Bob Ney

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor). (Mr. CANTOR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise here today for consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 325, which permits the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the Days of Remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust. The United States Memorial Council was charged with providing appropriate ways for the Nation to commemorate the Days of Remembrance as an annual national civic commemoration of the Holocaust. As a result of this legislation, the first ceremony in remembrance was held in the rotunda in 1979, and it has been held every year since that time, except for periods when the rotunda was closed for renovations. This resolution will provide for this year's national ceremony to be held April 9, 2002, in the rotunda of the Capitol. The purpose of the Days of Remembrance is to ask citizens to reflect on the Holocaust, to remember the victims and to strengthen our sense of democracy and human rights. This ceremony will be the centerpiece of similar remembrance ceremonies to be held throughout the Nation. Members of Congress, government officials, foreign dignitaries, Holocaust survivors and citizens from all walks of life have attended previous ceremonies. At last year's Days of Remembrance commemoration in the Capitol rotunda, President George W. Bush was the keynote speaker. Two years ago, Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson gave the keynote address. The theme for this year's Days of Remembrance is the Memories of Courage to honor those who took a stand against Nazi barbarism. In remembering those who took a determined stand against nazism, we honor the memory of those who perished, and we are reminded that individuals do have the power and choice to make a difference in the fight against oppression and murderous hatred. With the recent September 11 terrorist attacks, we have all been painfully reminded in our Nation of the consequences of hatred. These events have shown us that we must learn the lessons of the past and be ever vigilant against allowing acts of evil to go unchecked. It was American determination to fight for our sacred principles of freedom and democracy that ultimately liberated the victims of the Holocaust. The same determination will ultimately defeat those who threaten us today. By remembering the Holocaust we will be reminded of two things: That man is capable of unspeakable acts of evil; and that evil, if resisted, can be conquered. This an important resolution, Madam Speaker, in memory of, I think, one of the largest tragedies that this world has ever seen. I want to thank our ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), for his support of the resolution and the cosponsors, and I urge that we all support this important resolution. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 325) permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Jason Dwain Mitchell has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America Troop 145; and Whereas, Jason Mitchell has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Jason Mitchell has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Jason Mitchell must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Jason Dwain Mitchell for his Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Justin Dwight Mitchell has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America Troop 145; and Whereas, Justin Mitchell has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Justin Mitchell has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Justin Mitchell must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Justin Dwight Mitchell for his Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of H. Con. Res. 325, the concurrent resolution just agreed to.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, the Cravat Coal Company celebrated 50 years of successful business in the year 2001; and, Whereas, the Cravat Coal Company was built through the sacrifice, vision, and hard work of the Puskarich brothers, the miners and their investors; and, Whereas, Cravat Coal has served markets in Ohio, the United States, Taiwan, Greece, and the Philippines; and, Whereas, Cravat Coal has brought employment and progress to the Ohio valley; and, Whereas, the founders and employees must be commended for their long hours and commitment to excellence which allowed Cravat Coal to succeed; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in celebrating Cravat Coal's 50 years of exceptional service.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, Jeremy W. Kidd is lovingly remembered by his parents, family and friends; Whereas, Jeremy made each day of his life full of excitement and goodness; Whereas, Jeremy always had a smile on his face and brought smiles to the faces of all those he came in contact with; and Whereas, Jeremy's kindness and consideration to others will always be remembered by all whose lives he touched; Therefore, I invite my colleagues to join with me and the citizens of Ohio in mourning the loss of Jeremy W. Kidd, yet celebrating his life and his memory.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge that the House Office of Employee Assistance has been recognized with the EAP Digest/ Employee Assistance Professionals Association Quality Award for EAP Excellence for 2001. The House of Representatives, for the last fourteen years, has been privileged to have a high-performing team in its Office of Employee Assistance. Those of us who have worked with these individuals have often experienced their high level of service and passion for their work. Now, the entire nation will know too, as the House Office of Employee Assistance has been recognized with the EAP Digest/Employee Assistance Professionals Association Quality Award for EAP Excellence for 2001. The award states, ``Evaluation and quality improvement has always been a key component of the U.S. House of Representatives program. Whether through client satisfaction surveys, peer reviews or more innovative techniques such as customer interviews and the system-wide evaluation, all modes of evaluation came to the same finding: The Office of Employee Assistance demonstrates exemplary continuous improvement efforts that enhanced the quality of EAP services.'' The House team of Bern Beidel, Liz McBride, Debbie Frank, Kristin Welsh-Simpson, and Patty Prince should feel quite proud of its accomplishments and for this recognition that is well deserved. It's also appropriate to pay tribute to a number of former House Members and employees who laid the groundwork for this program. First, former Clerk of the House, Donnald K. Anderson, whose initiative and vision were instrumental in the House instituting an employee assistance service. Second, thanks goes out to the initial Members of Congress who were critical to winning the endorsement of the elected Members--former Speaker Tom Foley, former Minority Leader Bob Michel, former Members Bill Emerson, Rod Chandler, Ben Jones, Mary Rose Oakar, and current Senator Pat Roberts. The combined work of these professionals has yielded an exemplary level of support for House employees through a program that is now recognized as among the best in its field. Congratulations to the Office of Employee Assistance team, and keep up the outstanding work!

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning in strong support of this legislation. This much needed bill will help bring confidence to the many developer and contractors who fear lawsuits and intense Federal oversight of the clean up effort. As a lifelong supporter of Davis Bacon, I also want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gillmor) for keeping this fundamentally fair provision in the bill. The Davis Bacon Act provides working men and women with critical worker protections. Davis Bacon is one of few Federal laws that truly prevents further erosion of living standards for millions of working families and that is so important during these times. At a time of economic uncertainty, brownfields legislation will help to stimulate development in communities across the country. This bill will clean up the environment, maintain the living standards of working families and create jobs. I urge our colleagues to vote yes.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Arthur Tate, Jr. has served the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for 31 years; and Whereas, Arthur Tate, Jr. has been a loyal leader to his co-workers and will continue to be an admired citizen of the State of Ohio; and Whereas, Arthur Tate, Jr. has worked to bring kindness and love to the lives of his family members and his staff; and Whereas, Arthur Tate, Jr. has used his position as Warden of the Belmont Correction Institution to help educate the public on Rehabilitation; and Whereas, Arthur Tate, Jr. must be commended for his professionalism and his ability to motivate those around him by establishing a superb example; and Whereas, Arthur Tate Jr.'s dedication and service will be missed by the entire law enforcement community; Therefore, I join with the residents of the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in celebrating Arthur Tate's years of service and retirement from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Jason Huber has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Jason Huber has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Jason Huber has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Jason Huber must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Jason Paul Huber for his Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Terry McGlade has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America; and Whereas, Terry McGlade has shared his time and talent with the community in which he resides; and Whereas, Terry McGlade has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Terry McGlade must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Terry McGlade for his Eagle Scount Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Brian Feely has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America troop 401; and Whereas, Brian Feeley is commended for his quick thinking and survival skills for saving his brother's life in a bicycle accident; and, Whereas, Brian Feeley has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Brian Feeley must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Brian Feeley for his Eagle scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, whereas, Paul Schreck has devoted himself to serving others through his membership in the Boy Scouts of America troop 401; and Whereas, Paul Schreck has shared his time and talent with Steubenville by creating a website for the town; and, Whereas, Paul Schreck has demonstrated a commitment to meet challenges with enthusiasm, confidence and outstanding service; and Whereas, Paul Schreck must be commended for the hard work and dedication he put forth in earning the Eagle Scout Award; Therefore, I join with the entire 18th Congressional District of Ohio in congratulating Paul Schreck for his Eagle Scout Award.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, the House printing deadline prohibited me from removing the gentlewoman from Illinois, Mrs. Biggert, from the list of co-sponsors of H.R. 3295. Mrs. Biggert's name was added as a cosponsor of H.R. 3295 in error. Had I not been precluded from doing so, I would have taken to the floor to correct this situation and ask unanimous consent that her name be removed from the co-sponsor list.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, Whereas, on December 13, 2001 WWVA Radio in Wheeling, West Virginia celebrates its 75th anniversary; and, Whereas, WWVA Radio began with a 50 watt transmitter in the home of John Stroebel and has now grown to a 50,000 watt transmitter serving 18 states and six Canadian provinces; and, Whereas, in January 1933, WWVA made country music history when Jamboree went live on the air. It is the second oldest live radio broadcast; and, Whereas, for the past 75 years, WWVA has received numerous awards and has brought country music, news, and talk radio to people across the nation: and, Whereas, from the Great Flood of 1936 to continuous news coverage of the September 11th terrorist attacks, WWVA takes pride in serving the public and looks forward to the next 75 years. Therefore, I invite my colleagues to join with me and the citizens of the United States in thanking and recognizing WWVA for its 75 years of commendable service.

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for this very important question. It is my hope and expectation that ``fully accessible'' would mean that blind persons would have the ability to vote in private and have the ability to independently verify the vote cast.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 311, I call up the bill (H.R. 3295) to establish a program to provide funds to States to replace punch card voting systems, to establish the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of Federal elections and to otherwise provide assistance with the administration of certain Federal election laws and programs, to establish minimum election administration standards for States and units of local government with responsibility for the administration of Federal elections, and for other purposes.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would continue to yield, I thank the gentleman for his very important work on this issue, and also for the work of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Portman).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3295, the Help America Vote Act of 2001. This legislation is a culmination of a long series of hearings, discussions, and negotiations. In crafting this bipartisan election reform bill, we heard from and consulted with groups from across the United States that represent the interests of voters, election officials, State and local governments, and others who care about this issue. From the outset of this process, my goal was to craft legislation that could be supported by Members from both sides of the aisle. That is critical in this process. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), our ranking member of the Committee on House Administration, and all of the Members on both sides of the aisle from that committee, because if it were not for the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), his diligence, and the integrity, the will and desire to improve elections in one of the most important bills in the history of this country in the election process, besides the Voting Rights Act, we would not be standing here today. The fact that we have 173 cosponsors on the bill, 63 Republicans and 110 Democrats, more cosponsors than any other election reform bill in the House, I think demonstrates that we achieved the goal that we wanted. That is the way it should be. Improving our country's election system should not and cannot be a partisan issue. Everybody in the United States has the right to vote and has to feel secure that their vote counts. Republicans and Democrats nationwide and here in this Congress agree on the necessity of ensuring that all citizens who wish to vote can, and that their votes will be counted accurately. This bill would advance us towards that goal. The first title of the bill is the punch card replacement program. The title authorizes $400 million to allow those jurisdictions that used punch card voting systems in the November 2000 election to get rid of them. It is obvious that we need to get rid of these antiquated technologies and replace them with machines voters have confidence in. I hope, Mr. Speaker, that one day the way we will see punch card machines in the United States is to go to the Smithsonian in order to view them. Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes funds to make that happen. This bill creates a new Election Assistance Commission called the EAC. This new commission will assume the functions of the Office of Election Administration currently under the Federal Election Commission. The new EAC will serve as a national clearinghouse for the compiling of information and review of procedures affecting the administration of Federal elections. The EAC will also be charged with developing new voluntary election management practice standards. It will distribute the election fund payments, research and development grants, and pilot programs authorized by this bill. I will point out that the name we chose for this commission is not by accident. The purpose of this commission is to assist State and local governments with their election administration problems; its purpose is not to dictate solutions or hand down bureaucratic mandates. In fact, one of the first premises that our ranking member, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) and I agreed on, and we received sympathy on this issue around the entire Congress, I believe, is that it will not be a rulemaking body. It will have teeth, it will have an advisory board that the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) has suggested, and a standards board of local officials across the U.S. that we had suggested, but in fact, it will not be dictating through rules and regulations on a daily basis of how local elections will be carried out. The commissioners serve part-time. Of the four commissioners, no more than two can be from the same party, so bipartisanship is assured. Additionally, it must consult with and consider recommendations of the advisory board and the standards board that I mentioned previously. These boards, again, will consist of election officials and other interested groups who have interest in or expertise in election issues. These boards will have a voice on this commission, and that voice will be heard. In addition to the funds authorized for punch card replacement, this bill authorizes $2.25 billion for election fund payments to the States. The election fund payments will be used for a variety of things, from purchasing new equipment to updating registration systems, to assuring access for those with physical disabilities to the polls, to increasing poll worker education and training, sending sample ballots, and a wide variety of other uses that are, once again, good for the United States election system. The fund is designed to allow a State to determine its greatest needs and to devote the resources to those needs. Along with these funds come funding conditions. States that take fund payments must certify, for example, that they have provided $1 to match every $3 provided by the Federal Government, a 25 percent match. They also must demonstrate that they have established a statewide benchmark for voting system performance, and also that they have adopted the voluntary election standards developed by the new Election Assistance Commission, or they have developed their own standards that will do the job; and that they have in each precinct or polling place a voting system in place which is fully accessible to people who have a form of disability. These funding conditions will ensure that the Federal dollars are spent appropriately, and that the EAC will monitor compliance with these conditions. This bill also creates the Help America Vote program. This was an idea that the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) brought forth that I think is tremendous. We have it at the high school level and at the college level. This program is designed to get the country's young people involved in the energetic give and take of public debate through our democratic process through volunteer service as nonpartisan poll workers and assistants. One common view that we heard from election officials across the Nation in both parties was that there is a critical shortage of poll workers. This program will have the two-fold benefit of helping with this shortage, while also getting our young people involved in their democracy. All of us in this institution constantly talk about getting young people involved in the process, getting them to be registered to vote. This component on this bill, this part, maybe has not been talked about daily in the media, Mr. Speaker, but it is, I think, one of the most valuable things also that we are doing in this bill. Title V is the minimum standards section of the bill. During negotiations, some feared that having funding conditions was not adequate because voters who might live in States that did not take the funds would not be protected. Others opposed intrusive Federal mandates that could become burdensome and inefficient. The minimum standards we included in this bill strike the appropriate middle ground. That is why I believe, Mr. Speaker, we see a wide variety of people from this House, Members from both parties, from all the political spectrums, who have cosponsored this, because we achieved that middle ground that we needed. The minimum standards guarantee certain protections for all voters in the United States without imposing an intrusive, federally-designed system. There are seven minimum standards. Briefly, they are: The State will implement a statewide registration system that is networked to every jurisdiction in the State; The State has a system of file maintenance which ensures that the voting rolls are accurate and are updated regularly; The State permits in-precinct provisional voting by any voter who claims to be qualified to vote; The State has adopted uniform standards to define what constitutes a vote on the different types of voting equipment in use in the State; The State has implemented safeguards to ensure that military service personnel and citizens living overseas have the opportunity to vote and have their vote counted; The State requires that new voting systems provide a practical and effective means for voters with physical disabilities to cast a secret ballot; And also, States that have technology that allows voters to check for errors must ensure that they are able to do so under conditions which assure privacy, and States replacing their voting systems must do so with machines that give voters the opportunity to correct errors before the ballot is cast. The Commission will monitor compliance with these minimum standards, and can make a referral to the Justice Department in cases of noncompliance. Mr. Speaker, this bill will also help assure the voting rights of our service personnel and overseas citizens. That was a huge issue, as we know, that has come to light, and we appreciate the work that many Members of the House did on this in giving input, people such as the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reynolds); the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Buyer), and many others. It includes a number of provisions that will make it easier for our service personnel to obtain ballots and transmit them in a timely fashion. Additionally, we will require the Department of Defense to make sure that there are an adequate number of voting assistance officers assigned, and to make sure that ballots are properly postmarked so they cannot be challenged. Mr. Speaker, this bill, once again, is the culmination of a lot of hard work. It is carefully crafted and written in the spirit of bipartisan and compromise. I think it is a package that really deserves support. I also want to thank the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), who is a former Secretary of State. He gave us, from the first day forward, some dynamic ideas and great support on this bill. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer). We could not be here if it was not for his spirit on this, and his resolve to make sure that we have good elections in this country. Mr. Speaker, this bill evolved from a punch card issue into something way beyond that that has teeth, that makes changes, but does it in a responsible way. That is why we have the support of local governments. Speaker Marty Stevens of the National Council of State Legislators and all their staff are supporting this bill; also President Jimmy Carter and President Gerald Ford; Phillip Zellico, the executive director of the National Commission on Election Reform; Ron Thornberg, a Republican Secretary of State from Kansas and president of the National Association of Secretaries of State; Sharon Priest, a Democrat from Arkansas and past president of this association; and Ken Blackwell, a Republican from Ohio. On a bipartisan basis, the Secretaries of State stepped up to the plate to once again help us to craft this bill; Ralph Taber of NACO, Doug Lewis, executive director of the Elections Center, and many, many others. The staffs of the Committee on House Administration on both sides of the aisle all came together to make these ideas gel, but all with the same spirit. As we look around at what has happened to this country, as we look around at those who have tried to attack our very foundation, we realize that the election of individuals from all levels is important, because we do have the greatest democracy in the world. We want the people to feel comfortable with our election process. This bill does that. It helps America vote, and I urge its support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Horn).

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to my distinguished colleague, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), who is also sort of the unofficial science advisor of the House Administration Committee and we appreciate his support. (Mr. EHLERS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. NEY

Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on the subject of H.R. 3295.