Bill Pascrell

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez) for yielding me the time. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to rise today in support of the passage of H.R. 4945. This important bipartisan legislation introduced by the gentleman from Missouri (Chairman Talent) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), our ranking members, seeks to correct the way many Federal agencies set their contracting criteria that excludes small businesses. If I may, Mr. Chairman, I want to commend both the gentleman from Missouri (Chairman Talent) and the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking member, for making bipartisanship a reality not just empty words. That is important in this House. The Small Business Committee has conducted several hearings on the issue of contract bundling. Bundling is defined simply as the combining of several smaller contracts into one large contract, which is awarded to and performed by a large government contractor. In recent years, Federal Government contracting with small businesses has been falling far short of expectations. Most Federal agencies have not been held accountable for contract bundling. They are just doing whatever they please. This report, which the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) just referred to, speaks for itself. It grades every agency in the Federal Government as to whether it is responsive to small businesses or not. Most are not. The best we could come up with is a C minus report card. That is not acceptable to any of us. In July of last year, this report card was very clearly presented. Agencies are giving multiple contracts to one large contractor at the expense of millions of small businesses. This report also showed that the number of contracts being awarded to small businesses has decreased over the last 3 years by 23 percent. Minority- and women-owned businesses have suffered greatly, with nearly every Federal agency failing to meet the negotiated small business goals. We all know and recognize that small businesses are the backbone of the Nation. Every speaker refers to it today. H.R. 4945 responds to the lack of empirical data available on the impact of contract bundling we heard the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking member, talk about. We cannot even get statistics because data is not held by each of these agencies, and obviously for the very specific reason, they do not want us to know. Those of us who have been elected, those of us who are really on the front lines, they do not want us to know how they let those contracts out there. But now this legislation will call them up. It puts everything on top of the table where it should be. This is taxpayers' dollars that are being spent here. We are trying to protect those dollars, and we are trying to also preserve the bulk of business in this country which is small business. While this bill helps to correct the problems associated with contract bundling, there is more that must be done to help these firms succeed in the Federal procurement arena. It is appropriate, Mr. Chairman, for Congress to require better accountability from Federal agencies on procurement goals, that is why I support H.R. 4945 as a member of the committee, but also as a good American and a good congressman, I hope.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to command the attention of my colleagues to a potentially deadly and amazingly overlooked aspect of public safety, the construction of oil and natural gas pipelines in America. Unbeknownst to millions of Americans, their homes, their schools and communities are sitting atop hundreds of miles of pipelines that may explode at any moment if not properly constructed or if not properly maintained. We all received a rude awakening to the likelihood of tragedy this past August. A pipeline exploded one August morning on a camping ground in Carlsbad, New Mexico, taking the lives of 11 men, women and children. Our Speaker pro tempore knows firsthand of this tragedy. Forty-eight hours later, on the other side of the country, a bulldozer ruptured a gas pipeline on a construction site in North Carolina. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported there. Of the 226 people that died between 1989 and 1998, according to a report issued by the General Accounting Office, these were some of 1030 who were injured, $700 million in property was damaged. This is unbelievable. It is unacceptable. Madam Speaker, it is time for Congress to demand that the office of pipeline safety within the Department of Transportation do their job. Periodic pipeline inspections, rigorously report pipeline spills. Let me give my colleagues an idea about the status of pipeline safety, Madam Speaker, in the United States right now. All of the Nation's natural gas, in about 65 percent of crude and refined oil, travel through a network of nearly 2.2 million miles of pipes. These pipelines need constant attention and repair to remain safe. Over 6.3 million gallons of oil and other hazardous liquids are reportedly released from pipelines on the average each year. Yet the incidence of spills and explosions is getting worse. The amount of oil and other hazardous liquids released per incident has been increasing since 1993. The average amount released from a pipeline spill in 1998 was over 45,000 gallons. Oil pipeline leaks can and do contaminate drinking water, crops, residential land. They generate greenhouse gases, kill fish, cause deaths and injuries from explosions and fires. For one, there is little or no enforcement of existing regulations. The General Accounting Office found that the Office of Pipeline Safety had not enforced 22 of the 49 safety regulations that are already on the book. And right now there are pipelines, natural gas pipelines, starting all over America. Some of these pipelines are going through college dormitories in my own State of New Jersey; going through people's residential areas in Pennsylvania and Ohio. And I say there is something wrong. This was a wilderness area. These people were fishing in New Mexico. This was not a densely populated area when 11 Americans were killed. The Office of Pipeline Safety has not acted on many National Transportation Safety Board recommendations for more stringent pipeline standards. This sort of inattention is mysterious. Why would the agency, whose sole purpose it is to regulate and monitor these pipelines, keep them safe, be so uninterested in their duties? It is enough to make me wonder if there is collusion of some kind going on behind the scenes. Why else would this Federal agency be so lax in enforcing its own regulations? Madam Speaker, this inaction of the Office of Pipeline Safety will not be excused by this Congress. We cannot forgive the lack of pipeline safety and enforcement. As an original cosponsor of H.R. 4792 with the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Inslee), who we will hear from later, I beg of the Speaker to use her influence to get some real safety regulations. They are not being adhered to. People's lives are in jeopardy. Madam Speaker, I submit for the Record a newspaper article regarding a pipeline rupture in Paterson, New Jersey. [From the Herald News] Gas Line Rupture Forces Evacuation in Paterson (By Robert Ratish and Eileen Markey) Paterson.--Workers digging up a roadway on Governor and Straight streets hit a natural gas line Monday morning, releasing fumes and forcing the evacuation of 82 residents in 15 to 20 buildings. Police cordoned off four blocks surrounding the break for about three hours while crews from Public Service Electric & Gas Co. worked to shut off the gas. Meanwhile, those who live in the neighborhood waited outside until emergency crews deemed the area safe. ``You could hear a roaring sound. It sounded like a train,'' Councilwoman Vera Ames said. She said a thick smell of gas filled the area surrounding the break. There were no injuries, and no buildings were damaged. The break occurred as workers with the Passaic Valley Water Commission were using a backhoe to break through the street. The crew had been shutting off a water line leading into a building, said Chief Engineer Jim Duprey. Duprey said the accident occurred because PSE&G failed to mark the road properly for underground lines. ``When Public Service went to mark out, they indicated there was no piping in the area that was excavated,'' he said. Before digging, the commission called a hotline maintained by the state Board of Public Utilities as required by the 1995 ``One Call'' law, Duprey said. The hotline allows agencies to make one call and have all of the appropriate utilities mark underground lines. A spokesman for PSE&G said the utility was investigating whether the gas line was properly marked. After hitting the line, a PVWC worker flagged down a passing officer at about 10:35 a.m., police said. Police were advised to turn off the lights on patrol cars and not leave any engines running for fear of sparking the gas fumes. ``It was very dangerous. The pressure was just phenomenal,'' Mayor Martin G. Barnes said. Roger Soto, a service technician at PSE&G, stopped at each building on Harrison Street telling workers to stay outside their buildings. ``We want to make sure that no one is operating any equipment or any kind of engine,'' he said. ``We're just securing the area, making sure everybody is safe.'' The chief of emergency management, James Sparano, said even police and fire equipment posed a danger. ``You'll notice even our emergency vehicles are staying way back--anything can spark it,'' he said. As firefighters and emergency medical technicians stood by, 22 young children attending Bethel Christian Childcare on Auburn Street were evacuated to School 6, where they stayed until it was safe to return. * * *

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to support this legislation which honors my friend and senior Senator from New Jersey, Frank Lautenberg. I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation, and applaud my colleagues, Congressman Payne and Congressman LoBiondo, for bringing this important measure to the floor. Senator Lautenberg is a great American and a son of my hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. Good things and great people hail from Paterson! The son of immigrants, Frank Lautenberg came from a working-class background. In fact, his father worked in the silk mills in Paterson, located around the same area where I grew up. After graduating high school, he served the United States citizens by joining the Army Signal Corps in Europe. Upon his return, Senator Lautenberg began a life of public service to the citizens of the Garden State. Along with two friends, Senator Lautenberg started a company that served as one of the largest employers of New Jersey workers, and helped shape the way business is conducted in America. Automated Data Processing was and still is one of the foremost computing services companies in the world. It provides employer services to hundreds of thousands of businesses by providing the paychecks to more than 29 million wage earners each payday. In 1982, I joined the majority of New Jersey residents in voting for Frank Lautenberg to the office of Senator. We were impressed by his dedication to providing work and service in New Jersey and trusted that he would represent us well in the United States Congress. Our gut and our vote proved right. The impact he has had on our nation's health, safety and security is significant, and that is why we honor him today. He is the author of laws that have shaped the lives and enriched the health and safety of Americans. We can thank Senator Lautenberg for establishing 21 as the national legal drinking age, for banning smoking on airplanes and for making it illegal for anyone convicted of domestic violence to own a gun. A strong environmental leader, Senator Lautenberg also helped write the Superfund, Clean Air and Safe Drinking Water Acts. As Ranking Democratic Member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Lautenberg has consistently supported sound investment in our nation's infrastructure. Furthermore, he has worked tirelessly to secure hundreds of millions of dollars for New Jersey's highways, mass transit systems, airports and ports. The Garden State has known this about Senator Lautenberg for 18 years, and I am proud to share his accomplishments with colleagues and fellow Americans who may not realize the impact that he has had on American policy and life. So, as the great city of Newark continues to rise, it is more than appropriate that Frank Lautenberg should be honored in name and reputation in this manner. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4975, and am proud to join with others in recognizing the hard work and immeasurable contributions he made to the economy, quality of life, and safety for the citizens of New Jersey and America.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, the face of aging has changed dramatically. Americans are living longer, more active lives. Involvement in independent activities such as work, hobbies, and social life can add quality--and years--to a senior's life Yet, while independence and control over their lives is as important to seniors as their physical and mental health, many people avoid planning for senior housing until a pending crisis, putting their own freedom of choice at risk and straining family relationships. Just as people have learned to plan ahead for their financial retirement, it should become commonplace to plan for long-term housing and care. In recognition of National Assisted Living Week, September 10-16, please join me in inviting all seniors to take the time now to talk openly with their families about their senior housing options and preferences, just in case supportive housing ever becomes necessary for them. We all value the right to live in our own homes as long as possible and to make our own decisions. Americans must plan ahead in order to protect their preferences and maximize their lifestyle options later. There is a rich variety of senior housing and care options to choose from, so it's important to become fully educated. One of these options, assisted living, has become a cornerstone for senior care. An assisted living residence is a special combination of housing, personalized supportive services and health care designed to meet the needs--both scheduled and unscheduled--of those who require help with activities of daily living. I urge all Americans to learn more about assisted living and how seniors can age in a loving home-like environment with dignity and independence.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time to me on this important issue, and I commend her for her continued fight on this most critical problem. We all remember with horror the tragedy that occurred in April of 1999 at Littleton, Colorado. It left a country speechless, parents childless, and Congress clueless. We will likely never know the motivations behind these two young killers. One fact remains glaringly clear, Mr. Speaker: They were able to obtain the firearms they needed without any questions asked. A friend of the two purchased the guns from a gun show the previous autumn. Days after the killing she said, ``I wish it had been more difficult. I wouldn't have helped them buy the guns if I had faced a background check.'' In the days, months, and now a year following Columbine, I have joined my colleagues in the Congress from both sides of the aisle to put an end to the gun show loophole. While successful to that end, the majority leadership still refuses to address other proposed legislation dealing with gun safety issues, so I am pleased and I am honored to stand with the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) and his legislation. It is on the suspension calendar today, and I salute the gentleman from Colorado. It is timely, in fact, because millions of children and teenagers are returning to classrooms across the Nation to go back to school this month. As stated in H.R. 5123, an estimated 225,000 violent incidents occurred in 1999 on school property, at an official school function, or while traveling to and from school. That is not acceptable and it should not be to anybody, regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on. Students and teachers ought not to leave their houses in the morning worried about whether or not they will make it home that evening. H.R. 5123 adds one more safety measure to ensuring that school violence is stopped. To those who say there are enough laws on the books already, I say, they are misinformed. It requires the Secretary of Education to notify States that administrative funds may be used to establish the tollfree hotline in schools, as the good gentleman from Colorado pointed out. Parents, students, and school personnel wanting to report suspicious or violent acts could use this hotline. I applaud the author of this commonsense legislation. It does not take one gun away from one person in the United States of America. It is common sense, and I applaud the gentleman for that. This is a step in the right direction. I am encouraged that we are debating this today, because it gives me hope. Remember the song, Core Ingrata. Give me the slightest sign of hope. That is what they are doing today. This measure requires, as a measure that I had introduced not too long ago concerning smart guns, that every handgun manufactured and sold in America must incorporate technology to allow operation only by its owner. What in God's name is so demonic about that? I urge the majority leadership to consider bringing up reasonable gun legislation: a 3-day waiting period for gun show purchases, the elimination of high-capacity ammunition clips, and requiring child safety locks on every handgun. We have Federal law on aspirins, child seats, cigarette lighters. We are afraid to do it with weapons.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to explain why I will vote to uphold the President's veto today. I am on Record as having voted for H.R. 8 as well as the Democratic plan. The estate tax puts an undue burden on small business owners and farms who are the heart of America's middle class, often making it difficult to pass their enterprises on to family members. It is my firm belief that the estate tax in its current form needs to be changed. There is no argument there on either side. The President has shown that he is willing to sit down and work out a solution with all parties rather than this be bipartisan. He said and wrote to us, the entire House of Representatives, on August the 31st, ``I am returning herewith without my approval H.R. 8, legislation to phase out Federal estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes over a 10-year period. While I support and would sign targeted and fiscally responsible legislation that provides estate tax relief for small businesses, family farms, and principal residences along the lines proposed by the House and the Senate Democrats. . . .'' This should not be a partisan issue. I am opposed to allowing taxpayers to be pawns in an election year battle. This political posturing today is unfortunate. I have voted for many of the very taxes that have been proposed on both sides of the aisle, and I voted for the repeal of this tax. But we need to take a look at all of this together. As we say in science, the gestalt, the total body of proposed tax cuts to see what it adds up to. We cannot jeopardize the surplus, and we cannot jeopardize future generations. This is what we need to be smart about. Before this is all over by October 1, I am sure we will be.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, millions of students across this country will get onto school buses and bikes to go back to school this week. Unfortunately, many of our Nation's students will be returning to crowded classrooms, run-down school buildings and outdated textbooks. As a former teacher, I am acutely aware of both the excitement and the challenges facing our educational system today. We need to improve education by establishing tougher standards for our teachers, creating a school construction and modernization program, and funding preschool for some 3 year-olds and all of 4-year-olds. To that end, Congress must make education its top priority. I would like to take a moment to wish a classroom in the Eighth Congressional District in New Jersey well this school year. Robin Holcombe is a kindergarten teacher in the Passaic School Number Six. She teaches 23 active, curious, and wonderful 5- and 6-year-olds. I want to let Robin know that the Congress is working for her and her students and will not rest until we provide her more professional training, smaller class sizes and her new kindergarten students with a sound and promising educational future. Mr. Speaker, before I close, let me just say that many of the schools in northern New Jersey were built before the First World War. Congress must respond.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to commend this body for passing two pieces of legislation yesterday that enhance the benefits of our veterans, H.R. 4850 and H.R. 4864. It does not matter how many benefits we provide our veterans if they do not know what they are entitled to. Throughout our Nation's history, millions of men and women have served in our Armed Forces during times of peace and times of war. They have defended the very freedoms our country was founded upon. Too often our Nation's heroes are not adequately informed about what their benefits are and what they are entitled to. This is simply unacceptable. We have introduced H.R. 3256, the Veterans Right to Know Act; and if anyone has a right to know, our veterans have a right to know. The Veterans Right to Know Act requires the Secretary of VA to prepare an annual outreach plan that will include efforts to identify veterans who are not otherwise enrolled or registered with the Department for benefits or services. It enjoys the bipartisan support of 72 House members. Veterans have served this country. We are accountable to our veterans, and we are going to deliver.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio for yielding me this time. I rise in support of the resolution. Many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would like to keep this debate low key, below the radar screen this afternoon. They would like for this issue to go away. In the land of freedom, this may be the last time we debate the issue on the floor of the Congress, the Congress of the people, the House of the people; this may be the last time we debate the issue of trade with China. Sadly, this could be the last debate. We will never have the ability to voice our concerns about an authoritarian government whose regime this House has recently voted to coddle, to patronize. Free trade with China is an oxymoron. Check the record. Check the record. Mr. Speaker, I would like to use this time to talk about an even bigger picture. In his book, the Lexus in the Olive Tree, New York Times columnist Tom Friedman lays out what he calls globalization. We have addressed that issue not only with trade, but in foreign policy and a lot of other things, the subject of globalization. Friedman's contention is that no longer will there be Democrats and Republicans, one will either be a free trader, or not; one will be a globalizer, or not. Globalization means the spread of free market capitalism to virtually every country in the world. He talks about how these trade agreements we are talking about are the wave of the future. Get with it, I say to the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher). Get with it, I say to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), my friend. You are not with it. The proponents of PNTR won their battle by arguing that we, the opponents, were against trade and globalization. It was clever. I cannot stress this point enough. We are not against trade, and we are not against a global economy. Mr. Speaker, I am against deals that cause my State, the State of New Jersey, to lose 22,000 jobs. Yes, I am against that. I am against deals that see our textile industry exported overseas in the name of economic progress. Yes, I am against that. While Mr. Friedman talks of globalization and the interconnection of economies, which is something that we cannot question, which will be good for big business, our constituents will see their technical and manufacturing jobs exported overseas. This sort of global economy will see jobs that were someone's career. Our grandparents who came here had these entry-level jobs, and we continue to export these manufacturing jobs against the very people who used them. Out of one side of our mouth we talk about the immigrants coming to America, but the very jobs that we work at will no longer be here. Mr. Speaker, we have no longer a war on turf in America or in the world. We are not going to be fighting over boundaries, I say to my good friend from New York. I know that. But to think that the boundary lines are going to be the competitive forces playing out on Wall Street and on the Internet is to bury our heads in the sand. It is absolutely unforgivable what we have done in the last 3 months on the subject of trade with an enemy. Our enemy is not the Chinese people, it is the authoritarian government; and it goes long before 50 years that that government was authoritarian.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call to your attention the considerable valor during the Korean War of Julio Mercado of West Haverstraw, N.Y., Donato Santiago-Molina of Paterson, N.J., Guillermo Alamo of Newark, N.J., and Asuncion Santiago-Cruz of Philadelphia, PA. I also wish to call to your attention the deeds and tragic deaths of John A. Pabon and Ramon Gaya-Arce, who were tragically killed in action as members of the 65th Infantry Regiment, which was comprised of soldiers from the great island of Puerto Rico. Fifty years ago, on June 27, 1950, U.S. forces launched a military effort to battle communist North Korea. Soon after, they were joined by soldiers from Puerto Rico, plucked from their Caribbean homeland to fight on a distant continent. Many were dirt poor from hill country and didn't speak a word of English. Some became U.S. soldiers because they needed a job; others were drafted. Waging war on some of the world's harshest terrain, through the sweltering heat of summer and the bone-chilling winds of winter, the steely group of Puerto Rican soldiers fought with incredible determination and courage. These Puerto Rican soldiers gave their hearts to the fight and helped sweep the North Koreans back to the 38th parallel. Working side by side with the U.S. forces from Maine to California, they then attacked Chinese forces that had entered the fray on behalf of the North Koreans. Through months of bitter battle, in which the warring factions worked themselves into a bloody stalemate, the Puerto Rican soldiers fought valiantly along side GIs from Maine to California, sacrificing their lives for the ideals of democracy. Negotiators finally signed an armistice agreement at Panmunjom on July 27, 1953. The North Koreans returned to the northern side of the 38th parallel, while democracy was allowed to once again flourish in the Republic of South Korea. In later years, the Korean War would be called ``The Forgotten War.'' But for the Puerto Rican soldiers who gave everything they had to preserve freedom, this war will never be forgotten. As we prepare to commemorate ``National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day'' on July 27, let us thank the Puerto Rican soldiers who demonstrated their love for America, although they did not have a vote--and still don't--in the affairs of this great nation. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to bring to your attention the actions of three individuals who have worked selflessly to raise public awareness of Korean War veterans from Puerto Rico. Specifically, Puerto Rico Senator Kenneth McClintock, retired U.S. Army Sgt. Angel Cordero of Paterson, N.J., who serves as a Junior ROTC instructor at Eastside High School in Paterson, and Ruben Pabon, Jr. of Northvale, N.J. should be lauded for enlightening us of the Puerto Rican veterans' valiant efforts on behalf of our nation. Sadly, Mr. Pabon is waiting for the body of his late brother, Cpl. John A. Pabon, to be recovered from Korea some fifty years after the end of the war. Let us all pray that democracy can reach every corner of the Earth, from Havana, Cuba to Beijing, China. And, just like our brave soldiers in the Korean War, may we remain ever vigilant against those who threaten our inalienable rights. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues, the people of New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the United States in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable service to our nation of Julio Mercado, Donato Santiago-Molina, Guillermo Alamo, Asuncion Santiago-Cruz, as well as John A. Pabon and Ramon Gaya-Arce, who are no longer with us. As we honor these men today, we in turn bear in mind the stand of the many courageous Puerto Rican soldiers against Communism, which has laid the foundation for the peace and freedom that America and many nations enjoy today. We also recall the grief of the Puerto Rican families who lost their children in this war, and remember the gratitude still expressed by the people of South Korea.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the exploits of a remarkable athlete and humanitarian, Adam Graves of Tucumseh, Ontario, Canada. On Wednesday, June 14, 2000, he was feted at the Brownstone House in Paterson, NJ, because of his selfless dedication to the community and children by the Boys & Girls Club of Passaic, NJ, at the Annual Sportsman of the Year Dinner. It is only fitting that Adam be honored, for he has a long history of caring, generosity and commitment to others. The road to Adam's professional career took him through the minor leagues. He made his AHL debut in the 1987 playoffs. In 1989, he helped Adirondack win the Calder Cup and notched 11 goals and 7 assists. In an All-Star Junior career, Adam totaled 100 goals and 124 assists in two and a half seasons with Windsor of the OHL. He led the team in playoff goals in all three seasons. Adam also captained the Spitfires to the OHL Championship in 1988. In addition, he led the OHL in playoff scoring with 32 points. Adam Graves also has a stellar international record. As a member of the Gold Medal-winning Canadian Junior team at the World Junior Championships in 1988, he notched five goals. He also served as captain of Team Canada at the 1993 World Championships in Munich, Germany, tallying six points. Additionally, he garnered seven points representing Team Canada at the 1999 World Championships in Norway. Selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round, Adam was the 22nd overall pick of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. After 3 years he was traded to the Edmonton Oilers, where he helped the team win the Stanley Cup. Adam was signed by the New York Rangers as a free agent on September 2, 1991, and clinched his second Stanley Cup in 1994. In total, Adam has appeared in 907 career NHL games, registered 293 goals and 248 assists for 541 points, along with 61 post-season points. He played in his first NHL All-Star Game on January 22, 1994, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Born April 12, in Toronto, Ontario, Adam Graves wears number nine on the New York Rangers. He plays left wing, is 6 feet tall and weights 205 pounds. His teammates often call him ``Gravy.'' Interestingly, in 1998, he appeared in an episode of ``Spin City'' starring Michael J. Fox. Adam also captured the ``Good Guy'' award, presented by the New York chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, for cooperation with the media. In addition, he is a four-time winner of the ``Players' Player'' award, given annually to the best ``team player'' as voted by the players. As a concerned member of the community, Adam serves as a celebrity chairman for Family Dynamics, a New York City child abuse agency. He helped raise more than $80,000 at the agency's annual Family Dynamics event. ``Gravy'' makes several appearances with many charitable organizations during the season, including the annual Toys for Tots collection during the holiday season. He was the recipient of the ``Crumb Bum'' award in 1992-1993 for his work with New York youngsters. Along with four other professional athletes, he was awarded the USA Weekend ``Most Caring Athlete'' Award for his charitable efforts and community service. Over the years, Adam has made a significant impact in the NHL and beyond through his commitment to charity. He is a four-time winner of the Steven McDonald Award, given to the Rangers player who ``goes above and beyond the call of duty,'' as voted by the fans. In 1993-1994, he received the NHL's prestigious King Clancy Memorial Trophy. This award is given to a player that best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community. He is the first Rangers player to be so honored. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, Adam's family and friends, the Boys & Girls Club of Passaic, the New York Rangers, the National Hockey League and me in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable service to the community of Adam Graves.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention the deeds of a phenomenal college baseball team from my district, the Montclair State University Red Hawks. On Tuesday, May 30, 2000 the baseball team won the NCAA Division III World Series Championship in Appleton, Wisconsin. It is only fitting that this group is honored, for it concluded the season with the most wins in school history, and became a three-time Division III World Series title-holder. The team became champions after beating St. Thomas, a school from Minnesota, 6-2 at Fox Cities Stadium, Wisconsin. That game included a one-hour, two-minute lightning delay. The team is the first to win the tournament after losing its opener since the series expanded from four to eight teams in 1991. The entire team played outstanding. Corey Hamman, who allowed only two runs and seven hits, gave a great performance. Corey's skills earned him the honor of being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Junior center fielder Frank Longo went three-for-four with three RBIs and a run scored by the Red Hawks. Montclair State University Baseball Coach Norm Schoenig has always been an active and involved leader. It was the small steps in the beginning of his career that taught him the fundamentals that would make him a role model to the student athletes he now inspires. The 13- year, low-key coach was the architect that helped bring this latest glory to Montclair State. His past successes include steering the team to a 1993 national title and a runner-up finish in 1998. The outstanding season record, which stands as the most wins accrued by the Red Hawks ball club, was 42-7-1. The Red Hawks enjoyed a terrific campaign, reaching number two in the national rankings, before suffering two losses in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament. Their overall stellar record earned them a bid to the Mid-Atlantic Regional. At the Regional, Montclair State overcame a 10-0 deficit in its opener against Allentown; eventually rallying for a 14-11 victory in a game that was delayed for two days by rain. Montclair State then won the rain-shortened regional the following day by beating Rowan and the College of New Jersey. The loss to SUNY-Cortland in the World Series opener might have demoralized a lesser team. The Red Hawks, however, made a remarkable turnaround and won five straight games in four days. The team beat Emory 5-0, Wartburg 7-2 and Allegheny 10-3. As a former educator and collegiate baseball player, Mr. Speaker, I can think of no other team who works harder or loves the game more than the Red Hawks. I ask that you join our colleagues, Montclair State University, its faculty, administration, students, alumni, supporters and me in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable achievements of the Montclair State University Red Hawks, the NCAA Division III World Series champions.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention to the deeds of a person I was proud to call my friend, Aaron Halpern of Clifton, New Jersey, who was remembered on Thursday, June 1, 2000 because of his many years of service and leadership. He is deserving of this memorial, for he had a long history of caring, generosity and commitment to others. Aaron was recognized for his many years of leadership in Clifton, which I have been honored to represent in Congress since 1997, and so it is only fitting that these words are immortalized in the annals of this greatest of all freely elected bodies. Mr. Halpern worked for the Clifton School System for 43 years, beginning as a high school teacher and guidance counselor. He became the principal of School 7 in 1959 and of Woodrow Wilson Middle School in 1962. A year later he became the principal of Clifton High School. He served that post for 25 years until his retirement on November 1, 1988. During his tenure at Clifton High School, Aaron implemented many educational innovations including computer technology, student counseling and placement services. When he retired in 1988, it was estimated that more than 20,000 students had passed through the school in the years that he was in charge. Aaron received the New Jersey Principals Supervisors Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1993, and the Clifton Parents Football Boosters named him 1982-83 Man of the Year. He also had a wing at Clifton High School named after him in 1997. Principal Halpern was a member of the Executive Committee of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association, where he was responsible for many athletic rule changes. He was a life member of the National Education Association and the New Jersey Congress of Parents and Teachers. An Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, Principal Halpern was a member of the Clifton Jewish Center and its Men's Club, the B'nai B'rith and Humboldt-Ezra Masonic Lodge 114, all in Clifton. A graduate of Passaic High School in 1938, Aaron received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Newark State College, and Master's degrees in Administration and Supervision from Montclair State College (now University), in Guidance from Rutgers University, and in Secondary School Administration from Teachers College at Columbia University. Aaron is survived by his wife, the former Dorothy Leibowitz, a daughter, Doretta Halpern of Cedar Grove and his nephew Jack Birnberg, Chairman of the Board of Waldorf Group, Inc. of Little Falls, New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, Aaron's family and friends, Clifton High School, the Clifton Board of Education, the City of Clifton and me in recognizing the outstanding and invaluable service to the community of Aaron Halpern.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I am the proud sponsor of the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act, better known as the Fire Bill. It has almost 280 sponsors. The bill will provide competitive grants directly to over 32,000 paid, part-paid, and volunteer fire departments across America. On April 12 of this year, we had a hearing on this legislation before the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations and Emergency Management of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. At this hearing, a colleague from across the aisle stated that my legislation does not have the support of the administration. He challenged me to get it. Today I am here to present the administration's unwavering support of H.R. 1168 to the House. I have a letter from Jack Lew, who is the Budget Director for the White House. This letter expresses, and I quote, ``the Administration supports passage of the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act.'' We owe it to the firefighters of America, Mr. Speaker, who put their lives at risk every day to save ours, to bring this legislation to the floor. It is about time we took care of the other side of the public safety equation, our firefighters.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I am here to express my opposition to the Hostettler amendment. This amendment prohibits the Department of Justice from using funds to implement or administer the settlement reached in March between the federal government and Smith & Wesson. Last week, during the VA/HUD Appropriations debate, Congressman Hostettler introduced a similar amendment to try to stop the efforts of the federal government to make guns safer and keep them out of the hands of children and criminals. I have to ask--what is he trying to do? Does he oppose safer guns? Because this agreement makes sure guns will have safety measures like internal safety locks, smart-gun technology, child-safety trigger resistance, chamber-load indicators, and many other provisions that will cut down on accidental shootings and make guns less attractive to criminals. Does he oppose making distribution of guns more thoughtful and careful? Because this agreement also closes the gun-show loophole, requires background checks for all sales, limits the delivery of multiple purchases, limits children's access to weapons, and many other measures to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children. Does he oppose saving lives? Because that is what this agreement will do. It also sets an example for other manufacturers to help reduce the awful toll of gun violence while ending litigation brought against them by an array of cities and counties. The agreement is a win-win situation--settling litigation and making safer guns available to the American people. The agreement demonstrates that manufacturers can make safer guns-- including smart guns--and take responsibility for the way their guns are distributed. A vote for Congressman Hostettler's amendment is a vote for less safety and less responsible distribution. It thwarts implementation of the agreement sends a strong signal to the rest of the gun industry that they should just keep resisting common-sense reform, while communities throughout America pay the price. I urge every one of your to vote against the ill-conceived Hostettler amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words on the Secret Evidence Repeal Act to urge everyone's full support of the Campbell-Bonior amendment. This is a cohesive force. The gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Sununu) is absolutely correct from all spectrums on that political horizon. So this is good. This is healthy for all of us that the entire spectrum of political opinion is supportive. The United States of America is a Nation based on fairness and opportunity. The cornerstone of our judicial system is the right of the accused to know what one is accused of and to see the evidence the accusation is based upon. This is very fundamental. Our laws do not extend this protection to noncitizens who are suspected of terrorism. Instead, the INS uses secret evidence to interfere with applications for immigration benefits and even to detain and deport the people. The INS has gone far beyond the IRS in being public enemy number one. The Secret Evidence Repeal Act prohibits the use of secret evidence in INS proceedings and guarantees that anyone detained for deportation will have legal representation and an opportunity to review all of the evidence being used against them. Today's amendment, the amendment of the gentleman from California (Mr. Campbell) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), and I am proud to be cosponsor of it, is important because it cuts funding from the account used to detain those immigrants on the basis of this secret evidence. Supporting this amendment is supporting due process, quite frankly, the American way across the political spectrum. I support this bill and support the amendment because I believe in the right of every American, every American resident to be treated with equal justice. We are a country of many backgrounds, many faiths. We have an obligation to treat all residents with the same respect and fairness. I urge all of us to support the amendment because we are not a Nation of justice for some, we are a Nation of justice for all. This is a good deal for America.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise to strike the last word as the author of legislation that relies on research such as that being fought for right now on the floor. I commend Mr. McGovern and Mr. Pease. My legislation, the ``Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement Act,'' or ``The Fire Bill,'' will provide competitive grants directly to the over 32,000 paid, part-paid and volunteer fire departments across America. The money could be used for personnel, equipment, vehicles, training, health and safety initiatives and prevention programs. The Building and Fire Research Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is in the process of developing fire safety technology that would make fire fighting safer. They are developing precisely the equipment that I wrote my bill to enable fire fighters around the country to purchase. This equipment will make fire fighting safer. For example, NIST is developing infrared sight technology that will make it possible for firefighters to successfully, and safely, operate in a burning structure filled with thick smoke. Had such technology been available to firefighters, many recent tragedies could have been avoided and lives could have been saved. The McGovern-Pease amendment would provides $1,000,000 to the NIST to help them continue their work in this area. I have said before that our firefighters are the forgotten part of our public safety equation. Congress should make a commitment to those who make a commitment to us every single day. We need to show that it is no longer acceptable to pay lipservice to the firefighters in our districts on the weekend. . . . and not put our money where our mouth is during the week. That is why you must vote in favor of the McGovern-Pease amendment. By supporting this funding, you will be laying the groundwork for safe fire fighters by enabling NIST to continue to develop the best technology to protect them. I urge you all to support our fire fighters by supporting this amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I stand in support of the manager's amendment. As my colleagues know, as we came out of the committee, the Committee on Appropriations, there were great concerns over security, maintenance of the buildings, and whether or not the supportive agencies that support this Congress were funded appropriately. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the chairman of the subcommittee, the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Taylor), for working on this bill, the manager's amendment, in a very bipartisan manner. The gentleman from North Carolina has involved me in all the negotiations and working on this manager's amendment, so I want to thank him for the bipartisan workmanship he has provided. Mr. Chairman, with the additional money that has been found, we have now been able to restore in the Member's account monies that would allow the Members to give cost of living to the staff. It will ensure that the new Members and the transition costs that they will encounter will be met. It also restores money for equipment purchases in the Members' offices. And as far as Members' offices are concerned, it brings the money that is needed for personnel and equipment. As it deals with the police, it restores all the COLAs, all the additional benefits that are needed and required, and it brings the current staff on board to 1,361. There will be no RIFs. The current class of about 96 trainees will be incorporated, and it will allow an additional class of 48 trainees. So the issue of security is addressed. And I would tell my colleagues that I think that it is restored to the level that we want. I would like to make a comment on the police. In the past, there has been some concern over management and administration. In this bill, we have language that fences some of this money so that, hopefully, we can get the cooperation of the police board and the new chief as we solve security problems. As we are able to install more security equipment, we need to look at what other policies we can change so that we can maintain the security that is desired, at least two people at the door, but, at the same time, minimize overtime and additional personnel. We need to work together to ensure that the Capitol and the House buildings are secured, but we need to ensure that policies are implemented that answer the problems of not only more personnel but the working relationship with the police board, the chief, and the appropriate House committees so we can ensure that we are secure but the monies are used effectively. To CBO we restore funding for 215 full-time employees, and we believe that attrition will cover this and CBO is allowed discretion. The Architect, his budget avoids RIFs and allows for next year's new Members' transition and funds the daytime cleaning services, something we were concerned about as this bill left the committee. CRS, very important to us. They have an accession program in place. This bill, if adopted by the manager's amendment, will restore all the CRS staff. It allows a pay increase and it will allow the accession program to continue. There are some cuts in the GPO and also the GAO, but we are working with them to ensure that the programs that are in place would allow them to deal with this budget and be successful in providing services to the Congress. So, Mr. Chairman, we are supportive of the manager's amendment. We would ask our Members to support it in order that this House will continue to provide its services to its constituents.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I am here to express my opposition to the Hostettler amendment. To me, this is the most mean-spirited amendment I have ever seen on this floor. It cuts to the chase. It prohibits the Office of Housing and Urban Development from using funds to administer HUD's Community for Safer Guns Coalition. What does the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Hostettler) have against the Communities for Safer Guns Coalition? I cannot figure it out. First the gentleman was against every legislative mandate. The gentleman is against it. Now, we do not have a mandate, what we are saying is we have an agreement between the administration and a company. We did not pass any legislation for the Clinton administration to come to that agreement. This is something the gentleman should support. The gentleman is proactive about it. The Communities for Safer Guns Coalition keeps guns out of the hands of criminals and children. I know the gentleman supports that. How can the gentleman support this amendment? It closes the gun show loophole. I do not know if the gentleman supports that. It cuts down on straw purchasing. The gentleman supports that, do you not? It mandates full background checks for all purchases. I think these are important steps towards making our streets safer. Does it take one gun away from anybody? One of the program's strengths is that it starts in the community and stays in the community. This is a movement of local and State leaders who have pledged to support giving a preference in firearm purchases to companies who follow a code of responsible conduct. These advances that you have heard on the floor just a few moments ago all help law enforcement by making guns less attractive to criminals and making it harder for bad apple dealers to supply criminals. After all the ATF reports that just 1.2 percent of dealers account for 57 percent of gun crime traces to active dealers. There is 411 communities at this point, at this very moment that have signed on. A vote to stop the coalition is a vote to support less responsible gun makers and less responsible dealers. Mr. Chairman, I urge everyone of us to vote against this ill- conceived amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. With this amendment I seek to correct the great neglect, Mr. Chairman, with which the Veterans Administration treats many of our Nation's veterans. The neglect to which I refer is the VA's lack of effort in reaching out to our veterans and informing them what benefits they are entitled to. Too often our Nation's heroes are not adequately informed as to what benefits they are entitled to receive or how to obtain those benefits, and their families are not as well. In fact, a survey conducted by the VA indicated that less than half the veterans contacted were aware of certain benefits they were entitled to receive, including pension benefits for disabled and low-income veterans. My amendment is simple. It mandates that whatever amount has been previously earmarked for outreach to veterans must be increased by $100,000 from the general operating fund. This extra funding is desperately needed. It is time for the VA to take seriously its responsibility for informing the veterans community about available benefits. To further achieve this goal, I have introduced legislation, the Veterans Right to Know Act. My bill mandates that the Veterans Administration inform widows and survivors of vets about what benefits and services are available to them. It further requires that the VA develop an annual outreach plan designed to help identify veterans who are not registered and devise ways to inform vets of changes to their benefits. Most importantly, my bill requires that the VA consult with veterans' organizations in developing the plan. That way we know it will work. I am a veteran. I am fully aware of the challenges that we face, the hardships that many of us have endured, and the pride we take in having served our country. Members of the Armed Forces have put themselves at great risk to protect America. In return, the Federal Government has made a commitment to both active duty and retired military personnel to provide certain benefits. Veterans throughout this country deserve these benefits. They have earned these benefits through their patriotism and their courage and their values. It is an absolute outrage that the Government they fought for is not doing a good enough job informing them of what they are entitled to receive. It is our responsibility to inform our veterans as to what benefits they are entitled to receive. Abraham Lincoln spoke of this responsibility in his second inaugural address, saying we must ``care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan.'' Throughout our Nation's history, millions of men and women have served in our Armed Forces, during times of peace and in times of war. They have defended the very freedoms our country was founded upon. My legislation honors that commitment. I am going to fight to make it the law of the land. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong support for the Hinchey- Frelinghuysen amendment, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. We want to suspend the VERA program. It is not working, and it is certainly not working for New Jersey. We are the only VISN to lose money. It is unacceptable to the veterans in New Jersey. It is unacceptable to me. According to this year's bill, our VISN will receive $22 million less than we did in fiscal year 1999, and $14 million less than we did in fiscal year 2000. In fact, when we consider the supplemental appropriation, New Jersey will receive $52 million less than we received for the entire fiscal year 2000. This is not a question of making everybody happy, this is a question of equity. The program is not working. What we are going to do is wedge one veterans' group against the other. That is not acceptable to us in New Jersey, and I am sure to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek) and to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Frelinghuysen), it is not acceptable to them as well. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to voice my strong support for the Hinchey, Frelinghuysen amendment and I urge my colleagues to do the same. The amendment is simple, it suspends the VERA program. What we need to do is go back to the drawing board and come up with a program that is fair to ALL veterans. In Fiscal Year 2000, Congress provided $1.7 billion more for veteran's medical care. Yet, in New Jersey we lost $36 million in funding. We were the only VISN to lose money. It is unacceptable to the veterans of New Jersey. It is unacceptable to me. According to this year's bill, our VISN will receive $22 million less than we did in Fiscal Year 1999 and $14 million less than we did in Fiscal Year 2000! In fact, when we consider the supplemental appropriation we received this year, New Jersey will receive $52 million less than we received for the entirety of Fiscal Year 2000. This is a disgrace. And that is because of VERA, the Veterans Equitable Resource Allocation program, which redirects money from some regions of the country to pay for veterans who live in other parts of the country. Our veterans deserve better. The fact is that the VERA system is not equitable to all veterans. This amendment sends the message that VERA is not working. The VA should develop a truly equitable plan. Members of the military have put themselves at great risk to protect American interests around the world. In return for this service, the federal government has made a commitment to both active duty and retired military personnel to provide certain benefits. Our veterans helped shaped the prosperity our nation currently enjoys. It is OUR duty to ensure that commitments made to those who served are kept. The VERA system is simply not working. I urge my colleagues to support this important amendment.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to your attention to the life of a man I am proud to call my friend, Mathew Witecki of Little Falls, New Jersey, who passed from this Earth on Sunday, May 29, 2000. It is only fitting that Mayor Witecki be honored, for he has a long history of caring, generosity and commitment to others. Due to his leadership and dedicated service, I am honored to submit these words to be immortalized in the annals of this greatest of all freely elected bodies. Fifteen years ago, Mathew Witecki made his political debut by wearing a gas mask and pushing a baby carriage during a protest to stop the construction of a landfill on part of the Montclair State University Campus. Mathew, the former mayor and deputy mayor of Little Falls, joined the picket line and helped fight plans to dump garbage from New York on a site near the border of Montclair and the township where he lived for 43 years. Since his political debut, Mayor Witecki, 76, a retired engineer, served on the Little Falls Township Council and was an active member of numerous community organizations until he died on this past Sunday. Mathew was the son of Polish immigrants who grew up during the depression. He is remembered as a man who never wasted time or resources. Mathew was a graduate of Newark College of Engineering and retired in 1986 as a senior engineer for Bendix Corp. after 45 years of service. He then worked as a consultant for Allied Signal. Known for his honest approach to life, Mathew took a firm stand on community issues. Most recently, he was the founder and chairman of STOP, an organization created to block plans to run a natural gas pipeline underneath 33 North Jersey communities, including Little Falls and the 20 other towns in my Congressional District in New Jersey. I was proud to work along side of Mathew during these months fighting the pipeline. Even though we were from opposite sides of the aisle, Mathew never let politics get in the way of a cause in which he believed. We worked together in a bipartisan way to accomplish a goal on an issue we both were passionate about He was a tireless advocate of the families in the area. Along with his help, we fought the battle against the pipeline, and I pledge to continue to fight in his honor. Mathew Witecki was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 3835, the past president of the Passaic County Historical Society, trustee of the New Jersey Intergovernmental Insurance Fund and treasurer of Passaic County Vision 20/20 Inc. He was also a member of the Little Falls Planning Board, former chairman and trustee of Passaic County Solid Waste Authority and a member of the Little Falls Garden Club. The father of four, grandfather of 11, and great-grandfather of two, mayor Mathew Witecki is survived by his wife, the former Helen T. Stolarz; two sons, Mathew and John; two daughters, Patricia Murphy and Marybeth Witecki. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me, the family of Mayor Mathew Witecki, the residents of Little Falls and Passaic County, his friends and co-workers in honoring the life of a great man.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, early Sunday morning, throughout New Jersey, one could hear screams of joy coming from thousands of homes, diners, and bars. Jason Arnott had just scored the shot heard around the Garden State. After last night, we have some levity and relaxation. I think it is good in the House this morning. I rise to congratulate the Devils. This is a prize that has been given to the best hockey team in the world. This year, we will have our very own New Jersey Devils inscribed upon it for the second time in 5 years. Over the past season, the Devils, who practice at beautiful South Mountain Arena in West Orange, have taken New Jersey fans on a roller coaster season we will soon not forget. We have watched the break-out seasons of potential rookie of the year and, as Congressman Rothman mentioned, the first Hispanic national hockey league star, Scott Gomez, as well as the short-handed goal prowess of former Wolverine John Madden. No player he faced or hit will forget the awe-inspiring and inspirational play of Captain Scott Stevens, which earned him the coveted Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff most valuable player. It is a great happy day for New Jersey, for the Devils, and again, after last night, a point of relaxation for the Congress. We deserve it.

Mr. PASCRELL

Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for yielding me this time. Congress has made its bed and now we want some accountability as we begin to sleep with the enemy. I rise today to voice my strong support, Mr. Chairman, for the amendment offered by my friend, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur). When the House passed PNTR, American job loss was an issue that was merely pushed aside by those who voted for business as usual and for business interests in the low-wage Chinese workforce. Now workers are coming to me and asking what we will do in the aftermath. With this amendment, we have an answer for those who will lose their jobs. The administration admits there will be a loss, net loss of 872,000 jobs, in America. Twenty-two thousand of those jobs will be in New Jersey. We have no program set up in that interim period when those people lose their jobs. What are we going to tell these workers, that they have lost their job to the low-production jobs in China? That is no answer. We need to train people to move on to other jobs. I ask that we support this amendment, Mr. Chairman.