Jim Matheson

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate the people of Salt Lake City and the State of Utah, as well as athletes from around the world for a successful 19th Winter Olympics. I express my appreciation for the hard work by the thousands of volunteers of what has been described as the world's greatest Winter Olympics ever. The Games showed how as Americans, we have not given up, but have rallied around our national-- and international--banners. Over 27,000 people served as volunteers during the games. Volunteers made up almost the entire cast of the opening and closing ceremony performances. Doctors, nurses, businessmen, housewives, and even teenagers worked for 17 straight days to make sure this event was one that no one would ever forget. Mr. Speaker, I hope that as Members of this body watched the Games on television that they too saw what I saw: People from throughout the world coming together to celebrate the spirit of fair competition and sport. I appreciate the work of the Congress and the President to ensure that the games ran smoothly and securely. It is my hope that the Salt Lake Olympic Games will be an example for the world of how to host a large, safe, secure, and successful international event.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, rise today to give my whole-hearted endorsement and support for H.R. 3958, the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Settlement Act. This bill provides more than just a mere settlement between the federal government and the State of Utah, it is a model of how state and federal interests can work together in order to protect our shared environment. The Bear River Refuge is an ecological treasure. Surrounded by a desert and a brackish marsh, the Bear River is truly an oasis for thousands of birds. In 1843, explorer John C. Freemont visited the site and said that the sounds of waterfowl were like ``a thunder, and the whole scene was animated with waterfowl.'' The refuge, however, is threatened. In 1983 the Great Salt Lake breached its banks and flooded the fragile ecosystem of the refuge. The pristine waters became contaminated; microbes, plants, and animals were all put at risk. The refuge is now on its way to recovery. There has been a concerted effort by the federal government and the state to remediate the damage caused and return the refuge to its prior condition. That job has been complicated, not by the forces of nature but by the anachronistic ambiguities of lines of ownership between federal and state holdings. The lack of a meander line survey of the land has led to uncertainty of ownership within the refuge. State and federal agencies are unsure of their jurisdiction, and that uncertainty has stymied the important environmental work that needs to be completed. This $15 million agreement would invest much needed resources into the continued protection of the refuge-$10 million would be provided into a wetlands protection account. The remaining $5 million will be used for development, improvement, and expansion of a trail system throughout the refuge. This is a good deal for the United States, a great agreement for Utah, and important step in preserving a fragile ecosystem.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lend my voice in support of this important legislation. Washington County, Utah is one of the fastest growing counties not only in Utah, but in the United States. Within the last ten years the population of Washington County has grown by more than 80 percent. The City of St. George is fast becoming one of America's premier retirement and vacation gateway communities in the country. With this growth come two very basic needs. First, all cities, regardless of size, geography, lay out, structure, or economy, need water. Nowhere is this need felt more than in the red rock desert of southwestern Utah. Secondly, vibrant cities need a place for people to recreate. They need areas where families can gather, where picnics can be held, where activities can be organized, and communities can come together. This legislation will help to do both. The bill authorizes $2.5 million for the construction and maintenance of the Sand Hallow Recreational Area. This will help provide the needed resources to allow for the continued water and recreational resources of Washington County. As a child, I spent many days in the area around Sand Hollow. It is a magnificent area, and a place that will only be enhanced by this authorization.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Chairman, we face some clear challenges. We are in a recession, and we have a war on terrorism to fight. I have to say that some of the aspects of this budget are things I certainly agree with. I appreciate the commitment to our veterans; I can appreciate the commitment to defense spending and homeland defense. The issue about the long-term plan, about how we get away from deficit spending, that is something we have to work on. And whether or not we pass this budget today, that problem is not going to go away. I would like to call on my colleagues to work together in a more bipartisan way in the future. We do need to address this issue. It is important to us. Our constituents expect us to work together. We have not done that yet, but I hope we do so sooner than later.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give support to H.R. 3928, a bill that would provide the Natural History Museum at the University of Utah with the means to restore, protect, and preserve our shared natural heritage. In 1824, a philanthropist named James Smithson bequeathed his fortune to the government of the United States in order to found an institution to ``increase the diffusion of knowledge among men.'' In 1846 the United States established the Smithsonian Institution and established the wise and remarkable precedent of the value of public investment in institutions of science, research, and heritage. Mr. Speaker, in Utah we have an institution that houses 1 billion years of the history of life on our planet. It is an institution that holds three-quarters of a million artifacts detailing tens of thousands of years of Native American life throughout the Rocky Mountain and Great Basin areas of our country. It contains over 30,000 specimens of mammals, one of the 30 largest collections in the western hemisphere, and its 18,000 specimen reptile collection contains one of the largest turtle assemblages in the world. It is an institution that houses one of the world's great paleontology collections. Its 12,000 specimen vertebrate fossil collection is dominated by 150 million-year-old dinosaurs from the Jurassic period, as well as Ice Age mammals such as giant bears, mammoths, and mastodons. What I have just described is just a fraction of the resources provided by the University of Utah's Natural History Museum. It is a treasure unsurpassed in the western United States. However, these resources are under threat. First, they are housed in a converted library built during the 1930s. It is a building constructed for the close, claustrophobic stacking of books, not for the storage of artifacts. Most of the ceilings throughout the building are 7 feet 2 inches high, which makes dinosaur storage somewhat of a problem. Climate control and water systems are woefully antiquated. The humidity and temperature in the display and storage areas have wide swings. This inconsistency puts tremendous strain on the increasingly fragile collections. It is plausible to think that a child's Pokemon cards might be at less risk for damage than some of the pieces in this collection. The university, along with private donors and the State government, have embarked on an ambitious project to build a new museum that would be a centerpiece for cultural and scientific education in the Intermountain West. This project will be a partnership in every sense of the word. State and private donors have promised to match every Federal dollar with three of their own. The university's donors and alumni network view this as a priority project for Utah and are actively engaged in its development. The university has already contributed the 14 acres for the development. The State has guaranteed the operating funds for the facility at $800,000 per year. To date, close to $12 million has been raised from private donors. This includes $10 million from the Emma Eccles Jones Foundation. Unlike many museums throughout the country, 75 percent of the museum's holdings are owned outright by the Federal Government, with more than 90 percent of some collections coming from Federal lands. That means that these artifacts, fossils, and specimens belong to the people of the United States. These exhibits and collections are part of our collective national heritage. With Congress' help, we can save these treasures for future generations of Americans. Mr. Speaker, I want to give special thanks to the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Resources. I thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) for his diligence, dedication, and commitment to this project. This was a collaborative effort in every sense. The gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) is a true gentleman legislator, and this Chamber will be diminished by his upcoming departure.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas, and I appreciate him leading this discussion tonight on an issue that is so important to me. It is important to the Blue Dog Coalition, but it really ought to be important to all of us. It was about 150 years ago that my great-great grandfather came to the United States from Scotland. I have to say that I believe I personally am true to my Scottish ancestry when it comes to money, especially the people's money. I do not like deficits. I do not like debt. When I first decided to run for public office, I never had heard of the Blue Dogs. I was a candidate working hard, talking about issues that I thought were important and the notion of being fiscally responsible, the notion of trying to pay down debt. That was really important to me. As I got involved in being a candidate, suddenly I heard about this group called the Blue Dogs, and the more I heard about them, the more I said, you know, those guys are saying a lot of the same things that seem to make sense to me, and it has been a group that I am real proud to associate with, for a number of reasons. Number one, they have a reputation for caring very much about being fiscally responsible. Number two, they also have a reputation for just putting the cards on the table. What I like about this group is that we try to get away from a lot of the rhetoric, and we are real open to discussion. As the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) just said, if someone wants to disagree with us, that is great. Let us invite that dialogue. Let us have a discussion about how we can come together and come up with some good ideas from both parties to be fiscally responsible. I think the Blue Dog budget that was introduced a year ago was a real responsible plan. It was a good idea, and we nearly won. We nearly did. But we did not quite make it. Now we find ourselves in a rather extraordinary circumstance compared to 1 year ago. I recognize that there are a lot of changes in what this country faces from a year ago, and we as Blue Dogs understand that we face some new expenditures in our government right now. We face a war on terrorism that costs money, and it is a serious issue and something that we support. We face issues about homeland security that we were not thinking about a year ago, and those are going to take resources, too. We support that, and we want to take care of those issues and address them in a responsible way. To the extent that the economy is in a downturn and to the extent we face some of these issues, we understand that there may be times, extraordinary circumstances like that, when the government may have to go into some deficit in the short term, and if we are coming right up against that borrowing limit, it may be responsible to raise that up a little bit to get us through this short-term problem we face here. But that is not what we are looking at. That is not what the administration is asking us to do. The administration is asking us to raise the debt limit by $750 billion. We throw so many numbers around this place, I think we grow numb to the meaning of these numbers. But $750 billion in more debt? That is just a lot of money and that is a big blank check that we are asking for, that the administration is asking for; and, quite frankly, they are asking for Congress to be given the latitude to run up another $750 billion of debt with no plan, with no financial plan, with no idea that has been presented about how we are going to right this ship, how we are going to get away from this pattern of just increasing debt over and over and over. That just does not seem to make sense. From my Southern Utah roots that does not pass the smell test. We ought to be willing to be responsible about this, and before we write a huge blank check, let us take a look at the short-term issues, as I suggested. Let us be willing to acknowledge that we ought to maybe increase the debt limit a little bit, because we have these increased expenses from the war on terrorism, homeland security. The economy has been slow. We understand that. But, for crying out loud, $750 billion, that is a lot of money. I notice what the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) was saying about trying to get people a sense of what $1 billion means. I really like that example of 200 elementary schools. There is another part of that example that ought to be amplified, and that is if you spent that money on 200 elementary schools, you would have something to show for it. You would have an important asset, an asset that creates value. It is an investment in our country, it is an investment in our children, which is the best investment we can make. But when we pay that interest payment, we have nothing, we have nothing to show for it, every single day. I thought that was a great analogy to point out, the difference in how you either spend money or invest money. There are things government should do, and there are some things government should not do, but I think we ought to keep in mind the notion that there is an investment component to what we do. The gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Ross) mentioned that he is a small businessman. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) I know has been a farmer. I am sure both of them in their lives had the experience of at times borrowing money for their business. They have gone to the bank, and they have had to tell a story, a legitimate, credible story about how, if they are going to borrow that money, how they are going to put it in that business and how that business is going to create some recurring income over time to pay that loan off. It has been my personal experience, too. I used to work in the energy business, built a couple of cogeneration projects that cost $100 million apiece. I had to go to a bank to find that money to help build that project. I will tell you, they made me jump through a lot of hoops to explain how that project, once it was built, was going to pay for itself over time. And we got that loan, and those projects are making electricity and those loans are getting paid off because we told a story that was credible, and I am glad to say it has worked out that way as well. The same thing applies to all of us. Everybody has gone out, maybe they borrowed money to buy a car or a house. You cannot just walk in and say, well, I have no idea how I am going to pay you back, but please give me money. Yet in terms of raising this debt limit, that is what we are talking about. I know there is a lot of uncertainty when you look out in the future. I understand the problems with long-term projections. We all have to live with that uncertainty. But that does not mean you just ignore the future. That does not mean you do not try to give your best effort to figure out what you are going to do in the future. As time goes on, you retool your plan to fit changes that you did not expect. But what we have now is this request to raise the debt limit by $750 billion, and there is no end in sight. There is no sense of how we are going to ultimately change this pattern of deficit spending. That is why we are here tonight. That is what we are talking about. We are trying to engage people in a dialogue. I do not claim to have all the answers for how we are going to right this ship. I really do not. I have some ideas. I think I have some good ideas. But I think we have to be committed, collaboratively, as Democrats and Republicans, and with the administration, too, to talk these things through. These are serious issues. These are tough issues. If they were simple, we would have resolved them already. And they got more difficult in the past year. We have new challenges we were not thinking about a year ago. This is when we are supposed to rise to the occasion. This is why people elect us. They elect us to come here, think these issues through, learn all the facts, talk to as many experts as we can, and work together to come up with viable, common-sense solutions. That is what the Blue Dogs are all about. That is why I have been so proud, as I said, to be associated with that group. Their reputation speaks for itself. They have been very helpful in terms of guiding this discussion. And that is why we are here tonight, to talk about this issue of raising the debt limit. I cannot say enough about how important this is. I think about this issue through the eyes of my little boy who is 3 years old. He has gotten no benefit out of this debt we have run up around this country, none at all. But we are going to stick him with having to pay it off. You know, as I take on this job and as I think about issues, I try to look at all of these issues through the eyes of him, through the eyes of a child, and think about what kind of world he is going to be growing up in. It is just not fair. It is not right. Those kids do not vote. They do not vote, but they are our constituents, and they are our future. Those are the people we are supposed to be representing.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for conducting this session tonight with all of the Blue Dogs to talk about what I think is such a critical issue. Let us remember why we are here. We are talking about a request that has come in for us to raise the debt limit by $750 billion. We throw numbers around here all the time, and sometimes they lose a little of their meaning. We should really think about this. This is a lot of money, and it is going to extend the debt limit by a lot. Think about how this relates to us in the private sector. Before I came here, I worked in the business world. There were times when I used to develop a couple of large projects and I had to go to a bank because I did have to borrow money to help pay for the project. There are times when one does need to go into debt to borrow money for a project in the business world, to take out a mortgage on a house. But what I had to do when I took that money out for that business project is I had to have a story I could tell to the lender about how I was going to pay that money back over time. When I took out a mortgage on my house, I had to explain to the lender how I was employed, how I had a salary, and how I was going to be able to pay back that mortgage over time. The problem we have here now as Members of Congress is that we are being asked to take on this new mortgage, $750 billion, in fact, a pretty big mortgage. The story has not been told about how we are going to get out of this pattern, about how we are going to get out of going back to borrow and borrow, about how we are going to pay this mortgage off. I think that is a relevant question to be asking. I do not want to force the government into some financial catastrophe by having to be put into a situation where Congress is not willing to ever raise the debt limit, because there are circumstances where sometimes the government is going to have deficit spending: times of war, times of economic recession. We may have some difficulties in certain circumstances. But the notion, the notion that we should raise this limit by this huge magnitude, $750 billion, with no story, with no story about how we are going to stop the red ink and how we are going to ultimately pay this off, that is fiscal irresponsibility. So I call on the President, I call on my fellow Members of Congress. We need to work to articulate a story for how we are going to get out of this mess, get out of the deficit spending pattern; and if we are going to raise the debt limit, $750 billion is not necessarily what we need to do. Maybe we should look at a lot lower number while we work on a plan to get away from this deficit spending habit. That is the way it works out in the real world, in the business world when we need to borrow money to finance a business, in one's personal life to borrow money to purchase a car or a home, and Congress should act in much the same way. So that is the thought that I want to pass on tonight.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I had a wonderful opportunity to be present at an event honoring the 130-year friendship between the State of Utah and Japan. As many know, during the Meiji Revolution in the 1870's, the Japanese government sent the Iwakura Mission throughout the United States to gather information and ideas for use in modernizing Japan. One of the less well-known stories of the Iwakura Mission took place in Utah. While unexpectedly stranded while awaiting the melt of a heavy winter snow, the 111-person delegation stayed in Salt Lake City, UT. They met the people, learned the culture, and experienced the American West. On February 10, I was able to celebrate that 1872 winter with Japanese Consul-General Koichiro Seki, members of his staff, officials from the State of Utah, and historians. At the conclusion of the program a memorial plaque, which will be hung at the place where the Japanese entered the city, was unveiled. Although the Iwakura Mission moved on to Washington, DC after the snows melted in 1872, its member's presence was felt long after they left. The Japanese toured Utah schools and hospitals; they visited Salt Lake City's Temple Square and met with religious and government leaders. The strong cultural and political relationship between Utah and Japan has its roots in the positive impression that the Japanese gave Utah, and the Utahns gave Japan. Mr. Speaker, as the world grows closer and closer together, it is my hope that the relationship between the United States and Japan will continue to be strengthened. As the world visits upon Utah during the 2002 Olympic Games, I cannot help thinking that we are not only improving our relationship with the Japanese,but also building new friendships with other nations of the world. The Games thus far have been a tremendous success. It is my hope that in the months and years to come, people from throughout the world will come to Utah to visit, to study, to work, and perhaps to stay. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Chairman, simply stated, campaigns in this country really ought to be a dialogue between candidates and voters. Members all have their own personal experiences. I was just elected in November of 2000. That dialogue that should have been taking place between candidates and voters was diluted and in fact polluted by massive amounts of unaccountable soft money. That is money that funded issue commercials that were sham ads that were deceptive, or they contained out and out lies; and there was no one to hold accountable, including my opponent. And, quite frankly, my opponent took some blame for that, and it was inappropriate. Today is the day we can stand up and try to clean up this process so Members have that appropriate dialogue between candidates and voters. I encourage Members to support the Shays-Meehan bill.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the 2002 Winter Olympic Games will officially begin. Tomorrow the world will be welcome to Utah. Visitors from across the globe will quickly discover that they have arrived at the most beautiful and diverse of the 50 States. People will be thrilled by the snowcapped rugged mountains, the rustic lands and the greatest snow on Earth. Utah will welcome the world with its beauty, its charm and its unique warmth and personality. It will not take long for visitors to witness the kindness, hospitality and common decency that are the hallmarks of the great people of the State of Utah. There will be artistic demonstrations, performances and opportunities for all who participate to learn about the great heritage of the West. Utah will welcome the world with its values. Preparing for the Olympic Games has not been a short-term task. Individuals in Utah have devoted years to anticipating and planning for this time. And the manner in which they have prepared is demonstrative of their spirit. In Utah, record numbers of individual citizens will serve as Olympic volunteers. Doctors and nurses will donate their time to be first responders in case of illness or injury. Active citizens will greet athletes at the airport, be on hand to provide directions, and ensure a smooth and successful Olympic Games. For the first time in Olympic history, Salt Lake City has developed a plan to ensure that its neediest populations are served during the Olympics. For example, each evening volunteers will pick up surplus food from Olympic venues and deliver it to the Utah Food Bank from which it will be available to families and the elderly. Utah will welcome the world with its tradition of service. Throughout all the planning there has been a focus on safety and security. With Federal support and volunteers from surrounding States, Utah's courageous law enforcement personnel will ensure the greatest level of safety possible during the Olympic Games. Utah will welcome the world with its preparation and security. In every preparation, the Olympic efforts have not been accomplished by one individual. They have taken the sacrifice and dedication of all the citizens of Utah, but in the end, they will not be Utah's games. They will be America's games. It will be the triumph of our Nation that in the face of great tribulation we did not shrink; we did not fear to go forward in the effort. We demonstrated great courage by pressing on and opening our hearts and our country to the world. America will welcome the world with its unity and resolve. As the Winter Olympic Games for 2002 have taken on a particular significance as a symbol of global unity and peace, the moral value of the games has become apparent. In order to protect the value and integrity of such international competitions, and of amateur athletics in general, we must not allow the practices like the use of performance-enhancing substances to tarnish the spirit of such significant events. We should expect, in fact we should demand, that Olympic athletes, that all athletes, compete free of performance- enhancing substances. For sports to meet this standard, there must be a fair testing process. In the year 2000, the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse's National Commission on Sports and Substance Abuse published a report on the practice of doping in Olympic sports. The report says there has been no independent and accountable organization with the authority to create and administer a truly effective antidoping program, and recent data has shown that doping is occurring in increasing rates among our youth. This report made several specific recommendations to address the practice of doping, and these included mustering the political will to demand a drug-free Olympics; ensuring that an independent authority exists and standards are set for testing practices; researching the long-term health consequences of performance-enhancing substances, with particular emphasis on youth; improving the cost effectiveness of testing; and conducting noncompetition testing to develop baselines and generate valid and reliable tests. Several of those steps have already been implemented. In year 2000, the U.S. Olympic Committee established the U.S. Anti- Doping Agency as a result of criticism that drug testing and rules enforcement needed to be completely independent of the Olympic committee, and the antidoping agency was designated as the official antidoping agency for Olympic sport. Another recommendation of the commission has already been implemented by the Salt Lake Olympic Committee, the concept of ``Athlete Testing Passports.'' But more must be done. For there to be fair, dope-free competition, there must be a fair, reliable and valid method to test for banned substances. Without a fair method of testing, athletes and the public cannot have confidence in the fairness of the competition itself. Much is at stake if the practices of doping are not curtailed. There is the symbolic value of the Olympics, there is the examples we are setting for our youth, and finally there is the actual health of our youth. That is why I introduced legislation this week that would implement many of the other recommendations of the committee's report. My bill, the Fair Play in Sport Act, would invest additional resources in developing more valid and reliable tests and conduct more extensive research into the long-term health aspects. I certainly encourage people's support of this bill. We look forward to welcoming the world to Utah with the Olympic games.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, with the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games just a few days away, today the Olympic torch will pass through Parowan, Utah. Parowan is the hometown of Alma Richards, Utah's first Olympic gold medalist. When it passes through that southern Utah town, it will be held by one of Parowan's greatest daughters, my great aunt, 93-year-old Carol Wright. Aunt Carol has lived in Parowan her whole life and is the second cousin of Alma Richards, the 1912 gold medalist in the high jump. She made a career in the banking industry and today holds a place of honor as the one selected to run the torch to Alma Richards' home. The torch will stop at his home for 2 minutes as the community holds a ceremony honoring Alma, Aunt Carol and the Olympic spirit. Parowan is a small town. In small towns everybody knows everybody. Aunt Carol was chosen to run the torch not only because of her relation to Utah's first Olympic gold medalist, but also because she is well respected and, indeed, beloved in her community. So I am proud of my aunt and proud of Parowan, the place where my Utah roots began, a city with a long tradition of Olympic spirit, and I am very grateful for this honor. I ask that the Members of the House of Representatives join me today in honoring Carol Wright and the city of Parowan as the Olympic torch passes through that city.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of a bipartisan appropriations bill that provides resources to important federal priorities. First, I am pleased with the level of funding for education. Last week this House approved the most sweeping reform in federal education policy since 1965. That legislation was designed to elevate the quality of our nation's schools and bridge the achievement gaps that have been tolerated for too long in our country. It will require more of our students and teachers by setting higher standards and tracking progress over time. While the H.R. 1 reform bill was a monumental achievement, it was hollow rhetoric until today. Today, we are taking the first step to provide the federal resources necessary to support the type of reforms and the level of excellence in education that we outlined in H.R. 1. today, we are moving closer to keeping the federal government's promises to our local schools and students. The FY 2002 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill provides a 16 percent funding increase for education programs overall, including a 17 percent boost in elementary and secondary education programs and a 13 percent increase in the maximum Pell Grant. This will translate into helping local school districts hire 32,000 additional teachers and increasing the number of Pell Grant recipients to 4.3 million. In addition, it includes a boost in special education spending for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Although I, like many of my colleagues, believe that supporting our local schools with 40 percent of the costs of special education is a high priority, this legislation will provide the highest level of funding ever for special education by boosting the federal percentage from 12 percent to 17 percent of all costs, a 19 percent increase over last year. I am pleased that we are doing so much to meet our obligations to our children and recognizing that education is an important long-term priority. While Congress has done much lately to improve education, recent events have demonstrated the essential nature of preserving our health care infrastructure. Because a strong health care system improves the life of every American, I am pleased that this appropriations bill continues to move us down the track of doubling the funding for NIH over five years, by providing a 15 percent increase over last year's funding levels. Federal resources devoted to the National Institutes of Health are the backbone of biomedical research throughout the nation. This increase will invest in potentially life-saving discoveries about a plethora of disease processes and treatment techniques. In addition it will provide increased resources to assist rural areas by strengthening the federal assistance given to rural hospitals and increasing support for the National Health Service Corp. This legislation also recognizes the evolving nature of our world and new priorities in health care response that we face in ensuring Homeland Security. It dedicates additional resources to public health prevention and bioterrorism preparedness. There is an 11% increase for the Centers for Disease Control (the front-line of our nation's bioterrorism preparedness and response team) and funding to begin establishing an environmental health tracking network to assist in monitoring and responding to disease trends. Although I am disappointed that this legislation's strong commitment to public health does not include an expansion in the federal requirements for mental health parity, I am pleased that the Conference Committee had the foresight to include an extension of the existing regulations for an additional year. This coupled with a 6 percent increase in funds for the Mental Health Services Administration will assist more Americans who suffer from mental illness. In many ways the long-term stability and prosperity of our nation is provided for in this legislation. Our education system is fortified; our health care system is equipped, and finally, our nation's workers are assisted. This legislation helps to adequately assist dislocated workers and provide training to adults and youth. Never in the last decade have we needed to be more aggressive about providing services for victims of economic downturn and investing in long-term priorities that will create long-term economic prosperity and national security.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my opposition to this bill. This bill fails to meet all the criteria we ought to be looking for to provide an appropriate economic stimulus. It should have a rapid and temporary impact, it should increase employment and investment, it should provide adequate assistance for those who are vulnerable to an economic downturn, and it should be paid for in the long term to prevent future deficits. When I was elected to Congress, I made a promise to my constituents to be an independent voice and to make fiscally responsible decisions. Just as Utah families have to make responsible decisions to maintain their households and keep their finances in order, so must the Federal Government. Early this year, I did support the tax cut. This bill had a number of important provisions for Utah families, and it was enacted at a time when we did have unprecedented government surpluses. But today we are facing deficits, increased debt, and we are fighting a war. Winning the war on terrorism and taking care of our homeland defense will require significant resources. Ensuring we have adequate resources to fund these priorities is a smart investment, as it will have the long-term benefit of ensuring safety and protection of American lives, homes and businesses. We should reject this bill and work to come up with a targeted, temporary stimulus proposal that is paid for in the long term so we do not increase our national debt.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak today concerning H.R. 2716, the Homeless Veterans Assistance Act. In this time of war, we have many of our men and women in uniform fighting for the security of the free world in Afghanistan. As a cosponsor of this legislation, I am proud that Congress has remembered its responsibility to those who fought before--in the Gulf War, Vietnam, Korea, World War II, and the myriad other conflicts our nation has faced. This legislation attempts to resolve a problem that has long plagued veterans: homelessness. While our nation is fortunate to have many businesses that welcome veterans with open arms, some veterans return from service without being able to reintegrate into society easily. Many of these men and women end up on the streets, without a home. It is terrible that these valiant soldiers could fight for their country, protect freedom and liberty, and then return home to nothing. This legislation calls on the United States to eliminate chronic homelessness among our nation's veterans within ten years--a very admirable goal. It authorizes 2,000 Housing and Urban Development low- income housing vouchers to be disseminated to homeless veterans. It establishes programs to provide counseling services to certain veterans, offer technical assistance to non-profit organizations working to alleviate veteran homelessness, improve veteran dental services, and requires Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Service Program centers in the 20 largest U.S. cities. I am grateful, Mr. Speaker, for the work that my colleagues have done to see this legislation move forward. I am even more grateful for the dedication and sacrifice that our veterans have given to preserve our freedom. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and ask my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of H.R. 2716.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in support of the Veterans Education and Benefits Expansion Act. This legislation expands veterans' benefits, to help veterans to have adequate healthcare and increased educational opportunities. While this legislation seeks to repay those sacrificed so much for the freedom and liberty of our country, we will never be able to truly compensate those men and women in uniform who have fought in German, the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, or Afghanistan. This legislation authorizes the Montgomery GI Bill full-time study allotment to $985 by October 2002. Additionally, the legislation improves home loan guarantees for veterans to $60,000. It increases the burial and funeral expense benefits for service-connected veterans to $2,000. It improves automobile and adaptive equipment grants for severely disabled veterans to $9,000. Most importantly, this legislation remembers those who have often been forgotten. The legislation repeals the 30-year presumptive period for respiratory cancers and diabetes due to Agent Orange. It requires the National Academy of Science to conduct research to determine the effects of dioxin or herbicide exposure on Vietnam veterans. Finally, it changes the Gulf War programs to include fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic multisymptom illness and any other illness that cannot be clearly identified to the definition of undiagnosed illnesses, thus allowing veterans to receive compensation. I am grateful for the work done on this legislation by my House colleagues concerning veterans' issues. I hope that the House will join me in supporting this legislation.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today in support of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Visitor Center Act. This legislation will allow the Refuge to construct an educational and administrative headquarters. It is my hope that bird enthusiasts throughout the West will be able to come to see the thousands of birds that visit the area each year and hear what explorer John C. Fremont called ``a noise like thunder.'' The Refuge was created by Congress in 1928 to ensure the survival of the birds and natural wetlands of the area. Unfortunately, due to massive flooding in the 1983 to 1985, the entire Refuge was destroyed and the wetlands completely covered with water. Today, the Refuge consists of 74,000 acres. In 1993, land acquisition added nearly 9,000 acres of uplands, wetlands, and mudflats. The historic 65,000 acres of the Refuge, consisting mainly of marsh, open water, and mudflats, have slowly seen salt deposits from the flood flushed out. Now, the wetland is on the verge of full recovery, and with marsh plants thriving, birds are returning in increasing numbers to the Refuge. I am excited to see this legislation come before the body. I strongly believe that this bill will be beneficial to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge habitat by increasing its attractiveness to birds, and to people.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to support H.R. 2358, the Native American Entrepreneurial Development Act. This legislation is a great step forward for the small businesses owned and operated by Native Americans. As many of us know, there are over 1,000 Small Business Development Centers across the United States serving over 600,000 businesses. Over 30 percent of those businesses are minority-owned. Unfortunately, while small businesses helped in our Nation's economic boom in the 1990s, Native American communities have lagged behind. Unemployment, especially on reservations, continues to be a rampant 45 percent. Even worse, nearly one in three Native Americans live far below the poverty line. This legislation focuses on a $7 million pilot program that will provide technical assistance to Native American businesses. Since Native American businesses have grown at a rate of 84 percent over the last 5 years, H.R. 2358 will help more Native Americans find success as they launch companies and access the Small Business Development Center's network. I appreciate the work and leadership of my colleagues on this legislation. As we work together, I believe that we will find more positive solutions that will help Native Americans throughout the United States become more successful. I ask my colleagues to support H.R. 2358, the Native American Entrepreneurial Development Act, and give Native American businesses the opportunity to access capitol, hire strong, skilled workers, and successfully negotiate Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful today for the opportunity to speak on a topic that is important to all Americans. The issue of hunger in sub-Saharan Africa strikes at the very core of our nation's values. The current situation in this part of the world is both alarming and poignant. Many of the people in this region suffer from disease, mal-nutrition, and hunger. The suffering of so many is attributed to the lack of such basic needs as food and adequate shelter which makes the situation all the more disturbing. Currently the American people are focused on overcoming recent tragedy and forging new roads toward progress and prosperity. The humanity and compassion that the people of this nation have displayed transcends geographical borders. As noted in H. Con. Res. 102, the majority of Americans want to see the United States, along with the rest of the world, join together in a concerted effort to alleviate world hunger. As the United States leads the world into the twenty-first century, we must ensure that we leave no one behind. There is a risk that if left unresolved, the gap between rich and poor nations of the world will only increase. It is important that the United States lead the world in showing a real commitment to eliminating the suffering of the world's hungry. While it is important that we act quickly, we must also be willing to persevere in order to create real and lasting change. Sub-Saharan Africa is a region fraught with many problems. One in three people are chronically undernourished, leading one-seventh of all children to die before they are five years old. Upwards of 70 percent of all AIDS patients reside in sub-Saharan Africa, and though almost half of its population survives on less than $1 a day, U.S. companies hold $15 billion in investments there--more than either the Middle East or Eastern Europe. Mr. Speaker, I am confident that this resolution takes the necessary steps to begin substantial change. H. Con. Res. 102 calls for the engagement of other nations in a multi-lateral effort to be conducted for several years. Through a multi-year commitment to funding health, education, agriculture, and micro-finance programs, as well as debt relief, we can show our commitment to real progress. I encourage my colleagues to vote for this resolution, declare ``A Decade of Concern'' for sub-Saharan Africa, and begin the process of alleviating this human suffering.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayor Randy G. Fitts for his tireless efforts in representing the City of South Salt Lake. Mayor Fitts served on the City Council of South Salt Lake from January 1978 to December 1989, and has been Mayor since 1992. He will retire on January 7, 2002, and his leadership and diligent work have been greatly appreciated. Throughout his tenure as a public servant, Mayor Fitts focused on issues that would increase the quality of life for the residents of South Salt Lake. Some of the projects he worked on include completion of the Jordan River Parkway, and the renovation of the historic Columbus School, by transforming it into a senior citizens center, community center, recreation center, and library. Mayor Fitts proved to be a fiscal conservative, as well, with South Salt Lake receiving high bond ratings and awards from the Government Finance Officer's Association. He also succeeded in preventing the implementation of property tax increases. Always active in regional efforts, he has served on many public boards and councils along the Wasatch Front, dealing with important policy issues such as transportation and public safety. He is currently Vice-Chair of the Wasatch Front Regional Council, and a member of the Criminal Justice Advisory Committee. He has also been President of the Salt Lake Valley Conference of Mayors and President of the Salt Lake County Council of Governments. Mayor Fitts showed great courage and leadership in providing early public support at a critical time for light rail. Fortunately, Mayor Fitts had the vision to realize the importance of bringing mass transit to the Salt Lake Valley. This vision continued after the North-South line from Salt Lake City to Sandy was completed. Three light-rail stops are located in South Salt Lake, and Mayor Fitts has sought to integrate the lightrail system into the community in a way that is both socially and economically beneficial. The 3300 South Transit-Oriented Redevelopment Project is a key component of this integration. This project seeks to utilize high- density housing, commercial offices, as well as retail and community services around the light-rail station. This project will stimulate economic growth while at the same time encourage further use of mass transit, thereby helping to prevent further sprawl in the Salt Lake Valley. This project received the 2001 Best Achievement in Planning for Transit Oriented Development from the Utah Quality Growth Commission, as part of South Salt Lake's Light Rail Corridor Master Plan. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mayor Fitts is well known for his sense of humor and wit. While he took his job seriously, he did not take himself too seriously. Which has always been the mark of an effective leader and public servant. Therefore, I am proud to join with his many admirers in extending my highest praise and congratulations to Mayor Randy Fitts for his dedicated public service to the City of South Salt Lake. I extend my most heartfelt good wishes for all his future endeavors.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 1459 is a bill to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 550 West Fort Street in Boise, Idaho, as the James A. McClure Federal Building and United States Courthouse. Jim McClure served the citizens of Idaho as both a United States Representative and as a Senator. He was born in Payette, Idaho, in 1924. He attended public schools and the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1950 he graduated from the University of Idaho College of Law. He began his public service as the prosecuting attorney of Payette from 1950 until 1956. For the next 13 years he served as the city attorney for Payette and as a State senator from 1961 to 1966. In 1966 he was elected to the United States Congress and was reelected in 1968 and 1970. In 1972, McClure was elected to the U.S. Senate and served three terms until 1990. His work in both the House and the Senate reflected the interests of his constituents. Senator McClure focused on the uses of public lands and other natural resource issues. In fact, over 25 years ago, Senator McClure predicted much of the energy questions and debates that we just had this past summer. His focus on energy issues as Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee from 1981 to 1987 helped to begin the debate on crafting a national energy strategy. He was one of the first policymakers to focus our attention on our growing demand for energy. Senator McClure's integrity, intelligence, and fair mindedness led to an appointment to the Senate Select Committee on the Iran-Contra Affair. Senator McClure has had an active retirement. At the age of 77, he is in phenomenal health. He serves on the boards of several corporations. It is both fitting and proper to honor the outstanding public service of our former colleague, Jim McClure, with this designation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Senator Bennett for introducing Senate Concurrent Resolution 82. This legislation authorizes the use of the Capitol Grounds for the 2002 Winter Olympics Torch Relay. Consistent with other resolutions authorizing use of the Capitol Grounds, the Torch Relay activities will be coordinated with the Capitol Police Board and the Architect of the Capitol. The 2002 Winter Olympics will take place in my hometown of Salt Lake City between February 8 and the 24th. There are few symbols as powerful as the Olympic Games that promote unity, peace and healing. The Torch Relay is what unites Salt Lake City with the rest of the country to showcase the Olympic values of courage, sacrifice, persistence and humanity. Roughly 3,500 athletes from 80 countries are expected to participate in over 25 events at the 19th Winter Olympic Games. The Olympic Torch, which will come to the Capitol steps on December 21 for a ceremonial moment, will be carried by one of the over 10,000 volunteers who will carry the torch in over 80 metropolitan areas, finishing at the opening ceremonies in Salt Lake City. I am pleased to support this resolution and urge its adoption. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I rise today to speak of the death of Ms. Larissa Jaffe of Salt Lake City, Utah. Ms. Jaffe was a 63-year-old Peace Corp volunteer in Zimbabwe when she was killed in a suspected homicide. Although the two men who are believed to be the perpetrators of this heinous crime have been apprehended, the loss to Ms. Jaffe's family, the Peace Corps, and indeed, the United States is great. Ms. Jaffe is a perfect example of what every American should hope to be. A Russian immigrant, she had a strong commitment to education. When she became a naturalized citizen of the United States, she already held a PhD in geology from the Academy of Sciences in Moscow. While living in the US she obtained a Masters Degree in foreign language instruction and a technical degree in data processing. She was a certified teacher in Utah, a certified nursing assistant in California, and an emergency medical technician. While Ms. Jaffe lived a life of learning, she enjoyed teaching others as well. She was a teacher in Utah, Massachusetts and California. She had experience in medical research and even worked analyzing the effectiveness of health care institutions. In 1994 and 1995, she fulfilled her desires to travel by traveling to over two-dozen countries in a solo trek around the world. She visited South America and Southeast Asia extensively, and explored Morocco, Russia and Australia. Her desire for adventure culminated in her decision to give two years out of her life to serve in the Peace Corps in Zimbabwe. Of all that can be said of her, the words of Peace Corps Acting Deputy Director Lloyd Pierson are the most fitting. He said, ``Mrs. Jaffe's death is an enormous loss to Peace Corps. . . . From all that I have come to know about Mrs. Jaffe, she was industrious, innovative, creative and motivated. She was an inspiration and role model to her colleagues and the staff.''

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I recognize that much of this bill I am very supportive of, but I want to talk about one component that has been left out of this bill. Many years ago, about 1990, Congress passed something called the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. At that time, Congress admitted, the Federal Government admitted that it had lied to people in this country about the safety, the safety of open air nuclear testing, the safety of those who worked in the uranium mines. I have constituents in my State, in my State who are dying from these conditions. Congress admitted they were at fault, that the Federal Government lied to these folks and they said, we are going to compensate you for this. But something interesting happened in the past year. We did not appropriate enough money. So we had people literally dying that were sent letters saying, well, you do qualify for this compensation, we just do not have money from Congress to pay you. Now, we took care of it this year on a short-term basis with a supplemental appropriation, and that was fine and good. We got payments to some of those folks before they died, but there is no reason for us to have to go through this on a year-by-year basis. We should make this a mandatory component. It is not in the Commerce-State-Justice conference report that we are looking at now. It is my understanding, however, that on the Senate side there is discussion about making this a more permanent program in the defense authorization. I hope that we can reach agreement on that. We have not had that bill move through the House yet. But it is imperative, it is imperative that we recognize the wrongs that we have committed and that we provide these good folks with compensation. I can tell my colleagues from my own personal experience, my family had many people living in southern Utah during the open air nuclear testing during the 1950s. Many people have died of cancer at an early age. There is no question that it is related to what was going on with the open air testing, and they were told, they were told by the government that it was safe. Yet we found out later on the government only did that open air nuclear testing when the prevailing winds took the fallout to the least populated areas, which happened to be southern Utah. So as I say, while many aspects of this bill I support, I am disappointed that this was omitted from this conference report. I hope and urge Congress to take up this matter in the defense authorization bill.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, lost in all the debate and politics over airline security is the very common-sense idea that the best long-term strategy for improving security is with new technology. I think we cannot increase security at our airports for this 21st century war with technologies from the 1950s. There is a world of technology from biometric authentications, radio tracking for baggage, and passenger scanning and identification systems that can be deployed as our first line of defense against the terrorist threat. Systems such as electronic fingerprinting, retinal scans, facial geometry and signature scans could present a level of secure access that is not being provided today. At check-in we can instantly match passengers against terrorist watch lists. For employees, we can better secure the restricted areas of airports and planes by ensuring that entry is tied to biometric identifiers. Two weeks ago the gentleman from California (Mr. Honda) and I introduced the Aviation Security Technology Enhancement Act so we can find out which technologies work best and what would be the best way to implement these new technologies. Technology will provide better security, more efficiency and eliminate the problem of profiling because it will check everyone. Mr. Speaker, American innovation is at its best when we face a challenge. We are the Nation that put people on the moon and created the Internet. We must put our technological capacity on the front lines of this new challenge.

Mr. MATHESON

Mr. MATHESON. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Hansen) and the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) for bringing this important piece of legislation to the floor. In 1863, one of the darkest incidents in American history occurred in what is now Arizona and New Mexico. It was in that year that Colonel Kit Carson began his campaign against the Navajo people. Riding out of Fort Defiance, Colonel Carson's troops stormed into the Navajo's sacred Canyon de Chelley and burned hogans, stole food and slaughtered livestock. The mission was to subdue the peaceful Navajo, and when the ransacking was over, 8,000 men, women and children were forced to March 350 miles to a barren wasteland. This was nothing more than a prison camp. There was no wood for fires, the ground could not support crops and the water was brackish. For 4 years, the Navajo starved until the government finally relented and granted the Navajo a new reservation that included their sacred lands. During their confinement, 25 percent of the Navajo died. This legislation is just a small tribute to the suffering and the proud heritage of the Navajo nation.