Sue Myrick

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Neumann].

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, the beauty of comp time is that it empowers the employees, the hard-working moms and dads of America, to have the flexibility to meet the responsibility of parenting. This bill allows today's employees to choose whether to take paid time off or to have additional overtime pay. With comp time a working mom will never again be forced to choose between spending time with her child or working long enough to provide food and shelter. Comp time allows mom and dad to have the flexibility to spend more time with their families, more time to take their child to the doctor, or to care for an elderly family relative, and they will do so without the loss of wages on which they depend. While both men and women are affected by this dilemma, the burden seems to fall particularly hard on many working women. In fact, recent national polling data indicates 70 to 75 percent of working women support changing labor laws so that employers and employees have the flexibility to decide whether an employee receives cash or personal time for their overtime. In 1994, the U.S. Department of Labor found the number one concern for 66 percent of working women with children under the age of 18 is the difficulty of balancing work and family. Comp time is pro-family, pro-worker, and when we really think about it, a pro-child approach to provide relief to the hard-working men and women across our Nation who struggle daily to support their families. As a mother of grown children and a grandmother of seven wonderful grandchildren, I know the considerable time that it takes to raise a family in the 1990's. My children struggle daily with the competing demands of work and the pressures of home. The ability of parents to opt for a voluntary comp time program will prove to be an enormous aid in the battle to meet the everyday requirements of raising a family. From my professional experience as mayor of Charlotte, I know firsthand comp time works. For the past decade government workers have benefited from comp time. In Charlotte, exempt city employees enjoy the flexibility that comp time allows in their lives, and certainly all workers in America deserve the same rights the Federal, State, and local employees have enjoyed since 1985. Comp time seeks to provide employees a choice. It will give America's workers flexibility in scheduling the hours that they work. I urge my colleagues to support the rule so that we can provide America's families with this choice.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Scarborough].

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Hall], pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. Mr. Speaker, the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 852, the Paperwork Elimination Act of 1997, under an open rule. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, equally divided between the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee on Small Business. Members who have preprinted their amendments in the Record prior to their consideration will be given priority in recognition to offer their amendments, if otherwise consistent with House rules. Finally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit with or without instructions. I am pleased that this bill will be considered under an open rule which was unanimously approved by the Committee on Rules. While the chairman of the Committee on Small Business testified to the Committee on Rules that he did not expect any amendments, this rule will provide the entire House with sufficient time to offer amendments. The Paperwork Elimination Act will decrease the burden of Federal paperwork by requiring all Federal agencies to give small businesses, educational and nonprofit organizations, State and local governments the option of filing required information by means of electronic submission, such as e-mail, fax, and other means. This new ability will enable all of these organizations to save time and money, help ease the paperwork and regulatory burden on them and other taxpayers, and improve the efficiency and accuracy of Federal information collection. My colleagues may remember that we unanimously passed identical legislation in the 104th Congress. Unfortunately, it was never considered by the other body. I am glad we are again going to have the opportunity to free small businesses and other organizations from the shackles of oppressive, excessive Federal regulations. As a small business owner myself, I can say that too much time is spent filling out forms in order to comply with endless Federal regulation. Decreasing this burden will be very beneficial to all small business owners, as they will now be able spend their time and money on productive activities that will lead to the expansion of their business. Finally, the Paperwork Elimination Act is a much-needed continuation of the popular Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, which the President signed into law on May 22, 1995. I was very supportive of the Paperwork Reduction Act, which reduced the information collection burdens on the public and ensured a more efficient and productive administration of information resources. The legislation we will consider today builds upon that progress and paperwork reduction. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 88 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York [Mr. Solomon].

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Ohio [Ms. Pryce].

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me conclude my remarks by reminding my colleagues that defeating the previous question is an exercise in futility, because the minority wants to offer an amendment that will be ruled out of order as nongermane to this rule. So the vote is without substance. The previous question vote itself is simply a procedural motion to close debate on this rule and proceed to a vote on its adoption. The vote has no substantive or policy implications whatsoever. Mr. Speaker, at this point in the Record, I ask unanimous consent to insert an explanation of the previous question.

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, you know I agree in what you are saying and being able to speak what you think, and I appreciate your quoting Lincoln because he is also one of my heroes. And it kind of ties in with a couple of things that I wanted to mention this afternoon, you know, and this is really kind of in view of our bipartisan retreat that is coming up. I kind of wanted to remind people, making an appeal that, you know the words of the great American philosopher, Pogo: We have met the enemy, and he is us. I think there are few of us who have been entrusted with the honor of serving in this great institution that are unaware of the low esteem in which we are corporately regarded today. And you know sometimes in the interest of reelection, flawed egos or some purposes of political or personal gain, we abuse our privilege and we dishonor our predecessors and slight our fellow Americans and weaken our Nation, and you know it has been true that there have been scoundrels in the past that have thrown shadows over this great noble body. But you know we have gotten to the point where there is a great deal of distrust and cynicism out there in what we do and what goes on here, in the way we treat one another. And so I guess I am just saying that, you know, we claim to trust God, and in His name I would like to ask us to really reason together for the good of all and, you know, let us respect one another and tolerate one another's differences and not get upset when somebody says something that they deeply believe, but try and work together and stop destroying one another and lift one another up and endeavor to achieve the height of leadership the American people not only deserve but that they expect of us. And let us seek to be a credit to our Nation and proper example to our world and a joy to our God, and I believe that Lincoln who have agreed with that. Do you not?

Mrs. MYRICK. I think that is true, and that is one thing that has been missing, and it is a good point that you make because this place is such a busy place that you do not take time to build those friendships and you do not take time to walk across that aisle and get to know somebody else, and I think that has been a big mistake and I hope that all of us can start to do more of that sharing and really try and reach out, and have our disagreements because you are going to have to disagree philosophically. We will have a lot of differences; that is the way it is. But it does not mean that you cannot establish those friendships, and I commend you for doing that.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I fear that the passage of the resolution reprimanding Speaker Gingrich has opened a Pandora's Box that may ultimately threaten the very integrity of this noble institution. While I support the report of the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct and the reprimand, I feel that the monetary reimbursement is excessively severe and sets a dangerous precedent in the name of political expedience. It will mean that only the wealthy will be able to afford to serve in office. There is a problem that should be of greater concern to all of my colleagues. The ethics process is in dire need of reform. We must all come together and create a swift, efficient, and fair new process. If we fail in this endeavor, the American people will slip even farther into the apathy that has gripped our political system for too long.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, the President's decision to sign this welfare reform bill is really great news for working Americans and for people in need. The welfare bill will really reform and empower the States to be creative in solving their own problems and it will help end the cycle of dependency and poverty, which really truly helps millions of children with a decent fulfilling future. As a former mayor, I know firsthand these ideas work because we had pilot programs in our area where we were moving people out of public housing and into home ownership and off of welfare with child care help and really giving them their dignity back again. It is a sin not to help someone who genuinely, truly needs that help through no fault of their own, but it is also a sin to help people who do not need help. So this bill is going to encourage that personal responsibility that we are all so proud of and give people their dignity back.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Chairman, the Working Family Flexibility Act is pro- family, pro-worker, pro-women, in its approach to provide relief to the hard-working men and women across our Nation who struggle daily to support their families. These men and women who support families and work, deserve the right to have their work schedules flexible enough to allow them time to devote to family responsibilities. As a wife and a mother and a grandmother and a former small business owner, I know firsthand how hard it is to balance work and family. The bill seeks to provide employees a choice and the option to renew and refocus the perilous difficult balance between family and work obligations by allowing flexibility in scheduling the hours they work. Dads could use the accrued time to make sure they are behind the dugout for that critical Little League game, and mom and dad could use their time to visit their child's school for the parent-teacher conferences, enabling and encouraging parents to participate in their child's education. Comp time allows parents to actively participate in family life, not just hear about the recollection at the dinner table that night or the next day. In 1994, a U.S. Labor Department survey found that 66 percent of working women with children believed that balancing time between family and work is their No. 1 concern. Even the President and vice President endorse giving workers the option to spend more time with families. Employees deserve the same rights that Federal, State and local employees have had since 1985. During my tenure as mayor of Charlotte exempt city employees enjoyed flexibility that comp time allowed in their lives. Simply put, and I know this from management experience, flex time works. It works for the employer, it works for the employee, and most importantly, it works for America's families. Support this commonsense family-friendly approach. Support the Workers Family Flexibility Act.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, July 23, 1996, due to a malfunction of my congressional beeper, I missed rollcall vote No. 342, an amendment to H.R. 3814, the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Appropriations Act for fiscal year 1997, offered by Representative George Radanovich. I intended to vote ``Yea'' on Mr. Radanovich's amendment, as I fully support increased efforts to combat the escalating use of drugs in our country.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Madam Chairman, back home in Charlotte, we have many successes in moving people off of welfare--because we have created programs that work best for the folks in our community. As mayor of Charlotte, I worked closely with many people who found themselves needing the helping hand of welfare assistance. Many people on welfare are young, single mothers. In working with them, I learned what kind of help they need to become self-sufficient. Our bill will offer them exactly that form of help. It will restore power and flexibility to the States, confirming our commitment to send power, money, and influence back home--and finally get Washington bureaucrats out of the picture so we can design our own programs at home. It will help young mothers obtain jobs so they can feel good about themselves, and their kids can be proud of them. Child care is one of their major concerns. Our bill has specific provisions for child care assistance. I was a working mom and I know that it is difficult to go out in search of a better life when you have your kids to care for. It will also ensure that children receive nutritious meals at school through the school breakfast and lunch programs, as well as the special milk program. Our bill will offer protections, as well as assistance, by assuring that certain vulnerable people--such a pregnant women and people certified as physically or mentally unable to work--are exempt from the work requirement. In short, our bill makes sure that the needy are helped--and that those that can--help themselves.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an old friend and outstanding hero of North Carolina who passed away last week. William ``Bill'' States Lee was a model citizen who continually gave of himself for his country, community, friends, and family. Bill Lee was the former chairman and chief executive officer of the Duke Power Co. based in Charlotte, NC. A native of Charlotte and the grandson of Duke Power's first engineer, Bill joined Duke Power in 1955 as a junior designer. He worked his way up through the ranks and, in 1982, he became chairman and chief executive officer. In 1989, he was named chairman and president of Duke Power. Upon his retirement in 1994, Bill Lee became Duke Power's first chairman emeritus. Bill Lee was best known professionally for his work in the field of nuclear power. He was the former chairman of the board of the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations. He was also a catalyst in the founding of the World Association of Nuclear Operators, where he was named its first president in May 1989. The Charlotte Observer referred to Bill as ``perhaps the foremost international consultant in, and statesman and diplomat for, the nuclear power industry.'' Prior to his service to Duke Power, Bill graduated from Princeton University as Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude in civil engineering. He served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corp from 1951 to 1955, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. Also, Bill received honorary doctorates from the University of South Carolina, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Johnson C. Smith University, Davidson College, and Clemson University. Despite Bill Lee's many professional accomplishments, he also made a powerful contribution to the Charlotte community. A family man, with his wife Jan and their three children, Bill was an elder at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, where he even found time to teach Sunday school. He also served as a trustee to the Harris Foundation, the North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center at Charlotte Foundation, the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, Queens College, and the conference board at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Foundation. I would also like to add that I lost a close and dear friend. Bill Lee's humor and charm were contagious to everybody around him. He was also one of the most giving people I have ever met. During my tenure as mayor of Charlotte, he was one of the people who helped our community recover from the disaster of Hurricane Hugo. On behalf of all of the millions of people whose lives are better because of Bill Lee's work, I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Jan, and his entire family. Finally, I have taken the liberty of attaching a poem that Bill's daughter, Lisa Lee-Morgan, wrote for her father and read at his funeral. Bill, we will miss you. Star-Spangled Man Star-spangled man, nor mere planet But a sun, a body fused By Proteus. Self-generating source of power, Shining light, hour on hour. Rush! wind, water, coal and coil, Quick! Split the atom, fuse the soil, Don't ever stop, embrace the toil, Christ-man, His disciple loyal. Blue eyes blazed like shooting stars Beneath the lightening brows of Zeus They let us know we'd his attention, (For better or worse I'll mention) Lover, hunter, father, friend, Bully, preacher, Charlotte's kin. Forgive us for we know not how To tread the step he's led til now. This warrior stood to lead the fight Against the dying of the light. The closing mind, the fading hope, The grasping hand, could find no grope In Bill Lee's camp, upon the lake Where children frolic, swim and play. He was our star, bright gravity Round whom we danced til God took Lee.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to stand here tonight in support of this resolution, and I am very happy that the resolution is coming forward. Back on the first of March some of us who are members of the Family Caucus actually sent a letter to Attorney General Reno asking her to take action and bring all resources to bear because we knew that this problem existed, and so it is good that we are coming together and there is a very strong interest in finding a solution to the problem. This is a bipartisan effort, which always is great to see when everybody can work across all lines and come forward to share. We have the gentleman from Illinois, Chairman Hyde, whose legislation is coming on the floor next week, which will put some teeth into prosecution and bring to justice the people who are doing these things. The gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Lightfoot] came forward with an appropriations bill, which is budget neutral, I might add, and that is going to help give the resources to the ATF agents who work in the arson division. And I will say from firsthand experience, unfortunately we had an incident in my city last week, and they are dedicated, dedicated people who really are shorthanded. So this is going to be a big help to them. And then today, the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Curt Weldon, announced that the Fire Caucus and all the fire services and the insurance agencies are coming together with a prevention effort that we can all share in our districts and really get the word out there of what people can do to try to prevent some of this. So I commend both the gentlewoman from North Carolina, Eva Clayton, and the gentleman from Oklahoma, J.C. Watts, for coming forward with this resolution, and it sends a strong message that we are not going to tolerate this anymore in our country. I do not care who these people are or where they are from, this is totally inexcusable and it has to stop. I am embarrassed to say that North and South Carolina have had more of these church burning incidents than any other geographical area or State combined, and that is very depressing to me, but we do need to come together not just at the congressional level, but we need to come together locally. The fourth aspect of this is that we really need to look toward helping these communities rebuild. We are going to be rebuilding the church in our area, and it is going to serve as a museum memorial to the culture of the black church because this is something that people really need to understand. The whole community is doing it, it is a volunteer effort completely, and I am challenging other communities to reach out and do the same. They say you can burn the building, but you do not burn the church, and I think we all know that.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Chairman, our budget shows our trust in the American people to make their own decisions. We want to let them control their money and design programs that will solve the problems at home. I know firsthand that the local people can be trusted to do this. You know, when I was Mayor, we did not hold our hand out to the Federal Government. We simply went ahead, worked together to move people off of the Federal dependency and into self-sufficiency. We got a lot of ideas for others to follow, like a public housing venture that literally moves people out of public housing and into home ownership. We have a housing partnership that last year built 119 homes, sold those homes, and 65 of those homes were sold to people who had previously been in public housing. We started a homeless shelter with private community support that in the last 2 years has put over 500 men back into the workplace. We have coordinated job training program that actually does help young people, not only with training but puts them into their first job. We are turning lives around one at a time and it works. It works because we work together to help people achieve self-sufficiency and because we can tailor the program to fit the need. Our budget allows communities all over America to use their ingenuity and help to do their own programs to solve their own problems, and it works so much better than a bureaucrat in Washington, DC, trying to tell them how to do it.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Chairman, this debate today is about one thing and that is trust. As my colleagues know, we trust the folks back home to manage their own lives better than the bureaucrats in Washington, DC. Our budget resolution demonstrates that trust. For the last several decades Congress has said, ``Hey, folks, you know, you don't know what you are doing; the Federal Government needs to tell you how to do it, how to take care of your life.'' Mr. Chairman, I know from firsthand experience as a mayor of a city that the people back home do know how to take care of themselves. As my colleagues know, our city did not sit around and wait for Congress to tell us how to do it. We just got in there and did it. We believed that there is a better way. We say that the American people have the answers. This country was built on self-sufficiency and free enterprise, with families making their own decisions. All over this country folks are finding the answers. They are overcoming adversity. They are solving problems. They are helping one another. This budget supports that effort. Families need our help. Do Members know that it costs the average family $6,731 a year just for Government regulations? They need tax relief as well as control of their lives. Families are hurting. Our own son and daughter-in-law, our daughter-in-law had a terrible auto accident. She is unable to work. Their earning ability has been severely limited. They know firsthand how this budget is going to help them. It will give them some relief. It is going to provide a better future for our two granddaughters, Amanda and Savannah, and for all the other families in America. We truly want to take the power out of Washington and send it back to the people, where it belongs. Let us manage our own lives.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I proposed H.R. 2773 as a regulatory relief bill for two of America's many entrepreneurs. H.R. 2773 extends the construction license for two hydroelectric plants in North Carolina. Extending these deadlines allows these two individuals to participate in the fastest growing sector of our economy, small business. For example, Mr. Daniel Evans of Kings Mountain, N.C., a constituent of mine, has successfully worked to raise the capital on his own--no government handouts--and line up the purchasing of the land for this noteworthy project. This example of self-initiative shows that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in America. I thank my colleagues in the House for voting for H.R. 2773 and showing their support for the small businessmen and businesswomen of this country. I also want to thank House Commerce Committee Chairman Thomas Bliley, Commerce Energy and Power Subcommittee Chairman Dan Schaefer, and Representative Richard Burr of North Carolina for all of their assistance in bringing H.R. 2773 to the House floor. Their tireless efforts are greatly appreciated by myself and all of the citizens of North Carolina who will benefit by having this added source of hydroelectric energy for their use.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, in a time when America so desperately needs clear leadership; in a time when America so desperately needs ethical leaders; in a time when America needs to rally all of our best resources to find effective and fair ways to make crucial business, community and government decisions, I am pleased to bring to your attention an excellent role model for all of us. The exemplary business leader to whom I refer is Truman L. Koehler. Truman currently serves Sandoz Corp. as the president of Master Builders, Inc., based in Cleveland, OH, and as a member of the executive committee for Sandoz Corp., based in New York. But he plans to retire from these positions on May 1 to return to his home since 1981 in my favorite city, Charlotte, NC. This is good news for Charlotte, for North Carolina, and for America. For during all of his business life, Truman has used his time, mind, and leadership talents to improve the quality of life on local, State, and national levels. With time away from daily management duties, I fully expect us to benefit from Truman's leadership in many ways on all of these levels. Truman prepared himself for industry by earning a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. He continued to prepare himself for business leadership by earning a master's degree in experimental statistics from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, while working in quality control for Sylvania Electric Products, Inc., from 1952 to 1957. His keen mind and straight-forward manner were great assets to American Cyanamid Corp. in a wide variety of technical, marketing, and management assignments from 1957 to 1981. While taking on increasing management responsibility, Truman took time to develop and teach a series of evening courses in applied statistics in areas such as biology, agriculture, and ecology. Truman came to Charlotte in 1981 as president and chief executive officer for the Sodyeco Division of Martin Marietta Corp. When Sandoz Ltd. of Basel, Switzerland, purchased Sodyeco in 1983, and later merged it with Sandoz United States dyes and chemical businesses, Sandoz worldwide executives selected Truman to continue to run the new company, Sandoz Chemicals Corp. As president and chief executive officer of these businesses for 10 years, Truman led State and local initiatives that brought community and business interests together for the benefit of all our citizens. For example; during his 10 years in Charlotte, Truman chaired the mayor's Blue Ribbon Committee that recommended and then guided the development of an emergency response system for the city; served as a director Executive Committee member and a leader of the nationally acclaimed Environmental School for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce; encouraged the development of a Manufacturer's Council to assure a steady and effective partnership among manufacturing merchandising and service members within the Charlotte Chamber; and to represent manufacturing interests in the community; served the community as a trustee of Science Museums of Charlotte; served all of the citizens of the State as chairman of the North Carolina Governor's Commission on Hazardous Waste Disposal; and continued to serve his alma mater as a trustee of Muhlenberg College on Allentown, PA. During that time, Truman also served our Nation by using his commitment to intelligent and safe management of safety and environmental issues to help set standards and policies for the professions and industries he has served. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality Control and has served as director of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Chemical Manufacturers Association, and the National Paint and Coating Association. Truman is recognized by his professional colleagues as a strong example of the best in American management. They know him to be an able and talented manager with a sincere concern for the financial and safety welfare of his employees; committed to safety and environmental responsibility; and an intelligent business executive who cares about the quality of life for his employees and his communities. Charlotte enthusiastically welcomes back one of our most progressive and effective business civic leaders.

Mrs. MYRICK

Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I honestly believe that a lot of the problems we have today in society stem from the fact that we have no regard for human life. You can call me old-fashioned, but I believe every individual born into this world is special, needed and important. You know, our forefathers shared this philosophy when they wrote in our Declaration of Independence that we are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I ask that we consider the difference. A doctor performs a painful, cruel, partial abortion one day, and it is accepted. And then the next day, if that same mother gave birth to the same age child and then she killed her child, she would be charged with murder. Only a few hours separates these two acts, but one is considered justified and accepted, even promoted, and the other is considered unjust. There is something wrong with our society today if we continue to justify such an unjust procedure.