George Miller

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Markey).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from San Diego, California (Mr. Filner).

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3293 is the most recent in a series of legislative proposals to add memorials to the National Mall. This particular measure would authorize a plaque to be placed within sight of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial intended to honor soldiers who died as a result of their service in Vietnam, but who were ineligible for inclusion in the Wall because their deaths occurred after the war ended. While I am a cosponsor of H.R. 3293, it has been my hope all along that one particular aspect of this legislation might be improved upon. The legislation identifies a governmental agency, the American Battle Monuments Commission, as the organization which will oversee the placement of the plaque. Selection of the Battle Monuments Commission for this task is inappropriate for several important reasons. First, this project is inconsistent with the Battle Monument Commission's mission. The Battle Monument Commission is an independent, executive branch agency which operates 24 cemeteries and 27 monuments, the vast majority of which are located on foreign soil. The ABMC has had no involvement in the creation and administration of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, as most of its responsibilities lie overseas. The major exception of this overseas focus, responsibility for the proposed World War II Memorial, is likely to occupy most of their domestic efforts. What is more, the ABMC does not want the job. In testimony before the National Capitol Monument Commission, the Battle Monuments Commission stated that the responsibility for the design, procurement and installation of the plaque should rest with either the proponent or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. In addition, the Commission has had no mechanism to pay for this proposed plaque. The legislation specifies that no Federal funds are to be used to design, procure, and install the plaque. Since the Battle Monuments Commission is a federally-funded agency, the bill had to be amended to exempt salaries, expenses and other benefits for ABMC personnel. Now the bill is being amended further to create a fund- raising program for the monument. While we realize that we are talking about a fairly small amount of money, it is troubling to think that any amount of time or attention might be diverted from the ABMC's efforts on behalf of the World War II Memorial. All of these complications could have been avoided by replacing the Battle Monument Commission with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund as the organization responsible for placing this plaque at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This organization conceived the idea for the Memorial, raised more than $8 million needed for its construction, conducted the design contest, oversaw the construction, organized the dedicated ceremonies and continues to raise funds for educational programs and maintenance. No memorial in Washington is more closely associated with one organization. We continue to believe that they should be involved. As it stands, we support the intent of H.R. 3293, but continue to feel that it has an obvious flaw. Fortunately, an obvious solution exists, and we hope that working with the bill's sponsor, our colleagues in the other body, the administration, this change will be adopted. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones). (Mrs. JONES of Ohio asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2647 is an amendment to the 1984 Ak-Chin Water Use Act. The 1984 act confirms the Ak-Chin Indian Community's rights to receive water from the Central Arizona Project, but it did not include the authority for the community to lease its Central Arizona Project water for use off reservation. Congress granted leasing authority to the Ak-Chin in 1992. The community now desires to lease these 10,000 acre-feet of water annually to the Del Webb Corporation for use in a new planned community. The Ak-Chin Community and Del Webb entered into a 100-year lease agreement in 1996. It was believed at the time this would meet the State's requirement for an ``assured water supply'' of at least 100 years. However, since several years have passed and since the lease agreement was signed, it is now apparent that the availability of an ``assured water supply'' under this lease would, in fact, be for less than 100 years. Mr. Speaker, this legislation will extend to the Ak-Chin leasing authority for longer term, making the lease consistent with the requirements of the Arizona state law. The administration has expressed some concerns about the legislation; however, at this time we do support it and ask that the House support moving this bill forward. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I am in support of this legislation to address the issue of international sex trade. I thank the author, Mr. Smith, for offering this legislation and the Committee on International Relations for bringing it to the floor for discussion. The approach of this legislation is admirable. It sets up a process whereby the United States will motivate other countries to strengthen their laws with regard to the illegal trafficking of women for sex. It recognizes that women and children from poorer nations are the primary targets for the sex trade industry. They are often lured into a scheme of travel, opportunity, and jobs, only to find themselves as indentured servants and sex slaves. They are isolated and have no means of escape. The legislation addresses this issue and provides a mechanism for the U.S. to withhold non-humanitarian aid to those countries which refuse to be proactive in their approach to help stop human trafficking from happening. Foreign countries must meet a minimum criteria to protect against illegal trafficking and to prosecute those individuals that profit from this despicable business. Along with providing states and territories with funding to establish programs designed to assist victims, H.R. 3422 also allows for victims to seek a change in their residential status under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) so that they can become permanent residents of the United States while seeking redress from their abusers. The problem is this bill will not help the victims of sexual slavery in the U.S. territory of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US/CNMI) where the INA does not apply. Just last month, the Central Intelligence Agency released a report entitled, International Trafficking in Women to the United States: A Contemporary Manifestation of Slavery and Organized Crime. The report identifies the CNMI as a United States locality used by international criminal organizations to import women for the sex industry. The US/CNMI is used both as a transfer point and a point of destination for human smugglers. Unfortunately, local enforcement of immigration in the CNMI has been unable and unwilling to halt this importation of sexual slaves. In fact, local immigration just permitted the importation of 300 young women from Russia to work in a new casino in the US/CNMI purportedly as waitresses and public relations staff even though none of them speak English. The Republican leadership of this House has consistently refused to address the human rights abuses in the US/CNMI and now this legislation neglects to assist its victims. We need to be sure that as we encourage other countries to address the issue of illegal trafficking of women in the sex industry that we also make ourselves and our system a model for countries to look upon. The first and perhaps the easiest step is to make sure we protect victims of this industry beneath our own flag.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) has quite properly explained this legislation to increase the spending ceiling for the north side pumping division of the Minidoka project in Idaho by $2,805,000. This increase would allow work already begun under the Minidoka north side drain water management plan to be completed. We need to protect the underground drinking water supplies in this area of the Snake River plain because they are threatened by contaminated irrigation drain water. I would urge all members of the committee to support this legislation. The administration has testified in support of this legislation and it is not controversial. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this concurrent resolution sponsored by the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge) would recognize the monument in New Ulm, Minnesota as a ``national symbol for the contributions of Americans of German heritage.'' As the legislation points out, Americans of German heritage represent with one-quarter of the U.S. population, and yet there is no national symbol recognizing the contributions that have been made to this Nation. The recognition provided by this measure is appropriate and I would like to commend the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge) for his very diligent work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, it should be noted that this concurrent resolution does not alter the status of the monument in any way, nor does it create any new Federal obligation. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support it. I would again say that the effort on behalf of this legislation by the gentleman from Minnesota has really been outstanding, as many of us who serve on the committee know. He has, I think, talked to all of us individually, and to so many other Members on the floor, to bring this to the attention of the full House of Representatives. I also want to thank the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Vento), his colleague, for his work in lobbying on behalf of this legislation to give due recognition to the contributions of Americans of German heritage. Mr. Speaker, I urge its strong support.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation as described by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen). The minority side of the committee is in strong support of this legislation and in support of taking this important first step in the process. We look forward to a time hopefully when visitors to the Washington area can see a tangible reminder of the courage and the dedication displayed by many of our disabled veterans. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may use. (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation. As explained by the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), this was an inadvertent mistake when this report was terminated by the Federal Reports Elimination Sunset Act of 1995, and it is right for us to reinstate it. It is obvious to all Members of Congress that the Endangered Species Act has been one of our Nation's keystone environmental laws to protect biodiversity and recover threatened and endangered species from the brink of extinction. This better helps us target our efforts to restoring endangered species. Section 18 of the Endangered Species Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to report annually to the Congress on ``reasonably identified'' expenditures for the conservation and recovery of threatened and endangered species under the ESA. This report includes an accounting of expenditures from all Federal agencies and from all States that receive section 6 grant funding for conservation activities. Over the years this report has been a valuable tool to discern priorities and trends in how and where ESA funds are spent. Unfortunately, the section 18 report was included in the list of unnecessary report requirements when Congress passed the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995. Consequently, this report requirement was scheduled to sunset on December 21, 1999, provided that Congress does not act to reauthorize it. This bill would correct the initial oversight and simply reauthorize this valuable report requirement. It is my understanding that the Administration did not include this report in the initial list that was forwarded to the Clerk of the House in 1994, and it is my further understanding that the Administration does not oppose its reinstatement at this time. The Endangered Species Act has been our Nation's keystone environmental law to protect biodiversity and to recover threatened and endangered species from the brink of extinction. This bill would restore a helpful report and do no harm to the Act itself. I support S. 1744 and urge all members to do likewise. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to thank this gentleman for this legislation and for sticking with it all this time on behalf of the Lao-Hmong. As the gentleman knows, California has many Lao-Hmong residents in our State and also in my district, and they have been fantastic constituents and residents of our State and of our country. I want to thank the gentleman so very much for finally getting this bill to the floor again so that we can deal with this problem that he has so adequately addressed.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. (Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2932. The gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) has quite accurately explained the legislation to the Members of the House. Originally, we in the minority had some concerns with this legislation, although we clearly were not questioning the historic value of the area covered by the legislation. Working with the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen), the subcommittee chairman, and with others, we think that the final version of this legislation addresses everyone's concern. We ask that the House support the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.