John Mica

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on S. 1021, the Senate bill under consideration.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. My colleagues, I am very pleased to be here this evening. It has taken us two Congresses, but this House is finally in a position to legislate long overdue relief for the men and women who have defended our Nation. This process began in the last Congress when I was pleased to introduce H.R. 3586, the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1996. The House passed that bill twice, once as a stand-alone bill and once as an amendment to a Senate bill, S. 8668. Unfortunately, the other body did not act on either of those bills before that Congress adjourned. On the first day of this Congress, Mr. Speaker, I introduced essentially the same bill, H.R. 240, the Veterans Employment Act of 1997. The House passed H.R. 240 on April 9, 1997. The Senate has passed the bill before us today, S. 1021, which was a companion bill to H.R. 240, introduced by Senators Hagel and Cleland, two very distinguished Vietnam veterans. Mr. Speaker, there are many to thank for their hard work and leadership on this bipartisan issue. I want to particularly point out and thank for their strong support the current chairman of the committee, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Dan Burton), and former chairman Bill Clinger, both of whom led the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight during this Congress and the last one. I also want to take a moment to thank for their leadership the distinguished gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Stump), the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Steve Buyer), who chaired the Subcommittee on Education, Training, Employment and Housing, during the last Congress. And I must give special appreciation to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Solomon), who has been a strong and tireless supporter of this legislation and a tremendous fighter for our veterans. I appreciate both his support and his leadership. I also want to thank three gentlemen on the other side of the aisle who have served as ranking members of the Subcommittee on Civil Service during my tenure as chairman. First, unquestionably, we thank for his leadership the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Elijah Cummings), who has done a tremendous job working with me hand-in-hand during the past years. Also, I want to thank former ranking members, one from Pennsylvania, Mr. Tim Holden, and the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Moran), both of whom have supported this legislation, and I thank them for their untiring leadership. Mr. Speaker, this bill does not resolve all of the problems relating to veterans preference in our Federal workplace. It does not contain all the protections for veterans that were in the bill that the House passed. Nonetheless, Mr. Speaker, there are some very important protections in this legislation. Foremost among them is the creation of an effective and user-friendly redress system for our veterans who believe their rights have been violated. This has been sought by our veterans for many, many years. In addition, veterans entitled to preference and other veterans who have 3 years of honorable service in the military will receive expanded opportunities to compete for Federal jobs. Very often, Mr. Speaker, Federal agencies will only allow current civilian employees to apply for vacancies. Veterans who do not work for the Federal Government are barred from even competing on their merits for these jobs. That will change when this legislation is enacted. Under this bill whenever an agency opens the competition to civilian employees outside of its own workforce, it must also allow these qualified veterans to compete. S. 1021 is a significant step forward for our veterans. It opens many jobs that were previously closed to them. It also advances the principle of open competition for Federal jobs. Most important, this provision recognizes that the men and women who served in our armed forces have indeed served as Federal employees and it honors and recognizes that service. Like the House bill, S. 1021 also makes the violation of veterans' preference laws a prohibited personnel practice. This means that bureaucrats who violate veterans' rights do so at their own peril. They can be subjected in fact to disciplinary action before the Merit Systems Protection Board under this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this bill also expands veterans' employment opportunities with Federal contractors and it also prohibits Federal agencies from contracting with companies that have not complied with the Department of Labor reporting requirements with respect to hiring Vietnam-era, Persian Gulf and our disabled veterans. The House bill contained no similar provisions. These are welcome additions that certainly embody the spirit of the House bill. They will open new job opportunities for our veterans, particularly our Persian Gulf veterans. However, just today the Society for Human Resource Management and other employer organizations have raised certain questions about the potential burden that may be imposed on employers by section 8 of the bill, this provision that I said was included by the other body. Mr. Speaker, this is a question that should carefully be examined by, among others, the Committee on Education and the Workforce which has jurisdiction over the office of Federal contract compliance programs. Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a letter I received today from the Society for Human Resource Management. Society for Human Resource Management, Alexandria, VA, October 8, 1998. U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Member of Congress: On behalf of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), I am writing to express concerns regarding Section 8 of S. 1021, the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act, entitled, ``Requirement for Additional Information in Annual Reports from Federal Contractors in Veterans Employment''. This provision was not included in the House-passed bill or in the original Senate legislation. We understand that the full House is likely to consider S. 1021 by suspending the rules later today. SHRM is the leading voice of the human resource profession, representing more than 104,000 human resource professionals and student members from across the country and around the globe. Currently, a federal contractor is required to report the total number of veterans whom the contractor employs on a particular date. S. 1021, Section 8, would further require federal contractors to report the maximum and the minimum number of all employees during the entire one year period covered by the report. The bill would prohibit federal agencies from obligating or expending funds to enter into a contract with a contractor who has not complied with reporting requirements. The reporting requirements proposed in Section 8 do not currently exist under any federal statute. Information for all employees in the entire workforce, from every payroll period would need to be captured, stored, analyzed and extrapolated to determine the minimum and maximum number of employees for the entire year. Changes to the current reporting requirements for the VETS- 100 report would represent a major effort and expense for federal contractors. New surveying of the current workforce would be required. Internal procedures and forms associated with the hiring process would have to be changed to reflect the new categories of veterans. Processes would need to be implemented to insure that each employee provides a response, even if that response is that he or she does not wish to self-identify. In addition, historical data that currently resides in computer systems would need to be altered. This requirement raises a whole host of unanswered questions, including, how ``employees'' will be defined and what constitutes a reported work site. While it may be assumed that the same definition of what constitutes a reported work site would apply to this new mandate, the legislation does not specifically address that issue. Employers are already confronting significant and costly changes to their Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) because of a whole host of increased reporting requirements. For example, changes to the 2000 Census will require significant changes to employers' collection reporting processes for employee information. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is also reportedly actively considering changes to its reporting requirements. The cumulative impact of these changes in unbearable. We recognize the importance of protecting American Veterans and the underlying legislation, but hope that you will understand these practical concerns and the impact that Section 8 will have on reporting processes for all federal contractors in the private sector. Please contact Deanna Gelak, Director of Government Affairs if you would like to further discuss these issues and the need to further examine the employment implications of Section 8 of S. 1021 in the next Congressional session. Sincerely, Susan R. Meisinger, SPHR, Senior Vice President. Mr. Speaker, in short and finally, S. 1021 is a good bill. It is a strong bipartisan measure that in fact will benefit our veterans. I urge all Members to support it. Unfortunately our Federal workplace has become a barrier to employment opportunity where veterans sometimes are the very last hired and the first fired. This bill changes that practice. This is the most important and significant veterans legislation to pass Congress in nearly a decade. This effort in fact culminates years of efforts by numerous veterans service organizations to recognize Federal service as Federal employment by our veterans. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, and my good colleague Mr. Solomon, I am really sad that Jerry is leaving us now. He served 10 years with my brother Dan Mica and the truly sad part about his leaving is after 6 years, he no longer calls me Dan. All kidding aside, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Solomon, at a time when our country is really cynical about its leadership in Congress and politicians in general, I cannot think of anyone who has set a better example by his life and his conduct than Jerry Solomon. Jerry Solomon has been in all instances a national leader, someone who typifies what people want of their individuals who serve in politics. He came from business, gave up his fortune, time with his family to dedicate it here to his country. Jerry Solomon, I tell you this from the bottom of my heart, I know is a true patriot and his top priority has been those who wear the uniform and his daily concern has been to strengthen our national security. No one exemplifies true patriotism more than Jerry Solomon. Lastly, Jerry Solomon, if you do not know him or have not known him, is a family man. No one greater sets an example for this country or for this Congress than Jerry Solomon and the example he has set as a family man. I salute everyone and particularly Jerry as my friend and will miss him, but he has a special place in all of our hearts and our memories.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House this evening to talk very briefly about a great European leader, Alexander Dubcek, and also to talk about the Slovak elections. Recently, in Slovakia, we had the opportunity, after a thousand years, to witness free and independent elections. As some may know, Slovakia gained its freedom some 5 years ago and independence as a free nation in the Western European host of nations. In the last few weeks Slovakia has had the opportunity to elect for the first time representatives to their government that potentially will allow a true, free, honest government for that nation. In the past years, there has been some conflict, there have been some problems in Slovakia, and in an election, which was a record by all Western democratic standards, 85 percent of the Slovaks turned out to cast their ballot. They decided to make a change in government, an important change in Slovakia, and it is very important to the Congress and to the Western world the change that took place in that free and open election. They decided that they would form a new government and, again, create an opportunity for that country, which has had a thousand years of oppression, to be free and independent. Once again Slovakia will form a Western-leaning government. My grandfather was a Slovak American immigrant, and I know the oppression that that country has seen with domination not only by the Nazis, not only by Russia and Stalin, not only under its own communist regime. Even as part of the Czech Republic they did not have the opportunity to be a free and independent nation. So today we celebrate a free, independent election, the potential to continue as a free and independent nation, and Western-leaning democracy. Because of its importance, Slovakia, which juts out into the west between Hungary and the Czech Republic now has an opportunity to participate as a full partner in NATO, in the European Union and as a Western partner. The world has seen many great leaders from Slovakia, and I know great leaders will emerge from this coalition that is to be formed in the new government. Alexander Dubcek, a Slovak, in 1968, led the revolution, the revolution that was oppressed by Soviet tanks that trampled Slovakia. Now, for the first time, that country has an opportunity to be new, to have a new ``Spring'' of freedom. That revolution has been known as the ``Prague Spring'' but it was really the ``Dubcek Spring,'' sprung from the heart of a native Slovkian. So we as Americans, we as Members of Congress, we as Slovak Americans, salute these free and independent elections. This bright new opportunity for freedom, the standard that was set by Alexander Dubcek, can now rise, and the Soviet domination of the past is behind us; the Nazi domination and a thousand years of oppression are behind us. A bright future for Slovakia is before us. I come to the floor as a Slovak American, as an American, as a Member of Congress, to salute the Slovak people on their great accomplishment, their new opportunity for freedom and independence and express my hope and prayers for a new government that will work closely and participate with other Western Democracies.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, it is fitting that Congress is here working today on Saturday. In fact, tens of millions of Americans work on Saturday and throughout the week to feed their families and to pay their taxes. In fact to pay their taxes, which the Democrat majority has raised, most Americans work until May of each year to pay their tax bills. The proposal before us is not a big tax cut. In fact, it is a rather modest tax cut, but it is targeted to change oppressive and destructive tax policy. Taxation helps determine economic and social policy. Foremost, this measure will change Federal policy to say that married couples who live together under the law will not be penalized. Just as important as cutting the tax burden, this legislation will have a positive impact on nurturing the family structure. For 40 years, the other side of the aisle adopted policies that helped destroy the American family unit and the work ethic in this country. During those 40 years they paid people more not to work than to work. In 4 years, we changed that policy. During 40 years, the Democrats taxed, retaxed, and overtaxed those who went to work and those who produced. In 4 years, we changed that policy. During those 40 years, the Democrats penalized fathers who live with their families. In 4 years, we changed that policy. During 40 years, the Democrats adopted policies that robbed people of their pride, their dignity, and most of all, of their personal initiative. The Republicans began to change that policy. Today, we have one more small opportunity to change and correct a misguided policy.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote on September 18, 1998. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted in the following manner. On agreeing to the amendment of Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Roll No. 450, I would have voted no. On agreeing to the amendment of Mr. Martinez of California, Roll No. 451, I would have voted no. On approving the final passage of H.R. 3248, To Provide Dollars to the Classroom, Roll No. 452, I would have voted yes.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I would like to speak against the Reyes perfecting amendment and in support of the Traficant amendment. Mr. Chairman, we have lived in a land of ``maybe" for 5\1/2\ years now. We have lived in a land of we should do this and we should do that but we have not done this or that. Ladies and gentlemen, we have seen again the results, and I do not want to repeat them, but the results are devastating on our children and on the flow of drugs and illegal narcotics into this country. The question before us is, shall we use the military along our borders to protect our borders in the interest of national security? I strongly support the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant). Mr. Chairman, if this Nation has ever been under attack, it is now. If you do not count 15,000 deaths per year and add up in the last 5\1/2\ years the number of innocent Americans and mostly young people who have died on the streets and in our neighborhoods and in our communities, you cannot say that is not war. The total is more than the casualties, the fatalities in the Vietnam War and the Korean War and in the Persian Gulf War. I submit that we have 2 million Americans in prison behind bars locked up at public expense. Any sheriff, any law enforcement officer will tell you that 70 percent of them are there because of use of illegal narcotics. If this is not a national security threat, if we have not seen enough lives destroyed in our communities, whether it is Plano, Texas; Los Angeles, Detroit or my central Florida, I do not know when we will recognize the problem. And here we are in our Nation's capital, the United States of America, Washington, the District of Columbia. I have been coming here for 18 years. And every week I have read the obituaries. Every year 3 to 400 young black Americans have been slaughtered in the streets here because people will not stand up and take a stand against illegal narcotics and trafficking. That is thousands of lives lost in this Nation. And here we are debating ``shall'' or ``should.'' It is time to stop playing games. The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Traficant) is correct. Fifty percent of the drugs have come in from Mexico. Here are the reports, we have held hearing after hearing. Here are the reports. There are facts. The drugs are coming in across the borders. We must use every possible means to stop them. In this poll-driven city, everyone relies on polls. Here is a poll taken September 15, 1998, 60 percent of Americans say the use of military patrols along the border to stop drugs is either an excellent or very good idea. So hide behind polls but do what we need to do, because if drug dealers were to lob missiles across our borders, they could not do any more damage than they have done to this Nation's capital, to the streets of America. So do not come up with these last-minute ``should,'' ``maybe'' or ``possibly.'' This is a time for action. We need to defeat the Reyes amendment. We need to support our colleague on the other side of the aisle and let us go forward and stop this travesty on our youth and this Nation.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, today the chickens have come home to roost. I say that because I want to review with you just for a minute where we have been on this issue. I was active as a Senate staffer some years ago on this issue when the Reagan administration created most of the laws and took an active and strong stand towards the question of illegal narcotics. I say the chickens have come home to roost because we today see the results of a policy that has failed and that has put our Nation and our children at risk. We see a policy that was adopted by a President in 1993 that put in place as the chief health officer of our Nation, the Surgeon General, an individual who said just say maybe to drugs. We have seen the destruction of the laws which we put on the books to certify drug producing countries and make a joke of them. We have seen the highest officer of the land say, if I had it to do all over again, I would inhale. Mr. Chairman, we see the chickens have come home to roost. Let me read a few of these statistics. Current Illicit Drug Use Among Our Nation's Youth Continues to Skyrocket. This is a report of August 21 of 1998. Youth aged 12 to 17 using illegal drugs has more than doubled, 120 percent, a 27 percent increase from 1996 to 1997. For kids 12 to 17, these are the latest statistics, first time heroin use, which is proven to kill, surged a whopping 875 percent from 1991 to 1996. The overall number of past month heroin users increased 378 percent from 1993 to 1997. I submit the chickens have come home to roost. When we have a policy and we have an administration from 1993 to 1995 that cut our interdiction programs, that decimated our source country programs, that reduced the military involvement in stopping drugs come into this country, which destroyed the Coast Guard's ability to protect our coast and areas like Puerto Rico, the chickens have come home to roost, and we see the results. This bill by my colleague the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum) is the antidote. It is what the doctor has ordered. It directs our resources to the source countries. We know where the drugs are coming from, heroin and cocaine. They are coming from Colombia. They are coming from Peru. They are coming from Bolivia. And they are being transited through Mexico. This puts the resources to stop drugs at their source, the most cost effective means of stopping drugs. So we have got to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. He has fallen off the wall. He has been destroyed. But it is going to take this legislation and subsequent legislation that we will hear today and tomorrow by this country to refocus our energy to stop drugs at their source. I do not want to see another headline in my district with another teenager, a record number killed, dying a horrible death in central Florida, my peaceful central Florida that the gentleman from Florida (Mr. McCollum) shares with me. A fluent area, not a ghetto, not an urban blighted area, but the suburbs, the heart and core of this Nation has now been affected. So it is something that really is important that we pass this legislation, this cost effective measure that is produced, not only to stop drugs at their source by our efforts, but also training those who are involved in producing drugs at their source to help us interdict this death and destruction that is plaguing our streets and our children.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased this afternoon to congratulate my colleague, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), for introducing this resolution. On September 8, 1998, Mark McGwire broke the Major League baseball record for home runs in a single season and joins such immortals as Babe Ruth and Roger Maris as legends of our national past time. But, Mr. Speaker, when America watched Mark McGwire pursue, and then break, Roger Maris's single-season home run record, we witnessed far more than a spectacular athletic achievement and a sportsmanship achievement. In the apt words of the gentleman's resolution, the gentleman from Missouri, he stated, ``Mark McGwire conducted himself with uncommon grace, class, and dignity.'' At all times he was, as the resolution goes on to say, a first-rate role model for the young people of our Nation. But it is not just the young people who can learn from this athlete's example. Everyone can and should learn by his achievements and the manner in which he conducted himself. More memorable than the home run that he hit that night was the grace with which he conducted himself, the joy with which he greeted his young son as he crossed home plate, the great respect he showed for the Maris family, and the friendship that he and Sammy Sosa, who is also challenging the home run record, demonstrated that night and so many millions of Americans witnessed. It is, therefore, appropriate that Congress commend and recognize Mark McGwire for breaking this record and for the manner in which he did it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 520) congratulating Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals for breaking the Major League Baseball single-season home run record, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. Mr. Speaker, I further ask unanimous consent that the debate on the resolution be confined to 40 minutes, equally divided between myself and the gentleman from Maryland, (Mr. Cummings).

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In closing, Mr. Speaker, there is, in fact, baseball yet to be played this year. Perhaps there are more home runs to be hit. We really do not know yet what the new home run record will be. We do not know who will hold that title and that record. What we do know is that Mark McGwire has at all times conducted himself both as a gentleman and as a true sportsman. His athletic achievements are, in fact, a deed to be respected, but the quality of character he has demonstrated throughout this historic baseball season should be honored. At a time, Mr. Speaker, when values, character, and professional conduct is being challenged both here in Washington and at every level across our land, it is indeed fitting that today Congress recognize a true role model, Mark McGwire. Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to vote for this resolution.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 520.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), the author of this resolution.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 3898, the Speed Trafficking Life In Prison Act. Recently, we have witnessed a drastic increase in the use of illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines in this country. The crisis continues and, unfortunately, our children are the victims. Methamphetamine is currently a popular ``designer drug'' of choice which causes severe side effects and can result in death. A 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse shows that 4.9 million people have tried methamphetamine at some time in their lives. In a report of combined data from 21-metropolitan areas across our nation, the statistics show that methamphetamine related episodes in hospital emergency rooms increased by 71% between the first and second halves of 1996. That is an increase from 4,000 to almost 7,000 reported incidents over a six month period. The situation is alarming and spinning out of control. We must penalize those that are putting this poison on our streets. H.R. 3898 strengthens the penalties for manufacturing, trafficking or importing methamphetamine--making penalties equal to those for crack cocaine--and imposes life imprisonment sentences for those that manufacture or distribute methamphetamine. This legislation also reduces the quantity of methamphetamine required to trigger the mandatory minimum sentences by one-half and establishes that 50 grams triggers a 10-year mandatory minimum. It is time to send a clear message to those drug dealers that threaten our communities. Tough penalties must be imposed on those who deal in destruction of lives and death. I ask my colleagues to join with me in support of this measure as we continue to wage a war on drugs to save our children and every American from the plague of methamphetamines now sweeping across our land.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, first I want to take a moment to thank the gentlemen from Illinois, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Yates, and Mr. Davis for introducing this resolution to recognize the achievements of Sammy Sosa. I was also pleased to recognize the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Talent), who introduced H.R. 520 which we just considered and passed, recognizing the sports achievements of Mark McGwire. Mr. Speaker, fortunately this year's baseball season is not over. In fact, the Cubs are competing for a spot in the playoffs. This, in fact, is good news for all Americans, for indeed we have more time for Sammy Sosa to display his baseball skills and perhaps to hit a few more exciting home runs. More importantly, though, it means there is more time for all Americans, especially young people, to learn about grace, sportsmanship, and dignity from gentlemen who have set a great example for sportsmanship. I think this is really important at this time in our history, because it is critical that young people have role models. Today, we as Members of Congress pay tribute to those who have displayed sportsmanship, great achievement, and helped all Americans have heroes. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Gutierrez), the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Yates), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) who are authors and who have introduced this resolution. This has been indeed, as we have said, a very historic baseball season. We have not only seen Roger Maris' 37-year-old single season home run record broken, we have seen the new record tied within just a few days. All America has watched with admiration as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have challenged each other to new heights each and every day during one of the most exciting periods of baseball history. We watched as the record fell, and we watched as the new record was tied. Sammy Sosa deserves the respect and admiration of all baseball fans for his great athletic achievement, but more importantly, Sammy Sosa has earned the esteem of all Americans for the great and dignified manner in which he has conducted himself at all times. When Mark McGwire became the first to break Roger Maris' record, the St. Louis Cardinals were playing Sammy Sosa's Chicago Cubs. Sammy Sosa was among the first to offer his congratulations, running to congratulate Mark from his position in the outfield. A lesser man would have resented that another man will always be known as the gentleman who broke Roger Maris' record, but not Sammy Sosa. Reflecting the highest ideals of sportsmanship and character, Sammy Sosa graciously saluted that achievement and embraced Mark McGwire warmly. I have no doubt, Mr. Speaker, that it was because of Sammy Sosa's character that all Americans cheered when he tied this new record. I am proud to support this resolution to honor an excellent athlete and, in fact, a true gentleman. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) who does represent the real shrine of American baseball, Cooperstown, New York. (Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to include extraneous material.)

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 536.

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight be discharged from further consideration of the Resolution (H. Res. 536) and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. Mr. Speaker, I further ask unanimous consent that the debate time be limited to 40 minutes, equally divided and controlled by teh gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) and myself.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support this resolution and encourage my colleagues and the United States Government to highlight the plight of three missionaries from my district in Sanford, Florida, who are being held captive by a narco-terrorist group in Colombia. The Congress must ask every federal government agency to bring greater attention to the plight of these men and their families. New Tribes Mission, founded in 1945, places missionaries around the world. With approximately 3,500 missionaries working in isolated areas worldwide, no one can dispute the courageous work and positive influences these dedicated individuals bring to so many. Their work, however, is sometimes marked by danger. On January 31, 1993, three New Tribes Missionaries: David Mankins, Mark Rich, and Rick Tenenoff were taken from their families in their village in Pucuro, Panama by armed guerrillas, who crossed the nearby border back into Colombia. This was over five years ago! Still, these three husbands and fathers, believed to be the longest held U.S. hostages, have not been reunited with their loved ones. They were not wealthy, well placed or international figures. They were there with limited resources on a mission of faith. Mr. Speaker, I have worked closely with many of our colleagues in efforts to seek their release. We have made numerous inquiries with various U.S. government entities, including the White House, the State Department, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the intelligence community. We have also solicited support from human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, Pax Christi, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. We were joined by fifty-seven Members of Congress and U.S. Senators, in contacting foreign leaders and participants in the 1997 Iberian- American Conference on Human Rights urging their support in raising this issue with Colombia and with all relevant governments and organizations. While this effort was met with wide support, these men still have not been returned. These three missionaries are not people of sizable wealth or corporate executives. They are families of modest means who certainly cannot afford large ransoms. Colombian guerrillas, largely funded by the drug trade, have nothing to gain from holding these men. The United States must not forget these American lives. These lives are of equal value to any American, even those of substantial wealth and power. This resolution emphasizes Congress's commitment to the cause of freeing these men. In closing, Mr. Speaker, we must face the prospect of what this sad story holds for the children of these fine Americans. David Mankins has not seen his children, Sarah and Chad, get married. Rick Tenenoff's son has told his mother he would go and stay with the guerillas just be with his father. And Jessica, Mark Rich's youngest daughter said, ``I would give away all my toys, even Cubby [her teddybear], if it would bring Daddy back.''--Heartbreaking. Let us not forget these men and their families. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Con. Res. 277, and hope that this effort further encourages those in power to act now & use every possible resource to free these American hostages, these devoted missionaries, these longed for husbands and fathers.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House this morning, having heard the news of the attack on the United States Embassies in Africa. Even though our President has particular problems at this time, it is important that the Congress join with the President and this administration to make it clear to anyone who attacks an American Embassy anywhere in the world, that an attack on an American Embassy and American officials is an attack on the United States of America and will not be tolerated. In fact, this Congress, this administration, will track down the perpetrators of those horrendous attacks on American Embassies and American personnel and those who work for the United States. They will, in fact, be brought to justice. We will not tolerate lawlessness anywhere in the globe and particularly against American facilities and American personnel. I know other Members join me in that commitment.

Mr. MICA

Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, first, I do chair the Subcommittee on Civil Service. And the gentleman has referenced me, and I have always in my position tried to be very evenhanded and fair. The gentleman does point out that there may be some inequities and that some people may have been singled out. And if that has happened, I commit to him to make certain that we are fair, that we are evenhanded, and that we will reconsider that matter and those affected individuals because we are trying to be fair. I did not come really to speak just on that particular issue that was raised, but I came to speak because I heard earlier in the rule debate criticism of some of the reforms that our side of the aisle, that the Republican new majority, has instituted and provided for in this bill funding the District activities. Let me say I cannot think of any other example in which we have a greater responsibility. The District is not a State. The District is in our care under the Constitution and laws. And this District is made up of tens of thousands of hard-working men and women who are trying to make a living, raise their children, get an education, and participate in our society, and we need to do everything we can to make certain that they get a fair opportunity. But I can tell my colleagues, I have never seen a greater example of big government gone wrong than the District of Columbia. I was dismayed when I heard the criticism of what we were doing here. It is not unfair, it is not harsh. Let me tell my colleagues what we inherited some 40 months ago after 40 years of rule from the other side. I heard criticism of our drug proposals and our school proposals. We inherited a disaster here. The deaths in this District of Columbia of males between the age of 14 to 40 are a national shame. I have been coming to this city for the past 18 years; and year after year, the slaughter every week, every weekend, should offend every D.C. resident, every citizen of this country. So, yes, we will make some changes, and we have made some changes. Whether we want the Barry plan or the Giuliani plan, we are going to have a different set of rules when it comes to the conduct of drug programs in the District of Columbia. We have also responsibility; for schools, where they have spent more money than almost any district and had some of the lowest scores, highest dropout rates. My colleagues would not send their student or their children there. So, yes, we have proposed some changes. Job training programs we looked at where the money went for administration and no one got a job, with one of the highest unemployment and welfare roles in the Nation. Yes, we have a responsibility. The Housing Authority I saw recently portrayed on television. My colleagues would not put their dog in the Housing Authority projects that they let go. So, yes, we have proposed some tough love and some changes. But even the water system was broken. The morgue. The morgue was broken down even the hospitals. I remember a story several years ago about emergency medical service. They said if they ordered a pizza and they called EMS, they might get the pizza faster than they got emergency medical service in the District of Columbia. It would almost be a joke if it was not so sad. It would almost be a joke if it did not affect the people of this District that are trying to live and to make this their home. My colleagues, we have only had responsibility for 40 months. They have had responsibility for 40 years. These are God's people, and these are our charge under the Constitution and law. What we need to do is take the District from the Nation's shame to the Nation's pride. This is our Nation's Capital. And that is what we propose. I never thought I would be here promoting an appropriations measure after I saw billions of dollars wastefully in the past put into the District of Columbia. But, yes, the reforms that we are asking for here may be tough love, but these people deserve that love, they deserve that attention, they deserve that opportunity that has been neglected. They had their 40 years. We have had our 40 months. These reforms, my colleagues, are long overdue. I urge everyone to come down here and support this legislation, this appropriations measure.