Alan Mollohan

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee]. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Frank].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer] who has provided such leadership for our caucus on this issue.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Hoyer].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs], a very active and effective member of our subcommittee.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1-3/4 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California, Mr. Becerra, who has been extremely active on this issue and a leader of the Hispanic Caucus.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], who has worked tirelessly on all of our 13 appropriations bill.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney], who has provided such leadership for our caucus on this issue.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 5\1/4\ minutes. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman is honored, I think I am more relieved to be here finally, and not any more excited about being the last vehicle out of town than he is as everybody jumps on our bill. I want to commend the gentleman for his fine management of this bill and his dealing with all the appropriation issues all year. He has been extremely capable, as always. The gentleman from Kentucky is very gracious. He has allowed the minority to participate in the process fully, which the minority greatly appreciates. He has also been very adroit in his handling and compromising of the accounts that are under our jurisdiction as well as, particularly because we are the last vehicle out of town, as accommodating as he possibly can be to all of the authorizing requests that we have received in the last 2 weeks particularly. He has done an outstanding job, as he always does, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to cooperate with him as we move this bill forward. Likewise, I want to express appreciation to the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], who has been extremely active and constructive in ensuring that our process moves forward at every step of the way. I would also like to extend a special thanks to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], the ranking minority member, who has been tireless in giving needed attention to the details of not only this bill but particularly this bill, but what is really impressive, the detail that he gives to all 13 of our appropriations subcommittee bills. I am very personally appreciative for his help to me and his guidance. I thank the gentleman for the attention he has given to it. I know it has been tireless. The gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Skaggs] and the gentleman from California [Mr. Dixon] are tremendous contributors to our subcommittee on the minority. I very much appreciate and enjoy working with these friends and colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the hard work of all staff involved, particularly Sally Gaines and Liz Whyte of my personal staff, and Jim Kulikowski, Therese McAuliffe, Jennifer Millier, Mike Ringler and Jane Weisman of the committee staff, along with my sincere appreciation for all of the efforts of the minority appropriations staff, Mark Murray, David Reich and Pat Schleuter. Mr. Speaker, joining in much of the sentiment expressed by our chairman, my colleagues should be pleased with the core funding contained in this bill. The centerpiece of this bill, the defining characteristic of it, if you will, is law enforcement, which is robustly funded. The FBI enjoys a $136 million increase over last year in this bill; the Drug Enforcement Administration, a $134 million increase; the Immigration and Naturalization Service, a whopping $714 million increase. The INS funding provides for 1,000 new Border Patrol and the equipment to support them. The COPS program, fully funded at $1.4 billion, keeps us on track toward the President's promise to increase Federal funding for new policemen on the beat to the 100,000 number. The crime trust fund is increased by $356 million. The popular Byrne Grant program is robustly funded at $505 million. The Violence Against Women program is increased by $74 million. Juvenile crime prevention is $489 million, of which $239 is for prevention programs, which is an increase of $64 million. Legal services is increased in conference to $283 million. Overall, the Justice Department enjoys a $1.037 billion increase under this bill. State, USIA, Arms Control is an overall $5.17 billion, an increase of $100 million. The Judiciary enjoys a $200 million increase to $3.4 billion. The Commerce Department in this bill is increased $450 million to $4.3 billion. Of that, NOAA enjoys a $100 million increase. ATP is funded at $192 million, $82 million in new grant money. The census, Mr. Speaker, is increased by $349 million in preparation for the very important decennial census. This report contains a very imperfect compromise admittedly regarding the inclusion of sampling in the census process. The best thing I can say is that the agreement assures that this time-sensitive process, planning for the 2000 census, can go forward incorporating the statistical technique of sampling, which all the experts say will that the 2000 census can be the most accurate in the history of the Nation. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer], the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney], the gentleman from California [Mr. Becerra] and the gentlewoman from California [Ms. Waters] all deserve our gratitude for the time and attention they have given to this issue. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer] and the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney] are students of it, and they have made insightful contributions to the democratic process as this process has moved forward. I appreciate their help. I urge my colleagues to support this conference report. It is on balance an excellent bill, while containing several difficult but, on balance, satisfactory compromises. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Dixon], a very valuable member of the subcommittee.

Mr. MOLLOHAN

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Poshard].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Rohrabacher motion. The Rohrabacher motion proposes that we disagree with the Senate's provision to permanently extend 245(i) of the Immigration and Naturalization Act and in the process really ties the hands of the conferees. Section 245 allows individuals who are already in this country who are eligible to become legal permanent residents to pay a fee and adjust their visa status here in the United States instead of having to go overseas to do so. Extension of this provision is an important immigration policy issue and one with serious financial impact implications. Let me assure my colleagues that the conferees of the Commerce- Justice-State appropriations bill are working in good faith to weigh the issues associated with 245(i) and arrive at the best solution. I ask my colleagues to recognize that, not to tie our hands, and, therefore, I urge our colleagues to oppose this Rohrabacher motion to instruct. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Peterson]. (Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee]. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. So if the gentleman wants us to compromise, he should vote against his own motion.

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the chairman, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 minutes to the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Velazquez]. (Ms. VELAZQUEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 15 seconds to the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Rogers], chairman of the subcommittee, for clarifying this very important point. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Dooley]. (Mr. DOOLEY of California asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Engel]. (Mr. ENGEL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California [Mr. Berman].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield one-half minute to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Blagojevich].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Gutierrez].

Mr. MOLLOHAN. The motion reads, to be instructed to insist on the House's disagreement with section 111 of the Senate amendment. That means all we can do is disagree. That precludes any compromise on this issue. If that is the gentleman's purpose, then I think the gentleman would oppose his own motion.