Karen McCarthy

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Richard P. Augulis on the occasion of his retirement as Director of the National Weather Service Central Region headquartered in my Congressional District. A 35-year employee of the National Weather Service, part of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Mr. Augulis has always held public safety as the first priority in his career, whether as a forecaster or as an office and regional manager. He recently retired after 12 years as Director of the 14-state Central Region and is currently enjoying his retirement in Las Vegas, where he relocated to be near his family. Mr. Augulis joined the National Weather Service in August 1961 as a Weather Bureau Student Trainee at WBAS Midway Airport in Chicago while attending St. Louis University. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology in 1963 and added a Masters Degree in 1967. His distinguished career included a variety of forecasting and management positions with the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, Utah; to Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska; Garden City, New York; and finally, to Kansas City. As meteorologist in charge of the new Fairbanks Weather Forecast Office beginning in 1974, Mr. Augulis presided over a staff that operated service programs during the exciting and challenging times of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline construction. Mr. Augulis' leadership was invaluable to employees during the mid 1970s transition from teletype machines to computers as the Automation of Field Operations (AFOS) communications network was implemented by the National Weather Service. Mr. Augulus' last decade with the National Weather Service included the largest modernization and reorganization ever undertaken by the agency. He helped guide his Region through the introduction and implementation of sate-of-the-art Doppler radar, computer-enhanced weather modeling and forecasting, and restructuring from more than 300 offices of varying sizes and capabilities to an efficient network of 123 Twenty-First Century Weather Forecast Offices across the United States. Mr. Augulis served proudly as an employee and a manager of the National Weather Service. He is a distinguished executive branch employee whose accomplishments reflect credit on himself, the National Weather Service, and the United States of America. Mr. Speaker, on this occasion, please join with me, his family, friends, and colleagues as we honor Richard P. Augulis on his retirement from the National Weather Service and on his outstanding contributions to our region.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fellow Kansas Citian, and a man who has come to embody the ideals we share as a nation. As a player and coach for the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs baseball team, as coach and scout for the present day Kansas City Royals, and as a community activist promoting reading and education to children, John Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neil has come to represent some of our most noble values: determination and dignity, humility and excellence. ``Buck'' has been a pioneer and trailblazer throughout his life and illustrious career, and demonstrates in his everyday actions and words that determination is the pathway to success. He is a role model for our children and a champion for our country. As a player, Buck had a career batting average of .288, including four .300-plus seasons at the plate, and led the Kansas City Monarchs to victory in the 1942 Negro World Series. After 12 years as a player, Buck changed hats and managed the Monarchs to four more league titles in six years. Following his career with the Kansas City Monarchs, Buck joined the major leagues as a scout for the Chicago Cubs. In 1962 the Chicago Cubs made him the first African-American to coach in the major Leagues. Buck is credited with signing hall of Fame Baseball greats Ernie Banks and Lou Brock to their first pro contracts, and is acknowledged to have sent more Negro League athletes to the all-white major leagues than any other man in baseball history. Buck is currently the Chairman for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and spends his time promoting the achievements of African-American baseball players who played for love of the game, despite being shut out of the majors because of the color of their skin. As a member of the 18-person Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee, he continues to tear down racial barriers by advancing deserving Negro Leaguers for induction to the Hall. In addition to his duties in Cooperstown and at the museum in Kansas City, Buck is finding new ways to enjoy life and share his wonderful exuberance. As a player, coach, scout, writer, and volunteer Buck represents a magnificent example to our generation and the next. Mr. Speaker, please join me in saluting John Jordan ``Buck'' O'Neil, a distinguished ambassador for baseball and symbol of African-American pride, a true hero for all of America, and a favorite son of Kansas City. Congratulations, Buck on the 1999 John Stanford Education Heroes Award. It is an honor to help celebrate your 88th birthday and demonstrate the Negro League's commitment to education through ``Reading Around the Bases.'' I salute you for your lifetime of achievement, and am both proud and honored to call you my friend. Thank you, Buck, for all you have done, and for all you continue to contribute to our lives.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 573, on H.R. 3075, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Leonard S. Raskin, whose death on October 18 is an incalculable loss to his loving family and cherished friends, and to our community. Lenny loved life and was undaunted by its challenges. Even as cancer claimed more and more of him, he did `` . . . not go gently into that good night . . . (but) . . . raged against the dying of the light. . . .'' His incredible strength and will to live emulate these words of courage written by Dylan Thomas to his dying father. Lenny adopted me into his life, and as my friend, reinforced in me the belief that anything was possible to accomplish if you just tried hard enough and were good enough. I knew even if I failed he'd still be there for me; so true was his love. Lenny loved his family and friends with a passion even death cannot diminish. Mr. Speaker, please join me in expressing my deepest sympathy to his devoted wife of 50 years, Sarah Raskin, his eldest son, Phillip E. Raskin, his only daughter and my dearest friend, Maryl D. Raskin, his youngest son and daughter-in-law Garry N. and Susan Raskin, and his beloved grandchildren, Kaley and Sydney Raskin. I ask unanimous consent that the following material be included with my statement. The poems, ``Adios'' by Naomi Shihab Nye, and ``Reading Aloud to My Father'' by Jane Kenyon; works Maryl shared with me which reflect upon life as we reflect upon this wonderful man's friendship and love. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Adios, Lenny. Adios It is a good word, rolling off the tongue no matter what language you were born with. Use it. Learn where it begins, the small alphabet of departure, how long it takes to think of it, then say it, then be heard. Marry it. More than a golden ring, it shines, it shines. Wear it on every finger till your hands dance, touching everything easily, letting everything, easily, go. Strap it to your back like wings. Or a kite-tail. The stream of air behind a jet. If you are known for anything, let it be the way you rise out of sight when your work is finished. Think of things that linger; leaves, cartons and napkins, the damp smell of mold. Think of things that disappear. Think of what you love best, what brings tears into your eyes. Something that said adios to you before you knew what it meant or how long it was for. Explain little, the word explains itself. Later perhaps. Lessons following lessons, like silence following sound. Naomi Shihab Nye.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote Nos. 520--Journal vote; 521--Armey Amendment; 522--Payne Amendment; 523-- Roemer Amendment; 524--Petri Amendment; 525--Ehlers Amendment; 526-- H.R. 2; 527--on the previous question; 528--Interior Conf. Rept.; 529-- Rule H.R. 2300; 530--Fattah Amendment; 531--Recommit; 532--H.R. 2300 passage, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted 520--``yes''; 521--``no''; 522--``yes''; 523--``yes''; 524-- ``no''; 525--``yes''; 526--``yes''; 527--``no''; 528--``no''; 529-- ``no''; 530--``yes''; 531--``yes''; 532--``no''.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Madam Chairman, will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Madam Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me, and I rise today in strong support of the bipartisan amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Hawaii, and others, to reauthorize the Women's Educational Equity Act and to reaffirm the commitment of this House to the principle of gender equity. The amendment enables States and schools to eliminate the historic gender bias in education materials through teacher training and will encourage the participation of girls and minorities in high-tech careers. Madam Chairman, I was a high school English teacher 25 years ago, when Congress made a commitment to encourage women to pursue quality educational opportunities. Congress authorized and appropriated funds to teach teachers how to break the cycles of sexism and gender bias. I can remember discussing with my high school students the possibility of a woman in space, and that conversation was met with general scoffing by the boys in the class and doubt by the girls in the class. But I had the honor, along with a number of women in this Congress to watch the first woman be commander of a NASA spaceship. This year, Eileen Collins proved this effort has made a difference. For 25 years, Congress has reaffirmed its commitment. We have stood by the teachers and the young women, and we have begun to see real results. Test scores are improving; women are staying in school longer; and career choices are slowly expanding. The glass ceiling has not been shattered but it is moving, Madam Chairman. Sixty-five percent of all jobs in the year 2010 will require some technology skills. Do not let that ceiling come crashing back down on the young women of today. Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support the Mink amendment for education equity.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, today I take great pride in recognizing the J.E. Dunn Construction Company. This year they celebrate 75 years of excellence as one of Kansas City's most established and respected builders. In 1924, John Ernest Dunn founded the family owned business of constructing residential homes in our community. Today, the third generation of Dunns lead the company in its numerous high profile projects and generous civic contributions. For 75 years, the Dunns have etched the Kansas City skyline, and built a reputation of integrity and concern for the people in our region. This anniversary marks their outstanding dedication to building relationships and developing our community. J.E. Dunn Construction Company is made up of construction companies in Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, Texas, and Missouri. In our own greater metropolitan area the Dunns have been instrumental in the building of the Stowers Institute for Cancer Research, the renovation of the historic Muelbach Hotel and Union Station, and the impressive coiled design of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints Temple in Independence. In addition to these projects, the Dunns employ over a thousand people in Kansas City who have worked on the International Sprint Campus, the Charles Evans Whittaker Federal Courthouse where my Fifth District Office is located, and a number of hospitals including Children's Mercy, the Lee's Summit Hospital, and Saint Luke's. Beginning with John Ernest Dunn, the entire Dunn clan continues to practice the tradition of serving others. William H. Dunn, Sr., his sons, and scores of his extended family play important roles in the social development of our region. The Boy Scouts of America, the Kansas City Chamber or Commerce, and the Partnership for Children have benefitted from their involvement. The Dunn family participates on several boards and organizations like the United Way, the Salvation Army, the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Rockhurst University, and many other worthy causes. In celebration of this significant mark, I am honored to recognize their efforts and legacy. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Dunn family and the entire Dunn organization for 75 years of service to the community and fine craftsmanship left to signify the standard they have set.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the newly elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the Right Reverend Vernon Randolph Byrd. He joins Rev. Dr. W. Bartalette Finney, Sr., Presiding Elder, Rev. Ralph J. Crabbe, and leaders in our community who contribute to the spiritual needs of our greater metropolitan area. Bishop Byrd's spiritual education began at the age of twelve when he received his call to preach. By the time he was a teenager, he was ordained to preach by the late Bishop Frank Madison Reed, Sr. Bishop Byrd was a success In school and graduated from the public schools of South Carolina, and earned degrees at Allen University, and Boston University. Prior to his tenure at the Northwest Missouri Conference Fifth District AME Church in Kansas City, Bishop Byrd served as a Pastor and Presiding Elder at several churches. His ministry served congregations including the Macedonia AME Church in Delware, the St. Paul AME Church in Bermuda, the Newark District-New Jersey Conference, the Macedonia AME Church in New Jersey, the Morris Brown AME Church in Pennsylvania, and the St. James AME Church in New Jersey. In 1984, Bishop Byrd was elevated to the episcopacy at the seat of the Forty-Second Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. A recipient of numerous awards, he has been honored with the Trumiunz Award for outstanding work with retarded children in Delaware. He was recognized as an Honorary Member of the British Empire Medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who bestowed the award to him for helping bring order to the Bermuda Isles during a period of civil unrest in 1964. Byrd was also named the 1966 Outstanding Young Man of the Year by the Bermuda Chamber of Commerce and given an Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Payne Theological Seminary in 1994. Always involved with his community, he is an active member of civil and fraternal organizations, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, the Royal Masonic Lodge of Scotland, and the NAACP. Bishop Byrd is married to retired school teacher, Theora Lindsey Byrd who serves the Church as the Women's Missionary Society Supervisor where they teach to others that ``Unless Souls Are Saved * * * Nothing Is Saved!'' They are the parents of two daughters and two sons and grandparents to six grandchildren. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to acknowledge and congratulate Bishop Vernon Randolph Byrd as the 105th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Michigan and rise in opposition to the amendment and in strong support of the bipartisan Norwood-Dingell managed care act. We have all heard horror stories from our constituents, family members and friends. It is time for real reform. A constituent of mine in a head-on car wreck with massive trauma on his head, a collapsed lung, three broken ribs, and a shattered hip went through numerous surgeries in a struggle to regain the life he had before the accident. He contacted me because he had been denied productive physical therapy from his HMO despite his doctor and orthopedic specialist prescribing the physical therapy. Passing the Norwood-Dingell bill will improve patient care at the most fundamental level, and return medical decisions to patients and health care professionals. This approach is working well at the State level. The current amendment we are considering will wipe out these State laws. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Coburn-Goss-Shadegg amendment and support the Norwood-Dingell bill.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional leader and friend to our Kansas City community. Today Linda Doolin Ward will be honored as the 1999 Woman of the Year by the Central Exchange. Linda Doolin Ward has an extensive history with Kansas City and has shown outstanding leadership in her career and contributions to our metropolitan area. This prestigious award recognizes her commitment to gender concerns and her desire for equality in the workplace and society. She is currently President of the Women's Foundation, a local organization dedicated to funding programs and services which assist women. I am especially impressed with her work at the Women's Foundation to establish grants to help meet the health care, employment, and educational needs of women. This year the Foundation will announce $125,000 worth of grants addressing domestic violence, parenting, and professional development skills. Serving on numerous boards, Mrs. Doolin Ward has demonstrated her significant presence as a catalyst for change. She was the first woman to be Board President and Chairperson of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City and served as the Executive Director of the Central Exchange. She is the Co-Chair of the FOCUS strategic planning project, was recently appointed to the Port Authority of Kansas City, and serves as a Committee Chairwoman for the Partnership for Children. Linda Doolin Ward's career is just as impressive as her record of volunteerism. For 15 years she worked as an executive with Payless Cashways, Inc., and is now Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate communications with the American Italian Pasta Company. In addition to these achievements, she is married to her high school sweetheart, Terry Ward, and a devoted mother to her son, Jason. As a role model for women across the nation, Linda Doolin Ward has shown us how to balance family life with work and still make room to contribute to the people in our community. I am honored to acknowledge Linda Doolin Ward for her successful efforts to promote equity and opportunity for women and her commitment to making our community a better place. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the Central Exchange 1999 Woman of the Year, Linda Doolin Ward.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for accepting this amendment, to thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Mrs. Johnson) for her tireless efforts in championing it, and to thank my ranking member, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), for his tireless work as well in support of our children. I am a cosponsor of similar legislation, and I am very pleased we are moving forward now on this key issue, which will authorize $565 million in appropriations for children's hospitals to maintain their graduate residency training programs. This is critical to the health of our children. Children's hospitals are responsible for the pediatric training of almost one-third of the Nation's pediatricians. A lack of Federal support jeopardizes all education and training programs in children's hospitals, thereby threatening not only the pediatric workforce, but future health-care research and our children's health. It would be penny-wise and pound- foolish to continue down this path. In my district alone, this temporary funding will help train 70 doctors at Children's Mercy Hospital, a freestanding regional facility in Kansas City. The Johnson amendment supports the 59 children's teaching hospitals all across our country. I commend the sponsor and chairman and ranking member.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a legendary Kansas Citizen and extraordinary friend, Mr. Jerome Cohen. This week Jerry Cohen will be recognized as the Southtown Council's 1999 American Citizen for his historic record of civic service and volunteerism. This philanthropy and devotion to our community is an extraordinary model for all of us to follow. It is often said that Jerry's life is the consummate 20th Century Horatio Alger's story. He created a successful business and then focused on charity and helping those most in need. This tribute acknowledges his amazing capacity to give and the monumental impact he continues to have in our community. Annually, the Southtown Council nominates an outstanding leader whose efforts greatly serve the area. This year's beneficiary of their American Citizen award, Jerry Cohen, is no exception. Born to Lithuanian immigrant parents and equipped with a strong work ethic, Jerry Cohen built a prosperous modern copier and business machine enterprise. Our community recognizes his friendship and an amazing six decades worth of charitable support to organizations like the Mayor's Christmas Tree Fund, the Starlight Theatre, the Shriners, the Liberty Memorial, the Parks and Recreation Department, the American Humanics Foundation, and the Boy Scouts of America. The Southtown Council was created by businesses, organizations, neighborhood associations to address the community concerns of Southtown Kansas City specifically from 47th to 75th Street and Prospect to Main Street. The Southtown Council has a 17 year record of philanthropy and is committed to the public development of South Kansas City. Mr. Cohen's involvement as a civic and business leader supports the Council's remarkable success and mission to preserve the priceless legacy not just of Southtown Kansas City but of the Greater Kansas City area as well. I take great pride in knowing Jerry Cohen as a friend and mentor. Mr. Speaker, please join me today in congratulating Jerry Cohen as a model American Citizen.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Goodling). The amendment is deceptively entitled the Worker Paycheck Fairness Act but is more appropriately named the Worker Gag Act. The Shays-Meehan bill, of which I am a cosponsor, would ban soft money, regulate phony issue ads on television, and toughen disclosure requirements. Above all, Shays-Meehan is fair, bipartisan, even-handed reform legislation. In the guise of reform, the Goodling amendment undoes the balance achieved by Shays-Meehan, which seeks meaningful campaign finance reform to rid the process of the abuse of soft money and restore the people's voice in the electoral process. I urge my colleagues to vote no on Goodling and support Shays-Meehan. The Goodling amendment represents an unprecedented governmental intrusion into the internal operations of labor organizations, without a concomitant restriction on the communications of a corporation and its shareholders.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 405. The motion to close proceedings on H.R. 2561, I was unavoidably detained on Midwest Express. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye''.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. Chairman, I would like to engage the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh), the chairman of the subcommittee, in a colloquy.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlemen from New York (Mr. Walsh) for his leadership efforts on this most important effort. As we have been made aware, I have some concerns about the bill. First and foremost among those concerns is the omission of the funding for the new surgical suite and post-anesthesia care unit in the Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center in my district. This medical center serves a growing population of almost 200,000 veterans in the Kansas City area, as well as referrals from 15 other medical centers from the four-state region. Those veterans are currently being served by an underfunded and undersized and deteriorating 50-year-old surgical facility, where corridors are used to store equipment; operating rooms are used for preoperative care; and backlogs extend as long as 24 weeks. In these appalling conditions, veterans are wheeled down crowded corridors from surgical room to holding areas to post-operative care in plain view of their loving families. Veterans are waiting between 2 and 6 months for critical medical procedures ranging from hip replacement to neurosurgery. In my letter to the chairman dated August 30, I explained that the new 31,000 square foot medical facility will eliminate these flaws by imposing both the quality and the access to medical attention. The project will reduce operating room turnover time from 45 minutes to 15 minutes, thus allowing 325 more cases to be performed each year. The addition of holding rooms will also reduce scheduling backlogs, thus enabling 200 additional procedures per year. This facility was listed by the Department of Veterans Affairs as the single most important construction project in the entire country. To disregard that judgment contradicts their unique expertise and effectively shuts our eyes and ears to the health care needs of this country's proud veterans. I think I can speak for the entire region when I say we must provide quality medical care for our veterans, and more than that, we must be guided by our veterans as we do so. Every Member of this Chamber is painfully aware of funding limitations, but I would request of them that every effort be made in the conference committee to restore funding to this vitally important provision.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Walsh) for his leadership. Amendment Offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I would like to vote for a tax bill, but I cannot vote for this one. It is too risky. It is fiscally irresponsible. It does not help the families who really need tax relief. They will end up with less money in their pockets and pay higher interest rates. Our priority should be to retire the debt so we do not put America's economy at risk. Who does it help? The special interests, like foreign oil. Foreign oil and gas interests get a tax credit in this bill that will cost the American taxpayers more than $4 billion. That is right, $4 billion. A family of four earning $50,000 gets a $265 tax cut. That is just about $20 a month in their pockets. Mr. Speaker, this bill is a grab bag for special interests. I am for tax relief, but we need to do it right. Vote against this report. Go back to the conference table and produce a prudent measure that will put money in the pockets of working families, not foreign oil interests. Never mind we have spent two decades trying to reduce our dependency on foreign oil so we will never again experience those high prices and long gas lines at the pump like we did in the 1970s.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize La Leche League International (LLLI), the World Alliance for Breastfeeding, National Breastfeeding Month, August 1999, and World Breastfeeding Week, August 1-7, 1999. The theme for World Breastfeeding Week this year is Breastfeeding: Education for Life, sponsored by LLLI and WABA. World Breastfeeding Week is part of WABA's ongoing campaign to increase public awareness of the importance of breastfeeding. LLLI is a founding member of WABA's global alliance of health care providers, non-governmental organizations, and mother support groups. This week, all over the world, people will be participating in the World Walk for Breastfeeding, organized by La Leche League International, an international nonprofit organization that provides breastfeeding information and encouragement through mother-to-mother support groups and interactions with parents, physicians, researchers, and health care providers. LLLI reaches over 200,000 women monthly in 66 countries. This year's World Walk for Breastfeeding will be the ninth annual walk, and my community of the Greater Kansas City area will be participating through twelve local La Leche groups. The Walk is a fundraiser for LLLI, and a portion of the money raised will stay with the local groups to fund their outreach and support activities. Breastfeeding has been identified by the U.S. Surgeon General as a high priority objective for the year 2000, with the goal of increasing to at least 75 percent the proportion of mothers who breastfeed their infants in the early postpartum period and to at least 50 percent those who breastfeeding until the infant is six months of age. All available knowledge indicates that human milk optimally enhances the growth, development, and well being of the infant by providing the best possible nutrition, protection against specific infection and allergies, and the promotion of maternal and infant bonding. Further, breastfeeding is economical and promotes healthier mothers, and it benefits society through lower health care costs for infants, a healthier workforce, stronger family bonds, and less waste. August 1 makes the ninth anniversary of the signing of the Innocenti Declaration on the Protections, Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding which was adopted in 1990 by 32 governments and 10 United Nations Agencies. This Declaration states: AS a global goal for optimal maternal and child health and nutrition, all women should be enabled to practice exclusive breastfeeding and all infants should be fed exclusively on breast milk from birth to four to six months of age. Thereafter, children should continue to breastfeed while receiving appropriate and adequate complementary foods for up to two years of age or beyond. This child feeding ideal is to be achieved by creating an appropriate environment of awareness and support so that women can benefit in this manner. Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating National Breastfeeding Month and World Breastfeeding Week, and let us lend our support to this global effort to nurture our infants and provide them with the best possible nutrition in the first months of their lives.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National Association of People with Aids (NAPWA)--the leading advocate on behalf of all people living with HIV and AIDS in order to end the pandemic and human suffering caused by HIV/AIDS. NAPWA was founded in 1983 in Denver, Colorado, at the Second National AIDS Forum. This organization has been at the forefront of the AIDS epidemic to address the issues of equality and equal access to treatment and prevention methods regardless of race, gender, class, or sexual orientation. On Saturday, July 31, 1999, NAPWA will hold their Annual Retreat in Kansas City, Missouri, including a public forum on ``AIDS Now and in the New Millennium,'' where a panel of leading experts, including Sandy Thurman, Director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, will discuss the latest developments in the effort to end the AIDS crisis. This forum will provide an opportunity for city, county, state, and national leaders, AIDS Service organizations, HIV infected individuals, health departments, faith communities, and medical professionals to talk about issues surrounding the AIDS epidemic and the funding that is needed to maintain quality health care services and innovative prevention strategies. At this forum, NAPWA will welcome Roger A. Gooden--an AIDS survivor and tireless advocate for people with AIDS--as the newly elected Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Gooden has a rich history of fighting for AIDS/HIV treatment and prevention, as well as for the rights of people with AIDS. He currently serves on the State of Missouri's Governor's Council on AIDS and the Board of Directors of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Greater Kansas City. Recently, Mr. Gooden was honored by the Missouri Department of Health Division of Environmental Health and Communicable Disease Prevention, Bureau of HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention Services, in recognition of his dedication and service to the State of Missouri in advocating for people living with HIV/AIDS and the prevention of the spread of HIV. Mr. Gooden was also honored by Kansas City Mayor Emanual Cleaver and the City Council with a resolution and proclamation recognizing his election as Chairman of the Board of NAPWA and for his dedicated service and efforts in the fight against AIDS. NAPWA is an active and effective organization, providing many services to legislators and people with AIDS/HIV. For instance, NAPWA provides Community Education, Technical Assistance, and Regional Training Workshops around the country for people with HIV, to give them the skills they need to participate in HIV prevention community planning with Ryan White CARE Act Planning Bodies. NAPWA also coordinates a diverse national network of committed public speakers through the Leadership Development Initiative. This initiative, coupled with the Youth Initiative involves outreach services where peers talk to peers about AIDS and HIV, encouraging each other to modify risk behaviors and change attitudes toward people with AIDS/HIV. NAPWA also participates in a wide array of prevention, health promotion, and educational efforts for those infected with and at risk for HIV. NAPWA publishes several fact sheets, alerts, and reports, as well as supporting an Information and Referral Service, to provide the nation with up-to-date and accurate information about the AIDS pandemic. NAPWA also sponsors National HIV Testing Day in June of each year, to encourage early and frequent testing for HIV/AIDS, especially for those who are at higher risk. Mr. Speaker, NAPWA's highest priority is the development of effective new treatments and a cure for HIV disease. Please join me in commending NAPWA for its tireless efforts on behalf of people with AIDS.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding me the time and for his leadership. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2488, the Financial Freedom Act of 1999. In my 12 years of working on tax policy as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee in Missouri, I thought I had seen just about every kind of shenanigan tried. This fiscally irresponsible measure tops them all. How do you keep a straight face and look the American people in the eye when you say you are going to use an anticipated $1 trillion surplus to reform Social Security and Medicare, then, without blinking, tell the taxpayers of this great Nation that you are going to give them nearly a trillion dollars in tax cuts, plus reduce the deficit, and you will accomplish all of these wondrous feats without cutting programs or jeopardizing our economy. I do not think the public will be fooled by a measure which defies logic. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Democratic substitute, to support the motion to recommit, and to cast a vote to reduce the debt, save Social Security and Medicare and our economy.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Stephen D. Bull III upon his retirement from the United States Air Force. Colonel Bull has been a part of the Air Force virtually all of his life, as he was born on Burtonwood Air Force Base in the United Kingdom in 1951. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in June 1973, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force. Colonel Bull went on to serve his country in several capacities: as a C-130 instructor navigator, a B-52 Offensive Avionics Acquisition Officer, a Strategic Weapons Officer for Bomber Weapons, and as Deputy Chief of the Weapons Systems Division of the U.S. Air Force. In June 1992, he earned a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College at Newport, Rhode Island. After earning his Masters Degree, he was assigned as Executive Officer, Plans and Policy Division, International Military Staff at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium. He served there as the Chief of Staff for three international general/flag officers responsible for strategic planning, nuclear policy, arms control and disarmament, military cooperation programs and force planning. Since 1994, Colonel Bull has served as the Chief, Programs and Legislative Division, Directorate of Legislative Liaison, Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. In this position, he has been responsible for advocating Air Force programs, policies, and proposed legislation to Congress on issues involving aircraft and safety investigations, military construction, force structure, base closure, personnel, environment, services and contracts. His legislative expertise has only been matched by his ability to foster answers for our constituents. In my district he was able to facilitate the resolution to a constituent inquiry which had lingered for over ten (10) years. Through his leadership this problem was resolved positively for both my constituent and the Air Force. He has built a team of congressional liaisons without equal in their mastery of international issues essential to the success of Congressional delegations. His knowledge of Air Force issues and policy and his commitment to the United States Air Force is impressive and will be missed by Members who, like me, have found him to be unfailingly helpful whenever his assistance was requested. Mr. Speaker, please join me in thanking Colonel Bull, his wife Carol, and his two daughters, Cristina and Lauren, for his service to the Air Force and to our nation, and extend our best wishes for his retirement.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns) to reduce funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. NEA has not had a funding increase since 1992 when their budget was almost $176 million. In fact, in the 104th Congress when I arrived, efforts were made to eliminate the NEA. The funding level in this bill, $98 million, is inadequate; and another cut of $2 million is unacceptable. Mr. Chairman, as I said in my remarks during general debate yesterday, we need additional funds to support grants for arts education which we know is key to reducing youth violence and enhancing youth development. If we are serious about curtailing youth violence, cutting funds to an agency that is getting positive results with its youth arts project is counterproductive. Three years ago, the NEA and the U.S. Department of Justice took the lead in jointly funding this national project so that local arts agencies and cultural institutions across the Nation would be able to design smarter arts programs to reach at-risk youth in their local communities. One of the primary goals of this project is to ascertain the measurable outcomes of preventing youth violence, preventing them from getting involved in delinquent behavior by engaging them in community- based arts programs. This program has had a dramatic impact across the Nation, and we must preserve adequate funding for NEA to continue it and to expand it. We should also be requesting additional funds to expand NEA's summer seminar sessions to provide professional development opportunities to our Nation's teachers who are on the front lines in our efforts to reach out to our children. Mr. Chairman, arts education programs extend back to the Greeks who taught math with music centuries ago. And current studies reaffirm that when music such as jazz is introduced by math teachers into the classrooms, those half notes and quarter notes become real live examples for students to use to learn. In my district, NEA is currently funding the 1999 Ailey Camp of the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, which is a national dance troupe. This 6-week dance camp has a 10-year history and has provided opportunities for more than 1,000 children. This camp provides a vehicle, through art, for children to grow and enjoy the experience of success. Beyond the dancing, they also have creative writing, personal development, antiviolence and drug abuse programs. The Second Company of the Alvin Ailey dance troupe will be doing outreach this fall to children who will ultimately perform in the Gem Theater in Kansas City. The statistics confirm the success of this program on behavior and learning of these at-risk children. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to reject the Stearns amendment and send a message that art and music in the classroom increase academic achievement and decrease delinquent behavior and that it is a critical component in reducing youth violence.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to express my concern over provisions in H.R. 2466, the Interior Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2000, which limit resources to develop clean technologies essential to achieving economic growth and to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Consensus exists in the scientific community that global warming is a problem that we must address now. As the world's economic leader, we have the ability and the responsibility to improve the environment and foster economic activity. Technology research and development will put the United States at the forefront of this emerging market and allow our nation to benefit from the global market for energy technologies. This measure is 15% below the Administration's budget request for energy conservation programs. The energy conservation program of the Department of Energy funds cooperative research and development projects aimed at sustaining economic growth through more efficient energy use. An inadequate appropriation could actually cost more money in the long run through lost efficiency. Activities financed through this program focus on markedly improving existing technologies as well as developing new technologies, which ultimately will displace some of our reliance on traditional fossil fuels. Mr. Chairman, the world is waiting for the U.S. Congress to act on global climate change. Our country is the world's largest contributor to the problem; we have the greatest resources to help solve it, yet we retreat from the task. The bill is but another symbol of our failure to recognize that we have a global responsibility to help bring the nations of the world back from the brink of a massive alteration of our planet's climate system. Here we have another chance to help turn this problem from an enormous environmental and economic risk into a chance for U.S. industry to lead the world in what will be the energy technologies of the 21st century.