Safe and Drug Free School Program. We have to do a much better job of making sure that what we are doing is effective. There is a science of prevention and we need to use it. This is why Congress should act with dispatch and approve the President's request to target $125 million to communities with strong prevention initiatives. We also need to recognize that teaching young people coping and social skills that allow them to turn away from violence and drugs can take many forms. Many of you are familiar with the wonderful work of Dr. James Comer at Yale University, whose program connects schools and communities. Dr. Gil Botvin of Cornell University Medical College has a Life Skills Program that has proved effective. I also know that many schools are using character education, peer mediation, conflict resolution, and the establishment of student run religious clubs as ways to help and encourage young people through turbulent times. Shifting More Resources to Prevention Third, we need to rethink and redirect how and where we spend our resources. When it comes to preventing violence, we need to shift some of our resources from the back end to the front end. About a month ago, I met with school security chiefs from the 30 major cities. Some of these school chiefs looked liked former football linebackers. Yet their message was anything but punishing. To a person, they spoke about the need to stop school overcrowding, to shift more resources to elementary school, and to hire more counselors. They urged me as I urge you today to develop prevention strategies at the elementary school level. As one security chief told me, ``every third grade teacher can tell you which child is already in trouble and headed down the wrong road.'' This is clearly true if they are teaching only 15 to 18 children in a class and can give some individual attention to each child. This is why I join Attorney General Reno in saying that it is a ``serious mistake'' for both the House and the Senate to be developing juvenile justice legislation that sets aside no real funding for delinquency prevention, for truancy prevention, for after-school programs and for mentoring programs. These are the very programs that you and I know can be so effective in stopping violence from occurring in the first place. Early Warning Fourth, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice, working with the National Association of School Psychologists and other experts, will develop a framework to help teachers and principals understand early on when a child is truly troubled and the steps they can take to get help. The early warning guide, which will include important ways to prevent violence and deal with aggressive behavior, will be ready in the early fall. Now, we need to be very cautious about the idea of sorting out our children and labeling them. In my opinion, too many young people are already being sorted out in our schools and too often this approach to education has been been harmful to minority youth. At the same time, however, we need to recognize that research does exist that can help teachers, principals, and parents understand those early warning signs that define those few young people who are truly troubled. It takes great courage for a teacher or a parent or a preacher or a coach to confront a troubled child. But this is something that we must do in a responsible manner. This is why my Department will work with the Surgeon General to explore ways to develop a stronger link between schools and community mental health facilities as well as to increase the number of school counselors and other staff who can reach out to children and families. Many states, including California, are moving in this direction. The principal at Thurston High School, in Springfield, Oregon, acknowledged in the aftermath of that tragedy that he had only four counselors for 1,700 students. We simply aren't going to connect with our young people as individuals when the average counselor in an American school is responsible for over 500 children. We want to make sure that important support staff in our nation's schools--the social workers, counselors and school psychologists--are not solely focused on testing and evaluation but also are directing their expertise to preventing violence. The 1997 revisions of IDEA will give school psychologists a greater opportunity to actively work with you, the safe and drug-free school coordinators. We also need to look outside of the schoolhouse to find new resources and bring them into the school environment. Teachers cannot be policemen, social workers or psychiatrists. Teachers may be the first to know a child well enough to see that the child is troubled, but then they need to know that there is a support team available to them. I want to point out that 5 percent of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act is available for these types of collaborative and coordinate services. Crisis Management We also have to realize that the type of tragic incidents such as those in Springfield and Jonesboro can happen any time and at any school. This is why the Department of Education and the Department of Justice will develop a model for ``crisis management'' that can be used by schools to develop their own plans. This may be particularly helpful for smaller school districts. Alternative Schools As we reach out to our young people, we must send them a strong and consistent message that they must be held accountable for their actions. They need to understand that there are very real consequences to breaking the rules. This is why we must continue to be tough minded about expelling young people who bring guns and other weapons to school. But we simply cannot expel young people into the streets. A child who brings a weapon to school needs to be properly evaluated and a plan of action has to be developed to turn this young person's life around. I remain very concerned by the finding that only 56 percent of the students expelled under the Gun Free Schools Act were placed in alternative settings. This is why the Department of Education will undertake a major new study of alternative schools and examine other ways that will enable us to make sure that these young people in trouble get their lives turned around. Guns and Children Finally, a last important point: Unsupervised gun use and children do not mix. I will say that again. Unsupervised gun use and children do not mix. If Charlton Heston and the NRA want to come into the ``mainstream of American political debate'' then they need to stop defining themselves as ``victims of media manipulation'' and help keep our children from becoming the victims of gun violence in our schools, in our homes and in our streets. I challenge the NRA to direct its attention to getting guns out of the hands of unsupervised children. The link between guns in a house and children being injured or killed in an accidental shooting or committing suicide is well established and alarming. Last year, at the request of the President and the Attorney General, eight major gun manufacturers agreed to put trigger locks on all new guns now being manufactured. But there are still over 200 million guns in America that need to be locked up as well. This is why I ask every adult to get serious about gun safety in America. If you have guns in your house, please take the responsibility for making sure that every gun has a child safety lock on it. It's not enough to say it was a mistake because a gun got left in an unlocked drawer or on the nightstand by the bed and a child got killed. Unsupervised gun use and children--do not mix. The action steps that I have just outlined are comprehensive because this is the only way we are going to help our young people. America's young people are resilient. They will have a bright future if we help them turn away from the culture of violence and drugs that this society tolerates all to easily. There is another way for America. That is to have a total commitment to reconnecting with America's young people and to help each school become a place of hope, learning and opportunity. When communities come together--parents, senior citizens, faith communities, business leaders and just plain folk--when we rally around our schools and when we reconnect with our children, good things happen. I want to end now by telling you about my visit to Jonesboro, Arkansas. The President was in Africa, so he asked the Attorney General and me to represent him at the memorial service. We had the opportunity to visit with the families of the victims and to listen to a community come together in the aftermath of a terrible act of violence. One of the most powerful speakers that night--a real heroine to the community--was Karen Curtner, the very fine principal of Westside Middle School. I shall never forget her words. She said that our hearts have four physical parts and four emotional parts--sorrow, compassion, forgiveness and hope. She urged us--and these are her words--to start a chain of love that would change the world, one helping hand at a time, whether it's checking on a neighbor, reading an extra bedtime story to a child, or simply saying thank you more often. Her message is my message--a message of reconnection and hope. Thank you.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2888, the Sales Incentive Compensation Act. I want to commend my colleagues, Mr. Andrews and Mr. Fawell, for their hard work in developing this bipartisan bill. I am cosponsor of H.R. 2888 because I believe that it will open up opportunities for inside salespeople to earn more and succeed in the workforce. This bill recognizes that the workforce has changed in the sixty years since the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed. Today, salespeople can be more productive than every by using computers, faxes and E-mail to reach their clients, instead of travelling door-to-door. But while outside salespeople are exempt from the FLSA, inside salespeople are not. Many inside salespeople are told to go home after 40 hours because their employers do not want to pay them overtime. This limits their chance to earn big commissions. H.R. 2888 is sensible, balanced legislation. It will give professional, expert salespeople the chance to maximize their sales, while protecting millions of workers who depend upon the FLSA to guarantee their hard-earned benefits. During Committee mark-up, I offered an amendment to H.R. 2888 to clarify even further that route sales drivers, a class of workers that deserves FLSA protection, would not be affected by this bill. My amendment was accepted. I am pleased to support this bill not only on its merits, but because of the process that has led to its consideration. This bill is the product of good-faith discussions between members on both sides of the aisle. It has been developed in an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect, and I would hope that this bill can be a model for other legislation that this body debates. It shows that when we put partisanship aside, everyone wins. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my friend Bob Wallach on his marriage to Michelle Mini on June 7, 1998. I am honored to call Bob my good friend, as he is a remarkable individual. Not only is Bob the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Robert Plan Corporation, one of the most successful insurance companies on Long Island, he is also a leader in our community--a true fighter for all people. Bob's achievements throughout the history of the Robert Plan Corporation are incredible. The Corporation is a leading servicer and underwriter of private passenger and commercial auto insurance, specializing in urban markets. At a time when traditional insurers stayed away from the urban areas because they were deemed unprofitable, the Robert Plan Corp. went into these areas to provide people the opportunity to buy insurance. And in doing so, their aggressive street smart philosophy actually stabilized insurance rates for its customers. And today, the company is the acknowledged leader in fighting automobile insurance fraud. The Robert Plan Corp. regularly receives accolades from the media, the insurance industry, law enforcement officials and its clients. In 1993 Bob was honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award in a competition sponsored by Inc. Magazine and Ernst and Young, and in 1996 the company was named Employer of the Year by Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities. During his ``free'' time, Bob commits a great deal of his energies to numerous service organizations to improve the lives of our youth. As Chairman of the Children's Health Fund/Insurance and Banking Industry National Child Health Partnership, Bob's goal is to vastly improve access to comprehensive primary health car for medically underserved children. He is a major contributor and Chairman of the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit, as well as a member of the President's Council of the Gay Men's Health Crisis. Bob is a founding supporter of The Harlem Little League, serves on the Board of the Diabetes Institutes Foundation and actively supports the Boys Club of New York, the Newark YMWCA and numerous sports teams throughout the metropolitan area. Bob Wallach embodies the highest ideals of citizenship. For over thirty years, Bob has been both an advocate and speaker for ALL Americans. His innovativeness in the urban insurance business, as well as his commitment to serving others, is greatly valued by all those who know him, work with him and love him. With great admiration for them both, I congratulate Bob and Michelle on their marriage and I wish them many years of happiness.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, there are many good provisions in H.R. 3809 that I strongly support, especially provisions in Title I that provide the U.S. Customs Service with significant resources to combat the flow of illegal drugs over our borders. However, I have serious concerns about other provisions of the bill which will deny Customs Service personnel their hard-earned rights and benefits. There are few activities which are more important to the health and safety of our nation, and to the future of our young people, than drug interdiction. The men and women of the Customs Service should be commended for their courage and tireless efforts to keep drugs from entering our country. In FY 1996 alone, the Customs Service seized over 1 million pounds of narcotics, including 33,000 pounds of cocaine, 545,000 pounds of marijuana and almost 460 pounds of heroin along the Southwest border. This has not been easy, and many Customs Service personnel have risked their lives and their safety to seize illegal drugs. Of course, we cannot stop these activities until we stop the flow of drugs into our country altogether. While Title I of H.R. 3809 moves us toward that goal, I am afraid that two provisions of Title II will actually move us backward. Section 203 of the bill would reduce or deny premium pay that many Customs Service personnel receive for working long shifts at off-hours. And Sections 211 and 212 could let the Customs Service undermine the collective bargaining agreement worked out between the Service and its personnel. If the goal of this legislation is to make the Customs Service more productive and efficient at stopping drugs, then it makes no sense to roll back the rights and benefits that attract the best people. Worse, we should not deny benefits to the very men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep our country safe. I am particularly concerned that these provisions are being voted on by the House with a minimum of debate and deliberation, and under a procedure that will not allow Members to strike these provisions. Nevertheless, we must remove these provisions from the bill. I am committed to working with my colleagues in the other body to pass a Customs Service authorization bill that strengthens the Service and helps its dedicated personnel stop illegal drugs.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2829, the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act. I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana for sponsoring this legislation and for all the hard work on behalf of our country's law enforcement officers. I also want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey, as well as the ranking member and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime, for their leadership in bringing this important legislation before us. As everyone knows, this week we are celebrating Police Week all across America. It is time to say thank you to all of the law enforcement officers who keep our streets safe. It is also a time to remember and honor those officers who have given their lives for our safety. Mr. Speaker, it is time for Congress to let our policemen and women know that we stand with them, and that we are committed to making their jobs as safe as possible. That is what this bill is all about. The FBI reported that 64 law enforcement officers were murdered in the line of duty nationwide in 1997. That is an increase over 1996, when 56 officers were murdered. Clearly, it is a dangerous time for those who help to protect our families. However, the Department of Justice estimates that 150,000 of American law enforcement officers do not have bulletproof vests. We can do a better job protecting our law enforcement officers. H.R. 2829 will establish a grant program through the Department of Justice to help local police departments purchase bulletproof vests. The bill requires local law enforcement agencies to match the Federal funds. This is legislation that will help pay for as many as 100,000 bulletproof vests. I know that bulletproof vests do not guarantee the safety of our policemen and women. I personally believe we need to do more to get weapons off the street and make sure our law enforcement officers are not outgunned. We can and should do a better job of keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, and improve our efforts to tracking and tracing firearms used in crime. However, that is a debate for another day. Today, in honor of our police and in honor of those officers killed in the line of duty, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 2829. It is the least that we can do for the dedicated law enforcement officers of America.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in recognition of National Nurses Week. The 2.6 million registered nurses in the United States make up our nation's largest health care profession. Throughout our country's history, nurses have been the backbone of our health care system. The nursing profession plays a vital role in meeting the different and emerging health care needs of the American population in a wide range of settings. Moreover, nurses are the human face of our health care system. As the primary care givers, nurses have the most contact with patients and play a direct role in a patient's recovery. As a nurse, I know from firsthand experience that when it comes to patient recovery, good nursing care makes a difference. Nurses are also the future of our health care system. As our country places renewed emphasis on primary and preventive health care, we will require better utilization of all our nation's nursing resources. The cost-effective, safe and quality health care services provided by registered nurses will be an ever more important component of our health care delivery system in the future. Therefore, we must do everything we can to promote and advance the nursing profession. I am proud to be the cosponsor of a number of bills that advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace and projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing. Some of the bills I proudly sponsor include H.R. 1165, the Patient Safety Act of 1997, legislation that provides whistle-blower protection for nurses who speak out about patient care issues, and H.R. 2754 the Health Worker Protection Act, which mandates the substitution of existing needlestick products with safer needle devices that would help prevent needlestick injuries. I urge all my colleagues to support these important pieces of legislation, support our nursing professionals and advance the cause of nursing nationwide.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6. I want to commend the gentleman from California (Mr. McKeon) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) for making this a truly bipartisan effort. H.R. 6 will give millions of Americans educational opportunities well into the next century. I am pleased that H.R. 6 includes the provisions of my bill, the American Teachers Preparation Improvement Act. H.R. 6 will help new teachers by establishing partnerships between colleges and schools. I am also pleased that H.R. 6 includes legislation that the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) and I introduced to protect consumers. Our bill requires the Department of Education to put up-to-date information about financial aid and scholarships on its Web site. This bill does many great things to increase access to education, but we can do more. I am concerned that provisions which block schools from financial aid programs if their default rates are high end up denying access to education to many low-income students. However, earlier this month GAO reported that default behavior is primarily influenced by the characteristics of the borrower rather than that of the school. We need to hold schools accountable, but we need to look very closely at the measurements we use. Many good schools risk being kicked out of Federal aid programs simply because they serve low- income students. Again, I want to commend the chairman and ranking member for their work, and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6. And again, through our educational committee, we have worked well together, and I appreciate that, because, in the end, we are serving our children, and I appreciate that very much.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Dr. Stanley Nussbaum, who is being honored by the Herbert Tenzer Five Towns Democratic Club at its annual brunch on May 3, 1998. Stan is a dynamic political leader, representing the community in my district known as the Five Towns on the local, state, and national levels. The residents of my district have reaped the benefits of his commitment to the community, as he has always put forth the needs and concerns of the people of Long Island. Stan's leadership is quite impressive. He has been a member of the Nassau Democratic County Committee for twenty-five years, and served as President of the Five Towns Democratic Club from 1978-1980 and then again from 1984-1990. He was Zone Leader of Lawrence-Cedarhurst and in 1994 was elected as a New York State Committeeman. An early supporter of President Clinton prior to his election, Stan proceeded to run and was elected as a Clinton delegate for the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Currently, Stan serves the Island as Assembly District Leader in the 20th A.D. In addition to his outstanding and extensive involvement within the Democratic Party, Stan is also very active in community affairs. Locally, he served as President of the Five Towns Jewish Council, and has been a trustee of the American Jewish Committee. Presently, he is a trustee of Temple Beth El of Cedarhurst, and sits on the boards of the American Committee of Israeli MIA's and the Conference of Jewish Organization of Nassau County. Stan is a life member of the American Dental Society. Amazingly, Stan has managed to accomplish all of this and remain extremely devoted to his family including his wife, Toby; their three children, Felice, Hillary and Larry; and two grandchildren, Ananda and Sierra. Dr. Nussbaum emulates the ideals of citizenship in our country-- through his concern for others, his service to the community and active participation in our government. I wish to congratulate--and thank--my good friend Stan, for all that he has done for me, my district, and Long Island.

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York

Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Alcohol Awareness Month and Take a Step Day, a nationwide campaign developed by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. The goal of this national campaign is to draw attention to the problems of alcoholism and work for solutions to this disease. The campaign focuses public awareness on the widespread effects and damage associated with alcohol problems. It heightens the awareness of community residents and students in our schools about the monumental risks and consequences of alcohol abuse and misuse. In my district on Long Island, this important campaign is sponsored by the Long Island Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence. Unfortunately, this type of awareness is all too necessary. Alcohol is the third leading cause of preventable death in our nation, killing nearly 100,000 Americans every year. 13.8 million Americans suffer from alcohol-related problems, including 8.1 million alcoholics. Over 43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families and 13 million Americans drink heavily, which means they consume five or more drinks at a time on five or more days a month. These heavy drinkers are five times more likely to use illicit drugs and are more likely to require extensive medical care. Nearly one-fourth of all Americans admitted to general hospitals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics who are treated for the consequences of their drinking. Alcoholism and alcohol-related problems cost the American economy at least $100 million health care and lost productivity every year. During April, alcohol awareness month, I call upon my colleagues in Congress, along with all citizens, parents, governmental agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, hospitals and schools to join me in fighting America's number-one drug problem by pledging to support research, education, housing, intervention and treatment for alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.