Karen McCarthy

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, it saddens me to inform the House of the passing of a dear friend and constituent, Ed Dreier, who is the father of our colleague, the gentleman from California [David Dreier]. H. Edward Dreier, Junior, was a pioneer in the housing industry in Kansas City. Forty-five years ago this month he incorporated his real estate development, construction, and property management business and began service on the first commission on human relations to implement integration laws for housing in our community. One and one-half weeks ago, David accepted for his father the Crystal Merit Award, honoring excellent in the apartment industry. Mr. Dreier was very active in the civic community, including serving as president and chairman of the Lyric Opera Company of Kansas City, and was an original member of the Westport Allen Center board of trustees. He had many friends here in the House, from the gentleman from New York [Charlie Rangel] and the gentleman from Massachusetts [Joe Moakley] to his fellow marines, the gentleman from New York [Amo Houghton] and [Jerry Solomon]. Our thoughts and prayers are with David and his family during this most difficult time. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to pay tribute to this fine citizen whose contributions, through public service, will be remembered by those whose lives he touched. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record newspaper articles concerning Mr. Dreier's passing. The material referred to follows: Area Real Estate Developer Dies (By Mark Davis) H. Edward Dreier Jr. of Kansas City, an area builder and property manager, died Monday. He was 69. Dreier founded his real estate development, construction and property management company 45 years ago in Kansas City. Dreier Management Co. built and continues to manage several area apartment buildings. Dreier also was active in Kansas City's civic community, though he hadn't received much public notice for this work. ``He'll be badly missed by the Midtown community,'' said the Rev. Roger Coleman, executive director of the Westport Allen Center. Coleman said Dreier was an original member of the center's board of trustees, formed in 1983. He also had supported its earlier efforts to buy and renovate an abandoned school. The former school at 706 W. 42nd St. now provides an activity center and offices for many nonprofit groups, including the State Ballet of Missouri and Narcotics Anonymous. ``He loved the tenants here like he loved the tenants in his apartments down the street,'' Coleman said. ``It sounds selfish, but we had such plans for him.'' Coleman said Dreier stood out even among the other board members. Dreier not only raised money but also participated in the center's activities and made himself available when Coleman called for help. Dreier also was president of the board of directors of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in its 1981-82 season and served on the board since 1976. Last month, Dreier received the Crystal Merit Award from the Apartment Association of Kansas City. The award honored Dreier as the area's best property supervisor for 1996. Dreier's health kept him from the Feb. 21 award ceremony and his son, U.S. Rep. David Dreier of California, accepted the award. David Dreier said he plans to become more involved in the company and believed his mother also would take a greater role. ``Public service was always a priority for him,'' said David Dreier, noting that his father had served on Kansas City's first commission on human relations in the 1950s. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Yeomans Dreier, of the home; his son, David Dreier, San Dimas, Calif.; daughters, Denise Dreier Despars, Hermosa Beach, Calif., and Dana Dreier Lamont, Aurora, Ill.; a sister, Carolee Atha, Mission Hills; and two grandchildren. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Stine & McClure Funeral Home at 3235 Gillham Plaza. No burial services are planned. H. Edward Dreier, Jr. H. Edward Dreier, Jr., Kansas City, MO, passed away Monday, March 3, 1997. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at D.W. Newcomer's Sons Stine & McClure Chapel, 3235 Gillham Plaza, Kansas City, MO. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to a charity of the donor's choice. Mr. Dreier attended Pembroke Hill School, Kemper Military Academy, and graduated from Southwest High School in 1946. He was a drill instructor with the U.S. Marine Corps, and graduated in 1952 from Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA. He was President of H.E. Dreier, Jr., Inc., a real estate development and property management firm. In 1953, he was appointed by H. Roe Bartle to the Commission on Human Relations. He served as President of the Great Oaks Nursing Home. He also served on the Planning Commission of Fairway, KS, and the Executive Committee of the Sixth Church of Christ, Scientist. He was an officer of the Homebuilders of Greater Kansas City, and was a 45-year member of the Real Estate Board; President of the Lyric Opera Board; Honorary Coach for the NAIA Tennis Tournament; and a member of the Society of Fellows of the Nelson Atkins Museum. Mr. Dreier was a Director of United Missouri Bank, North Region; President of the Dreier Family Foundation; and served on the Executive Committee of the Westport Allen Center. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and Secretary/Treasurer of Rotary Club 13, and a member of the Vanguard Club and Carriage Club. On February 21, 1997, he received the Crystal Merit Award, honoring excellence in the apartment industry for the midwest. In Rancho Mirage, CA, he was a member of the Thunderbird Country Club. The Club at Morningside, and a Patrol of the Friends of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Desert Museum. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Yeomans Dreier; a son, Congressman David Dreier, Los Angeles; two daughters, Denise Dreier Despars, Hermosa Beach, CA, and Dana Dreier Lamont, Aurora, IL; and two granddaughters, Leslie LaRue Lamont and Lisa Lee Lamont. (Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Stine & McClure Chapel) {time} 1400

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, During rollcall vote No.'s 24 and 25 on the Journal and H.R. 624, I was unavoidably detained in transit. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea'' on both.

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri

Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Congressman Peter King for his tireless and diligent work on behalf of the Irish people. Congressman King, who serves as the cochairman of the Congressional Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, was awarded the Heart of America International Peace Award by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Padriac Pearse Division I, Jackson County, MO, on February 1, 1997. This honor was for his strong opposition to British oppression of the Irish people. Mr. King was only the third leader to receive this prestigious honor. Previous winners of this award include Jerry Adams and Bernadette Devlin. All three have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership in the area of human rights equalization in Northern Ireland. He was recently presented this award by the Ancient Order of Hibernians in my district. Congressman Peter King has traveled to the six occupied counties in Northern Ireland on 15 different occasions and is recognized as the leader in Congress on issues facing Ireland. He has been honored by the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Knights of Columbus, the Irish- American Fenian Society, the Irish National Caucus, and the Irish Northern Aid Committee. His travels to Northern Ireland enabled him to witness hunger strikes, the Diplock Courts, and other monumental events. He accompanied President Clinton on the President's historic peace mission to Belfast and Derry in 1995. Thank you, Peter King, for your outstanding service to the Congress, the Irish-American community throughout our great Nation, and the Irish nationalist community abroad. I applaud your efforts and salute you as the 1997 Heart of America International Peace Award recipient.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the Francis Families Foundation in Kansas City, for their dedication to improving the quality of child care for thousands of families in our community. The Francis Institute is a major program at Penn Valley Community College, one of the metropolitan community colleges, whose mission is to provide high-quality training and education to child care providers and students seeking careers in early childhood development. In its short 6-year history, the Francis Institute has become a national leader and advocate for the profession of child care. It is also changing the way Kansas City views child care facilities--not as babysitting services, but as enriching places for children to go for learning and development. Today, thanks to a $6.5 million grant from the Francis Families Foundation, the Francis Institute is breaking ground on an exciting state-of-the-art facility. This building will provide exciting new benefits to the community, including a comprehensive resource library, a model child development center, facilities for community workshops and seminars on child care and more. Since 1990, the Francis Families Foundation has worked quietly behind the scenes providing leadership in the area of child care education and training. As one of the founders of the Francis Institute, it has helped establish a unique public-private partnership with the metropolitan community colleges. The outcome is accessible education and professional development opportunities to urban child care providers. The Francis Institute's success and impact are built upon a foundation of community partnerships and collaborative programs. Working with local, State, and national organizations to provide academic courses, workshops, consultation, entrepreneurial training, mentoring, and more, the Francis Institute has improved the skills of thousands of child care providers and students. At the same time, its qualified staff fosters a lifelong love for learning and personal growth. It is common for people to talk about the problems our children face today. It is rare for organizations such as the Francis Families Foundation and the Francis Child Development Institute to work hand in hand toward a common goal with so much success in such a short period of time. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Francis Families Foundation of its vision and tremendous generosity, and I wish the Francis Child Development Institute great success in its efforts to change the way we think about child care to the benefit of families.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise again today to express my support of one of our Nation's greatest success stories for our youth, the AmeriCorps Program. While the VA-HUD conference report does not provide the President's full funding request for AmeriCorps, it does appropriate $403 million in fiscal year 1997, an amount equal to the current funding level. This is an enormous improvement over the House- passed bill which eliminated funding for the program entirely. The mission of AmeriCorps is sensible: provide educational opportunities for young people who serve their community in ways that make a real difference in the lives of others. In my district, AmeriCorps members have partnered with professionals and nonprofit agencies to help immunize children, revitalize and clean up inner city neighborhoods, install smoke alarms in the homes of the elderly, and weatherize homes in low income areas. On Earth Day this year, I assisted AmeriCorps members with planting a community garden in a vacant lot once strewn with debris. The lot now is a source of neighborhood pride. AmeriCorps members continually champion the cause of community service by their collective and individual efforts. In my community, members have worked with community police officers to initiate neighborhood watch programs and shut down drug houses. The energy of these young people has inspired many families to get more involved to preserve and protect their neighborhood. As a result, Kansas City is cleaner, safer, and more livable because AmeriCorps has made its mark. As we work to balance the Federal budget, I believe we must set smart priorities. Certainly providing opportunities which afford young people access to job training and education ought to be among our national goals. I urge my colleagues to support the funding for the AmeriCorps program included in this conference report.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 407, the motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 3666, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.'' I ask unanimous consent that my statement appear in the Record immediately following rollcall vote No. 407.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall vote No. 402 on H.R. 447 I was unavoidably detained due to flight delay. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of Missouri's great newsmen, W. Ferrell Shuck, publisher of the Lee's Summit Journal. On October 18, Mr. Shuck will be formally inducted into the Missouri Press Association Newspaper Hall of Fame in honor of his exemplary contributions to journalism, his leadership in the industry, and his commitment to the community. Mr. Shuck started in the newspaper business 45 years ago as a young newspaper carrier. As his interest in newspapers developed, Mr. Shuck began writing and worked his way to sports editor for the Daily Gazette in McCook, NE. He later worked in advertising sales and management at the Daily Star in Miles City, MT, and the Omaha World Herald. Mr. Shuck has served as publisher for the Bates County Democrat in Butler, MO, Townsend Communications and the Lee's Summit Journal where he has published papers for 28 years. He also is a longtime member and the current secretary of the Missouri Press Association. Those who work with him at the Journal say his intense love and knowledge of the newspaper business grows each and every day. Always striving for excellence, Mr. Shuck continues to oversee every aspect of the newspaper's production. His wisdom and experience ensures depth and substance in news coverage. Mr. Shuck also is known for his attention to detail, often catching the smallest typo before the paper goes to print. Having served communities throughout the heartland, Mr. Shuck has developed a deep understanding and appreciation of the American experience. He has been described as the ``conscience of Lee's Summit'' for his role as a community watchdog and for his efforts to improve the quality of life for area residents. Mr. Shuck does not simply report on events and life in Lee's Summit. He is an integral part of the community, one of the fastest growing areas in the State. In his efforts to promote economic development and contribute as a community partner, he serves as a member of the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce, the Lee's Summit Downtown Main Street, Inc., Lee's Summit Economic Development Council and Lee's Summit Rotary. Mr. Shuck is being recognized in Lee's Summit today by his friends, family, staff, and neighbors. We salute his commitment to solid journalism, uncompromising integrity, and community enhancement. I send my sincere congratulations to Mr. Shuck, his family, and all at the Lee's Summit Journal who contribute to his success and help fulfill his vision.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep sorrow at the downing of TWA flight 800, and to extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims. As investigators continue the difficult chore of determining the cause of the accident, and the torturous process of recovering the bodies, citizens the world over are horrified by this tragedy. My community of Kansas City, though 1,500 miles from the site of the crash, feels a particularly strong connection to TWA 800. The lives of five Kansas City area residents were taken by the crash. Missouri is home to TWA, and to many of its thousands of dedicated employees, and TWA is the air carrier of choice for many of my constituents. TWA has a long history of providing safe, secure, efficient, and dependable air transportation. Recently, employee-owned TWA emerged from financial difficulties to post significant earnings and now seems destined for a successful future. In addition, TWA is a responsible corporate citizen that continues its long and dedicated commitment to serving its community. This tragedy has rightly caused us all to more closely examine safety precautions at airports, and to consider new methods for preventing terrorist activities. Safety and security must be our foremost concerns, and we have a responsibility to ensure that air travel is free from terrorist threat. We must also always bring to justice those responsible for cowardly acts of terrorism. I again want to express my sympathy to the families and friends of the victims. Those unwitting victims will forever live in our memories. Let us work together and do all we can to prevent tragedies like this from occurring again. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for the record the following letter from the National Conference of State Legislatures [NCSL] regarding welfare reform. As past president of NCSL, I understand first hand the concerns they raise about meeting the work requirements in H.R. 3734 without adequate Federal funding and the potential cost shifts the welfare reform proposal places on States. I supported H.R. 3734 with similar concerns and look forward to working with State legislators during the 105th Congress to see that these concerns are addressed: National Conference of State Legislatures, Washington, DC July 31, 1996. Hon. Karen McCarthy, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative McCarthy: The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has long sought federal legislation reforming our welfare system and now urges your support for the conference agreement on H.R. 3734. This legislation builds on the numerous state legislative welfare reform efforts of the past decade and on federal waivers granted in recent years. We particularly are pleased with the creation of block grants for cash assistance and child care and the programmatic and administrative flexibility they may bring. The inclusion of increased child care funding, establishment of a contingency fund, preservation of child welfare entitlements and preservation of state legislative authority over block grant funds are notable achievements and represent key provisions recommended and sought by NCSL. We are further gratified with the inclusion of several policy options, such as the state option to provide Medicaid to legal immigrants and refugees, recognition of the need for adequate transition time, restructuring of child support collection systems and initiatives as well as an exemption for states from electronic benefit transfer liabilities. We remain particularly concerned about work participation requirements and a related array of policy mandates and sanctions. These will be troublesome. The flexibility needed in the work participation area is missing. Furthermore, the Congressional Budget Office has repeatedly warned of the multi-billion dollar shortfall in federal funding for work efforts. We recommend that Congress and the Administration collaborate with state legislators and others to review and evaluate work requirements, state experiences with these requirements, funding needs and worker placement and job retention accomplishments commencing with the 105th Congress. We continue to question policy changes in H.R. 3734 regarding income security accessibility for legal immigrants and refugees. We remain convinced that H.R. 3734 will produce unfunded mandates and cost shifts to state and local governments of unacceptable proportions. We strongly recommend that Congress and the Administration immediately begin an analysis and review of state experiences regarding income security program availability for legal immigrant populations, particularly children, the elderly and the disabled. Those provisions of H.R. 3734 regarding legal immigrants should be tested against the intent and objectives of S. 1, the Unfunded Mandate Reform Act of 1995, and Executive Order 12875. This recommended review and analysis should involve state legislators and other officials. H.R. 3734 represents a number of policy compromises. It also offers states new opportunities to manage a welfare system most Americans agree needs restructuring and redirection. Despite some of its aforementioned shortcomings, we encourage your support for H.R. 3734 and urge you to work with state legislators to ensure its success. Sincerely, Michael E. Box, Majority Chairman, Alabama House, President, NCSL. James J. Lack, State Senator, New York, Immediate Past President, NCSL.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute Kansas City Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry [MLM] as it celebrates its 25th anniversary aiding the low-income and disadvantaged citizens of Greater Kansas City. Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry plays a critical role in Greater Kansas City. MLM annually serves over 50,000 people in need, including 10,000 homeless people. These services instill dignity and self-respect in individuals. MLM brings strength to the community, helping citizens find jobs, transportation, and places for them to live. These selfless acts serve as a beacon of compassion and a glimmer of hope not only to those who benefit directly from them, but to all who live and work in the metropolitan area. Annually the volunteers and staff bring holiday cheer to over 1,400 destitute families by providing them with gifts and the food for a holiday meal. In all, MLM will provide nearly 42,000 hours of volunteer service to those in difficult circumstances in the coming year. The Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry provides all of these services with a dedicated staff of 31 highly trained individuals and over 1,500 volunteers from the Greater Kansas City area. MLM has set the standard for social service in Kansas City. Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry has helped to implement programs such as Harvesters Food Bank, the Community Gardens project, Project Warmth, as well as low to moderate-income housing programs such as Parvin Estates and Sheffield Place, which provides housing to homeless women with small children. These initiatives are at the core of the social service backbone of Kansas City. MLM continues to produce new and important endeavors for the community. Most recently, they embarked on a child abuse prevention program to train and educate teachers, counselors, and the clergy about how to recognize abuse, how to intervene, and where to go for help. Last year this program reached out to 7,400 people and trained 500 people in 33 workshops. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry on this, their 25th anniversary and for their valiant efforts in the war on poverty.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me the time. I rise today in strong support of genuine campaign finance reform, and urge my colleagues to vote for the Farr substitute. I am glad my Republican friends have significantly changed their original proposal to embrace the Farr bill. Unfortunately the House leadership's catering to special interests still goes too far and fails to meet real reform standards. Our initiative, the Farr substitute, will change the way business is done in Washington. One significant difference in the Farr bill is a call for voluntary spending limits. Until we have limits on revenues and expenditures in campaigns there will continue to be huge amounts of money spent on politics. In an attempt to further alienate citizens who are thoroughly sick of negative advertising the House Leadership bill actually invites independent expenditures on these activities, as well as the potential for nondisclosure of these contributions. The Farr bill makes important strides towards encouraging participation by average Americans by limiting the amount of money in campaigns, limiting the extent to which a candidate can rely upon large contributions from individuals, and limiting contributions from PAC's. The Farr bill is the only plan to eliminate ``soft money,'' the only plan to encourage candidates to rely on small contributions, and by observing spending limits, the only plan to reduce the costs of TV and mail. The demands of running a campaign today can distract public officials from their responsibility to citizens. Our commitment to improving the lives of American families ought to be our primary concern. Real campaign finance reform is important and necessary. The Farr bill will provide that reform, the House Leadership plan will not. I urge my colleagues to support the Farr substitute.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, Congress must act to ensure that the Medicare Program remains solvent for current beneficiaries as well as future generations. Cuts in the House leadership Medicare proposal would result in reductions to our seniors by decreasing services and increasing costs. The House leadership proposal includes provisions that would allow doctors to charge seniors more out-of-pocket costs and medical savings accounts which would further exacerbate the program's solvency. We must remain committed to ensuring that seniors have access to high quality, affordable health services. It is time for Congress to get serious about protecting Medicare. We should establish an independent bipartisan commission to analyze these issues and provide recommendations to Congress that would protect the long-term solvency of this program. Let us solve the Medicare problem by working in a bipartisan method to get the job done, not have it wither on the vine as the Speaker would have it.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I commend our subcommittee chairwoman, the gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella], for her efforts on behalf of H.R. 2779; in addition, our ranking member, the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Tanner], who worked diligently to make this truly a substantial bipartisan effort that shows the results of a great deal of hard work on the part of members on both sides of the aisle of the Committee on Science and on the subcommittee, as well as the staffs of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy, the Department of Commerce, and the General Services Administration. While there are areas where we hope the Senate will clarify our actions, the problems with the original text that led the administration initially to oppose the legislation, these areas have been resolved, Mr. Speaker. We appreciate the flexibility of the gentleman from California [Mr. Cox], who has shown that the can be flexible in these matters. He did not object to the current version as the administration sought, and we heartily support it. Mr. Speaker, I will include as a general leave statement for the Record the more detailed views of the Committee on Science's ranking Democratic member, the gentleman from California [Mr. Brown], who has been a leader on metric issues for over two decades. Mr. Speaker, the current version of H.R. 2779, the Savings in Construction Act, deserves the bipartisan support of this body, and while the gentleman from California [Mr. Brown], in his support, believes that the Committee on science's actions have improved H.R. 2779 substantially, he, too, wishes that we use this legislation as an opportunity to develop a more imaginative approach to measurements and policy questions. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the gentleman from California [Mr. Cox] for this support of the metric system, and again all who worked on the Committee on Science and various agencies, for coming together in this bipartisan effort. As the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Ehlers], a member of our Committee on Science, so eloquently pointed out during our committee deliberations on this bill, our Nation's failure to adopt the metric system of measurement in a timely manner has cost United States companies millions of dollars in lost trade opportunities. This situation is ongoing and it has the potential to get worse. We need to work together for effective metric conversion to close the trade imbalance that now exists. We can increasingly expect our trading partners to require American exports to their countries to be designed and manufactured using the internationally accepted metric system of measurement. H.R. 2779 exempts small companies from metric usage, and this approach is just one possible solution to the one that represents a can't-do rather than a can-do attitude. With more time, we could look for ways to solve problems while advancing the cause of metrication. We need to continue to work together to help small businesses to participate in international trade. Mr. Speaker, perhaps the Senate will have the time to make a conscious effort to improve our work on this bill. Then we will be able to feel comfortable that the entire Congress did its best to meet the long-term needs of the companies we are trying to help. I urge support of this measure. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Mollohan-Fox amendment. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Mollohan-Fox amendment. This amendment is a significant improvement from the base bill. Since 1974, the Legal Services Corporation has provided poor families access to our justice system, thus putting into practice the principle of equal justice for all. The proposed fiscal year 1997 funding level represents a 49-percent reduction from the current appropriation. This is an unacceptable funding level, particularly given the fact that last year's 30 percent funding reduction forced the Kansas City Legal Aid to eliminate 10 percent of the staff. These reductions leave 80 workers to tackle approximately 22,000 cases a year. In addition, legal aid attorneys are forced to turn away applicants desperately seeking assistance. Further dramatic reductions in funding would make it even more difficult for many communities, like Kansas City, to keep their legal aid offices open. I am dedicated to balancing the budget, but we must do so in a responsible manner. Slashing legal services for poor families is not responsible. I urge my colleagues to support the Mollohan-Fox bipartisan amendment.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Madam Chairman, I rise as a cosponsor of the Castle- Tanner proposal and in strong support of this substitute. Castle-Tanner is a fiscally responsible, bipartisan approach to putting people to work and protecting our children. It is encouraging to see that the House leadership has made changes in their bill attempting to move toward the Castle-Tanner substitute; however, many substantive differences still remain. This proposal will give States the tools they need to achieve genuine welfare reform. Adequate funding is essential to a successful welfare reform and the Castle-Tanner substitute provides the resources for States to meet the participation rates required in their work programs. It will require a more reasonable State maintenance of effort, while still rewarding States that exceed their work participation rates. In times of economic downturn, it will ensure additional contingency funds for States to meet the increased demands. The bipartisan alternative protects children. It requires States to provide vouchers for the needs of children in families removed from welfare rolls as a result of State imposed time limits less than 5 years, and it gives States the option of offering vouchers for children who leave welfare after the 5-year time limit Castle-Tanner also protects legal immigrant children by exempting them from the ban on food stamps and SSI. The substitute contains strong child support enforcement provisions to ensure that parents take responsibility for their children. In addition, the Castle-Tanner substitute protects the nutritional safety net by maintaining the entitlement in the Food Stamps Program. THe Castle-Tanner substitute moves more people from welfare to work. The substitute establishes reasonable work participation requirements and guarantees States the resources needed to meet those requirements rather another unfunded Federal mandate. So that families working their way out of poverty will be able to put food on the table. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, under the majority's welfare reform bill, households in Missouri could experience a decrease in food stamp benefits of $301 in 1998 and as much as $435 in the year 2000. When families are struggling to free themselves from poverty, punitive reductions in food stamp benefits make that job more difficult. The Castle-Tanner substitute ensures that families working their way out of poverty will be able to put food on the table. As a State Legislator in Missouri, I worked diligently to reform the welfare system in my home State and implement reforms similar to provisions contained in the Castle-Tanner proposal. Our plan requires self-sufficiency pacts, similar to the personal responsibility contracts in this substitute, and we impose time based on these pacts. We established successful State initiatives such as the Futures Program, which moves individuals with long-term dependency from welfare to work, and the Local Investment Commission [LINC] to encourage local businesses to put recipients to work a sustainable wage. One Futures participant, Scotti has two children and was on the verge of being homeless when she entered the program. She was able to find housing, enroll in computer training classes, and find employment in 10 months. Scotti, along with the other Futures participants were able to reach their goal of self-sufficiency by utilizing the support of Food Stamps and other public assistance programs. All of the Missouri participants were willing to take risks to change the direction of their life by being confident their children's basic needs of food and nutrition and health care would not be jeopardized. These programs have been instrumental in assisting individuals to leave welfare and become productive taxpayers, and the Castle-Tanner substitute will give each State the opportunity to make reforms and experience similar success. The Castle-Tanner substitute is a fiscally responsible approach to welfare reform that will move people from welfare to work, encourage responibility, and protect children. This substitute is supported by a bipartisan group in Congress and is a bill that the Pesident can sign. I urge my colleagues to support the Castle-Tanner substitute.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, the Speaker has proclaimed this week reform week, and primary among those reforms for all of us will be welfare reform. I urge my colleagues this morning to join in a bipartisan effort, and support the Castle-Tanner bill. This is legislation that will successfully put people to work, will protect our children, and in particular, provide health care for those low-income children who are essential to our future growth. This bill will provide State flexibility. It will require maintenance of effort, but it will encourage and reward States that achieve that. In times of economic downturn, it will allow flexibility for States to meet those needs. Most important, Castle-Tanner does not raise taxes on low-income working people. Mr. Speaker, I urge us to continue to work together to produce a bill the President can sign. I am proud to have worked on the Castle-Tanner bill. It does achieve needed reforms, and I urge my colleagues, all of them, to support this effort.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Chairman, I rise to express my support of one of our Nation's greatest success stories for our youth, the AmeriCorps program, and to express my opposition to amendments offered today which would eliminate or drastically reduce funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service. The mission of AmeriCorps is sensible: provide educational opportunities for young people who serve their community in ways that make a real difference in the lives of others. In my district, AmeriCorps members have partnered with professionals and nonprofit agencies to help immunize children, revitalize and clean up inner city neighborhoods, install smoke alarms in the homes of the elderly, and weatherize homes in low income areas. On Earth Day this year, I assisted AmeriCorps members with planting a community garden in a vacant lot once strewn with debris. The lot now is a source of neighborhood pride. AmeriCorps members continually champion the cause of community service by their collective and individual efforts. In my community, members have worked with community police officers to initiate neighborhoods watch programs and shut down drug houses. The energy of these young people has inspired many families to get more involved to preserve and protect their neighborhood. As a result, Kansas City is cleaner, safer and more livable in places because AmeriCorps has made its mark. As we work to balance the Federal budget, I believe we must set smart priorities. Certainly providing opportunities which afford young people access to job training and education ought to be among our national goals. I urge my colleagues to support the modest level of funding for the Corporation for National and Community Service included in this appropriations bill.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in paying tribute to my fellow Missourian, the gentle man from Missouri, Bill Emerson, and to thank the gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Clay] for bringing this resolution before the House. I joined the Congress a year and a half ago, but I have long admired Mr. Emerson's ability to build bridges between this aisle, which oftentimes is very wide. He made friends with his engaging personality and he kept them with his honest and fair approach to lawmaking. I had the opportunity to serve with him on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure where he was a wonderful mentor to me. We worked together to bring Federal assistance to Missouri, to three grossly deteriorated bridges across the State, the Chouteau Bridge in my district and Representative Danner's district, the Hannibal Bridge in Representative Volkmer's district, and a bridge in Cape Girardeau, which I hope will one day bear his name in tribute to his great efforts in this Congress. We must never forget Representative Emerson's commitment to upholding the integrity of this body, and we must embrace his cooperative spirit, which I hope will guide us through the remainder of this 104th Congress and the challenges that face us. It has been an honor to have served with him, and he will be missed by all of us. I envy those who served with him far longer than I did. I will treasure those quiet, witty, thoughtful conversations, so rich in history and so full of wisdom. I send my heartfelt condolences to his family, to the citizens of the 8th District, and to this great Nation, and I join with my leader in celebration of his goodness.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the amendment by my colleague from New Mexico to provide additional funding for the operations of the National Park Service. One of the parks operated by the National Park Service, the home of former President Harry S. Truman, is located in my district in Independence, Missouri. Earlier this week I had the distinction of joining with Independence Mayor Ron Stewart, local preservationists, and National Park Service officials to announce that Harry Truman's neighborhood is one of the nation's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the Harry S. Truman Historic District each year to experience a living history lesson unlike any other. It is one example of our vital national treasures which must be preserved. Unfortunately, like the Truman Historic District, many of these treasures are endangered due to new development, and decades of deterioration and neglect. The National Park Service is vital to the protection of preservation of historic landmarks like the Truman Home. The additional money provided by this amendment is necessary for the Park Service to perform its many operations. I urge my colleagues to support the National Park Service, and to vote for the Richardson amendment.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, during rollcall votes numbered 246 and 247, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present I would have voted ``Yes'' on rollcall vote 246, and ``No'' on rollcall vote 247. I ask unanimous consent that my statement appear in the Congressional Record. Thank you.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my condolences to all of the families and congregations which have been victims of church burnings throughout our Nation, and urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3525, the Church Arson Prevention Act. Many religious groups and individuals in my community have provided support for those who have been displaced by the church burnings. The Reverend Mac Charles Jones, pastor of St. Stephen Baptist Church in Kansas City, is one who is advocating nationally for African American congregations coping with this extraordinary misfortune. In his role as associate general secretary for racial justice of the National Council of Churches, Rev. Jones met with President Clinton last week urging Federal support in investigating the church burnings. Rev. Jones and other area ministers are seeking donations locally to assist the investigators and the victims. I salute everyone for demonstrating compassion and generosity during this difficult time, and encourage the broadest participation possible in rebuilding these spiritual structures. I am honored today to have the opportunity to do my part by supporting a bill to prevent these horrific acts of violence in the future. H.R. 3525 eliminates certain barriers to Federal prosecution of individuals suspected of church burning. For example, the current requirement that the offense cause at least $10,000 in damages before Federal action can be taken will be eliminated. Those who would deface or destroy religious property in the name of hate will be subject to Federal criminal charges. Healing the spiritual wounds caused by the destruction of one's place of worship will not come easily or quickly, but finding the individuals who are responsible and bringing them to justice is essential. I believe very strongly that local communities and the Federal Government must work together to see that these grave injustices are rectified. The Church Arson Prevention Act will aid communities and law enforcement in this effort, and will help deter future acts of terrorism on our churches and synagogues, which serve as the center of every community. The Jewish Community Relations Bureau, one of the many organizations in my community which has come to the aid of the victims of church burnings, has a saying: If injustice is occurring to one person, it's the same as if it's happening to me. I urge my colleagues to act in the spirit of this sincere expression by voting for H.R. 3525.

Ms. McCARTHY

Ms. McCARTHY. Mr. Speaker, during Rollcall Vote No. 222 on H.R. 3364 I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''