Nancy Pelosi

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for giving me this time, and I rise in support of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill for fiscal 1998, as presented. In particular, I commend our chairman, the gentleman from Louisiana [Mr. Livingston], chairman of the full committee; the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter]; and the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], ranking member of the full committee and ranking member of the subcommittee, for negotiating an excellent bipartisan bill, a bill in which the subcommittee can take considerable pride. I congratulate the gentlemen. This bill is a refreshing change from the last 2 years when the bill has been the focus of deep ideological disputes in spite of the good intentions of our chairmen, and a vehicle for sending objectionable legislative riders to the President. Thankfully, we have returned to the bipartisan tradition which has historically characterized this bill. As our former chairman, Mr. Natcher, would say, this is a good bill. As Members know, the bill deals with Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. With regard to labor programs, the bill makes significant changes in job training, including the Job Corps, and increases for job, youth, and adult job training by $237 million over this year's funding. At the same time, the bill adequately funds worker protection programs, and unlike the last 2 years, does not include riders designed to weaken the protection of American workers. I am particularly pleased that under an agreement negotiated by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Porter], and the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], OSHA will be able to continue its important work in developing an ergonomic standard and will be able to assist business in the next year to adopt important changes in the work environment designed to prevent repetitive stress injuries. As a recent GAO study concludes, ergonomic programs work, reducing injuries and reducing workers' compensation costs by 31 to 91 percent. Of particular note, the bipartisan agreement also provides the committee will refrain from any further restrictions on issuing ergonomics standards beyond 1998. With regard to health, the bill is a significant improvement over the past agreement, which proposed to phase in a 16-percent reduction in public health programs. Remarkably, this bill provides for a 6-percent increase in important biomedical research programs, including important research on breast cancer. It expands on our Federal response to new and emerging infectious diseases, and restores proposed cuts to training programs in the health professions. In addition, the bill provides almost $300 million for the AIDS Drug Assistance program, an increase of $132 million, or 79 percent over comparable 1997 funding. This funding will make the difference between life and death for thousands of Americans living with HIV disease. While I wish we had done more to fund important HIV prevention outreach activities, my hope is by the time this bill emerges from conference with the Senate, the problem will be resolved. With regard to education, I am pleased that so many of the President's important education priorities have been accommodated in this bill. In particular, I am very pleased at the increase of $93 million in the bilingual program and with the investment in support services and professional development to improve the quality of these programs. I am also pleased with the high priority placed on direct financial assistance for students in higher education. Mr. Chairman, for all these reasons, this bill is a great improvement over the spending levels assumed in the budget agreement. My hope is that the careful bipartisan work that has brought us to this point is not disrupted by hostile amendments during floor consideration. I urge my colleagues reject amendments that would derail this important legislation. Mr. Chairman, I commend once again the chairman of the full committee and our ranking member for their leadership.

Ms. PELOSI

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I take back my time. Clearly the gentleman does not want to state where he would have been on the motion to cut all family planning funds from this legislation. It should be clear to our colleagues what the intention is of the Smith amendment and of those who spoke in the well to support it. Indeed, the leadership of the Republican Party in this House, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Armey] and the gentleman from Texas [Mr.DeLay], who spoke on the issue, they all voted for the Paul amendment to cut the family planning funds from here. So to my colleagues who have a discomfort level with this, I hope they take some comfort in the fact that we came together in a bipartisan fashion, we listened over the years to your concerns and addressed them. Some of my colleagues even today, the gentleman from North Carolina [Mr. Jones], mentioned the force abortion program in China. That is not in the bill any longer. That is not in the bill any longer. And we have widened the separation wall between family planning and abortion. This is an issue about family planning. Those who oppose our amendment oppose international family planning. If you support international family planning, support the alternative amendment to the Smith amendment.

Ms. PELOSI. I will yield if the gentleman would like to say where he would have voted on the Paul amendment, how he voted on the Paul amendment.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I thank our colleagues for this very, very informed and serious debate this afternoon. I think those of us who worked hard and long, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Greenwood] in the leadership of this issue, to put together an appropriate response to the concerns that have been expressed by my colleague in the House, found expression in the supporters of the Gilman-Pelosi- Greenwood-Campbell, the list goes on and on, amendment to the Smith amendment. I say I am proud of those who spoke on our behalf because they spoke with conviction and consistency. Our colleague in his closing remarks talked about some other issues that have been voted on by those of us who are sponsoring this amendment and since he brought up the subject of votes, I want to bring up the subject of votes as well. Of the 15 people who spoke in support of the Smith amendment, in opposition to the Gilman-Pelosi-Greenwood amendment, 13 of them voted against international family planning, votes just moments ago, moments before this debate began, for the Paul amendment to eliminate the family planning, international family planning money from this bill. One, the gentlewoman from Florida [Ms. Ros-Lehtinen] voted against the Paul amendment. The gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Smith], the maker of this amendment, was silent on the Paul amendment. He did not vote on that issue. So we do not know where he would stand on that particular amendment.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Texas [Mr. Edwards], a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee]. (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney].

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from California, [Ms. Woolsey]. (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Moran], a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia [Ms. Norton].

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Obey], distinguished ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro] deputy whip as well as a member of the Committee on Appropriations.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, reclaiming my time, then one would wonder why the gentleman from Texas voted with the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Paul] to remove all international family planning from the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bentsen]. (Mr. BENTSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the gentleman from Texas [Mr. DeLay], using my own time, if he would respond to a question. I was concerned about the characterization of the Pelosi amendment and I had some ambiguity on my mind about the position of the gentleman from Texas on international family planning. Mr. Chairman, I would inquire if the gentleman supports international family planning?

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Colorado [Ms. DeGette].

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Connecticut [Mrs. Kennelly].

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume to respond briefly to the gentleman, who was questioning the integrity of our proposal while saying that he recognized the need for international family planning. It is interesting to hear him say that in light of the fact that he just voted for the Paul amendment which would have eliminated all the funding for international family planning in the bill. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York [Ms. Slaughter], a member of the Committee on Rules.

Ms. PELOSI. The gentleman was questioning the honesty of our proposal.

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/4\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Levin].

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Ohio [Mr. Sawyer]. (Mr. SAWYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Lowey], a cosponsor of the amendment. (Mrs. LOWEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)