Butch Otter

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur in the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 101) extending birthday greetings and best wishes to Lionel Hampton on the occasion of his 94th birthday.

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, far be it for me to add to the eloquence of the gentleman from Michigan, but I would just say that Lionel Hampton has been a groundbreaker throughout his career, throughout his life. He has been an internationally acclaimed giant of music, and because he is an internationally acclaimed giant of music, he has an been internationally acclaimed giant of communication, because we find many times in music one voice and we find one spirit, and that is what Lionel Hampton has brought to the world. We are to celebrate his 94th birthday. Mr. Speaker, I would ask in closing that all Members support this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained for rollcall 88, on agreeing to House Resolution 386. Had I been present I would have voted ``yea''.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my support of the rule and for fully funding the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA). I am pleased that the Fiscal Year 2003 budget includes $19.6 billion over 10 years for IDEA, however this amount is still a long way from providing states with the 40 percent funding level Congress committed to pay. Federal IDEA funding assists states in providing invaluable services and educational opportunities for children with disabilities. However, Congress has not fulfilled their financial commitment to the states, and has left states to determine how to pay for IDEA. Mr. Speaker, Congress should not mandate stringent federal programs without first determining how to fit these programs into the federal budget, and then providing states with the necessary funds to comply with those federal standards. States should not be left to fund programs that are not initiated at the State and local level. I support the IDEA program and realize the importance of providing disabled youth with the opportunity to gain an equal education. As the former Lieutenant Governor for the State of Idaho, and a former member of the state legislature, I also realize the budget constraints placed on states when federal programs are mandated without funding. As many states face severe deficit spending it is important for Congress to meet its commitments to IDEA, past and present.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to address the issue of funding veterans military retirement in conjunction with veterans disability compensation. I am pleased that the House fiscal year 2003 budget resolution includes funding to eliminate the veterans retirement and disability concurrent receipt offset. The $6 billion over the next 6 years to gradually provide full benefits to all disabled retirees is long over due. I firmly believe veterans should not have money taken out of their military retirement to pay for their disability compensation because these are two separate entities that serve two different compensations. I was pleased to cosponsor legislation to repeal this offset, and I am pleased that by providing funding for concurrent receipt, Congress has finally recognized the importance of keeping its promises to those men and women who have risked their lives, and have suffered injuries in preserving our freedom.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington for yielding me the necessary time to at least express interest not only in the passage of the rule, which I think is an important rule to accompany this resolution, but the folks in my State and in the adjoining States, all those above the 37th parallel, do not enjoy the opportunity, as was stated by several of the speakers before myself, including the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Resources, to be able to hunt the mourning dove during our season because, as the treaty, which was established in 1916, states, we cannot open our season before September 1. All we need in Idaho and those States that are north of the 37th parallel is just a little bit of a cooling trend and all the doves immediately go south. It is a responsible thing to do, and it is a responsible thing to do because of some of the subject matter that has been brought up by the gentleman across the aisle, that there are a lot of folks that cannot afford to go to the southern States, cannot afford to go to Mexico, cannot afford to transport the weapons or the transportation, and these people then are denied the opportunity to hunt, as well. So I think this is an economic stimulus package, and it is also a package to help those folks who do not have the necessary resources to be able to enjoy hunting in their home State and be able to take the mourning doves, within a certain limit. So, Mr. Speaker, I join with the good gentleman from Washington and all those others who have spoken in hopes that we will vote for the rule, pass the rule, and then vote and pass the resolution.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House the distinguished accomplishments of Mr. Bob Potter of Hayden Lake, Idaho. Bob has been the President of Jobs Plus in Coeur d' Alene since the organization's inception 15 years ago. Known affectionately as ``Mr. Jobs Plus'', Bob's mission is to create investment and bring new jobs and companies to the Coeur d' Alene area. I'm pleased to report his mission is a success. Bob Potter is a great salesman for Northern Idaho, and he recruits companies with good benefits programs for their employees in addition to providing a decent wage. As a rule, when Bob successfully recruits a new company, the average annual wage in Kootenai County increases. The benefit of Jobs Plus and Bob Potter is seen in the numbers: 74 companies recruited; 3,780 jobs created; $85 million in new payroll. It is the tireless dedication of people like Mr. Potter that keep our local economies growing and diversifying. Bob Potter's hard work and sense of community should serve as an inspiration to us all, and I thank him for all he has done for Idaho and the nation. Bob Potter: Mr. Jobs Plus Retirement doesn't suit salesman (By Bill Buley) At the end of each year, Jobs Plus President Bob Potter visits companies he's recruited to the area since the organization was formed 15 years ago. The numbers tell the story. In 2001: 74 companies; 3,780 jobs, $85 million in payroll; $340 million in capital investment; 2.4 million square feet leased or owned; average wage, $26,300-plus. ``Those are the reasons Jobs Plus is damn important,'' he says. But numbers don't tell the tale of Bob Potter. He comes across initially, quite frankly, as a grumpy old man. He's anything but. Before the interview even begins, he grabs a putter resting against a wall just outside his office at the Resort Plaza, picks up a golf ball, and walks about 10 feet from the practice hole. ``Watch,'' he says. A moment later, in a smooth motion, he strokes the ball. It seems to be going left. It's going to miss. Then, it begins to break, curving back. It drops in the target. He knew. ``I've won a lot of bets on that,'' he says with a grin. Potter glows when he speaks of his wife Patricia, whom he married 49 years ago on Valentine's Day. He smiles as he boasts of their daughter Pam, a teacher in Olympia, Wash., and their son Bo, a Notre Dame graduate who today sells medical insurance in Los Angeles. Potter, by the way, is a huge fan of the Fighting Irish. He anguishes over the foot-ball team's misfortunes and hopes for another national championship soon. His son was the roommate of Rudy Ruettiger, whose drive to play football for Notre Dame resulted in the movie, ``Rudy.'' ``I knew Rudy really well, in fact he still visits Bo a lot and stays at our house in Los Angeles when he's down there,'' Potter said. Still, to many in North Idaho, Bob Potter is Mr. Job Plus. The two seem synonymous. But a parting might not be far off. Potter says he can't continue forever in the $60,000-a- year-job--the same as when he started in 1987. ``I am 74 years old. Sooner or later, the Jobs Plus board of directors is going to have to face up to the fact that we're going to have to take Jobs Plus into the next phase.'' That phase will lead to Jobs Plus II. ``We've been doing this with mirrors. Our costs are stable and low. I don't need a medical plan (he has one already). I've never taken a raise. Jobs Plus II isn't going to be that fortunate. Those days are going to be over, probably in the next transition. It's going to cost us more to run Jobs Plus in the future than it is now.'' So Potter, as usual, has a plan. He'll make a presentation to Kootenai County Commissioners Tuesday that the county should--like the cities of Coeur d'Alene, Hayden, Rathdrum and Post Falls and about 100 other businesses--support Jobs Plus, which operates on a modest budget of $200,000. That, Potter said, is far less than what similar organizations in other areas work with. ``The county hasn't had to invest in to produce the millions of dollars that we've created in property tax. We feel that Jobs Plus is an investment and we can prove it because we've got the numbers.'' Potter was born in Utah. He graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in political science. For 35 years, he worked his way up the corporate ladder with the Bell system, AT&T, eventually becoming vice president of sales for the western region. When Potter quit and moved to North Idaho and bought a home on Hayden Lake, the economy was struggling. Community business leaders including Jacklin Land Company, then Washington Water Power, Dennis Wheeler from Coeur d'Alene Mines, and Duane Hagadone, at the time were in the midst of raising $1 million for a four-year program that would focus on expanding the area's economy and employment base. After interviewing hundreds of candidates from across the nation, they found no one they believed right for the job. Then, a headhunter suggested the person they were looking for was in their own back yard. He was.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of the House a recent speech by County Commissioner Ron Rankin of Kootenai County, Idaho. Ron is a veteran of the United States Marines and is a tireless defender, like all Idahoans, of the rights our veterans preserved for us through their devotion. This speech was given by Commissioner Rankin on the occasion of the dedication of a new veteran's memorial. I urge my colleagues to read this speech and remember the sacrifices our veterans made for us and the continued sacrifices being made today by our men and women in uniform. With the consent of the House I would like to insert that speech for the record. Kootenai County Veterans Memorial Wall Dedication, November 10, 2001 (By Commissioner Ronald D. Rankin) Once there was a nation of patriots, men, women, and children who loved their country, their flag, and their freedom, and the independence guaranteed by their divinely inspired United States Constitution. They honored their soldiers who fought to preserve their freedom and independence. Then came the Korean War, the first war our country fought that we were politically prohibited from winning. This was followed by the Viet Nam War where hoards of drug crazed traitors cursed and spat upon combat veterans returning from a war that cost over 50 thousand casualties. Our fighting men and women were pilloried for the treasonous political decisions that protracted that war far longer than any other in our history. That ``hippie generation'' is now being replaced by a generation which has never witnessed a war like those of the 20th Century--a generation that will determine the future of our country, our United States constitution, and our freedom. They must be taught and reminded what American veterans have sacrificed for them to be able to live in freedom. To that end, and through most generous private contributions, Kootenai County citizens are carving highlights of history into stone. A remembrance of some of the great moments in history that have molded and formed our futures. Each of the fourteen laser-etched stone photo panels on this wall will represent a major military mark in history. On the inside of the foyer/gallery, will be found separate pamphlets each describing a great event of military history. One will describe in detail the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor, not the entire World War II but only Pearl Harbor. Another will describe in detail the barbaric Bataan Death March, where American prisoners of war were tortured, murdered and taken to Japan to work as slaves in the mines; another, the turning point of World War II in the Pacific-- the Battle of Midway, where the sinking of so many Japanese aircraft carriers effectively broke the back of the Japanese fleet. Iwo Jima; how that well known flag photograph came to be, and at what terrible cost. The Navajo Code Talkers; American Indian patriots who saved the lives of thousands of their fellow Marines, sending and receiving combat messages in their ancient tongue that was undecipherable by Japanese intelligence. A detailed account of the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in 1950 in North Korea--an epic in Marine Corps history. The epic landing at Normandy on ``D'' Day--1944. The heroic 2nd Rangers scaling a 100 ft. cliff to take a German pill box at the top of the coastal cliffs of Normandy. The Battle of the Bulge. The hard fought heroic battles that were the turning point in the war in Europe. The air war over Europe and the heroes of the B-17's. The emergence of helicopters and river gun boats as weapons of choice in Vietnam. These and more to be added, will be a source of unrevised history for our youth of future generations as well as some of our adults of today who have little knowledge of the sacrifice of our combat veterans past and present. It is our resolve here today in dedicating this memorial wall, that our veterans will retake their places of honor and respect in the minds of those so blessed by the freedom they enjoy. A legacy of the sacrifices of the generations of patriots past and present who have worn the uniform of our country with pride and dedication to the principles we all hold dear. May God Continue to Bless America in all of her righteous endeavors. This I ask humbly in the name of Jesus Christ--Amen.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of September 11th, our view of America has shifted. It is as if someone cleaned the window of our perspective, removing the dirt of cynicism and distrust and allowing us to see anew the opportunities that being Americans offers us. Suddenly, we have joined together, united in our resolve to both fight for freedom and to appreciate the freedoms we have. Rather than bickering over petty differences, we find ourselves more willing to reach out to each other, more aware of the basic truths on which our country was founded, and more thankful to those who fought and died to ensure that we can enjoy freedom. Our renewed sense of patriotism and gratefulness is expressed through the eyes of our young people. Philip Aldridge, an eighth grader from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, reminds us about how blessed we are to call ourselves Americans. His essay, ``America's Heroes'', was written in honor of Veteran's Day on November 11th. I would like to thank Philip for sharing his thoughts with me. His words inspire us to show appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy but often take for granted. America's Heroes (By Philip Aldridge) Have you ever stopped and thought about how nice it is to live in America? More often than not, our society takes the hard-earned freedoms that have been bestowed upon us for granted. These rights and freedoms upon which our country was built have been challenged many times and yet we still stand strong and united. For this we can recognize all the men and women of America who have fought with great pride and who gave their lives for what they so strongly believed in. These are our veterans. Our country enjoys many freedoms not recognized by many. But do you realize that these are what make our nation strong? One of these rights is freedom of religion. Our country was inhabited and founded by men and women who unfortunately had religion forced upon them. Religious tolerance, which means the willingness to accept faith different from your own, was put into place during the birth of our country. Every four years we elect a president. And every four years, people complain about who was elected. If you look at other countries, the people don't even choose who their leader is. In most cases, the leader either comes from a line of royalty or he assembles himself with full power. We the people of America, are very fortunate to have a freedom to vote. The most well-known freedom in our society is freedom of equality. In the Declaration of Independence, it states that all men are created equal. This means that whether you're of a different race or if you're a male or female, everyone has equal rights. Any citizen of the United States should be deeply grateful for these freedoms for which soldiers have fought and defended. We can show appreciation for these privileges by serving our country, respecting its laws, and honoring America's heroes and patriots . . . our veterans.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss H.R. 3129, the Customs Border Security Act of 2001. Most of H.R. 3129 is a well- crafted and needed response to the events of September 11. I firmly believe that we need to strengthen the U.S. Customs Service to properly guard against the threats we now face. I particularly support the bill's provision for 285 new customs officers along the Canadian border. I represent a State that borders Canada and have seen the vast increase in traffic along US-95, one of our Nation's NAFTA corridors. Adding more customs officers will help protect Idaho, and the United States, from those who would seek to use the world's longest peaceful border against us. I also strongly support the provision raising the personal exemption for goods brought back into the United States from $400 to $800. This step will help facilitate the growth of tourism and cut through much useless red tape. Unfortunately, H.R. 3129 contained provisions that forced me to vote against it. In particular, section 141 establishes so-called ``good- faith'' protection for customs officers who violate the law in the course of carrying out their duties. If enacted into law section 141 would prohibit those affected by such law-breaking from seeking damages from the guilty parties. Working men and women are punished every day in Idaho for alleged violations of Federal laws they didn't even know existed. Sadly their ``good-faith'' carries no weight with the enforcement bureaucracies of the Federal Government. The officials who enforce these laws should be held to the same standards. Granting Federal bureaucrats special exemptions from the law is to establish an artificial separation of the government from the governed. Retaining the right to sue government officials for violations of our rights is the best defense imaginable for ensuring that those rights are protected in the first place. I cannot vote to remove this protection from my constituents. I welcome the announcement by Chairman Thomas that he will be bringing this bill up under regular order in the near future. I look forward to working with him and Members from both sides of the aisle to improve this bill and improve our Customs Service.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for putting together this opportunity tonight for us to talk about Trade Promotion Authority. We know that is going to be coming up later this week; and so the information, and there has been a lot of disinformation, I think we heard some of that during the 5-minute Special Orders tonight, disinformation that is being put out into the idea marketplace. Trade Promotion Authority has been much discussed over the last few weeks, anticipating this vote that we are going to have later this week; and I would like to share a little information about how Trade Promotion Authority will benefit not only Idaho, but our 49 sister States as well. Let me start with something I know best. Idaho is the world's foremost producer and processor of potatoes. We plant over 380,000 acres a year, and we yield well over 100 million hundred weight as a result of those plantings. Most of those potatoes are processed into products which find themselves into the marketplace and restaurants throughout the world. Idaho potatoes dominate almost every market they have ever gone into. I traveled to some 80 foreign countries and opened many McDonald's throughout the world with the JR Simplot Company because we had the best potatoes in the world, and those best potatoes came from Idaho. One of those markets that I was part of opening up was in Chile. Today, as a result of our inability to get a seat at that negotiating table, Canada and Chile came together and put together a trade agreement. Idaho no longer shares in that market because that agreement, when we did not have a seat at that table, pushed the Idaho potatoes out of the market. What concerns me even more than the fact that we are losing some of these markets to some of our foreign competitors is the fact that we are now starting to lose situs for some of our best processors, some of the best processors in the world, some of them historically proven since Birds Eye first discovered how to freeze and then reconstitute products, adding portability and shelf life to some of the best vegetable products throughout the world, and that happened in the early part of the last century. Some of these best products and their processors are now reducing the size of their plants in the United States south of the Canadian border and are actually expanding some of their potential to be in these foreign markets in plants in Canada, and the result is because Canada has Trade Promotion Authority and they have a seat at the table that they can go to the markets throughout the world and negotiate trade agreements. Idaho's wheat producers is another example. They are also suffering from our inability to enter into new agreements. The Idaho National Wheat Growers for that purpose and that purpose only are supporting the passage of Trade Promotion Authority. We have documented evidence of how trade has benefited our farmers. Since the passage of NAFTA, U.S. farm exports to Mexico have doubled. The more trade agreements we enter into, the more food we can sell, because 90 percent of the world's people live outside of the United States. Ninety percent of the mouths that sit down to that plate every night, three times a day, 90 percent of those plates are served in other parts of the world, not the United States. If we are not going to be part of those agreements, if we are not going to have a seat at that table, to whom are we going to be able to sell the increased production that we have from our farms? The U.S. only consumes about two-thirds of what American farmers always produce because they are the best and most prolific in the world. Without our foreign markets, already depressed prices could be much lower. We need foreign markets to maintain our current production and to increase our market potential in the future. Because the United States has more productive farmers in the world, other nations maintain extensive subsidies and trade barriers and trade walls. The average American agriculture tariff is 3 percent, whereas in Europe it is 15 percent; and worldwide the average is well over 40 percent. In addition, the European Union maintains export subsidies of up to 75 percent greater than those that we have in America. Passing the Trade Promotion Authority, giving our President the opportunity to sell our wares, to strut our stuff throughout the world will help further our national goals by allowing the President to sit down and negotiate these deals. We will be able then to eliminate trade barriers, and our products will increase our exports and be able to reduce the export subsidies throughout the world. Let me share some of the state barriers that our farmers all over the United States currently face. In Australia, a monopoly wheat board now sets the price of wheat. American farmers are therefore priced out of one of the most important markets in the world. In Canada, a monopoly wheat board also competes against the United States in world markets. Mr. Speaker, passing the Trade Promotion Authority would speed the negotiations to remove these wheat boards from their position of power and monopolistic predatory practices in the world marketplace. Idaho is the fifth largest spring wheat producer in the country, and I would not promote Trade Promotion Authority if I were not certain it would benefit our farmers. China currently imposes restrictions on which varieties of apples, of which Idaho is one of the best producers, that they can import into their country. Currently only three varieties can be imported into China, and the two versions that are actually favored by the Chinese consumer cannot be brought in because of trade barriers. With Trade Promotion Authority, we could negotiate an end to these barriers and benefit our apple farmers. Similarly, Taiwan maintains a 40 percent tariff on apples and that needs to be reduced and could be through the passage of Trade Promotion Authority. Mr. Speaker, I could go on and on; but I would simply like to demonstrate for this House and for those who are listening, Idaho's director of agriculture, Mr. Takasugi, has prepared ``Idaho Trade Issues: An Action Plan.'' This was produced earlier this year. As the Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, I led trade missions throughout the world. I visited some 80 foreign country. Mr. Takasugi went with me to many of those. We were able to break down barriers because we were sitting at the table when we had the opportunity to overcome some of the differences we had with some of these foreign countries. Mr. Speaker, this is a 54-page booklet that itemizes every trade barrier that Idaho and Idaho's farmers face in every country of this world, and I would like to provide this booklet to any Members who do not believe that passing Trade Promotion Authority to the President would not be a valuable asset for this country and its economy and the producers. Some may say Idaho is a small State and we have nothing to gain from Trade Promotion Authority and that it is actually a coastal issue; and I am saying nothing could be further from the truth. Last year, Idaho's exports alone were $826 million. That may not sound like an awful lot to a lot of folks; but my 1,285,000 people thought that $826 million in sales to foreign countries was terribly important. A lot of families are able to provide for themselves and provide for their future because of that $826 million. Let me break it down: $303 million was potatoes and other vegetables; $151 million in wheat products, $98 million in livestock; $54 million in dairy products; and $51 million in feed products. More than 12,000 Idaho jobs depend upon exports. As I said earlier, our ability to process this food into a portable and into a storable product is one of the things that has got us into these foreign markets. I am also aware of the concerns of those who are afraid of H.R. 3005 because it means an end of our anti-dumping and countervailing duty legislation. If I thought that was the case, I would be opposing this instead of here helping the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Cantor) and our other folks champion this effort. I know firsthand the effects of illegal dumping and the value of our anti-dumping laws. Voting for the Trade Promotion Authority is neither an endorsement of repealing anti-dumping laws, nor a repudiation of the English resolution that this House passed with such an overwhelming majority just last month. Mr. Speaker, earlier in the last century a fellow by the name of Hans J. Morgantheau said when food does not cross borders, troops will. When we look at most of the problems of the world that have been associated with folks who have something and it is desired by folks who do not, those troops cross the border. I have said twice now and at the risk of repeating myself, I have been in 80 foreign countries, and I have negotiated with every manner of government in every way that I possibly could for every kind of product; and having a seat at that table and being right there, face to face with the potential buyer, is the most important thing we can do. Trade Promotion Authority, Mr. Speaker, gives us a seat at that table. Trade Promotion Authority will indeed manifest the value that Hans J. Morgantheau put into his idea that when we are trading with people, we are building a relationship, and that relationship then leads to an exchange of values and an exchange of goals and eventually an exchange of ideas and peace. For those Members who may doubt the value of trade, I direct them to a book called ``The Lexus and The Olive Branch,'' Chapter 6, and it is called ``The Golden Arches Theory of Peace.'' No two countries that ever received a McDonald's franchise since they received that franchise have gone to war because they understand the value of a relationship and a trade consumer and a provider and supplier-consumer relationship. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and all of those who are speaking on it tonight in passage of H.R. 3005, and assure that we can unleash the power and the potential of the American farmer and the American trader.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from California for yielding to me, and my good friend, the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes), for providing me this time to bring to the attention of the House of Representatives and also to the American people Operation Enduring Support. First, it establishes the sense of Congress that September 11 from this day forward will be known as the American Unity Day, establishing once and for all that that was the day that these evildoers of the world decided to take an attack on the United States, and when they did, they attacked not just the United States but, individually, all of the people of the United States. The gentlewoman from California (Ms. Sanchez) has correctly pointed out that this calls upon all charitable organizations, all military organizations, like the VFW and like the American Legion, and all others who would take the opportunity to celebrate the return of our warriors who are now engaged in that front line battle. But it goes further than that, Mr. Speaker. This also engages all of the American people. It was not that many years ago, probably too many that I would care to lay claim to, but I remember coming home with my uniform in 1968. It was not a happy time to be a person in uniform at that time, Mr. Speaker. In 1968, leaving Fort Knox, Kentucky, in order to get the best price on an airline, I had to be in full dress uniform. As I left the gates of Fort Knox, Kentucky and ventured through the town of Louisville, Kentucky, and got on that airplane and landed first in Washington, D.C., and then in Baltimore, then back to Washington, D.C., having completed my business, and then took a connecting airline from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, Illinois, Denver, Colorado, and finally, Boise, Idaho, I did not feel very safe. In fact, I wondered to myself aloud about the active time that I spent wearing that uniform, because it was not a happy time for people in uniform in 1968, during the Vietnam conflict. This should never happen again to anyone who is returning after the defense, after defending our country. So this calls upon all the people of the United States, every citizen, every State, every community, to celebrate the return of these warriors; if nothing else, to let these evildoers know around the world that they are not just fighting those folks on the front line; that that is not the people alone that they have to worry about, they have to worry about every citizen in this United States, because we are going to let them know that we are a whole people, and we are a united people. There is no reflection on the past into the sixties and early seventies. In this, we are of one voice; in this, we are of one mind and one spirit, and that is the spirit of unity and the spirit of enduring support.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, because my beeper malfunctioned, I did not arrive here in time to vote on the conference report on H.R. 2620, otherwise known as the VA-HUD bill. Had I been here I would have voted in favor.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this resolution offered by my good friend, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English). This resolution urges Ambassador Zoellick to defend the ability of the United States to use antidumping and countervailing duty laws to protect against unfair trade practices. I am and have always been a supporter of free and fair trade. In my previous career, I was an international businessman and traveled to some 81 foreign countries. I know that Idaho and all U.S. businesses can successfully compete against products from anywhere in the world. Government intervention, rather than foreign competition, is the only threat to the productivity of my constituents. Today, Idaho and U.S. computer chip manufacturers are threatened by the Government of South Korea. In violation of international trading rules, South Korea is forcing its banks to exchange thousands of dollars of loans in Hynix for worthless shares in the company. Hynix even gets $500 million in new loans from government-controlled banks at much lower rates. Two private banks who are creditors refused to give additional credit as they saw the futility of doing so. This massive injection of capital into Hynix makes it possible for them to undercut the prices offered by other private companies. Competitive chip manufacturers within both the United States and overseas will be driven out of business by these actions if positive steps, such as we are suggesting in this resolution today, are not taken to oppose them. The ability of the United States to bring antidumping and countervailing duty cases against foreign manufacturers is an important shield against the actions taken by the South Korean Government and others who would try to bail out their failing companies and industries. While the World Trade Organization plays a very vital and important role in ensuring that international trading nations play by the rules, it currently lacks the speed and the flexibility to protect nations against unfair trade practices. Our antidumping and countervailing duty legislation gives this Nation the ability to protect itself from all unfair competition. I am pleased to rise before this House and give my full support to this resolution. I also offer this warning to those nations who would seek to undermine fair trade: this Congress will not stand for and will be prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to defend itself against economic aggression. I will support, nay, Madam Speaker, I will champion, any additional authorities that our trade representatives need to defend America's workers and industries.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for this courtesy. Mr. Speaker, I rise as many others have already said today to congratulate the chairman of the committee and the ranking member for the great work and the great task which they undertook. However, Mr. Speaker, I cannot support this effort. I do support Governor Ridge, and I do support Attorney General Ashcroft and the President of the United States. However, Mr. Speaker, I feel like this bill goes way too far. Some of the provisions place more power in the hands of law enforcement than our Founding Fathers could have ever dreamt. Nationwide warrants and secret courts would have been familiar to the Founding Fathers, Mr. Speaker, because they fought against those very institutions when they fought the British. This bill promises security, but Americans need to be secure with their liberties. This bill promises safety, but Americans are only safe if they are free. Mr. Speaker, others have said it more eloquently than I. Patrick Henry, for instance, said it when he said, ``I have but one lamp which guides my feet, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes which gentlemen now today are pleased to solace themselves.'' John Stewart Mill said, ``A people may prefer a free government, but if from indolence, or carelessness, or cowardice, or want of public spirit, they are unequal to the exertions necessary for preserving it; if they will not fight for it when it is directly attacked; if they can be deluded by the artifices used to cheat them out of their liberties; if by momentary discouragement or temporary panic or a fit of enthusiasm for an idea or an individual, they can be deluded to lay their liberties at the feet of even a great man, or trust him with powers which enable them to subvert their institutions, in all these cases they are more or less unfit for liberty.'' I urge my colleagues to listen to the voices of these patriots and reject the so-called ``PATRIOT'' Act. I support my President, I support law enforcement, but I also support the fundamental rights and liberties of the American people. I include the following for the Record. Partial List of Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Border Patrol.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully offer for my colleagues' attention the following astute remarks contained in the resolution proposed by the Canyon County Republican Central Committee and adopted by the Idaho Republican Party at its 2001 Summer State Central Committee Meeting on June 16, 2001. 1 could not agree more with the statements and sentiments of my fellow Idaho Republicans, and am pleased that this Congress has begun to take steps to see that the energy goals of Idaho and other states are fulfilled as quickly as possible. A Resolution of the Idaho Republican Party Whereas, over the last decade, the West has experienced tremendous economic and population growth. The growth has resulted in significant new demands on energy resources of all types. Over the last year, the United States, and the West in particular, have seen its surplus energy resources disappear, resulting in unprecedented prices for electric energy and natural gas. This situation has resulted in curtailment of energy intensive industries and subsequent employment displacement. Furthermore, the situation has revealed that there is not adequate amounts of electric energy generation or electric and gas transmission available to meet current or future needs due to a variety of reasons, including non-existent national energy policy, lack of new investment in construction, inefficient sitting regulations, local opposition, and a myriad of statutory and regulatory impediments; Whereas, the West plays a critical role in energy policy and development due to its abundance of natural gas, clean coal, hydropower resources, and emerging non-hydropower renewable resources; Whereas, the citizens of Idaho have historically been the beneficiaries of some of the lowest energy costs in the United States largely because of the clean, renewable hydropower, an efficient electric distribution and transmission system and proximity to affordable natural gas reserves and pipelines; Whereas, these energy resources have played a significant role in the development of Idaho's economic prosperity and will play a key role in future economic growth and energy cost affordability for Idaho citizens; Now, therefore, be it resolved, That the Idaho Republican Party urges policy makers at all levels of government, to support and enact energy policies that continue to allow Idaho citizens to have access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy. These policies should include, but are not limited to, a streamlined regulatory process for construction and operation of electric generation, electric transmission, and natural gas pipelines. These policies should also specifically include support for hydropower relicensing reform, improving energy efficiency and conservation, development and deployment of new technologies for traditional and emerging generation systems and short-term measures to support low-income families with energy payments. Be it further resolved, That policy makers at all levels coordinate their policies and procedures with each other to maximize taxpayer dollars and provide non-duplicative, efficient and effective government oversight responsibility. This resolution proposed by the Canyon County Republican Central Committee, was duly considered and adopted by the Idaho Republican Party at its 2001 Summer State Central Committee Meeting. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of the Part at Twin Falls, Idaho, this 16th day of June, A.D. 2001. Trent L. Clark, State Party Chairman

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share with my colleagues and constituents my reasons for voting against H.R. 2926, the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act. I believe it is important for every member to make known their thinking behind such an important vote. The terrorist attacks on Sep. 11 devastated the American aviation industry. Hundreds of passengers, dozens of airline employees and thousands of innocent people on the ground died in the fiery crashes of the four airliners. America's commercial airlines were grounded for 3 days. Most of general aviation was grounded for more than a week, and some components of the general aviation industry remain grounded today. Insurers of aviation airlines are canceling their policies, and banks are refusing to extend loans to keep the system intact. Under these circumstances some form of assistance to the airline industry is essential for our economy and national security. H.R. 2926, however, is the wrong form of relief. What should have been immediate relief from the effects of the attacks has become a golden parachute for the aviation industry, indemnifying many airlines from the effects of calamitous business decisions made long before Sep 11. In a time of tragedy for our nation and the world this Congress has failed to closely examine this bill. The airline industry takes in at most $400 million a day. With a grounding of 3 days, and the continued closure of Reagan National Airport, the direct losses to the industry by government action can be calculated at roughly $2 billion. This act makes available cash in the amount of $4.5 billion for the passenger airlines, more than twice the direct losses of the airlines. Furthermore, this cash will be apportioned among the airlines, not according to how much revenue they lost because of the attacks, but how much capacity they had. This preference for available seat miles over revenue passenger miles can only benefit those carriers whose own bad business decisions before September 11 had left them with too much capacity and too little sales. H.R. 2926 supposedly contained extra funding for security. The $3 billion authorized for security measures, however, has already been appropriated by Congress from the $40 billion emergency spending package, which I supported. To claim that this bill had any new funding for security is simply not true. Without needed security improvements it is impossible to see how airline traffic can return to normal levels. The bailout legislation should have waited for a security package in order to comprehensively deal with this situation. H.R. 2926 would have been constitutional if it had been drafted as a focused bill to keep our airlines flying in the wake of the devastating attacks on our country. The creation of an entitlement fund, the overcompensation of the airlines, rewards for inefficient carriers, and lack of new funding for airline security all combined to make this a deeply flawed bill. For all of these reasons and more I voted against H.R. 2926 and urged my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time. Mr. Speaker, during the dawning days of this great Republic, one of our founding architects uttered these words: That these were the days that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink in the service of their country, but he that stands it now deserves the love and the thanks of every man and every woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered, yet in that we have this consolation; and that consolation is that the more difficult the battle, the more glorious the triumph. Those things which we obtain too easily we esteem too lightly. So it would seem strange, indeed, Mr. Speaker, if so celestial an article as freedom were not highly prized. Mr. Speaker, I offer that tonight as it be as applicable on this resolution as it was on the resolution that Thomas Paine wrote it for.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlemen from New Jersey and California for their leadership on this important issue. Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues who have offered their voices before mine, I too arise in strong and unyielding support of this resolution. We are a strong and a resilient people who have, in our past, been called to duty, to preform extraordinary feats in extraordinary times. Minute by minute reports of heroic events continue to flow in from all sites of this tragedy. These reports, each and every one, bear witness to the long held belief that we are a people of purpose and our actions, in this time of crisis, are guided by our love of our fellow men. Many generations ago we were warned that each generation would be called upon to polish, sustain and improve this great republic. We were also told that these occasions could come disguised in many ways. Tuesday's events have signaled to this generation, to those of us here, to those we represent, to every man, woman, child, individually and collectively, that our time, our test and our challenge, to maintain our republic's destiny to be the beacon of hope and freedom for the world is here and now, the wait is over, the question is answered. My heart and my hand is offered, along with every other in this historic room as a supporter and a champion of this resolution. I am confident, Mr. Speaker, should I enjoy the technology to ask, right now, each and every resident of Idaho's First District the question of how I should vote on this measure, there would not be a dissenting vote. Let's note for the record, Mr. Speaker, that we Americans chose neither the time nor the place for this, but that those soul-less terrorists who have made their choice known by these acts, have grossly underestimated the sterling resolve that historically visits this Nation during our time of need. Mr. Speaker, we must now bury our fallen, and with heavy hearts, prayerful lips, but a firm belief that our lost are with our Creator and have joined in a celestial song to march us into the battle which we now willingly engage. May the very God, whose existence these terrorist deny, grant them sufficient time on this earth to have these horrors visited on each and every one of them and anyone else who may have given them cause or quarter. May this same God, smile on this vote we now offer, this nation we speak for and this purpose we undertake.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the ``Clean Water Users Protection Act.'' This bill provides that plaintiffs under the Clean Water Act must post a bond for their opponents' legal fees before filing a case. Ordinary farmers, small businessmen, rural counties and school districts have all become targets for zealots who place their own interpretation of the law before the interests of rural America. My act will ensure that only legitimate lawsuits are brought under the Clean Water Act. Congress established Clean Water Act citizen suits in the 1970's to ensure that each citizen would have a voice in making sure that our environment remained clean. Unfortunately, the process was corrupted by those who want to destroy private enterprise and line their pockets in the process. The Talent Irrigation District is a perfect example. In that case a radical environmental group challenged a commonly used, federally regulated herbicide as violating the Clean Water Act. A lower court rejected their suit, and rightfully so. The 9th Circuit Court ruled, against nearly 30 years of precedent to the contrary, that aquatic herbicides are also covered by the Clean Water Act. Every irrigator in the United States now faces the prospect of losing their farms or going to jail. Had the plaintiff in the case been forced to post a bond, perhaps they would have thought twice before filing their suit. The Clean Water Users Protection Act does not change any obligation under the Clean Water Act. It does not reduce the remediation and/or penalties that can be ordered if violations of the Clean Water Act are found. It will, however, reduce the incentives for frivolous suits to be filed. It will restrain the impulse for mercenary lawyers to set up shop in the guise of caring for the environment. The Sacramento Bee recently ran a series of articles about the immense amounts of money that flow into the pockets of lawyers performing such ``citizen- suits.'' They reported that the government paid out $31.6 million in plaintiffs attorneys fees for 434 environmental cases during the 1990's. Businesses, farmers, and local governments have paid an untold amount more. My bill will stop the flow of dollars away from environmental protection and into lawyers pockets while protecting the honest men and women who live in, care for, and make their living from the beautiful Western states we call home.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide an explanation of my vote against H.R. 2506, the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act. I voted against H.R. 2506 because of my concerns about the level of federal spending and the dangerous assumption that federal tax dollars belong to the federal government and not the taxpayers in the states. This bill, which contained the vital economic and military aid our close allies deserve and which I support, became a vehicle for passing all manner of spending inconsistent with the principles I was elected to represent. I would like to name but a few of the multiple programs which, although good in themselves, do not justify the expenditure of taxpayers dollars. For example, this bill contained more than $100 million each for the Asian and African development funds. As an international businessman I have engaged in extensive business ventures in both these continents. I do not see the need for my constituents to underwrite those ventures at the cost of their own well-being. $35 million is appropriated for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The people of Idaho should not be forced to pay their taxes into an institution that European governments certainly can afford to maintain themselves. $95 million was appropriated for the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization. I would suggest that Korea, one of the worlds largest economies, has the resources to fund this organization. Thomas Paine once wrote that ``What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.'' I hope my colleagues will join me in showing more esteem for the taxpaying men and women for whom the cost of this bill, along with the rest of the federal budget, is anything but cheap.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support of the Flake amendment. Many years ago, Hans J. Morganthau once said that when food does not cross borders, troops will. What he meant by that is the basic of all relationships is really trade and commerce. I sincerely believe that not only what Hans J. Morganthau said, but also what one of my predecessors, Congressman Steve Symms, said when the Carter administration first shut down free and available travel between the United States and Cuba. He said, if we truly want to change Cuba, if we truly want there to be a revolution, what we should do is load up a B-52 bomber and fly over the Cuban island and open those bomb doors and allow millions of Sears Roebuck catalogs to fall on Cuba. And when those Cubans opened those catalogues and see what they do not have, Mr. Chairman, they will cause their own revolution. Mr. Chairman, let us open the doors and let the light shine in. Instead of taking our word for it, the American people can go find out for themselves.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Idaho Aviation Education (ACE) program, jointly sponsored by the Idaho Transportation Department Division of Aeronautics and the Idaho Aviation Hall of Fame. Last week, two dozen young people from across Idaho were able to take part in the ACE program and learn about the opportunities and excitement available in the aviation industry. These high school students learned about air traffic control, flight maintenance, Idaho's illustrious flying heritage, and the pride that comes from a job well done. Students were even given the opportunity to navigate light aircraft through the Boise foothills, demonstrating the real life uses of geography and mathematics skills acquired in school. I would like to thank all of the people who work to make the ACE program a reality, especially Pam Franco at the Idaho Division of Aeronautics. I would also like to thank the families in the Boise area who took the ACE students into their homes as guests. I am proud of all of the ACE students and encourage them to pursue their dreams into the Idaho skies.

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Chairman, we would not entertain in this body for 5 seconds the idea of suspending any other constitutionally protected right in this country. Yet we seem to advise ourselves constantly that the second amendment does not deserve the same protection from this body as freedom of speech or freedom of assembly or freedom to practice whatever religion we would. Why do we not take and spend some time, spend our limited talents, our limited resources and our constitutional mandate to protect the peaceful citizens of this country and to punish the bad ones instead of the other way around?

Mr. OTTER

Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of Idaho's great citizens. Ed Freeman, 73, of Boise, who will be awarded the Medal of Honor today by the President for his acts of valor during the Vietnam War. The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. On November 14th, 1965, Captain Freeman risked his life more than once to deliver ammunition and supplies to 450 men who had been surrounded by more than 2,000 North Vietnamese. In addition, each time he delivered supplies, he carried out wounded U.S. military personnel to safety. On November 14th, 1965, Captain Freeman voluntarily flew his Army Helicopter on 14 missions to the Ia Dang battle zone in less than 14 hours. For each trip, he risked his life to save and supply his fellow countrymen. Without the courage of Captain Freeman and his crew, the 450 men in the Ia Dang Valley would have been quickly overrun by the North Vietnamese. By the end of the day Captain Freeman had saved an estimated 30 soldiers. Mr. Speaker I am pleased to salute Captain Freeman today for his act of bravery in 1965 and I congratulate him for receiving the highest military honor anyone can receive, the Medal of Honor.