Alan Mollohan

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. They said that in February of this year.

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

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Then they granted this loan guarantee. Then they came out and said, ``Another review of this policy has already been planned to begin shortly.'' We are waiting forever for the Ex-Im Bank to review its plans not to hurt American manufacturers as they finance this overcapacity around the world.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. The gentleman has said this is about export-related jobs. Indeed, it is about export-related jobs. We have exported 23,000 steel workers' jobs because of the insensitivity of the American Government, and particularly this institution, over the last 3 years. This particular loan was egregious, and we should be expressing as much concern about the export of jobs from this country. That is what we ought to be interested in. Those are the export jobs we ought to be interested in.

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to join my colleague from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), who has done such a tremendous job in this area in offering this amendment. The substance of our amendment is simple: we are seeking to cut $18 million in funds from the Export-Import Bank. Our amendment cuts $3 million from the $63 million provided for the administration expenses of the bank and $15 million from the approximately $753 million provided for the bank's subsidy. Now, understand that the President only requested $633 million for the subsidy account. The committee has appropriated $753. So there is about a 120 million dollars between what the President requests. We are only taking $18 million from what the committee has appropriated, far higher than the President's request is still remaining. The Visclosky-Mollohan amendment then takes the $18 million and places it in good places, Mr. Chairman, in the Child Survival and Health Programs fund, with $13 million targeted to the HIV-AIDS subaccount and $5 million targeted to the Vulnerable Children's subaccount that provides money for displaced children, orphans and blind children. Mr. Chairman, why $18 million? Why an $18 million cut? The Export- Import Bank guaranteed an $18 million loan made by the Deutsche Bank of North America to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China for purposes of modernizing the Benxi Iron & Steel Company's hot strip mill located in China. The Benxi hot strip mill located in China. A letter from the Secretary of Commerce opposing this loan at the time it was being considered dated December 13, 2000, says ``Imports of hot rolled steel from China have increased dramatically over the past several years from less than 6,000 metric tons in 1997 to possibly more than 450,000 metric tons by the end of 2000.'' We need to loan money so that China can increase its capacity in hot rolled steel? I think not, Mr. Chairman. I want to offer my colleagues here in the House the following time line, which explains the climate in which the Export-Import Bank approved this particular loan guarantee: November 13 of 2000, nine U.S. companies who produce hot rolled steel, including five integrated producers, one of whom is in my congressional district, four mini-mills, the Independent Steelworkers of America, and the United Steelworkers of America filed antidumping cases against China and 10 other countries. Benxi was cited in the case as an exporter of a product dumped in the United States. December 3, 2000, the U.S. Department of Commerce decided to initiate the case based on the belief that there was evidence of dumping. December 19, 13 days later, the Export-Import Bank, in its wisdom, approved the $18 million loan guarantee in spite of the evidence of dumping from China, and Benxi was a producer. Two days later, December 22, the International Trade Commission made a preliminary determination that the imports of dumped hot rolled steel from China were causing injury to the United States industry. Hello! A Department of Commerce final determination will be issued in September, and the ITC will vote by the end of October on whether to impose duties. As my colleagues can see, the evidence of illegal dumping was overwhelming; yet nonetheless, the Export-Import Bank arrogantly ignored the fact that the world does not need any more steel capacity. The steel report issued last July by the Department of Commerce correctly points out that there is significant overcapacity in the global steel industry. The report further points out that the London- based Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau estimated world excess capacity to be 250 and 275 million metric tons in 1997 and 1998. These figures have not fallen significantly, Mr. Chairman. All of this information was available to the Export-Import Bank when they made this loan. We cannot allow an institution that is funded by American taxpayers' dollars to use that money to guarantee loans to support projects that put Americans out of work. Mr. Chairman, the 19th steel company has just declared bankruptcy, as the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky) pointed out a few moments ago, at the beginning of the week; 23,000 steelworkers have lost their jobs as a result of this crisis. This loan was egregious, Mr. Chairman. This loan was outrageous, and we cannot let it stand.

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, the gentleman's argument is based on if we could count on the Ex-Im Bank to be serious about their reviews. In February 9 of 2001, they wrote a letter to me saying that in 1999, the Ex-Im Bank amended its economic impact procedures to make them more restrictive in order to minimize any potential negative impacts on companies.

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, first of all, the gentleman speaks in terms that this cut is going to have a disastrous impact on exporters who are assisted by the Export-Import Bank and people in his congressional district, perhaps. Hardly. The President requested $633 million. This committee is appropriating $753 million, which is $120 million more than the President requested. We are simply taking $18 million.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. I think the message is that you do not approve a loan guarantee that undermines an industry that is being already devastated by imports. A point that we made earlier in the debate that Secretary Mineta made when he was Secretary of Commerce to the Export-Import Bank on this very subject was that China has gone from 6,000 metric tons in 1997 of hot-rolled production to 450,000 tons, and they did not need any more capacity. In that same time period we had nine bankruptcies and 23,000 unemployed steelworkers. That is the message that we are trying to send.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the gentleman's comments. The gentleman describes the situation, I think, inaccurately; and I would like to calibrate his comments a little bit. The gentleman suggests and uses the word ``cripple''; that the gentleman's amendment would severely cripple the Export-Import Bank. I would like to point out to the gentleman in the short time we have that the President requested $120 million in the subsidy account less than the House appropriated. We are taking $18 million from the House. So, therefore, there is about $100 million left more in this bill than the President requested to do the good things that the gentleman is talking about and that the gentleman from Washington is talking about so that the government can support Boeing in its efforts against Airbus around the world. We are not getting at the good things and the good jobs that are created by the Export-Import Bank. What we are getting at are the policies that undermine domestic industries that are extremely vulnerable at this period of time by financing projects that incredibly enhances capacity.

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

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I am not sure how many votes the gentleman can get for it. Does the gentleman know how much money the committee is appropriating?

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, is the gentleman suggesting that all of the money that we are funding in the Export-Import Bank is going to go to Boeing?

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the gentleman from Virginia's amendment because it undermines one of the most important principles underlying and underpinning Brady, and that is the protection of gun purchasers' privacy rights. Mr. Chairman, everyone supports the purpose of the Brady Act, instant check. But the act itself did not contemplate and specifically prohibit retention of records. May I read from it. It says that no officer of the United States Government could require, and I quote, ``that any record or portion thereof generated by the system established under this section be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed or controlled by the United States.'' We specifically talked to the principle of protecting gun owners' privacy rights. Legitimate purchasers, instant check, get their guns, should not be on a list kept by the United States Government. Criminal purchasers, they are already on a list because they are prosecuted. This is about the privacy rights of honest, law-abiding citizens. Oppose the Moran amendment.

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2500, the appropriations measure funding the Departments of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and related agencies. I want to compliment the chairman, who has done a terrific job, the gentleman from Virginia (Chairman Wolf), and the ranking member, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), who has done an equally terrific job in putting this bill together. By and large, it restores many of the cuts proposed in the President's budget request. In his budget request, President Bush asked the Congress to rescind $10 million from the remaining unobligated balances in the Emergency Steel Guarantee Loan Program Account. In response to the President's request to rescind the steel loan guarantee money, the committee has indeed rescinded it. As my colleagues will recall, the Emergency Loan Guarantee Act was established in 1999 to assist American steel producers who have been battling an onslaught of illegally-dumped foreign steel which has crippled the U.S. steel industry. Our domestic steel industry is in crisis. There simply is no other way to describe it. Approximately 23,000 steelworkers have lost their jobs as a result of this crisis, and 18 steel producers have filed for bankruptcy. Current import levels still remain well above pre-crisis levels. President Bush recently requested that the International Trade Commission initiate a 2001 investigation on the impact of steel imports on our U.S. steel industry. Given all of these facts, now is not the time to rescind monies from the very fund established to help our domestic steel industry weather the storm. I recognize that unobligated balances exist in the account created for this program. Changes were needed to make the program more accessible to American steel companies without imposing significant additional costs on the Federal Government. Under the leadership of Senator Byrd, changes to the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee Act were recently approved by the other body. Hopefully, these changes will make the program more accessible to more of our steel producers. That being the case, it seems unwise at this time to rescind funds from this important program. I am hopeful that during conference, this rescission can be eliminated.

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I recently joined the Wheeling Jesuit University community in celebrating the inauguration of the Rev. George F. Lundy, S.J., as the university's sixth president. It was a pleasure to help welcome this thoughtful, highly regarded educator to the Wheeling Jesuit campus. Father Lundy's leadership of Wheeling Jesuit University follows successful assignments at the University of Detroit Mercy, where he was academic vice president and provost, and at Loyola University of New Orleans, where his tenure included service as acting president. He brings to the Wheeling campus the benefits of his experience at these institutions, as well as personal qualities which include a high level of enthusiasm, a commitment to the enrichment of young minds, and a passion for service to the greater community. These qualities were evidenced in the remarks that Father Lundy delivered March 16 at his inauguration ceremony. His words were a source of insight into the challenges that face modern educational institutions, and the commitments that they must meet if they are to succeed in today's world. Therefore, I submit Father Lundy's inaugural speech to be included in the Congressional Record. The remarks follow: First, I'd like to thank all of you for taking so much time out of your busy schedules to join this great celebration today. Certainly, it's a personal celebration for me, but even more so, I think it's a celebration for the entire Wheeling Jesuit University community, the city of Wheeling, and the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. It's very humbling, too, to think of all of the hoopla that is paid when we inaugurate new presidents. I was reminded of Jimmy Carter's idea when he was running for President, that the teachers ought to get more pay than the principals because they do the work that is so much more important, and I certainly feel that way about our fine faculty here at WJU. So, this is for all of us. It is a time when we collectively renew a number of commitments that are very much a part of the fabric and the genius of our history. First, we renew our commitment to all of our students, to provide you with a great education in the Catholic and Jesuit traditions. We challenge you to read real books, to your own deep understanding of our world, its past and its present, so that you can help shape it in the future. We challenge you to deepen your values of justice and compassion, your abilities to choose wisely, and your skills to communicate with clarity and passion. We will continue to care deeply for each of you as a unique human being and encourage you to see in every person a child of God with dignity, hopes and dreams. We pray that you will develop a passion for what we Jesuits call a preferential option for the poor, so that you will graduate with a commitment and the skills to help the least advantaged among us realize their hopes and dreams. And, of course, it is not enough to renew that commitment without sharing a few things with our visitors that you are already doing. We recognize the students who went down to Moorhead, Kentucky, over break to build houses, and the students who live in the Mother Jones house downtown and work extensively in the community, student teaching in the social services centers, the soup kitchen and much more. Just a few examples of the ways that our students are engaged, and we believe that this kind of integral education is the kind that represents our best hope for future leadership. Every time I talk about the high idealism of Jesuit education, I am reminded of what one former Provincial said at the big Jesuit higher ed gathering at Georgetown a number of years ago. He said, ``you know, all this lofty stuff about high idealism is great, but what you have to remember is that the reason Jesuit schools got started was because there was this tremendous need for somebody to take care of unruly boys.'' Of course, now it's boys and girls and for the most part, not unruly at all, but very impressive young men and women. Today, we are proud also to renew our commitment to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, which includes all of the area just to our west. We are committed to partner with Catholic communities all across the region to help as creatively and effectively as we can, in the ministries of Catholic education and leadership development. I am so proud of the many, many ways that so many of our faculty and staff are already involved Bishop Schmitt, just last year, completed a very successful synod planning process that focused the goals of the Diocese very clearly, and we're very proud to be involved with the follow-up to that process to help make sure that this renewed vision actually happens. Today, we also renew our commitment to our local and regional communities, to be a good institutional citizen and to participate in the activities of our area. I am continually amazed and edified when I hear from so many of you how appreciative you are of the many ways that the members of this Wheeling Jesuit community participate in service to your organizations in so many different ways. We are proud to join with Mayor Sparachane in contributing to the city's economic development efforts. We are proud to join hands with our fellow religious congregations of every denomination and tradition in the Hopeful City coalition. We are equally proud to be involved in the community renewal efforts of the Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Valley Industrial and Business Development Corporation, and through our membership in Project Best, which assures that collective bargaining is involved in all of our construction projects. Today we renew our commitment to our public partners at the federal, state and local levels. New technologies reflect much human creativity, and we have the opportunity to help translate that creativity into new visions for a better life and a stronger economy in our post-industrial, increasingly knowledge-based economy. In the coming months and years we will translate these opportunities into new economic vitality here in our own region. We shall also do our part to continue improving education by developing new curricula for students in our K-12 schools, and by helping teachers use technology more effectively to help students learn. Congressman Mollohan made the remark that there are probably no other universities this size in America that have been entrusted with so much responsibility in terms of fulfilling the public purpose. I get questions about what goes on in those shiny glass and brick buildings on campus. I think it is worth it for all of us to reflect on a couple of the big points regarding those federal projects. The story goes that when Lyndon Johnson was president, he turned one day to an aide and said, ``Son, all of this money that we are spending on research, how much of it ever benefits the taxpayers in economic development?'' And the answer was, ``Well, none of it Mr. President because all federally funded research is in the public domain. It can't be privately owned and therefore it doesn't have any commercial value.'' And so, several successive presidents worked on that problem and in 1980, laws were passed that enable the benefits of federally funded research to go back to the taxpayers in the form of commercially developable intellectual property. So this research can be copyrighted, it can be patented, it can be, therefore, used in business development. And that is the main thing that happens in that big building you see that says ``Robert C. Byrd National Technology Transfer Center.'' That is their big job--getting that research back out to people that can use it for business development. The other center that we have, the Erma Ora Byrd Center for Educational Technologies, produces educational software for use in teaching mostly math and science to students in the K- 12 schools. They have several award-winning products and they also do on-campus training of teachers in the whole area of what they call problem-based learning. Problem-based learning places learners in a specific situation and requires them to draw on everything they know from many disciplines to solve a problem. The CET also works closely with our Challenger Learning Center. You may have noticed that we always have a few buses on this campus. We have school groups coming in to fly the Challenger missions. Those are space mission simulations. Some of the kids are in the control room and some of the kids are up in the cockpit of the rocket and they encounter certain kinds of problems with the flights and they analyze certain kinds of satellite data about what they see on the Earth. There again, in that sort of simulated environment, they have to solve a whole bunch of problems that draw upon their knowledge of math and science and other disciplines. It's a great way of learning and our studies have shown that the learning outcomes are just fabulous if you can teach in these kinds of simulated environments. So, we are moving that whole product into distance delivery. They are going to do 180 of those this year over the Internet and we believe that we are refining something that could be a very forceful new national model in improving education for our younger students. So as I have told Senator Byrd and Congressman Mollohan on previous occasions, the opportunities represented by these technology centers for economic development and the improvement of American education, were part of the reason that I was grateful to accept the Board's invitation to come here as your new president. I have thoroughly enjoyed the faculty, the staff, and the students. This is a very friendly, a very caring, community and I am proud to be among your number.

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, over the past several weeks, we have been painfully reminded of how heavily our economy relies on affordable, abundant energy. The events that we've experienced--from massive supply disruptions in the west to sharp price increases in the east--also have opened many eyes to the need to devise a sound national energy policy. Along with a number of my colleagues in this House, I have long advocated the benefits of more fully incorporating coal into America's energy mix. The abundance and value of our nation's coal reserves are well-documented, and are absolutely key to moving our country toward the desirable goal of greater energy independence. That is why I am pleased by the memorandum of understanding signed January 30, 2001, in Morgantown, W.Va., between partners in government, industry and academia. They have pledged to team together on coal research, development and commercialization initiatives--initiatives which will enable West Virginia to build on its role as a leader in the search for national and international energy solutions. I would like to recognize the signatories to this memorandum, beginning with our distinguished former colleague, the Honorable Robert E. Wise Jr., who now serves as governor of the State of West Virginia. Joining Governor Wise in ratifying this landmark agreement were David C. Hardesty Jr., the president of West Virginia University; Patrick R. Esposito Sr., the president of Augusta Systems Inc., on behalf of the tenants of the Collins Ferry Commerce Center; and Ralph A. Carabetta, deputy director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory, or NETL. These officials, and the organizations they serve, are to be commended on their efforts to more fully integrate NETL-developed technologies into the marketplace. Their memorandum of understanding re-affirms Senator Robert C. Byrd's foresight in promoting energy research, and will further capitalize on his success in building a strong fossil-fuel portfolio at NETL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to salute the partners in this agreement, and to wish them much success in their new collaboration.

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report. I am pleased to report that the report before us today represents a major improvement over the bill that left the House with far better funding levels. It was worked out through a lengthy and constructive process involving both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol. I believe that the resulting conference report is worthy of the support of this House, and we have been advised that the President will sign it. Let me briefly describe some of the highlights. Mr. Speaker. First, the conference report provides the full $1.3 billion increase proposed in the President's budget for veterans' health care. It also includes a $30 million increase for VA medical and prosthetic research and a $10 million increase for grants for construction of State extended care facilities. Finally, Mr. Speaker, in the veterans area, I am also very glad to report that we were able to remedy a long-standing injustice affecting former residents of the Philippines who served with the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Under current law, these Filipino veterans receive just half the benefits paid to American veterans even if they live in the United States as U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Under this conference report, these Filipino veterans living in this country will receive the same benefits as other World War II veterans. Science funding is strongly supported with a 14 percent increase for the National Science Foundation. For NASA, the conference report includes a 5 percent funding increase, providing $250 million above the President's budget request. Within the HUD budget, we provide the full amount needed to renew all expiring section 8 housing contracts so that no one loses their housing assistance under this program, and the agreement also provides increases for several other high priority housing programs, including a 13 percent increase for home grants to States and local governments for affordable housing development, a 4 percent increase in CDBG formula grants and a 9 percent increase for housing for the elderly and disabled and a 10 percent increase for homeless assistance grants. While on the subject of assistance for those in acute need, I should also mention the $30 million increase in funding provided for FEMA's emergency food and shelter program, a very efficient program that relies on private, charitable organizations to get help to where it is most needed. The conference report also funds another 79,000 new Section 8 housing assistance vouchers to help make a reduction in unmet needs for housing assistance. This is 41,000 fewer new vouchers than sought by President Clinton, but 19,000 more than were added last year. We look forward to working with HUD to ensure full utilization of Section 8 vouchers. The impressive commitment to housing programs in this bill, Mr. Speaker, is a testament to the strong advocacy of HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, who has worked tirelessly for those who benefit from these housing programs. The bill also includes generous funding for activities for the Environmental Protection Agency. The $7.8 billion provided in the final agreement represents a $664 million increase over the amount requested by the President, and $395 million over last year. A total of $3.6 billion is provided for important clean water and sewer projects under the State and territorial assistance grants program. In addition to the funding provided, the conference report has eliminated or significantly modified a number of environmental riders. All of these changes have been accepted by the White House. As Members know, the House bill did not provide any money for the Corporation for National and Community Service, including the President's signature AmeriCorps program. The final package which we present today provides $464 million for the Corporation, $70 million below the budget request, but an increase of $25 million over fiscal year 2000. I should also note that this conference report is being used as a vehicle to send back to the President the energy and water appropriations bill, this time without the provision that led to the veto. We are pleased to be able to be of assistance in bringing that part of the appropriations process to a successful conclusion, and I will defer to the leaders of that subcommittee for an explanation of the details of the package being presented here today. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the gentleman from New York (Chairman Walsh) for his leadership and cooperation in fashioning this conference report. He has done a tremendous job. He has been a good friend throughout this process, and very responsive to minority concerns. We appreciate that, and thank him for his commitment to trying to do the right thing by all of the important programs and agencies under our jurisdiction. It has been a pleasure working with him and his hard-working staff, including Frank Cushing, Tim Peterson, Valerie Baldwin, Dena Baron, and Jennifer Whitson, from the professional staff; and from the chairman's personal staff, John Simmons and Ron Anderson. Mr. Speaker, I especially want to thank the talented staff on this side of the aisle, David Reich and Mike Stephens from the minority appropriations office, and Lee Alman and Gavin Clingham from my personal staff. I want to thank, Mr. Speaker, especially the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), our ranking member on the full committee, for all of his outstanding assistance and support throughout this process. He is a tireless leader of the Committee on Appropriations on our side of the aisle, and he has been extremely active in marking up this bill and throughout the process. Finally, in closing, Mr. Speaker, we have four very capable, hard- working Democratic Members on this subcommittee: the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Cramer). Each of these Members have spent many hours working on this bill. It bears their input in so many places, and I am extremely appreciative for the contribution that each has made, and for their support throughout the process. In summary, Mr. Speaker, this is an excellent conference report.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on International Relations. (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek), a hard-working member of the subcommittee.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.

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