Jerry Moran

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, I thank the gentleman for his concern, which I know is very sincere and his commitment to do something about it. I thank the gentleman.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, today, short of spending many, many hours in a library, consumers have no way of knowing if the products they buy are produced by children, and in exchange for complying with the suggested codes of conduct manufacturers will be permitted to use a new ``No Sweat'' label on their goods. Consumers will find it easy to look for the No Sweat label. Quick and easy access to such information will empower consumers to show the manufacturing industry the importance of staying child-labor free. I would hope that every parent would look for this label and would understand but for the grace of God their child could be in a similar exploited condition. Labeling programs do have critics. Some fear that labels will be easily forged. Some fear that labeling requirement will be increased over time and used as protectionist measures. These are valid concerns and only serve to underscore the importance of fighting the battle against child labor on many fronts. One is trade sanctions. We could ban imports made by children. This is the approach taken by Senator Harkin and Congressman Frank and their legislation. This approach would keep track of specific products that were routinely made with child labor from certain countries. These products would be banned unless the importer could demonstrate that child labor was not used in the manufacture of the product. Another approach is through utilization of the generalized system of preferences program. The GSP, which is the acronym for this program, is designed to provide preferential trade treatment to developing countries. If a country qualifies, certain products are given reduced tariff rates. A condition of receiving these generalized system of preferences benefits for any particular product is that the export country ensure that basic worker rights are protected. If not, the United States can revoke GSP benefits to all products from the country, or the United States can revoke generalized system of preference benefits for specific products. Last year, Commerce Secretary Kantor suspended GSP benefits to Pakistan on surgical equipment, sporting goods and hand- knotted carpets for failing to effectively fight child labor in these industries. Because the export country usually wants to restore GSP benefits quickly, it has an incentive active to cooperate with the United States. The executive branch has the authority to reinstate GSP benefits if it is satisfied that the export country is making a good faith effort to rectify the problem. Unfortunately, all of these approaches only help solve the child labor problem to the extent it is connected with U.S. trade. But about 95 percent of all child labor does not involve products bound for the United States. Most involves domestic products or services and cannot be effected by U.S. trade policy. For this reason I introduced the Working Children's Human Rights Act which would deny non-humanitarian U.S. assistance to countries that have not enacted or refuse to enforce their own child labor laws. U.S. taxpayers should not be forced to support rogue regimes that turn a blind eye to government corruption and inaction that perpetuates the exploitation of children. Withholding foreign aid has a limited effect, though, because only a small handful of countries receive any U.S. assistance today. The United States does, however, have leverage through lending institutions such as the World Bank. The World Bank provides loans, technical assistance and policy guidelines to help its developing country members reduce poverty and improve living standards through sustainable economic growth. The bank does a tremendous job at financing necessary projects such as infrastructure improvement which is necessary to attract private sector investment. Because of the importance of assistance such as World Bank loans to developing countries, it is appropriate for the United States to condition its vote in favor of loans to a particular country on that country's compliance with major U.S. foreign policy goals. Today, the United States votes against loans to countries which the President has certified as major illicit drug-producing countries. The eradication of child exploitation ought to be as important to United States foreign policy as combating narcotics, which is terribly important. That is why my legislation would require the United States to vote against loans to countries who have not adopted or refused to enforce their own child labor laws. There is a more immediate step the World Bank could take. Last year we heard testimony before the Subcommittee on International Relations and Human Rights, on which I sat, that hundreds of children worked on infrastructure improvements on one particular project in India. Who knows how many thousands of children like them work on such projects? The World Bank and other such institutions should take a more active role in eradicating child labor by requiring that no children work on projects for which World Bank funds are used. Surely U.S. taxpayers do not want their contributions to the World Bank used for development projects that exploit children. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with my colleagues some success stories in our battle to end exploitation of the children. The first is a project in Bangladesh that would not have been possible without the dedication of U.S. Ambassador David Merrill. Bangladesh's garment sector began thriving in 1977 and currently exports over $750 million per year into the United States. The industry's main products include shirts, trousers, jackets, T-shirts, shorts, briefs, and sweatsuits. By 1990, estimates of the number of working 10- to 14-year-old children in Bangladesh were between 5 and 15 million children. The vast majority of these children worked in the garment sector. Typically, garment factories in Bangladesh were dimly lit with poor ventilation. Hours were very long. Workers usually were forced to work without break; the doors are locked during the shift. Only occasionally is a guard with a key near the door. During time of high demand, workers are locked in until their work is finished, often overnight. They work 24 hours a day. In 1990, the Bangladesh garment manufacturers insisted that children were only in factories to accompany their working mothers who could not afford child care. Not true. Yet the Asian-American Free Labor Institute study showed children walking to factories with their time cards in hand. When that institute probed further, they learned that children really worked at the same factories with their relatives. In the fall of 1993, Senator Tom Harkin and Representative George Brown introduced legislation to ban imports made by child labor from entry into the United States. Fearing passage of this bill, the Bangladesh garment manufacturers abruptly fired 50,000 child workers. Unfortunately, firing the children from the manufacturing centers meant they were forced to look for other work. Many went to work as brick-makers or fish processors, using more dangerous equipment that exposed them to even more risks. Through the hard work of Ambassador Merrill and human rights groups, an historical memorandum of understanding was signed by the Bangladesh garment manufacturers, the International Labor Organization and UNICEF on July 4, 1995. As a result of this agreement, children are moving from factories to schools while they receive a monthly stipend. The Bangladesh garment manufacturers, UNICEF and the ILO, the International Labor Organization, all contribute to a fund to build schools and educate these children, and that is the solution. That is what we have to be doing. They pay the children one-half of what they would have made in the garment factories. It is working. We can make progress. We need to be making that kind of progress in other countries. It is wrong to continue exploiting over 100 million children per year. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the time. I appreciate my colleague, the gentleman from California [Mr. Cunningham] having the patience to wait through this. I would urge my colleagues not only to cosponsor the legislation on human rights for children, but to get involved in this issue seeking a long-term solution.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania for yielding me the time. Let me just congratulate the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Mica], the chairman, and staff director, Mr. Nesterczuk, for bringing this bill forward and my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Holden], the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, and his ace staff Cedric did such a great job last year. I know what a great job he did this year as well. I know it is a good bill and will be overwhelmingly approved. They did a good job. (Mr. HOLDEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call my colleagues' attention to the passing of a dedicated public servant, Mr. George J. Collins. Mr. Collins served in the Marine Corps and in the private sector before beginning his career with the Government Printing Office in 1962. Mr. Collins served his Government and country with distinction. His commitment to public service serves as a model for all who knew him. Mr. Collins was a devoted husband, father of 5 daughters, and grandfather of 14 grandchildren. He was a beloved constituent and an outstanding public servant. Please join with me in honoring his memory. George J. Collins manager, quality control and technical department, government printing office George J. Collins, Manager of the Quality Control and Technical Department of the Government Printing Office (GPO), died March 23, 1997. Mr. Collins had a distinguished career of public service at the GPO, and at the time of his death he had general responsibility for the development of product standards and quality attributes, testing, and inspection, as well as the supply of inks, adhesives, and other materials used in Government printing. A native of Springfield, OH, Mr. Collins served in the United States Marine Corps. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Wittenberg College and pursued additional studies at the University of Cincinnati, Pennsylvania State University, North Dakota State College, the National Cash Register (NRC) Company, and with international correspondence schools. He earned certification in a variety of technical specialties, including high polymers, paint technology, water and waste treatment, industrial chemistry, and statistical methods. Before entering Government service, Mr. Collins worked at NCR as senior research chemist in charge of their polymer group. Earlier experiences included service as a research chemist with the Commonwealth Engineering Company of Ohio, the Chadaloid Corporation, and New Wrinkle, Incorporated. He also worked for the City of Springfield, Ohio, and the Oliver Corporation as a laboratory technician. Mr. Collins began his career at the GPO in 1962 as supervisory chemist in the Ink and Reprography Division of the Quality Control and Technical Department. He was promoted to Deputy Manager of the Department in December 1974 and to Manager in 1982. During his service with the GPO, Mr. Collins contributed to the development of plastic printing rollers, automated bank checks, and U.S. mail processing based on tagged inks. He chaired the interagency task group that developed the Federal Information Processing (FIPS) Standard for optical character recognition (OCR) form design, which proved to be the most popular FIPS standard ever published. Mr. Collins initiated the GPO's environmental testing and control program. He established the organization that promulgated the GPO's Quality Assurance Through Attributes (QATAP) Program. The QATAP program was a singular achievement that resulted in the use of quantifiable attributes for measuring qualify in Government printing, and it is central to the GPO's program of procuring more than 75 percent of all printing annually from the private sector. Mr. Collins served on the Joint Committee on Printing's Advisory Council on Paper Specifications, which establishes standards for the acquisition of printing and writing papers for government use, including recycled paper. In 1994 he assisted the enactment of legislation requiring that all Federal lithographic printing be performed utilizing vegetable oil-based inks. Today, the Congressional Record and other congressional information products are produced on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks, products that Mr. Collins was instrumental in helping to introduce for Government use. He also worked on increasing the use of permanent papers for the production of records with enduring educational and research value. Mr. Collins was a member of numerous professional and industry groups, and he represented the GPO on several advisory boards and committees. He was affiliated with the Franklin Technical Society of Washington, DC, the National Association of Litho Clubs (NALC), the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA), the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI), the American Chemical Society (ACS), Toastmasters International, and the Committee for Graphic Arts Technologies and Standards (CGATS). He was the recipient of various awards for his professional activities, including the Award of Excellence from the Printing Institute of America's Executive Development Institute, and several GPO awards. Mr. Collins was a devoted husband to his wife Eleanor, father to five daughters, and grandfather to fourteen grandchildren. Throughout his career, Mr. Collins exemplified skill in his profession and dedication to public service, and his contributions have made Government printing more cost- effective, efficient, and environmentally sound.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for more projects like the new Marriott Hotel to be built on the beachfront in Gaza. I offer the recent essay by my constituent, Mr. Ralph Nurnberger, from the Christian Science Monitor, as an excellent recognition of the need for more targeted economic aid to the West Bank and Gaza. As Mr. Nurnberger states, ``* * * the real test of the peace process is how it affects the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians. If substantive and visible improvements do not result, no international agreements can succeed.'' He is absolutely right. Only the development of a strong economic infrastructure will progress and peace succeed. [From the Christian Science Monitor, Mar. 6, 1997] Not a Heartbreak Hotel--Gaza Project Shows Way to Reverse Palestinian Despair (By Ralph Nurnberger) The day before he left for his official visit to the United States, Yasser Arafat presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for a Marriott Hotel to be built on the beachfront in Gaza. This project says, symbolically, that the Middle East peace process might, finally, produce tangible benefits for the people in the area, especially through direct involvement of the private sector. The construction and later operation of this hotel will provide employment for hundreds of Palestinians. It will contain a modern commercial center to enable international visitors and Palestinians to conduct business as it is done elsewhere in the world. The project will include a self-contained telecommunications center for international calls, faxes, and e-mail as well as excess telephone capacity for the local market. This project will be the first major American private sector involvement in Gaza. The total investment will be approximately six times more than all other American investments in Gaza--combined! While diplomatic achievements are essential, the real test of the peace process is how it affects the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians. If substantive and visible improvements do not result, no international agreements can succeed. For the majority of Israelis, the key element is security. Israelis must feel safe riding buses, shopping in malls, and sending their children to schools. If random acts of violence occur, they must be assured that the Palestinian Authority will work with Israeli officials to find and prosecute the terrorists. peace dividend: lower incomes Although more Israelis have been killed through terror attacks since the Sept. 13, 1993, signing than in any comparable period, it appears that the Palestinians finally understand their responsibility to work with Israelis to enhance security concerns. The test for most Palestinians is whether the peace accords will result in an improved quality of life. Developing a thriving economy that provides new employment opportunities will not only minimize hatreds and tensions, but will also bring about the promise of a new life. Economic divergence exacerbates political and religious tensions. Since the first Rabin-Arafat signing, Israeli per capita income has increased from $13,800 to over $15,000, while Palestinian incomes have dropped by a third to under $1,200. Delays and reallocations of internationally pledged contributions, the reluctance of foreign investors to establish projects in Gaza and the West Bank, border closures, the slow pace of diplomatic negotiations, and difficulties encountered in setting up a viable Palestinian economy have contributed to growing frustration. Public infrastructure and services, including education, health care, sanitation, water, waste water disposal, and electricity continue to be inadequate. Despite a minor building boom, a housing shortage remains. While the Netanyahu government has eased some limits on Palestinians seeking employment in Israel, the numbers able to cross the borders are significantly below the 120,000 able to find daily work in Israel in 1992. Rather than growing to absorb these workers, the Palestinian economy has declined over the past two years. Thus, workers have fewer opportunities to find employment within Palestinian areas. The unemployment rate in Gaza, always high, is now estimated at approximately 50 percent, with the rate in the West Bank estimated at 30 percent. Unemployment is highest among young, single men--the most likely recruits for terror-oriented groups. big aid pledges, little follow-through The US hosted an international meeting on Oct. 1, 1993, at which $2.4 billion in assistance to the West Bank and Gaza was pledged. Most of these funds have not been delivered or have been diverted from long-term projects to emergency programs and costs of running the Palestinian Authority. The United States committed $500 million, of which $75 million annually for five years is managed by the Agency for International Development (AID). The other $125 million was to come from the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to assist American investors through a combination of loans, loan guarantees, and political risk insurance. AID has assisted a number of worthwhile projects, including $12 million for construction of six housing units with 192 apartments in Gaza called Al Karam Towers. AID is also helping to improve uses of scarce water resources and assisting private sector economic growth through technical assistance, training, loans to local firms, and establishment of industrial parks. But AID funds have been diverted from long-term projects to help in establishing Palestinian self- rule. For example, AID committed $2 million to support local elections in the West Bank and Gaza, and to assist Palestinians in promoting more responsible and accountable governance. AID has minimized help for the agricultural sector, the one area where Palestinians could immediately develop profitable exports, especially under a new Free Trade Agreement with the US. Allocating additional funds to farm exports would be cost efficient. OPIC made a major effort to seek private sector projects to assist or insure. But most private investors have avoided Gaza, so OPIC funds committed to date have been modest. Mr. Arafat would be wise to stress the solving of such economic problems as a prime way to reduce tensions, improve the quality of life, and enhance opportunities for peace. He should build on momentum from the hotel project and stress the need for private sector involvement in the Palestinian economy.

Mr. MORAN of Kansas

Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support legislation regarding one of this Nation's most important and effective conservation programs, the Conservation Reserve Program. Under the Conservation Reserve Program Flexibility Act, H.R. 861, producers whose contracts expire and whose bids to re-enroll are not accepted under new USDA rules for the CRP, will be allowed to extend, for up to 1 year, their existing contracts at the countywide rental rate as established under the new enrollment criteria. In Kansas, the Conservation Reserve Program protects 2.9 million acres of environmentally sensitive land by encouraging farmers to dedicate this land to conservation use. Contracts covering almost 2 million acres of Kansas CRP land will expire by September 31, 1997. Unfortunately, the timing of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's rulemaking process does not always coincide with needs of farmers. For producers of fall crops, like winter wheat, the enrollment decision date is simply too late. This legislation would allow producers to explore the full range of grazing and cropping options as they bring their CRP land back into production. Due to extensions over the last 2 years, contracts representing nearly 22 million acres of this program are now expiring at once. At this point, we do not know exactly what land will be accepted, but it is estimated that 20 to 25 percent of the currently enrolled acres will not even be eligible. This represents around 4 million acres that we know will not be in CRP and will be back into production. Mr. Speaker, adding 4 million acres into production with a limited range of planting options could be disastrous. This sort of market disruption can be avoided if we allow producers across the country to explore all of their options on how to bring this land back into production. There are several important realities that this bill acknowledges. Under this legislation, the enrollment cap is not changed. As sign-up progresses, 36.4 million acres will still be the statutory limit on acres in the program. Even with the continuous enrollment for filter strips, riparian areas, and other high-priority areas, the current enrollment is only 32 million acres. Allowing a 1 year extension would not limit signup of new acres going into the program. Another important factor is the payment rate. Under this 1 year extension, the payment will be either the new enrollment rate or the current rate, whichever is lower. This bill is not designed to give farmers the incentive to extend for 1 year at a substantially higher rate, it is designed to keep CRP benefits enrolled in a cost-effective manner and allow for an orderly return of this land back into production. Mr. Speaker, massive changes have occurred in this Nation's agricultural programs within the last year. With any program changes, a smooth transition is both necessary and desired. This legislation will allow producers to make sound, market-based decisions as they bring their land back into production. Again, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this much needed legislation.

Mr. MORAN

Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 15 million girls and women who will be participating in the 11th Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. National Girls and Women in Sports Day will be celebrated throughout the United States on February 6, 1997. Sponsored by Girls Inc., Girl Scouts of the USA, National Association of Girls & Women in Sports, Women's Sports Foundation, and YWCA of the USA, National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebrates the participation of women in sports and honors the memory of Olympic volleyball silver medalist Flo Hyman, who died suddenly during a match in Japan. In her honor, the Women's Sports Foundation honors a female athlete on National Girls and Women in Sports Day who exemplifies the commitment, integrity, and superior athletic ability of Flo Hyman. This year the award will go to legend Billie Jean King for her commitment to women's rights and her renown as an international tennis champion. As a cosponsor of this congressionally established event, I would like to give special recognition to seven women who have helped to make this event possible, and who have made such a difference in the lives of young women all over the United States. They are: Regina Montoya, president, board of directors of Girls Inc.; Elinor J. Ferdon, national president, Girl Scouts of the USA; Dr. Sue Durrant, president, National Association for Girls & Women in Sports; Donna Lopiano, executive director, Women's Sports Foundation; Dr. Alpha Alexander, director, Health in Sports Advocacy YWCA of the USA; Dr. Prema Mathai-Davis, executive director, YWCA of the USA and Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, director, Women's Sports Foundation. Every day they make it possible for young women to improve their health, self esteem, leadership skills and academics. As the 25th anniversary of the passage of title IX, this National Girls and Women in Sports Day marks a particularly significant event in the history of women in sports. Since title IX, the law prohibiting sex discrimination in federally-funded institutions, was enacted, women's participation in school athletic programs has greatly increased. This increase has benefitted young women. Young women who play sports are more likely to graduate from high school, and less likely to use drugs or have an unintended pregnancy. They reap multiple health benefits from athletic participation, including a 40-60 percent decrease in their risk of breast cancer. In addition, athletic participation helps improve self-esteem and discipline. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these women, and all women who participate in National Girls and Women in Sports Day.