Jerry Moran

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McIntyre) in highlighting the importance of a caucus here in this Congress, the Rural Health Care Coalition. It is a group of us, 160 strong, both Republicans and Democrats, who have come together to advance the cause on behalf of rural America and to make certain that our constituents, our citizens across this country, can access health care, regardless of where they live. I would encourage my colleagues, the new Members of Congress and those who have not considered belonging to our organization, to do so, for the purpose of educating ourselves, advocating our positions with other Members of Congress and leveraging our votes. We would encourage our urban colleagues to join us as well, because many of them have very similar issues, as our constituents try to obtain the health care necessary. I commend the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle) and thank him for his leadership of this organization over the last 2 years and look forward to working with my colleague from North Carolina for the next two.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, as our conferees deliberate the appropriations for the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, I would like to take this opportunity to urge and insist upon the highest level of funding possible for special education State grants. November 29 of this year celebrates the 25th anniversary of the enactment of IDEA. For almost a quarter of a century now, the Federal Government has assisted in the education of our children with disabilities and for almost that same quarter of a century, the Federal Government has failed to meet its obligations. A Kansas school on average uses 20 percent of its budget for special education purposes. Schools in my area of Kansas cannot afford to put one-fifth of their entire budget into special education. This year Kansas schools will spend $454 million in meeting the Federal special education mandate. Of this total, only $38 million, about 8 percent, will come from the Federal Government despite our previous commitment 25 years ago of a 40 percent commitment. In my previous service as a member of the Kansas Senate, we struggled each and every year to adequately fund the education of students in our State. In actual dollars if special education were actually funded at that 40 percent, Kansas would receive $181 million from the Federal Government. This means $143 million in Kansas State and local education funds would be available for other educational needs. These numbers make it clear that special education costs consume education budgets of State and local school districts. Schools are not maintained properly, teachers do not get hired, and classroom materials do not get purchased. Our schools are not asking for new Federal programs. They are asking for the Federal Government to pay its share of special education costs so that other funds can be freed up for maintaining buildings, hiring teachers and buying classroom materials. Congress has made significant progress in recent years to increase Federal funding for special education. In my 4 years as a Member of Congress, we have increased IDEA State grants from $3 billion to $5 billion. That is a 67 percent increase in just 3 years. We still have a long way to go. For far too long, the Federal Government has mandated this program without paying its share. Today let us make the commitment to change all that and support full funding of IDEA.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am here to welcome to the House Chamber and to our Nation's Capitol one of my constituents and one of the citizens of Kansas, Reverend Lambert, who is here today with his wife, Linda, and graciously delivered the invocation on our proceedings today. Reverend Lambert is the United Methodist minister in the community of Greensburg, a community of several thousand people in the southern part of Kansas. It is a delight to have him and his wife with us. I appreciate his prayers and concerns for our country and for the House of Representatives and for the task we have before us. This is Reverend Lambert's first visit to the Nation's Capitol, and we are delighted to have him as our guest today.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for yielding me the time. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the comments made by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hutchinson) who has been a tremendous leader on the issue of combatting methamphetamine production, sale and distribution in our country and from my perspective especially in rural America. I am here today to speak on behalf of this legislation and, particularly, the meth section, that in large part mirrors H.R. 2987, a bill which I am a sponsor. Kansas was one of those locations, certainly Kansas, a rural State, was one of those locations in which the Committee on the Judiciary came to on location to hear about the problems we face in our part of the country. And the stories that were told, the testimony that was taken was very compelling. I brought with me today comments made by the sheriff of one of the counties in Kansas who testified before the subcommittee on the Judiciary on the impact of methamphetamines on his rural county, and I think it can be said across the State of Kansas and rural places around the country. Sheriff Sherrer's testimony before the subcommittee in part is this, ``the adverse effect of meth on rural America is destroying our way of life. We are now combatting narcotics problems on fertile farm ground; problems that previously existed only in large cities with large police forces having large narcotics and violent crime units. The idea that we are living in Mayberry is a myth. ``We are living in a war zone. My office is totally unprepared to combat the rapidly expanding problem of the manufacture of meth in rural Kansas. The money and manpower necessary to combat the problem is destroying my annual budget and exhausting my personnel. ``There were 25 labs seized in Pawnee County in 1999.'' And I might add, as an aside, indicate that Pawnee County's population is 7,470. We have had more than 500 meth busts in 1999 in our State alone, and we are going to, unfortunately, exceed that record this year. Sheriff Sherrer's testimony continues, ``my personnel are physically exhausted and perhaps even worse is that they are mentally exhausted, 80- and 90-hour workweeks are not uncommon in our attempt to combat the meth problem and still attend to our normal duties. I don't have the budget or the manpower necessary to fight the current meth problem. I have exhausted all manpower and financial efforts to address this problem to no avail. As a law enforcement agency, we are exhausted. ``On behalf of all western Kansas law enforcement administrators, concerning the problem of methamphetamine, we are understaffed, underfunded, outgunned and out of our league.'' I thought originally when I got involved in this issue that it was somewhat beyond the scope of the duties that I normally face as a rural Member of Congress, but this is a problem that is real in rural America. I am glad this Congress is addressing this issue in this legislation.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) for yielding me the time to rise in support of H.R. 1248. I also want to thank the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) for introducing this important legislation. I, too, am a cosponsor of H.R. 1248. This legislation was originally passed in 1994 and has made a critical difference in the lives of women and children endangered by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in my State of Kansas. We must continue our efforts to prevent this type of violence. Over the last 5 years, the State of Kansas has received in excess of $9.4 million to combat violence against women. These funds have helped our communities increase victim safety, access to services and investigation, and prosecution of domestic violence and child abuse cases. This bill helps pay for 27 domestic violence shelters and local programs in our very rural State. Each year these programs serve more than 16,000 Kansans and respond to more than 38,000 crisis calls. While we have made some important strides in our State against reducing violence against women, lives remain at risk every day. Reauthorization of this legislation is a vital investment in our country's future. With this authorization, programs and services expiring October 1, 2000, will be renewed. This act is a responsible piece of legislation that helps fulfill our commitment to making our streets and homes safer for women and children.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a man who positively influenced the lives of many people. Earlier this month, Mr. Russell Binney of Ulysses, Kansas passed away. Russ fulfilled many important roles in his life-each of them with integrity, compassion, and dedication. Russ proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II and as a lifelong member of the American Legion. Upon returning to Ulysses, he founded Binney Better Foods, Inc. For more than 40 years, Russ and his wife Virginia provided retail grocery service to the citizens of Grant County. In that time, Russ's business experienced and adapted to change. However, one thing remained constant: Russ's commitment to providing a quality product with first- rate customer service. Russ served his community in additional ways. He was past president of the Ulysses Rotary Club and earlier this year received the Rotary 2000 Distinguished Service Award. Russ was a leader and former chairman of the Grant County Republican Party. He was a member and elder of the Shelton Memorial Christian Church. His devoted involvement in Gideon International strengthened his faith. In 1990, Russ' friends and neighbors recognized his many years of accomplished service by selecting him as the Grant County Citizen of the Year. I have walked Main streets of many Kansas communities. In Ulysses, my objective was always to walk the business district with Russ Binney. Everyone liked you if you were with Russ. Always a smile and handshake for the men and a kiss for the women. He brightened everyone's day. No person in any Kansas town ever received a warmer reception than when Russ met one of his customers or neighbors. Most important to Russ was his family. Over the course of their 54 years together, he and Virginia raised their son Cary and daughters Janet, Rhonda, and Tammy. They also devoted endless love and attention to seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Russell fulfilled many important roles in his life-each of them with integrity, compassion, and dedication. I join his many friends and admirers in extending my deepest sympathies to Virginia and her family during their time of loss.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, something sad happened back home in Kansas last week. Cancer took the life of one more of our State's citizens. Our State has many treasures: beautiful sunsets, rolling prairie hills, city factories, waves of wheat, meadowlarks, cottonwood trees, and grazing cattle. But what matters to us Kansans most, what makes our place the State we choose to call home is our people, Kansans. The death of one Kansan takes something away from every Kansan. With the death of Janice Hardenburger, the loss is evident. Janice is the epitome of who we are and what we would like to be, one who knew reality of how things are, yet one who could envision how things ought to be. A fighter for her beliefs, strong willed and plain spoken, devoted to her family as a wife and mother and grandmother, she was generous with her time, a farmer, a rancher, a listener and a doer, a supporter of others and, for the last 8 years, a State senator, a public servant. For more than 25 years, Janice has been my friend. For 4 years she was my colleague in the State senate. Born in the small north central Kansas town of Haddam, Janice had a lifelong love for education and politics. She graduated valedictorian from Haddam Rural High School before attending Kansas State University and graduating with a degree in home economics and education. She married her husband in 1952, and due to his career in the Air Force, she and her family moved often. During these years, she kept busy as a volunteer and raising two sons, Joseph and Thomas. With Bill's retirement from the military in 1971, the Hardenburgers moved back home to Kansas. Janice got involved in her community, and she sought a seat on the Washington County Commission. She recognized the importance of health care in rural communities, and she developed the first rural health initiative project in Kansas. She chaired Ronald Reagan's campaign for President in our State and served the Reagan administration in the Department of Health and Human Services regional office in Kansas City. She worked hard every time to see that her fellow Kansan, Bob Dole, would be elected President. In 1992, she decided she could even do more for others and was elected to State senator for the 21st district. She was reelected in 1996 and was campaigning for reelection at the time of her death. During her time in the Kansas senate, she worked hard on health care issues and fought for local control. She believed that government should be local and limited. She chaired the elections on local government committee. Janice was ill during the last session of the legislature. She could not eat, and she had pain. But despite huge impediments, she worked all session long to fashion an ethics law worthy of passage. As State Senator Dave Kerr indicated at her memorial service, that legislation now stands as a lasting tribute to one highly ethical lady who gave her waning strength to bring higher standards of ethics in all elective politics in Kansas. Senator Hardenburger never became silent about things that mattered. For those of us who are privileged to work in public service, where the toll for entry can be excruciatingly high and the price of staying even higher, we do not always expect to find true friendship, true loyalty, and a true devotion for making things better. We had that in State Senator Janice Hardenburger. Our State and its people are better off because of one life, a life that will be greatly missed. I offer my condolences to Janice's family, but we also praise God for a life well lived and the legacy she leaves behind.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding me this time, and I rise today knowing that later this afternoon we will vote on a conference committee report that excludes the provisions of an amendment that I offered on the House floor 1 week ago today. Seven days ago we had what I believe and know is a significant victory on behalf of American farmers, American ranchers, and, I believe, on behalf of the Cuban people. The opportunity to trade with Cuba food, medicine, and agricultural products is an important issue. The vote we had, 301 to 116, reflects a growing belief, a strong commitment in the House of Representatives that the policy that we have had in place for 38 years is a failed policy that damages American farmers and ranchers much more than it has ever damaged the government of Cuba. I continue to seek reassurance from the leadership of the House that this issue will not go away and that ultimately our fight in this regard will be heard in this House. This issue will again arise in an appropriation bill, the legislative branch appropriation bill, and I again point out to the leadership of the House, both the Democrat and Republican leadership, that we have the ability and the support of the Members of the House and their constituencies to advance this issue this year. I will continue to work today with the leadership of the committee, the leadership of the Committee on Rules, and the leadership of the House to make certain that this issue prevails at the end of the day.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In response to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Menendez), this amendment deals strictly with an agricultural commodities; does not talk about agricultural chemicals. And the issue of credit remains with the administration, as it does today with our dealings with any other country. The President has the ability, and has used it in my tenure in Congress, to defeat the opportunity to sell agricultural commodities by refusing to extend credit. So the amendment does not in any way increase or decrease the authority of the administration, of a President of the United States, in regard to credit. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would make clear that the amendment that I am offering this evening restricts the use of funds in this appropriations bill solely for food and medicine and solely related to the country of Cuba. It is different than any amendment offered previously today by other Members of the House. Our embargo against sales to Cuba has done little to change the behavior of this island nation. In fact, it appears to me that the only thing that U.S. sanctions have done is to give Cuba, its government, an excuse to blame us for their failed policies. This policy has been in place for 38 years, and a failed policy does not have to be permanent. We have debated this issue on this floor numerous times, and I think it is now time for the House to speak its will in regard to whether or not this sanction policy should be continued. Why is this amendment in order appropriate to the Treasury-Postal appropriation? United States sanctions are enforced by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, a branch of the U.S. Treasury Department. This amendment, again, would prohibit the use of funds to implement those sanctions which are, in fact, unilateral on food and medicine to Cuba. When the world acts together, and I might point out that, if our policy on sanctions toward Cuba was a good one, one would expect other countries, democracies, perhaps, who share our ideals, to join us in the effort of imposing sanctions against the country of Cuba. That has not been the case. When the world acts together, we can perhaps achieve some success in influencing the behavior of another country or its government. However, in today's global economy, unilateral sanctions simply have been proven ineffective. I encourage support of this amendment for several reasons that I would like to defer until my opportunity to close. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm).

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire as to the balance of the time?

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dooley).

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. No, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, this has been a difficult amendment for me to offer. The opponents to my amendment feel very strongly in opposition to this amendment, and it raises emotional chords within them as well as all of us. I would tell my colleagues that I feel very strongly about the importance of this amendment and would not be on the House floor today trying to stress to my colleagues why it matters. I have been in this Congress for 4 years. Not one step of progress has been made toward sanction relief and reform that we have been promising our farmers in Kansas and across the country since I have been a Member of this Congress. How long do we have to wait before we can determine the will of this body on the issue of sanctions in regard to Cuba and other countries? Let me reiterate, this amendment deals only with Cuba. Let me reiterate, it is a different amendment than the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) offered, which opens all trading opportunities from the United States. This is limited solely to food and medicine, agricultural products. It matters to agriculture, to farmers and ranchers, who are trying to eke out a living today in this country. But it is more than just about economics. It is about our ability to export our products, our ideas. I am a firm believer, as I was in the debate on dealing with China, that personal freedom follows economic freedom; and when people around the world see our market system, the glimmer of hope for personal freedom is enhanced, not diminished. It is time for us to end a failed policy that improves not only our own economic livelihoods but provides an opportunity for freedom to be increased, not diminished. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Chairman, I am happy to be heard on the point of order. Mr. Chairman, I believe that current designations by OFAC designating which countries we have unilateral sanctions against is specified in the rules and regulations. They would easily and readily be able to determine the definition of the phrases included in the amendment.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) for their leadership. The longer I serve on the Committee on Agriculture, the greater respect I have for the leadership that is provided. I particularly appreciate the hearings that have been held across the country and the willingness to listen to everyday producers, farmers, and ranchers across our Nation, including the hearing we held at the Kansas State Fair in September of 1999. The provisions included in the crop insurance reform aspect of this conference report alone would be something that we could come to the House floor very proud of today, and they do move us in the right direction. Crop insurance has needed reform for a long time, and this committee on the House side has worked long and hard to make that happen. In addition to that, and I hope it does not get overshadowed, in addition to that this conference report will provide disaster assistance for farmers desperately in need of that assistance. With the failure for us to reach agreements in WTO and reducing subsidies by the European communities and others, with the failure of our ability to reduce taxes and reduce rules and regulations that affect farmers in their everyday lives and their pocketbooks, and with continued low commodity prices, on top of increasing costs for fuel and the Federal Reserve continually raising the interest rate, there is no question but what we would lose another generation of farmers without the assistance provided in this package. I am particularly delighted that it comes to us early in this session. I thank the Committee on the Budget, and I thank the Committee on Agriculture and the leadership of the House for making certain that our farmers and their bankers know early in this year whether or not there is going to be assistance that is provided to them. So this is a good day. Crop insurances, disaster assistance and the many provisions contained in this legislation will make a difference in the everyday lives of farmers and ranchers across the country; and we will keep, in place, this generation of farmers now and for the future. I look forward to working with this committee because our farmers want something more than disaster assistance. That is not what they really want. They want a price for their commodity. We have a long way to go to help insure that that opportunity is there. This is a step in the right direction, and we have our work cut out for us. I look forward to working with the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) today, tomorrow, and every year. I thank the gentleman for this conference report.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding me the time, and I thank him for his support and his introduction of H.R. 4055. Mr. Speaker, I served for 8 years in the Kansas legislature before being elected to Congress. During that 8-year period of time, it became clear to me that the consequences of the Federal Government's failure to fund special education were dramatic and significant upon the taxpayers of the State of Kansas, upon our school system, and most importantly upon the students. So it is with pleasure that, upon arriving in Congress, I discovered there was a group of individuals, including the chairman and the ranking member, who were willing and interested in this topic, that cared about the quality of education across the country, and were willing to assist in allowing the Federal Government to at least now gradually meet that mandate. This year, the Kansas legislature just concluded its session. For that 90-day session, we spent most of it wrangling over the cost of education with a budget shortfall predicted of about $73 million or $74 million. Had the special education funding mandate by the Federal Government been fully funded as promised in 1975, the $75 million that we were struggling to try to find in Kansas would have been there. In fact, it would have been there in double. We would receive about an additional $143 million. So it is with pleasure today that I rise in strong support of H.R. 4055 on behalf of the students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers of our State and believe that it is well past time that the Federal Government step forward to meet its commitment. This is a matter of significant importance, and I urge its passage.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I commend the chairmen of a number of committees that have had jurisdiction over this issue. I co-chair with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) a task force on rural technology and have taken a long interest and a strongly held belief that if rural America is going to survive, it is going to be because we have equal access to technology and telecommunications. One of the issues that has impacted the constituents of Kansas greatly is this issue of whether or not they can receive local programming, local-to-local programming, on their satellite networks. A typical constituent letter: We live in Madison. We are unable to receive network programming, ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox, with a rooftop antenna that would be suitable to watch. For 20 years we have received our programming through a satellite dish. We now get network coverage from cities like Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and New York; but here is the problem: We cannot even qualify to access local broadcasting because we are in a designated marketing area that is too close to have local television. It matters to Kansans as a matter of public safety. Weather is important to us and agriculture, and I urge the passage of this bill and appreciate the consideration that our committees have given to this topic.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to submit this outstanding essay on ``good citizenship'' for the Congressional Record. It was written by one of my constituents, Christine Bell, a high school student in Morland, KS who won first place in an essay contest sponsored by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Hays, Kansas. Christine's essay reminds us all that it is an honor to be a citizen of the United States and that the key to maintaining our freedoms and liberties is to exercise them. She pays tribute to our founding fathers, the veterans, and active military who put their lives on the line for our country and reminds us all what has been risked to protect the red, white and blue. Christine also points out that there are numerous ways to serve our country in addition to the military. Voting in elections and removing your hat during the Star Spangled Banner are to small ways that Christine mentions people can show good citizenship. I was extremely impressed with Christine Bell's essay and her belief in the need for good citizenship. I hope she will continue her efforts on behalf of the merits of good citizenship. Treating others with respect is the most basic concept of maintaining freedom, and Christine has already discovered this early in her life. I congratulate Christine on her insight and her efforts in promoting good citizenship and respect for those who have made this country so great. Our American Heritage and Our Responsibility to Preserve It ``I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.'' Students of this nation once stood in their classrooms with their right hand over their heart in allegiance to the flag which symbolizes their freedom. Students across the country no longer stand to pledge allegiance to their flag every morning and many could not correctly recite the pledge if asked to do so. When I attend ball games and watch the parents' example. I begin to see why respect for the flag has been lost. Many adults do not remove ball caps, and the majority fail to put their right hand on their heart or even look at the flag when the ``Star Spangled Banner'' is sung. Have Americans forgotten how fortunate they are to live in a free country? The fathers of this country fought to break free from the bondage of Great Britain. Many lives were lost as blood and tears were shed for the freedom of every single person who lives in the United States. On July 4, 1776, we declared independence and then won, in battle, the right to that independence. When I talk to soldiers in our United States Army, I find that these people truly desire to preserve a nation so well- founded. Our soldiers are very honorable and deserve respect for volunteering their lives to serve this country. Our veterans deserve even more recognition for fighting for our country. Why then, do United States soldiers have to put up with mocking civilians who implicitly spit on and shame them? These ignorant civilians do not realize that the tax money they are so fervently worried about is spent to serve them in times of crisis. The money our government invests in armed forces is to protect and preserve this country that serves its citizens. The lack of respect for the flag and for our soldiers, however, is not the only downfall in the American public. With every presidential election of the twentieth century, the number of those who vote has systematically lowered. If that trend continues at the rate it has, after only a few more elections, the number of votes will be so low that we, as voters, may lose our right to vote for the President of the United States. In a country where the people have such an opportunity to make their voices heard, it is said to see less than half of the eligible voters cast a vote. The people of America need to take more interest in their country and strive to preserve their rights. If we do not exercise them, we very well may lose them. The individuals in our government also need to earn respect and become the honorable leaders they should be. Honesty would be a very good first step. Americans have lost respect for President Clinton because of his occasional inability to tell the truth. The Clinton sex scandals are not far in the back of our minds, and the events at Waco, Texas have brought controversy also. A combination of honesty, respect, and remembrance may just be the key to preserving our American heritage. *COM019*

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, 3 years ago this month I made my first speech on the House floor, highlighting the importance of domestic oil production and our dangerous reliance upon imported oil. At that time oil was just under $15 a barrel and gasoline was around 80 cents a gallon. Within the following 12 months, the price of crude would fall to $7.75 per barrel for western Kansas crude and would remain under $10 per barrel for most of the next year. As a result of the dramatic price decline, since 1997 more than 136,000 wells were shut in and more than 41,000 jobs were lost in the oil and gas industry in our country. This amounts to 136,000 wells and 41,000 people not producing oil to meet our country's energy needs. It was during that time that I introduced legislation aimed at reducing the cost of production for independent oil and gas producers. The bill seeks to boost domestic production by lowering the tax burden on small producers, increasing the credit for advanced oil recovery and calling for a strategic plan that would include additional research and development on secondary and tertiary oil recovery to address our national security needs. While the focus now is on the cost of energy paid by the American consumer, the solution for today's consumer is the same as the solution for the problem of the independent oil and gas producer. We must encourage production in our domestic industry and limit our dependence on foreign supplies of petroleum. The U.S. is currently importing around $100 billion of oil a year, one-third of our country's $300 billion trade deficit. High oil prices are a burden that we all bear. Kansas is a transportation-dependent State with normally cold winter weather. Whether it is the Kansas farmer preparing his field for spring planting, the trucker hauling wheat to the elevator, or the Kansas City commuter on her way to work, we all pay when our dependence on foreign oil becomes too great. While we may be upset about the current situation, we cannot say that it comes as a surprise. In the last 7 years, U.S. oil production has fallen by nearly 20 percent, while oil consumption has risen by almost 15 percent. During the 25 years since the last oil crisis, our reliance on foreign oil has increased from 37 percent to nearly 60 percent today. America is now at its lowest oil production since World War II. We are importing 10.5 million barrels of oil a day, and that pattern is expected to only get worse. The Department of Energy predicts that by the year 2010, a mere 10 years from now, we will import nearly 80 percent of our energy needs. Today's higher crude prices alone are insufficient to increase domestic production, particularly in the short run. Kansas producers have lost much of their equity and find it very difficult to convince lenders to take the necessary risks to explore and develop new leases. When prices are dependent upon the actions of OPEC rather than only free market forces, the ability to take those risks necessary to find and produce new sources of oil are limited. Does the small Kansas producer invest the necessary money, not knowing what the world price will be tomorrow? In Kansas the average daily production is 2.2 barrels per day per well. The cost per barrel is very high and the price received from that barrel determined by foreign suppliers. The stability which comes from greater control of our own destiny through increased domestic production is what is required. The current situation is a clear signal for congressional action. The U.S. is producing less and less oil. Oil rigs and production have fallen by 77 percent since 1990. It is our obligation in Congress to develop tax policies, regulatory policies, and research funding that will allow us to raise domestic production to meet the future demands of the U.S. economy. Our strategy for dealing with our future energy needs must be something more than simply begging at OPEC's doorstep.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, tonight I join the gentleman from North Dakota (Mr. Pomeroy) and my other cochairs, the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Clayton) and the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson), as we celebrate today the coming together of about 212 Members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats, to revitalize the Congressional Rural Caucus. Last year the four of us came together with this common goal: to speak out for rural America and to find ways that we could do that here in the United States Congress. Today, we have celebrated the hard work and our ability to bring us all together for a united voice for rural America. Our jobs as Members of the Congressional Rural Caucus, and we would enjoin any of our colleagues to continue to join us in this pursuit, is to promote economic and social policies that support and help the continued viability of our rural communities. In many instances throughout my home State of Kansas, our rural communities continue to struggle. We continue to lose population from once-thriving communities and elsewhere across the Great Plains region. Demographic trends show that young people are leaving the lands of their ancestors and that the population left behind is rapidly aging. Kansas has 105 counties. Fifty-eight of those counties are smaller today than they were in 1890. Eighty Kansas counties have lost population in the last 2 decades. Seventy counties will lose population in the next decade. So as a result, Kansas communities are confronted with serious challenges of prosperity and even of survival. Concerned parents wonder if their children will receive a public school education sufficient to meet the demands of tomorrow's global marketplace. I myself want to raise my children, I have a 9-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old daughter, I would like for them to have the opportunity to be raised in rural America and to raise their children, if they so choose, in rural Kansas; and we are concerned about the availability not only of education but of health care, especially in our smallest communities. Even though our unemployment rates are low, we see significant under- employment in many areas of rural Kansas. That is the state of the job market in too many of our small communities. The world of information technology, the Internet, is equally important to our towns and to our homes. Connecting that last mile will be a formidable challenge. Telecommunications is vital to rural America's economic development. It is vital to our schools and our hospitals, and it is vital to our businesses. Business must have access to deal with their customers and suppliers; students and individuals need access to the Internet to communicate, to acquire knowledge and develop skills to maintain our competitiveness. I serve as the chairman of the Telecommunications Task Force of the Congressional Rural Caucus; and I am committed to working with other Members of Congress, with the industry and with the administration, to ensure the availability of advanced telecommunications services in our rural communities. Many of the challenges confronting rural America can be met and overcome with the commitment that adequate resources are directed toward the development of rural communities, and access to telecommunications is one of those critical issues we face. By bringing quality health care, education, information, and commerce to rural families and to business, an advanced telecommunication infrastructure can overcome any disadvantages of distance and low density. By providing one voice for rural America, the congressional caucus will ensure communities remain viable and competitive. Our job in Congress is to raise the awareness of rural issues to preserve this way of life. As Congress debates important issues like access to telecommunications, we must address the opportunities and challenges that we face in rural America. Rural America across this country needs to demonstrate to ourselves and to the rest of the world our commitment for a better life. I urge my colleagues to join us in this effort to fight and to speak out for rural America.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here today as a Member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and I am honored to be a sponsor of this resolution. House Joint Resolution 86 calls upon the people of the United States to observe the 50th anniversary of the Korean War with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I am pleased to note that in Kansas we are going to do that, and I encourage all citizens of my State to look for other opportunities to say thank you to the veterans of the Korean War. On July 25, 2000, the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War, in Salina, Kansas, a Korean War Veterans Planning Commission is planning a parade and other festivities to acknowledge the service to our country of our Korean War veterans. On May 29, Memorial Day, I am planning a ceremony in Abilene, Kansas, at the Eisenhower Center to honor the Korean War veterans of the First District. I look forward to seeing them and their families there and we will pay tribute to their service to our country. Eisenhower Center is an appropriate place for this ceremony as President Eisenhower played a significant role. A year after he became President, Eisenhower obtained the truce. So today I ask that we all join in supporting this resolution and that Kansans and all Americans recognize the important role these veterans played.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for yielding me this time, and I am pleased to rise today in support of adoption of this rule and ultimate passage of the bill. I have come to Congress with a firm belief that we need to be responsible in our budget efforts and that we need to take aggressive steps toward a process in paying down the national debt. But this issue does not wait. Fairness does not wait for another day. We have for too long penalized those who have chosen to be married in this country. We have chosen for too long to penalize those whose families suffer. In Kansas alone, 61,000 people in my Congressional District are impacted by this unfair penalty, this unfair Tax Code. And of that, it happens to impact those of very modest and middle-class incomes. The people who are impacted in Kansas earn between $20,000 and $75,000. We are talking about $1,400, on the average, that they pay more simply because they chose to be married and to have families. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and encourage its adoption and encourage today, later in the day, that we end this unfairness that has existed too long in the Tax Code.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, Washington has hit the point on the political calendar when Congress and the President pound the tables and thump their chests over the final budget decisions of this year. Our jobs are to look past the theatrics and to make decisions based upon principle. This year we sat forth an ambitious goal that we would hold the line on spending instead of dipping into the Social Security Trust Fund. This year we have an opportunity for the first time since the Eisenhower administration to balance the budget without touching the Social Security Trust Fund. Congress needs to stand on principle. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations. For too many years, these budget negotiations did not create such a fuss. Congress and the President settled their differences the old- fashioned way: They simply spent more money. When spending exceeded revenues, they borrowed money first from the Social Security Trust Fund, then from the public, by issuing government bonds. Forty years later we have run up one heck of a tab. Our Federal debt now stands at over $5 trillion. There is hope. The Republican Congress over the past 5 years has been more serious than ever about fiscal discipline. That, coupled with a strong national economy, have put our Federal Government in the black for the first time in a generation and allowed us to retire $130 billion in Federal debt. The next step is crucial. Congress and the President need to keep their hands out of the Social Security cookie jar. It is too important to our future and to our country. The Federal Government will raise about $1.7 trillion this year in non-Social Security revenue. This really ought to be enough to operate our government. Americans are likely to hear some hysterics coming out of our Nation's capital during the next couple of weeks over whether we should spend more money on this or that program. These decisions are important, but my focus will be on the bigger picture: Can we get through this session without robbing Social Security and future generations? We must end the year by holding the line on spending, force some savings, and stay out of the Social Security Trust Fund. It is a matter of principle worth fighting for.