John McHugh

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4002) to designate the United States Postal Service building located at 5300 West Jefferson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the ``Freeman Hankins Post Office Building''.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4003) to designate the United States Postal Service building located at 2037 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the ``Max Weiner Post Office Building''.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to a very important program. It's not a government program, but an example of our private sector partnering effectively with the public sector to tackle pressing social problems. In 1985, ADVO, Inc., the nation's largest direct mail marketing company, partnered with The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, the Juvenile Division of the Department of Justice, and the U.S. Postal Service to lend a hand in the recovery of missing and exploited children. One of the leaders of that partnership, ADVO Senior Vice President Vincent Giuliano, recently came to Capitol Hill to share with the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus this amazing success story. I encourage my colleagues and every citizen to take an interest in this important program, which is doing so much to help the nation's missing and exploited children. As a direct result of this innovative program, ADVO has helped the authorities recover 88 children and to reunite them with their families. Approximately one out of every seven children featured in the program has been recovered. How was this amazing success possible? First, a bit of background about ADVO's business. In delivering its advertising circulars, ADVO utilizes a little white card that functions as the address label and is detached from the advertising package itself. Most of us probably wouldn't have seen much in those cards. But Vince Giuliano saw in those cards an opportunity. Because he realized that those cards reach a huge portion of the American public--today they are seen by over 150 million Americans living in more than 60 million homes every week, and reach another 13 million homes through ADVO's direct mail partners--he saw possibility. He saw in that huge distribution network an opportunity to help find America's missing and exploited children. Mr. Giuliano developed a public service program through which ADVO printed the pictures of missing children on those address cards. The U.S. Postal Service is a proud partner with ADVO, having changed its regulations in 1985 to allow pictures and data provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to appear on the cards. In addition to the obvious benefit of finding missing children, the program makes other contributions. The pictures of the missing children on the cards help raise public awareness and sensitivity to the problem of missing and exploited children. In addition, the program serves as a powerful deterrent to would-be abductors, to whom this program states, ``You can run, but you can't hide.'' And, this program makes sure that no child is forgotten no matter how long he or she has been missing. Accompanying Mr. Giuliano as he spoke to the Caucus was Krystle Bondello of Warminister, Pennsylvania. She is the living embodiment of the success of this program. She was abducted by her non-custodial father in 1993 and has been the subject of a nationwide search by police and the FBI. After no leads turned up in the case, Krystle appeared on one of the ADVO fliers which at that time reached 57 million homes. Within a couple of hours of the deliveries of those cards, the FBI tracked her father to California and Krystle was ultimately recovered and reunited with her mother. Because of so many success stories like Krystle's, this program has been widely and deservedly praised. It won the award of excellence from the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center on January 28, 1986. On July 23, 1987, President Reagan presented ADVO the Steuben Glass Tetrahedron, the most prestigious Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives. On September 24, 1987 he honored ADVO with the President's Child Safety Partnership Award. President Bush and Congressional leaders celebrated National Missing Children's Day and the fifth anniversary of the program by honoring three ``Unsung Heroes'' for their role in helping to reunite missing children with their families with a Capitol Hill ceremony on May 25, 1990. ADVO recently added an innovative enhancement to the program in hopes of recovering more missing children. It now targets its photo distribution to leverage the NCMEC's and the FBI's intelligence, when possible, on the likely whereabouts of a missing child. A photo can now be pinpointed to one of six regions in the country, or distributed nationwide over a six-week period. If imitation is, indeed, the most sincere form of flattery, the folks at ADVO deserve to feel flattered. Other organizations--including several Members of Congress--have recognized the effectiveness of ADVO's program and are starting spin-off programs of their own. For example, my office recently began working with NCMEC and the New York State Missing & Exploited Children Clearinghouse to identify three children from my congressional district who are currently missing. Soon, the envelopes sent from my office will bear the photos of those kids in an effort to raise awareness and perhaps locate and recover them. I want to take this opportunity to praise ADVO for its spirit of innovation and for caring enough to work to tackle this heartbreaking and seemingly intractable problem. I also want to commend the United States Postal Service, for amending its regulations to allow that creative spirit to flourish. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, The Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, and The Juvenile Division of the Department of Justice are all cooperating organizations and are also deserving of our thanks. Finally, I wish to commend and to thank all of the noble Americans who took it upon themselves to look at these cards and contact the authorities with information. Without this final ingredient of citizen participation, these amazing results would not have been possible.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, I would be interested in the gentleman's description of the Northeast Dairy Compact that apparently leads him to believe----

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would continue to yield, I think this is an important question that creates some differences in this debate and it should be resolved. But I would be interested to hear what leads the gentleman to believe that the Northeast Dairy Compact as currently construed, number one, puts trade barriers that prohibits the importation of milk, whether it comes from his State or any other, into the region; and, number two, on its face apparently leads him to believe that it is unconstitutional, assuming that unconstitutionality is consistent with being un-American.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, there it is absolutely no prohibition, implied or explicit, in this or any other compact that, by the way are constitutionally authorized, that prices the importation of product. What it affects is the price of that product paid by the developers and paid by the processing plants once the milk is there. It has nothing to do with the importation of the milk from the farm gate.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman would again yield, what the gentleman just said by his very words proves the points. He said it treats all producers equally. That is absolutely correct, and I appreciate the gentleman clarifying that for me, because I think there is a lot of misunderstanding here.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, if the gentleman will continue to yield, I do not disagree with everything the gentleman said, particularly the very, I think, succinct point that this debate does not get to the heart of the challenges facing dairy policy in this country across the board. The gentleman, my friend, and I have had discussions about this. I know that his heart is in the same place mine is, and that is trying to do something that affects the benefit of every dairy farmer. But a couple of points of clarification. First of all, I want the gentleman to understand that when he says ``you in the Northeast,'' New York State that I represent is not in the dairy compact. Darn it. I wish we were, but that is another story. The second is, traditionally, currently New York State, and it is not just the gentleman's comments that caught my ear but others have said today, the Northeast is a deficit region, has been, is now and is likely to be. He speaks about his concerns of the future. If I could tell the future, I would be at OTB right now. The gentleman may join me. The fact of the matter is, we can paint any kind of terrorist scenario. The reality is that the compact has not been the force that has produced excess milk. The Northeast is still a deficit region. And honestly, I do not see when you are creating a compact where you can take the largest municipality out of it and say, ``if that were not there.'' It is there. And as much as I love the Yankees over the Red Sox, I hope Boston is going to be there for a long time. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Chairman, the point the gentleman just made about exporting in the Northeast, I am assuming he is speaking of the entire Northeast dairy production region. I have heard this mentioned before. I would be interested where the statistics are that show that the Northeast region is a producer of surplus. I have heard that several times and, quite honestly, as someone who has been involved in dairy policy at the State and Federal level for 20 years, I have never seen it.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to an outstanding American, an outstanding soldier, an outstanding officer who has touched the lives of many of my colleagues in the House of Representatives. On August 31, 1998, Colonel Daniel E. Fleming retires after over 23 years of dedicated service to America and our great Army. Throughout his career, Dan Fleming has provided forward-looking leadership characterized by a unique intellect and strategic vision. He has served with distinction in positions of increasing responsibility from platoon to Army Secretariat, always demonstrating the highest degree of leadership and professionalism while making lasting contributions to Army readiness and mission accomplishment. As we honor his retirement, we note that Colonel Fleming's distinguished career has stretched over two decades, culminating in his service these past two years as Chief of the Army's House Liaison Division. In this position, Colonel Fleming has been the Secretary of the Army's principal representative to the United States House of Representatives, establishing close working relationships with more than half of the Members of the House. Colonel Fleming has personally organized, planned, coordinated and accompanied 32 Congressional Delegations involving 128 Members of Congress on fact-finding and investigative missions to 52 foreign countries. He has vastly improved coordination and professional relationships between the Army and key Members and staff and has ensured the Army has the best reputation of all the Armed Services for providing prompt and accurate responses to congressional inquiries from House Members. Colonel Dan Fleming was born in Athens, Ohio, Graduating from Ohio University in 1975, he received his commission through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program and began his career in the Army as an Infantry officer. His distinguished career includes assignments all over the world and at every echelon. His first assignment was as a scout platoon leader with the 9th Infantry Regiment, in the Republic of Korea. Dan then transferred to Aviation Branch, qualifying to fly almost every helicopter in the Army inventory, including the UH-1H ``Huey'' (Iroquois), UH-60 ``Blackhawk,'' OH-58A/C ``Kiowa,'' AH-1 ``Cobra,'' and AH-64 ``Apache.'' Dan commanded Aviation units at Platoon, Company and Battalion level both in the Continental United States and in the Federal Republic of Germany, served as an Aide-de- Camp, Battalion Operations Officer, Battalion Executive Officer, Secretary of the General Staff, and Army Legislative Liaison Staff Officer. Through it all, Dan Fleming has consistently delivered professional, selfless service to our Nation. A leader of extraordinary intellect, with vision and dedication to math, Colonel Fleming has always remembered that our Army consists first and foremost of soldiers. Mindful of this, he served with distinction in position of increasing responsibility from platoon to Army Secretariat. Dedicated his career to caring for his soldiers. We offer our heartfelt appreciation and best wishes to Dan Fleming: a soldier whose selfless service has truly made a difference.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his comments. Truly, I think Alan is admired by so many that there are a number of Members who care to share in this experience. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record remarks by our colleague and friend the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), who has some very, I think, insightful and kind words to say about this deserving man as well. Unfortunately, Chairman Solomon is involved in a meeting upstairs. But he has sent his best and I know wants to have the Congressional Record show his admiration for a very special man.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor today to recognize the work and career of an extraordinary man, Watertown Daily Times reporter Alan Emory. Indeed, June 7 marked Alan's 51st year with Watertown (New York) Daily Times. Alan has rightfully earned the recently bestowed title of Times senior Washington correspondent by serving 47 of his 51 years covering the Capital, covering all the stories, large and not so large, nearly one-half century of being a firsthand witness to the events of the day and, more importantly, reporting them accurately and intelligently and succinctly to thousands. Alan went to Watertown with impressive academic credentials. He was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard University, and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism; and, to this day, his writings reflect his remarkable education and intellect. But for all of that, it was his talent and hard work that helped him prove himself to editor and publisher Mr. Harold B. Johnson. It is amazing to me to think about how things have changed since Alan first arrived in Washington in 1951. He has covered the administrations of 10 presidents. He has covered our Nation's war and military deployments ever since the Korean Conflict. Alan's length of service is an important achievement. However, it is the manner with which he has served these 51 years that is indeed most impressive. I came to this town in 1992 and became the fourth Member of the House from New York's North Country area to be covered by Alan. For me, it was a real thrill, not the new office or duties of the town, even though that was all very exciting, but the opportunity to meet and work with this man. Like so many others, I grew up learning about the inside operations of our Federal Government through Alan's writings. Later, as a member of the New York State Senate, I looked to Alan's insightful articles in the respected Empire State Report to help me better under the connection of politics and government between New York State and the Nation's Capital. For someone like me, long a political junkie from northern New York, meeting Alan Emory was the literary equivalent of meeting Cal Ripken, a legend in their own time, legends who survive through a rare combination of talent, hard work, grace, and style. But for all of his talent, all of his skills and charm, the thing I think I admire most about Alan has been his sense of place, that all- too-rare quality in a reporter who recognizes the difference between a news story and an op-ed piece, a man who has always understood that a news article must be about facts and that opinions are to be confined to other sections of the paper. Not to say that Alan is without opinion, nor that he is unable to express them. To the contrary, his weekly column on politics in the Sunday paper always informs, instructs and impresses with deft insight. But Alan has always known how to expertly write each story and where to place it. It is a skill sadly few others possess today. Happily, Alan will continue writing, will continue enlightening and informing but, hopefully, in a new way that will provide him and his wonderful bride and partner Nancy more time to enjoy their lives together, their family, their two sons Marc and John, and their daughter Katherine and their families. It is an opportunity they both richly, richly deserve. And so, Mr. Speaker, it is with honor that I rise today to state for the Record the partial achievements of a very remarkable man, to thank Alan Emory for his 51 years of contributions, and, on a personal note, to say that, in my nearly 30 years in public life, I have never met a reporter or a man in whom I hold higher respect and admiration. Thanks, Alan. You are the best.

Mr. McHUGH. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill, H.R. 3630.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would, first of all, note the addition to my comment about Mother Teresa. I think that is even more appropriate, although certainly the accolade of being a mother to a community is high praise, indeed. But that even, it seems to me, reflects more clearly the high regard, the respect and admiration that this community held this great woman in. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2798) to redesignate the building of the United States Postal Service located at 2419 West Monroe Street, in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Nancy B. Jefferson Post Office Building.''

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 3808.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, on that, I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time either. And with final urging to honor as a unanimous body the deeds and the life of a great American and a fine human being, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3630, honoring our late colleague, Steven Schiff of New Mexico, was introduced by the chairman of the full committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) on April 1, 1998. Pursuant to the policy of the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, the legislation is indeed cosponsored by all the Members of the New Mexico delegation, although the sponsor himself is from Indiana. It is a fitting tribute to Steve, as all of us knew him better, that the chairman of the committee on which he served with dedication and concern for issues, would sponsor this legislation as an outgoing tribute to his memory. The legislation in fact redesignates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 9719 Candelaria Road NE., in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the ``Steven Schiff Post Office.'' The Committee on Government Reform and Oversight amended the bill to read ``Steve Schiff,'' as I mentioned, the name by which many more of us knew him, known as Steve, of course, by his friends, his family and his constituents, and the name change was suggested indeed by Mrs. Schiff, and was unanimously accepted by his colleagues on the committee on which Steve served with distinction. Steven Harvey Schiff was born in the great City of Chicago. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois, but moved to earn his law degree from the University of New Mexico Law School. He was admitted to the bar and stayed in New Mexico to become the assistant district attorney of Bernalillo County for two years. He then became a trial attorney, but returned to public service as an assistant city attorney, counsel for the Albuquerque Police Department, and district attorney for his county for eight years. Steve earned the reputation of being tough on crime and going by the book. He served in the New Mexico Air National Guard and was an Air Force Reserve Colonel. During the Persian Gulf crisis in 1991, Steve performed legal duties, such as drafting wills for military reservists. In 1996 he served for several days in the Bosnia theater as a judge advocate general involved in international legal matters. Steve Schiff was elected by the First District of New Mexico to the 101st Congress, and to three succeeding Congresses. He succeeded a gentleman who left the house after 20 years and became Secretary of Interior under President Bush. Steve was a member of several committees during his service in the House: The Committee on Standards of Official Conduct; the Committee on the Judiciary, on which he served as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime; the Committee on Science, on which he served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Basic Research; and, as I have mentioned, the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. Steve will be remembered as a Member who voted his conscience. He sponsored legislation and asked questions that were not always popular, though his tough stands and his caring spirit made him very popular himself on both sides of the aisle by Members and staff. We have the honor of having before us today, Mr. Speaker, two bills, this and the prior one considered, who are bestowing honors on gentlemen that are still fresh in the memories of many of the Members of this House. Having served with Steve, I can say he was always what was good about this House, always what was good about this Congress, a man who cared only about his constituents and what was best for his country. It is with a great deal of honor that I ask my colleagues to join with me today in supporting this bill in honor of Steve Schiff. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3808) to designate the United States Post Office located at 47526 Clipper Drive in Plymouth, Michigan, as the ``Carl D. Pursell Post Office,'' as amended.

Mr. McHUGH

Mr. McHUGH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2799) to redesignate the building of the United States Postal Service located at 324 South Laramie Street, in Chicago, Illinois, as the ``Reverend Milton R. Brunson Post Office Building.''