James Oberstar

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the Moakley amendment, and I do so out of very grave concern for the effects of the underlying legislation on the Aviation Trust Fund. The Moakley amendment would ensure that revenues raised from aviation users will continue to be dedicated to the purposes for which the Aviation Trust Fund was established, for investment in air traffic control, air traffic safety, air traffic security, equipment, and in airport capital needs. Revenues raised from aviation users under the concept of the Aviation Trust Fund are deposited in that trust fund. It is to be used solely for improvements in our air traffic control system and for operation and maintenance of the system. Air traffic controllers, air traffic safety equipment, radars, terminal Doppler weather radar equipment that we need in our en route centers for control of aircraft at high altitudes, these are very costly systems. They need to be updated and maintained, and the upgrade needs to be planned out years in advance. That is why we have this concept of a trust fund with a dedicated revenue stream to these critical investments. We have tried to strengthen the Aviation Trust Fund in recent years. There was a vote not too long ago in which we failed by only five votes of taking that trust fund entirely off the budget. Current legislation to take the trust fund off budget has 243 cosponsors; to make it more difficult, not less, to divert resources from protecting aviation safety for the American public. That is a bipartisan commitment. The underlying bill, H.R. 3534, would undermine that commitment. Taxes raised on the concept of this bill from the aviation industry could more easily be spent on tax cuts for upper income Americans of the top 1 percent or 2 percent of millionaires in this country than they could be spent on aviation investments. The underlying bill would mean that, if Congress moved to raise aviation excise taxes to improve our air traffic control system, for the modernization of the aircraft control system, for aviation security as we are now in the process of doing, a point of order could lie automatically against such legislation. That would be outrageous. If we do not change this underlying bill, if it should become law, and I am confident the President will veto it, we will have moved backward, not forward, in our efforts to modernize the air traffic control system. We have made a 30-year almost commitment to improving aviation safety, security, expanding capacity to the Nation's airports through the Aviation Trust Fund. It is astonishing to me to see legislation come up here that makes it more difficult. The Moakley amendment would stop that rollback, allow us to continue our efforts and modernize the air traffic control system, improve aviation safety. I urge its adoption.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I do not have any further time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. No, I do not seek additional time. The gentleman has had sufficient time to discuss the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, the relay event is a traditional part of the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics, which take place at Gallaudet University, in the District of Columbia. This year approximately 2,500 special Olympians compete in 17 events, and more than one million children and adults with special needs participate in Special Olympics worldwide programs. The goal of the games is to help bring mentally handicapped individuals into the larger society under conditions whereby they are accepted and respected. Confidence and self esteem are the building blocks for these Olympic games. Better health, coordination, and lasting friendships are the results of participation. D.C. Special Olympics is the sole provider in the District of Columbia of these special services. No other organization provides athletic programs for citizens with developmental disabilities. I support H. Con. Res. 262 and urge its passage.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Don Bye of Duluth, Minnesota. Don has rendered long, distinguished, and dedicated service to the City of Duluth, Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, and all of Northern Minnesota. For more than a quarter century, he has served Northern Minnesota in numerous ways through his multifaceted political and community activism. In particular, I wish to note that Don Bye has completed over a quarter century of service as Chairman of the 8th Congressional District's Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DEL) party and is now entering his 27th year in that capacity. That makes him the longest continuously serving Chairman of any of Minnesota's eight Congressional District DFL committees. I know I am joined by DLFers throughout our district in saying a heartfelt thanks to Don for his tireless, selfless service. Don Bye's greatest contribution has been to show people how to work together. He has brought together individuals with diverse and sometimes contentions positions through his dedication, hard work, and diplomacy. In large part because of his efforts, the 8th District DFL Party has a cohesiveness that is envied by other political groups in the State of Minnesota. When redistricting was completed following the 1990 census, Don moved quickly to contact county unit chairs from the newly added sections of Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. He made sure that people from Sheburne and Benton counties felt welcome in their new Congressional District and included them early on in activities of the 8th District unit, including important leadership positions. Don Bye has been a practicing attorney for more than 30 years. He assisted numerous clients in the areas of labor and employment law, public sector labor law, employment discrimination and personal injury law. He was a Member of the Minnesota State Board of Governors from 1989-1992. Don Bye was instrumental in starting two programs that affected thousands of people in Duluth: the Share Food Drive and Kids Voting USA. In 1982, Don has an idea for a citywide effort to benefit those less fortunate, known as the Share Food Drive. Don recruited a staff person to organize the new program, and enlisted volunteers from the Duluth area. One weekend a year, boy scouts, union members, and other volunteers go door-to-door collecting food items and cash from Duluth residents. Local trucking companies donate the use of trucks, union members volunteer to drive the trucks, and church organizations offer the use of buildings to assist in the effort. The Share Food Drive generates 20,000 to 40,000 pounds of food a year for the Duluth Food Shelf. Don Bye knows the future of our country lies in the hands of America's youth, which inspired him to initiate the Kids Voting USA project in Duluth--the first community in Minnesota to participate in Kids Voting USA. Don also served on the original organizing committee. Don and his fellow volunteers, by donating their time and money, made Duluth's Kids Voting USA project a model for the nation. He brought people together and got them excited about the idea of giving school children the chance to participate in the electoral process on Election Day. Under this project, children can pick up a ballot at the polls and vote at their own booth at the same time that the parents are casting their official ballots. Local schools also participate by exposing students to the political process in their social studies and civics classes. Six thousands school children in Duluth participated in Kids Voting USA in 1994, the first year of the program. By 1996, 31,000 children in ten communities in Northern Minnesota had joined in exercising the privilege enjoyed by millions of American citizens--casting a ballot for candidates for elective public office. Democracy will benefit in the years to come from young people inspired so early in their lives by this unique opportunity to participate in the election process. I am proud and honored to share with my colleagues this brief, but deserved tribute to Don Bye, who has given so much of himself to enrich the lives of others and to serve his community.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Los Angeles, California (Ms. Millender- McDonald), the voice of Southern California.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Wise), the ranking member of our Subcommittee on Railroads and a strong advocate for transportation.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sandlin), a very valuable member of our committee. (Mr. SANDLIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell), a vigorous advocate for transportation and a valuable member of our committee.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Johnson), representative of Green Bay.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson), a valuable member of this committee.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown), a valuable member of the committee.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maine (Mr. Baldacci).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee). (Mr. KILDEE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire of the Chair, how much time remains on our side?

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky). (Mr. VISCLOSKY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Roemer).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 10 seconds to say that is absolutely astonishing. This is April Fool's Day, but this is not the time for that sort of thing. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Boswell), a very distinguished member of our committee.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green). (Mr. GREEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.).