Doug Ose

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman would continue to yield on that point. The gentleman's point is well made. And I do not think we need to go further than to examine simply our ability to communicate with the Russian Duma, for instance. The administration did not approve of those trips, did not sanction them, did not disprove them, nor did they discourage that trip. Interestingly enough, Reverend Jackson, who went and met with Milosevic and obtained the release of those three gentlemen with one of our members, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Blagojevich), that was a remarkable event. That was leadership, taking on the burden, unsanctioned, unapproved, unencouraged. And yet he went forward. That is what leadership is all about. And he brought those three people home to the grateful arms of this country. I really wish that that kind of leadership existed more in the administration. Because that was a great victory for just our ability in America to act in our best interest.

Mr. OSE. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Are you sure of the postmark of that letter? That sounds like it came from Sacramento or Woodland or Yuba City. My colleague earlier referred to the law of unintended consequences that we all deal with in business and having to ever so carefully calibrate what we are doing and the consequence thereof. I have to say, I have never seen a truer example of what happens under the law of unintended consequences than this fiasco we are involved in in Yugoslavia. The President has no plan, the President has no means of measuring success, the President does not know what it is going to cost, and the President does not know when we are coming home. Contrary to the depiction of this body last week where someone in the administration said we voted against coming home, against going forward and against supporting anything, in fact we did vote to keep our troops out of Yugoslavia, to not declare war in a situation that does not threaten our national security interest, and to require the President and the administration to comply with the constitutional requirement that Congress retains the sole authority to declare war. That was a strength of our system and a triumph for American democracy. I was pleased to be part of it.

Mr. OSE. I thank the gentleman from Colorado. I, too, had town hall meetings this weekend. In fact, I had one last night in a community called Carmichael. It was probably a 95 percent opposition to what we are doing in Yugoslavia. The characterization that you lent to your constituent I think is extremely accurate. The American people have a very clear understanding of what America is all about. America is not about being undefined, ill-equipped and undirected towards an objective. America is about figuring out what we want to do and then doing it. We are not in that situation today by virtue of a lack of leadership from the administration. The voters of this country understand how America works, and they are looking to us to conduct our affairs in accordance with that clear thing. That is, identify the objective and then go do it. I thank the gentleman for including me in this hour tonight. I am pleased to reinforce the sentiments that he has seen in his constituents.

Mr. OSE. I would like to return, finally, to the point that the gentleman from Colorado was touching on just prior to my initial remarks, that being that following on the law of unintended consequences, the consequence to us in Congress is that we are forced to make choices. When one member of the government, that being the President, interjects our military forces into an arena where arguably we do not belong and have no national security interest at risk, it forces us to choose between standing behind the troops and making sure that they have the adequate munitions and materiel to conduct this campaign and defend themselves or the other choice being reducing our ability to fund domestic programs such as Social Security, Medicare, education and infrastructure. I do not relish that choice. I want to take care of our military to the highest degree possible. We stand today in a position that is seriously degraded relative to our historical positions on a military sense. But we have responsibilities elsewhere in this country of a domestic nature. Having the administration conduct this affair, if you will, I use that word advisedly, forces us to take money from other programs that are desperately needed here, being Social Security and Medicare. It is, again, a prime example of the law of unintended consequences. We are engaged in something overseas that has no constitutional authority, for which there is no identified national security interest at stake, and are being forced to reduce our ability to deal with programs here at home that are vitally important to our seniors and our youth and the people throughout this country. It is a difficult choice that we are faced with. I think last week Congress stepped up and sent a clear and unequivocal signal that there were people who disagreed with the administration. Again, I want to get back to my point, that is a triumph of our system.

Mr. OSE. The gentleman from Colorado brings up an interesting point. We probably receive upwards of 5 to 700 letters a week, some by e-mail, some by Postal Service. We respond to every one. The subject matter is all over the map, depending on what happens. We find that an absolutely credible means of identifying things that are affecting our constituents directly. It is an immediate thing. It is like squeezing a water balloon in my district. If something happens, bam, I have got a letter. Something happens, bam, I have got an e-mail. I want to encourage everybody, as we have for 220 years, to stay in touch with their representatives and continue to write. In fact, now would be a very timely period to write because of our difficulty with the administration in Yugoslavia. I thank the gentleman for that point.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I was inadvertently detained due to a canceled flight, and therefore was not present to vote today for rollcall number 121. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.'' Mr. Speaker, I was inadvertently detained due to a canceled flight, and therefore was not present to vote today for rollcall number 122. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Chairman, I would like to state for the record my position on the Supplemental Appropriation Bill. Last week I voted for a resolution that would have removed our troops from Yugoslavia, pursuant to the War Powers Act. The current mission in Kosovo concerns me tremendously. I am not convinced that our involvement in Kosovo serves our national interest. When the President sends American troops into battle there must be a national interest at stake. There should be a clear goal of the mission, including a realistic exit strategy. In addition, the President should inform the public of the impact on military readiness around the globe. The operation in Kosovo is extremely perilous. If the President insists on deploying ground troops into Kosovo, many American lives will be lost. The mission in Kosovo is also stripping away valuable military resources from other parts of the world. If the United States continues to engage in peacekeeping missions around the world, our military will be less prepared to respond to true national security threats. Thus, Kosovo presents two real dangers to the United States: one immediate and one long term. Although I oppose the mission in Kosovo, I understand the need for a strong national defense. The men and women of our armed forces are a treasured asset. No citizen should underestimate the value of the military in protecting our country from foreign threats and defending our national interests abroad. For that reason, I support the efforts of Congress to meet the needs of our armed forces. Finally, notwithstanding my support for the Supplemental Appropriation Bill, I object to the way Congress pays for emergencies. Currently, Congress is not limited by budget rules or caps when it appropriates money for emergencies. While I agree that Congress needs to be unrestrained when responding to natural disasters, I take exception with the current process of funding emergency situations. Every time Congress attempts to respond to an emergency, Members of Congress use the opportunity to include funding for non-emergency items. Instead, Congress should establish a fund to help pay for emergencies when they arise. That way we can avoid including unrelated items into emergency appropriations bills, and maintain sound fiscal policies at the federal level.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. I thank the gentleman for yielding time to me, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution today. In March the House passed a resolution that authorized the deployment of peacekeeping troops in Kosovo. In that resolution we asked some very reasonable things of the President. We asked him to clarify the national security interests in Kosovo, to state the goal of the mission, to estimate its costs, to develop an exit strategy, and to report on the mission's impact on our ability elsewhere in the world to respond to threats to our national security. To date we have not received a satisfactory response on any of these. Yet, they remain precisely the questions we are dealing with today. The mission in Kosovo is draining valuable military resources and limiting our ability to deal with rogue states elsewhere in the world. Kosovo detracts from our ability to be a superpower. I support this resolution because Kosovo is no more in our national interest than was Rwanda, Algeria, Congo, East Timor, or a host of other places.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I look around this room and I see my senior colleagues, like the gentleman from California (Mr. Matsui), the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert), and I realize very clearly that over the years as the baton has passed from one generation to the next in this political body, that those men and women who serve here manage to make sure that the young men and women who serve in our Armed Forces are used properly for vital national security interests. I am proud to be here as a new Member. I take very seriously my charge to vouchsafe and keep secure the interests of those young babies now who come to our country as new citizens from birth and what have you. And I absolutely do not understand, Mr. Speaker, what the vital national security interest that senior Members of this body on both sides of the aisle have protected for years and years, what national security interest it is that we are proposing to protect by conducting a unquantified and unidentified military campaign in Yugoslavia, whether it be in the air or on the ground.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, I have been a Member of this House for 14 weeks, as I shared earlier today; and I have to tell my colleagues, my pride in serving here and the honor that I share in being here multiplied at least three orders of magnitude today. I am a thousand times more proud today of the action of this House in exercising its constitutional authority as one of the legs of this government in specifying its concerns from both sides of the aisle as to the action we have been undertaking in Kosovo. I want to note for the record that in fact this was a bipartisan vote on both sides of the question. There were more Republicans voting in favor of continuing the President's action in Kosovo than there were Democrats voting against it. But, in fact, there were Members on both sides of the question, from both sides of the aisle. This is a strength of America. It is the thing we have that no one else in this world does. It is something to be proud of rather than question. And I am still honored to be here. God bless the United States of America.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the sister city relationship between Yuba City, CA, an agricultural community which I represent, and Fujishiro, located in the Ibaraki Prefecture of Japan. Over the course of the last ten years, this relationship has allowed for educational, cultural, industrial, community and governmental exchanges which have benefitted the residents of both cities. In July of 1989, a delegation from Fujishiro came to Yuba City and a declaration of intent to enter a sister city agreement was completed. Other visits ensued, culminating in a signing ceremony in Yuba City in November 1989. In February 1990, a Yuba City delegation traveled to Fujishiro for a similar joint signing. In the ensuing 10 years, there have been several exchange delegations of adults and students. Sutter County Supervisor Dennis Nelson, President of the Sister City Association, has encouraged the relationship with Fujishiro in order to provide the citizens of both cities with a better understanding of each other through exchanges which enhance the educational and economic well-being of each city. These exchanges have allowed hundreds of children and adults to have ``once in a life time experiences'' and to build friendships that span the Pacific Ocean, contributing to peace and prosperity by transcending cultural diversities through realizing our similarities and understanding our cultural differences. The citizenry of Fujishiro-machi have provided vision, leadership and countless hours of volunteer time furthering the Sister City Relationship, providing significant cultural benefits not only to the Yuba City delegations, but also for the people of Fujishiro. The International Friendship Association of Fujishiro was formed by involved citizens, businessmen and government leaders to promote the newly established Sister City Relationship between the two communities. I rise to recognize just a few: Yasuo Kobayashi-san, Mayor of Fujishiro, has provided leadership through personal and civic involvement and pursuit to the goals of our Sister City Relationship. He has accompanied a number of delegations from Fujishiro-machi to Yuba City. His achievements in furthering the Sister City bond have awarded him great respect throughout the community in Yuba City. Mamoru Sakamoto-san, President of the International Friendship Association of Fujishiro and former President of the Fujishiro Town Council, is recognized for his personal and civic involvement in pursuit of the goals of the Sister City relationship. Yukio Takegasa-san, Secretary General of the International Friendship Association and a rice farmer, became acquainted with Sutter County as an exchange student and assured the success of the sister city relationship. Today, involved in international trade, he continues to frequent the Yuba City area many times a year. Shin Kawaguchi-san, former president of the International Friendship Association of Fujishiro is recognized for his personal involvement and relentless pursuit of the goals of our Sister City Relationship by being awarded the honor of ``Honorary Citizen'' of Yuba City. And lastly, it is fitting to pay tribute to Hisao Yoshida, the late mayor of Fujishiro, for his vision and leadership in the search for a sister city relationship. He accompanied early delegations from Fujishiro-machi to Yuba City to experience our lifestyle and build everlasting friendships. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in congratulating the citizens of Yuba City, CA and Fujishiro, Japan, on their tenth anniversary as sister cities. I extend my best wishes to both cities as they celebrate the happy occasion this month in Japan, and wish them many more years of friendship, cooperation, and cultural exchange.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a young man I came to know some years ago. Brian Thomas Moore was a ten year old boy when I first met him. He had joined a boys soccer team that I was coaching. Brian quickly prove to be feisty, competitive and competent in the game of soccer and the game of life. He was a pleasure to have on the team. I never met Brian's father, who died of cancer when Brian was quite young. I am told that he was a real gentleman, taking a steady interest in Brian's development and the growth of Brian's many friends. His influence with Brian manifested itself every day of Brian's life. Over time, the father's influence came to fruition with a fine young man as the end product. Brian suffered from a bout with cancer in his teens. Brian never told me of the illness; he just carried on with life as it was given to him. Over time, Brian came to be one of the top soccer players in the Sacramento metropolitan area, dominating games from end to end and side to side. Eventually, I had the pleasure of playing alongside my former player, watching with fascination as his skills came to exceed mine, his determination came to dominate mine, and his desire to overcome resulted in victory after victory after victory. These were great days in his life and mine, having the pleasure of seeing a young man mature into a fine adult, a tremendous role model for those older and younger, and steady influence on his many friends. Brian's mother succumbed to cancer during his ongoing illness. She was good people. I remember her attending virtually every one of Brian's games as a young man. She would bring Brian and his friends to the game, root them on, celebrate their victory and console them in defeat. She was a great mom, like so many other great moms. I learned of Brian's relapse with cancer the night of my primary victory. Brian never lost faith in his ability to overcome the illness, hoping against fate that science and medicine would create a cure. In the end, the hopes were in vain. On Friday night, April 9, 1999, Brian succumbed to the pneumonia that came with a depressed immune system resulting from chemotherapy. At 10:00 am this morning, Brian Thomas Moore was laid to rest. I keep in my mind's eye a picture of my friend, fleet afoot, racing down the field for the ball in some game of momentary importance. I see him reach the ball first and fire it into the net for victory. He turns, having raised his arms in triumph, and his friends race to him to celebrate. It is a moment of pure joy and satisfaction. This is the mind's eye picture I keep of my friend. I miss him already.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Colusa Basin Watershed Integrated Resources Management Act of 1999. The Colusa Basin drainage area consists of 1,036,000 acres--1,620 square miles--in northern California within Glenn, Colusa and Northern Yolo Counties. The Colusa Basin Drainage District embodies more than 600,000 acres of the Sacramento Valley, spanning from Knights Landing in the south to Orland in the north, with the Sacramento River and the Sierra foothills forming the east and west boundaries. Flooding in Colusa Basin causes approximately $4.9 million in property damage each year. In 1995, a major flood did an estimated $100 million in damage to private and public property. The costs of these floods are borne by residents, local agencies and the Federal Government. Large-scale traditional flood-control methods are not cost effective in the Basin. Instead, local authorities are focused on small-scale structural and non-structural flood control remedies that would produce flood protection at a reasonable cost and have the added benefit of being environmentally acceptable. The Colusa Basin and the Bureau of Reclamation have jointly developed an integrated plan that would provide flood protection for cities and agricultural areas by reducing peak runoff flooding along streams; capture storm water for local uses, groundwater recharge, and wildlife purposes; improve water quality; reduce land subsidence; and improve the quality and quantity of fish and wildlife habitat in the region. The program includes the construction of 11 small, off-stream, environmentally sound foothill reservoirs and 10,000 acres of new wetlands and riparian habitat. This bill is supported by a wide range of interests, including local farm bureaus, cities and counties in the Colusa Basin, irrigation districts, the CALFED Bay-Delta program and conservation groups such as the California Waterfowl Association, among others. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill, and build upon the bipartisan coalition of cosponsors committed to improving flood control, water quality, and wildlife habitat in northern California.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support for the Government Waste, Fraud and Error Reduction Act. One of the reasons I chose to enter politics 5\1/2\ weeks ago is because I wanted to put an end to the wasteful practices of our government, and I am here to work with the other 432 Members to get that done. I was stunned to learn that the Federal Government is owed over $50 billion, $50 billion, and that is not including taxes. Mr. Speaker, this act seeks to improve the debt collection abilities of the Federal Government. This bill gets tough on government debtors, prohibiting delinquent debtors from obtaining any Federal permit or license until their debt is repaid. It withholds Social Security benefits from those who owe past-due child support. The government will no longer be in the business of rewarding such debtors. In addition, the bill allows the government to contract out debt collection services to private agencies. What a concept. This practice has proven to be an effective measure in closing difficult cases in the private sector. We ought to use it in the public. Mr. Speaker, the ability to collect on any debt, either public or private, is a fundamental component of our economy and legal system. The taxpayer deserves the same protections as private citizens when a loan is extended by the Federal Government. As we eliminate waste and fraud, we will have more money to spend on education, on Social Security, on national defense or health care. Let us pass this bill. Let us begin saving the taxpayers' money. Let us make a difference.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I come before the House today to note the passing of one of Sacramento's many unsung heroes. A week ago Officer Bean was buried, the victim of a ridiculous act by one of California's many residents who were out on parole. Officer Bean was a 27-year-old officer in the Sacramento Police Department, unmarried, full-time student, who had set aside his other lifetime goals to contribute to the peace and security of our community. On patrol one night he stopped a car; and, by happenstance, that person had a weapon, took a shot that went underneath his vest, and he is now dead. I did not want to have any more time pass before noting his passing and the appreciation that each of us have in our respective communities for our unsung heroes. Men or women, Democrat or Republican, Sacramento is the worse off for what happened, and I just felt it was appropriate to note that.

Mr. OSE

Mr. OSE. Mr. Speaker, I realize my time is short. I just would like to emphasize, following the comments from my distinguished colleague from California, the importance of this issue for me personally. I can recall on numerous occasions being visited by residents of the Third District talking about their need for adequate medical care. We are going to work on this, this year. The gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas) is leading us forward, together with the gentleman from Louisiana. I think we are going to make progress.